“You’re right. It bears thinking about.” Delphinium handed a heavy cloth bag of supplies to Lark. “We’ll bring the rest.”
Lark nodded. “And now I become Clark again. Who ever thought this would happen?”
Anders was buckling the saddlebags in place on Starbright when Holt rode back into the yard.
Lark hung a bag of food over the saddle horn, checked the girth one more time, and swung into the saddle. Fighting tears, she nodded down to her three sisters. “See you soon.”
“Go with God.” Anders squeezed her hand one more time. “I’ll come someday on the train to visit. Write often.”
Jonah shook his head slowly. “All because of me.”
“There will always be a place for you, no matter where we are,” Lark said.
She nudged her mount forward, Holt by her side. She knew if she looked back, she’d never leave. God only knew what lay ahead, and He was sure closemouthed. That thought didn’t stop her tears.
4
I sure hope this was the best thing to do.” Forsythia watched Lark’s form disappear into the darkness atop Starbright.
“Let’s go get some sleep. Morning is almost here.” Delphinium took Forsythia’s arm, and together the three sisters climbed the stairs to their bedroom, Jonah right behind them.
Without bothering to change into their nightdresses, they lay down and flipped light blankets over themselves to ward off the wee hours’ chill.
Lilac’s and Delphinium’s breathing soon evened, but Forsythia lay staring at the darkened ceiling.
Going west—was this really happening? How had everything changed so fast? All because of a couple of evil men. Not that things hadn’t changed before. Losing their parents. Losing the man she loved in a war that took so much. Now she was to lose her home too.
But what did she have to stay for? Maybe a new beginning could be a good thing. Yet tears burned her throat in the darkness. Lord, you know. Please lead us.
“What in the world?” Forsythia blinked awake some time later, fighting to come out of a deep sleep.
“Someone is pounding on the door,” Delphinium whispered. “Where’s Jonah?”
“You know he can sleep through anything.” Forsythia swung her feet to the floor and tiptoed over to the window that overlooked the front porch.
“I know you’re in there,” yelled a raucous voice. “You better get down here before I break down the door.”
“I’ll answer the door.” Forsythia threw her dressing gown around her. “Del, you can run the fastest, so you go get Anders. Wake up Jonah too.”
“It’s Deacon Wiesel.”
“I know. Run.”
Del reappeared a few seconds later. “Jonah’s not in his room.”
Forsythia nodded and waved for her sister to hurry before stepping back to the window. “My land, can’t a body get any rest around here?” she called down to the deacon.
“Get Miss Larkspur down here!” he hollered back.
Lord, save us. Thank you for getting Lark out of here. Mr. Holt was so wise. “We’re coming.” Should she get the shotgun off the wall? Or her knife? Lark had the rifle. Please give me wisdom.
The deacon banged on the door again. “Get that Lark out here.”
At least he had the decency to stay on the porch, but he’d obviously been drinking. Where was Jonah?
“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Forsythia detoured into the kitchen and lifted the old muzzle-loader off the wall. While it wasn’t loaded, it would make a good scare tactic and a possible club. Holding it in the crook of her arm, she stopped at the door. Lilac came up behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see her youngest sister with the rolling pin in one hand and the big knife in the other.
Wiesel continued banging on the door. Surely the neighbors had heard him and someone would go get the sheriff.
Forsythia shot up one more prayer and opened the door a crack. “Why, Deacon Wiesel, isn’t this a bit early for house calls? I’m sorry, but we don’t even have the stove lit yet to make coffee.” She surprised herself with such a genteel voice. Knowing him, he’d probably been taking his frustrations out on his wife before he came here.
“Where is that Lark?” His breath nearly knocked her over. Drink and chaw. What a combination.
“You mean Miss Larkspur?” She put the emphasis on the Miss.
“Don’t you go correcting me, missy. If you don’t let me in, I’m going to break down this door and—”
“And what?” Jonah paused under the arbor over the gate in the picket fence, then slammed the gate shut behind him.
“Don’t you smart-mouth me, you young good-for-nothing. Get your sister out here.”
“Well, I don’t rightly know which of my sisters you might be referring to.” He looked at Forsythia in the doorway. “You know who he means?”
“He was yelling for Larkspur.”
“Oh, that sister.”
“His banging woke us up. How should I know where she is?” Stepping out from behind Jonah, Del yawned for good effect and patted her mouth. “Pardon me. What time is it anyway?”
All played their parts well. Please, Lord, get Anders here before anyone gets hurt.
“Jonah, do you know where Lark is?” Lilac asked, leaning around her older sister.
“Oh, of course I do,” Jonah said, easy as you please. “Why, she left early this morning when Uncle Leroy came to get her. Aunt Bessie slipped and fell, and she wanted Lark to come help her. It’s a shame her own children are too far away to come quickly. I’m surprised she didn’t wake you.”
“Why, me too. Did she say when she’d be back?” Forsythia asked. Was that the kitchen door she heard?
“What’s going on here?” Anders stepped up beside Forsythia. “Deacon Wiesel, I hear you’ve been raising a ruckus. I hope you didn’t wake all the neighbors up too.”
“Your sister . . .”
Anders’s eyebrows almost disappeared under
