Beyond These Hills Page 15

  Ezra raised his hand that held the hat and shook it in Andrew’s direction. “But it’s our land! Ain’t nobody got the right to take it away from me.”

  Nate Hopkins jumped to his feet. “I done told you what was a-gonna happen to anybody comin’ to take my land away from me. I’ll shoot the first man who tries it.”

  Before Andrew could reply, Matthew was on his feet. “Nate, that’s not going to solve our problem. The only thing that will happen is that you’ll end up in jail, and then they’ll get your land anyway.” He spread his hands in a helpless gesture. “We’ve talked about this and fought it for years. Now there’s just a few of us left. I think we’re going to have to face the fact that we’re not going to win this fight.”

  Thomas Bennett jumped to his feet. “Matthew, how can you say that? You and Simon been the ones leadin’ us in this here fight. If you give up, there ain’t no hope for any of us.”

  Andrew spoke up before Matthew could reply. “What I’m telling you is that there is no hope left of saving your farms. Please believe me when I say I sympathize with you. All I’m trying to do tonight is let you know you can’t win this fight. The government wants to end this standoff. They’re giving you until the first of the year to sell or they will begin condemning your property. It will be taken from you.” His voice quivered on the last words. He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry to be the messenger, but I’ve spoken the truth. Now it’s up to you.”

  Simon stood and faced Andrew. “I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many of those who have sold out and left. It’s hard to understand how prices the government pays vary so much from farm to farm. I have a question for you, and I believe you’ll answer it truthfully. Do you agree with the way the land has been evaluated in the past?”

  Andrew had dreaded this question, and now it had been asked. He stared at Simon and knew he could do nothing other than answer it truthfully. “As you know, the nation is in a depression, and land prices have been dropping since the 1920s. The average price paid per acre of farms in Cades Cove so far has been forty-one dollars and sixty-five cents. That price is arrived at by two or three government agents appraising the land, not the price the owner wants. Most land has sold at seventy-five percent of what the owner asked. Do I think that’s fair? No, I don’t. But those who argue otherwise say that value is a relative judgment. It makes it especially hard when the owner doesn’t want to sell.”

  Simon nodded. “Thank you for your honesty, Andrew. Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?”

  He shook his head. “I think we’ve covered it all. Think about what we’ve said tonight. I’ll be dropping by your farms in the next few weeks to speak with you individually. If you’re going to sell, it would be good to do it now. You’ll be able to stay here until after the first of the year, and you can use the money you receive to be looking for a place somewhere else. Please believe that I want to help you any way I can.”

  “Thank you again,” Simon said. “Now if you don’t mind, we’d like some time to discuss this issue among ourselves.”

  Andrew realized he’d been dismissed from the meeting. He strode up the aisle and onto the front porch of the church. He stopped and sucked in his breath. That hadn’t been as bad as he expected. He hoped he’d covered everything.

  Matthew hadn’t looked up at him as Andrew had passed where he sat. He wondered what he would tell Laurel when he got home. Andrew shook his head and headed to his car. It didn’t make any difference what Matthew told Laurel. It wasn’t going to change her feelings about him. The bad thing for him, though, was that he hadn’t been able to change his feelings for her either.

  Chapter 11

  Two weeks after the meeting of the Cove holdouts Matthew, Rani, Laurel, and Willie arrived on a rainy afternoon at Simon and Anna’s cabin. They had come for a family conference about their options for the future. The day outside was as gloomy as the atmosphere inside the house. Even Willie seemed subdued. Unable to play outside because of the weather, he ambled off to Noah’s old bedroom, stretched out on the bed, and began to read some of the books Noah had read as a boy.

  The rest of the family gathered around the kitchen table. One of Anna’s blackberry cobblers sat in the middle of the table ready to be served, but food appeared to be the last thing on anyone’s mind.

  Finally, Matthew broke the silence when he took a deep breath and looked across the table at Simon. “Putting off what we need to talk about isn’t going to make it any easier. We’d better get started, but Simon, I’d appreciate it if you would lead us in prayer first.”

