Chapter 6
As Christy said good-bye to her parents the next morning, she wondered what she would have to tell them the next time they visited, at Christmas. For one moment. . . .
"Miss Christy Huddleston?" Christy spun around to see Mike McKimby holding Bonita. "Here's your horse. I know that you will give her a good home, but I will sure miss her."
"I am very glad that I bought her. It took almost all my money, but she was worth it," Christy said, admiring Mr. McKimby's meticulous grooming of the horse. He obviously cared a lot about Bonita.
"Yes, she is a valuable animal. But if it's money you're looking for, I would suggest that you breed her. She'd throw you a fine colt that you could sell and probably get a lot of money for."
"Ah—yes, that is quite a good idea. Thank you very much for getting her here. I really appreciate it. David arranged for her to have her own stall. It is just over there, if you would be so kind as to load her," Christy said, pointing to a boxcar that had been made into horse stalls.
"Certainly. Have a good trip, Miss."
"Thank you." Turning to David, she asked, "David, I hate to ask you, but could you take my bags and get us settled? I have something that I need to attend to."
"Of course. Anything I can help you with?"
"No . . . I'll be back in a bit," she said with an urgent expression on her face.
"Hurry back!"
Throwing a smile over her shoulder, Christy scurried off to the station. She had to make a phone call to determine a thought that had been bugging her ever since she had met Margaret on the train. "Excuse me, may I use the telephone here?"
"Yes, but it'll cost you a nickel," the handsome young attendant said with a smile. Christy flipped him a dime and headed to the telephone. "Hello? Is this the Asheville Courthouse? This is Christy Huddleston, the daughter of William Huddleston. Yes, his last case was indeed remarkable. I was wondering, was there a recent annulment filed between Margaret Henderson MacNeill and Neil MacNeill? Yes, I realize that is confidential information, but my father, ah, needs to know." Christy had hardly ever lied in her life, and she didn't know what had possessed her to do so at the moment, but she had to find out if Neil and Margaret had legally separated. "There was. Did it go through? Thank you very much. Good-bye now. Yes, I'll tell my father. Good-bye." Christy hung up, smiling at the fact that her father was admired so.
Then a wave of confusion swept over her. Neil had signed the annulment papers. But what did that mean? She heard the train whistle and quickly told the boy "thank you" and then headed to her train. Her mother and father were talking to David as he was getting on the train,
" . . . take good care of my Little Miss. I trust you will be a good chaperone for—"
"Daddy!" Christy exclaimed, beet red. Then she softened, "I love you. Take care of yourself, and I can't wait 'til Christmas."
"I love you too. Be careful, now."
"I will." Turning, she embraced her mother, "Mama, thank you for helping me see my true feelings. Please, watch over Daddy. I love you."
"I love you, too, Christy. I promise to be there for Christmas, with your father and George. Give Miss Alice my regards."
"Of course. Good-bye." With tears in her eyes, Christy allowed David to escort her up the train steps.
On the ride home, she and David talked endlessly about their dreams for the mission, and for themselves. Christy was eternally grateful for her repaired friendship with David.
Meanwhile, back at the mission. . . .
Dr. MacNeill rode quickly to the mission. He wondered if Christy was back, and how Keri was. He smiled, remembering the fiery young woman. That day, Neil planned to show her some of the more beautiful places of Cutter Gap. For the last couple of days, he had been introducing her to the people. The mountain people were, of course, wary of Keri, but that was to be expected. Though the two of them had become quite good friends, but Neil missed Christy.
He wondered where Christy was. Neil guessed that Christy had taken her retreat to her home in Asheville, but he hadn't expected her to be gone this long, not while school was still in session. The gossip around the Cove was that she had left for good, but that was just gossip.
As he approached, he saw that Keri was giving her Charlie a bath in the unusually warm autumn afternoon sun. "Hello," he called out. Keri looked up with delight on her face.
"Dr. MacNeill! How are you? I had been meaning to ask you if you ever found out anything about the land in Low Gap. Did you?" she blurted out as she finished with Charlie's bath.
