Angel of the Cove

by Sandra Robbins

  Simon scowled at his brother. “I’m not dumb. I just haven’t found the right woman yet.” He reached for the bait jar, pulled a worm out, and threaded it on his hook before he continued. “One thing’s for sure, Linda Mae’s about the prettiest girl in the Cove—with the exception of Martha, I should say. But I don’t know. I don’t think I could ever be interested in her.”

  John pushed his straw hat back on his head and sighed. “Martha was right, I guess.”

  “About what?”

  John drew back his hook and cast again. “She said you must have it real bad for that girl over at Granny’s. Martha says you’re over there all the time, and she feels like she already knows Anna from all you done told her.”

  His fingers tightened around the fishing pole at his brother’s words. He didn’t realize his attraction to Anna was so obvious, but he’d never been able to hide anything from his brother. He pulled the fishing line from the water and pushed himself to his feet. “Martha’s wrong. Anna’s only here for the summer. She doesn’t have any interest in staying in Cades Cove.”

  John’s face mirrored the pain squeezing Simon’s heart. After a moment, he rose and dropped his pole on the bank. He grasped Simon’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, brother. How you making it with that?”

  Simon shrugged. “Not much I can do but accept it.” Then he smiled. “Maybe God just intends for me to be alone. There aren’t many like your Martha around.”

  Or Anna, he thought as he picked up his catch and walked toward his horse.

  “So you enjoyed your two days at the Fergusons?”

  Granny shifted in her chair. The shade tree in the backyard provided welcome relief from the afternoon sun beating down on their heads. Anna tilted her head to the side and dropped the hulls of the peas she’d just shelled to the ground. “I don’t know if enjoy is the right word. Ted and Lucy were a handful. If they weren’t fighting with each other, they were dreaming up some joke to play on me.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well, once they put a frog in the water bucket. And another time they caught a snake and threw it at me when I came out the back door.”

  Granny chuckled. “What did you do ’bout it?”

  “I guess they didn’t know I grew up on a farm and had been around frogs and snakes all my life. I think they were disappointed that their tricks didn’t scare me. But I have to say I was glad to see Mr. Ferguson pull up to the house yesterday. Those were the longest two days of my life.” She picked up another handful of peas. “But you know what? I think Ted and Lucy were sad to see me leave.”

  “They prob’ly were. But two days ain’t long to stay. You’re lucky they didn’t need you longer. It can git mighty tirin’ takin’ care of a family.”

  Granny’s wrinkled face displayed the same serene gentleness Anna had observed since the first day. Not a hint of sorrow or regret lined her features. Yet Anna didn’t think she’d ever heard Granny speak of her family.

  “You’ve spoken of your mother several times but never about a husband or children. I don’t mean to pry, but I’ve wondered if you had a family, Granny?”

  Granny’s lips pursed for a moment, but her hands never hesitated in the rhythm of stripping the peas from their pods. “I married right young. Me and my husband settled here on this farm. Life was hard, but we had all we needed.” She threw a handful of hulls to the ground. “And we was happy.”

  Anna hesitated at the thought of bringing up unpleasant memories. Her heart warned against asking questions that might bring Granny grief, but her tongue itched to speak. “What happened to your husband?”

  Granny’s hands stilled, and she stared out across the fields. “He took sick one winter. Real bad, he was. ’Course that was ’fore Doc come to the mountains. I done ev’rything I knowed to do, but he jest got worse. Pneumonia—bad thing to happen when you ain’t got nothing to treat it with.” She was a silent for a moment. “Anyhow, after he died, me and my daughter jest stayed on here.”

  Anna’s hands stilled, and she sucked in her breath. “You have a daughter?”

  Granny shook her head. “She died in childbirth when she was a little younger than you. The baby died too.” Moisture sparkled in Granny’s eyes, and she sniffed. “Deborah was my daughter’s name. I picked it out of the Bible ’cause I thought it was the purtiest name I’d ever heard. I don’t talk about her much. It hurts too bad.”

