*Author's Note*

Thank you for the reviews.

Tolbert's still kinda bad at expressing his feelings (other than anger lol) but he's trying.

Interestin' Indeed

Novella POV:

After gettin' my hand smothered in salve and bandaged I offered to help Aunt Sally cook, but she turned me down. Instead she told me to spend some time with Tolbert and let my hand rest. So that's why I was currently walkin' into the barn. The barn hayloft was full of hay and the side without stalls had a large pile of firewood stacked up. Random piles of hay bales were stacked up on the wall opposite the stalls too. As I walked deeper inside the barn I noticed that all of the horses were in their stalls. I had no idea what stall Tolbert's horse was in so I just peeked into the stalls as I walked by them. I found Tolbert in the last stall, he was brushin' his horse and had his back towards me.

"Tolbert?" I hesitantly called out, not knowin' if I'd annoy him by interruptin' him as he tended to his horse.

Tolbert paused in his brushin' of his horse and whipped his head 'round, lookin' at me with a look I couldn't pin point. "Ella, what're ya doin' out here?"

Liftin' my hand up to show him my bandage I replied, "Aunt Sally wants me to rest my hand. Thought you'd keep me company."

"After I'm done with my horse I'll keep ya company. Just sit on a hay bale for time bein'." Tolbert told me, pointin' to the stack of bales against the wall.

Silently I nodded at him and walked over to the hay bales across from the stall. On one of 'em was Tolbert's hat. I took a seat on the bale next to it, watchin' him groom his horse.

When Tolbert was done with his horse he walked out of the stall, makin' sure to shut the door so the horse wouldn't get out before makin' his way over to where I was at sittin' on a hay bale. He snatched his hat from the bale next to me and sat down. "Mama did a better job bandagin' up yer hand then I did." Tolbert remarked, breaking the silence in the barn.

"Your hankie worked tho, stopped my hand from stingin' and burnin'." I told him since it was true, without his makeshift hankerchief bandage my hand would've been drivin' me crazy and feelin' like it was achin' sore.

"They won't blister up bad after a few more times of workin'. Yer hands are too soft right now, but soon 'nough they'll get hardened by work."

"That's good to know."

A whimper soundin' from a crate near the hay bales startled me, causin' me to jump. Tolbert grabbed hold of me, preventin' me from fallin' down. "Nothin' to get scared 'bout, darlin'. Just one of the bitches gettin' ready to birth her pups."

"Okay." I let out before quickly and curiously askin', "But why's she in a crate?"

"So her pups don't get lost. The bitches do that on their own, cats too. Mama calls it nestin'." Tolert explained as the dog getting' ready to have her litter of puppies whimpered some more.

"I didn't know that." I never really put much thought into dogs havin' puppies. All I know is that when a farmer's hound dog gets a litter they don't wanna deal with they bring the pups to town and start givin' them away.

"Reckon not." Tolbert said before lookin' at me and addin' in the offer of, "Ya can have one of the pups if ya like."

My face lit up with a bright smile as I squeaked out, "Really?" I've always wanted a dog, but with Uncle Perry bein' at the law office most of the time he said it wouldn't be fair of him to get me one. Ya know since nobody would be 'round to take care of it.

"Yep. Hopefully by time it's weened we'll be married." He remarked cheerfully, his eyes twinklin' makin' them look like deep sapphires.

"A pup that comes with a husband, how lovely." I said, a soundin' a bit more sarcastic then I meant too, as I kicked my legs back and forth againt the bale they were danglin' against.

With a twinkle in his smokey blue eyes Tolbert chuckled, "I think it's the other way 'round, darlin'."

Tolbert POV:

"What are you two doin' together in this barn?" Perry asked me and Ella, standin' at the open doorway peerin' into the barn to look at us sittin' on hay bales.

"Talkin'." I snapped, not wantin' to be bothered. I was just getting' Ella to open up to me 'fore he showed up.

Learned she always waned a dog, but weren't 'llowed t'get one cause her uncle didn't want it cooped up in a town house all day while they'd be workin' at the law office. Also learned outta all the dogs on the farm she liked my brown hound dog the best.

"Better only be talkin'." Perry quipped before walkin' into the barn. Right after he stopped in front of us he looked over at Ella and told her, "Novella, please go help Aunt Sally set the table or go visit with Roseanna. I need to have a word with Tolbert."

"Okay." Ella told Perry before getting' off the hay bale and walkin' out of the barn.

Perry looked over his shoulder, makin' sure that Ella was gone, before tellin' me, "I sent a letter to my drunken brother-in-law Fred down in Asheville, North Carolina today. I'm not expectin' a reply for a few days, next week even, but I wanted you to know that I wrote him telling him of the land that Novella's entitled to from her late mother."

