Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12:12
Chapter Two
Wednesday was a cold, damp and dreary February day. Lundy Taylor had arrived at the classroom early and was loading the stove with kindling. Rob Allen had begun coming early each day to have some quiet time, and a clean desk to write on. His ideas were spilling out of him almost like water from a waterfall and Christy enjoyed watching him work. She didn't mind coming to the schoolhouse early, knowing how much he appreciated it, and even on the days when she couldn't get herself out of her warm bed at the mission house, she trusted him to work on his own.
Lundy continued to make her uncomfortable. She would repeatedly tell herself how foolish she was being, he was only a boy, one of her students. She prayed for him every night and throughout the day, especially when he was being the most challenging, but it made little difference. She was afraid of the boy with tiny pig eyes and pimply complexion. She had not admitted that to David or Miss Alice or even Fairlight. She knew they would not judge her or make her feel guilty for the feelings, but she just felt eventually he would calm down, accept she was his teacher and although he may not fully respect her, at least he would follow most of her directions.
Christy knew there was a long-standing feud between the Allens and the Taylors, but had no idea where it came from, or why it continued. To this point there had been no difficulty between the children at the school, other than Lundy bullying sweet little Mountie O'Teale. This was the first time Lundy had come as early as Rob, and it was curious to her why he would come ahead of time. Actually, it was curious to her why the boy continued to come to school. He didn't do any work required, he refused to answer questions when called upon, and generally just sat staring into space. Christy believed Lundy might be coming to school to simply avoid his father, the crazy moonshiner who lived very deep in the backwoods and rarely socialized with anyone in Cutter Gap.
As she set her bag and books on the teacher desk, Lundy moved behind her to clean the backboard. She never felt comfortable turning her back on him, not since day one. She was fairly certain he was the one spitting tobacco against the fresh white paint of the schoolhouse. He had never offered to help her clean the board or anything kind, so today was definitely something unique.
She moved away from her desk, to avoid being too close to Lundy. Just to appear busy, she opened the stove to add more kindling and suddenly something began to pop, scaring the wits out of her. Christy screamed and Rob was quickly by her side, closing the stove and fanning away the smoke.
"Someone," Rob said, staring at Lundy, "put buckeyes in the ashes. When they get hot, they pop."
"Buckeyes? From trees?" Christy turned to glare at Lundy. Why was the boy such a problem? Why did he seem to want to be kind to her one minute and then turn into an evil demon the next? It made no sense.
"Thank you, Rob." She continued to glare at Lundy until he left the school room. She saw him join Will Beck in the school yard.
"Miss Christy, you need to keep your eyes open around him," Rob warned. He stood next to her, following her gaze into the yard. "I don't think he'd hurt you, but…" Rob shrugged. "Mama would say better to be safe than sorry."
She smiled at the young man, thankful he had been there that morning. She prayed for patience and calm, hoping that the day would turn around. Once all the students arrived and she had done the roll call, the rest of the morning did seem to go as smoothly as she planned. Other than Lundy chewing tobacco and occasionally leaving the one-room schoolhouse to spit the excess out, she was quite pleased. When lunch break was called, she was quite relieved with the turnaround.
The day had warmed up a bit, although the sun was still hidden behind thick, fluffy clouds. Christy sat on a log David had fashioned into a bench, where she often sat to watch the younger children playing. Mountie came and sat next to her as she often did. She put her little hand in Christy's pocket, and scooted up right next to her. Lulu came and sat on Christy's other side, and soon she had encouraged the little girls to look into the sky trying to make figures out of the puffy clouds.
"I see a horse!" Lulu pointed up and Christy, too, could see what looked like the long body of a horse rearing up.
