Christmas With Hover Hill (17 page)

Soon the trips to the pasture were back to twice a
week when calving was over. The second week of May, Bud showed up
with bread sacks wadded in his hand. “I thought after I check the
cattle we might go mushroom hunting. Got any boots you can wear,
Lizzy.”

“
Afraid not. Will my snow boots do?”

Bud shrugged. “Guess they will have to.”

When they stepped out on the porch, Elizabeth noticed
the stock trailer hitched to the pickup. Hollow thuds came from one
end of the trailer to the other, causing it to shudder. “What's in
there?”

“
My bull, Romeo. It's time to take him to the
pasture so he can get busy with the cows.”

“
Oh, I see,” she said, blushing.

Bud backed the trailer up to the wire gate, opened it
and swung open the trailer door. Heavy thuds came close together as
the trailer shook. Out the opening exploded a large black bull. He
ran a short distance and stopped. His upper lip curled back to his
nose as he raised his head and smelled the breeze. Romeo gave a
loud, bellowing bray, and cows raced to greet him.

Bud closed the gate. “Now that's done. We can go
mushroom hunting.”

The timber was alive with sounds since the birds had
migrated back. They were flitting from the ground to the trees with
dry grass and hay for nest makings. Squirrels scolded, and crows
caw loudly when Bud and Elizabeth approached.

Elizabeth didn't know what to look for, but when Bud
found a patch of morels he showed her. She studied the tan tips
hidden in the leaves.

From then on, she inspected the leaves and dead trees
closely. “I've found one.”

Bud cautioned from several feet away, “Don't take
another step until you look around your feet. You don't want to
step on any mushrooms hidden in the leaves if you can help it.
Usually you will find several more.”

“
You're right. I see six more now that I'm
looking.” Elizabeth bent over to pick the mushrooms and moved on to
keep up with Bud.

When she heard the trickle of water, she edged near
the branch to look at it. Bud came up behind her. “That's the
branch you got stuck in last winter.”

“
I thought it might be. Not very deep is
it?”

“
Never is. Sometimes it goes dry. Just your
luck there was water under the ice when you stepped on
it.”

Once they had reached Bud's boundary line, he looked
at his watch. “Guess we should head back to the house. The robot
can fix our find for lunch.”

“
This has been so much fun. I've never gone
mushrooming before,” Elizabeth said.

“
How come?”

Elizabeth saw curiosity written all over Bud's face
again. She hated being careful how she answered him. “My family
lived in the city. We didn't have woods to walk in.”

“
Which city did you grow up in?”

“
Humboldt, Iowa but I haven't been back there
for a long time,” Elizabeth said, trying to cover her
tracks.

Bud stopped walking, crammed his hands in his jean
pockets and leaned against a hickory nut tree. “Lizzy, what are you
running from?”

Elizabeth gasped at his bluntness. She stared at the
ground, unable to meet his eyes. “I suppose all of us try to get
away from something at some point in our lives. Some just run
faster than others.”

Bud pushed. “Want to tell me from whom and for what
reason you're running so hard?”

Elizabeth debated her answer. Should she tell him or
keep still? She studied Bud. He sounded so earnest she was tempted,
but the voice in her head warned her to keep what was wrong to
herself for now. “No, I can't just yet.”

He placed his hand on her shoulder with a tight grip
and made her look at him. “Are you in danger from someone?”

“
No,” Elizabeth said quietly.

“
Fine. I won't say anymore for right now
anyway. Some day I hope you trust me enough to tell me what's
wrong. I just might be able to help,” he told her
earnestly.

When they reached the house, Bud dropped the two
bread sacks in the kitchen sink. “We found a nice mess of morel
mushrooms. You can fix them for us, Robot.”

Hover Hill said disdainfully, “I have not been
programmed to cook anything from the wild.”

“
This is mushrooms similar to what you buy in
the grocery store. They're just plant life not a squirrel or
rabbit,” Bud shot back.