"Whoa, there," he said with a chuckle. "I found out that a man by the name of Stephen A. Branson owns the 150 acres of flatland in Low Gap. However, the man lives in Asheville, and I honestly doubt if he even knows that he owns the land."
"Oh," Keri said with a frown. How am I ever going to get the land now? she wondered.
"Don't look so disappointed. If the man doesn't know he has the land, then you might be able to weasel a fair price out of him."
Keri's face lit up with the idea. Neil held up a hand in protest, for he knew that her thoughts were going to run into a million words. "Miss Loving, would you like to see some of the more beautiful spots of Cutter Gap? So far I have just introduced you to the families around here, but there are some very remarkable viewpoints, too."
"I would love to! Just let me pack us a picnic. I'll be right back. Would you mind saddling up Prince for me? And take Charlie to the barn?"
"Certainly." As soon as she was in the mission, Neil let our a laugh. She was like an older Ruby Mae.
In the mission, Keri found Ruby Mae. "Would you mind telling Miss Alice that Dr. MacNeill took me for a tour of Cutter Gap? I know she was planning to leave today, but she told me that she was waiting to see if—" Keri stopped, for no one knew that Christy Huddleston had supposedly left for good. "—for the school week to let out."
"Certainly, Miss Loving. I see yer a takin' a passel 'a food. I have just the perfectest thing for a 'nic. Be right back!" and she sprinted off into the kitchen. Keri chuckled and began preparing the food. Once that was ready, and Ruby Mae had made her own contribution, she walked out the door to find Neil waiting with Prince and his Charlie.
"Just follow me, Miss Loving." She mounted up on the spirited stallion and rode up beside Dr. MacNeill.
"Just to warn you, Ruby Mae put 'the perfectest thing for a 'nic' in here."
Neil grinned. "Not to worry, I can detect possum from a mile away."
"Well, then, what is in this picnic basket, Doctor?"
"I see in there a wonderful picnic with a charming young woman," he teased, hoping to flatter her and make her blush. She did, and he was barely able to contain his mirth.
"Well, there are quite a few places with a breathtaking view…."
As David and Christy made their way from El Pano on a rented horse, Christy took in every beautiful detail of the mountains, her mountains. Even though she had only been away for about a week, she had missed the incredible beauty that now surrounded her.
Since Christy didn't have a saddle for Bonita, she rode double with David and led Bonita behind. It was not much farther, but Christy wanted to kick David's horse into a gallop. However, he read her mind and said,
"Would you like to stop by the schoolhouse? Before we settle you back in the mission?"
"Oh, David, you read my mind! I would like that very much." In no time, Christy could see the mission house. She nearly cried out with joy.
"Miss Alice, Miss Alice!" Creed Allen shouted out. "Look, it's Teacher and Preacher. Thay're back! Please, can we go out an' meet um?"
Miss Alice snapped her head up with joy. "Yes, children. Christy! Child! Thee has returned!" Miss Alice rushed out to meet Christy and David just as fast as the children did.
"Miss Alice! I am so glad to see you!" Christy exclaimed as she jumped off of the horse. She was greeting the children when Creed Allen piped up,
"Is that yer horse, Miss Christy, the purty gray one?"
"Yes, it is, Creed. Her name is Sheik's Bonita. I call her Bonita, but can you think of another name I could call her?"
"Waal, Miss Christy. Lemme think. How 'bout Bonnie?"
Christy had been thinking of the same name herself, but she had wanted to give her children the pleasure of naming the mare. "Creed, that is absolutely perfect."
"Miss Christy, how you gonna ride her without a saddle?" Creed asked. Christy had not given much thought to this problem, but she knew that she would have to figure out something soon.
Creed quickly turned to Miss Alice and whispered in her ear. She asked him, "Are you sure? Did Billy Longfeather agree to this beforehand?" Creed nodded solemnly and said,
"Yes'm. I made sure. Please, I'd really like to do this."
"All right, but hurry." And with that, Creed rushed off to the mission.
"Miss Alice, what was that all about?" Christy asked.
