“I thought so.” Shorty shook his head. “At least before things started falling down around me.”
Addie checked Mother. She still rested. “I’d love to see the place.”
Nash opened the door, and they stepped out into a steaming yard as the sun lifted moisture from the ground.
Puddles and mud patches dotted the area. Her foot slipped as she tried to avoid one.
Nash caught her arm to steady her. “Careful. I wouldn’t want to have to extract you from the mud.”
Her laugh came out higher than usual. “One can’t but wonder how many ways we can be mud-bound. First the coach, then the landslide, and now me.”
“Let me guide you.” He gripped her elbow and helped her navigate the path, though she truly didn’t need help. Nor did she intend to refuse it.
“Where are we going?”
“Do you want to see where the tree fell on Shorty’s woodshed?”
“Lead on.” She honestly didn’t care where they went, happy to be with him. She gasped as they rounded the corner of the small building. A tree lay across one corner, exposing Shorty’s wood supply. “It’s going to be hard for him to keep his wood dry.”
“With Hawk’s help, we can pull the tree off, and I’ll make sure the wall is repaired before we leave. It’s the least we can do for him.” They passed the building and approached the barn and corrals, where more than a dozen horses looked up at them. Three nickered and trotted to the fence for attention.
“Hello, you.” Addie scratched one neck after the other, and as she and Nash moved on, the horses followed until they reached the end of the yard.
“I’ll show you what the landslide did.”
She let him lead her across the damp ground. A fallen tree lay before them, and he guided her over the thick trunk, his hands holding hers. A fitting picture, she decided, of the sort of man he was. Helping others over the obstacles in life.
The ground grew steeper, and she clung to him to keep from slipping sideways down the slope.
He drew her to a halt. A swath of mud obliterated every stalk of vegetation. Huge trees lay slaughtered beside the mud, brought down by the force.
“I’m very grateful that missed the cabin.” She clasped a hand to her throat.
“When Mr. Bertrand complains, I’m tempted to bring him out here.”
She snorted. “I doubt if that would change him.”
“Probably not. But look to the side.” He caught her shoulders and nudged her.
“Oh my!” A placid lake of purest blue reflected the sky. “It’s like every hue of every blue in the world has been poured into the water.” She couldn’t stop staring. “And an abundance of wildflowers.” Yellow, orange, pink, blue. “A rainbow of colors.”
“Shall we go closer?”
“Oh, please, let’s.” How blessed to see such beauty and share it with Nash, who seemed as impressed as she.
She clung to him as they navigated the steep slope. The man was a rock, steadying her each time her foot wobbled. She wasn’t afraid at any time, knowing he’d keep her.
They reached the flowers, and he released her hand to let her brush her fingers over the blossoms. The beauty overwhelmed her, and she lifted her hands to the sky and laughed. “It makes me want to sing.”
A smile on his lips, he asked, “What would you sing?”
“The doxology.” A song of praise suited the occasion.
“Then why don’t you?” His smile settled into pleasant lines.
“Will you join me?” The air between them filled with sweetness, and she didn’t mean solely the scent of flowers.
He nodded.
