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over the combined noise of the wind and rain and the slap of the
horse s hooves in the muck. The wagon slowed and stopped. Sarah s
heart leaped, but a moment later, the wagon resumed its exit.
 Sarah! At the faint sound of her name, she looked toward the
house. Leah, wearing a black slicker with a hood that shielded her
head and eyes, trudged across the yard. She stopped next to Sarah, but
her gaze followed the wagon that continued on its way. A moment
later, she turned back to Sarah.  Are you all right? She frowned.
 You looked like you needed help.
 Yes, I twisted my damn leg, and it doesn t want to work yet.
Sarah reached up for the hand Leah offered, and with help, she stood
erect.
Leah ducked under Sarah s arm and pulled it across her
shoulder.  Let s get you inside. We can talk there. She wrapped an
arm around Sarah s waist, and together they hobbled to the warm, dry
house. When she got Sarah safely onto the kitchen chair nearest the
fire, she peeled off her slicker and hung it to dry on a peg near the
door.
Amy sat at the table, breaking green beans into a ceramic bowl.
 Are you all right, Aunt Sarah?
Sarah bit her lip and nodded.
Leah stepped into the bathroom, reappeared with some towels,
and bustled back to the table.  Amy, honey, go play for a little while.
I need to help Aunt Sarah get cleaned up. She wiped the green bean
ends from the table and tossed them into a waste can as Amy left.
 That was Faith, I take it? I couldn t see her face well enough to
be certain. Leah barely waited for Sarah s nod.  I confess I peeked
through the window. Just as I looked out, I saw you fall. You stayed
down, and she left, so I figured you could use some help. When you
lifted your hand to the boy and he waved, that sure was a poignant
scene.
If Sarah hadn t felt so bad, she would have grinned at Leah s use
of the new word. She knew Leah was trying to lift her spirits, but her
heart was in pain.
Leah wiped at Sarah s face with one of the towels.  You need a
bath. As soon as you ran out without your slicker, I stoked the fire
under the water. She nodded her head toward a black kettle hanging
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THE WAR BETWEEN THE HEARTS
from a crane in the kitchen fireplace. The fire had responded to her
quick actions, and flames licked at the cast-iron vessel.
 Sarah, how can I dry your face if you keep crying on it? She
put her arms around the seated woman s neck and pulled her close
until Sarah s head rested against her warm breast. With a sob, Sarah
wound her arms around Leah s waist. Leah stroked her hair and held
her until the crying ended.
With a final squeeze, Sarah sat back and dried her tears on the
end of the towel Leah still held.
Leah s voice was tentative.  Did she hit you?
 No. Not exactly. She took the towel from Leah, scrubbed it
over her hair, and tossed it onto another chair.  I was trying to get her
to come into the house, and she pushed me away. She moved her
leg, which caused a pinch of pain.  Pushed rather forcefully, I might
add. And I slipped on the wet grass and mud. She scratched at her
thigh, then an arm. The heat from the fireplace coaxed a mist from
her wet clothes, and she suddenly had an attack of itching.  That bath
sounds pretty good right now.
 Right. Leah grabbed a piece of cloth from a bin on the hearth
and used it to protect her palms as she swung the crane away from the
flames and lifted the kettle from its hook.
Sarah shook her head in puzzlement.  I don t understand the
woman at all. She comes clear out here I m assuming to see me
but she slams me in the chest and takes off.
 Sarah . . . Leah s voice trailed off as she walked into the
bathroom, and Sarah heard the water splashing into the tub.
Leah brought the empty kettle back to the hearth, and Sarah
prompted her.  What were you saying?
Leah didn t answer at once. She pulled off Sarah s sodden boots
and socks and assisted her to the chair in the bathroom. Once there,
both women worked to strip off the wet pants and drawers plastered
to Sarah s skin.  Do you need help with the tunic?
 I can get it, but I ll need a hand stepping into the tub. Sarah
pulled off the tunic and flinched when Leah s fingers touched her
chest. She looked down and saw two red marks just below her
collarbones.
 Faith hit you pretty hard. You ve got a couple of bruises started
there already.
Sarah snorted.  She s a strong woman. Knocked me the hell off
my feet. In more ways than one, Sarah thought with a silent groan.
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NANN DUNNE
Leah supported Sarah s weight as she stepped into the tub and
settled into several inches of warm water. She looked at the water,
then at the mud on Sarah.  How about just washing your body. I ll
put the kettle back on, and you can wash your hair in clean water.
 That sounds good. Sarah accepted the soap and washrag that
Leah handed her. She dipped the washrag in the water, soaped it up,
and ran it over herself. Leah went back into the kitchen to refill the
kettle and set it in the fireplace to heat.
When Leah returned, Sarah asked,  What did you say earlier
when you brought the kettle in? I couldn t hear you.
 That s because I didn t finish. I started to say Faith knocked on
the door looking for you, and I was the one who opened it. She
looked at me kind of funny. Leah moved one shoulder.  Maybe she
thinks you and I are a couple.
Sarah scoffed at the idea.  But she knew you when you both
lived in Cranston.
 Exactly. Leah folded her arms, and her lips twitched.  Let s
face it, she knew me as a whore.
Sarah rinsed the soap from her body as ferociously as she spoke.
 But you re not a whore anymore. Finished with the rinse, she stood
up.
 But Faith don t uh, doesn t know that. Leah got a towel from
the closet and wrapped it under Sarah s arms. She helped her step
from the tub and sit once more on the chair.  Maybe she thinks I like
women.
 Oh, God, Leah. Sarah ran a hand through her still muddy hair.
 You re probably right. She pulled her hand away and looked at it in
distaste.
Leah s gaze followed Sarah s movements.  We can take care of
your hair after I get your clean clothes, and I m pretty sure I m right.
You should have seen the nasty look she gave me. She went out of
the room, then took a step back in.  Maybe you should go explain to
her.
 Like hell I will. I m not about to go running after her and get
knocked on my ass again. As angry as she was, she wouldn t listen
anyway.
 Sounds like she s not the only one who s angry. You two will
never get together if you keep hurting each other. Someone needs to
straighten out this misunderstanding.
Sarah glared at Leah, but as she calmed down, she realized the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]