Moonshine Hollow

Chapter Eight

Dinner with Preacher Franklin went about how Miss Rose expected. He smiled pleasantly and asked way too many personal questions with a smile on his face. He made pleasant small talk with Mrs. Hudson and Harry until after dinner was cleared and dessert was on the table. He turned to Miss Rose.

"So, Miss Rose what exactly brings you to our town?"

Rose frowned into her cobbler. She resisted the urge to snap at the old man. She took a bite of her dessert to give herself a moment for composure, than demurely wiped at her mouth. "I'm just waiting for a train, sir."

Preacher Franklin nodded. "The trains in these here parts are not always the most reliable. Which is why there are not often people catching connections here. Where is the train taking you?"

Mrs. Hudson glanced at Rose and seemed to take her annoyance for shyness. She smiled at Preacher Franklin. "Miss Rose is traveling to see her extended family."

Preacher Franklin tried to catch Rose's eye, but she kept her eyes firmly on her plate. A demure, shy, young lady traveling to visit her family was something these people would expect. A preacher wouldn't be surprised a young woman traveling alone might be hesitant to reveal personal information to a stranger.

The preacher nodded sagely and placed a hand on the bible sitting next to his plate on the table. "Well, family is important. For God said 'Honor your father and mother and anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' Matthew 15:4 ." Preacher Franklin took a sip of his coffee.

Rose frowned, completely at a loss for how to respond to the Preacher's words. She looked up at the other boarders. They all seemed equally confused by the context of his bible passage.

Mrs. Hudson smiled and chuckled once nervously. "Of course Preacher Franklin, such wise words to share. Family is so important."

Preacher Franklin smiled at Mrs. Hudson, preening over her praise. He set down his coffee cup and turned to Miss Rose. "But I hear since you've been to our town you've been frequenting The Garrett's store up in Harken Hollow. Now I realize you are new to town, but The Garrett's is not a place a refined young lady like yourself should be. 'Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.' John 3:8."

"I'm sorry to interrupt Preacher Franklin," the teacher, Anna Ceary said, leaning around another boarder. "But I have only been in town for a few months and until Miss Rose came here I had never heard of the Garrett's. Who are the Garrett's?"

Preacher Franklin leaned back in his seat, pleased to have found an audience.

"The Garrett brothers are the worst thing to happen to Harken and Harken Hollow. They are violent scofflaws who bring the wrong sort of people to our town and they all congregate at their store up in the hollow."

Anna nodded, a small smile on her face as she tried in vain to disguise her interest. Rose recognized Anna from other meals, but had never spoken with her. The waifish teacher, was a bespeckled young woman who was rather plain and looked as though she should be ten years older than she actually was.

According to Mrs. Hudson, Anna Ceary had been hired to run the school and had been in Harken for several months now. In confidence Mrs. Hudson had said Mr. and Mrs. Ceary had agreed to sending their youngest daughter to the next town over in hopes of getting her married off, as she was already in her mid-twenties and had no prospects.

"They are violent men. Miss Rose would do well to stay as far away from them as possible. Otherwise she is likely to end up like their sister."

"Their sister?" Anna asked, not bothering to hide her curiosity anymore.

Preacher Franklin was too pleased with himself over having an attentive audience to worry about what was polite and proper. "Their sister was killed because of their behavior, and everyone in town knows Forrest murdered their daddy."

Mrs. Hudson coughed. "That was never proven," she hedged as she stood up and started bustling about the room, clearing plates and refilling coffees.

Preacher Franklin shook his head. "The sheriff didn't do his job, doesn't make that man any less guilty."

Miss Rose felt like the food had turned to ash in her mouth. She thought back to the strange disquiet she had felt in Forrest's presence. She had ignored her instincts before, talking herself out of seeing the warning signs and it had led to her current predicament. Had she talked herself into being comfortable around Forrest? She didn't think so. Hopefully she wouldn't have to worry about it anymore if she was able to catch her train in the morning.