A Heart Made for Love

by Linda Tillis

  Samuel jumped out before Garth came to a complete stop. He had a rifle in his hand and had it pointed at the man, moving toward Mae as he asked, “Is everyone okay? Did he hurt anyone?”

  Mae shook her head. “No, we’re all right. And he was just leaving.”

  Garth looked at Mae. She was pale. He could see the man had a wound in his upper arm. He turned back to Mae. “Did you do this?”

  She nodded. “Yes, sir. I did warn him not to touch Emma again, but I guess he doesn’t hear well.”

  Garth turned to the man. “Sir, I’m going to give you a piece of sound advice. You need to leave now, and don’t even think about coming back. There is nothing here for you.”

  The man’s face was red with rage. “That woman belongs to me. You can keep the brat, ’cause he’s a useless, sickly thing, but the woman belongs to me and you ain’t got no right to her.”

  Garth wanted nothing more than to walk over and loosen some of the big man’s teeth, but that would not change anything. Instead, he turned to Emma.

  “Ma’am, is this man your husband?” She shook her head no.

  “Sir, this is not your wife. She is a human being and does not belong to anyone but the good Lord who made her. And if she were your wife, she would still stay here, where she would be safe from your abuse. Now, before you leave, I want to make sure you understand the situation here. There is nothing here belonging to you. You are not welcome here. If you are found on this property again, you will be shot. Are we clear? And if you’re under any illusion the wound in your arm was a bad shot, let me assure you my daughter could have taken out one of your eyes if she had so desired. She is a crack shot. So consider yourself lucky, and leave. Now.”

  The man gave Mae one more hate-filled look, then climbed into the wagon and drove away.

  There was a collective sigh from everyone. Samuel looked down and found Jimmie wrapped around his leg, pale and shaking. He reached down and picked the boy up. Jimmie immediately wrapped both arms around his neck. When Samuel looked back up, there were Roxanne and Mrs. Peters standing in the doorway of their home. He was glad to see Mrs. Peters had her rifle in her hand.

  He said to Jimmie, “I don’t know about you, little buddy, but it’s my supper time, and I’m hungry. Let’s go see if Mrs. Peters has something cooked up, okay?” Jimmie just nodded as Samuel strode toward the house.

  Emma was trying to tidy up her hair and knock the dust off her dress. Mae asked, “Emma, are you hurt anywhere?”

  “No, ma’am, and I am real sorry for all the trouble. I’m surprised it took him this long to find me.”

  “Well, he’s gone now, and I don’t think he’ll be back.”

  Garth looked at his daughter. “You did good, baby girl. I’m thankful you didn’t have to kill him. He’s been warned now. First thing in the morning, Samuel will be coming to start working with all the ladies. They all need to learn how to handle a gun. There may come a time when you’re not here and they have to take care of themselves.”

  The next night the lumber stockpile burned to the ground.

  ****

  It was late summer, and the heat had been intolerable for two days, and now the southwestern sky looked like a giant bruise, all black and blue. Mae observed a flock of birds flying north as she walked to the barn. She found Samuel sanding a small desk.

  “Brother, do you think we should shelter all the women at the manor, in case this storm turns out to be a bad one?”

  Samuel walked to the barometer hanging on the barn’s center pole. The pressure had been twenty-eight point nine when he milked this morning. It was now hovering around twenty-eight point two. He shouted, “Hansu!”

  The little man entered through the rear door of the barn. “Good day, Missy.” He turned to Samuel. “What you need, Sammy?”

  Samuel smiled to himself. He had a good foot and a half on Hansu, and the old man still called him Sammy. “What do you think about the storm? Is it going to be a bad one?” They had relied on Hansu’s weather reading skills for as far back as Samuel could remember. The old man had never failed them.

  Hansu tilted his head back to look up at Samuel and smiled. “Hansu already lock chickens up and send young Cyrus to herd in cows.”

  “Well, that answers that question.” Samuel turned to Mae. “Let me check on Cyrus, and see if he needs help, and then I’ll drive the truck over to get the women.”