"Thank you for doin' that." I was grateful to him for sendin' word to that man in the Blue Ridge for me inq'irin' 'bout Ella's inheir'tance land. That land meant me and Ella were one step closer to becomin' man and wife, if she got it that is.

Perry nodded at my before respondin' with, "Yes, well, I don't want my niece who's more so like a daughter to me to be living in squalor or sproutin' gray hairs waitin' for you to save up enough for a decent parcel." He looked at me for a few seconds, studyin' me like I were one of his law books. "I must ask, why didn't you ask for Novella's hand years ago?"

Cause I didn't want her t'reject me. Ella spurnin' my offer of courtin' and proposal'd kill me. I fell in love with her the day she broke her arm in front of Adam's General Store. The way she clung to me, burryin' her face in my chest as he cried, made me feel somethin' more than kinship for her. Everyday since then I've only grown to love her more. But I wasn't tellin' Perry any of this.

"Dunno, why don't you ask for Roseanna's?" I retorted back to him, makin' his eyes go wide and him loosen his tie 'round his collar. I ain't blind, I see the way he's been lookin' at my sister the last few times him and Ella's been over for dinner. Hell, it's the same way I'm sure I be lookin' at Ella.

"I think we should go see if dinner's ready." Perry countered before turnin' 'round and rushin' outta the barn.

Reckon he ain't ready to ask for my sister's hand yet. Perry's an honorable man in a good payin' profession and he's poppy's friend, he wouldn't be turned down by poppy to court Roseanna. Eh, must be the age difference holdin' him back.

Novella POV:

"Should she be carryin' platters with her hand bandaged up? Couldn't it fester the blister more by movin' it?" Uncle Perry asked, no one in particular, as I helped Aunt Sally and Alifair place the food on the tables, that had all of the McCoys along with my uncle sittin' 'round them.

"Roseanna, go help Ella. Now!" Tolbert barked at his sister, who looked flush and red in the face from havin' to work extra hard in the field today due to me and Tolbert's takin' off to town.

As I walked over to the wood-stove to grab the pot of hot 'n' fresh brewed coffee I heard my uncle say in his chastisin' tone, "Tolbert, now be reasonable, you know that Roseanna sometimes suffers from the over heatedness."

"My hand's fine. I rested it up plenty earlier." I spoke up, hopin' to calm the tension that was ready to rise up in the room between my uncle and my beau, as I made my way over to Tolbert to pour him some coffee.

Alifair was pourin' the chil'ren their drinks while Aunt Sally walked over to the main table with the last patter, one full of sliced meat.

While pourin' Tolbert his coffee I heard Ole Rand'l say in a strict tone, "Roseanna, you'll help yer mother and sister clean up after dinner while Novella'll stay put in her seat by Tolbert."

"Yes, Poppy." Roseanna answered as I continued to move 'round the table, pourin' out coffee.

Alifair was givin' the lil ones buttermilk while Aunt Sally return to the main table to fill glasses with water from the pitch she grabbed from the counter by the pump sink.

After fillin' up Ole Rand'ls cup with coffee I set the pot down on the table, between him and Jim, and then went to go sit next to Tolbert. A couple minutes later Aunt Sally and Alifair had taken their seats too, havin' placed their pitchers on the table too. Ole Rand'l said the blessin' over the meal and then dinner began.

As we ate, all Ole Rand'l did was complain 'bout his stolen pig. He complained so much that my uncle could barely put two words in. Before long dinner was over and Aunt Sally was takin' away Uncle Perry's plate while askin', "Did you get 'nough to eat, Perry?"

"It was delicious, Aunt Sally. Absolutely delicious." Uncle Perry complimented her on the meal while wippin' his mouth off with his napkin.

"Roseanna, help me clean the table." Aunt Sally said, lookin' at her as she grabbed some more plates. "Alifair, the lil ones please." Aunt Sally addressed my cousin, causin' her to instantly rise from her spot and begin her task of cleanin' up.

Roseanna just stood up with her plate and then grabbed one of the serving bowls before goin' to the wash basin. She left plenty of plates on the table, includin' mine and Tolbert's.

My uncle took a sip from his water glass before tellin' Ole Rand'l "On the matter of Floyd Hatfield and your livestock, I'm particularly sorry 'bout that."

Ole Rand'l, who was holdin' his coffee cup and starin' out the window beyond him, told Uncle Perry, "He lies and denies it to my face."