  Anna reached over and covered Granny’s hand with hers. “I’m sorry, Granny. I didn’t mean to bring up sad memories for you.”

  A sad smile pulled at Granny’s mouth. “That’s all right, child. I reckon I got some memories that ain’t never gonna leave me no matter what I do.”

  “Did you ever think about leaving the Cove after you lost your family?”

  Granny’s gaze drifted to the mountains in the distance. “There warn’t nowhere else for me to go. And besides, this is my home. So I stayed on here, and the good Lord’s taken care of me.”

  They shelled the peas in silence for a few minutes. It seemed strange that neither Uncle Charles or Simon had mentioned Granny had a daughter who died. Was there more to the story than Granny had told her? One glance at the sadness lining Granny’s face told her there had to be. Whatever it was, it brought great pain to Granny, and she wouldn’t question her about it again.

  There were other things she wanted to know, though, and one of them concerned Simon. She picked up several pea pods and broke one open. “I’ve wanted to ask you something else, Granny.”

  Granny glanced up, but her hands didn’t still. “What’s that?”

  “It’s about Simon.” Anna cleared her throat. “It’s plain to see he’s a very educated man. I wondered why he came back here to preach instead of going somewhere else. Maybe a big city, like Knoxville.”

  A wary expression flashed across Granny’s face, and she stopped shelling peas. “Has he said somethin’ to you?”

  Anna straightened and shook her head. “Oh, no. And it’s really none of my business. I just wondered, that’s all.”

  Granny stared off into the distance for a moment before she spoke. “Simon always said he wanted to be a preacher, and his ma was determined for him to go to school. She believed God had great things planned for her boy. So Simon went to Milligan College over to Elizabethton, and he was a-makin’ it fine. Until three years ago, that is. We had us a bad epidemic of influenza in the Cove, and Simon’s ma and pa both took down with it. John, Simon’s brother, wrote him and told him they was sick. Well, Simon, he come a-runnin’ home fast as he could, but it didn’t do no good. Both of ’em died.”

  “I know that part. He told me. But why didn’t he go back to school?”

  “We had lots of sick folks in the Cove, and me and Doc Prentiss were pert near worn out from takin’ care of everybody. Simon stayed on to help. By the time the worst had passed, it was too late for him to finish the school year. He thought he’d go back in the fall, but he didn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “’Cause the church here didn’t have no preacher, and the folks asked Simon to stay on ’til they found somebody. He’s been the preacher ever since.”

  “And the church members still haven’t found a replacement after three years?”

  Granny nodded. “That’s right. I reckon as time passed folks decided they wanted Simon for the preacher and didn’t bother lookin’ nowhere else for one.”

  Anna sank back in her chair and thought about what Granny had told her. She wondered how Simon felt about what had happened to him. “Granny, does Simon regret not getting to finish school?”

  A sad smile pulled at Granny’s mouth. “I ’spect that’s somethin’ you’ll have to ask him yourself. He won’t give me a straight answer ’bout it, but maybe he’ll tell you.”

  Anna shook her head and directed her attention back to the peas in her lap. “I doubt that. Like I said, it’s really not my business. I shouldn’t have asked.”

  Before Granny could say anything, a voice called f
rom the front yard. “Anybody home?”

  Granny glanced in the direction of the sound, and a broad smiled deepened the creases on her face. “It’s Simon. That boy sure is a-comin’ round here a lot.”

  Anna busied herself shelling the peas as Simon walked around the house. She hoped her face didn’t give away the fact they’d been discussing him a few moments before.

  Simon stopped beside Granny’s chair and held out a string of fish. “Here you are. I been over to Abram’s Creek and thought you might like to have these.”

  Granny’s eyes widened. “Rainbow trout! You shore do know how to make yourself welcome. We’ll have ’em for dinner. I ’spect you ain’t got no plans, so you can eat with us too.”

  He laughed. “Thanks, Granny. I’ll clean these for you.”

  She motioned to the house. “There’s a pan on the table inside you can put ’em in when you git through. Then I got another job for you.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Me and Anna been a-peelin’ more of them June apples, and we got a big bucketful. I need you to climb up on the roof and spread ’em out to dry for me.”