  Mae said, “I’m going to saddle Zeus and cut across the fields. I’ll have them ready when you get there with the truck.”

  As Mae was crossing the fields, she tried to remember when she’d last seen such an angry sky. The wind had picked up, and her horse was nervous, telling her the storm might be closer than they had anticipated. Roxanne was grabbing clothes off the line when Mae rode into the yard. She tied her horse securely and ran to help.

  “Thanks. I was afraid the wind would take ’em before I could get ’em in.” Roxanne laughed. They carried the basket into the school building. Mae was glad to see all her extended family was gathered there.

  “Hello, all,” she called. “I’m going to ask all of you to grab whatever you might need for the rest of the day. When Samuel gets here with the truck, we’re all going to ride up to the manor and sit out this storm. Samuel and Hansu seem to think it may be more than just a good rain. We’ll make a party out of it, so grab your sewing kits and maybe we’ll do a little sewing for Louise’s little one. Hurry, ladies. Samuel will be here in a few minutes.”

  Within fifteen minutes they could hear continuous rolling thunder in the distance, and the wind had gotten stronger. Mae had everyone assembled back in the school area when Samuel pulled in with the truck. It took a few minutes to get them all seated in the back, except for Louise, who was eight months along. Samuel gently helped her into the front seat. Mae headed for her horse. When the truck started moving, Roxanne stood, and yelled, “Mae, make sure I moved the bean pot off the stove in the kitchen before you leave.”

  Mae waved and nodded and turned toward the little house shared by Roxanne and Mrs. Peters. Mae shook her head as she spotted the pot still on the stove. She had to find a towel and then look for a “spider” to set the pot on. She took a moment to make sure the damper on the stove was closed and would smother the fire. Closing the door firmly, she headed for her horse again.

  The wind was blowing fiercely now, and the lightning was getting closer. Zeus pawed the ground. She was glad she’d secured him well or she would be walking home. She leaned in close, patting his neck and telling him it would be okay. She loosened the reins just as a bolt of lightning struck a tree on the far side of the compound. Zeus reared, catching Mae by surprise. She stumbled, and by the time she righted herself, Zeus was fifty yards away.

  She was yelling at him to stop, when a movement caught her eye. Mae turned toward the tree line and could see a man moving toward her. He was dusty, tall and lean, with a full dark beard.

  Over his shoulder, she could see a horse tied to a slender oak. By the time Mae considered her own safety, the man was only ten feet away.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Samuel was unloading the last woman from the back of the truck when he saw a motorcar coming down the lane. When it rolled to a stop, he was surprised to see Edward’s long frame climb out.

  Edward was smiling. “I’m impressed, Samuel. Not many men can say they have a truckload of women.”

  Samuel reddened slightly and grinned. “If you’re looking for one woman in particular, she’ll be here any minute. And she’ll be happy to see you. She wasn’t expectin’ you till next week. She’s coming through the fields, from the village, on Zeus. In the meantime, you can help me unload these ladies and their things into the back parlor.”

  When they had everyone settled in and Martha was brewing tea to go with the cakes Cook had made that morning, Samuel turned to Edward. “Mae should be here by now. Come with me.” When they got to the courtyard, they could see the lightning continually flashing, back toward the vil
lage. Samuel was about to speak when he stiffened, then shuddered.

  Edward placed a hand on his shoulder, and asked, “Are you okay?”

  “No. Something’s wrong.”

  Edward looked around, but could see nothing. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Mae. Something’s wrong.”

  Samuel looked pale, and Edward felt goose bumps rise on his arms. Samuel was running for the truck before Edward could question him again. It was all Edward could do to make it to the truck and get in before it was moving.

  ****

  Mae stood her ground. The storm was very close now, and the black clouds smothered the daylight. She yelled above the wind, “What do you want, mister?”

  The man looked vaguely familiar, but Mae could not place him. He never spoke, just continued walking toward her. Mae slipped her hand in her pocket, and was feeling for the little beauty, when lightning struck again. It was so close it sizzled, and the hair on Mae’s arms lifted as she flinched at the brightness. By the time the roar of the thunder rolled over them, the man had grabbed Mae’s arm, jerking her hand with the little beauty out of her pocket. The gun flew several feet away. His face was close enough for recognition now.

