Within the Candle's Glow (23 page)

She heard the rumble of wagon wheels. Jim and Lyle returned with
the boards. The horses blew and shook their heads, winded by the fast pace over the rough wagon road.

“Why are you out here? It’s almost dark.” There was a fearful note in Jim’s husky voice. He apparently expected bad news when he saw her on the porch.

“Wanted to be alone. Go on in.”

Jim slipped past her with the items Miles had requested, along with a short saw and some rolled twine. His face was unreadable, but she knew what they all felt.

Lyle busied himself by bringing in Konrad’s livestock and milking the cows. She could hear him whistling a hymn in the barn, and she saw a glow through the open doors. The lantern lit his slender figure as he moved from stall to stall.

Leona stepped over the doorsill with little Julia wrapped tight in a blanket. “Watch how those gorgeous colors go dark. I like watching sunsets—but not tonight.” She cleared her throat.

Ella didn’t respond, only stared straight ahead. Her eyes caught a movement to the right, near a pile of rocks. A weasel, with his elongated body and skinny tail, ducked into a crevice and backed out just as quick. His brown coat appeared darker in the dusky light. Faint squeaks told her he had caught a mouse or rat.

Inky shadows lengthened and slinked across the curved valley floor. Everything went dull and murky as the orange glow on the mountain faded away, and the spent orb sank below the western ridge.

“Dada?” Quinn squirmed within the depths of the quilt and woke with a whimper.

Ella stroked his hair and breathed in his sweet scent. He had Konrad’s brilliant blue eyes and facial structure, but his rich-brown hair matched his mother’s lovely tresses. He slipped a tiny hand up through the quilt’s folds and patted her cheek.

“Dada?”

“Yes.” She spoke around the tightness in her throat, “Dada.” She touched his soft fingers. “We need to go inside. Your fingers feel cold.”

“Josh was paid to help my husband, but he tends to be lazy. I know that’s why Konrad helped after school.” Leona’s silvery-gray skirt brushed the pine boards of the porch and produced a whispery sound. The material was costly and had a faint sheen woven in it.

“Will he … will Konrad live?” Ella’s voice cracked with the question.

“Only
Dio
…
God
knows”

“What’s takin’ so long?”

“I looked in before coming out here. They wrapped his chest in strips of cloth. I think they are bracing his leg, now. He wasn’t moving, so he’s not conscious of pain.”

Lyle walked up with his lantern and set it on the edge of the porch. Shadows bounced. “I’ll leave this for you.”

Leona nodded and murmured her thanks as he disappeared inside.

“I’m so afraid for Konrad and Grace.” Ella rocked Quinn back and forth and detected their shadows swaying on the ground by the porch steps.

“It’s painful to watch loved ones suffer.” There were a few seconds of silence and then she continued, “Ella Dessa, Miles spoke to me of your
madre
—mother.” Her Italian accent deepened with emotion.

Ella cocked her head and searched the woman’s face for hatred or disgust. There was none. Love radiated from Leona’s dark eyes, even with shadows permeating the covered porch. “Then you
know
.” Her lips trembled. “I wasn’t sure.”

Leona’s free hand rested on Ella’s shoulder. “I want to say … there’s no sourness in me toward Miles or your mother. Hearing him speak of her, Meara was a sweet person. I know he loved her. That does not take away from what he feels for me. To the depths of my soul, I experience the pain he suffers. I cried when he told me. He will forever see Meara when he looks in your face. He sees the likeness. I
capisce
…
understand
and accept it.”

“I didn’t think I looked like Mama.” Her eyes stung with tears.

“He says … your resemblance to Meara has
disturbo
… haunted him ever since he first saw you. He talked about it to me back then. Now we
know
why.” After sweeping her skirt to the side, she sat beside Ella. “It won’t trouble me. You’re his flesh and blood. I love him.”

Ella leaned against Leona’s shoulder and sighed. “I didn’t want you to wrestle with thoughts of him and her. Or for anyone to know ‘bout my mama and him. She were a good woman, even though—”

“Do you think less of Miles, now that you know?” The lantern’s light shone on a gold-tinted clip in Leona’s upswept hair.

“No.” She shook her head and met Leona’s compassionate gaze. Relief spun throughout Ella’s heart. “In a letter, I read how he wanted Mama as his wife—how he loved her. I know how much he lost. I don’t think less of him.”

Leona’s free hand gripped Ella’s and squeezed. “Then,
never again
fret about it. What sin we humans imagine was committed is only God’s to be concerned with. It’s not our blame to give.
Amore
, wonderful love, created you. Miles adores you. He says he does. He wants it known you’re his daughter, but he waits on you to decide.”

“But—”

“Yes, there are those in Beckler’s Cove who will talk, but also
many
who will rejoice. Ella Dessa, the man in there—the one fighting for his life is your teacher. He’s also your
cousin.
”

“What?” She caught her breath, mind whirling. “
Cousin?
” She wrapped her arms around Quinn. “Konrad?”

“Yes.” Leona’s amused smile showed up in the lantern’s glow. “Konrad’s mother was Miles’s sister, so you’re related. I want to welcome you into our family as my
daughter.
I never had a child.” She caressed Ella’s cheek with the back of her fingers. “Come, we need to take these little ones in where it’s warmer. Rebecca must be done nursing Emma and will figure we’ve abandoned her.”

#

An hour later, Grace slipped from the bedroom and glanced out a window to the left of the fireplace. “Why is the lantern on the porch?”

Leona chuckled. “Ahh, we left it behind because we were each carrying a
bambino
in our arms.”

