Chapter 2
Dark Skies Linger
Miss Alice, much to Christy's displeasure, had to leave early that morning for Big Lick and looked extremely busy, so Christy decided not to interrupt her. It was only going to be a day event, and the elderly woman would be back by that night. Of course, how had Christy forgotten? She mentally chided herself and went back inside the mission. Today being Saturday, there was no school, so Christy went to prepare a simple lunch and started towards the wooded trail. Before she had left she told Miss Ida where she'd be walking that day, so the older woman wouldn't worry. The air was brisk and cool and she knew she had papers to grade but that could wait another hour - oh just one hour of glorious freedom!
As she walked, relishing the cool mountain air, her thoughts drifted to her friends and loved ones. Miss Alice, the Quaker lady who, from the inside, radiated a peaceful beauty of inner conviction. Her faith in God made her strong enough to survive in these mountains of beautiful, but relentless, harshness. Yes, she not only survived, she had thrived. She taught Christy so much about God and love and life. She challenged her to think, yes, even demanded her to think, about why life was as it was. She remembered Miss Alice's words to her early on when the schoolteacher was deciding whether or not to run away from Cutter Gap, to shirk her duty. The "ivory tower" speech had stuck to her, imbedding itself in her deeply. She thought about how, when she was still unsure of why she believed in God herself, Neil had so confidently challenged her. She had been so angry at him then, and even thought she didn't like him very much. How wrong she had been. Even then as an unbeliever, he had challenged her in a good way. He had forced her to ask this question of herself, and thus get the answer...
Neil... something turned warm and liquid in her chest. How she loved this skilled doctor, stubborn Scott and best friend of hers. He was, to her, the most handsome man she had ever seen. Reddish curls over a strong, masculine face. Broad shoulders with strong arms and gentle, skillful hands. She remembered all the arguments he and David had had about God... well, no more "unbelieving doctor", he was now saved! It had taken a death bed to realize his need for a Savior, just as it had taken the very same death bed for her to realize her love for him. But they had both done it, and now... well, now she felt like singing and dancing and praising her Father.
She thought of visiting Jeb and the children, who were getting along better since Fairlight's death but still missed her painfully. She thought of visiting Opal McHone, who had soared to an all-time high in her faith. Christy realized now that she was just as encouraged by this woman as this woman was by her. While Opal would never take the place of Fairlight, she was quickly becoming a close friend to Christy.
But today, she decided against those options. She just wanted to walk, to be free.
As she began walking to hers' and Fairlights' favorite place, she heard a noise to her left. Snapping her head in that direction, she studied the landscape for many moments, but saw and heard nothing more. Just the usual bare limbed oak and maples, with the occasional dogwood or twisted, gnarled mountain laurel. Though not scared, exactly, she was a little apprehensive and quickened her steps to the familiar rock slab that jutted out slightly over the cliff. From there the panoramic view stunned her, as it always did. Cutter Gap still, after nearly two years, took her breath away. A smile formed on her delicate lips as she remembered more of her talks with Miss Alice. At first, she remembered, she had indeed noticed the beauty, but when she discovered all the awful things that went on in Cutter Gap, the poverty, the pigs, and the harshness of life in these mountains, she couldn't see past it to see the beauty anymore. It was Miss Alice, Neil, and David who had all in their own way allowed her to see what she was missing, and yes, strengthened her faith in God. She nearly laughed as she thought of the long ways she had come in those two years. She was still, indeed, immature. She knew that and believed it wholeheartedly. But she had become so much stronger, both in body and spirit, during her time here. Her faith in God had been sorely tested, almost even breaking at points, but as Miss Alice would say, it was like fine china... twice as strong with the mending. Each time she had reached for God, or even rebelled against Him, He had drawn close and pried "the little girl's fingers off the little girls eyes".