Elizabeth put her hand over her mouth to keep
the smile from showing.
This is going to be
so good.

Hover picked the bottom of a bread sack up with two
fingers and dumped the mushrooms in the sink. “I should hope that
is all they are. Still I do not know what to do with them.”

“
I can tell you how to clean and cook them.
Cover them with cold water and sprinkle in some salt. That gets all
the bugs to come out of the mushrooms.”

Hover droned sarcastically, “Bugs! This dish sounds
more delicious as you explain it.”

“
The bugs won't hurt you if you eat them, but
they crawl out and die in the salt water.” Bud mumbled, “Most of
them anyway.” Hover's head went up impatiently as Bud continued,
“You leave them set a while and drain the salt water off. The bugs
will go down the drain. After that, you gently cut the fresh
mushrooms in half and wash out the dirt.”

Hover stared into the sink. “Dirt? What else could
there be in this disagreeable fauna besides insects and dirt?”

Elizabeth giggled. She couldn't help herself as she
watched Bud struggle with his composure, trying to keep calm. She
wondered if he lost his patience if his cap would end up flying
into the sink.

Bud managed to keep his voice calm. “The next step is
to heat oil in a skillet and dipped the pieces in a beaten egg
mixed with a little bit of water and coat them with flour or
cracker crumbs. Shake some salt and pepper on the pieces and put
them in hot oil. Only takes a few seconds to brown each side.”

“
Is that all there is to it?”

“
Lay the browned mushrooms on a paper towel to
soak up the excess oil and put them on a platter. They will be
ready to eat,” Bud said.

Hover turned to Elizabeth for encouragement. “Bear
with me while I learn to be a woodsy cook like your farmer.”

“
You will do just fine, Hover. This is a new
experience for both of us. I've never cooked or eaten a wild
mushroom so don't worry. I won't know whether the mushrooms are
cooked the way they should be or not when you're done,” Elizabeth
said kindly.

“
Thank you for your encouraging confidence, I
think,” Hover cracked.

When Hover had a paper towel full of fried mushrooms,
he held the platter out to Bud. He picked up one and tasted it.
“This is great. You did a good job, Robot.”

“
I am glad you approve, Farmer. I was really
worried that I would displease you,” Hover said defensively as he
placed the food on the table.

“
Robot, when we quit finding mushrooms, I'll
catch us some frogs. I'll bet you will be just as good at frying
frog legs,” Bud goaded.

Hover turned toward Elizabeth. “Beth, he is not
serious, is he?”

She giggled. “He might be. I've heard of people
eating such things.”

“
Oh, joy!” Hover droned.

The next morning, Bud stopped by the Maidrite Diner
for breakfast. Susie delivered his plate of eggs and sausage gravy
over biscuits. “I was going to call you if you didn't stop in this
morning.”

“
What's up?”

“
Mr. Winston called to tell me he plans to be
here the first of June for his month's stay. He asked me to hire
the house cleaners for him.”

“
Well, we knew he'd be coming soon,” Bud said
matter of factly.

“
I told Mr. Winston I'd tell the woman living
in the house that he'd be here in two weeks. He said he didn't know
anything about Elizabeth staying in his house this winter. He said
he hadn't given anyone permission to use his house. He was pretty
huffy when he wanted to know her name. When I said Elizabeth
Morris, he said not to worry about the matter. It was all right
with him she was in the house so just tell her he was
coming.”

“
Mr. Winston was surprised that Lizzy was
living in his house, but he changed his tune as soon as he found
out it was her. Curious isn't it?”

“
Very. I felt like I was in trouble for not
checking with Mr. Winston in the first place. Sure gave me some
relief when I found out he didn't mind Elizabeth living in his
house. Still I'd sure like to know what is going on with that
woman. She has a problem of some sort for sure.”

“
She does, but so far I haven't been able to
get her to confide in me. I'll give Lizzy Mr. Winston's message
when I stop by today,” Bud assured her.