  They all bowed their heads as Simon began to pray. “Dear Lord, You know how heavy our hearts are today. We come to You asking for guidance in the decision we’re about to make.” His voice cracked, and Matthew peered up from beneath his lashes to look at the man he’d thought of as a father since he was a child. Anna slipped her hand into Simon’s, and they laced their fingers together.

  After a moment he continued. “Oh, God, this valley has been our home ever since we can remember. And now we’re being forced to leave the only life we’ve ever known. We fear what lies before us—where we’ll go, what we’ll do in a world outside this valley, how we’ll live. But we know You will be with us. Touch us with Your divine knowledge and let us know what we should do. Do we continue our fight in the courts, or is it time to give in and leave our homes? We trust You, Father, and know You will be with us as we make the decision that will decide where we’ll spend the rest of our days on this earth. Thank You for this wonderful family You’ve given us and keep us all close to You. Amen.”

  Matthew opened his eyes, leaned forward, and rested one arm on the table. He tapped his fingers on the white tablecloth and thought of Simon’s words. “Ever since the meeting with Andrew two weeks ago I’ve been struggling with what we need to do. Rani and I have discussed it over and over. One day we think we know what we should do and the next we don’t. All I do know is that time is running out. Our fight is coming to a close, and we’re going to have to decide what to do.”

  Simon nodded. “I know. I feel the same way, Matthew. It’s been difficult for me as I try to hang on and minister to those who haven’t given up. But deep down, we all know we can’t go on much longer. There are too few families left to fight the government. But if we leave, where will we go?”

  “Rani and I have been talking about that, and we wanted to get your opinion. There’s a group of mountain folks who are going to start a craftsmen community over at Gatlinburg out on the loop road off 321. We could buy a piece of land out there and build a shop for Mountain Laurel Pottery with a house behind it big enough for all of us to live in. I went to Gatlinburg a few weeks ago, and I looked at some land that would be perfect. If we buy it now, we can start building and have it ready by the time we get ready to move.”

  A frown pulled at Anna’s forehead. “Have you discussed how you’ll pay for it? It will be some time before we get paid for our land.”

  Matthew nodded. “I have a little saved up that we can use to get started. Then we’ll settle up after the land’s sold.”

  “We have some saved up too,” Simon said. “Doc left his house in Maryville to Anna when he died, and we sold it. Between the two of us, maybe we’ll have enough to pay for the land and begin building before we sell the land.”

  Granny stirred in her chair and looked at Simon. “Don’t forgit ’bout my farm. If’n you sell your land, remember you got mine to sell too. I want that money going in on wherever you live.”

  Simon shook his head. “I know you gave Anna and me the deed to your property years ago, but we’ve always thought of it as yours. Any money that comes from the sale of that farm will be yours.”

  A sad smile pulled at her mouth, and her gaze drifted to those gathered around the table. “Then if it’s mine, I want it a-goin’ to build a place for all of you to live.”

  “A place for all of us to live, Granny,” Simon corrected.

  Anna reached over and cove
red Granny’s hand with hers. “Of course you’ll be with us wherever we go.”

  Granny’s chin trembled as she stared into Anna’s eyes. “You been more like a daughter to me than my own flesh and blood ever was, Anna,” Granny said. She looked at Simon. “And you been the son I never had.” Her gaze drifted to Matthew, Rani, and Laurel. “And you been my grandchildren. I love you all as much as if I’d given birth to this family, but I won’t be a-goin’ with you when you leave the Cove.”

  Everyone sat in shocked silence for a moment before Anna gave a nervous laugh. “Oh, Granny. Don’t say that. Where one of us goes, we all go.”

  Granny shook her head. “Not this time, darling. I’ll be stayin’ behind.”

  Rani frowned and glanced at Matthew as if he could make Granny understand the situation they found themselves in. When he shrugged, she sighed and faced Granny. “Think about what you’re saying. You can’t stay behind alone. You have to come with us.”

  “No, child, I don’t. I’m ninety-one years old. I’ve lived all my life in this here valley, and I cain’t see myself livin’ nowhere else. I been a-talkin’ to the Lord about this, and I’ve asked Him to take me on home with Him. There ain’t no use in my tryin’ to go nowhere else. My husband and daughter are both buried up there in the church cemetery, and I want to rest beside them in this part of the earth I love.”

  Simon got up and walked over to Granny’s chair. He bent over her and put his arm around her shoulders. “Now, Granny, none of us know what God has planned for us. He may want you to keep on being the head of this family in the outside world. But I promise you if I’m still living when you pass away, I’ll bring you back to the church cemetery.”

  She reached up and patted Simon’s cheek. “You’ve always been a sweet boy, Simon, and I love you. But I don’t think I’ll be a-leavin’ here.”

  Anna threw her arms around Granny and hugged her. “I can’t stand to hear you talk like that, Granny.”

  Granny reached up and stroked Anna’s hair. “Don’t cry, darlin’. Things are a-gonna work out for all of us. When the time comes, remember you and Simon are to have the money for my land.”

  “We’ll remember,” Simon said.

  Granny sighed and straightened in her chair. “Good. Now if I’m really the head of this fam’ly like Simon says, I’ll tell you what I think. Matthew’s got the right notion. I say build the house and shop over at Gatlinburg and move over there where you can all be together. Just don’t forget to keep an eye on things in the Cove.”

  Simon shrugged and looked at Matthew. “Then I guess it’s settled. Let’s get on with plans to move to Gatlinburg.”

  “Okay, Simon. We’ll head over next week to see about purchasing the property and getting a builder. Maybe we’ll be ready to move by spring.”

  He glanced around the table at the faces of the people he loved. Simon had his arm around Anna, who wiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks. Laurel, who had remained quiet throughout the meeting, bit her trembling lip and looked like she was about to cry. Rani, his rock since the day he’d first seen her at the mountain laurel plant near his old cabin, returned his gaze without wavering. She had the look of a woman who could take on whatever the world threw at her and survive. He loved her more each day than he had the one before, and he couldn’t imagine his life without her. He had no idea what lay ahead for his family, but he knew Rani would be by his side, encouraging and supporting him every step of the way.

  A week later, Laurel sat on the front porch at her grandparents’ home and stared at the mountains in the distance. She wiped the perspiration from her forehead and wondered how much cooler it was in those hills than in the valley this afternoon. She’d always enjoyed sitting on her grandparents’ front porch and watching the mists swirl about the mountains, but today the haze appeared thicker than usual.

  This had to be the hottest day of the summer. From the looks of things, that might change soon. The heat combined with the heavy vapor from the mountains had produced a thunderhead in the distance. They were in for a storm soon. Then the temperature would drop. She hadn’t much more than finished the thought when the first breeze of the afternoon rustled the leaves on the trees.

  “You gonna hold onto that there bean all day or are you gonna snap it?” Granny’s voice cut into her thoughts, and she jumped.

  She stared down at the green bean she held and then at Granny, whose wide grin made Laurel’s face burn. She broke the bean into several pieces and dropped it into the pan in her lap. “I guess I was daydreaming.”

  “Seems like you been doin’ that a lot lately. Land’s sakes, girl, all afternoon you been quieter than a possum tryin’ to fool folks into thinkin’ he’s dead. Is somethin’ worryin’ you?”

  Laurel sighed and shook her head. Truth be told she had been a little at loose ends lately, but it was nothing a relief from the heat wouldn’t fix. She picked up another green bean and snapped it. “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. You know, with Charlie gone and all. I guess I got distracted from breaking these green beans for Nana.” She glanced around. “Which reminds me, where did Willie go?”

  “He’s spent most of the afternoon out at the barn, but he’s in the kitchen with Anna right now.”

  “Oh, good. I promised Mama I’d keep an eye on him while she and Poppa were gone to Gatlinburg. I don’t know what Mama would do if something happened to him. She’s grieving over Charlie enough, but then we all are.” She sighed and picked up another bean.

