Guide Me Home (22 page)

Heat attacked her face. She reached for the torch. “I suppose most of the ballads the hills folks sing are sad stories set to music.”

“Are they all so haunting in melody?”

She wasn't sure what he meant by “haunting.” She rolled the bark tightly and didn't answer.

His sigh drifted on the breeze. “I'm sorry I disturbed you. I'll return to work. Feel free to sing another ballad, Miss Reb. I find your voice very pleasing.”

The scuff of footsteps followed by the squeak of the chair legs told her he'd settled himself at the table again. She swallowed the odd lump of longing his kind words had stirred and searched her mind for another ballad. She chose one Daddy liked to sing, “The Wayfaring Stranger.” “ ‘I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger, traveling through this world of woe…' ”

The final stanza, which spoke of going home to see one's Savior, tugged at Rebekah's heart in a sweet way even though it referenced death. Heaven, the true home for each of God's followers, waited at the end of her life's journey. Grandpappy, Grandmama, all the little babies who'd gone straight from Mama's belly to Jesus's arms, and Andy were already there. She wasn't in any hurry to join them, but it gave her a lift to know she'd be with them again someday.

“Very nice, Miss Reb.” Devlin's warm voice carried from inside the cabin, sending a spiral of pleasure around her frame.

She hugged herself, smiling, and then a worrisome thought attacked. She sat up straight and tried to peer through the doorway. “Devlin?”

“Yes?”

“Will you go to heaven when you die?”

Silence fell inside the cabin for long seconds. Then a soft chuckle rolled. “What kind of question is that?”

An important one. He'd leave at the end of the summer, and she might not ever see him again. Except in the land of glory. She planted her palms on the stoop to hold herself in place. “I want to know. Are you heaven bound?”

The chair legs screeched. His feet thudded on the floor. He stepped into the doorframe, a scowl marring his brow. “Are you asking me seriously?”

She nodded, her entire body tense.

His scowl remained intact. He pushed his hands into his trouser pockets and tucked his elbows tight. “I hope so. The thought of going to…the other place…holds no delight. I'm a good person. I follow the laws penned by men, and I don't believe I break any of the commandments written in the Bible.” His stiff pose melted, and relief crept across his features. “So, yes, I suppose you could say I'm heaven bound.”

Tears stung Rebekah's eyes. Preacher Haynes's voice echoed in her memory.
“Hell's depths'll be filled with good folks who never took the time to meet Jesus.”
Slowly she shook her head, partly in response to Devlin's statement and partly in unwillingness to accept the truth of what his answer indicated. Unless something changed in his heart, she wouldn't see him again after this summer. And that thought pained her worse than anything ever had.

Rebekah

R
ebekah bolted upright, sending the unfinished torch rolling across the ground. “Devlin, you—”

“Reb!” Tolly jogged toward them, his face glistening with perspiration in the early-evening sunlight. “Go tell all the guides to meet in my cabin. We gots somethin' impo'tant to talk about.”

Rebekah wrung her hands. She had something important to talk to Devlin about. “But, Tolly, I—”

“Get 'em now, Reb. An' hurry. Gotta get this settled befo' the sun sets.”

She felt the same way, but she couldn't argue with her boss. She sighed. “Yes, sir.”

Devlin went back inside, and she made her way along the row of cabins, knocking on doorjambs and directing everyone to meet with Tolly. Within a few minutes, they'd all crowded into his cabin and found places to sit.

Rebekah perched on the corner of Tolly's bed next to a burly guide named Luther and listened while Tolly explained the day's theft. “Mr. Janin, he already has men hired to guard the cave's openin', but they ain't scheduled to start work fo' anothuh couple weeks. So even though he agrees we best start early an' keep the openin' to the cave secure from trespassuhs, he say he might not be able to bring them fellas in befo' the summer season. An' it ain't likely somebody's gonna wanna take on a job that only lasts a week. So I tol' him we guides would take turns until his fellas could get here.”

Complaining mumbles rolled through the room.

Tolly raised his pink palms. “I know, I know, means we's gonna be losin' some sleep. But trust me when I say we'll lose less sleep keepin' watch than we will if somebody gets lost in there an' ends up dyin'.”

More murmurs circulated, these offering agreement.

Tolly smiled. “I figure we can do this one o' two ways. Each o' us takes a few hours ever' day, or we can go ever' othuh day coverin' longuh hours. I's gonna let y'all choose.”

Rebekah didn't care, so she sat in silence. While the men established a daily schedule, she planned how she would address the topic of knowing for sure where a person would spend eternity. Her heart felt weighted by Devlin's uncertainty. How could folks live day to day not knowing for sure their souls were secure? His frown and uncertain comment—“I hope so”—haunted her. She twitched with eagerness to leave this meeting and talk to Devlin.

“Reb, you gonna be all right takin' the early-mo'nin' shift?”

She jerked. “What?”

Tolly scowled at her. “Ain't you listenin'?”

