Laurel: Bride of Arkansas (American Mail-Order Bride 25) (10 page)

“When Coral was born, she seemed happier, but then, after Josie came along, she reverted back to her old accusations. One day we received a letter from Griffin asking for our help. She had come after him with a knife, and cut him severely when he’d tried to get it away from her.”

“That’s how he got the scar across his palm.”

“He didn’t tell you how it happened?”

“No.”

“Griffin Benning is a good man.” She turned off the fire from under the kettle. “The sheriff came and took her to the jail so they could keep a better watch over her. By the time we arrived, she had hung herself in her cell with her petticoat.”

Laurel moved quickly to hug the woman beside her. “Oh, Gwenda, I’m so sorry. How devastating for you all.”

“I was so distraught, all I wanted was to be away from here. I see now that was a mistake. If Henry and I had been here all along, the three of us could’ve helped each other heal.”

“You’re here, now. And that’s all that matters.”

CHAPTER TEN

Griffin piled Henry into the wagon the next morning and prepared to head to the office further up the mountain. He met Laurel at the porch to get the lunch she and Gwenda had fixed for them with last night’s leftovers.

“I hope we packed enough for you both,” Laurel commented.

He took the basket from her and judged the weight of the contents. With his free hand, he pulled her close and kissed her soundly on the mouth. “We’re only going to be gone for the day.”

“I know, but I want you to have enough.”

“We’ll do our best. What are you doing today?”

“We’re going to get the girls outside to play and get some fresh air.”

“Good. Try not to have too much fun without me.”

She stood on tip-toes and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I promise we’ll miss you.”

He set the basket in the back of the wagon, and then climbed onto the seat. Holding the reins, he headed out of the yard. Half an hour later, he slowed the horses as they pulled up to the building that housed the offices. Several of the men were already there and met them at the wagon to welcome Henry.

While they visited, Ansel Hailstock, father to the twins, walked over. “Say, Griff, good to see you.”

“It’s good to have you back. How’d the trip go?”

“Fairly uneventful.”

Griffin gripped Ansel’s shoulder. “Good, did you enjoy New Orleans for me?”

“I managed to knock back a few drinks in your honor.”

“That’s all I could ask.”

“I’ve been watching the sky this morning.” Ansel nodded to his left over Griffin’s right shoulder. “It’s getting darker.”

“Yeah, I noticed the purple-green-black of the clouds. The air feels different, too.” He followed Ansel’s line of sight toward the sky and saw more of his loggers coming into camp. “Let’s gather everyone up and talk strategy in case lightning starts a fire and the worst happens.”

***

Laurel and Gwenda sat on the front porch listening to Coral and Josie’s squeals of delight as they ran and chased each other in the front yard. Earlier, she and Gwenda had fixed a place where they could play in the sand Griffin had carried up from the river bank for the new flower gardens she wanted to put in.

Folding the shirt she’d just finished mending, Laurel set the basket on the floor beside her chair and watched Gwenda as she embroidered a pillow case. “Someday I’d like to learn how to make that stitch. Those are the most delicate roses I’ve ever seen.”

“They aren’t that hard to learn. It just takes a little practice.” Gwenda rested her hands in her lap and glanced up. “Do you know how to embroider, Laurel?”

“A little. My mother tried to teach me, but . . .” she shrugged, sadly. “I’m afraid I wasn’t a very good student. I always thought I had better things to do than to sit and sew. To me, it was as bad as twiddling my thumbs.”

“I’m afraid most girls feel the same way, unless sewing is their passion.” Securing the needle in the fabric of the pillow case, she asked, “What’s your passion? What do you want from life?”

“I’d have to say that’s two different things entirely. I’m passionate about gardening and being my own person, but my goal is to be a good wife for Griffin and a good mother for Josie and Coral.”

“My son-in-law and the girls deserve to be happy, so I wish that as well.” She placed the pillow case on top of Laurel’s basket and stood. “I’m already very fond of you Laurel. I want you to know my family comes first and that includes you, too.”

“Gwenda, I feel the same way, and I’ll do my best not to let you down.” Laurel stood to hug her newest friend, but when the woman walked past her, she turned to see what had captured her attention. The sky over the mountain was blue-black with swirling white and gray clouds. Running down the steps, she hurried toward the spot where the girls sat playing. “Come on girls, let’s go inside for a while.”

Gwenda met her and took Josie from her arms. “Good, Lord, I’ve never seen the sky look like this.”

Laurel ushered them into the house. “I have.”

Once she had them back inside, the terror of that day four months ago came rushing back to her. The sky looked exactly like it had that day in Lawrence. She tried to think of the best place for them to hide from the storm. The house seemed the most logical structure, more sturdy than the barn. It also made more sense for them to remain downstairs. She remembered how the houses and businesses that hadn’t been destroyed were missing roofs.

Yes, downstairs would be the best, but where? Obviously the main room and dining room were too open and the kitchen was too dangerous. It had too many things to fly around to inflict injury. Then she recalled the extra room she’d found soon after she’d arrived. One day she’d been checking out her new home and had come across a closed door off the kitchen behind the main room at the back of the house. When she’d opened it and peeked inside, she saw a smaller chamber where Griffin had started work on an indoor bathroom.

“Gwenda, I know where we should take the girls.” Still holding Coral’s hand, she said, “Come on, follow me.”

“I had forgotten about this room,” Gwenda said, as she followed Laurel inside. “He started this just before Ora Lee died.”

