Lone Pine Bride (The Brides of Lone Pine #1)(16)

“The ladies have gone to the minister’s house,” Rex said.

“Then we had better go there too,” Seth said after Rex walked away.

“I could do with cleaning up first,” Hannah replied. “I must look a total mess.”

“You look....” Seth paused.

“I won’t be offended,” Hannah smiled.

“Considerably better than me.”

“I doubt it. Is there anywhere I could clean up a bit? I feel really filthy.”

“I could take you to my house,” he said, though why he said it he did not know. They should go to Lower Pine but suddenly he was loathe to do so. Because he wanted Rachel to see him at his best, of course, but for that he didn’t need Hannah. However, she had been more than helpful and without her people would have died. It was the least he could do for her.

“I think I’d like to clean up also,” he continued. He called after Rex. “Could you tell the Reverend we’ve just gone to clean up at my house?”

“Yes, of course I can, but it’s a bit far to walk.”

“It’s three miles,” Seth told Hannah. “Six from Lower Pine. Is that too far?”

“I can manage three miles,” she said, pleased that she wore hardy and comfortable shoes. The pretty pairs she had in her trunk and she could put them on before she met the other Seth.

“We’ll come back on horses. Do you ride?”

“Yes.”

Seth called after Rex once again. “If they want to carry on with the wedding ceremony ours can be a bit later today or else tomorrow. Is that alright, Hannah?”

More than alright, Hannah thought. As long as possible and maybe a walk would help her jumbled thoughts, because this day and night had been a shock and she didn’t feel she was psychologically prepared to face anything or anyone else. Out loud she replied. “Fine.”

“We’ll go then.” Seth looked round. “There’s going to be a lot of clearing up here but we’ll start on that tomorrow though maybe families will want to be doing something.” He called after Rex again who was already quite a distance from them. “Tell everyone they’re welcome to come to my place. I could accommodate them in my barn. I’ve got plenty of room.”

“I’ll do that,” Rex called back.

He continued to walk and Seth turned to Hannah. “Shall we go then? I just want to check the carriage though because I hired it and so I’m responsible for it.”

Rex turned. “I’ll deal with the carriage,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about it. You got it from Leonard, didn’t you? It seems to be undamaged and he’s not going to complain about it after what you’ve done.”

“Thank you.”

“Nearly everyone has gone to Lower Pine where the Reverend and his good lady have sorted out accommodation. He’s a good man.”

“He is.” Seth turned to Hannah. “Apart from anything else I need to check if my house is still standing. It’s made mostly of wood so hopefully it will be alright. Are you sure you don’t mind walking?”

“I like walking,” she said and wasn’t at all sure about anything. But she had agreed to go and it was too late to back out. What she really wanted to do was rush back to her childhood home and forget these last hours. She wanted to get back to normality.

But she couldn’t do that, anyway, because everything would probably be disrupted, which would include stagecoaches. All she could do was follow Seth out of the village.

She looked back when they reached the edge of Middle Pine and the scene was one she had never seen before, nor did she ever want to see such a thing again. Most of the houses down. Rubble everywhere. A few carts which had been in front of houses in splinters. Trees across some of the houses with others on the edge of the village either tipping precariously or on the ground.

Nobody could prepare anyone for such a thing, which included those who lived here who were the ones who were the most affected. Nobody could have foretold how near to death many of them had been. Those twenty seven who died in Lone Pine had no warning of such a thing.

But there had also been miracles and she had to concentrate on them or else maybe go a little mad. They started to walk towards the end of the village, the mountains ahead of them though the road flat where they walked.

It was so different to her home, Hannah thought. No high buildings as there were there. No grand houses. In fact, only a couple of dwellings were left standing. There was no river with sailing ships in it.

Really there was nothing because Middle Pine had been reduced to nothing and obviously Lone Pine was the same. What would where she came from look like if there was an earthquake? The damage would be more widespread, of course, but then it was a large place and Lone Pine and Middle Pine very small.

“It must be difficult for you,” Seth said, breaking into her thoughts. “I really am sorry.”

“You didn’t cause the earthquake,” she replied, pushing back a wisp of hair and feeling a bit self conscious without a hat. Would the sun give her a headache when it came up? She had been alright yesterday and had not given it much thought.

Seth looked at her sideways while they walked. “Would you like me to ask Seth if he wants to come with us?” he asked.

“No!” She realised how explosive her reply was and added hastily. “I’d rather clean up first.”