11Disclaimer: I do not own Christy. The rights belong to the Marshall-LeSourd family. This story borrows from the tv series, novel and Pax movies. I seek no profit and this is for entertainment.
Chapter 2
The next morning I got out of bed before Neil. I wanted to write out my thoughts from yesterday without interruption. On our way to El Pano, I would bring up the idea to my parents to see if they might be able to get supporters in Asheville. I had a feeling that they would get a number of people willing to help on this idea. Perhaps, I could write a letter or two to some colleges in the area to see if they could lend some support. I made a list of colleges that might be possibilities. The metal nib of the pen scratched hastily across the paper as I made my list. First and foremost was Flora College, which I had attended for a year and a half, and where did Miss Alice say John Spencer was going to college? I'd find out later. I looked down at the paper with a sense of pride in my idea. I folded it up and placed it at the end of table so I could pick it up on our way out. I returned to the bedroom to wake my husband up so we could leave.
I watched from the porch as Neil saddled Charlie. Charlie was a fine and loyal horse but having just one was not feasible for two traveling people.
"Neil, when do you think we can get another horse?"
He looked up at me in mock astonishment. "You mean you don't like traveling with me?"
"I love to, most of the time, but it's not the most comfortable."
"We'll see what we can do in El Pano today. You won't be riding behind me the whole fourteen miles round with me today on Charlie's back. Just to the mission and back. We are taking the mission's wagon?"
"Oh the stuff that Mother brought with her would not get down on a single horse. We're lucky that it will fit into one wagon."
"Are you ready then, dear heart?"
"Absolutely." I ducked in the door and grabbed my note. I pulled the door shut and bounded down the stairs to meet my husband. I gave him my hand and swung lightly onto the cloth placed behind the saddle. I clung to his waist as he nudged Charlie into a free swinging trot. I rested my cheek on the Neil's back and closed my eyes, savoring the moment. Neil was my husband. My husband! I had imagined what my future husband would look like ever since I was a young girl. Neil did not fit the profile of my childish mind but it just goes to show that life is something that simply refuses to be planned and neatly laid out. I was happy my life had not gone according to my young mind's plan.
When we had finally my parents' and George's trunks packed into the wagon, we said our goodbyes to Miss Alice and Pastor James. George looked stricken at the prospect of leaving without seeing Lizette Holcombe. Neil could not resist the urge to take a peak at what was going on at the clinic. Marcus nearly threw him back out the door.
"Dr. MacNeill, things are perfectly in control. Now get out of here and I don't want to see hide nor hair of ye until Monday morning! Mrs. MacNeill, you'd better keep your husband in line and remind him he's on his honeymoon."
"Certainly, Mr. Black." I laughed to see Marcus shaking his fist in mock fury in our direction. He always hated it when I called him Mr. Black instead of Dr.
Finally, everyone was ready to head down to El Pano. As we pulled out of the mission yard, I glanced over my shoulder to look at Miss Alice and Pastor James. From a distance one could get the impression that they were a happily married couple and had been that way for many years. I hoped that by her catching my bouquet, it was a sign of things to come. I smiled happily to myself. Love abounded for certain in this part of the world.
After we had passed the rougher part of the trail, I brought up my newborn idea. Mother still had a white-knuckled grip on the wagon's side but Father and George looked like they hadn't had this much excitement in sometime.
"I had the most wonderful idea yesterday after you left. I thought it would be nice if someone started a standing fund for a scholarship for students graduating from the Cutter Gap school. Daddy do you think you know anyone who would be willing to help out?" I handed him the list I had made and told him of the colleges I was considering to include in my letter writing campaign.
"Well Girlie, I think the Bruce Thompson who is bank president at Asheville National would be more than interested. Besides he owes me a favor. That's just one of many I can think of for the time being. Just let me know the particulars later on."
Much to my confusion, my husband was silent about my idea. I didn't say anything at first but I thought he would be excited by the prospect. I was disappointed that he wasn't running over with excitement at my idea. Then again, Neil wasn't that sort of person. I brushed aside my slight disappointment.
We arrived at the station just in time to unload everything on the platform. Within the next couple of minutes, the train arrived with great huffs, puffs and billowing clouds of steam. Tears stung my eyes as I said goodbye to my parents and George. They promised to write often as did I. I hoped I would see them soon, now that I wasn't teaching. I felt heartbroken as they boarded the train. I knew my responsibility was to my husband now but I still felt torn between my new life in Cutter Gap and my family in Asheville. I choked back my tears and waved goodbye as the train chuffed its way through the mountain passes back to Asheville. I stared after it until it was out of sight. When I was certain I could keep my eyes from shedding tears, did I turn around to find my husband waiting by the wagon. To keep my mind off of my momentary homesickness, I started up a conversation about my scholarship idea.
"You do like my idea, don't you?"
"No, not particularly. Why didn't you say something to me first?"
"I wanted to tell you all at the same time. Why don't you like it?"
