Signs in the Blood (10 page)

Elizabeth put aside the idea of supper for the moment and dialed Sallie Kate's office. Though it was after six, there was a good chance her friend would still be there. The phone was picked up on the first ring and a cheerful Southern voice said, “Country Manors, this is Sallie Kate.”

After explaining briefly the reason for her interest, Elizabeth asked, “Sallie Kate, what do you know about a Starshine Community up on Hog Run?”

“Oh, yeah, the trustafarians.” Sallie Kate chuckled. “A bunch of rich white kids with trust funds and dreadlocks. I sold that place to them back in '98. Actually, I've sold that property twice. It was the old Metcalf place and it belonged to sixteen heirs. They couldn't agree on how to divide it among themselves, you know how it is, everyone wants the bottomland, so finally they listed it with me. They figured, at least the money would be easy to divide.

“Well, I first sold it, I think it was back in '95, to a group called the New Church of Transcendental Ontology. They had big plans: got that dome built for a meeting hall and put up some cabins. That was as far as they got before the founder of the church skipped out with their funds
and
his first apostle's wife. Things just kind of fell apart after that, and the ones who were left asked me to sell the place for them. It was all set up for a group rather than a single family and, lord, you wouldn't believe the wackos I showed it to! One group that did meditation retreats was real interested till their geomancer said the alignment of the property was unlucky.

“Then there were some guys that I'm pretty sure were fronts for some kind of right-wing militia group; you know—short, short haircuts and camo pants and big SUVs with whip antennas. They looked at the place but decided they wanted something more remote. As a matter of fact, that group ended up on Devil's Fork, you know, way up at the head of Bear Tree. And, no, I wasn't the one that handled that deal. The agency that brokered that sale is in Asheville. The little time that I spent with the camo boys was enough to convince me we didn't need
them
out here.” Sallie Kate's throaty laugh filled the phone. “I don't mind dealing with crazies, honey, but I draw the line at dangerous antisocial types.

“But anyway, you were wanting to know about the Hog Run place. It just sat there for a few years and I was real relieved when this guy came along looking for a secluded place to start a community. He seemed to have very deep pockets; didn't as much as blink at the asking price. He even liked the dome; the other potential buyers had said they'd probably want to tear it down.”

“Sallie Kate, about the buyer—was he a guy with a young face and pure white hair and a white beard?” Elizabeth asked. “I met him out there today. He seemed to be the leader and his name was Polaris.”

At the other end of the line Sallie Kate snorted. “He may call himself Polaris now but the name on the deed was Ernie Hemick. Odd-looking fellow; I wouldn't forget that young face and pure-white hair. And those eyes! Whew!” Elizabeth could almost see Sallie Kate fanning herself. “I think I remember he was from New Jersey, though he didn't have one of those Yankee accents. But, Elizabeth, what's this I hear about you and Miss Birdie going to that snake-handling church? Are you getting weird on me, honey?”

III-M
AY
1901

I was up in my room puttin on the fancy dress of white lawn that Mister Tomlin had brung me from Asheville when Aetha come in and stood by the window there at the foot of Clytie's bed.

Folks is a-comin by the wagon load, she said, a-lookin at me and smilin in that sweet way that makes her look like the picture of Mommy we have up on our mantelpiece. They heard as how Mister Tomlin had laid out money to butcher a hog and they're lookin to have a good time at yore weddin.

I turned my back to Aetha and she done up the little buttons that run down the back of that dress. Then she grabbed the new silver-backed brush Mister Tomlin had give me and set in to brushin my hair. Do you want me to fix your hair up like mine? she asked. You still look like a young un.

I was namin to put hit up, I told her, but Mister Tomlin give me a pretty white ribbon and said I should just tie back the sides and let the rest hang down. That's the way he wants hit.

Aetha went on brushin and atter a time she said, Hit's been most a year since you first got yore monthlies, ain't hit? I nodded yes and leaned to look out the window. Down in the yard I could see Clytie a-prissin around and makin eyes at all the men. There was a gang of young uns runnin back and forth on the foot log and I could see Romarie headin toward them, all red in the face and commencin to holler.

