Presently, they quieted in the face of the night’s splendor, and in the silence, Lilly began humming in her sweet, low voice. Sally Beth joined in with a soprano harmony, and soon they had merged their voices into a lovely old song Geneva remembered hearing at her grandmother’s knee.
Though the mountain is high and the valley deep
Though there’s wind and there’s rain and there’s snow.
I come to you with my love to keep
On trails through sunshine, starshine, and willow
On trails of willow, I’ll come to you
Though the darkness blind me and the sunshine burn
Through trails of willow, my heart stays true.
And for your love I’ll always yearn
Howard put his arm around her, and Geneva fought the tears as she thought of the other Howard somewhere in these mountains, watching these falling stars and thinking of her. It was almost more than she could bear, listening to the old, beloved melody and staring into the fire. At last she put her head on her knees and hugged her grief unto herself. Presently, the tears began to roll silently.
“What’s the matter, Geneva? Are you sick?” came Howard’s voice beside her.
“Oh, Howard, I’m just confused. You wouldn’t understand.”
“I think I might.” He hesitated, then continued, “Something happened up there on that mountain, didn’t it?”
Geneva did not answer.
“It’s okay. He’s a good man. And I haven’t been. I guess I have a lot to learn about the people here.” His arm tightened around her. “I’ve already learned that I’m not better than them. I used to think that I was a good judge of people. Now I realize I’ve had my head up my ass most of my life.” He stopped while they both stared at the fire, then continued, “I like it here. If I came here to live, would I have a chance with you?”
This last comment so astonished Geneva that her tears ceased and she stared at him in disbelief. He chuckled.
“Surprise,” he sang out softly. “I’m not saying I’d exactly be in my element. Lord knows, I couldn’t take up any worthwhile trade fitting for here, but you can be a stock market analyst anywhere. And I’m willing to do it for your sake, if you’ll have me.
“You’ve got to be kidding. You’d never survive here. Besides, I’m not so sure I like you here. You’re a city slicker.” She rubbed at the dull ache in her forehead.
“I know that. But Geneva, I’m willing to fight for you. If I could get you back to DC, I know I’d stand a better chance, but where things stand now, I’ll take whatever comes. Of course, if you would agree to come back with me, I promise you I’ll make it all up to you. We could buy a house in the suburbs, or even a nice little cottage in Maine, or here, or wherever you want, so we could get away. We wouldn’t have to be city dwellers all the time. Just enough to keep life interesting. What do you say?”
“Howard, this is beyond me. I don’t know what to think.”
“Me either. I just know that I’ve changed my priorities over the last few days. When I left Hutterton, I was so mad that I wanted to come back and just lay waste to everything in this state. I even called my lawyer and tried to initiate a lawsuit. And when I came back to find you last night, I was ready to tell you that you weren’t good enough for me.
“But when it became evident that you were missing, I had a complete change of heart. I realized how much I love you, and I just started thinking about how fragile we are and how we try to insulate ourselves from really living—and loving. And how stupid we can be,” he added. “I had always thought that money is power. Being in these woods makes me realize how silly even the concept of money is.” He chuckled again. “I’ve got about five hundred dollars in my wallet. I’d gladly have burned it if it meant getting this fire going.”
Geneva spoke slowly. “Howard, I’m glad to see you feeling sorted out this way, but I have to tell you…” He put his fingers on her lips.
“Hush. Not now, darling. I know I’m competing with a man twice, three times my size. But I also know that he doesn’t know how much better he is than I am.”
“What makes you say he’s better than you?”
He gazed into the darkening night. “He doesn’t lie very well, especially about you. I could see how much it took out of him to say what he did to protect you, and yet he did without hesitating. I almost think he would have fought me to the death if I had questioned his defense of you.” He smiled. “I remember how I acted that day in Hutterton when I accused you of having something going with Jimmy Lee, and I don’t think I compare very well.” He let a few silent moments slide by. “Besides,” he went on. “The measure of a man sometimes lies in how a woman feels about him. And I saw the way you looked at him.” He looked away and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“You don’t think badly of me?”