When Bud parked by the house, he looked up at the
window, but he really didn't expect Elizabeth to be standing there.
She spent time in the office, working on a book now that he didn't
need to check the cows so often. These days, he had to go in and
interrupt her when he wanted to talk to her.

Bud opened the front door and stuck his head in.
“Anyone home?”

Hover came to the kitchen doorway. “Where else would
we be, Farmer?”

“
Just being polite by announcing myself,
Robot,” Bud replied defensively.

Elizabeth came to the office doorway and grinned at
them. “What Hover meant to say was come in. Isn't that right,
Hover? Is the coffee pot still on?”

“
Yes, Beth. I will bring coffee right
away.”

“
Two cups. Right?” Bud asked.

“
I can count,” Hover droned.

“
Come in to the office and have a seat. What's
going on this morning in your world?” Elizabeth asked
cheerfully.

“
Ate breakfast at the diner this morning. Now
I'm headed home,” Bud began.

“
How are Susie and her family?”

“
They're doing great.” Bud rubbed the back of
his neck.

“
Go on. I sense a but,” Elizabeth
encouraged.

Hover set the steaming cups on the edge of the desk.
He moved back to the door and stopped to listen.

“
Susie had a call from Mr. Winston yesterday.
He asked her to send house cleaners in before the first of June so
the house would be clean for his stay. She told him his house guest
had the house sparkling clean so no need. He seemed surprised to
know he had a house guest. He asked for your name. Susie gave it to
him.”

Elizabeth licked her dry lips. “I see. Go on.”

“
Mr. Winston said that was fine with him that
you were here. He said to let you know he was coming and hung up,”
Bud said, searching her face with his eyes full of
questions.

Elizabeth looked at Hover. “Well, we all knew that
Hover and I'd be leaving by the first of June. The next two weeks
will pass fast. We'll leave before my – uh – Mr. Winston gets
here.”

“
Do you really like living in this house?” Bud
asked.

“
Of course, I do. This has been a very pleasant
stay,” Elizabeth said. “Hover, do you agree?”

“
I agree,” Hover droned.

“
For some reason, you don't want to be here
when Mr. Winston comes? Is that the jest of it?”

“
Yes, you got it,” Elizabeth said.

“
All right, how about you and Hover move in
with me for the month of June while Mr. Winston is here,” Bud
offered.

“
We couldn't impose on you like that,”
Elizabeth protested.

“
No reason not to. I have a big house with
plenty of room. As far as Mr. Winston would know, you left for
parts unknown if that's the way you want it. I'd be the only one
that knows. As long as I'm offering to help you out, I sure would
like to know why you're hiding here though,” Bud pushed.

“
I'm sure you do, but I don't want to involve
you,” Elizabeth said quietly with finality.

“
Well, give my idea some thought.” Bud knew he
better come up with a way to get her to talk. Elizabeth could
decided to disappear before the two weeks were up without telling
him she was leaving. He had to get her to tell him what was wrong
so he could help her. He sure didn't want her to disappear out of
his life now.

Chapter 13

Two days later, Bud hollered in the front door,
“Lizzy, are you busy?”

She came out of the office. “Guess not now. Can I
help you with something?”

“
Wondered if you would like to go fishing with
me. It's a perfect day to sit on a pond bank, and I just happen to
have a pond in my pasture.”

Elizabeth scrunched her face up. “All right, but I
don't know how to fish.”

“
You'll catch on. It's easy,” Bud said
enthusiastically.

“
Hover can fix us a picnic lunch. At least,
picnicking sounds like fun even if I don't catch a fish,” Elizabeth
said.

“
In a few minutes, Hover handed Elizabeth a
wicker picnic basket. He said in a low voice for her ears only,
“The farmer is taking you out in the wilderness again. Be
careful.”

Elizabeth giggled. “I will, Hover.”

“
We will bring a stringer full of blue gill and
bullheads back for you to cook,” Bud said
enthusiastically.

“
Sounds colorful. Are these things fish?” Hover
asked.