“You didn’t have to sit in the dark. That fire don’t give much light.” Dark circles etched the skin under her eyes, but she smiled at Quinn’s tiny form bundled in a quilt on the floor. “I see he’s found a new bed?”

“Ella Dessa felt reluctant to put him off in a room by himself. We’ve been talking. Little girl is asleep.” Leona stood with Emma in her arms. “Any change?”

“No.” Grace avoided their eyes as she answered. Her chin shook, but she didn’t cry. She touched Emma’s hand. “My poor baby is probably starved. I’m so ashamed I missed her feeding. I just couldn’t leave his side.”

Ella spoke up. “Rebecca nursed Emma. Even Quinn got a share of the milk before they left.”

A grateful smile touched Grace’s pale lips. “I’m sure Quinn loved that. He still wants to be the baby. I’m grateful for you women.”

A tinge of pride filled Ella at hearing Grace call her a woman. She smiled at her friend and stood to hug her. “We’re here for you.”

A knock sounded.

Leona murmured, “I’ll see who it is.” She handed Ella the baby and
opened the door.

Josh ducked his head as he came through the low doorway. A waft of cold air was his unwelcome companion. Before Leona shut the door, the lantern’s light traveled across the wood floor. He nodded to them, and his coal-dark eyes watched Grace’s shadowy figure disappear into the bedroom.

“How’s Konrad?” He slid the battered hat from his head, pressed it to his chest, and stood waiting for a response.

“
Shh
,” Leona said. “He has cracked ribs and a broken leg bone.”

“I’m sorry. Do people in the cove know?”

Ella spoke up. “Yes, word is spreadin’. Jim brought Granny down from the mountain and then took her home. He’ll stop at Walter’s, let them hear the news, and say I’m here. He’ll tell his own family ‘bout Konrad.”

“Miles is here?”

“He’s at Konrad’s bedside.”

“Can I—go see him?”

“It’s best not.” Leona slipped past him and added wood to the fire. The scent of pine sharpened the air, and the stick of wood popped and crackled. “He’s not aware of things, so he doesn’t feel
dolore
—pain. Anything waking him would cause suffering.”

“I brung in your cows an’ shut the barn at your place.” He spoke to Leona, but his heavy-lidded eyes flitted in Ella’s direction.

“Thank you.” The woman’s voice was cool and aloof. She returned to her chair.

“Will he live?”

“We cannot know. He has not spoken since
you
found him.”

Ella heard an unexpected tenseness in Leona’s voice. She wondered what it meant.

“You stayin’ the night?” Josh switched his gaze to Ella and twisted the hat in his large hands. His long, dark hair hung, drape-like, about his face, and his eyes appeared ebony in the low light.

“Yes.” Ella disliked Josh’s obvious scrutiny, so she gazed at the infant cuddled in her arms.

“If you ain’t, I’ll take you home.” The statement sounded blunt—not a mere suggestion.

“Josh, thank you for offering to take Ella Dessa home.” Leona’s words charged the room with authority. Her accent became more noticeable. “She’s staying the night and will tend to the babies. There’s no need for
you to remain.”

“Yes’um.” He shuffled his feet. “Ella Des … sa, I need to speak with you alone. On the porch?”

Leona cleared her throat. “Not tonight. Josh, it’s cold out there.”

Ella was surprised how Leona had taken both decisions out of her hands, but it pleased her.

“I see.” He appeared irritated at the firm answer, but he lifted his hat and mashed it on his head. “I’ll go now. I hunker down in the empty cabin on Fling’s Creek.”

Leona smiled politely. “Want a torch?”

“Ah, no. Horse knows the way.” He stared at Ella.

“Goodnight, then.” Leona moved to the door, opened it, and motioned for him to leave. “Could you hand me the lantern?”

“Yes’m,” he muttered. The lantern’s light bobbed and swung in a wide circle as he picked it up and gave it to her.

“Thank you.” Gently, she closed the door behind him, arched her dark eyebrows, and grinned at Ella. “He’s gone. You can relax.” She thrust the iron bolt sideways and set the lantern on the table.

“
Ugh
. He makes me so uneasy when he walks in the store.”

“I’m glad you didn’t ride off with him in the dark.”

“Ohh.” She shuddered. “I think it’d be scary.”

“Not to be trusted.” Leona headed to a side door. It led to a covered dogtrot and a separate room, which served as Grace’s kitchen. “I must prepare a meal.” She picked up a second lantern. “I will light this.”

“Let me put Emma in her cradle, so I can help with the food.”

From the bedroom came harsh groans and Grace’s response with sobbed words. They heard a voiced reassurance by Miles. Ella cringed and whispered another prayer. She wished there was something—anything—she could do to help.

F
or the next two weeks, Samuel kept the school open. Ella watched him expertly teach the different grade levels, and she did her best to help where and when she could. Every morning he gave progress reports on Konrad’s ordeal, and the children bowed their heads to pray for more good news.

The day before the barn dance, Ella waited for all the students to leave before approaching Samuel.

“You’re a born teacher, Samuel McKnapp.”

“I love teaching.” A wide, boyish grin lit his face as he closed an open book on the rugged desk and stood up. “Are you working today?” He smoothed his new light-colored mustache and picked up his hat.

“For two hours, then I need to wash my hair. Tomorrow’s the barn dance. Remember?”

“Are you reminding me for a reason? You changed your mind? Will you go with me?” He gazed down at her expectantly, a faint smile playing with the corners of his mouth.

“No.” She studied his handsome face and blue-green eyes, wishing she could surprise him by saying yes. “But I’ll see you there.”

“
Hmm.
” Samuel gathered his saddlebags and paused at the open door. “I know you’re going to decorate your basket so I can recognize it
and buy it. I’ve saved some money.” He waved her past him.