  Simon nodded. “Just as soon as I get the fish cleaned.” He glanced at Anna. “Afternoon, Anna. How did you make it with the Ferguson children?”

  She looked up and smiled. “Fine, Simon. At least I survived.”

  He whistled a tune as he turned and headed to the house. Granny watched him go. “That boy shore do seem happy lately. Wonder what’s gotten into ’im?”

  Anna picked up a handful of peas. “I’m sure I don’t know.”

  Granny chuckled and resumed shelling. By the time they’d completed their task, Simon had the fish ready. Granny stood up and started scooping the pea hulls from the ground and dumping them in a basket. “Anna, you take them fish and the peas inside. I’m gonna toss these hulls in the field past the chicken coop. I’ll be back in just a minute.”

  Anna took the fish from Simon and grinned. “I’ll take these inside then come back to help you. I want to make sure you do it right.”

  His mouth curled into a smile, and he cocked an eyebrow. “I tell you what. If you have any doubts about my ability to do the job, maybe you should be the one to climb to the roof. I’ll hand the bucket of apples up to you.”

  She sniffed and straightened her shoulders. “No thanks. I’ll just watch.”

  “Then the least you can do is hold the ladder for me while I climb up.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll remove it while you’re on the roof and strand you up there.” She grinned and backed away.

  He wagged a finger at her. “You have a wicked streak in you, Anna Prentiss.”

  She turned toward the house and looked over her shoulder. “Just wait until you get to know me better. Remember, I grew up with an older brother.”

  His laughter followed her as she stepped into the house. There was something about Simon that made her feel good when she was with him. It was so easy to laugh and joke with him. She’d never felt that way with any other man she’d known, not even Paul, who had practically grown up at their house. Even though he’d been her friend, she had known she could never fall in love with the serious-natured young man. When she fell in love, it would be someone who made her laugh and someone she respected because he was good and kind and made her happy. Somebody like Simon.

  Her eyes widened at the thought, and her face grew warm. She set the pan of peas on the kitchen table and pressed her palms to her hot cheeks. The pulse in her neck pounded. What was the matter with her? She couldn’t think about falling in love. Nothing was going to distract her from Bellevue.

  She rushed to the water bucket by the back door, scooped some water in the dipper, and drank it down. After a few moments her pulse slowed and her face grew cooler. She licked her lips, tugged at the waist of her dress, and smoothed a stray lock of hair into place before she walked toward the back door.

  Just as she reentered the backyard, Simon emerged from the smokehouse with a ladder that looked as if it had seen better days. He propped it against the side of the house. “I think this’ll hold me.”

  Anna stopped beside the rickety ladder and let her gaze wander over it. It looked as if it hadn’t been used in years. Concerned about its sturdiness, she wrapped her fingers around one of the rungs and pressed on it. “I don’t know, Simon. It looks like some of the wood is rotten. Maybe you shouldn’t use this.”

  He chuckled, put his foot on the first rung, and shifted his weight onto it. He bounced on the step several times before he nodded. “This will be fine. Don’t worry.”

  Anna studied the ladder once more. “I think you should find something else to use.”

  Simon sighed and shook his head. “I’m telling you it’s okay.”

  She looked up at the roof and frowned. “But that’s a long way up.”

  Simon shook his head and laughed. “It’s not as bad as it looks from the ground. Granny’s roof has the lowest pitch of any cabin around here, and I’m only going to the edge. I won’t be more than eight feet off the ground. I’ve climbed trees higher than that. Quit acting like a mother hen.”

  “Well, if you’re sure, but be careful.”

  He put both feet on the first rung and inched up to the next. When he got to the third one, he smiled down at her. “It’s all right. If you’ll hand me the bucket of apples, I’ll go on up.”

  She did as he asked and watched as he reached the roof and climbed out onto it. “Those wooden shingles look slick, Simon. Be careful.”

  He peered at her over the edge. “I’ve done this a hundred times, Anna. I’m not going to fall.”

