Beyond These Hills (8 page)

Reverend Martin shook his head. “No need to do that. You can talk to Matthew and me after dinner today. No time like the present to get started.”

Andrew's mouth gaped open. “You mean you still want me to come?”

Mrs. Martin laughed. “Of course we do. Just because we stand on different sides of an issue doesn't mean we can't be friends. I have lots of food cooked, and I know for a fact that government employees get hungry just like anybody else. We'd be honored to have you share a meal with us.”

Moisture flooded Andrew's eyes, and he blinked. He cleared his throat and nodded. “No, it's I who would be honored to come to your home.” He grasped both their stretched-out hands. “Thank you for being so kind to me.”

They squeezed his hands and smiled. Laurel turned at that moment, and a small frown furrowed her brow as she stared at the three of them. “What's going on?”

Andrew released them, and Mrs. Martin waved her hand in dismissal. “Nothing. We invited Andrew to come for dinner. We're going on home, but tell your father to make sure Andrew finds his way there.”

“I'll tell him.” She watched her grandparents exit the church before she turned back to him. A big smile lit her face. “Who would have thought yesterday when we met we'd be having Sunday dinner together? If you're ready to go, I'll show you which truck you need to follow.”

“Okay.”

He stepped back to allow her to precede him up the aisle. As she brushed past him, he closed his eyes for a moment as a tingle of pleasure raced up his arm. Taking a deep breath, he followed her up the aisle.

What was it about this young woman that made her seem so different from every other one he'd ever met? He couldn't dismiss the attraction he felt to her, but it sure wasn't going to lead anywhere. Something told him that Laurel wouldn't be as understanding of his mission as her grandparents were, and that made him sadder than anything ever had before.

Chapter 4

M
atthew had just reached his truck in the churchyard when he heard Simon call out to him. Simon and Anna walked toward him, her two hands grasping her husband's arm in support. Matthew's heart constricted at the stoop of Simon's shoulders and the shuffle of his feet. The man he loved like a father looked fragile today. He'd talked to Simon about slowing down and getting someone else to come preach from time to time, but it did no good. As long as Simon had breath, he would continue to minister to those around him. Every day he prayed to be more like Simon. He wasn't sure he would ever succeed in reaching that goal, though. The man was one of a kind.

He waited for them to stop beside them. They exchanged quick glances, and Matthew sensed something troubled them. “You look upset. Has something happened?”

Simon looked over his shoulder as if to see if anybody could overhear them before he spoke. Satisfied they were alone, he leaned close to Matthew. “I thought I should warn you. We invited Andrew Brady to our house for dinner.”

“That was neighborly of you. I'm sure he could use a good home-cooked meal.”

“That's not what has me worried. Laurel didn't understand what
he meant when he said he was on his way to the CCC camp. He's only staying out there. He really works for the Park Service, and he's here to try and convince us to sell our land to the government.”

“What?” Matthew's voice exploded in a rush. “And you still invited him to dinner?”

Anna reached out and patted Matthew's arm. “Now calm down, Matthew. Andrew is not the enemy. He's been honest with us about his job here. Just because he works for the government doesn't mean we can't be friends with him. You know we've had Superintendent Eakin to eat at our house several times.”

He stared at her for a moment before he grinned. “No matter how old I get, you still have the power to make me feel like the little boy I was when I first met you. You helped me learn to love and to accept people when I came back to the Cove over twenty years ago, and you're still doing it.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess it's not his fault he's got a job that he's gonna fail at.”

Simon laughed. “That's the way to look at it.” His smile disappeared, and he stepped closer. “But I want to warn you. I watched him and Laurel while I was preaching. They sure did exchange glances a lot.”

Matthew's eyes grew large. “You don't think she's interested in him, do you? She only met him yesterday.”

“I know, but what worries me most is that she thinks he's with the CCC. How's she going to react when she finds out the truth?”

Matthew propped his foot on the running board of the truck and pushed his hat back on his head. “If I know my daughter, and I think I do, she won't take the news very well. She hasn't recovered from seeing what the Park Service did to Pete and Laura's home.”

Simon nodded. “I can understand that. After all they're Jimmy's father's parents.”

Anna nudged Simon with her elbow. “We need to get home so I can get dinner on the table. We'll see you there.”

Matthew shook his head in bewilderment as the two headed toward their buggy at the side of the yard. No matter how much he
tried to convince them to get an automobile, he doubted they ever would. They'd traveled all their lives by buggy, and they didn't see any need to change.

A gentle laugh alerted Matthew that his daughter was near. He watched as she appeared around the side of the church with Andrew Brady beside her. When she saw him, she smiled, and Matthew narrowed his eyes. Laurel's face beamed, and her eyes danced. She reminded him of another girl, one he'd first encountered at the mountain laurel bush over twenty years ago.

When had Laurel grown up? It seemed like only yesterday he was picking her up and swinging her onto his shoulders. Now she walked beside a young man, and he'd never seen her so animated. He wondered how she would feel when she found out the truth about her new friend. He took a deep breath and brushed his hand across his eyes.

Laurel stopped beside him. “Poppa, Andrew is going to follow us to Nana's house.”

He nodded. “Fine. Since your mother is riding with us, I'm sure I'll be going slow enough that he'll have no trouble keeping up.”

Rani walked around the church in time to hear his last words. “What's that you're saying?”

“Nothing to concern yourself with, my dear. Just waiting for all the family to get here. Where are those boys?”

As if in answer to his question, a loud whoop echoed across the churchyard and Willie ran around the side of the church, his brother chasing him. “Willie, I'm going to thump you good when I catch you.”