  Mae gasped, “You! What are you doing here?”

  The man snarled, “Why, I’ve come to claim what’s mine, dear.”

  Mae drew in her breath sharply as Hardwick twisted her arm behind her back. Mae could feel the first big drops of rain hit her face. She could smell the earth in the air as the wind whipped around them. Hardwick jerked her back against his chest, and with his free hand grabbed her breast. Mae jerked and could feel her arm separate from her shoulder as he yanked it upward. She had been angry before, but now Mae was afraid. Something was dancing frantically in the back of her mind. Something in her subconscious was screaming at her. She swayed as her eyes closed. She could smell it now. Not the rain, or the moist earth, but lemongrass. She could smell lemongrass. Oh, Lord, she could feel the shirt over her face, the buttons pressing down, the hands holding her, and the voice saying… Mae screamed.

  A scream from the depths of every nightmare she had lived through over the past three years.

  The scream covered the sound of the approaching truck. The man was not aware of the truck until a door slammed nearby.

  Mae believed she heard her brother yelling. She opened her eyes and imagined Edward, her beloved, running toward her. Even as she told herself this could not be, the hair on her arms stood, and the brightest light her eyes had ever beheld blinded her.

  Samuel had the rifle in his hand and was out of the truck before Edward could register what he was seeing. There was Mae, standing in the rain, being held up by some bearded man who had his arm around her throat. Samuel was pointing a gun at them both. Edward was about to yell at Samuel to lower the gun when a white-hot bolt blinded them all. When Edward could see again, his mouth erupted in a scream.

  “NO!” There was Mae lying on the ground. The bearded man was lying several feet away, and Edward could see smoke rising from his clothing.

  Edward ran to Mae and began to search her body for injuries. Her right arm was dislocated, and she had a small burn on her throat. As he touched the burn, he became aware she had no pulse. He froze for several seconds of panic, and then he slammed his fist on her chest; still nothing. He raised his arm again, and Samuel grabbed his fist.

  “What the hell are you doing?” he roared over the thunder.

  Edward jerked his arm free. “Her heart has stopped.” He slammed his fist down again.

  He touched her neck, tears mingling with the rain on his cheeks. “There,” he yelled, “There it is.”

  Samuel could feel his own heart start beating again.

  Edward raised his head. “What about him?” he asked.

  “Dead, and if he hadn’t been, he would be now.” Edward could see the truth of this in Samuel’s eyes. He became aware of hail slamming into his back as he scooped Mae into his arms and ran for the truck.

  It took about ten seconds for the whole house to be in an uproar as Edward ran inside carrying Mae’s limp body. Garth was shouting, and most of the women were crying.

  Samuel had had enough. He shouted, “Shut up! Everyone just shut up! Edward, what do you need?”

  “I need my bag from the motorcar, I need brandy, and right this minute I need to put her into her bed.”

  Eleanor jumped to life. “Garth, get the bag. Edward, follow me.” And as they started up the stairs, over her shoulder she yelled, “Martha, fetch the brandy.”

  Eleanor grabbed the covers and cleared the bed. Edward placed Mae down gently and immediately checked for a pulse. “All right, my love,” he whispered. “You are alive, and you damn well better stay that way.”

  He began undressing Mae, and Eleanor said, “Perhaps I should do that?”

  Edward snorted. “It wouldn’t matter who took the clothes off. I’m still the one who is going to examine her body.” Eleanor conceded the wisdom of this with a nod of her head.

  Garth ran in with the black bag and stopped abruptly at the sight of Edward undressing Mae. At the look on his face, Eleanor spoke quickly. “Today he’s her doctor, not her fiancé, dear, so just give him the bag.”

  “All right, but can someone tell me what the hell happened?”

  Samuel spoke from the doorway. “Pa, if you step out here, I’ll tell you what I know.” Garth stepped into the hallway and pulled the door partially closed behind him.

  “All right, Samuel, let’s have it.”