  Granny planted her cane on the porch beside her rocker and rested her hand on top of it. She regarded Laurel with a steady stare. “We’re all upset over Charlie takin’ off. He should’ve had more sense than to worry his family like he’s done. But I git the feelin’ that there’s somethin’ else worryin’ you. Want to tell ole Granny what it is?”

  Laurel smiled and shook her head. “What else would I have to be worried about?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a certain young man we ain’t seen much of lately. How long has it been since Andrew come around?”

  Laurel’s face burned, and she busied herself with snapping another bean. “Oh, I don’t know. A few weeks, I think.”

  “You think?”

  The tone of Granny’s voice told Laurel her nonchalant attitude hadn’t fooled her. Laurel’s hands stilled, and she sat back in her chair. “I haven’t seen Andrew since he came to church when Jimmy was here. That was nearly three weeks ago.”

  “Did somethin’ happen?”

  Laurel blinked back the tears that filled her eyes at the thought of her last conversation with Andrew. “We decided it would be better if we didn’t pursue a friendship.” Laurel glanced at Granny, who sat silent. “At least that’s what he said.”

  Granny’s eyebrows arched. “And you didn’t agree?”

  “Well, yes, I did agree. That’s the reason Andrew said we didn’t need to see each other anymore. He knew I didn’t want it.”

  Granny nodded. “Then I guess ev’rything worked out all right ’cause that’s what you wanted too.” Granny’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what you wanted, Laurel?”

  “Yes…yes, of course it is.” She licked her lips. “At least I thought it was.”

  “You thought it was? What do you think now?”

  Laurel set the pan of beans she’d been snapping aside, scooted onto the floor at Granny’s feet, and laid her head in Granny’s lap. A tear trickled from her eye. “I don’t know, Granny. I’ve never been so confused in my life. We’re about to lose our home. Our family’s talking about building a pottery studio and a house outside of Gatlinburg. A part of me wants to blame Andrew because I’m going to have to leave the Cove.”

  Granny stroked her hair. “What does the other part of you say?”

  Laurel swallowed and squeezed her eyes shut. “The other part of me wants to see him so badly I can’t stand it. I liked being with him.” She sat up and stared up at Granny. “He kissed me once, and I thought my heart would beat right out of my chest.”


  Granny laughed. “I reckon I remember that feelin’. Nothin’ like it in the world. Sounds to me like you got your feelin’s for Andrew all mixed up in your head. What you gonna do ’bout it?”

  “Nothing. I think it’s best to let it alone.”

  “But why? If you like the boy and he likes you, what’s keepin’ you from each other?”

  “I don’t know if I can ever forget that he helped put my family out of the Cove.”

  Granny frowned. “I thought we done had this conversation once ’bout showin’ respect to the government. I guess I’ll have to remind you.”

  “No. I remember, but it’s hard to do.”

  Granny reached for Laurel’s hand and stroked it. “None of us is happy ’bout what’s a-comin’. We’re all gonna be moved out of our valley, but we cain’t change things. We got to trust the Lord to take care of us no matter where we go. I don’t know what the Lord has planned for you. Maybe there’s some nice young man outside this valley somewhere just a-waitin’ for you to come along. Then maybe God sent Andrew here so you would have a strong man to lean on when you leave.”

  “It’s hard to know what to do, Granny.”

  “It always is, child. All we can do is follow what we think God wants us to do.” She put her fingers under Laurel’s chin and tilted her face up. “But don’t be afraid to have a little faith. Don’t turn your back on something that could be wonderful just because you’re scared. Trust God to take care of you.”

  Laurel smiled. “I will, Granny. But I think it’s too late with Andrew. He sounded determined that he wouldn’t be seeing me anymore.”

  “Then you ask God to show you what He wants from you, and things will turn out fine.” She smiled. “Now why don’t you take them green beans in the kitchen to your grandmother? She wanted to cook them for supper.”

  Laurel pushed to her feet. “All right. Then I think I’ll go out to the barn and see how much Molly’s puppies have grown. I won’t be gone long.”