A Time to Bloom (Leah's Garden #2)(87)

Beatrice stood up. “What if we did something truly unusual?”

The others turned, listening.

“One of my mother’s favorite sayings was to kill someone with kindness. And another saying works all the time: ‘A soft answer turneth away wrath.’” She paused. “What if we took God at His word and did just that?”

Every eye stared at her, confusion coloring all their faces.

Lord, I have no idea where we’re going with this. If this is from you, please make it clear. Lark swallowed and nodded slowly. “What might we be able to do to help them?” She figured her face was as confused as everyone else’s.

“What if we pray about this?” Rebecca Weber asked.

They all bowed their heads.

“Help us, Lord.” Lark recognized Lilac’s voice. “Please.”

Someone cleared her throat. “You said the children were doing the chores and trying to bring in the harvest?”

“Yes,” Del said.

“Couldn’t some of us do that?”

“Amen! It’d be much faster, depending on how many help.”

“We’ll get our menfolk to pitch in.”

Lark looked at Del, whose grin stretched from ear to ear. The other women looked at one another, and a couple even shook hands.

The discussion turned to planning for the temperance rally, now postponed until after the school raising, and then to specifics of when to gather at the Kinsley farm in the coming days.

Well, Lord, at least we’re in agreement. Now to see what Mr. Kinsley has to say when we descend on his farm and take over his harvest.



Mr. Kinsley was nowhere to be seen when eight men showed up to bundle wheat and toss it into a wagon early one morning a few days later. Adam, Jesse, William, and RJ were there. Anthony Armstead and a couple of the other fathers from the school as well. Even Rev. Pritchard joined in, as little as he was used to farm labor. They forked the sheaves into a pile between the house and the barn, ready for threshing. Some of the women brought out big pots of soup to feed everyone at noon.

Del and Lark, along with Beatrice, knocked on the door while the others returned to help finish in the field. “May we come in a bit? We brought you some soup.”

Bethany, eyes round as saucers, stepped back and motioned them inside. It was all Lark could do not to cover her nose.

Mrs. Kinsley was struggling to sit up in the bed. “Please come in, I—I’m sorry, I . . .” She paused to breathe.

“Oh dear, we should have come to see you earlier.” Del set the pot over the hook in the fireplace.

“H-how can I thank you? The children told me what you’re doing.”

“We’re glad we could do something. Where is your husband?”

“Tom left two days ago and hasn’t returned.” She drank from the cup Lark held for her. Her hands shook so, she couldn’t have held it herself. “Thank you.”

“Were you this weak when he left?”

She half shrugged and shook her head. “The children have been caring for the animals.”

Bethany sat on the foot of the bed. “We’re almost out of wood. John and I sawed chunks off the tree out there.”

“I’ll get someone to split those,” Lark said.

“Do you have a way to contact your older son?” Del asked.

Mrs. Kinsley heaved a sigh and shook her head. “But Tom said he’d be back. He went to buy supplies.”

Went where, Chicago? But Lark kept her mouth shut. She had an idea that if they raided the liquor tent, they’d find him.

“Bethany, can you feed your mother?” Del asked.

The child nodded. “I been helping her.”

“And, John, you’ve been doing the barn chores?”

He nodded.

Lark could hear the harnesses of the horses pulling the wagons out. The men must be finished. Should they leave the family alone or ask someone to stay with them?

“He’ll be back tonight,” Mrs. Kinsley insisted.

“You said that last night, Ma.” Bethany stared at her mother, tears running down her face.

“You go gather the eggs. John, time to milk?” Mrs. Kinsley’s voice faded, but after another sip of water, she looked at Del. “We’ll be . . .” She nodded, her eyes drifting closed.

“We’ll be back in the morning.” Lark patted the woman’s hand. As the three of them left the house, they saw the two children on the way to the barn. “Lord, keep them safe.” She waved down the wagon holding Adam and RJ. “Could you split some wood before you leave? The mister left two days ago for supplies. His wife believes he’ll return yet tonight or tomorrow. We’ll see.”

RJ halted the horses and set the brake. “I’ll split wood if you want to check on the woman.”

Adam nodded as they both stepped down.

“We’ll be back in the morning with more food and to clean the filth out for them,” Lark said.

“If he’s here, promise me you’ll leave.” Adam stared at the three women.

Lark nodded. “We will.”

Adam and RJ stopped by the Nielsen place on their way back to town, Adam shaking his head. “Unless we can get some nourishment into her and keep her off her feet, she and that baby will not make it. Lord God, please send us a miracle.”