Dawn broke. Audrey stood in front of the kitchen window, drained. The parlor work was reduced. Willow lay upstairs unconscious, and another grieving widow tossed on the last available pallet. Audrey had about reached the end of endurance. And to top it off, Sadie thought Tate’s exposure to the illness had passed, and with all the upheaval the boy would be better off at home. Audrey would miss the child dreadfully, but she agreed. There was too much sadness in the house. Way too much for a young, impressionable boy.
Eli had talked on the way home last night, spilling his grief. Once the words started to form he couldn’t seem to stop, and Audrey had witnessed a man putting aside his dreams, facing reality. Maybe late in coming, but nonetheless she felt he saw the world as it was this morning, not as he wanted it to be. Perhaps seeing the struggles of the wagon train had allowed him to realize just how much this kind of senseless loss was the way of life.
Mid-morning, Deet brought worrisome news that Silas’s cold had worsened and gone into his chest. He wasn’t doing well. It seemed as if Thunder Ridge was being struck from every direction.
Company brought Audrey out of her reverie. She answered a knock on the door to find Dr. Smith standing in the drizzle. “This is the first moment I’ve been able to come. Caleb said Willow’s been hurt?”
“She’s upstairs. I’ll take you to her.” Audrey heard the doctor puffing as he climbed the stairs behind her. He had to dread coming to this big old house. On the third landing, she motioned toward the door to Willow’s bedchamber and then stepped aside to allow him entry. He acknowledged Tucker, who was sitting on one side of the mattress. The doctor pulled up a chair on the other side and sat down, pensive. Audrey watched as he felt for Willow’s pulse, then raised one of her eyelids and let it close again after a moment’s observation.
Tucker spoke. “She’s been like this since the accident.”
He hesitated and then said. “Only time will tell if she recovers. She’s taken a bad blow to the brain. I’d hoped she would have regained consciousness before now.”
Audrey remembered her brief, awkward conversation with the injured woman. “She did, but only for a moment. Then she dropped off again.”
He pursed his lips. “Encouraging. I suggest you keep on with what you’re doing. Don’t try to feed her. In her unconscious state she would be inclined to choke. Keep someone with her at all times, and if…when she wakes, summon me immediately.”
Audrey trailed him downstairs. She had caught the doctor’s stumble over “when she wakes.” His tone didn’t exude confidence.
“Hear we have another victim.”
“Yes, a man. His wife showed up on our doorstep. Eli has taken him to the icehouse.”
“More tragedy. I thought we’d turned the corner on this illness.”
“The wife’s health seems to be all right. She’s still asleep.”
The only thing Audrey could do was pray, and she intended to do so at every moment: on her knees, while standing at the stove, while working at the parlor—her hands might be busy, but her mind was constantly in touch with God.
Late afternoon, she tiptoed toward Wallace’s bed. He opened his eyes, looking directly at her, and she smiled. Thank heavens. It was the most alert he had been in days.
“Just checking to see if you need anything. Would you like some broth, or a bit of egg custard? Copper made a fresh batch this morning.”
“No, thank you.” At least that’s what she thought he said. His voice was little more than a muddled whisper.
“Some fresh water?” She lifted the pitcher, casting a practiced eye over the contents. “The rain barrel is full.” When he didn’t respond, she said, “I’ll be right back.”
She returned with fresh water to find the judge asleep. She tiptoed out without disturbing him. Sadie met her on the stairs. “And how is the poor man today?”
“About the same.”
Sadie shook her head. “Ah, and it’s a pity. Adele and I have been talking. We need to be doing more, but the folks staying here need attention. There’s extra wash and cooking, and the other four women have all they can do to keep up with their folk. Adele and I are the only ones without families to look after. You and Copper have your hands full taking care of the judge and Willow. Anything you need, you just tell us and we’ll get it done. We’ll take over all the household chores, and there’ll be no argument from you.”
Audrey smiled. “You don’t have to do that, Sadie.”
“I know I don’t have to, but I want to. I appreciate Willow opening her home to us. We didn’t have nary a place to go, and with that banker’s wife showing what she’s made of, it’s a wonder anyone would take us in.”
“Cordelia’s all right.” And when had she ever expected to defend Cordelia Padget? “She’s just frightened. Perfectly understandable in view of the situation.”
“I suppose a lot of people in town are scared of us. Can’t say I blame them. I’d be scared too, but you took us in, just like it says in the Good Book. ‘I was a stranger and you took me in.’ When you’re the one being taken in and cared for, it makes you humble, let me tell you.”
