Rain Lily

Rain Lily is a 1993 historical romance novel set in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War in Arkansas. Published by HarperCollins, the book was written by Candace Camp, a Texas native who briefly worked as a teacher in Eureka Springs (Carroll County) before moving to North Carolina, where she published her first novel in 1978.

Set in 1869, Rain Lily centers upon Maggie Tyrrell Whitcomb, who lives on a farm near a community called Pine Creek with eleven-year-old son Ty and husband Will, a former Confederate soldier whose brain was damaged by shrapnel at the Battle of Pea Ridge; he now “looked upon his son as an older brother and his wife as a mother.” One night, during a storm, a stranger named Reid Prescott arrives at her home, “the most handsome man she had ever seen” with a mouth “bracketed by deep lines of experience.” Reid is taken by Maggie’s “exotic, untamed appearance” but intends only to stay the night in the barn before moving on. Reid does a few chores in the morning and ends up staying on after Maggie comes down with “the grippe” (influenza) and cannot take care of the family for a few days. Reid quickly bonds with Ty, helping him with his studies, and Maggie asks Reid to stay on longer and help with the work in exchange for room and board. He starts to become a father figure to both Ty and Will, and he and Maggie are both conflicted by their growing attraction to each other.

Living nearby on the family farm are Maggie’s mother Josephine and brother Gideon. Gideon is secretly in love with Tess, the widow of his brother Shelby, who died in the war. Tess and her mother and daughter live in the luxurious family home that is all that remains of their estate from antebellum days. Benton Conway, a local businessman and much-despised scalawag, offers to buy it from Tess, adding that he would let her family continue to live there provided she become his mistress, but she refuses, and consequently he arranges for her property taxes to be increased beyond her ability to pay. Benton is also despised for having married Linette Sanders, who had been the fiancée of Maggie’s brother Hunter before the war, but who married Benton after Hunter was mistakenly reported killed (he was actually a prisoner of war). After Hunter learned this, he moved to Texas, taking odd jobs on various ranches. Tess tells Gideon of Benton’s proposal, and lacking options to help Tess, Gideon relays the information to Linette, who promises to help in some way.

After Ty breaks his arm and Reid sets it skillfully, he reveals that he used to be a doctor but that serving in the war drove him from medicine: “I was committed to saving lives. Yet there I was in those charnel houses, serving in an army committed to killing.” After the war, returning to Savannah, Georgia, he discovered that his wife and daughter had died. Maggie finds her thoughts turning to Reid more and more, especially after he confesses his own desire for her, but after they finally consummate their passion in the barn one evening, Maggie feels particularly guilty, saying of Will, “He’s still my husband; I’ve pledged myself to him for better or worse,” and she makes Reid promise not to pursue her further. However, when Gideon takes Tess to Little Rock (Pulaski County) to sell some of her jewelry, he offers to bring along Ty and Will, and while they are gone, Maggie and Reid once again succumb to their love for each other. One morning after, Reid is swimming with Ty and Will and saves Will from drowning, and realizing that the path toward marrying Maggie would have been open had he let Will die, he decides he has to leave. However, Ty is distraught at Reid’s departure and blames his mother.

At Linette’s suggestion, Tess attends the next meeting of the Ladies Guild and presents them with the deed for her house to use as the local library. Reid returns to Savannah but writes letters to Ty and Will. Shortly before Christmas, Ty and Will are out walking when a razorback hog attacks them both, killing Will. At the opening of the library, Benton attempts to rape Tess; Gideon intervenes, but Tess warns him that they cannot accuse him given his ties to the Unionist government. As she is recovering, they confess their love for each other. Meanwhile, Maggie finds that “her love for Reid burned as strong and fiery as ever.” Hunter returns one day with plans to help around the farm. Maggie confesses her infidelity, and he reassures her that she was kind and loving to Will in his changed state, “And Will didn’t know about Prescott. He wasn’t hurt by what you did.” At Tess and Gideon’s wedding, Maggie realizes “that love could never be a sin,” and just as she determines to write Reid a letter confessing her feelings, he shows up at the church. He tells her that he is practicing medicine again and plans to establish a practice in Pine Creek, and the book ends with Reid proposing and Maggie accepting.

Publishers Weekly wrote of Rain Lily: “Though the resolution is self-evident, the journey is entertaining.” Rain Lily was followed in 1994 by Flame Lily, which focuses upon Hunter and Linette.

For additional information:
Camp, Candace. Rain Lily. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.

Review of Rain Lily. Publishers Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780061080289 (accessed December 6, 2024).

Staff of the CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas