The High Calling Read online

“You have a piece of paper and a pen?”

  “No, but I reckon we can get one someplace.”

  This was invitation enough for Brodie. He had learned to read young women exceptionally well and grinned broadly. “All right. But first I’ve gotta go back and check over the plane. What’s your name?”

  “Roxy Gentry.”

  “All right, Roxy. Why don’t you go powder your nose or something and meet me back here in, oh, say half an hour.”

  “I’ll be waiting.” She turned and walked away, her hips swaying provocatively.

  “There’s always one at every show,” he told himself. “I wonder why that is.”

  Brodie turned to go, but as he did, he noticed a tall young woman who had been standing off to one side. Another one, he thought, but this one looks even better. He went over toward her.

  “Hello,” she greeted. “That was quite a show.”

  “Thanks. My mechanic thought I was crazy to fly under that wire, but I wanted to give you pretty ladies a good show.”

  “That was something, all right.”

  Brodie made one of those instant decisions for which he was famous. He mentally cast Roxy aside and said, “How about you and I go have a bite to eat?”

  “We can’t do that.”

  He moved closer to her and saw that her complexion was the smoothest he’d ever seen. A summer darkness shaded it, and there was a freshness about her. “Why not?”

  “Roxy will be back.”

  “Oh, well, she’ll find somebody else soon enough.” He liked the way this woman’s eyes met his directly.

  He was surprised when the woman smiled broadly and then shook her head. “You haven’t changed, Brodie. Still trading off one woman for another.”

  He searched his memory frantically, but he could not remember ever meeting this woman. “I wouldn’t do a thing like that,” he protested weakly.

  “Glad to hear you’ve changed your ways. Now you’d better wait for Roxy.”

  If anything pleased Brodie Lee, it was a challenge. He saw that this woman was different in every way from Roxy. There was a liveliness about her that he liked instantly. Besides, she was prettier than Roxy. She had class!

  “What’s your name?”

  “You don’t remember?”

  “I know I ought to. When was it we met?”

  At that moment Roxy, who had turned around and seen what was happening, came back at once. “You through with your airplane?” she asked brightly and took his arm in a possessive manner. She glared at the tall young woman and then tugged at him. “Let’s go.”

  “Better hang on to him, Roxy,” the tall girl said with a smile. “He’s slippery.”

  “Why would you say a thing like that?” Brodie said. He was desperately trying to remember where he had seen this young woman, but nothing came.

  “If you lose him, you can always identify him by his birthmark, Roxy.”

  “His birthmark!” Roxy glared at her. “Where’s that?”

  “Oh, it’s on his back—just above his waist on the right side. It’s shaped like a fish. You can’t miss it.”

  “And how do you know that?” Roxy snapped.

  Brodie’s jaw had dropped open, and for once in his life he could not think of a single thing to say. Obviously this woman did know that intimate fact about his anatomy!

  “You ought to be ashamed to know a thing like that!” Roxy declared. “Come on, Brodie!”

  “We’re old friends,” Kat said. She laughed at Brodie’s expression as Roxy hauled him away. “Bye-bye, Brodie,” she called. “Good to see you again!”

  ****

  It was late afternoon before Kat made her way toward the agricultural building to check on Hercules. A man stepped in front of her and she stopped abruptly. “Well, it’s Mr. Brodie Lee, the famous aviator.”

  Brodie wore a puzzled look. “Hey, I’ve been looking all over the fair for you.”

  “What did you do with Roxy?”

  “Never mind her. How did you know about my birthmark? Where did we meet?”

  “You can’t even remember an old friend who would know a thing like that? You must have a real bad memory.”

  Kat turned to leave, but Brodie grabbed her arm. “Wait a minute. We’ve gotta settle this.”

  “Is this here bozo annoying you, Kat?”

  Brodie whirled to see a lanky man dressed in overalls and wearing a white broad-brimmed straw hat. Brodie suddenly let out a yelp. “Clint Longstreet, you son of a gun!” He grabbed the other man by the hand, and Kat stood back and watched the two beat themselves on the shoulders.

