Angel of the Cove (15 page)

Granny hopped up from the table and grabbed the coffeepot from the stove. She held it aloft. “Go on, now. It's the coffee what makes it so good. Anybody want more?”

Martha held up her cup for a refill. “Have you noticed, Anna, that Granny don't like to be complimented?”

Anna nodded. “Like it or not, I'm sure it's the truth. But I suppose Simon could be a good judge of who makes the best pie in the Cove. If he eats everywhere else like he does here, he should be able to tell us.”

Simon shoveled the last bite in his mouth and grinned. “I have to say Granny and Martha are tied for the winner.”

John shook his head. “Maybe you shoulda been a politician 'stead of a preacher.”

Granny set the coffeepot back on the stove and surveyed the group. “Can I git anythang else for you?”

From across the table Simon grinned and gazed at Anna in a way that made her heart flutter. She'd never met anyone like Simon. One minute she could be laughing at his teasing, and the next her pulse would race at the way he stared at her. The fork dropped from her hand and clattered against the plate.

Granny looked up, surprise on her face. “What's the matter, Anna?”

“Just clumsy,” she said, blushing. She pushed her chair back from the table and reached across to stack Simon's plate on top of hers. He grabbed her hand just before she pulled it away. “Wait, Anna. I want some more of Granny's apple pie.”

“More? But you've already had two pieces.”

John slapped Simon on the back. “Well, brother, I'd say this little gal has you pegged.” He pointed to Anna. “Let 'im have it, Anna. Ma never could teach him any manners. Maybe you can.”

Simon glanced at his brother. “Now that's an idea. Maybe I need to take lessons in how to act in company.” He looked up at Anna. “You willing to teach me?”

She opened her mouth to make a retort, but the words wouldn't come. She felt as if they were the only two people in the room. Her heart pounded in her ears as she broke into a grin. “Anytime, Simon,” she smiled.

The muscle in the side of his jaw twitched. “I guess you're right. Two pieces is enough for anybody.” He cleared his throat, and a crooked smile pulled at his lips. “I don't want to make it hard on my poor old horse.”

John scooted his plate from in front of him. “Yeah, me neither. I better quit.”

Martha reached over and grabbed John's plate. “Good. Granny won't invite us back if you and Simon eat up all her food.” She shook her finger at her husband and brother-in-law. “And you two leave Anna alone. She's not used to your shenanigans.” She patted Anna's arm. “Don't let 'em bother you. They do this to me all the time. You just gotta ignore 'em.”

Granny chuckled and stood up. “This here's been 'bout the best Sunday I've had in years. It's good to have friends to share the day with. Now why don't you young folks go on outside and set under the tree? Enjoy this beautiful Lord's day in the mountains. I'll come out after a while.”

Martha stood and headed to the dry sink. “I'll help you clean up.”

Granny put her hand on Martha's arm. “Naw, I kin do it. Go on and enjoy the sunshine.”

Martha put her hand to her abdomen and grasped the back of her chair. “If'n you don't mind then, Granny, I think we best go home. I need to rest some this afternoon.”

Fear prickled up Anna's spine. “Are you all right? Do we need to do anything?”

“No, I'll be fine.”

A worried expression clouded Granny's features, and she stepped next to Martha. “You havin' any pains, Martha?”

“No, nothing like that. Just tired after the long morning.” She darted a glance at Simon. “And the long sermon.”

Anna burst out laughing and put her arm around Martha's shoulder. “I couldn't have said it better myself.”

John, who'd suddenly gone mute, came around the table. His dark eyes that had laughed just minutes ago now appeared veiled. Anna wondered if Martha had been having problems they hadn't shared. He put his arms around his wife's shoulders. “Come on, Martha. Let me get you home.”

As John propelled her toward the door, Martha turned back to Anna. “Come visit me, Anna.”

“I will.”

She and Granny walked to the front porch and watched as Simon escorted John and Martha to the wagon. When John had lifted her up, he climbed beside her. Simon stood in the yard until they disappeared down the road.

When he returned to the porch, all the good humor of earlier had disappeared. A frown wrinkled his forehead. “Granny, you think Martha's all right?”

Granny waved her hand in dismissal and held the door for them to reenter the house. “Women go through all kinds of thangs when they waiting for a baby. Now don't fret about Martha. We gonna take good care of her.”

Simon stopped by the fireplace in the sitting room and bit his lip. “I don't know what John would do if something happened to her. Or to the baby.”

Granny patted his shoulder. “Now don't go lookin' for trouble. You two go on outside and enjoy the day like I told you.”

Despite her words, a troubled frown creased her face as Granny turned back to the kitchen. Anna longed to return the afternoon to the lighthearted chatter of minutes before. She couldn't bear to see Simon so concerned. She stepped up beside him.

“Well, sir, if you've finally filled your belly, why don't we take a walk around the yard?”

A transformation took place at her words, and the Simon she knew reappeared. He chuckled, grabbed her hand, and pulled her toward the back door. With a bow he opened the door and motioned outside. He cleared his throat and spoke in a deep voice. “After you, Miss Prentiss.”

Anna lifted her chin and walked past him. “Thank you, Reverend Martin.”

In the sunshine she lifted her face toward the sky and closed her eyes. “Oh, that feels good. It is a beautiful day.”

“It is,” he murmured.

Thoughts of her mother and brother back home flickered in her mind, and she wondered if the day was as gorgeous there as it was in the mountains. She doubted it. The clover blossoms in the field behind the house waved in the afternoon breeze. “Did I tell you about Granny teaching me to make whooping cough syrup?”