He said lightly, “If I made you feel guilty right now, would it help my case? But no. I can never think badly of you. I love you. The thoughts of what happened between you tears my guts out, but I don’t blame you.”
Sally Beth’s pure, high voice floated around them and lent a sweetness to the night. Geneva listened to the sounds and thought about Howard’s words. She wanted to tell him how much she loved Howard Knight, but he began speaking again.
“Time and place change things. I’m hoping that once we get back to civilization, you’ll see that you really belong with me. I understand the draw this place has for you. Every time I look at the distant hills or come up on another waterfall, I find myself thinking of coming here to live. I could stand it. The work I do seems awfully shallow to me right now. But wherever you are, Geneva, I intend to court you as gallantly as I can. And I hope you’ll be able to find some goodness in me to love again.”
She did not answer, but let herself be absorbed into the falling quietness. In the drowsy moments that followed, Sally Beth spoke up quietly, “I think maybe we all ought to pray.”
Geneva sat up and glanced around. Sally Beth, sitting close by Jimmy Lee, looked expectantly at the others. “It’s going to be a long night, and Jimmy Lee could use some healin’. We should pray over him.”
Lilly sighed. “Sally Beth, yew are always prayin’, ever since you got to be a preacher. Do you reckon it will do any good? I mean, really?”
“Sure it will do some good,” answered her sister. “Prayin’ always does good.”
“Sally Beth, you are a preacher?” asked Geneva incredulously. The girl was full of surprises. “How did that happen?”
“Oh, it wasn’t a big deal or anything. Last summer when Ruth Leigh wanted to git married up on Jacob’s Bald, the preacher couldn’t make it ‘cause he’d had a stroke, and so I got ordained so she wouldn’t be disappointed. Nobody else wanted to do it. That’s all.”
“But your church let you do that? They let women get ordained?”
“Oh, shoot, Geneva. Quakers don’t care if a preacher is a man or a woman. We’re all the same in God’s eyes, and He just looks at our hearts. Now, who wants to pray first?”
They all prayed, one at a time, encouraged by Sally Beth. Even Howard lifted his voice up into the night and asked for deliverance and for healing for Jimmy Lee, and Geneva felt her soul quiet as each spoke in turn. Jimmy Lee glowed with gratitude, then, as the prayers ended, each of them settled easily onto the hard ground and listened as Sally Beth and Lilly once again took up their sweet harmonies. Geneva though it was too bad they couldn’t get along in life like they did in song. She let the music and the sounds of the night wash over her while stars rained down upon them and the moon rode across the horizon. She fell asleep in Howard’s arms, dreaming of the other one.
Twelve
Morning was slow in coming. Geneva woke several times, squirming on the hard rock where they slept and wondering where Howard Knight might be at that moment. She could see him asleep, or standing poised upon the rock and plunging into the deep pool. She saw him riding through the forest in the moonlight, searching for her. She longed to s
ee him riding toward her. She could feel herself being lifted up on the back of the galloping horse, and then together they would ride away deep into the forest where they could love one another far away from the sullied world. When at last the sun rose, she stumbled to her feet, bleary eyed and even more miserable than the night before.
Sally Beth was already stirring. Jimmy Lee and Lilly still slept. Howard Graves opened his eyes the moment Geneva sat up.
“Morning,” he smiled. “Did you sleep well on your downy bed?”
She forced herself to smile. “Goodness me, was that down? I kept thinking there was a small, hard lump in there somewhere, and so I hardly slept a wink.”
“Well, princess, I’ll have to buy you another bed. We can’t stand any lumps in your mattresses, now, can we?”
She smiled again wearily and made her way to the rock pool where she washed her face and drank some water. It was cool and good after the hard night, but she wished for one of Howard’s sweetgum toothbrushes. Sally Beth joined her at the water’s edge. Plopping her kangaroo purse down beside her, she rummaged through it until she pulled out a brush, a mirror, a few items of makeup, some soap and sundry items of personal hygiene. At last she pulled out a toothbrush, which she loaded up from a tube of toothpaste.
“Hey! You’ve got a toothbrush!”
“Of course I do. Don’t yew carry one with yew? Yew know you’re supposed to brush after every meal. If yew don’t yew can get cavities!”
