Chapter Three

Bethany was sick of the rain. She peered up at the dark sky through long lashes and sighed. It had come in relentless waves, large fat drops hitting the ground for fourteen days.

When the heavens cracked open, and water cascaded down, it took forever for anything to be absorbed into the parched earth. Instead, the water rolled off the roof and created large puddles, flooding the barnyard. She could see standing water between the tall pine trees.

Finally, the soil gave way to the relentless pounding and began to take in some of the water, but even that spelled danger. Each step on the soggy ground was a struggle, as if the thick mud was determined to keep its grip. It clung to the soles of her shoes and tugged at her ankles with each movement. After months of drought, the soil seemed eager to make up for lost time, welcoming the relief of rain, but not absorbing it quickly enough to prevent the muddy mess.

She stood near the edge of the porch, her gaze locked on the makeshift creek cut through the middle of the yard. Her heart raced in her chest. Her hands wringing the damp fabric of her dress. She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that gnawed at her insides.

"Never seen it come down so fast," she whispered, almost to herself. The thick, gray clouds that blanketed the sky were giving no hope for the sun. What she would give for a nice dry day, where she could hear birds chirping instead of the constant thunder.

Seeking refuge from the cold downpour, she stepped further back under the covered porch and rubbed her arms to warm them. The rain-drenched fabric of her skirt clung to her legs, and she pulled it away with a sucking sound.

The creak of the door pulled her attention away as Pa stepped onto the weathered porch. Striking a match against the wall, he ignited his pipe, tendrils of tobacco melded with the earthy scent of rain-soaked earth. Taking a deep draw, he exhaled and moved closer, looking out at the same dull landscape.

"Any sign of him?" Pa's voice was barely audible over the rain pummeling down.

Bethany sighed in apprehension, her thoughts consumed by her brother's absence and what misfortune might have befallen him. Every crash of thunder echoed her own pounding heart, and each flash of lightning illuminated the fear that flickered in her eyes. "Not yet. I'm getting worried; Tommy's been gone for three days now."

Pa wrapped an arm around her, and she leaned into him. His grip tightened, a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder. "Don't fret, Bethy. Tommy's likely holed up at Kendrick's ranch, waiting for the storm to pass."

She nodded, biting her lip. The image of her brother in the storm just wouldn't leave her mind. Instead, she tried to focus on Pa's words, her heart finding a glimmer of hope in that single sentence.

Her brother had ventured out when the rain slowed down to check his beaver traps and hadn't returned. They stood side by side, staring at the dismal landscape, words rendered unnecessary by the downpour.

"I thought the storm was letting up." Moving from her pa's embrace, she walked over to lean against the wall of the house and watch him release sweet smoke into the yard. A large crack of lightning illuminated the sky. With a little jump, she wrapped her arms around her waist and shuddered. "I don't like storms."

"You never have. Which is why I'm surprised you are out here."

"I wish all of this would just stop."

The rain was now a constant sheet moving across the yard, as it moved towards the barn and further up into the tree line.

Pa held out his hand to her. "Remember when Jesus was in the boat with all his disciples?"

She slid her hand into his and gave a squeeze. "Yes."

"The seas were raging, and Jesus was in the boat taking a nap. The disciples panicked about the storm. What did Jesus do?"

Bethany gave a smile, as she knew the verse by heart . "He said, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm."

"Right. Matthew 8:26. So, what are you going to do?"

"Not be afraid."

Pa nodded, and with a chuckle said, "Although I'm thinking the story of Noah might be a good reflection today."

Bethany laughed and gave Pa a hug. "I love you, Pa."

She felt Pa's lips brush the top of her head. "I love you too, Bethy."

"Do you really think Tommy is at the Kendrick Ranch?"

"I am sure he is."

Bethany tried to picture Tommy waiting out the storm at the Kendrick ranch. He was probably having a grand time while she stood in the soaking rain worrying about him.

Her thoughts drifted to Ben Kendrick. She wanted to know him better, but instead she kept her distance. When she saw him at the mercantile in town, she was hoping he might say hello, but he didn't seem to recognize her.

Her family's background as trappers and his as a rancher seemed to divide them. His education and grammar skills didn't seem to fit in their small town. Bethany had grown up in an isolated mountain community with strong Christian values. They were as different as ... a sunny day and the gloomy weather that was raining down .