“I’m sure it does.” Even though Cordelia had brought criticism on herself, Audrey felt uncomfortable taking part. She understood the banker’s wife. Her position in town had shielded her from life’s harsher blows. Now she was faced with a situation money couldn’t ease. It had to be difficult for her.
Sadie nodded sagely. “Yes, ma’am. It makes a difference. I’m going to be a lot quicker to help someone else from now on, I promise you.”
“We all need to do better,” Audrey assured her, moving down the stairs to the kitchen. “I suppose we’d best start on the evening meal. How many will we have at the table tonight?”
A long plank sat in the parlor for the wagon train refugees to eat their meals. Crowding so many into the kitchen was a huge task.
Sadie rolled her eyes heavenward, her face a study of concentration. Finally she nodded. “Ten.”
“Ten? Have we added someone?”
“There’s a couple of men who have taken to dropping by and eating with us. They’re staying at that Pansy woman’s house. Seems she’s a close friend to the banker’s wife, and apparently not much of a cook.”
“Pansy Henderson,” Audrey supplied. “And we have added another. Yvonne, the young widow who arrived during the night.”
“Oh yes. Sorry to hear about her husband.” Sadie trailed Audrey into the kitchen, still talking. “I’ll get a pan of spuds and start peeling. You want fried or boiled tonight?”
“Fried, I suppose.” Not that she cared. She wanted Willow in the kitchen, going about her daily chores, not lying upstairs on that bed in the same position, still as the wind before a big storm.
Oh God, if anything happens to her it will break my heart. I can’t give her up. I just can’t. Never mind what I promised I’d do if she… She didn’t let her mind go any further.
Audrey filled a pan with warm water from the teakettle and searched in the cabinet drawer for a clean cloth. If it didn’t stop raining long enough to get some laundry done, she didn’t know what they were going to do.
Around six the next morning, Audrey carried up a cup of tea and a bowl of mush to the judge. She eased open the door with her foot and entered, placing the tray on his bedside table. Wallace lay on his back with his head tilted and his mouth open. His eyes were closed, but something about the position of his body caused her to look closer. She edged near the bed, hoping to see the rise and fall of his chest.
“Wallace?”
No response.
Audrey reached to touch his shoulder, finding it cold and lifeless. The judge had died in his sleep. Alone, while she slept a floor above him.
Backing slowly away from the bed, she felt for the doorknob. Copper. She’d have to tell her and alert Tucker. Sometime during the night he had left to catch a few hours of sleep. Sadie had volunteered to sit with Willow until he returned. She eased onto the landing and closed the door behind her.
Copper stood at the stove stirring oatmeal when Audrey entered the kitchen. She turned as Audrey entered, eyes widening. “Now what’s wrong?”
Audrey slumped down in a chair and rested her arms on the table. “It’s the judge.”
“He’s worse?”
“He’s dead. I just found him.”
“Oh. Oh, I’m so sorry! Are you all right?”
“Thank the good Lord that he’s finally reunited with Claudine.”
Copper stepped away and sank to a chair. “He’s been ill for so long. Actually, his passing is a blessing. Poor Willow…”
“Will miss him something terrible,” Audrey supplied, not daring to consider that the judge’s beloved niece could meet the same fate. It was entirely possible they could bump into each other at the Pearly Gates. Audrey got to her feet. “I’ll ask one of the men to go fetch Tucker.”
When she returned to the kitchen Adele had commandeered the stove.
“We’ll get breakfast out of the way first,” the woman said. “Then you and Copper have a wake to plan.”
Audrey nodded. How could she have forgotten that? “We can’t send him to the parlor. Willow would want him here.”
Copper passed by, reaching out to touch her shoulder. “You and I can prepare him just fine.”
“Are you sure? You know how you feel about…”
She nodded. “I can do it. Willow wouldn’t want strangers taking care of him, and we’re family.”
“Of course we can do this for her. I’ll go up to Wallace’s bedroom and lay out the clothes.”
Audrey climbed the stairs, thinking how fickle life could be. The move to Thunder Ridge hadn’t turned out the way she had anticipated. Every day took a new turn, but then she supposed that life was intended to be a surprise. If you woke up every morning knowing what the day would bring, you most likely wouldn’t get out of bed. One good thing had come from all these problems…she had been drawn closer to faith. In the light of death, life took on a new perspective.
This morning, she felt surrounded by God’s presence, and it was a comforting feeling.
