Lone Pine Bride (The Brides of Lone Pine #1)(26)

“Not what you cook?” she asked.

“Never what I cook. Would you like a drink?” He pulled out the cork. “It’s not wine.”

“A few sips would be nice.” She drank, handed him the bottle and he took a few mouthfuls.

“I’ll carry the bottle,” she said.

“Thank you.”

“Are there any dangerous animals around?”

“Not really. Maybe the odd lizard.”

“I’ve seen those. There were some on one of the stations where we stopped. They look like tiny monsters.”

“They are tiny monsters.” Seth frowned as he looked ahead. “The road is blocked. The rocks must have collapsed during the earthquake. We’re going to have to go round them.”

“Or over them. We could climb.”

“Not with food to carry. This area has a lot of rocks which go quite a way beyond here. The road runs through them, almost like a gully, and not far beyond is a farm.”

“We could eat the food, couldn’t we?” Hannah said. “We could then leave the dish to collect later. If we can’t get it we could buy another one.”

“I have a dish like this,” Seth said. “I could replace it. Let’s sit down then and eat. I am rather hungry. You must be too because we haven’t eaten much since yesterday. You should have had something at Sadie’s house.”

“I couldn’t. I told you. I was worried about you.”

“Thank you.” He took off the lid and there was only one spoon. Logical, Hannah said, because they didn’t know she was there. She had stood back because she didn’t want to tarnish his good name, she told him.

“Is Seth a good name?” he asked.

She smiled. “It’s in the Bible.”

“Yes. He was Adam and Eve’s third son and probably very special because Cain had killed Abel so they had lost a son. Mum says that’s why they called me Seth, because I’ve very special.”

“You are,” Hannah said with utter conviction.

“And Hannah was a nice lady so we’ve both got good names. We can share the spoon, if you don’t mind doing that. We can take alternate mouthfuls.”

“Good idea. You go first.”

“Never. Ladies must always go first. Here. Open your mouth.”

He filled the spoon, she opened her mouth wide and he put in the food. He went to put some in his mouth and paused.

“We should thank God first,” he said.

“Yes. I’m sorry. We have a lot to be thankful for.”

“We do. Shall I say the blessing out loud?”

“That would be nice,” she said.

He put the dish on the ground and held out his hands. She took them and they closed their eyes. “Thank You, Father, for the delicious food and for looking after us. Thank You also for Hannah because she’s a lovely lady and has done so much to help. I’m glad all those people are with You and the food You’ll give them will be delicious. This food looks and smells wonderful.”

“And tastes delicious,” Hannah said. They opened their eyes and she screwed her nose. “Sorry.”

“That’s alright.” He closed his eyes again. “Please comfort those who have lost family members and friends. In Your Name, Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

“Amen,” she added. She took the spoon from Seth, filled it and held it to his mouth. “Eat.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

And feeding each other seemed the most natural thing in the world as the meal continued. When they finished Seth stretched and lay back.

“That was absolutely out of this world,” he said.

She lay back beside him. “It was but you would have been better on your own because you could have had it all. I’m sure you gave me bigger mouthfuls.”

“We both had plenty.”

He looked up at the sky which was clear above them, with the moon bright and with a multitude of stars of varying sizes. “That is beautiful, isn’t it, and the stars are not affected by the earthquake because they’re up there.”

“It is absolutely beautiful. I’ve never noticed quite how many stars there are because I haven’t lain outside at night.”

“Me neither.”

“I thought you might have done so being as you live in the country.”

“I haven’t had anyone to lie with. How many stars are there up there?”

“You want me to count?”

He grinned as he looked at her sideways. “Yes. Every one of them.”

“I think only God knows how many stars there are,” she said.

“It says in the Bible that God knows how many hairs there are on our heads. You must have millions.”

“I didn’t know that,” Hannah said, something I would never admit to the other Seth because it would show my absolute ignorance.

“My mum showed it to me.” Something I would never admit to Rachel because she would probably think me unmanly to talk about my mother.

“Your mum sounds a nice person.”

“She is. What about yours?”

“I never really thought about it before but this earthquake seems to be doing something to me. She has always been gentle and loving and she has put up with a lot in me. I think she would have liked it if I had become a society lady but she never complained or tried to make me something I’m not.”