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church or nothing.”
    Copper covered one of Tillie’s hands with her own. “Do you love the Lord?”
    â€œOh yes, ma’am—with all my heart. My mommy taught me about Jesus.”
    â€œIt sounds to me like God meant you, then. It says ‘to them that love God.’ The Word of God never fails.” Copper stood and laid her Bible on the chair seat. “Let’s get you back in the shade. I believe the baby has had enough sun.”
    Tillie looked contemplative as she arranged the blanket around the baby. “How long do ye reckon before I could take Abe Jr. to church? I’d like to think I raised my son to have that promise for his own self.”
    Copper felt a tingle walk her spine, which always happened when she sensed the Holy Spirit moving. She couldn’t wait to tell John what had just happened. “I’d say wait about three months to take the baby out. By then he’ll have good protection against sickness, and you’ll be stronger too. In the meantime, Brother Jasper could visit you and Abe at home if you would like.”
    Tillie sipped from the teacup that Remy had brought out earlier. “I would like that. I heard him praying for me the night I flooded so bad. The room got so dark I thought I could see the stars. I was swirling down a dark river; then I heard Brother Jasper calling me back to my baby.” Her eyes spurted tears. “I was so scared. I thought I was about to die.”
    â€œLord love your heart. That was a frightening time for all of us.”
    The screen door creaked. Copper had been so intent on Tillie that Manda was nearly inside the house before she noticed the girl had come up on the porch. Manda was carrying her shoes, and she ducked when she caught Copper looking.
    Just as Copper opened her mouth in question, the children straggled across the yard. Jack was covered in mud, and the twins’ dress tails were wet. Lilly Gray was mad. Copper could tell by the set of her fists on her nearly nonexistent hips.
    â€œMama,” Lilly said, “your children do not mind very well.”
    â€œObviously.” Copper herded Jack to the end of the porch and stripped off his pants and shirt. She’d have to scrape the mud off his clothes with a butter knife. Oh, well, boys will be boys. “Stand still,” she said while watching a horse and rider draw up in the yard.
    â€œMiz Pelfrey,” a neighbor called from horseback, “can you come? It’s Mary’s time.”

5
    Mary Randall was made for birthing babies, Copper decided as she held a squirming newborn upside down and smacked her round bottom. The infant squalled in protest, quickly turning from blue to pink. “Mary, she’s a beauty. Have you picked out a name?”
    â€œPrude, I’m thinking,” Mary said as Copper secured the umbilical string in two places, then cut between the ties.
    Copper bit her tongue. What a name to settle on a baby, she thought. With one more push, Mary delivered the afterbirth. All of a piece, Copper saw. Tillie Sizemore’s had come out tattered. A retained piece of placenta was why she’d nearly bled to death. A million and one things could go wrong at a birthing, but this one was perfect—except for the baby’s name. Folks often lived up to their forename, so what would become of little Prude?
    Copper wrapped the wee one in a warmed receiving blanket and placed her on Mary’s chest. “Are you naming her for someone special?”
    â€œMy ma, God rest her soul. Everybody called her Prude.” Mary unwrapped the swaddling and counted ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. “I sure wish she was here to see her namesake.”
    â€œDid your mother have a middle name?” Copper asked while she helped the baby to suckle.
    Mary grimaced when the baby clamped on. “Merry. With two r ’s, like ‘happy.’ Prudence Merry was her Christian name.
    With one fingertip Copper