Looking out over the hills, she took her sketchbook out of her bag and opened it to a fresh sheet of paper. As always these days, when she envisioned something or someone, it was Dr. MacNeill, and so with that in mind, she decided to begin drawing. She would put him in the middle of a river, with the water rippling around his pants, disturbed from it's normal flow. He would have his fly fishing pole and a flannel shirt on with rugged pants. He would be concentrating, getting ready to cast the line... it was one of the places she loved seeing him the most. He was completely at peace then. No torn and bleeding flesh to mend, no bullets to probe for or stitches to make. He was completely at rest, and she adored it, and she adored him. She loved their time together and was thrilled with all the new skills she was acquiring. Neil was teaching her how to act as a professional nurse
Caught up in her reverie, she had forgotten about time completely. What was time? Well, whatever it was, it seemed for her to be standing still as she sketched, then prayed, and finally just drank in the view that her thirsty mind needed. It was getting later in the day with the sun at its zenith when her stomach growled and she realized that she should be getting back.
"Christy?" A thick Scottish brogue from behind her questioned. She smiled and turned around to see her visitor.
"Hello" She tried to sound casual, hoping he wasn't looking for her. But he was.
"What are you doing out here for so long?" His voice was friendly, so she didn't feel too guilty.
"I'm sorry, I let myself-"
"-Get carried away, I know." He finished her sentence, teasing her as he always did. He claimed it caused a flame to leap into her eye, and he liked it when she was riled. She stood up and put her hands on her hips, staring at him with mock seriousness. But she couldn't hold it too long and started grinning. He held out a hand and she took it, stepping off the rock slab gracefully and onto the thickly carpeted pine needle floor.
"Honestly, after two years haven't I proved that I can take care of myself?" Christy asked in an exasperated tone. Neil smiled and shook his head, which made her sigh.
"Ride back to the mission with me?" He asked with that boyish grin of his. She smiled, finding it irresistible, and walked back with him, hand in hand, as he led her to where Charlie was waiting. Swinging himself up in the saddle first, he then held the reins with one hand and reached down the other for Christy. She gave him her hand, and once again found it amazing how strong he was. He lifted her before she had time to hoist herself up and pulled her in front of him. He kissed her lightly on the cheek before asking,
"Ready to go?" She turned her head towards him and smiled, nodding. Then as he started Charlie forward Christy fell into the peaceful rocking motion, leaning back against Neil's strong arms for support.
After they had ridden for a few minutes Neil cleared his throat.
"You know Christy, I don't think you should be out on your own like this." He said.
"We've been over this before Neil, I won't get lost... I've been here two years, you know." In her eyes he still had a tendency to treat her like a child.
"It's not you getting lost I was referring to, though now that you mention it I probably should worry about that too." He was teasing, lightly, but there was something seriously bothering him.
"Neil?" Christy looked up into his face. "What is it then?" Neil didn't answer right away, keeping a steady hand on the reins, his muscular arms on either side of her as his free hand was cupping her waist softly.
"There are some moonshiners around here who have come seeking refuge from the law." He said bluntly. This bewildered Christy, and she started to open her mouth to ask the obvious when he again beat her to it.
"No, no one from around here. No one's ever seen them before." He answered gently.
"Where are they from?" She asked. Neil sighed.
"Don't know, though I think they're from North Carolina." He paused. Christy still didn't fully understand the ramifications of what he had just told her, and he knew that from the confused expression clouding her beautiful blue eyes.
"These men Christy, don't think twice about pulling the trigger on a gun when they see another person, they're that jittery."
"But, how do you know this?" She asked him, for a moment afraid that he would admit to being involved in something illegal.
"Do you know where I was last Thursday?" He asked. She thought for a moment. That was the day they had planned on having a picnic lunch, but Neil couldn't because he had a sudden emergency call.
"No, I don't." She answered honestly.
"I was sewing up Uncle Bog." He said. Christy gasped.
"Uncle Bog, what happened? Is he okay? Why didn't I hear of this?" Questions began flowing from her mouth all at once.
"Whoa Lass! One at a time." He chided gently. "He's alright now, quickly on the road to full recovery. As for what happened, well, he said he was hunting about half a day's walk from his cabin when four men suddenly sprang up from behind their hiding places. He didn't get a good look at them, other than that they were apparently well armed and dirty, like they'd been there was awhile. Before he had time to raise his gun one of them - presumably the leader - shot him. I didn't want to scare you, and Bog asked me not to 'worry ye needless-like', so I was waiting for a good time to tell you." He fell silent again. Christy allowed herself to rest on Neil's chest again, but she couldn't put the thought from her mind. Criminals in Cutter Gap? Ones that will shoot at will? What of the children? Her thoughts immediately flew to Mountie and the rest of the O'Teale family. Nathan was, well, hardly ever around. How could Swannie protect herself or the children from four adult men?