"Because it's charity and you know that doesn't work around here."
"A scholarship is not charity, Neil. It's award by merit. A person earns it by hard work."
"I know that but it will still be seen as charity."
"Well you accepted help for your schooling."
"I did and after much argument from my family too. It nearly killed my Pa for me to take some other man's hand outs. Made it seem like he couldn't provide for his family."
"But because of you, everybody can see a higher education is a good thing."
I stopped talking in disbelief. We were married for just two whole days and we were having our first fight as a married couple here on the El Pano train platform. I swallowed my angry words, turned in the direction of the general store and stormed off. I blinked back my tears yet again. I was so sure that Neil would love this idea. Why I even had thought to put his surname to the scholarship. I wanted it to be called the Fairlight-MacNeill scholarship. I wanted it to be called after Fairlight because she had such a pure want for learning and after Neil because he was the first in the Cove to attend college. I turned my head to face the display window and tried my best to look interested.
Moments later, I felt his hands on my shoulders. I tried to shrug them off but they gripped tighter.
"I'm sorry love. I didn't mean to make you upset. I was just trying to say that simply awarding it to a student who has the best grades might not be enough to dispel the air of charity. Maybe you need to have a sort of competition for it."
I turned to face my husband. His hazel eyes were filled with such sorrow at having upset me they looked like the pleading eyes of a hound dog. "You mean like an essay writing competition?"
"Something of the sort. Do you forgive me?"
"I think I understand now and yes I forgive you." He bent down and kissed my lips softly.
"Now, go inside and get what you need to make our household successful and we'll go down to the livery to see about getting you a horse."
We went into the general store and got the essentials; flour, coffee, lard, and some white sugar. I didn't need many spices because I intended to gather my own herbs for seasoning which was something Fairlight had taught me. I thanked God for having the time I did with Fairlight Spencer. Though I missed her greatly, she had taught me a wealth of information in such a short time. Knowledge and love are two things that transcend death and from her I had both. Neil carried our things to the wagon while I waited for him on the planking that served as a sidewalk. As Neil returned I linked my arm through his and we walked to the livery stable.
Inside the livery the air was full of the scent of sweet hay, leather and horses. A man was bent over a workbench in the central area between the rows of stalls. He was using an awl to punch holes into a new bridle. He looked up when he heard us approaching. He laid down his tools and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Hullo, Doc! What kin I do fer ye?" The man's exuberant greeting took me back some until I realized that my husband probably knew most of the people in this area better than Uncle Bogg knew the back of his hand.
"We're here to see about getting a new horse for my wife."
"Waal now, this a here must be Mrs. MacNeill. Howdy-do ma'am?"
"I'm well, thank you, Mr. ?"
"Elijah Farrell. The horses I's got be yan in the pasture. Go outten an take a look. See what catches the little lady's eye. I'll be with ye directly, soon as I finish up this bridle."
Mr. Farrell motioned his hand to the open back door of the stable. Neil and I went out and looked at the dozen horses in the paddock. Most of them grazed contentedly and didn't bother to raise their heads to look at us. One lifted its head immediately and moved to the edge of the fence where we stood. I had never seen a horse of that color before. The head, mane, tail and base of its legs were a beautiful mahogany shade but the rest of its body looked nearly pink from the white hairs mixed in with the mahogany color. Its eyes looked down at me were gentle and warm and the color of gingerbread.
"Looks like she likes you."
"She?"
"Pretty sure on that one, dear heart."
I let the horse nuzzle my hand affectionately until Mr. Farrell came out to us.
"Looks like ye made yer pick already."
"Is she gentle, Mr Farrell? I'm not an expert with horses."
"Rekin so. Some citified man was short on cash money the other week and had ta get back ta Kentuck in a hurry. Sold me her fer a fair price. Tole me she were part, now what'd he call it. Shucks, don't matter none. Must be part of one of them fancy racing horse, though she ain't tall. Oh, but she be real gentle. Why she hardly blinked and eye when the train whistles. She didn't even raise a fit when the Donnelly brother were arguing in the street the other day. When the Donnelly brothers get into it, shots is always fired. She didn't even snort. Shore is a purty gal. That man called her a strawberry roan."
"Does she have a name?"
"Never caught one."
"How much for her unless you think another horse might be better."
Neil and Mr. Farrell began to negotiate a price. In a short while I led the new horse to the wagon where Neil tethered her tight to the back. Surprisingly, Neil did not buy a new saddle. He said that we already had another. Neil helped me into the wagon and we made our way back home.
"So, what are you going to call her?"
"I'll have to think on it some. I want to get to know her first."
We returned the wagon to the mission and made our way back to the cabin, leading the strawberry roan behind us. The sun was slipping low behind the mountains and the air was cooling. The scent of twilight filled my nose. I leaned in close to my husband and thanked God yet again putting the desire in my heart and mind to go to Cutter Gap.