Undaunted Love (4 page)

He listened, head cocked. He thought he could hear faint stirrings within the house, but the house was also creaking and settling, and he wasn’t sure. He exited the bedroom and found himself in a wide hallway. To his right, the rooms were destroyed, fit only for kindling. To his left, the doors were closed but the walls intact. He opened each door, looking in and calling out. A baby’s room made him wince.

The stairway was askew, but the treads were mostly in place, and the gracious center hall was accessible. He crept down the stairs, staying against the wall.

“Hello?” he called again. “Are you there?”

This time he was certain. There had been noises coming from somewhere off that lower hall. He hurried as quickly as he dared.

“Where are you? Can you knock on the door?” He realized that all the doors were racked, the force of the trees wedging the frames against the doors so they couldn’t be opened. He heard frantic knocking from the second door down, and he ran to it. “Are you there? How many are you?”

Muffled but clear, he heard, “Four! The door won’t open!”

“I’ll be back!” Rafe yelled, and he ran back upstairs to the window, smiling down. “They’re there! Four of them—is that all?” When everyone nodded in relief, he said, “Get an axe.”

Chapter Six

J
OSIAH AND JUDAH ACCOMPANIED RAFE back to the hall door, both wielding axes.

“Mistuh Gardner? Suh, you stay back from this here door now, we’re gonna have to use the axes on it.” He turned to Rafe and said, “This be just small larder, ain’t much bigger than a privy.”

From behind the door they heard, “We’re at the back! Go ahead!”

The slaves hacked at the door, Rafe standing well clear. In two minutes the door was demolished, and a young man of about twenty-five emerged, his black hair wild about his head, his face pale from strain. Behind him came a young woman holding a toddler, tears trailing down her face. The little boy’s eyes were wide with fear, but he grinned broadly when he saw Josiah and put out his arms towards him. Everyone smiled, the tension broken. As the woman handed the baby to Josiah, another woman stepped through the doorway behind her, eyes looking down at the floor as she stepped over debris. When she looked up, she met Rafe’s eyes, her own widening in surprise.

“Rafe? What in the world are you doin’ here?”

Rafe stared at the beautiful young woman, speechless. He had just rescued Livvie Byrd.

Gardner Kinney stood with his arm around his wife, staring expressionlessly at his ruined house. The barn had been spared, as had all but one of the slaves’ cabins, but the fields as far as the eye could see were flat, the cotton plants shredded. His face was rigid with shock, his hazel eyes unfocused as he tried to contemplate rebuilding his homestead. Madeline still cried, her head shaking “no” continually, oblivious to the cries of the baby in Livvie’s arms. Rafe was working with the slaves, trying to cut up the massive trees to allow access to the main floor of the house. It didn’t appear that much could be salvaged, but they would do what they could.

Livvie walked over to her sister and stood in front of her. “Madeline, Thomas needs you. Here…” She gave her the baby. Madeline looked at him and smiled a ghost of a smile, nuzzling his neck and kissing his face. The boy pushed her away and started whimpering again.

“He needs food,” Madeline said, glancing at the slaves quarters. “Chloe!” she called out. A young negro in a gingham dress put down the branch she was hauling to a large pile by the barn and hurried over.

“Yes’m?”

“Have you got some food you can share with Thomas? He’s peckish, and we won’t be gettin’ back in our own pantry any time soon, I’m afraid.”

Smiling, Chloe took the youngster and slung him on her hip. The boy whined, but she clucked her tongue and looked at him in mock sternness. “Uh uh, Massah Tom, Aunt Chloe gonna git you some vittles, so ain’t no cause for fussin’ at her, no suh.” She turned and made her way to her cottage, avoiding the tree limbs and puddles along the way.

Madeline smiled at Livvie. “At least everyone’s all right,” she said.

Livvie hugged her and looked at Gardner. He hadn’t acknowledged the conversation. “Gard, are you hungry? I can go with Chloe and find something for everyone to eat.”

