Gentry looked to Doctor Sullivan. “Doc…you really think I need some more time?”
Doctor Sullivan smiled and nodded. “I’m figurin’ if you’d been up to your healed self, them Wimber boys wouldn’t have been breathin’ by the time Ransom arrived. So, yes…I do think you need some more time before you go gallopin’ off somewheres else.”
Gentry looked to Autumn then. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just didn’t have all my strength about me. I can’t believe they kicked me around like a rag doll.”
“Boy! Are you blind?” Aunt Myra exclaimed then. “I seen the whole thing through the window of the general store across the way. You mighta killed Riley Wimber if you weren’t so shot up! Don’t you be belittlin’ what you done for my Autumn princess,” she said, putting an arm around Autumn’s shoulders. “And you get in that wagon with Ransom and Autumn, and you head out to their place so Vaden can fatten you up a bit. Ransom needs the help. Autumn and Vaden help Dan and me in the store so much these days that it leaves Ransom to do all by himself what he used to have four men do. So you gather up your things from Doc Sullivan’s and head on out with Ransom and Autumn.” Autumn smiled as she watched her Aunt Myra untie her apron and hand it to her Uncle Dan. “As for me, I’m on my way over to have me a little visit with Rachel Wimber. Vaughn’s probably rollin’ in the grave at what his grandsons did today!”
“Now, Myra,” Dan warned as his wife straightened her skirt and began marching toward the Wimber place, “you hold your tongue, woman! And I don’t wanna hear about no cat fightin’!”
Aunt Myra waved in a gesture that she would behave, and Uncle Dan chuckled. “Well, Rachel Wimber’s in for it now.”
“You comin’, son?” Ransom asked Gentry.
Gentry looked to Autumn. She could see his damaged pride—his uncertainty.
Smiling, she said, “Mama’s making apple crisp tonight, Mr. James,” she said, hoping to lure him. “And there’s plenty of cider for supper…and warm bread, fresh from the oven…sweet butter and plum preserves too.”
Gentry’s mouth began to water at the thought of such good food. He hadn’t had warm bread for a coon’s age. And plum preserves? He figured he’d never had them—and if he had, he didn’t know it. But even more tempting than the good food waiting at the Lake place was the chance to see Autumn Lake one last time before he rode on. She did something to him. She made him want to see a ghost riding out through a cornfield. She made him want to go hunting for acorns, to sit outside under the harvest moon and listen to the crickets chirping good-bye to summer. Most of all, she made him feel alive in a way he’d never felt alive before.
He wondered for a moment if she were real. He wondered if maybe he really had died when those rustlers had shot him up—and Autumn Lake was just a part of heaven somehow. Yet the renewed pain in his leg and shoulder reminded him that he wasn’t dead. And that meant the girl was real and living—warm and beautiful—and probably tasted just like all those delicious apple things her mother made.
“If you really could use the help,” Gentry began. Again Autumn’s heart leapt with hope.
“I do,” Ransom confirmed.
“Well, then…I suppose it would be best if I waited out the winter here,” Gentry mumbled. “If you really could use me.”
Autumn sighed with relief and delight as her father struck hands with Gentry and said, “I can. But I warn you…I will work you hard.”
Gentry nodded and smiled. “That’s the way I like it.”
Ransom smiled at Autumn. “Go round up this man’s things, baby girl,” he said. “And won’t your mama be delighted to have another man to fuss over?”
“Yes, Daddy,” Autumn giggled as she hurried back into Doctor Sullivan’s patient room. She knew just where Gentry’s things were. She’d secretly sorted through them several times
Doctor Sullivan smiled and nodded. “I’m figurin’ if you’d been up to your healed self, them Wimber boys wouldn’t have been breathin’ by the time Ransom arrived. So, yes…I do think you need some more time before you go gallopin’ off somewheres else.”
Gentry looked to Autumn then. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just didn’t have all my strength about me. I can’t believe they kicked me around like a rag doll.”
“Boy! Are you blind?” Aunt Myra exclaimed then. “I seen the whole thing through the window of the general store across the way. You mighta killed Riley Wimber if you weren’t so shot up! Don’t you be belittlin’ what you done for my Autumn princess,” she said, putting an arm around Autumn’s shoulders. “And you get in that wagon with Ransom and Autumn, and you head out to their place so Vaden can fatten you up a bit. Ransom needs the help. Autumn and Vaden help Dan and me in the store so much these days that it leaves Ransom to do all by himself what he used to have four men do. So you gather up your things from Doc Sullivan’s and head on out with Ransom and Autumn.” Autumn smiled as she watched her Aunt Myra untie her apron and hand it to her Uncle Dan. “As for me, I’m on my way over to have me a little visit with Rachel Wimber. Vaughn’s probably rollin’ in the grave at what his grandsons did today!”
“Now, Myra,” Dan warned as his wife straightened her skirt and began marching toward the Wimber place, “you hold your tongue, woman! And I don’t wanna hear about no cat fightin’!”
Aunt Myra waved in a gesture that she would behave, and Uncle Dan chuckled. “Well, Rachel Wimber’s in for it now.”
“You comin’, son?” Ransom asked Gentry.
Gentry looked to Autumn. She could see his damaged pride—his uncertainty.
Smiling, she said, “Mama’s making apple crisp tonight, Mr. James,” she said, hoping to lure him. “And there’s plenty of cider for supper…and warm bread, fresh from the oven…sweet butter and plum preserves too.”
Gentry’s mouth began to water at the thought of such good food. He hadn’t had warm bread for a coon’s age. And plum preserves? He figured he’d never had them—and if he had, he didn’t know it. But even more tempting than the good food waiting at the Lake place was the chance to see Autumn Lake one last time before he rode on. She did something to him. She made him want to see a ghost riding out through a cornfield. She made him want to go hunting for acorns, to sit outside under the harvest moon and listen to the crickets chirping good-bye to summer. Most of all, she made him feel alive in a way he’d never felt alive before.
He wondered for a moment if she were real. He wondered if maybe he really had died when those rustlers had shot him up—and Autumn Lake was just a part of heaven somehow. Yet the renewed pain in his leg and shoulder reminded him that he wasn’t dead. And that meant the girl was real and living—warm and beautiful—and probably tasted just like all those delicious apple things her mother made.
“If you really could use the help,” Gentry began. Again Autumn’s heart leapt with hope.
“I do,” Ransom confirmed.
“Well, then…I suppose it would be best if I waited out the winter here,” Gentry mumbled. “If you really could use me.”
Autumn sighed with relief and delight as her father struck hands with Gentry and said, “I can. But I warn you…I will work you hard.”
Gentry nodded and smiled. “That’s the way I like it.”
Ransom smiled at Autumn. “Go round up this man’s things, baby girl,” he said. “And won’t your mama be delighted to have another man to fuss over?”
“Yes, Daddy,” Autumn giggled as she hurried back into Doctor Sullivan’s patient room. She knew just where Gentry’s things were. She’d secretly sorted through them several times
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