Angel of the Cove (6 page)

Robert had no regard for her wishes or what she thought. She'd lost count of how many times he'd told her he knew what was best for her. Even Mama had been unable to make him see that at times he went too far in his attempts at assuming Poppa's role.

If Granny sent her home, she knew what her fate would be. With no money of her own and no way of escaping the farm, the only thing left for her to do was marry whomever Robert picked out. Anna shook her head. She
couldn't
go back to that way of life. No, she
wouldn't
go back.

She opened her eyes, straightened to her full height, and clenched her fists at her side. It was time to face Granny's wrath and try to
persuade her that last night would never happen again. No matter how frightened she was, she had to convince Granny to let her stay, and the conversation could be put off no longer.

Anna took a deep breath and pushed the door open. From where she stood she could see Granny bent over the iron cookstove. A soft hum from Granny's lips rode the stove's heat waves radiating throughout the room, and the sound drifted to Anna's ears. As she listened, the mellow tones encircled her and wrapped her in what felt to her like arms of love. The fear from just moments ago vanished, and in its place Anna felt a yearning like she'd never known.

She didn't want to go home, not just because it meant she would have to face Robert but because it would mean leaving Granny. From the moment she'd walked into this small cabin and spied the herbs on the wall, she had sensed there were great mysteries about healing to be learned here. If she left, she would never get the chance to glimpse the vast knowledge Granny had acquired as she tended the sick and dying. She would never see babies born or give comfort to those sick and dying. Birth to death and all that came between. That's what she yearned for more than anything else in her life.

Easing into the room she stopped beside the kitchen table, already set for two people. A plate of biscuits and a jar of molasses sat in the middle of table where Luke Jackson had lain last night. Anna swallowed back the nausea that roiled in her stomach at the memory of what had occurred here. How long had it taken Granny to scrub the table clean of Luke Jackson's blood? Anna shivered at the thought. She should have helped with the task. Instead she had cowered in her room, afraid to face Granny's wrath.

Now as she studied the woman who'd taken her into her home, she realized she should have recognized the understanding and concern she'd heard in Granny's voice last night when she stopped outside the door to tell her goodnight. A lump formed in Anna's throat. She reached out, wrapped her fingers around the back of one of the chairs, and took a deep breath. The events of last night couldn't be undone, but now she had to concentrate on a new beginning in Cades Cove. “Good morning, Granny.”

Granny glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “Good mornin', Anna. These here eggs will be ready in a minute. Go ahead and take a seat.”

Anna slid into the chair where she'd sat at supper and waited for Granny to join her. The hunger she'd felt a few minutes ago had now dissolved into cold fear flowing through her veins. Granny set a platter of ham and eggs on the table between them and took her seat.

Granny opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, Anna interrupted her. “Granny, I'm so sorry…”

Granny's eyes widened, and she held up a hand. “Whatever you've got to say can wait until after we say thanks. After all, the good Lord's done blessed us with this here food today, and I'm feelin' mighty thankful for it.”

“Yes, Granny.” Anna swallowed the words she'd intended to say and bowed her head.

“Dear Lord,” Granny began, “we thank You for this here food You gave us to eat and all the other blessin's You done given us here in the Cove. I thank You, God, for a-bringin' this fine young woman to my cabin. I know she's got a lot to learn, but her uncle's done told me she's got the gift of healing in her hands. And I believe that, Lord, because You done told me the same thing in my heart. I know I ain't as smart as the teachers she's gonna have in New York, but I know with Your help I can teach her how to trust herself when she's in bad situations like the one we had last night. I believe You have big plans for Anna, Lord, and I pray we can help her overcome her doubts and get her started on her way to makin' a mighty fine nurse. Amen.”

Anna sat in stunned silence, unable to open her eyes or lift her head. After a moment she glanced up at Granny, who was concentrating on spreading some blackberry jam on a biscuit. Anna cleared her throat.

“I…I don't know what to say. I expected you to send me packing this morning. I was prepared to beg you to let me stay.”

Granny placed the biscuit on her plate and smiled at her. “Darlin', I started helpin' the folks in Cades Cove when I was younger than you. My ma was a midwife, and she taught me everything she knew. The
first time I went with her to help birth a baby I ran out of the house and went home. I dreaded facing my ma because I'd shamed her in front of folks, and I was afraid she'd never forgive me.”

“What happened?”

Granny smiled. “When she got home, I was a-layin' on my bed cryin'. She came in and sat down beside me and stroked my head. She said she knew how hard it was for a young girl to see what I'd seen that day, and she said she did the same thing the first time she helped her ma.”

Anna's eyes grew wide. “She did?”

Granny chuckled. “Yeah. I told her I didn't have no gift, and I wasn't goin' back to no birthin' agin. She jest laughed and said I would because the need to help folks was in my blood, and I couldn't git rid of it no matter what I did.” Granny's eyes softened. “And we gonna find out if it's in your blood too, Anna.”