When a scream broke the calm, Christy stood quickly to see Little Burl go flying to the ground, with Lundy huffing and puffing over the top of the tiny boy. Rob Allen cursed Lundy and plowed into him. With the two biggest boys at the school fighting, she felt helpless. The Taylor/Allen feud had now disrupted her school. She pulled away from the little girls and rushed to stand between Rob and Lundy, yelling for them to stop. She knew either boy could hurt her if they wished to- both were at least a foot taller than her and Lundy was surely a hundred pounds heavier.
When they stopped, pulled apart by John Spencer and Will Beck, Christy bent down to check on Little Burl. The boy refused to look away from Lundy, fear and pain obvious in his big brown eyes.
"I'm as fine as a kitten's hair, Teacher." He gave her a smile that told her he was lying.
She turned to Lundy then. Voice raised, she scolded him, "You cannot hurt students at this school Lundy Taylor. Your behavior has got to change, or you will be asked to leave. Permanently."
"Don't you be threatening me, Teacher."
"Lundy, I am not afraid of you!" she lied. "You have got to behave. I want you to be here to learn!"
Lundy noticed everyone was looking at him, and whether it was from embarrassment or fear, he decided to run out of the school yard. Christy sighed, and helped Little Burl stand back up.
"Are you certain you are alright? Do you want Rob to take you home?"
"I'm just fine ma'am."
She took his hand. "Continue to play children," she called out. Bending low, she said to Little Burl, "Come in the classroom with me and let me look at your tummy."
Once inside, he lifted his shirt. Of course, he was wearing a pair of long johns, just like her brother George wore. Miss Alice had joked once that they were sewn onto their bodies throughout the winter, and only came off in the spring. At least Christy hoped it was a joke. The smells she still encountered daily in the schoolroom had her wondering if Miss Alice was indeed correct.
Christy managed to unbutton the top of his underwear, and then saw the bright red mark on the middle of his belly. She prodded softly. "Does that hurt?"
"Naw, Teacher." He shook his head.
She tipped his head up to meet her eyes. "You tell me if it gets worse, Little Burl." She hugged him gently. "I am so sorry he did that to you."
"Shoot ma'am don't be frettin none." He buttoned his underwear up and then his shirt. "I'll be right as rain in no time."
He walked out of the room once he was dressed again, shifting his hat on his head at a jaunty angle as he left.
She wondered if this was really about the feud. Poor Rob had to save both her, and his baby brother today. Since the operation on Bob Allen the first day she arrived in Cutter Gap, she had come to respect that family. Maybe it was time to visit Mr. Taylor? Birdseye, they called him. She would talk with someone first before she went to see him. She had a feeling he was more like the caricature moonshiner hillbilly she had expected to find here before she left Asheville than anyone else, she had yet to encounter.
The rest of the afternoon was thankfully quiet. The room without Lundy was much less tense, and she heard children speak up to answer questions that never had before. She kept her eye on Little Burl, and could tell he was not feeling well, although he didn't want his best friend Sam Houston, or brother Creed to know.
When she dismissed the class for the day, she asked Rob to see her.
"Thank you for helping me this morning with Lundy."
He shook his head. "You just be careful, Miss Christy. Them Taylors…" He shook his head.
"Please tell your mother about Lundy tackling Burl. I am worried he is hurting more than he is letting on." She wanted to cry. One of her children was hurt because of a feud!
"I'll keep an eye on him," Rob said. "Don't you worry."
She forced a smile and after he nodded goodbye, he took off running home. She walked outside and sat back on the log she had been on with the girls at lunch time. She reconsidered the incident. Why had Lundy been standing at such an odd spot in the yard? No one else had been near him. He hadn't been leaning up against the building, he had just been standing there, as if… She frowned. Had he been guarding something? Guarding the building?
She stood up and looked around the schoolhouse, to make certain Lundy wasn't still loitering in the yard. Just to be sure, she walked all the way around the building, and then went back inside. She lifted the trap door that led to the area under the building, but couldn't see anything. Walking back outside, she crouched down and climbed under the building. There, resting up against the back wall, behind some bales of hay were dozens of whiskey jugs.
