Authors: Kate Benson
Beyond the Pine
Beyond the Pine
By
Kate Benson
COPYRIGHT © 2016 BY KATE BENSON ALL RIGHTS RESERVED NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR BY ANY INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OR THE AUTHOR, EXCEPT FOR THE USE OF BRIEF QUOTATIONS IN A BOOK REVIEW. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Editing and formatting by Chasing Sophie Publications ©
Also by Kate Benson
The Promise Series
The Promise
The Choice
The Secret
The Commitment
The Compromise
The Callie Leveaux Series
Escort
Savage
The Callie Leveaux Series Novella Boxset
Traitor
Ignite Series
Ignite
Smolder
This one, like so many others, is dedicated to my amazing husband, Sean.
Thank you for seeing my inner light when even I believed it was still too dim to shine.
I love you.
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb.”
Isaiah 11:6
Riley
As I step out into the crisp, autumn air, I inhale the scent of smoke billowing from the small chimneys in the homes surrounding mine. The slight crunch of freshly fallen leaves beneath my feet pulls a smile across my lips as I reach for the bucket beside my front door.
Tucking the handle between my fingers, I begin to hum a nameless song as I make my way to the well, greeting the few neighbors I see outside.
While it’s still dawn, we’re early risers here.
Our small, quaint community is one that relies on the hard work and dedication of others to continue running like the well-oiled machine it’s become over the years. It’s humble, just like the people who live here, but that’s one of the things I’ve always loved most about it.
“Good morning, Sister Rebecca,” I smile kindly to my neighbor, taking in the blue hue the low sun has set over her white apron. “How has Brother Josiah been feeling?”
“Good morning, Sister Riley,” she smiles in return, nodding her head slightly as she approaches. “He’s doing well. I’ll tell him you asked.”
“Thank you,” I reply softly, returning her nod. “I’ll be stopping in this afternoon after my chores. Is there anything you need for the infirmary?”
“We’re getting a little low on salve and blankets,” she admits, readjusting the basket she’s holding in the crook of her arm. Noticing my interest, she smiles and leans in slightly. “They’re banana, your favorite,” she smiles, lifting the white linen covering the muffins tucked away inside. “Would you like one? I made a few extra.”
“No, thank you,” I smile regretfully. “I need to get my feet moving before I’m late.”
“Ahh,” she nods, giving me a wink. “Well, I’ll make sure and put one back for you to enjoy this afternoon then.”
“Thank you,” I giggle, loving the sweetness in her expression as she pats my arm. “I’ll see what I can do about those blankets.”
“Thank you, Riley,” she nods. “Be blessed.”
“And you,” I nod, walking past her toward the well.
Once I’ve filled my bucket and greeted the few who I pass, I make my way toward the chapel.
This morning, beginning like so many before it, was a big one for me. Having just celebrated my eighteenth birthday, I’d finally been given my proper work assignment. While I’d expected to follow in my mother’s footsteps, working in the infirmary with Rebecca, I’d been surprised when I’d been selected to become the new assistant to the Reverend himself.
The coveted position was one everyone hoped for, but few were thought to have the honor of receiving. Although my family hadn’t been a part of this community as long as some, I’d spent my whole life here, having been born within the very walls I’d called home my whole life. I’d spent my early years in the infirmary and always expected to become a nurse, same as my mother before me.
Finding out the Reverend believed I was capable of more wasn’t just a surprise to me, but to most people here at the farm.
Checking my hair in the reflection of the window, I brush a loose tendril away, silently cursing my own vanity as I gently press the entry door.
“Reverend Tucker?” I call out quietly.
Bending slightly in front of the massive, wooden cross covering the far wall, I whisper a silent prayer. Returning to a stand, I light a candle for my mother and smile to myself before moving toward the tall office door to the right of the pulpit.
Finding the door ajar, I gently tap on the heavy wood, waiting for his summons.
“Come on in,” he calls out quietly, the thick Southern accent in his voice stained with a pleasant smile.
“Good morning, Reverend,” I say quietly, a soft smile spreading over my lips as I take in the top of his head, still hung low as he busies himself with paperwork.
“Good morning, Sister Riley,” he says, still concentrating on his work as I make my way to the edge of the wooden desk he sits behind. “Please, have a seat,” he gestures, finally facing me with a smile. “I’ll be with you shortly.”
“Yes sir,” I nod, smoothing my hands over my newly pressed apron before taking a seat in the heavy, leather covered chair facing his desk.