She exhaled loudly, trying to shake her thoughts. This might be the opportunity she needed to see him again. Turning to Pa, her mind was made up. "The next time the weather clears, I'll go look for Tommy."

Pa frowned. "I doubt there will be any tracks to follow, Beth."

"Then I'll start at the Kendrick ranch. He can't have gone too far."

"Bethany. Pa." Millicent popped her head out the door. "Ma said to get washed up for supper."

"We'll be right there, Millie." Pa tapped his pipe against the porch. "Are you coming inside?"

"I'll be right there. I just want to stay out here for a few more minutes."

"All right. I'll let your ma know."

Alone once more, Bethany breathed in the fresh air. She could see the lights in Uncle Devin and Aunt Molly's house across the clearing. The barn divided their space, and the barnyard took up most of the free land.

Rain drummed on the roof, and Bethany sent a silent prayer skyward. "Dear Lord," she implored, "please keep Tommy safe and bring him home unharmed. Bless each person caught in this storm. Surround them with Your love and protection. I pray Tommy is with Ben Kendrick and they are just waiting for the weather to pass." She opened her eyes and then quickly shut them again. "And Lord, You know I've been wanting a husband, with a love like Ma and Pa. I can promise, Lord, if that is Ben Kendrick, I won't be disappointed."

Bethany leaned forward, gripping the rough edges of the windowsill with both hands. She squinted through the dirt-smeared glass toward the barnyard below. The muddy ground was a mess of corrugated tin and rusty metal scraps, but she couldn't help but notice the sun shining through the rain clouds. She couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope in that moment.

"Beth-y," Millie muttered in her sleep. "The covers."

If Millie was frightened, she would ask Bethany to spend the night with her. With everyone worried about Tommy, Bethany had complied, providing her younger sister with some extra comfort. Mumbling a quiet apology, Bethany returned to bed and tucked the blanket back around Millie to keep her warm. Closing the creaky door behind her, Bethany made her way from the small bedroom and tried not to wake the sleeping girl.

Everyone else was asleep, which meant Bethany had a few precious minutes alone. It was her favorite time of day. Normally she'd make coffee and spend a few minutes reading the Bible, but today she was eager to find Tommy. She'd check the weather once she started the coffee.

The fire flickered warmly, crackling, and popping as Bethany stoked the logs with a long stick, sending sparks dancing into the air. The firelight cast a warm glow across her face as she pulled out a battered coffeepot and hung it on an iron hook above the flames. With a flick of her wrist, she flipped open the lid and wrinkled her nose at the thick, black tar coating the bottom.

"Ma never uses the stove," she thought with a grimace. Pa always said coffee tasted better over an open fire, so Bethany added water to the pot, giving it a good swirl, before pouring it into a bucket filled with scraps. She refilled the pot with fresh water and coffee grounds, stirring slowly with a long-handled spoon before placing it back on its hook to boil.

As she waited, she wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and stepped out into the crisp morning air. The porch was damp under her bare feet as she descended to the bottom step and lifted her face to the sky.

God was the most magnificent artist, she thought.

As she took in the vibrant colors of the early morning, a cool mist settled on her skin, dampening her hair. Delicate spider webs were glistening with droplets of water, carefully crafted overnight in the corners of the porch. She closed her eyes and listened to the birds and gave a little laugh. The world had been reborn with the rain.

Pa came out of the barn with a bucket of milk. He stopped when he saw her on the porch, his brow creasing as he spied her bare feet peeking from beneath her nightdress. Shaking his head, he made his way to the porch, handing her the bucket as he took the first step. "Your ma would have your hide if she thought you were out here without shoes or proper clothes."

"I saw the sunlight and wanted to really see if it had stopped raining." Bethany looked down at his mud-caked boots. "She'll have yours if you track mud in the house."

A grin formed beneath Pa's beard. "Well, then we'll just not tell her about your bare feet or my muddy boots." He moved to the door and put his heel in the V of a wooden plank and stepped on the back end, tugging his boot off in a clean motion. Repeating it with the other boot, he picked them up and placed them near the door, then opened the door to let Bethany go inside.

"Coffee is already started, and I'll go get dressed." She gently placed the milk pail on the kitchen table and covered it with a linen cloth.

"Are you going to take Lucy or Rosie?"