  “How in the blue-eyed world did you find Kat in all this commotion?”

  “Oh, he didn’t have any trouble finding me,” Kat said. “The trouble is he didn’t know me when he found me. By the way, Brodie, how did you and Roxy make out?”

  Brodie flushed and shook his head. Clint was amused to note that Brodie looked tremendously embarrassed. Clint had always been fond of the younger man. The two had become fishing and hunting partners after Clint had moved to Georgia with the Winslow family. Despite their ten-year age difference, they had always enjoyed each other’s company. “What’s wrong with you, Brodie? You act like you just swallowed a cocklebur.”

  Kat was finding the whole situation vastly amusing. “He’s ashamed because I caught him dumping a girl—the same way he dumped me once.”

  “I never did any such thing!” Brodie protested.

  “Yes you did. You just don’t remember.”

  “What are you up to these days, Brodie?” Clint asked.

  “I’ve been doing some crop dusting up in our old stomping grounds. I do some stunt flyin’ on the side, which is why I’m down here in Macon for the fair.”

  “Next time you’ve got a couple hours to spare, you should drop by the farm. Maybe we can go huntin’ or fishin’.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Well, I’ve got to get back to the hotel and help Hannah with the girls,” Clint said. He and Hannah had two girls who were the pride and joy of his life.

  As Clint moved away, Brodie said, “I never dumped you, Kat!”

  “Yes you did. You were going to take me fishing over at Eleven Point River, but you stood me up.”

  “Oh, that . . . well, I-I think I got sick or somethin’.”

  “No,” Kat said coolly. “You got Margie Hunt. You left me in the lurch and took her instead. I waited for you all day, but you never came.”

  Brodie shuffled his feet and ran his hand through his thick red hair. “I don’t seem to remember that.”

  “I do. Margie told all of us girls about it. She told everything the next day at softball practice.”

  Brodie was a voluble young man never lacking in words. But Kat’s gray-green eyes somehow made him feel tongue-tied. “Well, I was a pretty thoughtless fellow in those days.”

  “And still are—as Roxy would probably say.”

  “Will you forget about Roxy!” he declared, throwing his hands wide apart. “Kat, I’m really sorry. I don’t even remember that day, but it was the wrong thing to do. I do remember how much fun we had going fishin’ and huntin’ with Clint and Josh.”

  “It’s all right. I got my feelings hurt, but I was only a freshman, and Margie was a senior—and a cheerleader.”

  “I wonder what ever happened to her.”

  “She moved away two years ago with her husband. He’s in the army.”

  “Look,” he said. “I’ll have to make this up to you. How about I take you up for a flight?”

  “No. I’m afraid of heights. Besides, I never let the same man break my heart twice.” Her words might have been harsh, but her smile was warm. “Don’t worry about it. It’s all right.”

  “Come on, you’ve got to give me a chance. How about we go out tonight? Just get a meal and talk about old times.”

  Kat hesitated, then smiled. “All right, Brodie. That would be nice.”

  ****

  “I enjoyed the movie,”
Kat said as Brodie brought the car to a stop in front of the Royal Hotel. “Good night.”

  “Wait a minute! Don’t say good-night yet.”

  Kat felt his hand on her arm and smiled at him. “I think it’s time we call it a night. Surely there couldn’t be anything else left to say.”

  It had indeed been a full night. Brodie had taken her to see the latest Humphrey Bogart film that everyone had been talking about. After the movie, they had driven around in the car Brodie had borrowed from his mechanic and talked about old times. Brodie had apologized several times throughout the evening for not recognizing Kat at first, but he had explained that she had undergone quite a transformation from her younger years.

  Brodie, four years older than Kat, had grown up on a farm not far from the Winslows. After graduating from high school, he had left for the oil fields of Oklahoma, which broke the hearts of several young women. He took flying lessons while he worked in the oil industry and eventually became a crop duster. That led to an interest in being a stunt pilot, and before long he was performing all over the States.