  Samuel took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Well, Mae found me around two and said she was worried about the storm. She rode over to the village while I checked to see if Cyrus needed help in getting the animals in to safety. Then I drove over. We gathered up the women, and Mae was going to ride back. I was unloading the women when Edward pulled up. We got the women settled, and then…” Samuel looked away from his father. He wasn’t sure how to describe what his mind had not yet absorbed.

  “What, son? Just say it.”

  Samuel looked in his father’s eyes and said, “Mama spoke to me. She said Mae was in trouble.” Garth could see the pain on Samuel’s face. “I’m not crazy, Pa. She really spoke to me. For just a moment I could see her, and then she was gone.”

  Garth wrapped his son in his arms and simply held him for a few seconds. “It’s okay, son. I believe you. Then what happened?”

  Samuel wiped his eyes and continued, “Me and Edward pulled into the yard, and there he was, holding onto Mae.”

  Garth looked confused. “He who, son?”

  “Hardwick. That damn Hardwick had Mae in a bear hug in front of him, and I couldn’t get a shot. But then the Lord took care of it. Lightning struck, right there in front of us. When I could see again, there was Hardwick, dead and smoking, and Mae was on the ground. I thought she was dead. Well, she was, sort of. Edward had to pound her chest to start her heart again.”

  Garth fought the sudden urge to vomit. He had to brace himself on the doorframe. “All right, son, go down and try to reassure the women while I see how Mae’s doing.”

  ****

  Mae was so tired. Her body ached with heaviness. She could hear soft voices but couldn’t care enough to listen. She wanted to sleep for a long, long time.

  Edward searched her body over. The only wound he could find was the burn on the side of her throat. Eleanor had shuddered when Edward put Mae’s arm back in the socket. He had forcefully placed his thumb against the ball at the top of the arm and applied constant pressure as he rotated the arm over Mae’s head. Eleanor flinched when she heard the pop of the ball returning to the socket.

  Eleanor spoke quietly. “Edward, what caused this huge bruise on Mae’s chest?”

  Edward lowered his head, and Eleanor thought he might not have heard her. He finally raised his head to meet her eyes. “I’m afraid I did. The lightning strike did something to the rhythm of her heart, and it stopped beating. I had to shock it back into some kind of rhy
thm, and I used my fist to beat her chest.” He paused, remembering the fear washing over him in that moment. “I’ve never been so frightened in my life. I didn’t know if it would work, and if it hadn’t, she would have been dead in a few moments.” His eyes filled with tears as he reached out to stroke Mae’s hair.

  Garth had entered the room in time to hear this last. As soon as he could speak around the lump in his throat, he said, “Thank you, son, for saving my baby girl.”

  Edward turned to Garth. “Don’t thank me yet, sir. You should know—she has dropped into a deep sleep, possibly a coma. Her pupils are still somewhat responsive, so there is hope she will wake soon, but there is little we can do except wait.”

  Garth took Eleanor’s hand and smiled. “Of course there is something we can do. We can pray, and we will. The Lord did not bring this girl through all she has suffered to take her from the life He has led her to.”

  “What do you mean, sir? If Mae has experienced some sort of illness, I need to know. I need to know her medical history to help me understand how to help her.”

  “Oh, she’s never been sick a day in her life. I meant…” Garth broke off as Eleanor squeezed his hand. He looked down at her, and she gave a barely perceptible shake of her head.

  He was confused and started to finish his sentence, but she interrupted. “Edward, what do you need right now to make Mae more comfortable? Maybe another blanket, or some water to sip on?”

  Edward had seen the exchange between Garth and Eleanor. Normally Edward was a calm, understanding physician, but there was nothing normal about this day or this patient. This was the woman he loved, and obviously these people did not understand the seriousness of the situation.

  “Is there something else I need to know?” he asked. “Has Mae had some medical issues I need to be aware of?”

  Again, Garth turned to Eleanor.

  That was it. Edward was beyond being rational. He jumped to his feet and shouted, “Listen to me! I am the doctor here. It is for me to decide what is best for Mae at this moment. If you two know something that might help me understand why she is not waking, then you need to tell me, and I mean now.”