Tucker arrived shortly. When told the news, he sat down with Audrey and Copper to plan the wake. They decided to have it in the parlor, and the men from the wagon train would move out the plank table and set up chairs. Audrey and Copper agreed to prepare the body, and Tucker promised he’d see that the pine box was delivered. He’d ask Eli to drop by the funeral parlor and fetch the needed supplies for Audrey. He left to set the plans in motion, and Audrey and Copper brought water and set to work.
Audrey cut away the rumpled nightclothes, and together they bathed and dressed the sunken body. Copper picked up a hairbrush. “I’ll do his hair. You check and see if Eli has brought the face paint yet.”
Eli sat at the kitchen table, a small bundle lying at his elbow. “You brought it?”
“I brought it.” And wonders of wonders, he smiled. Directly at her. “Kirkland wasn’t happy about not getting the business, but I told him we’d take care of our own. Hope you don’t mind.”
Take care of our own. The words were like an elixir. “Not in the least. Thank you.” Audrey picked up the small bag. “As soon as we finish we’ll need the box.”
Eli nodded. “It’s here. Claude and Jim helped me bring it over. It’s on the porch, ready to bring in when you say.”
“You’ve thought of everything.” Audrey gave him a special look and left the room. Willow should be there. It wasn’t right she should be lying in an upstairs bedroom fighting for her life while they buried her beloved uncle.
Copper raised her eyebrows when she entered the judge’s chamber. “You have the paint and the box? I was afraid Kirkland might refuse to give it.”
Audrey smiled. “Eli can be very persuasive.”
“Speaking from experience?”
Audrey refused to answer. She gently but sparingly brushed on the paint, bringing a healthy glow to the sunken cheeks. Then she nodded to Copper. “Tell them to bring it up.”
The men carried in the casket, and lowered the body into it. As they started downstairs with the pine box, Audrey hurried to the attic. She quickly thumbed through the photo album looking for the wedding picture. When she found it, she made her way back downstairs, the picture clutched in her hand.
Copper arranged lamps at the head and foot of the casket. The men were setting up chairs for the expected mourners. Audrey approached the box, fighting back tears. In her hands she held a symbol of Wallace and Claudine’s undying devotion. She placed the wedding photo in the pine box, propping it so that it would be easily seen, and then slid her arm around Copper’s waist.
“Do you think Willow would do the same?”
“I think she would be enormously pleased.” Copper brushed away tears.
Yes, Willow would be pleased. A lightness settled around her shoulders. At least she could do this much for her best friend.
The first of the mourners arrived early in the afternoon. Tucker ushered them into the parlor. Friends and neighbors approached the casket, whispering among themselves. Within moments, the parlor filled to capacity. Everyone in Thunder Ridge had come to show his respects for Wallace Madison. Everyone but the Padgets. Evidently the banker and his wife were sticking to their self-imposed quarantine.
Audrey leaned against the sofa arm, suddenly very tired. Eli materialized at her side, sliding an arm protectively around her shoulders. “Come sit. You’ve done all you can do.”
She let him lead her to the kitchen, sitting her down at the table. He seated himself across from her and bent forward. “I have something that I need to get off my conscience.”
She braced herself, not sure what wrong she’d committed this time.
“May I speak?”
“You may.”
Clearing his throat, he studied the tablecloth pattern. “I need to tell you I’m real proud of the work you’ve done with the wagon train families. Not just with the food and caring for the sick, but for what you’ve done at the funeral parlor. I’ve seen the difference your compassion has made. For the folks who lost family members…to be able to view their loved ones looking so presentable, that’s a good thing. I was wrong about you, Audrey Pride, and I apologize.”
She listened, her heart going out to him. It took a strong man to confess his weaknesses.
He nodded. “Wrong of me, to warn Tate away from you. I thought by the way you came into town that afternoon that you didn’t have a brain in your head. The boy loves you. You’ve made a difference in my son’s life.” His features softened. “I…”
Suddenly she could sense that he was so close—so very close to acknowledging a mutual attraction.
“You want to say…”
“I—”
Drats! Caleb and Yvonne entered the room and sat down at the table. She wanted to nicely ask them to leave, but she couldn’t. Nor could she control her hammering pulse. Eli thought her worthy of Tate’s love. She couldn’t be offered a nicer gift. Was it possible that he felt that same love? Perhaps not as intense, but growing. If not love, then a willingness to change? She’d never know. The moment was lost forever. If he had feelings, they would have to be expressed another time.