"We sue. It's useful to think of the law as a muscle. Like a muscle it can be strengthened with proper use; used to little it becomes feeble and too weak to protect you." Uncle Perry told Ole Rand'l while Roseanna finished clearin' the table. I noticed that Uncle Perry was also discreetly looking at Roseanna between takin' to Ole Rand'l.

If you ask me I think he likes her, which isn't a problem to me. She's nice and he deserves somebody nice. Lord knows he wasted his prime years in lawyer school and then raisin' me. Age differences are common in the mountains, men are usually older by some amount of years. Hell, Tolbert's nearly 6 years older then me. Hopefully Uncle Perry persues Roseanna and soon, that way he won't be in his big house all alone once I marry Tolbert and move out. Which if Tolbert gets his way'll happen within the next couple of months.

"That's fine talk, Perry. You got the gift, but Floyd lives on the other side of the river." Ole Rand'l told Uncle Perry while Aunt Sally grabbed the dishes that were settin' in front of me, Tolbert, and Calvin.

"Hatfield's their judge." Sally reminded her husband, along with my uncle, before bringin' the dishes to the wash basin.

"I can arrange for a fair jury trial." My uncle remarked as he got up from his seat at the end of the table and made his was over to sit in the empty space between Ole Rand'l and Calvin. Uncle Perry leaned over and got close to Ole Rand'l as contuied his thoughts with, "Six McCoys and Six Hatfields to hear the case."

Roseanna was washin' the dishes as Aunt Sally walked over to the table to collect the bread platter.

"Goin' to court over a pig. Makes us look like the village idiots." Sally tisked, holdin' the bread platter in her hand, as she shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Sally." Ole Rand'l cut his wife a hard glare, makin' her quickly rush off to join Roseanna and Alifair near the counters and wash pan. Ole Rand'l took a sip of his coffee before heave a sigh of, "I suppose in the end God punishes all transgressors."

"But as you know sometimes the good lord expects us to help fulfill his will." My uncle said smoothly with the simple tip of his head.

Ole Rand'l was quiet and had a thoughtful look on his face. Turnin' his attention on his oldest son he asked, "What'd say you, Jim?"

In one swift motion everyone looked at Jim, waitin' on baited breath for his answer.

"I say we sue." Was Jim's firm reply as he looked his pa in the eye.

Sweet baby jesus, we're suin' over a pig. I guess I'll be typin' up that case.

"I'll draw up the papers right away." Uncle Perry assured Ole Rand'l with a a look on his face that I've deemed the lawyer look over the years I've seen it be given. "Although I'd like to visit longer, I must be goin'." Uncle Perry remarked to everybody. He looked at me while gettin' up and said, "Lets go, Novella."

I nodded and got up. I was 'bout to walk away from the table whenever Tolbert stopped me by grabbin' my hand. I looked at him only to see his eyes soften. "I'll be by in a few days to get'cha for the barn dance."

I smiled at Tolbert before tellin' him, "I'll see ya then."

"Bye, Ella." He told me in his velvety tone, his eyes still soft, while letting my hand go.

"Bye, Tolbert." I told him as kindly as I could before walkin' away from the table.

I swear I could feel his gaze on me as I walked across the room and out the front door. I quickly crossed the porch and walked down the steps, rushin' my way to my Uncle Perry who was waitin' for me in our buggy. He just smirked at me as I got into the buggy. "Did you and Tolbert say goodbye properly? IS that why I was waitin' on you?"

"Yes, we said goodbye and he reminded me 'bout the barn dance he's takin' me to on Saturday." I explained as my uncle snapped the reins, makin' our horses move and pull our buggy along the clear dirt path in front of the McCoy house.

I swear I thought I saw Tolbert lookin' out the kitchen window as we pulled away from the McCoy house.

"Good, I'm pleased to hear that Tolbert's taking you." Uncle Perry smiled at me warmly, the way I imagine fathers smile at their daughters.

It's sad to say, but Uncle Perry's the closest thing I got to a father. Him bein' lenient 'bout me courtin' Tolbert's a good thing I guess. At least I know he cares and wants to see me married off at a suitable age.

It's just Tolbert that makes me scratch my head. That man seems to be a mystery. One minute he's a moody son'bitch and the next he's smilin' at me with soft eyes.

Between helpin' Uncle Perry draw up pig sue papers and goin' to a dance with Tolbert these next few days should be interestin'. Interestin' indeed.

AN:

Oh snap, both Tolbert and Novella figured out that Perry has a thing for Roseanna! Haha like come on with how Perry was always looking at her in the movie I'm sure somebody noticed even if Roseanna didn't. Sad thing was it seemed that Perry really cared for/loved Roseanna and she blew him off for Johnse and then died from a broken heart when he pulled his crap. Next up will be the barn dance date between Novella and Tolbert.