Lilly appeared on the other side of Sally Beth. “Oh, Sally Beth! A toothbrush! Please, let me use it!”
“Use my toothbrush? Lilly, are yew out of your mind? I don’t want your germs all over it!”
“Come on, please, I’m your sister, for Pete’s sake. I’ll buy you another one.”
“No!” She held it as far out of Lilly’s reach as she could get it, which happened to be in front of Geneva’s nose. Geneva’s mouth watered. She had not brushed her teeth with toothpaste in days. The pristine little brush waved in front of her, all loaded up with the delicious smelling toothpaste, and she could practically taste the fresh, sweet cleanliness of it. It was impossible to resist. She grabbed it from Sally Beth’s hand and stuck it in her mouth.
“Geneva Lenoir! I’m going to kill yew! Yew give that back this instant!”
Brushing her teeth as fast as she could, Geneva danced away from Sally Beth, who tried to tackle Geneva. They both fell in the water. Lilly shrieked and jumped in after them, fighting both Sally Beth and Geneva for the toothbrush. She wrestled it away from Geneva, then dropped it. Geneva and Sally Beth both lunged for it, knocking heads. Lilly took advantage of the situation, grabbing it away from both of them and hauling herself out of the pool. She stood by the side, dripping, holding the toothbrush high over her heard.
“Got it!” she yelled triumphantly.
Sally Beth narrowed her eyes and tightened her mouth. “Give it back, Lilly! Yew should have brought yer own toothbrush if you’re so desperate for one!”
Geneva, easing her way out of the pool, eyes on the toothbrush, inched her way closer to Lilly.
“Yew stay right there!” Lilly cried, but Geneva lunged, and grabbing it, she scurried close to the edge of the precipice, holding the toothbrush over empty air. “Stop, or I’ll throw it over!” she shouted at her cousins, who were advancing on her. The sisters halted. “Come on, Geneva, give it here,” begged Sally Beth. “I’ll die if I cain’t brush my teeth!” She eased forward.
“Nuh-uh! I’ll drop it, I swear I will!” Geneva looked behind her to where the water fell a hundred feet into a rocky stream. “Nobody’ll get it down there. You might as well let me use it, and then I’ll give it back.”
Sally Beth hesitated. “Well, it’s already been in your dirty old mouth.” She curled her lips in disgust. “And yew’ve been sick. Who knows what yew’ve got. But go ahead. Maybe I can boil it or something,” she grumbled.
“I’m not sick any more, Sally Beth. I haven’t had any fever for two days now. I promise, I’m perfectly healthy.”
“Please, Sally Beth, can I please have it after you? I promise I’ll buy you a new one,” wheedled Lilly.
Sally Beth’s disgust grew. “Okay. But I cain’t believe yew two. Using somebody else’s toothbrush. Ugh!” She shuddered.
Geneva brushed her teeth in peace, relishing the taste of toothpaste and the feel of slick, clean teeth. She ran her tongue over them and smiled happily. Nothing like basic comforts.
Sally Beth took out her little collapsible tin cup, and filling it with water, placed it in the hot coals. As soon as Geneva relinquished the treasured item, Sally Beth plopped it in the cup and waited for it to steam, then when she deemed it sterile, she shot Geneva a disgusted look and moved to the pool, where she brushed her teeth vigorously. Lilly waited her turn nicely. Jimmy Lee and Howard chuckled at the women, then Howard shook his head and climbed up to the top of the cliff and disappeared.
He returned half an hour later with some huckleberries that he shared all around. “There’s more up there, if you ladies want to go looking for them. It wouldn’t hurt to get some more firewood, too. Jimmy Lee should be kept as warm as possible, and it feels like it’s going to be cool for a while yet.” He looked at Geneva’s wet clothing and added, “You ladies should dry out, too.”
Geneva stretched and rubbed the back of her neck. “Yes. Let’s go look for some berries, and get some firewood while we’re at it. It could be a while before they find us.” She glanced at Jimmy Lee. “You all go on, she added. “I want to make sure Jimmy Lee’s comfortable, then I’ll join you. Now, hurry,” she added as they hesitated. “This wood is getting really low.”