"Just wait and see, Miss Huddleston," Miss Alice said with a chuckle. A minute later, Creed returned, carrying the saddle that he and Billy Longfeather had won in the turkey shoot the previous Thanksgiving. "Miss Christy, you don't have a saddle for Bonnie here, and seein' that Billy Longfeather don't need the saddle that me an' him won, an' since I ain't got no horse, I want you to have this here saddle."
Christy gasped. Creed had worked so hard for this. "Creed, this is yours, I can't possibly take this."
"You gotta, Miss Christy. All it's gonna do is set and rot 'way iffin no one uses it. Please, I want you to have it," he said with pleading eyes.
"All right, Creed, but you let me pay you back now. How do some pies and white sugar and candy sound? The candy is clear from Asheville."
"Really, Miss Christy? That sounds mighty fine."
"Yes, Creed. How about I bring it to your house tomorrow?"
"It's a deal," and he stuck out his hand. "Why don't you put the saddle on Bonnie an' go fer a little ride? I'm sure yer wantin' to see everyone 'gin."
"That sounds like a fine idea." Christy took the saddle blanket David offered her and saddled "Bonnie" up. Then, she reached in her valise and pulled out the package that contained Lance's bridle. She carefully put it on and mounted Bonnie. "How do I look children?"
"Like a queen."
"You look might purty."
"Yer horse is sure purty."
"Ya look like a angel."
"Does she go fast?" The children's responses all ran together, and Christy smiled, glad to be back home.
"Thank you, children. Yes, she does go fast. Now you be good for Miss Alice, and tomorrow I will have a surprise for you." Christy rode away at the excited chatter of the children as Miss Alice led them back inside. She had not gotten far when David came riding up,
"Christy, would you like me to go with you?"
"Thank you, David, but I need to get my thoughts completely back in sync with the mountains, on my own."
"All right. Are you going to see Dr. MacNeill?" He said this with no contempt in his voice, and Christy was quite relieved.
"I—ah—I'm not sure. I really want to go to all my favorite places. I should not be too long, so don't worry."
"All right. Have a good time," David said as he turned his horse towards the mission.
"Oh!" Christy said. David stopped. She continued, "will you put my bag in my room for me?"
David nodded with a smile and continued towards the mission.
Meanwhile, Neil and Keri were sharing a picnic on a flat rock near the river.
"Well, Miss Loving, we are back near the mission now. You have seen almost every spot in the Cove that can make you forget about all the problems here."
Those spots aren't the only things that make you forget problems, she thought. "Almost? Are there more?"
Neil smiled. "You will have to find that out for yourself."
"Yes, and hopefully I will be able to. I am planning on going to Asheville to see Mr. Branson as soon as Charlie is healed."
"I wish you luck."
"I will probably need it. I haven't lived in a city for a long time, so I don't fit in; I won't know how to deal with him," she said. Without her own realization, a lone tear slid down her cheek.
"Keri, what's wrong?" Neil handed her a handkerchief.
"Oh . . . I was just . . . remembering." With that, more tears came. "I didn't just come here to raise horses. I grew up on a small ranch on the eastern plains of Colorado, not far from Kansas. My family raised Angus cattle on a river by the name of 'Arickaree.' I had always loved horses, and was given my own little pony when I was eight. Though not much taller than a cow, she was a ball of fire," Keri smiled a little.
Neil was puzzled where this conversation had come from, and why she was pouring her heart out to him. But he listened patiently.
"When I decided to retire her from her work, I wanted to breed her. I was 16 years old. I bred her to a tall strawberry roan stud. It was a stupid thing to do. She died in birth, but left me with a wonderful colt. The colt was just like his father, which surprised me, because I thought the foal would take after its mother. The colt is Charlie.
"I wanted him to be the best horse ever, so I left my home for Denver, which has one of the best horse facilities in the country. I met a wonderful young man there, who shared my passion for horses. We were to be married, when," Keri took a deep breath to control her shaking, "when he was at the racetrack one morning. He was racing, and his horse stumbled, and he was thrown onto the track. He was trampled. I left not much later. For a few yeas, I stayed at home, helping with the ranch. But, then, God called me elsewhere. I didn't know where, so Charlie and I started traveling. I guess this is where God wanted me."