Lucy was Bethany's buckskin colored horse. She knew the hills and wouldn't spook as easily as Rosie. "How did you know?"

"You said you were going to go out as soon as the rain let up. You'll probably want to get going as soon as you can."

"I thought about it, but I don't want her getting caught in the mud."

"I'd feel better if you took Lucy. That way, you can get there and back."

"I'll make the biscuits first. I don't want Ma to worry."

Pa reached for a burlap bag on a hook. "She'll worry, anyway. I'll cut up the bacon for you. You'll want to make a kit in case you find Tommy."

"Why would I need to take food if I find him? Didn't you say he'd be at..." The thought of Tommy being alone in one of the line cabins that ran along the creek to the river sent a chill up her spine. She fled from the kitchen without waiting for Pa to respond.

With practiced efficiency, she slipped into a pair of well-worn buckskin pants and a loose-fitting tunic. The fabric was buttery soft against her skin, like a familiar hug. Looking at herself in the looking glass, she stopped. If she was going to pay a visit to the Kendrick Ranch, she didn't want to show up looking like a mountain man.

She undressed, tossing the tracking clothes aside, and reached for a simple dark green skirt with a matching blouse. Her fingers trembling as she fastened her sturdy leather boots.

Sweeping her hair back into a neat braid, she secured it with a matching ribbon. A few stray strands escaped and tickled the back of her neck, but she tucked them behind her ears without a second thought.

The familiar scent of wood smoke filled the air as Bethany entered the rustic kitchen. She looked around but didn't see her pa. Instead, she noticed thick slices of bacon sizzling in a hot skillet on the stove. Determined to make breakfast before she left, she pulled out a large barrel from the pantry and gathered ingredients to make biscuits.

She added flour to a bowl and reached for leftover bacon grease to add flavor and texture to her dough. Mixing in just enough milk to create a pliable consistency, she dumped the mixture onto the wooden table and began kneading it with her hands. After a few minutes, she patted it into a circle and used a jelly jar to cut perfect rounds to put in a greased cast iron oven.

As the biscuits cooked, Bethany poured herself a cup of strong coffee and gulped it down. She hoped Pa was right about Tommy being at the Kendrick ranch, but if he wasn't, she knew she could make her way to the Chapmans.

Once the food was done, Bethany covered it to keep it warm and grabbed a duster-style coat from the wall. She stuffed several biscuits into a checkered napkin and shoved it into one of the coat pockets before slipping it on and heading outside.

She found Pa saddling Lucy in the barn. Taking the lead line, she petted the horse's velvet nose. "Breakfast is on the table. No one is up yet."

"It's still early. The sun just came up." Pa checked the cinch on the saddle. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

Bethany shook her head. "No. I'm the only one who knows where Tommy sets his trap lines."

"I don't like you going out there by yourself. You should at least tell me which way you are going."

"I'll head over by rocks and then backtrack along the creek. I should be home by nightfall." Stepping into the stirrup, she swung herself over the saddle.

"Wouldn't you be more comfortable in your buckskins?"

She looked down at her skirt. "I would, but I thought..."

"You're going to find your brother. Not snag a husband."

"Pa!" Bethany's cheeks turned red as she felt a rush of warmth.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll come with you."

"Honestly, Pa. You were the one that taught us a trapper's line is something sacred. That you don't ask where it is or touch it when you find it. You need to honor Tommy's line."

Pa rubbed his chin, but finally gave a little nod. Tugging on Lucy's halter, he led the horse from the barnyard. "Just be safe and come home."

"I will." She tapped her heels against Lucy's flanks and headed towards the far side of the property, towards the streams which raced through the craggy rocks on the other side of the hilly terrain.

Lucy's hooves created a suctioning noise as they trudged through the muddy trail. The rain had transformed the path into a sludge of mud and slick stones, making it treacherous for the horse to navigate. She urged Lucy on with a gentle nudge and a reassuring pat on her neck.

The air was heavy with the scent of wet pine and fresh earth. Storm clouds still lurked on the horizon, threatening another downpour. Her heart pounded in her chest, not from fear but from anticipation and worry. Tommy was out there somewhere, injured or worse, and she had to find him.

She rode with purpose and determination, so caught up with thoughts of finding her brother, she didn't notice Uncle Devin following behind her.