She rushed out from under the building and into the schoolroom. Lord, what should she do? David was furious with her. Their discussion about their relationship being a friendship and not a possible love match had not gone well, and he had not spoken with her since Sunday evening. No matter how mad he was at her, she still had to tell him about the whiskey. It was his church, after all, and even though it was used as a school more than a church, he was the pastor of the mission. She wished Miss Alice was there, but this was her week at Cataleechee. Christy knew she had to keep it quiet, no one else should get involved or she might risk their safety.
She gathered her bag and small armful of books before rushing to the mission house. She continued to look around as she went. The distance wasn't great, but Lundy could easily be lurking in the trees. At least now she knew why he was at school so early that day, why he pretended to be so helpful. Lundy was likely on guard during the school day, but there was surely someone guarding the stash after the children were dismissed for the day. They might even be hiding in the trees, people she might not even know, and that very idea sent a ripple of fear through her.
"Ida, do you know where David is?" Christy asked, breathless.
Ida continued to hang the sheet on the clothesline, barely glancing in Christy's direction. "He's in the bunkhouse working on his sermon for Sunday."
Christy sped the short distance to the bunkhouse, just behind the mission house, and pounded on the door. "David! David!"
He threw the door open wide but didn't say anything.
"There's moonshine under the church," she blurted.
"What?" he shouted, his eyes as wide as saucers.
She nodded. "Lundy was acting oddly today and after school I investigated and found a hiding spot under the building behind stacks of hay."
"Are you sure?" he frowned.
Christy rolled her eyes at him. She knew he was mad at her, but why would she lie about such a thing? She never lied about anything!
"Go see for yourself!" she demanded, pointing toward the schoolhouse that he had built with his own hands.
David glanced down at her and then stalked to the church. She followed and watched as he bent his tall beanpole frame in half and crouched under the building. She looked around as he was under there, worried they would be ambushed by the moonshiners. When he finally did come back out, he was holding a jug in his hand.
"How can they hide this at my church?" he whispered angrily. "How dare they!" he screamed. "You said Lundy was guarding it?"
"That's sure what it seemed like to me." She nodded.
"I knew the Taylors were moonshiners, but I never thought they would stoop this low." He unplugged the cork and emptied out the contents of the clay jug. He threw it on the ground and stomped back to the mission house. Christy followed, but not too closely. She had never seen David this angry before.
"What are you going to do?" she asked quietly when they reached the door to his bunkhouse.
"Nothing." He frowned. "Not at the moment. When Alice gets back, we'll decide. Until then, you better pretend you don't know anything about it." He pointed at her. "Don't tell anyone. Promise me! This could put us all in danger."
She nodded. "I promise. We'll only tell the mission staff."
"I don't know if I even want to tell Ida." He looked back to his sister hanging laundry. "I'll decide later, but don't you go telling her. She hates it enough here as it is." Without so much as a goodbye, he slammed the door in her face.
She turned to meet Ida's know-it-all grin. She was growing to dislike that woman more and more by the day. Christy went into the mission house and finally set her things down. As far as she could tell, there were two separate issues to deal with. The moonshiners and the feud. Taylors were involved in both, but were the Allens, too? Clearly, David didn't want to talk with her about it. Fairlight was an Allen before marrying Jeb, so she would not be impartial. Which was worse, the feud or the moonshining- or were they the same thing?
For the first time all day, a small smile slide across her face. She left the mission house in haste and once at the barn, saddled Buttons. As she passed Ida, Christy told her she would not be home for supper.
Hopefully, Doctor MacNeill was available for a house call.
A soft knock sounded on the old cabin door, followed by a woman's voice calling, "Dr. MacNeill?"
Could it be Christy? He had just been thinking of her, and suddenly she appeared? How he wished he had such magical powers. He would be an invincible physician for sure.
