The Marriage Cure by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy Page A

woodsmoke, proably no more than a mile away . That meant people, a cabin, the food and fire he so desired . He hesitated for a moment but moved forward, toward the smell of smoke, propelled by need great enough to overcome his fear of rejection . On the tedious and terrible trek from Tennessee, he learned fast that the milk of human kindness did not always flow to all . Many of the cabins they passed shut their doors to them, some refused outright when desperate people begged for a drink of water, a sip of milk, or a warm blanket.
    He followed the woodsmoke to a sm all clearing tucked between two hills, with a cabin, a fallow field with girdled trees, a garden patch, a lean-to that served as a barn, a large spring behind the cabin, and a lone grave to the side, covered with stones , cairn fashion . There was a garden patch already green with tender young plants— potatoes , he thought, and cabbage, maybe herbs as well . Out of sight but not far, a cow bawled and over it, a woman fussed in a voice both strident and loud . He followed the sounds, around the edge of the hill.
    â€œOh, ye wicked creature .” The woman flicked a switch at the cow’s broad rump with no effect . “Fool cow, won’t ye come out of there and come home?”
    A red and white mottled Jersey cow stood in a large patch of new growth weeds, chewing cud as if the woman did not exist . She slapped at it with her switch but the Jersey didn’t move, not even when she tugged on the lead rope tied to a halter around its neck.
    â€œYe’ll get the milk sick, amadan , and give it to me.” The woman had her back toward him but he could see that she was young, probably younger than he was . Her hair, the vibrant shade of autumn leaves at their peak, trailed down her back in a single braid .
    Farm raised, Johnny knew how to make the animal do her bidding, and despite his ailments, he stepped forward, grasped the animal by the tail, and twisted it over the back with his right hand . The Jersey bawled with displeasure but began to step forward.
    â€œ Hup!” Johnny cried. “Hup, cow, h up!”
    As the cow moved out of the weeds, he grasped the rope and led it back toward the cabin, taking the switch from the woman’s hand . She stared at him, blue eyes wide with surprise but then she smiled.
    â€œThanks be to you, sir . Who might ye be?”
    â€œJohnny Devaney , far from home,” h e said, allowing her to take the rope from his hand . He watched as she led it into the lean-to and tied it to one of the tree bark covered posts . “Might your man be at home? I would like to ask if I might spend the night in yer barn.”
    Her smile broadened. “Ask if ye like but ye’ll have no answer from him . He’s dead near about a year . My mammy named me Sarah Elizabeth but they call me Sabetha, born Mahoney, now Trahern . Ye’re welcome to stay and take a bite to eat with me . If ye hadn’t come along, I’d be all night long trying to get that fool cow out of the weeds.”
    He could not speak for a moment, silenced by her hospitality, moved by her kindness . No one had spoken to him with such friendly courtesy in many months and he had forgotten how nice people could act . Her gentle invitation attacked the tight walls that he had built around his heart, and the assault on emotions he thought dead moved him almost to weeping . Until now, he thought he had cried out his life’s limit of tears . He swayed and reached out to one of the shed’s posts to support him . Johnny struggled to speak the right words.
    â€œ Wado. ” He thanked her but that would not do; she wasn’t Tsa-La-Gi so he tried again. “ Go raibh maith agat . Thank you.”
    â€œCome in, then, ” Sabetha said . “I’ve cornbread baked and a bit of rabbit stew.”
    Johnny took two steps and faltered . He thought he might fall down, so close to warmth and sustenance but as he swayed, she