Page 9 of The Rancher's Bride
“Not be afraid.”
Pa nodded, and with a chuckle said, “Although I’m thinking the story of Noah might be a good reflection today.”
Bethany laughed and gave Pa a hug. “I love you, Pa.”
She felt Pa’s lips brush the top of her head. “I love you too, Bethy.”
“Do you really think Tommy is at the Kendrick Ranch?”
“I am sure he is.”
Bethany tried to picture Tommy waiting out the storm at the Kendrick ranch. He was probably having a grand time while she stood in the soaking rain worrying about him.
Her thoughts drifted to Ben Kendrick. She wanted to know him better, but instead she kept her distance. When she saw him at the mercantile in town, she was hoping he might say hello, but he didn’t seem to recognize her.
Her family’s background as trappers and his as a rancher seemed to divide them. His education and grammar skills didn’t seem to fit in their small town. Bethany had grown up in an isolated mountain community with strong Christian values. They were as different as ...a sunny day and the gloomy weather that was raining down.
She exhaled loudly, trying to shake her thoughts. This might be the opportunity she needed to see him again. Turning to Pa, her mind was made up. “The next time the weather clears, I’ll go look for Tommy.”
Pa frowned. “I doubt there will be any tracks to follow, Beth.”
“Then I’ll start at the Kendrick ranch. He can’t have gone too far.”
“Bethany. Pa.” Millicent popped her head out the door. “Masaid to get washed up for supper.”
“We’ll be right there, Millie.” Pa tapped his pipe against the porch. “Are you coming inside?”
“I’ll be right there. I just want to stay out here for a few more minutes.”
“All right. I’ll let your ma know.”
Alone once more, Bethany breathed in the fresh air. She could see the lights in Uncle Devin and Aunt Molly’s house across the clearing. The barn divided their space, and the barnyard took up most of the free land.
Rain drummed on the roof, and Bethany sent a silent prayer skyward. “Dear Lord,” she implored, “please keep Tommy safe and bring him home unharmed. Bless each person caught in this storm. Surround them with Your love and protection. I pray Tommy is with Ben Kendrick and they are just waiting for the weather to pass.” She opened her eyes and then quickly shut them again. “And Lord, You know I’ve been wanting a husband, with a love like Ma and Pa. I can promise, Lord, if that is Ben Kendrick, I won’t be disappointed.”
Bethany leaned forward, gripping the rough edges of the windowsill with both hands. She squinted through the dirt-smeared glass toward the barnyard below. The muddy ground was a mess of corrugated tin and rusty metal scraps, but she couldn’t help but notice the sun shining through the rain clouds. She couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope in that moment.
“Beth-y,” Millie muttered in her sleep. “The covers.”
If Millie was frightened, she would ask Bethany to spend the night with her. With everyone worried about Tommy, Bethanyhad complied, providing her younger sister with some extra comfort. Mumbling a quiet apology, Bethany returned to bed and tucked the blanket back around Millie to keep her warm. Closing the creaky door behind her, Bethany made her way from the small bedroom and tried not to wake the sleeping girl.
Everyone else was asleep, which meant Bethany had a few precious minutes alone. It was her favorite time of day. Normally she’d make coffee and spend a few minutes reading the Bible, but today she was eager to find Tommy. She’d check the weather once she started the coffee.
The fire flickered warmly, crackling, and popping as Bethany stoked the logs with a long stick, sending sparks dancing into the air. The firelight cast a warm glow across her face as she pulled out a battered coffeepot and hung it on an iron hook above the flames. With a flick of her wrist, she flipped open the lid and wrinkled her nose at the thick, black tar coating the bottom.
“Ma never uses the stove,” she thought with a grimace. Pa always said coffee tasted better over an open fire, so Bethany added water to the pot, giving it a good swirl, before pouring it into a bucket filled with scraps. She refilled the pot with fresh water and coffee grounds, stirring slowly with a long-handled spoon before placing it back on its hook to boil.
As she waited, she wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and stepped out into the crisp morning air. The porch was damp under her bare feet as she descended to the bottom step and lifted her face to the sky.
God was the most magnificent artist,she thought.
As she took in the vibrant colors of the early morning, a cool mist settled on her skin, dampening her hair. Delicate spider webs were glistening with droplets of water, carefully crafted overnight in the corners of the porch. She closed her eyes and listened to the birds and gave a little laugh. The world had beenreborn with the rain.
Pa came out of the barn with a bucket of milk. He stopped when he saw her on the porch, his brow creasing as he spied her bare feet peeking from beneath her nightdress. Shaking his head, he made his way to the porch, handing her the bucket as he took the first step. “Your ma would have your hide if she thought you were out here without shoes or proper clothes.”
“I saw the sunlight and wanted to really see if it had stopped raining.” Bethany looked down at his mud-caked boots. “She’ll have yours if you track mud in the house.”
A grin formed beneath Pa’s beard. “Well, then we’ll just not tell her about your bare feet or my muddy boots.” He moved to the door and put his heel in the V of a wooden plank and stepped on the back end, tugging his boot off in a clean motion. Repeating it with the other boot, he picked them up and placed them near the door, then opened the door to let Bethany go inside.