"Coming!" Neil stood from his desk in the lab and after carefully closing the door behind him, he opened his front door. "Well, Miss Huddleston, what can I do for you this fine day?" She was wearing the pretty light blue dress he liked so much on her and his heart skipped a beat as it always did when she met his eyes.
Without preamble, she began, "Do you remember when you said I could ask you more about the Highlanders if I had questions?" She sounded breathless. Was she nervous?
"I do," he nodded. Lord, she was beautiful.
They had been waiting for her clothing to dry on a cool Sunday afternoon soon after she arrived in Cutter Gap. It had been such a wonderful afternoon, he doubted he would ever forget. By the time the preacher came to collect her that afternoon, Neil had to admit he was quite smitten with the girl with the beautiful blue eyes.
He hoped Fairlight and Jeb were right, that she wasn't meant for the preacher, that he had a chance to see if they could fall in love.
"Well, I have questions," she told him, grinning.
"Come in, then." He smiled softly and stepped aside, admitting her into his cabin. The scent of roses trailed her, just like the first time he had seen her at the Spencer's cabin when he had to break open Bob Allen's head. "Maybe I have some answers for you."
He watched her take off her gloves, but she left on her wool cloak.
"Thank you." She rubbed her hands together in either a nervous gesture or to warm them.
"Are you cold?" he asked. "I can add a log to the fire?"
"No." She grinned quickly then turned serious. "Thank you. I had something happen at school today and I think you might be able to help me understand it."
"Go ahead and sit," he waved to an intricately carved chair his father built next to the fire. "Do you mind if I smoke?"
She shook her head, with a grin. "Not at all. It is your house."
He had never been self-conscious filling his pipe before, but her eyes studied his hands so intently, he had to wonder what she was thinking. "What do you wish to know?"
She took a deep breath and exhaled. She folded her hands in her lap and looked him in the eye.
"I am wondering about the Taylor/ Allen feud. Today was the first day there was any fighting at school and it was between those families. Lundy tackled Little Burl in the yard, and I'm not sure why he would do that. He and Rob scuffled..."
"How did you stop them?" he demanded. She was so small compared to Lundy. "Lundy didn't touch you, did he?" It was hard to keep his anger from his voice.
"No." She shook her head on a sigh. "But, he did put buckeyes in the stove this morning and scared me half to death." She grimaced. "Today was a bad day." Her eyes fell to her hands in her lap.
He suddenly remembered his manners. "Can I get you some coffee? Tea?"
She shook her head, but didn't look up.
He walked closer and crouched down in front of her. Tilting up her chin, he saw the tears in her eyes. It about broke his heart to see her so upset. "Tell me."
By the time she was done explaining the shenanigans of Lundy, he wanted to beat the boy to a pulp. He held his expression as still as he could, but anger burned in his chest. Where had the preacher been?
"You must be certain to never be alone with Lundy. He cannot be trusted," Neil told her.
He stood, and began to pace in the small area of his sitting room. He couldn't let her see him get upset. She had come to him to get information and maybe some comfort. He had to remain approachable. He knew when he became angry people avoided him, and that was the last thing he wanted her to do.
She nodded. "That's what Rob Allen told me, too. Alice has told me that Lundy has never been to school with the Allens before, that it was a great accomplishment. Because of that, I have tried to be very patient with him. The Allens are so well behaved… except Creed sometimes, but he's just being a mischievous boy. Lundy… well, I'm afraid he was never taught the difference between right and wrong. He loves to watch me become upset and keeps pushing it further and further."
"But he's never touched you?" he asked again.
She shook her head.
"He was better before Molly left," he said.
Her big blue eyes met his. Voice soft, she asked, "His mother?"
Neil nodded. "She got fed up with Birdseye and Lundy and just disappeared one day. Birdseye is not someone to tangle with Miss Huddleston. Molly came up from the other side of the border. Rumor had it she was given to Birdseye to pay off a debt."
Her nose scrunched up. "That's disgusting. To trade a human being for whiskey? And what do you mean disappeared?" Her eyes narrowed. "Like died disappeared, or ran away?"