  He leaned back against the seat. “You know, I’ve thought so many times about the good times we had—you and Josh and Clint and me.”

  “Those were good days. I had the worst crush on you that anybody could ever imagine.”

  “I never knew it.”

  “Why, it would have been strange if you had. But I got over it. Girls get over things like that.”

  “You remember the time we went coon huntin’, the four of us, and you fell in the river? I had to pull you out.”

  “Yes. I nearly froze to death. That must have been in the middle of winter.”

  The two recalled other adventures they’d had along the river, and then Brodie changed the subject. “You’ve never married, huh?”

  “No. Not yet. I’m only twenty, remember?” she teased.

  “Ever been engaged?”

  “No. Not that either.”

  “Why is that? I would think you’d have lots of guys interested in you.”

  Kat thought for a moment. She was always truthful, speaking exactly what she thought. “You were the only one I ever loved.”

  Her honesty shook Brodie, and he reached out and touched her cheek. “I never knew that.”

  “Why, I was fourteen with a bad complexion—and you were the star quarterback of the football team. Oh, how I hated all those girls you went with!”

  He suddenly reached out and pulled her toward him. She did not resist, but after a brief kiss, she pushed him back. He tried to kiss her again, but she said quickly, “I’m not Roxy. You should know that, Brodie.”

  He released her at once. “I don’t know you. All I can think of is that little girl, that scrawny kid. But she’s gone and here you are.” He studied her for a moment and then asked, “What are you going to do with yourself? What’s your dream?”

  “What’s yours?”

  “I asked you first.”

  “I want to do whatever God has planned for me.”

  He suddenly felt uncomfortable. “Well, that’s a right good dream.”

  “What about you, Brodie?”

  “Guess I just want to be the best flier in the whole world.”

  “But that won’t last. Things like that have to end. What then?”

  He shook his head. “I never think that far ahead.”

  “I’ve got to go in.” Kat smiled and squeezed his shoulder. “I had a nice time tonight.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “You’d better find Roxy. You’ll have no luck with me.”

  “Roxy? Not a chance.” He got out quickly and walked her to the door. She smiled at him and then went into the hotel without saying more. As Brodie walked back to the car, he was surprised at his own feelings. He had known many women, but he’d never met one like her before. She sure did grow up nice!

  CHAPTER TWO

  State Fair

  As Kat led Hercules through the wide doors that opened into the arena, she wanted to turn and run. The feeling was so strong she had to grit her teeth and force herself to look at the stands that surrounded the large arena. She had been here twice before but always as a spectator. Now the colors of the crowd made a kaleidoscope before her that seemed to whirl, and she closed her eyes while taking two steps. When she opened them again she had a grip on herself, and she whispered, “Hercules, don’t let them bother you. They’re just people.”

  Indeed, they were just people, but there were a great many of them! The arena was full of thousands of faceless people. Kat focused on the section where her family sat—and there they were, all but her sister Jenny, who was away at medical school. Her father, anchoring one end of the row, was waving frantically at her. Two of the triplets sat between him and Missouri Ann, with the third on her lap as she smiled broadly at Kat. Clint and his wife, Hannah, sat on either side of their two children.

  Kat’s only brother, Joshua, sat with his wife, Kefira. He let out a yell that Kat could easily identify—the one he always gave when he was hot on the trail of a coon. The sound rose above the crowd and made the judges turn and frown. Kat was glad they would not know which of the contestants had such fervent support.

  Around the ring they went, Hercules and Kat being fourth in a line of steers led by their owners. She held her head high and smiled at the crowd, although now that the moment had come, she wasn’t sure she had much hope of winning. She had lovingly raised Hercules from the time he was a spindly-legged newborn until now, three years later, he was the epitome of what a Black Angus bull should be. He moved ponderously beside her, muscles waving like water under his black hide. She put her hand on his silky neck and whispered, “Even if we don’t win, you’re still the best, Herc.” She felt the working of the mighty muscles, and Hercules nodded up and down as if he understood what she was saying.

