Chapter 28

Selinda's sweet baby eyelids fluttered and grew heavy with sleep as Mira swayed her knees back and forth to rock her. Holding the precious little one made her desire for a baby burn in her heart. If the Lord willed, she had told Elsinore. She would pray for that will, but before that, she could find ways to help this young mother who definitely wasn't well with that terrible cough. On top of her obvious illness, she appeared to be in a deep well of sorrow.

In one short day, two people in Sourwood had already stolen Mira's heart. Ada June and Selinda. Then there was Elsinore and Joseph. And Gordon. She should save some of her heart for him. After all, she had vowed to love him in sickness and health, till death parted them.

She pushed that thought aside. Right now she could concentrate on loving this baby and her mother. The mother needed it just as much as the baby. Perhaps more. Did she not have a mother to help her?

She couldn't ask about Elsinore's relatives. At least not yet. But the girl did seem so alone except for Ada June and a neighbor named Horace.

Mira continued to rock the baby while Ada June packed in wood and water. Elsinore paid her no notice. She appeared to take the girl's help for granted. If that was so, then why did the child have to sleep in the woods instead of here in this cabin with the young mother? That would seem the best solution for both of them.

When Ada June had several chunks of wood stacked by the fireplace and two buckets full of water on the cabinet, she carried a plate of food and a glass of milk to Elsinore. "You gotta eat, Elsinore."

"That food don't look a bit good." Elsinore turned her head away and coughed again.

Ada June stood there and waited until the coughing eased up. "Ain't one thing wrong with this stew." She pushed the plate toward the young woman again.

When she started to say something more, Elsinore held up her palm to stop her. "Don't be giving me any of that Aunt Dottie says."

"Wouldn't hurt you none to listen to Aunt Dottie. Even I know if you don't eat, you won't have milk for Selinda."

Elsinore turned her head away. "Eat it yoreself or give it to Bo over there."

Ada June's dog wagged his tail at the sound of his name, but Ada June didn't dump the plate for him. "I ain't eatin' it and neither is Bo." She sounded like somebody's mother.

"Give me the milk. I'll drink it down."

"Crumble up the cornbread in it. Looks as how Granny Perry makes fine cornbread."

When Ada June peeked over at her, Mira almost laughed. The girl must still be flabbergasted that anybody could not know how to make cornbread.

Elsinore took a little drink of the milk. "I can't eat that cornbread, Ada June. The way I'm coughing, I would choke on it for sure. Do as I say. Bo wants it."

Bo wagged his tail again and perked up his ears. Ada June sighed and gave in. She nibbled at the crusty part of the cornbread before giving the rest to the dog that swallowed it in one gulp. Ada June shoved the plate toward Elsinore again. "You gotta eat the rest of it."

Elsinore lowered the milk glass and looked at Ada June. "Somebody's gettin' a little big for their britches 'round here."

Ada June didn't back down. "You have to eat." She looked a little guilty as she went on. "So's you feel right when Benny gets home."

Mira could tell Ada June didn't believe that would ever happen, but she was ready to say anything to convince Elsinore to eat.

"You fussin' ain't gonna make me do nothing I don't wanna do." Elsinore's eyes narrowed and her face stiffened. "And us carryin' on so ain't no way to act in front of company. You'll have the preacher's wife thinkin' she needs to pray over us."

They both looked over at Mira, and she surprised herself by saying, "I would like to pray with you before we leave."

She didn't know where those words came from. She never prayed in front of anybody except a short prayer to start the school day. But those were practiced words. What in the world made her think she could pray words out loud over this young woman and her baby?

Mira stood up, holding the baby still to keep from waking her. "Pull the chair over close to the bed and set the plate there, Ada June, where Elsinore can reach it when she's ready to eat."

Ada June shrugged and did as Mira said, with a look at her dog to let him know the food wasn't for him.

"Do you want me to lay the baby beside you, Elsinore, or is there a cradle?" Mira looked around.

"She's fine right here." Elsinore scooted over a little and smoothed out a spot on the bed. "I can see to her fine that way and make sure she keeps her kivers on."

"That might help her sleep better." Mira placed the baby where Elsinore pointed. When the baby stirred a little, Mira patted her to settle her back to sleep.