The big table we'd set out early in the day was fillin up fast with all kinds of good things for the infare and I seen Miz Johnson from over the mountain addin a pie to the stack. There must have been five or six pies there already and she put hers on the top, real careful. I seen three different cakes laid out as well, and I could smell the roasting hog meat and the sweet hickory smoke in the air.

Little Sylvie, said Aetha, I don't reckon no one's talked to you about what happens when you get married.

I shook my head no, for no one had. I figgered I knowed what she was talking about, atter all, I had growed up seein the bull go to the cows and the rooster atop the hens. Hit worried me some—oncet I seen two hounds get stuck together for the longest time but I guessed hit wouldn't matter so much if you was in bed when hit happened. You could always just go to sleep till you come loose, I thought.

Well, Aetha said, and then she stopped, kindly lookin for words. She kept on a-brushin the same place over and over and at last she said, Why, Little Sylvie, all you got to do is to keep in mind that hit's God's plan and as natural as can be. She smoothed my hair real soft-like and said, I don't doubt but you'll be just fine, for Mister Tomlin ain't no green boy to hurry things. He's a real gentleman and I'm sure he'll be slow and easy with you. Just you remember that though at first hit might hurt a little and you'll likely bleed some, that's the way of it and atter a while you'll like hit just fine.

I turned and looked down at her big belly a-poochin out her skirt. I reckon, I said, and I grinned at her like one thing. She colored up bright as a rooster's comb then busted out laughin. Her and Fate Worley has been married seven years and they have themselves five young uns and one on the way. She laughed and hugged me tight and said, O Little Sylvie, yore a lucky girl! You'll have a fine man and a fine house.

He already bought me a sewin machine, I said. Hit's up in the little cabin. That little cabin where Mommy's brother had used to live was where we would go atter the marrying. Mister Tomlin had hired them Maitlands to haul up household plunder with their big sled. But when I had laid out to go up and see that the cabin was swept and cleaned some, Mister Tomlin had told me that he didn't want me goin up there till he had got hit fixed nice.

I wish that I had our house all built, he said, but I don't want to wait that long for you to be my bride, Little Sylvie. Howsomever I had kept a sharp watch and I seen the sewin machine on the sled and a fancy bedstead and all manner of big boxes and bundles.

Just then Romarie hollered up the stairs to say that preacher was come and was I goin to miss my own marryin to stay upstairs admirin of myself in the lookin glass. Me and Aetha come down the stairs and went out to the porch where they was all a-waitin. Brother Gosnell had his head to one side like he does and was just a-grinnin at Mister Tomlin. O Mr. Tomlin! How fine-lookin he was! He had on a black frock coat and gray whipcord ridin britches with his tall boots that was as glossy as a new horse chestnut. He looked at me and smiled and I could see the Gentry girls and Clytie lookin pure green with envy. Mister Tomlin was the best-lookin man there and that's the truth.

Him and me stood there on the porch in front of the preacher. Folks was standin about down in the yard and I heared Granny Plemmons say Law, she's such a little thing; why she don't hardly reach to his breast. But then everone hushed up when Brother Gosnell begun to pray. He called on the Lord to bless me and Mister Tomlin and reminded the Lord how Mister Tomlin was seein to buildin Him a big new church house. Then he prayed that I would be an obedient wife and that I would abide by God's Word where hit says that the wife is subject to the husband.

When he was done with his prayin, Brother Gosnell joined our hands and spoke the marryin words. I promised to honor and obey like he said. Mister Tomlin's hand was a-tremblin as hit took holt of mine, but he said his words in a strong deep voice. And then he put the red stone ring on my finger. I felt like some queen in one of them old love songs, a-standin there in my fine new dress with ever eye upon me.

The preacher he left early on, so old man Owens pulled out his fiddle and struck up a reel. Folks formed up lines there on the clean swept dirt of the yard and Mister Tomlin led me out to the head of the line. We danced the Virginia Reel and Goin to Boston and when Mister Tomlin swung me round, he picked me clean off the ground and whirled me dizzy. Everone made over me and I felt that hit was a fine thing to be married.