His expression didn’t change, but he shook his head. Madeline took his arm. “That would be mighty nice, Liv. Maybe some tea and sandwiches? Or johnny cakes with honey? A little food will do us good, I believe. I’ll see if I can find a table’s still got four legs, and we’ll sit out under that one tree that managed to stay upright.”

Livvie squeezed her arm, glancing quickly at Gardner, then hurried after Chloe.

Rafe watched Livvie walk across the yard, smiling in spite of himself. She had spunk, he had to give her that. Course, it wasn’t her house that was smashed, but she was doing her best to keep her sister and brother-in-law from shock, and she always seemed to have a smile on her face. Not that any of the Byrds were any good, what with that great blowhard Hugh running roughshod over Byrd’s Creek like he owned the place.

He swung his axe, coming down hard on the enormous branch blocking the front window. His thoughts drifted to his own house, and his mama and Nackie, and what he’d find when he got home. Whenever he got home. The top of a pine tree had fallen square onto the driveway, blocking it completely, and there was no way to drive his cart around it. Obviously the Kinney home was more important at the moment, and he’d come to believe his life was spared by the Kinney’s barn, so he kept working, helping wherever he could.

Looking up, he saw Livvie coming back with a large basket over her arm. She waved at him to follow her, so he swung his axe into the tree and left it there, climbing down and walking across the sodden drive to where Madeline had set up bales of hay for seats.

“Judah brought the hay out from the barn. I’m afraid we don’t have any tables, leastwise none that’s got their legs, but I think these’ll do, don’t you?” She looked anxious, wanting to be a good hostess even in these circumstances.

Livvie grinned at her and set the basket on one of the bales. “We always loved picnics, didn’t we, Mad? This is just fine. And we’ve got quite a feast, too. Chloe found some bacon, and oatcakes with honey, and some cider, and even a few boiled eggs. Thomas is as happy as he could be, sticky from head to foot!”

Rafe stood to the side, unsure of joining the family. Gardner pointed to a bale next to him. “Sit down, Rafe. I’m sorry, I ain’t said thank you properly.” He reached out and Rafe shook his hand.

“Happy I was here, although your negroes woulda found you soon enough, I’m sure. And I appreciate the shelter of your barn. I’d come a long way in that storm, and don’t think I woulda lasted much longer.” Rafe accepted an egg from Livvie, avoiding her eyes.

“We’re even, then,” Gardner declared. “But I thank you just the same. Livvie said you’re from Byrd’s Creek?”

Rafe glanced at Livvie, then concentrated on peeling his egg. “Yes, sir. I was on my way back from Charleston.” He shook his head. “I thought it was just a summer storm, didn’t have the sense God gave me to get outen the rain, apparently.”

The others laughed, and Madeline joined Livvie in handing out the food. They ate in silence, the Kinneys periodically looking at their house, then looking quickly back to their food.

“You can come home, Madeline. Daddy’ll have you back while the house is rebuilt,” Livvie said.

Madeline looked at her husband, chewing a dainty bite of oatcake. She shook her head. “No, Liv, you know I don’t want to go back there.” She glanced at Rafe. “Besides, Gardner’s mama is closer. We’re gonna have to be close — Gardner will have to be here every day to clear the fields and work on the house.”

“Mama won’t like it,” Livvie said. “She’ll want you to come with Thomas, at least for a spell.”

“If it was just mama, I’d go tomorrow. But I can’t be around Daddy. Nor can Gard. Mama’ll have to come out to Mrs. Kinney’s if she wants to make sure we’re all right. Maybe she can tell Daddy I need some help, with the storm and all.”

Livvie’s eyes flashed. “Daddy’d never let her come, and she won’t stand up to him. Even if she did, he wouldn’t yield.”

Madeline caught her eye and glanced at Rafe, not wanting to air their family’s dirty laundry in front of strangers. Livvie laughed. “Rafe knows all about Hugh Byrd… He just stole Rafe’s land right out from under him, left him with nothing but a fallin’ down house and some woods. I doubt his opinion of our father’s much better than ours.”