Willie squealed and ducked behind their mother's back. “You have to catch me first!”

Charlie dived toward Willie, but his mother grabbed him by the arms. “What's wrong?”

Charlie snarled at his brother, who was sticking out his tongue. “He chucked a rock at me. It hit me on the leg.”

Matthew grabbed Willie by the arm and hoisted him into the
back of the truck, then jerked his head in Charlie's direction. “Get in the truck, Charlie. And you two settle down. Try to remember this is Sunday and act like you've been to church.”

Rani suppressed a giggle and shrugged in Andrew's direction. “I'm sorry about that, Andrew.”

Andrew smiled and shook his head. “I like to see boys having a good time together. It reminds me of how I used to aggravate my older brother.”

“Then you'll feel right at home around our family.” Laurel's words were laced with laughter.

Matthew's body stiffened as he studied his daughter's face. There was a glow about her he'd never seen before. It reminded him of how Rani had looked at him when they were young and just getting to know each other. His teeth clenched and the muscle in his jaw flexed. Laurel hadn't been around any young men in a while. It was only natural she would be excited to have male company, but if she had any romantic notions rolling around in her young head he had to put a stop to them right away.

He turned to Andrew. “Simon tells me we misunderstood why you're here. You aren't with the CCC group. You really work for the Park Service, and you've been sent to persuade us to sell our land.”

Andrew blinked and his mouth dropped open. He cast a quick glance at Laurel, whose stunned look made Matthew's heart lurch. Andrew took a deep breath. “Yes, sir, that's right. I didn't mean to mislead you.”

Laurel took a step back from Andrew. She frowned and shook her head. “You're here to persuade us to give in to the government?”

Andrew nodded. “Yes. I didn't mean to give the wrong impression, Laurel. I just wanted to get to know all of you first.”

“I see.” Her lips trembled, and she closed her eyes as she placed her hand on her forehead. “It's getting hot out here. Poppa, isn't it time we were going?”

Matthew tried to think of something to say that would ease the
tension that crackled in the air, but nothing came to mind. Laurel whirled and headed to the passenger door of the truck, her mother right behind her.

Andrew, his lips pursed and his eyes narrowed, stared after her. When she climbed into the truck, he turned to Matthew. “Mr. Jackson, I can understand how you must feel about the government right now. Promises you were given when the park was in the planning stage weren't honored. I'm sorry about that.”

Matthew nodded. “Back when the promoters of the park brought prospective donors here to show them the land, I let them stay in my lodge. We were assured our homes wouldn't be touched. Once the final bill was passed to create the park, that promise was forgotten.”

“I know, sir, and I'm sorry. But now we have to deal with the present. That's why I'm here, to help the last of the people in the Cove do that.”

Matthew snorted. “I don't think we'll ever be able to deal with it.”

Andrew glanced toward the truck, where Laurel's straight back was visible through the window between the cab and the bed. “I'm glad I came to church today and met all of you. I want you to know I didn't come to Cades Cove to cause any problems, especially in your family. I liked Laurel when I met her yesterday. When I saw her today, I hoped we might be friends. That doesn't seem too likely now. Maybe I shouldn't go to the Martins for dinner. Will you make my apologies to Mrs. Martin and to your wife?” He swallowed. “And to Laurel?”

Matthew opened his mouth to tell Andrew he agreed it would be better for him to go on to the CCC camp instead of coming to Simon and Anna's home, but the way Andrew's glance darted to the truck window where Laurel was visible stopped him.

The day he had ridden into Cades Cove over twenty years ago popped into his mind. It had been a June day then, and he had returned with the fear that the son of one of the most notorious men who had ever lived in the valley wouldn't be welcomed. Simon,
Anna, and Rani had helped him to face the problems he'd encountered. They'd been his friends even when he hadn't deserved them. Now another young man had arrived in the Cove, and he faced an even greater chance of being despised. What would God have him do about this unhappy-looking boy standing in front of him?

The answer rang clear in his mind. He took a deep breath and shook his head. “If you give up that easy when a young woman gets upset with you, what are you going to do when an angry farmer threatens to blow your head off if you don't get off his porch?”

Andrew's face paled. “Well, I guess I never thought…”

Matthew laughed and slapped Andrew on the shoulder. “Well, son, you'd better start thinking or you're gonna have a mighty tough time in the Cove. Now you get in your car and follow me all the way to Simon's house. Today we won't talk business. It'll just be a time for us all to get acquainted. There's time for you to worry about your job this coming week.”

Andrew grinned and glanced toward Laurel once more before he stuck out his hand. “Thank you, Mr. Jackson. I'd like to get to know your family better.”

Matthew shook his hand. “Then let's go.”

He watched as Andrew hurried back to his car and climbed in before he got into the truck. Rani studied his profile as he started the engine. “Well?” she said, her eyebrows raised.

Matthew faced her. “Well, what?”

“Did you tell that boy not to come to Mama's house for dinner?”

Matthew frowned. “Now why would I do that? Just because we disagree on what the government's trying to do to us is no reason not to be neighborly. Lots of folks with strange ideas have stayed at our lodge, and we treated them like they were friends.”

“But this is different, Matthew. He's a…”

Matthew held up his hand to stop his wife. “He's a boy who's come here not knowing how folks are going to treat him. But he's come anyway. I remember another boy who came to the Cove
wanting folks to give him a chance. I guess it's time for me to return the favor. He's got a hard road to hoe if he's going to try and persuade the folks still here that they have to leave.”

Rani's eyes glistened with moisture and a smile pulled at her lips. She squeezed his arm. “You're a good man, Matthew Jackson.”