Page 127 of In These Hills

Miss Mary’s thunderous glare needed no words.

The man silently gathered his clothes, stuffed them into the open satchel, and trudged toward the town square.

Huffing, Miss Mary strode into the house. “I cannot abide somebody taking shelter in my home while disrespecting my rules.”

Josephine followed her into the foyer and found Calla standing just inside, a stricken look on her friend’s face.

“And did you hear him?” Miss Mary paused, hands on hips. “Having the nerve to ask for a seat back at my table. My lands, what is this world coming to? People everywhere seem to be losing their minds. Just look at this.” She grabbed a newspaper from the side table. “One of them suffragists in New York City attacked a judge right outside his home. All for not voting the way she thought he should. And he was with his young daughter!”

Josephine stiffened. She’d seen that article when scouring Mr. Daniel’s newspapers in recent days. Feeling Calla’s attention, she hadn’t forgotten how Calla had found her suffragist sash beneath the bed, yet had obviously said nothing about it to Miss Mary.

“When did people decide the rules don’t apply to them?” Miss Mary continued. “I just can’t for the life of me understand how—” Miss Mary suddenly stopped short. Her face paled, and she swallowed hard. She pressed a hand to her waist.

Josephine reached out, recalling the morning she’d seen Miss Mary in the field and wondering again if her hunch then had been right. “Are you unwell, ma’am?”

“No, no, I’m fine.” Miss Mary took a deep breath. “Just got myself too worked up, is all. Well, come on, you two. Supper won’t finish itself.” She disappeared into the kitchen.

But Calla didn’t move, her focus moving to the street. “Lord, help me, Josephine. That’s gonna be my fate, too, once she finds out.”

“She won’t find out.” Josephine lowered her voice. “You’re going to get through this, Calla. And I’m going to help you do it.” Although she didn’t have the slightest idea how to do that yet.

Later that evening, with supper dishes done, the kitchen set to right, and menus for the next week decided, Miss Mary was saying good night when Josephine remembered her impromptu detour on the way back that afternoon.

“Before you go, Miss Mary, I got you and Calla a little something today.” She reached into the cloth bag and handed them each a chocolate-covered caramel along with a praline. “It’s from Velma’s Candy on the square. Consider it a very small token of my appreciation for all you’ve done for me.”

Calla stared at the candy in her palm. “You got any idea how long it’s been since I ate anything not of my own making?”

The softness in Calla’s voice touched her, as did the look of pleasure when Calla popped the caramel in her mouth. “Oh my, that is some kind of good.”

But Miss Mary just stared at hers. “I thank you, kindly, Josephine. But I’ll save mine for later. I’m a bit full right now.”

“Full?” Calla frowned. “I seen your supper plate. You hardly ate a thing.” Her eyes narrowed. “You still having that sour stomach?”

Miss Mary waved off the concern as she slipped the candy back into the bag. “Don’t waste your worry on me, I’m fine.”

“I ain’t wasting my worry. I just think you oughta take yourself to Doc Wyatt, is all.”

“I don’t need to see Doc Wyatt.”

“And I think you do! You been having them pains for a while now.”

“I’m not having pains, Calla.”

“Well, whatever it is you got ailing you, it’s been going on too long, and—”

“I’m not ailing.”

“Well something ain’t right, and a doctor sure enough could—”

“I don’t need a doctor to tell me I’m with child!”

Calla stopped cold, her mouth slipping open before a smile that seemed lit from within slowly spread across her face. Josephine shared it.

“You with child, ma’am? Oh . . .” Calla gently touched Miss Mary’s midsection, emotion tightening her voice. “Why didn’t you say something ’fore now?”

Miss Mary shook her head, surprising tears coming to her eyes. “Because I don’t want to add to your pain, Calla,” she whispered, her voice absent its usual command. “This time of year is always so hard for you. I remember your dear husband and precious son so well. You’ve been through so much, and I would never do anything to—”

Calla drew Miss Mary to her and Miss Mary’s arms came around her. As the two women hugged, Josephine could feel the love between them, the sense of belonging they shared. And as happy as she was for them, emotion of an entirely different kind burned her eyes.