Rafe stared at them in surprise. Livvie’s cheeks were flushed with anger, and Madeline looked embarrassed. Gardner kept eating, having obviously heard it all before.

“I’ll write a letter, Liv. You can take it to Mama. She’ll understand.” Madeline stood. “I’d better go find Thomas, see where we can get him down for a nap.” She quickly walked off towards the slave quarters, wiping her hands on her skirts and trying to straighten her hair.

Livvie shook her head. “Kill the messenger is more like,” she said. “Daddy’ll be mad you aren’t coming, and Mama will cry alone in her room so Daddy can’t see.”

Gardner popped the last bit of sticky cake into his mouth and chewed. “Your Daddy knows good and well I ain’t staying under his roof more’n necessary, and Madeline’s right about needin’ to be here, trying to set this place right.” He turned to Rafe. “I’m sure sorry about your land. Guess everyone in Byrd’s Creek has to have a run in with Hugh Byrd eventually. Trust me, ain’t no turnin’ back once he’s out for you. Best just to move on.” He stood, eyes focused on the work his slaves were doing. “I think we best get that pine outen the drive before dark, so we can all get to a solid roof on the morrow.” He strode off.

Rafe looked at Livvie, who smiled sadly. “I am sorry, Rafe. I tried to talk Daddy out of taking your land. Course, he set it up legal and all, but mostly he just took it ‘cause he wanted it, and your mama wasn’t a match for him.”

“I saw you at the auction,” Rafe said.

“I thought I could talk him out of it, even then. He told me I was a stupid girl.” She shrugged. “He’s… not a nice man.”

Looking at her, Rafe felt like he was seeing her for the first time. He realized he’d painted all the Byrd’s with the same brush, but here before him was a girl he’d known all his life, yet never known. He saw her long chestnut hair, hanging loose to her waist in waves. Her brown eyes danced with intelligence and compassion. She had smooth pale skin, with delicate cheekbones that flushed with her emotions. A laughing mouth and pert nose. She was petite, no taller than five feet, but she exuded strength.
When had she grown into a woman?
he thought. The last time he’d paid attention, she was a scrawny girl.

“I wouldn’t say so, leastwise not from my own experience. Nor my mama’s neither,” he finally said.

“What were you doing in Charleston?” she asked, changing the subject.

“Well, Nackie had an idea that we could sell off the trees on the five acres I got left. There’s mostly pine and cypress, and a few oak, hickory… Anyhow, I went up to Charleston and talked to a sawmill, and old Nackie was right! I made a deal for them to harvest those trees. It’s gonna be enough to see us through a little while, anyway. I won’t know for certain til Mr. Greene comes and takes a look at ‘em himself, but he gave me twenty dollars cash money, and he’ll be coming down soon.”

Livvie clapped her hands. “I’m so glad! I know Daddy thinks he’ll be able to get your house and that five acres to the river soon, and it gives me nothing but joy to know he can’t.” She grinned at him, then stood, straightening her skirts. “Now, let’s see about that tree. I’ve a mind to ride back to Byrd’s Creek with you tomorrow.”

She walked away, leaving Rafe to watch the swing of her skirts.

They headed back to Byrd’s Creek the next morning, Livvie sitting up next to Rafe, waving back at her sister. The view of the house was even worse from afar.

“Oh, Lord…” she breathed. “I don’t know how they’re gonna get over this.” She turned around his her seat, glancing at Rafe. “You okay?”

He shrugged, holding the reins loosely as Norah walked down the road towards Edisto Island. “Not lookin’ forward to what I might find at home,” he said. “The house wasn’t in great shape to start with.”

Livvie reached over and squeezed his arm in sympathy, keeping it there a moment longer than she’d intended. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Really.” Slowly she removed her hand, noticing the faint flush on Rafe’s tanned face, feeling warm herself.

“I…” Rafe stammered, his mind racing at the exhilaration of her touch. He glanced at her and realized her cheeks were pink. “I surely hope you’re right. And your house, I’m sure it’s fine…” He felt like an utter fool.