Beneath the Apple Leaves(91)
Now Andrew laughed. “You had nothing to do with that and you know it. If it was up to you and your protective league, I’d still be behind bars.”
“Guess you’re right.” He shrugged. “That Lily got a soft spot for gimps. Even when she was young, she was always trying to save the critters that weren’t quite right.”
Andrew took the pitchfork and stabbed it into the straw. His hand burned and he held tight to the handle in restraint.
“Heard you came by the house looking for her,” noted Frank. “Told Lily she should just tell you straight instead of avoiding you.”
“Tell me what?” he parried, his eyes rolling.
“That she ain’t interested. She’s a tease, son. Always has been.” Frank came closer, kicked at the straw with his shiny cowboy boot. “She felt bad not meeting you at the spring, though.”
Andrew stopped and squeezed the handle until his knuckles whitened.
“But,” Frank continued, “she and Dan had a date. He took her to the fair. Didn’t even hear her come back home. Must of gone dancing after, I reckon.”
Andrew turned to the man then and dropped the pitchfork. “It’s a good story, but Lily would no sooner date Dan Simpson than I’d date a chicken.”
“Thought you smelled like hen feathers.”
Andrew chuckled again, then readied to leave. “I got work to do.”
“Wasn’t no story about Dan being Lily’s beau,” Frank announced loudly. “She’s out with him now. He picked her up this morning, took her to town.” He smiled cruelly. “Should have seen how pretty she looked in that dress and heels. Course, she and Dan always had a bit a fire between them. Her hitting him over the head and all and then kissing and making up just a bit later. Firecrackers, those two.” He stretched his back. “Only bailed you outta the jail to make Dan jealous. Firecrackers.”
Andrew didn’t believe a word, but his body constricted. “What Lily does and with who isn’t any of my concern.”
Frank laughed wickedly and tapped the hood of the Ford parked by the stall. “You don’t get it, do you, kid? She and Dan been on and off since he started for me years ago.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Dan would make a good match for Lily, don’t you think? He’s been working for me so long he’d make a good partner for the business. That and his dad’s work with the bank. Like it was always meant to be, don’t you think?”
Frank rubbed one of his biceps, looked at his large hands and then turned them to look at his palms. “Another thing about that kid is he got strong hands, you know? Strong arms, strong hands . . . two of them.”
The insult was quick, delivered with a smile. Andrew took a step back, fixed his thighs to keep from attacking. “Shame he’s heading off to the war then.” Andrew scowled.
“You didn’t hear?” Frank’s mouth opened in surprise. “He didn’t pass his physical. On account of his head injury. Cut got all infected. How about that?” He knocked his fist on the car. “Ironic, isn’t it? Lily cracking his skull kept him close to her, made her turn away from the crippled German for keeps.”
Andrew’s eyes flickered to the movement at the barn door. Frank turned. “Eveline, didn’t hear you there.” He pulled off his hat and scrunched it in his fingers. “Just joking with—”
The woman stood in the doorway, the plate of muffins in her immobile hands, her eyes spitting with fire. “Get the hell off my land, Mr. Morton.”
CHAPTER 44
The lowing from the barn came all at once, one on top of the other. Andrew tossed in his bed, the sounds melding with dreams. It was too early for milking. But the sounds from the barn increased. He folded the pillow over his ear until he heard the horse. A high-pitched whine that stabbed the eardrum. In a moment, he shot out of bed, threw on his pants and stumbled onto the steps.
He thought the lamps had been left on, the brightness full in the parlor. Something seized him from the back of the head and tingled down his flesh. The lamps weren’t on. Lights flickered outside. The yellow light bloomed from outside. “Fire!” Andrew shouted.
The house erupted and the Kisers fell out to the yard, the pine tree next to the barn bright orange, the limbs engulfed like a burning skeleton.
“Hook the hose to the well!” he shouted to Wilhelm.
Andrew sprinted to the barn with Eveline and the boys at his heels. The pigs squealed from within the pens, the bodies thumping against the bolted gate. “Get the pigs out!” he shouted to Will.
“The horse!” Eveline hollered.
“I’ll get her!”
Andrew flew to the main door of the barn, but it was too close to the tree, the heat coming in waves, the very air burning and clogged with smoke. The animals screamed inside as the roof ignited and spread down the old barn wood. He ran to the back, saw Will had released the pigs that were now running in a frenzy in every direction.
“The main door is blocked!”
He pulled open the side door, but it was too small for the animals to fit through. “Hack out the opening! I’ll grab the animals!”
The smoke and flames billowed to the far right. He’d have to start with the animals closest to the door to get the most out before the barn collapsed. The mare reared, batted the sky in panic. He threw a feed sack over her head and hurried her to the door where Wilhelm worked with the ax. Andrew pushed her through the broken opening, the sides tight and scraping, but the horse was out. He pulled the cows, the lead cow stubborn with fear, grinding her hooves into the floor. He heaved the rope, cursed not having another hand to grip, until finally he jerked her forward to Wilhelm and she was out.