Lone Pine Bride (The Brides of Lone Pine #1)(58)

“He is.”

“You two should be together on your own before that,” Monica said. “Without any interruptions or feeling you have to help anyone.”

“The Reverend has a little house where they go when they want a bit of a rest,” Seth replied. “He says we can use it. It’s near Owen Lake which is near Keeler. He was kind enough to go to see how things were and said that the shoreline lifted in the earthquake but his house is alright. We’re going for five days and then we’ll have time to prepare the house for everyone. My mother and stepfather are going in one of our bedrooms and Hannah’s parents in another while her sister, brother-in-law and children will sleep in the barn. The Reverend has lent us mattresses. We’re going to sleep in the wagon so they have their privacy and so we....” He looked at Hannah.

“Can be alone,” Hannah finished.

“That sounds good,” Monica said.

It all sounded good, Hannah thought on their way to Owen Lake the following day, and it was still such a relief to know that her husband was her Seth. Her Seth and she was so happy. She told him and his expression as he looked at her was more than satisfying. He tried to straighten his face but had a bit of difficulty.

“If you hadn’t lied so much we would have saved a lot of heartache.”

“If I hadn’t lied?” She raised her eyebrows.

“Yes.” He put his arm round her and held her tightly. “I love you so much.”

“And I love you with all my heart.” She looked ahead, her forehead creased in a frown. “I thought all the houses had been checked.”

“They have. The Reverend said they checked again on the way home.”

“Then that house has started collapsing since they passed here.”

“We’ll go and see.” Seth pulled the reins, they turned to the side and a bit of chimney fell off the top of the roof. They leapt off the cart, raced towards the house and everything was creaking ominously. An adobe house once again and there were still aftershocks periodically. Surely the occupants would have moved out.

Seth called out. “Is anyone here?”

“We can’t get out,” a male voice said from inside.

“Where exactly are you in the house?” Seth asked as Hannah began to circle it.

“At the front but the back has collapsed so we can’t get through the door. The window is a slit, as I’m sure you can see.”

“Do you have children?” Seth asked.

“No.”

He looked at the door. “Do you have a saw?”

“In the barn. Is that alright?”

“Yes. It seems to be unaffected. I’ll be back in a minute.”

“What are you going to do?” Hannah asked, following him.

“Saw the door in half.”

“That will make it collapse.”

“When it’s sawn we are going to push something solid through it. It mustn’t be too big because they have to slide through. Can you find something while I look for the saw?”

“Yes, of course.” Hannah circled the barn, her face creased in a frown. She thought all the drama was over but now the very lives of a couple depended on them, in the way other lives had before. She had to find something. She just did. She went to the end of the barn and a solid seat which appeared to be made of steel was near the cows. A milking seat, she rather felt, and would it hold? It was quite wide and there should be room under it between the legs for people to slide through. She ran back to Seth with it.

“Come on,” he said and they both pelted towards the house. As they did so the roof lowered a bit and more pieces of chimney fell to the ground.

“I’ll saw. You push,” Seth said and began to do it. He held out very little hope that the house wouldn’t collapse but he had to try it, and both he and Hannah were in danger also but there was no way they could leave the couple.

But that didn’t worry them at this minute as they concentrated on what they were doing. Seth sawed two lines at the side wide enough to take the stool, pushed the door with all his might and the person on the other side pulled. At the same time Hannah pushed the stool in.

“Squeeze through,” she yelled and a lady’s arms appeared which she held out straight.

Seth pulled her, she slid through and another pair of arms appeared. Seth pulled again, they all turned to run and behind them the house began to cave in. A brick flew out, hit Hannah on her arm and she gasped involuntarily. But nobody else heard with the deafening noise behind them and they kept running as fast as they could. It was only when they reached the edge of the property that they turned to look.

“Jesus Himself went with them,” Hannah said and slid to the ground in a faint.

Seth fell on his knees, his expression distraught. “Hannah!” He bent over her, afraid to touch her in case he would hurt her as he noticed blood oozing through her dress sleeve. She had been hit and he hadn’t noticed. He should have noticed. He should have held her hand while they ran. He should have.... She stirred, groaned and opened her eyes.

“Everything’s going round,” she said.

“Just lie still and it will pass. Where are you hurt apart from your arm? Did anything hit your head?”

“Just my arm. I’ll be alright. You don’t have to worry.”