Mountain Homecoming (27 page)

“Yes. Let's go tell Wade and Noah they can come in now.” Anna opened the bedroom door, and they stepped into the other room.

Wade, Noah, and Simon rose to their feet. “Are you finished?” Wade asked.

Her mother nodded and smiled. “We are. You and Noah can go in now.”

Wade clenched his fists and strode into the room. Noah's eyes grew wide, and he stared at the open bedroom door as if he was afraid to enter. Rani walked over to him and took his hand in hers. “Do you want me to go with you, Noah?”

He nodded and tightened his grip on her hand. “Yes'm.”

Rani led the boy into the room and stopped by his mother's bed. Wade glanced down at his son but didn't speak. Noah stared at his mother for a moment before he wrapped his arms around Rani's waist and began to sob. After a moment Wade turned and strode out of the room. Rani, her parents, and Noah trailed behind.

Wade walked to the window, stuck his hands in his pockets, and stared outside. Gone was the defiant man she'd encountered in the barn. Simon stepped up behind him. “Wade, if you'd like, I'll bring my brother John back and we'll build a coffin for Bertha. Then we'll be glad to help you dig the grave for Bertha.”

Wade shook his head and sighed, then turned to face her father. “Ain't no need for that, Preacher. Like I said, I'll get my cousin to help me.”

“If that's the way you want it, I'll not insist,” Simon said. “But I want you to know that God is with you in your grief. He's reaching out to you now.”

A small smile pulled at Wade's mouth. “I reckon you been trying to get my soul saved ever since I shot Luke Jackson, but I keep tellin' you that God don't want no sinner like me.”

Simon shook his head. “You're wrong about that, Wade. He loves you and wants to give you the peace He offers.”

“I reckon there ain't no peace that's gonna help me at this point, but thanks for trying.” Wade glanced over at Noah, whose arms were still wrapped tight around Rani's waist. “Maybe you can help my boy, though.”

“How?”

Wade took a deep breath. “I cain't stay too long in one place. Have to be movin' around. That ain't no life for a boy. Do you know any family that might take him in for a while?”

Anna hardly hesitated before she spoke, her eyes soft. “We would be glad to have him stay with us, Wade. He knows us, and he loves Rani. Of course you'd be welcome to visit him anytime.”

His bushy eyebrows drew down into a frown. “Ain't Luke Jackson's boy stayin' at your place right now?”

Before her parents could answer, Rani spoke up. “Matthew is planning on moving to his cabin today after we get back home. So we have an empty room for Noah.”

Her father frowned, and her mother's mouth gaped open in shock. “When did you find out about this?” her father asked.

“I'll tell you later,” she answered.

Her father studied her face a moment before he turned back to Wade. “Well, everything seems to be worked out. We'll take Noah with us when we leave.”

Wade nodded. “Good.” He stared down at the floor for a moment before he continued. “I guess I'm doin' what's best for him. You'll tell folks that, won't you?”

Her father smiled. “I will indeed, Wade.”

Noah still huddled next to Rani, and she felt his sigh of relief. She smiled down at him. “Let's go get your clothes together. You're coming home with us.”

Her mother held out her hand to stop them. “Don't forget those other things we talked about. Noah will want them later.”

Rani nodded and led Noah into the bedroom. He pulled a pair of pants and two shirts off a wall peg and turned to her. “I'm ready.”

She grabbed the brush, comb, and Bible and stuck them in the basket her mother had brought into the room earlier. “Then let's go.”

A few minutes later Rani and Noah, followed by her parents and Wade, stepped onto the front porch. Matthew stood by the buggy and didn't look up as they exited. Rani bit down on her lip and blinked back her tears. She forced a smile to her face and gave Noah a nudge.

“Tell your father goodbye, Noah.”

He turned to Wade and swallowed. “Bye, Pa. I guess I'll be a-seein' you.”

Wade nodded. “Don't make no trouble for the preacher and his family. You hear?”

Noah glanced back in the house. “What about Ma?”

Wade closed the door and stood in front of it. “Don't you worry none 'bout her. I'll take care of ev'rything.”

Noah released Rani's hand and ran down the steps toward the buggy. She followed him and hopped in, followed by her mother and Matthew. As they pulled out of the yard, Rani glanced back at her father. He was still standing on the front porch with Wade. Whatever he was saying, Wade was having none of it. He shook his head, walked back into the cabin, and closed the door.

Simon stared at the door for a few moments before he trudged down the steps and mounted his horse. He trailed behind the buggy as they made the journey toward home.

Rani settled back against the seat and closed her eyes. The day had started off so well, sitting with Matthew beside the fire pit, but it had disintegrated into the most heartbreaking day of her life.

She peeked at Matthew's straight back and almost dissolved into tears. Not too long ago she had worried she would never find a man she could love. Now she had found him, but he was determined there would be no relationship between them. His rejection of her today had shattered her heart into tiny pieces. She wished Matthew Jackson had never come back to Cades Cove. It would be better never to fall in love than to be hurt like she was now.

No one spoke on the way back to Simon and Anna's cabin, and Matthew was glad. He didn't think he could have managed to make conversation with Rani after what had happened between them today. He could feel her presence, though, and that disturbed him almost as much as it would to talk with her.