Tears welled in Anna's eyes. “Do you think it is, Granny?”

Granny leaned back in her chair and tilted her head to one side. “I cain't rightly tell yet, 'cause I ain't a-judgin' you on what happened last night, but I'll know by the time you leave here. If you really want to be a nurse as bad as you say, then you have to believe in yourself. You have to understand there's gonna be some tough times down the road, and you have to trust in the good Lord to help you face those times.”

A tear spilled from Anna's left eye and trickled down her cheek. “Then you're not giving up on me yet and sending me home?”

Granny threw back her head and laughed. “'Course not, child. I ain't in the givin' up business. We gotta git you ready to go to New York.”

Anna jumped to her feet, darted around the table, and knelt beside Granny. Tears gushed from her eyes as she bent over and laid her head in Granny's lap. “Thank you. I promise I won't let you down again.”

Granny's hand stroked Anna's head, and her touch reminded Anna of how her mother had comforted her in the past. She'd always wanted to please her mother, and now she found herself determined to please a woman she'd known for less than twenty-four hours. Something told her, though, that this midwife who lived in a small cabin in a
remote valley of the Smoky Mountains might turn out to be the person who influenced her life more than anyone else.

Anna raised her head and stared at Granny, who smiled down at her. “Those biscuits smell good, and I'm starved.”

“Then let's eat, and then we'll get to work. We got lots to do if'n we gonna get you ready to go to New York, and time's a-wastin'.”

Simon stopped at the front door of Granny's cabin and peered inside. He raised his hand to knock but stopped at the sound of laughter coming from the back of the house. The voices of Granny and Anna drifted from the kitchen, and Simon sighed with relief.

All the way to the cabin, he'd wondered what he would find after the events of last night. He knew Granny would do everything in her power to encourage Anna, but he had no idea how Anna would react. She might even want to leave. That thought troubled him, and he had no idea why it should. After all, they'd only met yesterday afternoon, and he barely knew her. But his heart told him he wanted to get to know her better.

He said a quick prayer that God would allow him to do that and took a deep breath. “Granny,” he called out, “it's Simon. I brought a rabbit for you.”

Footsteps shuffled on the wooden floor and Granny appeared in the doorway. She smiled and wiped her hands on her apron. “Come on in, preacher boy. Me and Anna's havin' us some breakfast. You can eat with us.”

Simon shook his head. “No, thanks, Granny. I ate a long time ago, but I would like to have a cup of coffee if you've got any.”

Granny chuckled and motioned for him to come inside. “There's a pot on the stove. Pete Ferguson brought me back some when he went over to Pigeon Forge a few weeks back. I been savin' it for when Anna got here, and you can help us drink it.”

He held up the burlap sack he carried. “I killed you a rabbit this morning. I'll take this around back and wash up at the well before I come inside.”

Granny nodded. “Fine. Come on in the back door when you git finished. We'll be in the kitchen.”

Simon hurried to the smokehouse and set the burlap sack inside before he went to the well. He glanced down at the dirt-streaked pants and shirt he'd worn into the woods this morning and frowned. He looked a mess, not like a man who hoped to impress a woman.

His hands froze in midair, and the water he'd scooped up to wash his face trickled between his fingers. Impress a woman? He had no idea where that thought had come from. There was no reason to believe Anna Prentiss could ever be interested in him. She'd told him right away what her plans were, and he could tell from the determination on her face that nothing was going to get in her way. If he had any thoughts about her, he'd better get them out of his head right now.

The only problem was…he didn't know how to do that.

He recalled the scene in the kitchen the night before and shook his head. She wasn't like the other women in Cades Cove, whose harsh life had made them strong. Maybe it was best if she did leave the Cove. He doubted if she had what it took to survive here.

Scooping up more water, he doused his face and slicked back his wet hair. He'd go in the kitchen, have a cup of coffee with Granny, then be on his way. He had more important things to do today than worry about a spoiled woman who couldn't stand the sight of blood.

He strode to the kitchen door and stopped before he entered. Anna, holding a cup of coffee in her hand, sat at the table. She was smiling up at Granny, who stood beside her. The laugh he'd thought sounded like tinkling bells drifted to his ears.

Simon didn't move as his gaze roved over Anna's face. His heart raced and his chest tightened. In that instant he knew it didn't matter whether or not Anna was spoiled or if she wasn't like the other women in the Cove. There were unfamiliar feelings taking root in his heart, and they had to do with Anna. Looking at her stirred him in a way
he had thought was for other men, not for him. Now he knew differently. He'd never met anyone like Anna, and he prayed she wouldn't leave before he could come to grips with his feelings.

Anna set her coffee cup down and glanced toward the back door where Simon stood. The intensity in his eyes made her face grow warm, and she wondered if he was remembering how she'd run from the kitchen the night before. She forced a smile to her face. “Good morning, Simon. I hear you've killed a rabbit.”