Neil shrugged. He really didn't know the answer. "I like to think she got away from him, but no one knows for sure."
"Are the Taylors that dangerous?" she whispered. Her big eyes were huge.
"Not if you stay out of their business," he answered simply, staring at her. She had to know to stay away from Birdseye.
"Running moonshine?"
Neil nodded.
"What does moonshining have to do with the feud?" she whispered. "Is it a recent development?"
He chuckled. "No. Although you have seen how slow time moves here. It probably seems to some of them as if it started only yesterday, but no. It's been decades in the making."
"Decades?" she said, pleading with her eyes for him to be serious.
He nodded and pulled up a chair and sat close to her, pleased when she turned to face him instead of the fire. "Over the course of about thirty years, there have been nine murders. None of them solved, and all of them related to the feud and moonshining."
She remained quiet, staring at him, waiting, he supposed, for him to continue.
"We can go all the way back to 1879. When my father was young, his best friend, Otis Allen was murdered, they believed, by Mackinley Taylor. Back then, it wasn't about moonshining though, it was about land and who had the best access to the Cold Springs River."
"Why there?"
"It's one of the best springs in this area," he answered simply. He took a long puff on his pipe before continuing. "The Allens were getting ready to start their mill and the Taylors were running the moonshining in the mountains. They both needed the water. The Allens never got involved in the moonshining- as far as I know, but I do know they would like nothing better than to have Birdseye and his cronies locked up for it. It makes this area dangerous at night especially." He looked at her very intently, hoping he did not have to spell out exactly what type of danger she might be in if she was found in the woods at night.
She frowned. "Do I know the other people that help the Taylors?"
He paused again, studying her closely. "Yes, I believe you do." He would not give her the names, fearing she might treat their children differently in the classroom if she knew. "There are many others who participate, but Birdseye is their ring leader."
"Why do they call him that? Birdseye," she asked.
"He is a very good shot," he told her. "He could shoot a bird in its tiny eye at a hundred feet."
He saw a shiver run through her.
He chuckled without humor. "Are you sure you don't want a warm drink?"
"No." She shook her head and a curly tendril of hair escaped the back of her fancy hairdo. He itched to pin it up for her. "Why would Lundy attack Little Burl?" Her soft touch on his hand shocked him. "I checked his tummy and it was red, and he said it hurt, but he made it through the school day. Rob said he would tell Mary to watch him."
"You think I should check him?" he asked.
She shrugged. "If he doesn't come to school tomorrow, maybe? I never learned about this sort of problem in college. I certainly never thought I would have a classroom with children ranging in age from five to eighteen. Dr. MacNeil, I… I don't know how to keep them all safe."
He laced his fingers through hers and was happy she didn't pull away. "What about you?"
"Keeping safe?" she whispered. "I'm far more worried about the little ones. Lundy hit Mountie with a rock wrapped in a piece of cloth and now he did this to Little Burl. I sometimes feel so ineffective. What does it matter if I am teaching them to read if they get hurt every day?"
He thought about her problem for a moment, but honestly, sitting in his cabin alone with Christy, holding her hand was the only thing that seemed to be on his mind. He turned the focus back to her problem. She had come to him for help, and he would not fail her. If he did, he might miss his only chance with her.
"Does he only cause problems at recess?" he asked quietly.
She shook her head, and closed her eyes on a sigh. "With the other children, yes." She opened her eyes and looked sadly at him. "He tries to intimidate me all day."
Neil was growing angrier, but he tried to remain calm. She was upset enough already.
"Is there a way you can stagger recess and lunch? Maybe the little ones go first or maybe just the girls first and then the boys?"
Her lips twitched in thought. Suddenly she nodded. "Yes, that might work." She gripped his hand tight and looked beseechingly at him. "Dr. MacNeill, the little ones are so hungry to learn. They soak up so much, it's so rewarding. Rob is a wonderful writer, and Zady Spencer understands mathematics so far above what I would expect of a person her age. Why does Lundy Taylor have to ruin it for all of us?"