Neil was looking into Keri's eyes, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He was thinking about how much she was like Christy, and how much he missed Christy. How could they both have such faith in God? The next thing he knew, Keri had thrown herself around his neck and was kissing him. He was so stunned that he didn't know what to do. Keri pulled away, for she was deeply embarrassed, and hurt, that Neil had not responded to her. What had she just done?
Christy had been leading Bonnie to the woods near the river. How she had missed that river. Coming around a bend, she saw Charlie and Prince tethered to a tree. I wonder what Prince is doing here? Did something happen that Miss Alice did not tell me about? Did someone have to borrow Prince? She tied Bonnie a few feet away from the others and walked along the path. She was just about to call out when she heard a voice. It sounded like it was crying.
As Christy peeked around a tree she could barely contain her scream at what she saw. Neil in another woman's arms! Just like the dream. Christy felt like she had been punched in the stomach, and she revolted back into a tree. As quickly and quietly as she could, Christy spun around and started to run back to where Bonnie was tethered.
"I . . . ah . . . I'm so sorry. I . . . just—"
Neil said softly to her, "It's all right. I didn't realize I was staring so intently at you. My thoughts were elsewhere. I'm sorry." He paused. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love. Did Alice tell you about my wife?"
Keri nodded silently.
"When she left me, I thought she had drowned in the river. I mourned her for years. I had never known such a loss. It gets better, and love can, and will, enter your life again." Under his breath, he said to himself, "It already has for me." Keri had not meant to hear his last words. Who in the world could he be talking about? Especially around here?
Neil was shocked at himself. Where had those words come from? From beneath what he thought to be his toughened heart?
They were both startled when a woman's scream pierced the air. It was Christy's. While running away from the horrible scene, she had tripped in a hole. Only Neil knew that it was her voice. "Christy!" He wondered what she had seen.
Christy heard his call and struggled to get up. Barely getting to her feet, she ran over to where Bonnie was tethered. Christy mounted her and pounded off to . . . she didn't know and she didn't care.
"Christy, wait!" Neil called. He finally reached his horse and jumped up into the saddle. Keri was not far behind, and not knowing what to do, simply mounted Prince and rode back to the mission.
Neil could just see Christy quickly disappearing over a rise on a gray horse. Where did she get that horse? he wondered.
Christy knew that Neil would follow her, but she pressed Bonnie on anyway. She decided she would head to her and Fairlight's lookout. Christy was glad for Bonnie's speed and surefootedness. On any other horse, they both would have gone down.
Neil knew that it would do no good trying to talk to her now, so he slowed Charlie up and headed to the mission to talk to Keri.
When he got there, he found her on the porch, pacing back and forth. Neil dismounted and stopped her pacing by standing in her way. She smiled up at him and said,
"I just feel so awful. Christy Huddleston has never even met me and she already hates me. I know she saw us. I am so sorry, I just don't know what came over me."
"It's all right, Keri. Do not beat yourself down. Just let it go. I need to tend to something, but just let it go. Let it go." Neil mounted Charlie and headed off to find Christy. He figured that by now, she would have stopped her mad dash and would be lying somewhere looking up at the clouds and thinking.
Christy was lying on her back at the lookout gazing up at the sky. She tried to focus her thoughts on pleasant things and how beautiful the clouds were, but every cloud looked like Neil and another woman. The setting sun made the clouds red, like the woman's hair. Christy had not given much thought as to who the woman was, but now the name Keri Loving came to mind. Could the Keri Loving staying at the mission be the one that was in Neil's arms? Christy sighed and sat up. She felt defeated, hurt beyond belief, and that life was not worth living. No! She could not think like that.
What angered her most was that she and Margaret had been gone for no more than a week and Neil was practically engaged with another woman! But what did she have to do with Neil's decisions as to whom he saw? Not a thing. Christy wanted nothing more than to go back to Asheville, to the safety of her home. But she remembered her prayer to God; that she had to come back to Cutter Gap to make things right. With a deep breath, she stood up and began to descend from the small cliff that had become her special place.
Christy was shocked to see that Bonnie was not where she had been tied. Where in the world could she have gone? Christy received her answer once she was at the base of the cliff and turned to her left at the sound of footsteps. . . .