I remain silent, slowly taking in his pristine office. I’d only seen this room twice before. Once, when I received my placement counsel and before that, the morning my mother passed. Neither time had I been in a wondering mindset, but as I search the room now, I’m filled with curious calm.
The massive, hand-carved desk he’s sitting behind is littered with papers, but there’s order there as his eyes scour the pages strewn out before him. I allow my eyes a moment to roam the walls, smiling to myself as I take in the hand-stitched Bible verses, likely gifts from the wives of the elders, framed and hanging on the walls surrounding us. I’m in the middle of reading one when his voice breaks my thoughts.
“Do you have a favorite?” he asks, pulling my eyes back to where he’s now watching me with interest.
“I have many,” I admit, a light blush staining my cheeks. “I think the one I go back to the most, though, is ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“Luke 10:27,” he smiles, giving me a nod of approval. “Very wise words that are no doubt the embodiment of this amazing community we’re so blessed to be a part of. Much like 1 Corinthians 15:58. Are you familiar?”
“Of course,” I smile, eager to recite it for him, prove my place. “‘Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.’”
“Amen,” he says with pride, beaming wider. “That’s right, Riley. And our labor for the Lord has just begun for the day. Shall we get started?”
“Please,” I nod, moving to stand with him. “Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to work so closely with you, Reverend. I’m very excited about my placement.”
“I think it’s a great fit,” he nods, pulling the door open for me and allowing me to walk through ahead of him. “You were blessed to have found your truth, your light very early on. Your mother, God rest her weary soul, was a wonderful woman. One of the finest nurses our community has ever seen,” he continues, lighting a candle of his own before facing me. “I knew you’d be a blessing no matter where I assigned you, but your light is one that’s very open, very calm and nurturing. That’s exactly what I need to integrate into my sermons, into the leadership of this great community. A woman’s touch, but with the same principles my father and his father before him breathed into our crusade.”
As he speaks, he stands, taking in the beautifully worn building with reverence and pride. The high wooden beams tower over us, the draft coming in from the aged walls seeping in as the colored light drifts over the pews, lighting the space in the most beautiful way. Smiling to himself, he shakes his head clear and faces me.
“I believe that’s why you’ve been chosen to assist me. There’s a lot to be said for breathing new life into an already beautiful machine. For so many years, this church has had strong men of God herding the flock, but a God-fearing, woman’s touch? That’s something we’ve not had for too long. I’d hoped my Rachel’s health would improve so she could...” he trails off, smiling sadly at the mention of his ill wife before glancing down at me. “But our Lord works in mysterious ways, Riley. I trust Him to take this congregation in the right direction and He chose you to assist me in the next leg of our journey.”
“Thank you, Reverend,” I say earnestly. “That means a great deal to me.”
“I know,” he smiles, patting my shoulder affectionately. “Shall we get started?”
We spend the day within the church, Reverend Tucker showing me the ropes, so to speak. In addition to being the leader of our humble flock, the Reverend is in charge of everything that comes in and out of this place. Since I’ll be helping him, my assignment is a vital one to the inner workings of the place we call home.
I’m taught about the book keeping and the general way things are run. Although I’d always known the Reverend was a very busy man, there’s no way I could have prepared myself for how much he actually is responsible for here.
I’m looking over the requests of the men on the east end of the farm when a bright light from the window pulls my attention, making me smile to myself.
As the sun begins to slowly descend behind the tall pine trees surrounding our land, I glance up from my work and allow my eyes to trail off. I’m taking in the orange-blue haze setting over the Earth when his low, gentle voice breaks through.
“Penny for your thoughts?” he asks, the smile playing on his lips causing me to join in.
“The sun is setting,” I answer, blushing slightly at the thought of having been caught daydreaming. “Sunrise and sunset have always been my favorite times of day.”
“And why is that?” he asks, still smirking at my wonder as he leans forward on his desk, studying me.
“Sunrise is God’s way of giving us a new beginning,” I start, pulling a nod from him. “And sunset is His way of saying He’s blessed us with another night full of dreams, near those who make each day worth smiling over.”
“You know, I’ve never thought of it like that,” he admits, his gaze taking on an indescribable look before it returns to mine. “I like it, though.”
“Thank you, Reverend.”
“And you’re right,” he smiles, closing his logbook and setting it into a drawer, reaching for mine to add with it. “Tomorrow is a new beginning and we can put our name on this day, proud of the holy work we’ve done at His will,” he nods. “Go on home for today. We start again bright and early tomorrow. The east end needs us to be in the field tomorrow with prayer for our crops,” he continues, his face growing serious. “It will be a long, but very rewarding day. You’ll need your rest.”