"Why do you have to keep Lundy Taylor at school?" he asked.
She frowned and took a moment to consider her answer before saying, "Don't I owe it to him too, to continue helping him learn?"
He shook his head. "Not if he keeps abusing you and the children. Do you think he's actually learning anything or just avoiding his father? Have you told Alice?"
She nodded. "Alice is gone right now, but I have mentioned his behavior. Today was the worst so far. I really wanted to understand the feuding, and thought you could help me. I can't say I still understand such grudges. How can people live with such hate in their hearts?"
He squeezed her hand. "They don't have the loving heart that you do. They don't see the good in others. Hate is a powerful feeling."
"But hating someone just because they have a certain name?" She shook her head. "Can it be changed?"
"Maybe." He took a long puff on his pipe. "Someday."
"Do you think if I went to speak with Mr. Taylor, he could help me with Lundy?" she asked.
Neil straightened up. "I wouldn't recommend that. He'd think you were meddling and like I said, if you mind your business, he won't have a problem with you."
"But Lundy is my business, and his business." She was getting agitated, and he wanted her to remain calm. As if by reflex, his thumb began to caress her palm. "Don't you think he wants his son to learn? Why else would he send him to school?"
Neil shrugged and took a long drag on his pipe. "I can't say why he sent Lundy to school, but mind my words, Miss Huddleston, be cautious around that boy and if you do talk with Mr. Taylor, don't go alone."
She nodded, still wearing a sad look on her face.
"Your eyes are very expressive, you know?"
The edge of her wide mouth curved up. "I can't help it. I have tried to learn to hide my emotions better. Especially when I am angry, I try to avoid showing it." She slowly pulled her hand away and stood. "Thank you for listening to me, and explaining the feud. I have to believe this attack on Little Burl was just Lundy being mean and not because of any feud. I appreciate your time."
"You come by anytime," he said. "You feel safe riding home, now?" He glanced out the window. He really did not want her to leave him.
"Yes. I'll be fine," she said with a sigh. He watched her put her gloves back on. "Thank you again, Doctor."
He opened the door for her and walked behind, onto his wide porch. "Miss Huddleston, what do you know about the history of the mountains settlers?"
She paused a minute before answering. "Just what I've read. After the Battle of Culloden many Scots went to Ulster County in Ireland and then later immigrated here. I think it was the middle of the 18th century, right?"
"I'm impressed." He smiled. "You even pronounced Culloden properly."
She curtsied.
He laughed. "Have you taught that to the children yet?"
She chuckled. "I'm struggling for some of them just to learn to spell their names- and that's even the older children. I've been working on Geography more than History right now. Most cannot identify Tennessee on a United States map and few knew we added Arizona as a state just last week, much less where it was located."
"Well now, you just taught this old dog something, Miss Huddleston. I didn't know they approved Arizona's entry yet." He laughed. "I wonder… might it make a difference if you reminded them- the Allens and the Taylors, and really all the rest of the children- that they all share the same heritage?"
"Maybe." She tilted her head before biting her lip. "What do you have in mind?"
"I know the story rather well," he told her. He shared the same heritage as the children. He had told her he had been born in this cabin. "Would you be willing to trust me to tell them the tale?"
"You mean, you would come to school and give them a lecture?" she asked.
He liked how her eyes brightened at the idea.
"Yes." He nodded. "Would Friday work for you?"
She smiled, her first real smile since she arrived at his cabin that day. "That would be so wonderful. The children will be so excited. Thank you!"
"Don't you get too excited, Miss Huddleston, you haven't heard me tell the story, yet."
"I have faith in you," she said. They reached the steps and she walked down them with poise and grace. When she reached the bottom, she turned back to him with a sassy smile. "And, Doctor, my name is Christy."