What We Hide (Love Journeys South, Book 3)

Chapter 5. Wondering.

"If the stones that we walked on could talk, they would surely tell our story." ~ Nico J. Genes

Chapter 5.

Wondering.

It was such a stunning sight that Jimmy, Nan, and Sam could do little more than stand still and stare wide-eyed.

"Well, ain't anyone gonna help me out?" Elisha demanded in a shivering, breathless voice. "Cause if you think haulin' a dripping wet, corpse-like figure while being soaked to the bone is easy, ya'll darn wrong!"

His words helped everyone snap into action. Nan took charge of the situation and began ordering everyone around.

"Jimmy, go find out if Seth is done with that bath of his. Sam, you help Elisha with the poor female and I'll get the water on the stove. Goodness we're gonna need a lot of hot water. Elisha, you hand the young lady over to yer father and then proceed to strip yerself of those wet things. Last thing I need is for you to come down with pneumonia. Goodness knows Michael's constant poor health is bad enough, then we added Seth's bad health to the pot as well. We don't need you comin' down sick on us, thank you very much."

"What do we do with her?" Sam asked as he relieved Elisha of his wet and heavy burden.

Nan paused her bustling around the kitchen to think. "We can't place her in Ruth's room, that's where Abbie Mae and Seth live. I suppose you'll have to take her up to Clinton's room. It's empty with him away at college. I'll just put the pots of water to heat on the stove and then follow you up to undress her. Ah, Michael," Nan had noticed her youngest son step into the kitchen and whirled around sharply to face him. "Run up and ask Abbie Mae to go into my room and fetch something dry for us to dress this girl in. I think anything she has will be far to small for the young lady, so we'll have to use my things."

Sam had already gone up the stairs and Nan was about to follow him when Seth came in. He was dressed up warmly.

"And where are you going?" Nan demanded.

"Jimmy told me what happened," Seth replied. "I'm off for uncle Ernest."

The delight at this initiative shone in Nan's eyes. "Why you saintly boy. You go ahead and do that. Jimmy, when the water is boiled prepare a hot bath for yer brother, but don't use all of it. Make sure you bring some to me."

Jimmy, who had followed Seth, nodded his head. To be honest he didn't want to take care of Elisha, who was big enough to look after himself. He wanted to find out what on earth had happened to Susan to make her come to their home in such a state. However, there was no way his mother was going to allow him anywhere near her at the moment. So he busied himself with following her instructions.

Nan in the meantime had just reached the top of the stairs and was met by Abbie Mae. "I left Michael watching over the twins," she whispered. "What has happened exactly?"

"Elisha showed up with a soaking wet girl in his arms. Sam just took her to Clinton's room. We've got to get her out of the wet things and into something dry."

"Right." Abbie Mae hurried off to her mother-in-law's room as she had been earlier instructed. Nan got to Clinton's room and shooed Sam out.

"I think Abbie Mae and I will manage from here, thank you," she stated briskly to her husband. He nodded and departed. Nan approached the girl, whom Sam had placed in the large arm chair.

Pausing for a moment, Nan gazed at the pretty, unconscious face. "I do declare, if I didn't know better I would say it's the young Miss Susan Goodwill that we was discussin' earlier!"

Abbie Mae entered and together they undressed Susan, rubbed her with hot water, dried her off, and dressed her in a warm, flannel nightgown of Nan's. Then they tucked her into the bed and covered her with an extra blanket. Jimmy had brought up more firewood and Abbie Mae stoked up a roaring fire to keep the room as warm as it could possibly get. Stones were warmed and placed around Susan's feet. Her wet hair was the only real issue. Nan had placed a towel over the pillow and spread the brown locks out, hoping the heat from the fire would help them dry faster.