She straightened up and hesitated, but both Elsinore and Ada June seemed to be waiting for her to pray. "Let's join our thoughts in prayer."

She shut her eyes and pulled in a breath for courage. "Dear Lord, thank you for this day and for this mother and baby. Thank you for Ada June and her sweet spirit and how she cares for others. Help your child, Elsinore, feel better and watch over her and this beautiful baby girl. Amen."

Elsinore dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. "That was nice, Miss Mira. Thankee."

"Thank you for letting me hold Selinda," Mira said. "I hope she sleeps awhile to let you rest."

"That ain't likely. She'll be wantin' to nurse afore long."

"Then, perhaps you should try to eat before she wakes up."

"I reckon I can. If you want to hand me that plate. Granny Perry's stew is kindly worth eatin'." She handed Mira the half-empty glass of milk and took the plate of food. She grinned at Ada June. "Thataway Miss Bossy Pants Ada June can be smilin' and not be carryin' no tales to her Aunt Dottie 'bout me not eatin' like as how she thinks I oughta."

"I don't carry tales." Ada June scrunched up her face.

That made Elsinore laugh and Ada June frown more.

"I'm just a-raggin' on you. You know I 'preciate you, and see, I'm eating." She took a bite. "Now you best git on to milkin' that cow of Miss Dottie's 'fore dark comes on."

After another aggravated look at Elsinore, Ada June turned to Mira. "If'n you're aimin' to take your leave, I'll point you toward Preacher's house."

"I'm ready." Mira looked at Elsinore. "Would it be all right if I come see you again?"

"You come on any old time you want to rock this fussy babe to sleep."

Mira followed Ada June and Bo outside. Clouds were hanging low and daylight was fading.

"I didn't think it was that late," Mira said.

"Dark comes fast in the holler." Ada June pointed at the path away from Elsinore's cabin. "Preacher's house is right over that way. I gotta milk Aunt Dottie's cow." She clicked her tongue at Bo and headed up the hill.

Mira looked the way Ada June pointed. A faint trace led off into the trees. But if she walked straight, she would be fine. She called out to Ada June. "Wait, Ada June."

The girl stopped to look back at her.

"If you can't sleep at Miss Dottie's or Elsinore's, you come on to Preacher Gordon's house. We'll make you a pallet by the fire. That would be better than on trees, wouldn't it?"

Ada June looked down at Bo without saying anything.

"Bo can come in too."

The girl nodded before she went on up the hill.

Poor child, tossed betwixt and between with no place she could depend on to find a true welcome. Not even at Elsinore's for whatever reason. Mira could give her that welcome. She thought Gordon would want to do the same, although she should have asked before she offered. Her heart followed after Ada June as she disappeared into the trees.

She turned back toward Gordon's house. Her house, she reminded herself again. But she couldn't expect to feel at home here so soon. At the same time, she'd had no problem opening her heart to these girls she'd met.

Perhaps Ada June would come tomorrow to give her that cornbread baking lesson. How in the world did you bake something in an open fire? Mira sighed. She had so much to learn about this place and these people.

Right now the smallest things seemed like big problems. How would she have privacy enough to take a bath? And where did they get their food with no markets?

The shadows deepened under the trees. She was no longer sure of the path. She looked back and saw nothing but trees and rocks. She didn't think she'd walked that far from Elsinore's house.

She had no sense of direction. Of course, she knew the sun went down in the west, but the dark clouds overhead hid any sight of it. Besides, she had no idea if the house was south or north, east or west.

Her heart began to beat too fast as night seemed to fall over her like a heavy blanket. Which way? A snowflake drifted down to land on her cloak. Wind moved through the pines overhead. Moments earlier she'd thought the wind sang through the pines, but now it sounded more like moaning as snowflakes swirled around her.

"Calm down." She muttered the words aloud.

She wasn't lost. Yet. Elsinore's house was only a little way behind her, whether she could see it or not. Gordon's house had to be just beyond the trees. In the holler, as Ada June would say. The dark holler right now.

She would not panic. They had climbed up the hill. If she kept going down, she would come out in the clearing and see their house.

Wind blew snow in under the trees. She pulled her cape tighter and held on to her hat as she kept walking. A huge boulder loomed up before her to block her way. They had not passed anything like this on the way to Elsinore's house.

She was lost. In a snowstorm. With night falling around her.