“How long do you think he can keep this up?” asked Agnes.
“I have no idea,” replied Clover. “All I know about bears is that they are very big and one should not get too close. This is far closer than I care to be.”
“I wish we knew how to shoo the beast away.”
“A bear is not an animal you can shoo, Mama. Chances are good that he will seek shelter when the storm hits, just like any other animal would.”
“Yes, but then we shall be caught out in the storm.” Agnes frowned up at the nearly black sky. “And it looks as if it will be a severe storm.”
Clover shivered. She had been too busy trying to escape the bear to notice the increasingly threatening weather. The wind was very strong and the sky was a swirling mass of black clouds. She looked down at the bear again.
“I think I would rather take my chances with the storm, Mama,” she said. “Let us hope that he leaves soon.”
Ballard strode into the house calling Clover’s name. He frowned when no one answered. The others were just coming in when Adam walked out of the kitchen and handed him a piece of paper.We have gone exploring in the woods. Be back soon. Clover.
Ballard cursed and looked at Adam.
“Ye let them go out into the woods alone?”
“Nope. I ain’t been here but a few minutes meself,” Adam replied.
“Something wrong, Ballard?” asked Shelton as he and Lambert joined him.
“My wife and her mother have gone exploring in the woods.” Ballard crumpled the note in his hand.
“But a storm is coming,” mumbled Lambert. “They must have seen that. ‘Tis dark as night out there.”
“They might not understand the danger such a storm can pose,” Ballard replied.
“They would understand that it brings rain, Ballard, and I cannot believe they would wish to be caught out in the wet.”
“Nay, they wouldnae. Something has gone wrong.”
“Perhaps they have gotten lost.”
Ballard took the musket down from over the fireplace. “Shelton, ye come with me. Lambert, ye stay here and help Adam secure everything and get everyone in the storm shelter if need be.”
“Why must we leave the house?” asked Molly. “‘Tis a good sturdy place. A little wind and rain should not be hurting a house like this.”
The fact that Molly did not understand the threat of such a storm confirmed Ballard’s suspicion that Clover and Agnes would not either. “Have ye e’er heard of a tornado, Molly?”
“No. What is that?”
“A verra large whirlwind. A storm like this at this time of year can spawn one of those hellish things. I have seen only one, soon after I came here, and I thank God for each year that passes without another. It can pull trees right out of the ground and toss cows about like they were child’s toys. If Lambert tells ye to, ye are to get into the storm shelter.”
“There is no storm shelter in the woods,” Molly said in a quiet voice.
“If they are nae too far away, I will get them back here in time.”
“Godspeed,” Molly called as Shelton and Ballard hurried off.
Shelton pointed at the ground just beyond the veranda. “Until the rains come we can at least follow their trail.”
“Aye. Let us move as fast as we can, brother. That rain isnae going to wait on us.”
Ballard fought to remain calm. He would need all his wits to find Clover and her mother. When he noticed little twine bows on the trees, he was at first relieved. At least the women were not foolishly ambling through the woods without giving a thought to getting back home. Then he realized that if they had so carefully marked their path, they should have returned by now. His fears doubled. When they could find no more markers, Ballard had to fight the urge to start running and yelling Clover’s name. He gritted his teeth and joined Shelton in searching for some other sign to follow, then cursed when the first drops of rain began to fall.
“Over here, Ballard,” Shelton called, waving.