  An aide helped the contestants line up, and Kat stood in her place, offering a morsel of apple to Hercules. She glanced up at her family in the stands and then down the line at the judge who had started scrutinizing the animals on her left. Kat looked closely at the three other bulls that came before Hercules, trying to see their faults, but they suddenly seemed to have none.

  She studied the face of the judge, a man with sandy hair and a sour expression that looked as though he had just bitten into a lemon. He moved slowly around each animal, running his hand along its back and sides, pulling the mouth open to look at the teeth. Kat had never seen such a thorough judge, and her heart sank. Surely there would be some fault in Hercules that she was too prejudiced to see.

  Finally the man stood before her, and Kat met his icy blue eyes. Judges usually smiled and said something encouraging to the contestants concerning their entry, but this man’s lips were sealed up tight. Without a word, he scrutinized Hercules, who ignored him totally. Kat held her breath, preparing for a long and thorough examination, but after the judge had circled Hercules once and run his hand along the animal’s back, he turned and went on to the next entry.

  Kat sighed with disappointment. He didn’t even look closely at him. She put her hand on Hercules’ neck and fed him another slice of apple. “Don’t you mind, Herc,” she whispered so faintly no one could hear. “He just doesn’t know what he’s doing.” A keen sense of humiliation kept her from looking up at the stands, and although she was not usually given to tears, they rose involuntarily to her eyes. She blinked hard to get rid of them, still keeping her eyes from the stands. All this time and trouble she had gone to, only to be cast aside without a second look! Kat was surprised to realize she was actually angry—so much so that she almost wanted to strangle that cold-eyed judge!

  The time seemed to stretch on forever as the judge moved down the line, and Kat noticed that he spent a considerable amount of time with each entry. She stood stiffly, fighting off the tears and wishing she could simply walk away and escape the focus of all the spectators. Finally she looked up and saw a tall man standing alone at the edge of the ring. His eyes were fas
tened on her. He had a thin, wedge-shaped face that appeared almost aristocratic. His light brown hair was brushed carefully back from his face and had a slight curl in it, she noticed. Then she saw in his expression what she felt was pity. Unable to bear this, she lowered her head and stared down at the ground in front of her.

  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she was aware that something was happening. Lifting her head cautiously, she turned to her right and saw that the sour-faced judge was walking down the entire line of animals. She straightened and lifted her head and faced him proudly. He’s not going to see how hurt I am! When he was right in front of her, he turned abruptly, and as he did, a smattering of applause broke out, which Kat could not understand. Then the judge’s thin lips turned up at the edges, and he stepped forward.

  “You have the finest animal I have ever seen in thirty years of judging, Miss Winslow.”

  Kat could not believe her ears, nor did she realize what he was handing to her. She took it almost blindly, then recognized that it was a blue ribbon!

  She couldn’t stop the tears then, and she felt the judge pat her shoulder and say, “Congratulations. You’ve done a fine job.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered, blinking back the tears and looking around as the arena filled with applause. She stood quietly while the judge presented the second- and third-place awards but then could wait no longer. She turned and threw her arms around the neck of the huge steer. “Oh, Hercules, you did it!” she cried. “You’re the best in the world!”

  Then before she knew it, her father was hugging her, followed by Missouri Ann and the rest of her family. Hannah’s girls were pulling at her, and a photographer blinded her with a flashbulb.

  “You’re going to be a pretty sight squalling like that,” Clint whispered. But he slipped his arm around her and handed her a handkerchief. “Wipe your face, and we’ll make them get a better shot.”

  Kat wiped her face with the handkerchief, and then she turned and faced the photographer, holding her head high. The photographer waved her family off to one side and took another shot as she beamed into the flash, her hand possessively on Hercules’ muscular neck.