Later, when the sun had dropped behind Pinnacle, the sky filled up with the prettiest colors—all pinks and oranges puttin me in mind of a big garden of roses and daylilies. Someday I'll have me a flower patch like that I said to Aetha. I was a-settin on the porch a-pickin at a plate of food she had brung me. Mister Tomlin was talkin to some men and had just sent one of the Gentry boys to bring him his horse from the barn. He said that hit was time for us to take our leave and head up the mountain to the little cabin. The food had mostly been all et and the women folk was gatherin up their young uns and tellin their men that hit was time to get home for the milkin. Some of the young fellers must have had some liquor hid somers for they kept slippin off and comin back actin the fool.

When Billie Gentry come back leadin the horse, Mister Tomlin sprung into the saddle then reined Nebuchadnezzar around to come up to the steps where I was waitin. Aetha hugged me real hard and whispered, Now, Little Sylvie, remember what I told you. I could see Clytie down by the foot log talkin to a feller and Daddy was showin some of his friends the English-made shotgun Mister Tomlin had give him that morning. Romarie weren't nowhere in sight; knowin her, she was makin a start on the dishes and feelin sorry for herself all the while.

Miz Tomlin, he says, and makes a bow from where he sets on his horse. I come to the top step and he reaches out his hand. Just set yore little foot atop of mine he says and I do and lo and behold, before I know it I'm settin afore him crostwise over Nebuchadnezzar's shiny withers. I worry that my pretty dress will be ruint, but I can see that Neb has been groomed till he's as clean as ary housecat. Mister Tomlin's arms are around me and he smells a little of whisky but I lean back against him and look at Aetha. She stands there on the porch a-wavin atter us as I ride up the road on a horse named for a king and a-leanin against my husband.

My husband. He lifted me down from Nebuchadnezzar and carried me up the steps and into the cabin as if I was but a babe. He set me down gentle on the bedstead and told me to sit quiet while he lit the lamps. They was all shiny new and the three of them filled the cabin with a fine golden light. I looked around, just a-marvelin at how nice it looked. When Uncle Lige had lived there, he had let hit get as dirty as a barn but now the floorboards had been swept and washed and there was a braided rug in the center of the room. The rocks of the fireplace had been new whitewashed and all the cobwebs and waspers nestes had been cleaned away. The new bedstead had one of the quilts I had pieced on it—the fancy red, green, and white pommygranate pattern that had taken me so long. Sewin all them little red circles on had near about kilt me, but seein it layin there, I was proud that I had made something so grand.

Under the window by the door was my new Singer sewin machine and I made to get off the bed and go see it close, but Mister Tomlin said, Now, Little Sylvie, there'll be time for that in the morning. I'm goin to go see to Nebuchadnezzar. You make yourself ready for bed.

He pointed to the new washstand and hangin on a hook by it was the fancy white nightshift Aetha had made me. He picked up my hand and laid a kiss on the back of it. You are my own Little Sylvie now, he said, and he went out the door.

I could hear him leadin Neb around to the lean-to at the back of the cabin and I started to go and look at my new sewin machine. Then I thought about what Mister Tomlin had said and knowed that I wanted to get my clothes off and my nightshift on while he wasn't there to see. Hit weren't easy reachin all them little buttons down the back of my dress and me hurryin so but finally I had them loose. I pulled off my dress quick-like and got my nightshift over my head before I commenced to pullin off my camisole and petticoat. A thought come to me and I looked under the bed but there weren't no chamber there.

There never had been a little house up at this cabin, Uncle Lige bein content to squat in the woods. And though I've squatted in the woods myself many a time, I didn't much want to with Mister Tomlin out there. Then I remembered how the schoolteacher had things fixed at her place. So I looked in the bottom of the washstand and sure enough, they was a chamber—white china with pink flowers painted on it and a tight lid to it too. I made use of hit right quick and stuck it back behind the little door. Tomorrow morning, thinks I, I can dash it out in the branch.

There was a feather tick and two big feather pillows on the bed. I knowed that the linen sheets had been my Mommy's for Aetha had told me that she had give them to Mister Tomlin for our bed. I slipped between the sheets and lay there quiet, waitin for what might come. The ruby finger-ring glowed like fire when I held it afore my face with the light of the nearest lamp behind it.