Page from a Tennessee Journal (AmazonEncore Edition)

good.”
    “What paper, Auntie?” Annalaura raised herself on the feather pillow, resting her back against its soft ness. She reached out a hand to pull Becky down to her. If she could lay her hands against skin, look the old woman straight in the eye, maybe she could bring her back before her auntie’s lost mind put her children in harm’s way.
    “I’m takin’ yo’ chil’ren to Hettie’s, then I’m gonna look fo’ some of them herbs what will keep that baby from comin’. Baby ain’t ripe yet.” Becky jerked her arm away.
    “It ain’t the baby.” Annalaura regretted the scream that forced itself through her broken lips. “I know when a baby’s coming. I done had fo’ of them. This don’t feel nothin’ like that. These pains will go away directly.” A spasm rocked Annalaura. “Doug can watch the little ones while you go fo’ the medicines. No need to bother with Hettie.” Another pain jolted her body.
    “Might be you can’t stay here. Might be best fo’ you to get gone.” Becky’s eyes were halfway to that other place. “Ben Roy’s buggy. I’ll speak to him.” Becky turned toward the center of the room while Annalaura frantically reached out to grab her arm.
    “No, Auntie. Don’t go botherin’ Mr. Ben Roy.” The effort had lurched her to the edge of the bed, and a cramp in her stomach caught and held her breath.
    “You don’t know nothin’ ’bout it, do you, girl?” Becky moved back to the safe and dropped to her knees. Bending down, she pulled out a lower drawer and swept an arm inside.
    Fighting the spasm that didn’t want to let her go, Annalaura heard Becky tapping on something for long seconds. She turned her head just enough to catch Rebecca’s crooked grin as her aunt slammed the drawer shut and stood up. Her hands empty, Rebecca walked back to the bed.
    “I ain’t never tole you straight out, but I reckon it’s time you finds out.” Becky sat down beside her niece. “Ben Roy do what I say ’cause I got the paper.” Becky looked toward the safe.
    “The herbs, Aunt Becky. Go get ’em.” Annalaura didn’t know which hurt more, the pains in her body growing worse every five minutes, or her aunt, lost in that other world. “I got to get my head clear so I can keep John from this bad trouble I done made fo’ him. Aunt Becky, I needs you to help me figure out what’s best.”
    “I is helpin’ you, girl. I’m takin’ Ben Roy’s buggy.”
    Annalaura snapped her hand around Becky’s skinny arm. The shadows lurking in her mind of Alex shot dead and John Welles hanging from a tree, all because she hadn’t tried hard enough to outmaneuver Alex, flooded into her head.
    “Old Ben give ’most five hundred dollars for that horse.” Becky’s eyes stared at a far corner of the bed.
    “Umm.” With Rebecca sliding to that other place, Annalaura had to conserve what little strength she had to think of a way to keep John and Alex apart. “Aunt Becky, John gonna find out real soon ’bout the hired man.” Why was the old woman rambling about events long past when fresh disaster faced them all in a day’s time?
    “Five hundred dollars, he did.” Becky rocked on the bed.
    “I need help. I got to find me a way to get that gun away from John befo’ he…befo’ he kills Al…I can’t allow that.” Annalaura pinched down hard on her aunt’s arm. “But I can’t do nothin’ ’til these hurts leave me. Please get me some of yo’ herbs?”
    “Help you?” Becky patted Annalaura’s arm. “That’s what I’m tellin’ you, gal. Ben Roy gonna give us the buggy. I’m gonna find someplace to put you ’til the baby come. Someplace where yo’ John can’t find you. Alexander McNaughton neither.” Becky stood and walked to the door, where Lottie, Henry, and Doug snuggled under her warm wraps.
    Annalaura eased up in bed and struggled to dangle her feet over the edge of the mattress. She couldn’t let Becky take her children.
    “Not Mr. Ben Roy. Please don’t go to Hettie. Mr. Ben Roy could be there.” The pain in her ribs wrenched the breath out of her.
    Almost at the door, Rebecca turned back toward her.
    “Ain’t you heard nothin’ I said? Ben Roy ain’t gonna tell nobody a word, and he ain’t gonna start no white man’s ruckus either ’cause he knows what I know.” With quick steps Becky crossed the floor and sat down on the bed beside her niece. She slipped an arm around Annalaura’s shoulders and leaned her niece’s head against her