"They'll be fine." Neil said, as if answering a question. Christy looked at him quizzically.
"Who?"
"The children, your schoolchildren. They all have parents who own rifles too." He replied. She would forever and always be amazed at how well he knew her.
"But Neil, what about the O'Teales? They don't have a man, and Swannie isn't able to protect them..."
"Shh... Christy. I didn't tell you so that you'd be worried about the whole Cove. I just wanted you to be careful." He said tenderly, hugging her against him. She looked up at him and he smiled at her reassuringly. While she felt safe with him, she now thought of the noise she had heard on the way to her lookout. At the time, when she hadn't seen anything unusual, she had shrugged it off as just a animal, maybe a rabbit or something. But now a cold chill was beginning to creep into her as she thought that maybe, just maybe, it had been one of the moonshiners. Neil sensed her dread and tried to cheer her up.
"You know Love, you never did tell me what you heard that day when you woke from the typhoid." She leaned her head back further and turned it sideways, laying on his chest. She loved his affectionate names for her. While she was definitely quick enough to see the obvious change in subject, and to know why he did it, she decided to relent. Besides, the fact that he didn't want to scare her showed how much he cared.
"Well, I guess I should begin with what I was feeling. It was like some enormous weight had been pressing my physical body down, tying me to my bed. I had just witnessed the most joyous, lovely thing I had ever known. I saw Fairlight, with all of her children, even those she had lost." She felt Neil stiffen slightly. He had grown up with these people and undoubtedly their losses had all been his losses too. She inhaled deeply.
"But Neil, they were happy... like I've never seen before. They all just... well, shone radiantly, like they were lit from within. I was very close to going to them Neil, and I now know that that would have meant going to heaven."
"Aye, I knew you were close. I had witnessed too many deaths, to many times where the body was on the brink of giving up, and I knew you were almost gone." His voice had gotten tight, as if he was reliving those awful moments and trying to control his emotions.
"Neil, as you know, it was your voice that stopped me. I was standing there in my happy bliss with the choice before me of going on or coming back, and I heard your voice. It was lovely, and it suddenly filled me with an absolute knowledge of what I had to do." She smiled in memory of the fond moment, and Neil decided that he loved her all the more for it, if that was possible. But he did not interrupt her, interest in where the story was leading was much too strong.
"The world around me slowly came back to focus. At first I could only hear and feel things, not having the strength to open my eyes. I felt the sheets underneath my sweaty body... I felt the too-heavy blanket lying over me. I felt the warm sunshine streaming through a window nearby - my window - onto my cheeks, spilling down my chin in some of it's last warmth. I also heard things, I heard the wind blowing outside the mission house, that strange, beautiful, haunting melodical wind that seems to sob the deepest longings of humanity. Then I heard your voice. You had prayed... I heard it! You asked for forgiveness from your rebellion. You asked God to spare me. I kept thinking how wonderful it was that you loved me like that. And the God that I served - the God that now both of us served - in tenderness and compassion granted your request. Warmth flooded through my brain, racing down my arms and legs with joy, and I placed on hand on yours to comfort you." There was a comfortable pause as Neil thought about all she had just said. Charlie now got to the edge of a creek and splashed through, walking up the steep hill that rose on the other side.
"I knew I couldn't keep running, I knew there must be something to your God and I wanted Him in my life for the first time in a long time, and I knew it was He, not I, who could save you."
"I love you Neil."