She watched them as they climbed up the precipice, Sally Beth and Howard helping Lilly over the treacherous places. When they had reached the top, she squatted down beside Jimmy Lee.
“Jimmy Lee,” she said in a low voice. “I know all about Howard’s mine, and I swear I’ll never tell a soul about it. And I don’t know how long it will be before anybody finds us, especially since you went to such great pains to lose the trail. Can you tell me how to get out of here? Is there a trail I can take?”
Jimmy Lee looked at her thoughtfully. “Chap never told nobody about that mine,” he said slowly. “Nobody but family. He made me swear I never would, neither.”
“I know. But I found out about it, and he told me the whole story. He even let me help him sluice some, and he tried to pay me, but I wouldn’t take any gold because I was afraid somebody would see it and figure out where it came from. I swear, Jimmy Lee,” she whispered urgently. “Tell me how to get out of here. I’ll go alone, if there’s a direct route. We’re out of food. And your leg needs attention,” she added. It was true. His leg was already turning dark, and she could see that the splintered bone had begun working its way through the flesh in his shin. Jimmy Lee could not wait a day or two for help.
Jimmy Lee looked at her with mute, appealing eyes, nakedly adoring. She flinched at the rawness of his feeling. “I cain’t let ye go, Miss Geneva. Hit’s too dangerous, and there’s a hunnert ways to git lost. I think yer about the bravest lady in th’ world, but I cain’t let ye go. If inny thing happened to ye… Oh, Lordy, I’d sooner die.”
“Please, Jimmy Lee,” she begged more urgently. “I can take care of myself. What about this stream? If I follow it, will it take me anywhere?” she asked, indicating the white water flowing over the edge of the cliff.
He eyed it carefully. “Yes. This here’s the crick that flows down to Chap’s house. But hit’s hard to foller—hit switches back and forth a lot through thick places and hit branches off in wet weather. I ain’t sure I could tell ye how to foller it right.” He shifted slightly and winced. Geneva knew his leg must hurt terribly. She could see the suffering in his face.
“Jimmy Lee. If we wait here, how long will it be before anybody finds us? Don’t you think that Howard—Chap may not have gone back home, but back up to the cabin? There was no need for him to go back once he led
Myrtle away. It could be days before anybody finds us. By that time, your leg could be too bad to save.”
He shook his head. “Hit ain’t my laig I’m worried about. Hit’s yew. Yew git lost up here, or slip on a rock, or fall off someplace. Or, Lord, God, what if yew run acrost another bear?”
“Jimmy Lee, how much farther can it be? Surely I can get there by noon if I leave now.”
He shook his head again. “Not follerin th’ crick. There’s a straighter way, but I don’t think ye could find yer way. Th’ crick winds around too much. Could take ye hours. No ma’am, he said stubbornly. “Yer safer here. Even if we haveta wait a day or two, we’re better off here, together, where hit’s safe.”
She saw she would get nowhere with him. “Okay, Jimmy Lee. You win. I won’t ask you again. Now you just lie here, and I’m going to catch up with the others to look for berries.” She rose and made her way to the place where she could climb up to the rocky ledge. She had all the information she was going to get, and she feared for his very life if they waited any longer. She shuddered as she remembered the story of Laurel who had lain in the forest for more than a day with a compound fracture and had died. She would not have Jimmy Lee on her conscience. Resolutely, she hurried up the rocky trail and looked for a way to slip back down below the precipice to where the water fell.
The trail leveled off after a short way, and soon the cliff to her right began to fall off less sharply, and trees grew up out of the loose, rocky soil. She knew if the trees thickened enough to give her hand holds, she could make it down, no matter how steep the incline. Quickly, she walked until the rocky shale gave way to humus and good soil, and the scraggly growth grew lush. Huge trees afforded her secure places by which to make her way downward; their roots sometimes made steps for an easy descent. She left the rocky ledge and struck off downhill, literally running into tress, which stopped her from falling down the incline. Sometimes the going was easy, and it was never exactly treacherous as she worked her way back toward where she thought the stream would be. If she could just get there, she would follow it to Howard’s house.
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