Rud and the Damsel

Chapter 24 - The Doves

Bessie and the girls were visiting with Rud and Patience in the valley, and early afternoon ominous-looking clouds started rolling in from the direction of Bessie's house. Rud told Billy to feed and brush Bessie's horses and put them in the shed with the mule. Assuming Alice would be there too, Rud told Alice not to go into the shed and to let Billy put the horses away. It would be too tight in there for both of them, and he did not want her to get hurt.

Rud looked at Billy, who said, "I will keep her safe." Rud asked Alice to check if the hens had laid any eggs. Rud thought for a moment, realized Billy and Alice were going to be together no matter what, and said, "Alice, you figure it out." Bessie said, "Well, I guess we are staying the night."

Bessie knew it was for the best. They had no business being out in what looked like a nasty storm. Bessie, Martha, and Alice took the big bed. Billy had his top bunk, Patience slept in Rud's bunk, and Rud was back on the tattered old rug. The next morning Rud woke and looked over at Patience, who was awake and looking back at him.

Rud noticed something strange in the top bunk. It was Billy's face, but it was covered with long, light brown hair and what looked like a ribbon. Patience noticed Rud's expression change and could see him looking oddly at the top bunk. She leaned out and looked up, then settled back with a look of exasperation. She mouthed the name "Alice" and rolled back over.

Rud was thinking all hell was about to break loose when Bessie saw what was going on. About that time, Bessie yelled, "Alice!" Rud thought, "Here it comes." Alice's angel face, with hair everywhere, appeared from behind Billy's and responded, "Yes?" Billy's eyes were open now, but he wasn't quite awake yet. Bessie followed with, "Why do you even bother first lying down in your bed?" Alice's sweet sleepy voice came back, "I don't know."

Rud, as usual, had no idea what was going on, but he got up, grabbed his shirt and coat, and motioned for Billy to get up and come outside so the ladies could get dressed. Billy sat up, dislodging Alice, who was snuggled tightly behind him. As Billy closed the door, Rud heard Martha say, "Were you sleeping next to Billy again?" There was a lot of laughing and giggling inside the cabin, and Rud heard Alice say something like, "Why not? We aren't doing anything wrong, and he promised!"

Rud and Billy waited outside. Rud was confused but let Billy stand there for a little while, thinking Billy was trying to come up with an excuse why Alice was in his bed. Rud finally asked, "Alice slept with you in your bed?" Rud expected to see Billy squirm, but Billy looked at him as if nothing had happened and said, "Yes, she usually sleeps next to me when I am over at Bessie's." Rud was surprised, but decided to leave it be for now. Rud asked Billy about Alice's hair covering his face, and Billy responded, "She throws her hair over my face on purpose. But I like it when she does."

Billy explained that Alice's favorite game was "What Billy liked," and she would ask a hundred questions as they walked.  Questions like, "Do you like that flower, do you like that tree or the way the clouds look as they come over the mountains?" On one of their first walks, she had asked Billy what his favorite thing about her was, and he had told her he really liked her hair.

Alice did have beautiful hair. It was long and thick and was a bit wild looking without the ribbons she would use to tie her hair back. So when Alice slept next to him, she would flip her hair onto his face. It started as a playful thing, but when Billy told her he liked it, she kept doing it.

Once the ladies were dressed Patience and Martha cooked breakfast. Then Bessie said she needed to get home to take care of her animals, so Rud told Billy to get Bessie's horses out and hitch up the wagon. He again told Alice to stay out of the shed and to let Billy get the horses. As soon as Billy and Alice left, Rud looked at Bessie and said, "Again?" Bessie replied, "Yes, again."