He breathed a sigh of relief when the cabin finally came into sight. He pulled to a stop in the backyard for Anna and Rani to get out. Simon rode past him toward the barn.

Anna hopped out and motioned for Noah to come with her. The boy climbed down, took her hand, and walked with her into the house. Rani didn't move.

Matthew swiveled in his seat to glance over his shoulder. She hadn't moved from the back seat, and her dark eyes bored holes into him. He would have expected to see anger in her gaze, but he didn't. Instead she had the look he'd often seen on wounded animals, and it broke his heart.

“Rani…”

She held up her hand. “I just wanted to tell you that I will finish making all the bricks for your chimney. I should have them completed in the next few weeks. If you want Mr. Davis to begin laying them then, I suggest you get to work on the cabin. You need to be in it by fall.”

“Thank you for doing that. I don't want to put you to any trouble, though.”

“Maybe you should have thought about that before you told me you loved me. Compared to what I'm feeling now, making a few bricks won't be any problem at all.”

“Rani, please know I never meant to hurt you. I'm doing this for your own good.”

“Well, excuse me if I don't thank you,” she sneered. “I'm afraid I can't see how the way I feel right now is better for me. But I'm not going to belabor the subject. You don't have to worry about me begging you to change your mind. I will never do that. I'm just sorry that you've thrown away what could have been the best thing in your life.”

Before he could answer, she jumped out of the buggy and ran into the cabin. His head drooped, and he closed his eyes. She was right. She was the best thing he'd ever had in his life, and he had thrown it away. He'd done it for her good, but even knowing that didn't make the hurt any easier for him.

He flicked the reins across the horse's back and headed toward the barn. Simon was waiting for him when he climbed from the buggy. “What's this I hear about you moving back to your farm today?”

Matthew busied himself unhitching the horse from the buggy and tried to keep from making eye contact with Simon. “I don't want to overstay my welcome, and I have a lot to do there. I'm using up a lot of time traveling back and forth.”

Simon placed his hand on Matthew's arm. “Has something happened to make you feel unwelcome? I know Rani was a little hard on you at first, but I thought the two of you had become friends.”

“We have. I just think it's time for me to go. Besides, you have Noah now. He can sleep in Stephen's room.”

“Matthew, quit unhitching that horse and look at me.” Simon's voice vibrated with the authority Matthew had often heard him use when he was a child. Matthew turned to look at him. “I know something's happened, and I'm not letting you leave here until you tell me what it is.”

Matthew swallowed hard. “Please, just let me go.”

“No. What has caused this sudden decision? Maybe I'm wrong, and you and Rani aren't friends. Are you leaving because of her?”

“Yes, but…”

“What has she done? Tell me, and I'll make her apologize. I won't have you leave here because she's done something to make you feel unwelcome.”

Matthew raked his hand through his hair and groaned. “Simon, please don't…”

Simon took a step closer and glared at him. “I know she's headstrong, but I won't have her being rude to guests in our home.”

Matthew sighed and rubbed his hand across his eyes. “She hasn't been rude to me, Simon. In fact, it's just the opposite.”

A puzzled look flashed across Simon's face. “Just the opposite?” Then his mouth dropped open, and his eyes widened. “You're not saying that you and Rani…”

“I love her, Simon.”

A confused expression flitted across Simon's face, and he blinked his eyes. “But when did this happen? You barely know each other.”

“It may seem like it's sudden to you, but not to me. I've never known anyone like her.”

Simon's shook his head in disbelief, and then his eyes darkened. “You've been a guest in our home for weeks, Matthew, and you haven't said a word about this to Anna or me. Rani is still a young girl with romantic notions, but you're a man. You shouldn't have kept this from us.”

Regret washed over Matthew. Now he had something else to add to his list of mistakes. “You're right, Simon. All I can say is I'm sorry. I hope you'll forgive me.”

The stern look on Simon's face relaxed, and he exhaled. “Of course I'll forgive you, but I'm still having trouble taking this in. When did this attachment between the two of you begin?”

“For me, from the beginning. I think I fell in love with her the first time I saw her at the mountain laurel bush at my cabin. Can you understand that?”

Simon's stern expression gave way to a smile. “Yes, I can. I knew I loved Anna the first time I saw her.”

“As for not telling you, we decided to take it slow and see what happened. I know I'll never love anybody like I love her.”

Simon blinked and shook his head. “Then I don't understand. If you love each other like you say, why are you leaving?”

“I'm leaving because I'm Luke Jackson's son.” Matthew almost spat the words from his mouth. “And like my father I've done a lot of things I'm ashamed of. Things I don't want her to ever know, but they've made me what I am. Rani is your daughter, and she deserves better than being tied to somebody like me.”

Simon let out a sound that was half laugh, half cry. “Oh, Matthew, have you forgotten all I taught you? God stands willing to forgive whatever we've done. He doesn't want us to live in the past. He wants to give us hope for a better life.”

“And that's why I came home. I wanted a better life. I thought it might be possible until today at Wade's cabin.”

Simon frowned. “What happened?”

Matthew took a deep breath. “I knew there were folks in the Cove who wouldn't forget my father, and today I found out for sure. I was in the barn with Noah when Wade came home. When he found out who I was, he pulled a gun on me. He said he knew I had come for revenge. I tried to tell him he was wrong, but then Rani walked in. She placed herself between me and Wade's gun.”