All eight guides were looking at her. She hunched her shoulders, wishing she could shrink. “I…I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't.”

Tolly huffed. “Well, listen up now. The men don't want you sittin' out at the openin' alone in the dark. So they's willing to take the nighttime hours an' give you the ones aftuh the sun comes up an' befo' the tours start. Is you agreeable?”

She flashed a grateful smile across the sea of faces. “Yes, and thank you.”

Tolly shook his head, his lips pursed in a tight line.

She lowered her head.

He addressed the others, his tone brisk. “All right then, Crit, you head on out there now. Argil'll relieve you at midnight. Belvy, take ovuh at three, an' then Reb'll come take yo' place at six. Reb, you stay put there 'til Luthuh brings the first tour group at nine.”

“All right, Tolly.” Then she gave a start. “But wait. I can't be at the opening from six to nine. We take Devlin in at seven.”

Tolly's face pinched into a grimace. He gestured to the others, and they filed out. As soon as they were gone, Tolly guided Rebekah onto his stoop and stood with his hands in his pockets. “Listen, Reb, next few days, I'm plannin' on purty much campin' in the cave. Gonna be goin' in too deep to come back out ever' evenin'. Just wouldn't be right fo' you, bein' female, to stay nights in there wit' the two o' us men. So I'm gonna have you pair up wit' Crit, an' I'm takin' Lee in wit' me an' Devlin.”

Her heart sank. “But, Tolly, I—”

“Now, you'll be jus' fine wit' Crit. He knows that cave as good as I do, an' I'd trust him wit' my own daughter if I had one. So no worryin'. I tol' Crit he could count on you.” He squinted one eye at her. “I di'n't tell 'im wrong, now did I?”

She swallowed a protest. “No, sir.”

“That's what I thought.” Tolly patted her shoulder and then gave her a little nudge toward the pile of torch materials lying in the grass next to her stoop. “Now, I already put Coopuh on packin' up a goodly portion o' victuals, an' we's also gonna need a whole passel o' torches. So c'mon, let's get busy.”

Rebekah shot Tolly a hopeful look. “Is it all right if I talk to Devlin while we work?”

An uneasy glimmer entered his eyes. “You's gonna miss gettin' to see him ever' day, ain'tcha?”

More heat flooded her face. She wished she could deny Tolly's statement, but she couldn't. Not without telling a bald lie. But Tolly didn't know everything. “He and I were talking about something important when you came along and interrupted. I want to finish the conversation.”

Tolly glanced through her doorway. Regret—or was it relief?—pursed his face. “Well, I's sorry, Reb, but that talk's gonna hafta wait fo' anothuh day. Devlin's already gone on to his place.”

Devlin

Rebekah's sweet yet poignant melodies played through Devlin's memory as he readied himself for bed. It was early yet for sleep, but according to Tolly they would have a more taxing day tomorrow than any thus far and then they would sleep in the cave. He speculated tomorrow night would be a restless, wakeful one, so extra sleep tonight would benefit him. If he could manage to fall asleep.

Most of the guests had departed on yesterday's evening stagecoaches, including the young couple who'd spent the weekend in the cottage next to his. Their constant chatter and laughter had filtered even through the solid log wall, intruding upon his privacy. Tonight, however, the silence seemed cloying, and he missed the sounds that proved how much they enjoyed each other's company.

Loneliness panged. A surprising emotion. He couldn't honestly recall ever experiencing loneliness, even though he'd spent a good portion of his childhood alone. But lying there in his bed with fading evening light slanting through his window, he pondered the strange emptiness holding him captive, such a contrast to the full, blissful feelings he'd experienced while listening to Rebekah sing from her spot on the cabin's stoop.

A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth in response to his reflections. She was a woman of surprises. Somehow, even attired in men's clothing, she possessed a graceful femininity. She carried a heavy tote mile after mile over uneven terrain and offered not even the slightest complaint. She spent her days toiling to earn a wage but not for her own uses. Instead, she worked to benefit her family, which spoke so clearly of her unselfish character.

The hollow ache in his chest magnified. Was he truly lying here in his shadowy room pining for a young woman from the hill country? Mother would be appalled. Generally the thought of his parents' displeasure would send him scurrying in a different direction, but his desire to spend time with Rebekah didn't diminish. Not even a smidgeon.

He blew out a noisy breath, punched the pillow twice, and rolled to his side. He closed his eyes, determined to set aside thoughts of Rebekah and indulge in a deep, restful sleep. A snippet of the last song Rebekah had crooned whispered through his mind.

“I'm going home no more to roam…”

The words taunted him, but he didn't understand why. And the confusion held sleep at bay for hours.

Cissy

Cissy herded Della, Jessie, Tabitha, and Trudy out the door and up the road. Her heart beat a happy patter. Only one more week of school and then she'd be free of studies and books and clumsy boys who took glory in teasing. The summer stretched out in front of her like the open arms of a handsome gentleman, beckoning her to step into the embrace and experience bliss.