toward one of the canvas tent cabins that dotted the area. “Can I trust you to do that?”
Jocelyn was the first to nod. “Yes ma’am. Thank you.” She reached behind her sisters and nudged each of them in the back.
“Yes ma’am,” Jaya said.
Vivian felt herself grimace. Jocelyn reminded her of Ida. Always doing the right thing and expecting it of others. Another reminder that not going to Ida for a job had been the right choice. Vivian was destined to be a disappointment, and there was too much at stake to see it in Ida’s eyes every day.
“Yeth ma’am.” Julia’s pigtails danced. “Thank you.”
Vivian followed Nell’s lead and waved as the girls scrambled toward their shanty like cats after a mouse.
“I need to ask Doc Susie about Julia’s speech impediment.” Nell turned away from the girls, toward the sound of a running creek. “Having just come from medical school, our woman doctor may know of new treatments or exercises that could help.”
Nell stopped outside a mud-chinked log cabin nestled in a clump of oak trees.
“Miss Nell.” The voice sounded flat. A woman whose face bore lines far beyond her years peered out from an open flap window. “You brought someone with you?”
“My sister, Vivian.”
“Welcome. Please come in.”
Nell opened the door and they stepped inside. The one-room cabin was sparse but clean, with only a rocker, a straight-back chair, a crate table, and a rope-bed in the living area. Eleanor stood at the simple table, wringing her hands.
“You don’t look well. Should I find Doc Susie?” Nell asked.
The widow shook her head, her lips pressed.
“Perhaps a gift will cheer you up, then.” Nell held the package out to her. “I brought you something.”
Eleanor stared back with watering eyes.
“For the baby,” Nell said.
A tear trickled down the widow’s ashen cheek. Vivian understood warring emotions, and it was obvious Eleanor was waging an epic battle.
“Let’s sit down.” Nell pulled out a chair and waited for Eleanor to ease herself into it. The girl’s belly was so round, it was hard to believe she had another month until the baby’s birth. When they were all seated, Nell slid the package across the table to Eleanor.
Her fingers trembling, Eleanor dragged the strings off the wrapping and laid it open. She stared at the blanket. “You need to keep it.”
Nell looked at Vivian first, her brow furrowed, then at the widow. “I don’t understand. You don’t like the blanket? I knitted it special for your little one.”
“I’m going to wed.”
Nell tapped her thumbs. “You’re getting married?”
Eleanor nodded and pulled a telegram from the pocket on her apron. “I knew Douglas in Philadelphia. Our families lived in the same neighborhood. He heard about Lars’s death and has asked me to marry him.”
Nell was the Sinclair family romantic, so why wasn’t she offering the woman her well-wishes? Instead, a frown dulled the freckles bridging her nose. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
Eleanor tucked a thread of brown hair behind her ear. “This is what’s best. Douglas will wire the money for my trip home.” She stared at the gift. “The baby won’t be going with me.”
Nell gasped. “What? You can’t mean that. A baby is a gift from God. It’s your baby … a part of the husband you loved and lost.”
Eleanor sniffled and folded her hands. “I can’t stay here alone. I can’t work with a baby to care for.” She drew in a quick breath. “I need to marry, and—”
“He doesn’t want the baby?” Heat burned Vivian’s ears.
Eleanor shook her head. “Douglas is a good man. I know he’ll treat me well.” She drew in a deep breath. “I must do what is right for all of us.”
Nell groaned and covered her mouth with a trembling hand. Vivian swallowed against a lump of emotion in her own throat. It wasn’t hard to imagine Nell’s confusion. Not only had God chosen to give Eleanor and not Nell a
Jocelyn was the first to nod. “Yes ma’am. Thank you.” She reached behind her sisters and nudged each of them in the back.
“Yes ma’am,” Jaya said.
Vivian felt herself grimace. Jocelyn reminded her of Ida. Always doing the right thing and expecting it of others. Another reminder that not going to Ida for a job had been the right choice. Vivian was destined to be a disappointment, and there was too much at stake to see it in Ida’s eyes every day.
“Yeth ma’am.” Julia’s pigtails danced. “Thank you.”
Vivian followed Nell’s lead and waved as the girls scrambled toward their shanty like cats after a mouse.
“I need to ask Doc Susie about Julia’s speech impediment.” Nell turned away from the girls, toward the sound of a running creek. “Having just come from medical school, our woman doctor may know of new treatments or exercises that could help.”
Nell stopped outside a mud-chinked log cabin nestled in a clump of oak trees.
“Miss Nell.” The voice sounded flat. A woman whose face bore lines far beyond her years peered out from an open flap window. “You brought someone with you?”
“My sister, Vivian.”
“Welcome. Please come in.”
Nell opened the door and they stepped inside. The one-room cabin was sparse but clean, with only a rocker, a straight-back chair, a crate table, and a rope-bed in the living area. Eleanor stood at the simple table, wringing her hands.
“You don’t look well. Should I find Doc Susie?” Nell asked.
The widow shook her head, her lips pressed.
“Perhaps a gift will cheer you up, then.” Nell held the package out to her. “I brought you something.”
Eleanor stared back with watering eyes.
“For the baby,” Nell said.
A tear trickled down the widow’s ashen cheek. Vivian understood warring emotions, and it was obvious Eleanor was waging an epic battle.
“Let’s sit down.” Nell pulled out a chair and waited for Eleanor to ease herself into it. The girl’s belly was so round, it was hard to believe she had another month until the baby’s birth. When they were all seated, Nell slid the package across the table to Eleanor.
Her fingers trembling, Eleanor dragged the strings off the wrapping and laid it open. She stared at the blanket. “You need to keep it.”
Nell looked at Vivian first, her brow furrowed, then at the widow. “I don’t understand. You don’t like the blanket? I knitted it special for your little one.”
“I’m going to wed.”
Nell tapped her thumbs. “You’re getting married?”
Eleanor nodded and pulled a telegram from the pocket on her apron. “I knew Douglas in Philadelphia. Our families lived in the same neighborhood. He heard about Lars’s death and has asked me to marry him.”
Nell was the Sinclair family romantic, so why wasn’t she offering the woman her well-wishes? Instead, a frown dulled the freckles bridging her nose. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
Eleanor tucked a thread of brown hair behind her ear. “This is what’s best. Douglas will wire the money for my trip home.” She stared at the gift. “The baby won’t be going with me.”
Nell gasped. “What? You can’t mean that. A baby is a gift from God. It’s your baby … a part of the husband you loved and lost.”
Eleanor sniffled and folded her hands. “I can’t stay here alone. I can’t work with a baby to care for.” She drew in a quick breath. “I need to marry, and—”
“He doesn’t want the baby?” Heat burned Vivian’s ears.
Eleanor shook her head. “Douglas is a good man. I know he’ll treat me well.” She drew in a deep breath. “I must do what is right for all of us.”
Nell groaned and covered her mouth with a trembling hand. Vivian swallowed against a lump of emotion in her own throat. It wasn’t hard to imagine Nell’s confusion. Not only had God chosen to give Eleanor and not Nell a
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