"I love you too Christy." He replied. A sudden snap of branches caused the couple to look quickly in its direction. Neil reined Charlie in, and sat very still, almost motionless. With the keen eye of a skilled doctor he surveyed the surrounding trees. Nothing to be seen, but he knew that nevertheless, they were being followed. Christy didn't dare say anything but in her heart she was worried. She looked around as well, but didn't see anything. The afternoon sun was now sinking, late shadows stretching everything into monstrous proportions that seemed to stare back at them ominously. It would all too soon be getting dark, and neither of them wanted to be out here, with these criminals on the loose, after nightfall. After what seemed like an eternity to the impatient Christy, Neil tapped Charlie's sides gently,
"We should be getting back" He said in a low whisper. Charlie started forward again, and within what seemed like ages they finally arrived at the mission. A figure darkened the doorway as they approached and they realized it was Alice, no doubt anxious. She came walking out as Christy dismounted Charlie. Christy turned to Neil, worried that he would go home by himself and wondering if the men had indeed followed them.
"Will you stay?" She asked hopefully. Neil hesitated, and then shook his head.
"I need to be getting back" he said sadly. Just as that moment Alice came towards them both.
"Neil, I think you should stay... I need to talk with you." This was spoken in so serious a tone that both Neil and Christy were slightly taken aback.
"Well, I guess there's an offer I can't refuse." He said light heartedly, though Christy sensed his worry already.
Around the dinner table that night were Christy, Neil, Alice Henderson and Ida Grantland. David was no where to be found. When all four were seated with their meals ready, Alice cleared her throat and began.
"The McHones lost their suckling pig this afternoon." She said.
"Are you certain it didn't just run off?" Christy asked, beginning to understand where this was going. No one else at the table moved.
"He wouldn't, not with the mash they feed him." Alice replied. The table went silent.
"And you think...?" Neil asked.
"I'm almost positive. Opal said that Isaac had seen some movement around the house earlier that day, and he thought at one point that he saw a man with a rifle." It suddenly became so quiet that Christy fancied she might, if she listened hard enough, be able to hear the pigs grunting under the schoolhouse. Neil drank some from his glass, taking a long time before answering.
"It could be nothing" he glanced over at Christy, who was staring down into her lap with a solemn expression. "Then again..." he said to the rest of the group, "it might need to be looked into."
"We can't have the families of Cutter Gap starve because all they're food is stolen." Alice said thoughtfully. She became absorbed in thought for a few moments. Then she looked up at Neil. No one said anything at first, but as if by mutual consent they both formed a plan.
"I'll get a search going tomorrow." Neil said with hesitant finality. Christy looked up at him then, blue eyes round with worry.
"You just said yourself earlier that these men won't hesitate to pull a trigger." She said, her voice worried. "Neil, they might -"
"There will be many of us Christy, and we'll all be armed I can assure you." Neil replied, looking back at her confidently. And so it was done. It was agreed that the doctor would spend the night in the downstairs part of the mission and rise early in the morning to ride to the others.
While Christy went to gather blankets and a pillow, a cold dread seeped into her heart. Neil was strong, yes, of that she had no doubt. But it only took one bullet... in the right place it would be beyond any of them to help him.
"Lord, please keep them safe!" She prayed. If she could have gotten away with it, she'd have gone with the men in a heartbeat. But she knew that there was no way Neil, or Miss Alice, or Ida for that matter, would ever consent.
"Can I help?" He asked softly. Christy jumped, and turned around. It was Neil, standing behind her as she reached for a blanket on the top shelf in a closet. Silently she nodded, and Neil retrieved the blanket and handed it to her.
"I'll be careful, I promise you I will." He said, again sensing her thoughts before she had uttered them. She looked up at him sadly.
"It only takes one shot..." She began, but couldn't finish.
"Shh... Christy lass." He said, and placed a hand on her cheek, which was now slightly wet with her tears. He whisked the tears away with one of his thumbs. "I can't get shot anyways" he said, "because I wouldn't get to spend time with you." He grinned to lighten the moment, and Christy sighed as she leaned into him, laying her head on his chest.
"These men may start doing far worse than stealing pigs, and we've got to stop them." She looked up at him silently, blinking back tears. It was the tears that got him the most. Her small, petite though strong demeanor and her desire to be with him all made saying good bye to her very difficult. Turning away, she thought for a moment and then looked back at him.
"Make sure you do come home to me safe, Dr. MacNeill." She said, then in spite of herself grinned slightly. He smiled back and winked at her,
"As you wish Ma'am." He took some of the blankets from her and together they trooped downstairs to set up his bed.
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews guys, and the technical help!