“I think it’s the best place for us to wait out the storm. Stay here with the girls, while I go upstairs for some blankets.”

With her arms full of quilts, Laurel came back down. She heard a dull roar and covered the distance from the stairs to the front windows to look out at the storm. If possible, the sky was darker than when they’d come into the house and the wind was now whipping the trees back and forth. She grabbed hold of her locket and whispered a prayer,
Lord please watch over and protect us. Please, Lord, watch over Griffin, Henry and the men and bring them all home safely.

Quickly, she joined Gwenda and the girls in the small room, and made a tent for them all to get beneath so they could ride out the storm.

When Coral and Josie hesitated to follow her, she said, “Let’s hide under here with Grandma, and wait for your Papa and Grandpa to get home.”

No sooner were the words out of her mouth, than a loud clap of thunder sounded and something slammed hard against the back wall. Sounds of glass breaking filled the room. Both girls scooted under the quilt, with Josie climbing onto Laurel’s lap and grabbing her around her neck.

Coral crawled closer to her grandmother. “What’s that noise, Grandma?”

“I don’t know, darling. Something’s hitting the windows. But we’re all right in here.” Gwenda found Laurel’s hand in the darkened space and squeezed. “Thank you for getting us to safety, Laurel.”

“It’s the only place I could think of that might offer enough protection,” she answered, and closed her eyes against the lightning flashes she could see reflecting on the floor from under the door and the edge of the blanket. She tightened her arms around her small charge as Josie began to whimper. “We’ll be fine. The storm won’t last much longer.”

At least she hoped it would be over soon, she already felt as if they’d been in here for a very long time. She tried to sound confident for all of them, especially the girls, but it was hard. She remembered, too well, huddling together in the mill while debris flew around them.

“Laurel! Gwenda! Where are you?”

“In here!” Laurel shouted from under the quilt. Frantically, she pushed out from under their protective covering. “Griffin, we’re in here!”

He tore open the door and rushed in with Henry right behind him. He gathered her and Josie into his arms and held them tightly. “Thank God you’re in here. I didn’t know what to think when we drove up a few minutes ago and I couldn’t find you.”

“I didn’t know where else to go,” she cried into his chest. “Is it over?”

“It is for now. The clouds aren’t as dark and heavy as they were.”

A clap of thunder rumbled fairly close letting her know there might be more to come. “Were we in a tornado?”

Henry held his wife and Coral. He kissed the little girl on the cheek and said, “We didn’t see a twister, but the damage we’ve come across here and in other places looks like there might’ve been a small one.”

“Is there damage to the house?”

“Some,” Griffin said, his hand stroked her hair. “I’m not worried about that now.”

Laurel pushed out of his arms, handed a trembling Josie over to him, and walked past him out of their safe room. The only difference from earlier was she didn’t have to go to the front windows to see the sky. The windows and part of the roof were missing. Completely gone. The settee leaned against the wall in a pile of mangled cotton material, stuffing, and splintered wood, while the glass lamps appeared to be untouched on the mantle above. Slowly, the others joined her as they took in the dammage.

“I’m so sorry about the house, Griffin,” she said, feeling utterly inadequate.

“Don’t worry, honey. It’s just wood and nails.” He looked around the ruined room and nodded. “Yeah, we can put on a new roof or we can build another house. My family’s more important to me.
You
are more important to me.”

She marveled at his final declaration, but before she could answer him, a wagon wheeled up in the front yard. The man driving the horses hopped down and met them inside the house. “Is everyone all right?”

Griffin shook the man’s hand. “Yes, just rattled. And your family?”

“Good, Olga’s fine. We have no damage.”

“Glad to hear it.” Griffin turned to Laurel. “This is Ansel, father to Clem and Otto.”

“I’m happy to meet you.”

“Same here, but this . . .” He spread out his hands. “I’m sorry.”

“Ansel, why are you here, and not with your family? Is something else going on?”

“Yes.” The Norwegian glanced over his shoulder. “I left the boys up at the office to keep a look out for the weather. Shortly after we all left, a lightning strike started a fire, and unfortunately, the rain hasn’t started to help with containment. Clem came to tell me, and I sent him to round up more men. They’ll meet us at the base.”

“Good.” Griffin spun to face his father-in-law. He hated to put the older man in this position, but he trusted him to make the right decisions for his family. “Henry will you stay here and keep them safe?”

“I’ll be right here. I’ll protect them with my life.”

“I know you will.” With Josie on one arm, he reached for Coral and hugged them both. “Will you be good girls and watch out for Grandma and Grandpa? And help Laurel with whatever she needs until I get back?”

“Yes, Papa,” Coral answered and Josie nodded, wide-eyed.

Handing the girls off to Gwenda and Henry, he turned to Laurel and wrapped her in his arms. “Thank you for taking care of my girls today. You mean the world to me and I’ll see you when I get home.”

“I’ll be here.”

He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her soundly, deeply. He wanted her to know how he felt about her before he went out to fight the forest fire. There was always a chance . . . He gave himself a mental shake. Thinking like that could get him killed. “See you, soon.”

“I love you,” she called out as he waved and climbed into the wagon with Ansel. If he heard her, he didn’t acknowledge it.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

By the time Griffin and Ansel reached the office building at the base of the mountain, containing the fire was pretty much out of their control. They had no fire hoses or pumper trucks to get water where it needed to be, and if they did, there was no way to get the water up this far. All they could really hope to do was get all the men down off the mountain and pray for a drenching rain.