  Just as the words slid from his mouth his foot caught on a piece of loose roofing and he lurched sideways. Simon struggled to regain his footing, but he only succeeded in knocking the ladder away from the roof.

  Anna jumped out of the way as the ladder fell away and crashed down at her feet. A few of the rungs had broken in half. Apples showered down on her head, and she threw her arms over her head to protect herself from the falling bucket. When it hit the ground, she looked up in fear. Simon, his fingers grasping the edge of the roof, dangled over the side of the house.

  A scream tore from Anna’s throat. “Hang on, Simon!”

  She grabbed the ladder and tried to push it upright. But before she could scoot it underneath him, Simon lost his grip on the roof and plummeted downward. He hit the hard-packed dirt with a thud.

  Anna rushed to where he lay and dropped to her knees. “Granny!” she screamed.

  He lay unmoving on his back, his eyes closed. As Anna stared down into Simon’s pale face, fear swept through her. What if Simon was dead? Or what if he had suffered injuries that would affect him for the rest of his life? She took a deep breath and placed her hand on his chest. He coughed, and his chest rose.

  “Can you hear me, Simon?” He didn’t move, and she glanced over her shoulder. Where was Granny? Had she not heard her call for help? She took a deep breath and yelled again. “Granny, I need you!”

  Anna pressed her fingers to the pulse in his wrist and breathed a sigh of relief at the throbbing beat. Even after she was convinced that his pulse was steady, she didn’t let go but covered his hand with her free one.

  His eyelids fluttered open, and his eyes glazed as he stared up into the sky. He gasped a deep breath and shook his head as if to clear it.

  Anna leaned closer to him and squeezed his hand. “Simon, are you all right?”

  He stared up at her. “I-I think so.” He lay still for a moment. Then a slow smile curled his lips, and his dark eyes stared up at her. “I do believe, Miss Prentiss, you are trying to hold hands with me.”

  Anna’s mouth gaped open, and she stared down at their intertwined fingers before she squeezed his hand and laughed with relief. “Of all the impertinent remarks! And to think I was worried you’d killed yourself.”

  At that moment Granny hurried around the side of the smokehouse and charged across the yard toward them. The r
ooster and hen who’d been pecking at the ground squawked and scuttled out of her path. “I was way out yonder in the field when I heared all the ruckus. I came as fast as these legs would take me. What in tarnation’s happened?”

  “Simon fell off the roof.”

  Granny ran to him and dropped to her knees. Simon struggled to sit up, but she pushed him back down. “Be still, boy. I gotta see if you broke any bones.”

  For several moments her hands pressed and probed, her sharp eyes looking for signs of pain on Simon’s face. Finally she sat back on her heels and smiled. “I reckon you ain’t broke nothin’. How you feel?”

  Simon inched into a sitting position and rubbed his head. “Like I just fell off a roof.”

  Anna struggled to control the grin that tugged at her mouth, but Granny convulsed in laughter. Granny shook her finger in his face. “Boy, you gotta be more careful.”

  “It just knocked the breath out of me. I’ll be okay.”

  With a hand on either elbow Granny and Anna helped Simon to his feet. He stood between them for a few moments, his body swaying back and forth.

  “Here, boy,” Granny said, putting his arm around her shoulder. “Lean on me and Anna. We’ll git you inside.”

  He looped his other arm across Anna’s shoulders and together they limped their way into the house. When they got inside they sat him in a chair at the kitchen table. His face turned crimson at their stares. “Now don’t fuss over me. Just let me sit here for a few minutes.”

  Anna slid into the chair next to him. “You’re lucky you didn’t kill yourself. I thought you were either dead or crippled.”

  A slow smile spread across his face. “Are you sure you didn’t move that ladder and make me fall?”

  Her eyes grew wide. “What?”

  His lips twitched, and he glanced at Granny. “Well, you did threaten me. I’m just wonderin’ if I need to watch out for you from now on.”

  Her face grew warm. “Of all the…”

  He gazed up at Granny. “You’d better sleep with one eye open, Granny. This woman can’t be trusted.”