“I knew Granny made some each year when the clover's blooming.”

Anna walked to the edge of the field, plucked a bloom, and sniffed it. “It's amazing that this sweet flower can be used for medicine.”

The teasing smile she'd come to know pulled at Simon's mouth. “Say, that clover sure does look inviting.”

Her eyebrows arched. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it looks like it's just waiting for two people to have a race through it.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Simon Martin, have you lost your mind?”

He grinned at her. “You may think so when I tell you I like to run barefoot.”

She crossed her arms and regarded him with a skeptical look. “Are you suggesting that I take off my shoes and run a footrace with you?”

Simon plopped down on the ground and pulled off one of his shoes. He sat there holding the shoe, his sock still on. “Come on, Anna. It's a lot of fun.”

Anna remembered how she and her brother had raced through the meadows back home when they were children. Suddenly she was
filled with a longing for days gone by. Days when the innocence of childhood had not yet turned to the disappointments in adulthood. Back then her father always told her she could hold her own with any boy. Maybe she could recapture a bit of those moments with Simon.

His toes twitched, and his grin grew larger. “Afraid to race me?”

She shook her head. “No, but I don't think I want to run barefoot. I think I'll just keep my shoes on.” She whirled and dashed toward the field. “Catch me if you can…just as soon as you get your shoes off!”

“What? No fair!” Simon yelled as she sped away.

She glanced over her shoulder and giggled at the sight of him struggling to get his other shoe off. Then he was on his feet and flying after her. She squealed and ran faster, but she knew he was gaining on her. Just as she reached the far edge of the field, she felt him grab her arm.

He spun her around, and before she knew it his arms were wrapped around her. She collapsed in giggles against him.

Simon gripped her arms tighter, and she fell against his chest. “Aren't you a tricky one? Thought you could pull one over on me while I was taking my shoes off.”

She laughed and twisted in his arms. Suddenly he was very still, and she looked up into his face. The laughter died in her throat at his intense expression. She shivered, but she couldn't pull away from him. His arms tightened, and he groaned. “Oh, Anna, you're so beautiful.”

Her heart pounded in her chest as his lips pressed against hers. Even though her mind cried out a warning, she brought her arms up, circled his neck, and reveled in the thrill of the moment. Never had anything felt so right as it did to be in Simon's arms. Suddenly the thought of her brother flashed into her mind and she pulled away. She wiggled from his embrace and took a step to distance herself from him.

“Anna, what's wrong?” His husky voice was barely more than a whisper.

“We can't do this, Simon.”

He swallowed, and his Adam's apple bobbed. Anguish lined his features, and he hesitated as if debating whether or not to speak. He
let out a long breath. “Why not? I feel drawn to you, Anna. I can't help it. I find myself thinking about you all the time. When I'm with you, I can't make myself quit looking at you. I wanted to kiss you, and I know you wanted it too.”

She couldn't meet his gaze. “It doesn't matter if I wanted it or not. I feel guilty because it happened.”

He frowned at her. “Why?”

“Because I got caught up in the moment and forgot about why I'm here.”

Simon's shoulders slumped. “And you're going to leave.”

“Yes. I was honest with you about that from the first day I arrived.”

Anna turned away and walked toward the big tree at the other end of the field where she and Simon had first peeled apples together. Simon followed. When she reached the chairs still sitting under the tree, she sank down on one. Simon dropped down in the other and put his shoes back on.

She struggled to keep the tears from flooding her eyes. “I want to be fair to you. I've told you ever since I came here that I'm going to New York.”

“I know that's what you thought. But things change. What if there's something better for you here, Anna? Have you thought about that?”

She wanted to make him understand. “I can't change what was set in motion before I came. My brother is the reason I'm here. He'll only give me the money for school if I get a good report from Granny.” She doubled her fists. “I'm not going to let him win.”

He stood and stared at the clover for a few moments before he faced her. “I see. Then the way I feel is of no importance to you?”

She jumped up and grabbed his arm. “Of course you're important to me, and of course I have feelings for you like I've never had for anyone before. But falling in love is something I want to do in the future… after I've finished school.”

A muscle in his jaw twitched, and his lips trembled. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “It seems like you have your life planned out. Thank you for speaking so frankly with me, Anna. I hope everything works out, and you get to New York.”

The hurt in his eyes pricked her heart, and a tear trickled down her cheek. She took a deep breath. “And what about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Granny told me you came back when your parents were sick and that you didn't get to return to school. Don't you ever wish you hadn't stayed here? You're such a good preacher I'm sure you could have pastored a big church in a city.”

His face drained of color, and his lips trembled. “How did you know?”

She frowned. “Know what?”

“That I wanted to do just that, but God didn't give it to me. I thought He wanted me to preach to large congregations and win lots of souls for Him, but He kept me here in the Cove.”

“And you've regretted that?”

He tilted his head to the side. “Maybe not regretted. I don't understand why God left me here. My teachers at Milligan said I was the best student of the Bible they'd seen. They thought I would do great things. Instead I'm still here in the Cove where most of the people are Christians. Now I doubt I'll ever leave.”

She grasped his hand. “Then why not come to New York with me? I'm sure your former teachers could help you find a church there. We could see each other all the time, and it would give us time to figure out this…whatever it is we feel for each other.”

He didn't speak for a moment, but then shook his head. “Somehow I don't think God wants me in New York. If He wants me to leave the Cove, He'll work it out for me. Until then I'll stay right here.”