Hearts Aglow (6 page)
“I’m sure you speak the truth.” He grinned.
She leaned back and smiled. “So tell me about the children who are at home. How old are they and what are their names?”
He looked rather hesitant as he settled back against the wooden chair and rubbed his bearded chin for a moment. “Well, I suppose it’s just as easy to start with the youngest. Jonah is five and a rascal.
Emma is eight and a very serious young woman. There would have been a ten-year-old, but Daniel died at birth.
“Darcy is twelve. She’s a feisty young lady who grew up with too many older, ornery brothers. She’s a bit of a wild one at times.”
“I know how that can be. I had only brothers,” Deborah replied.
“Go on.”
“All right . . . next is Thomas – he’s thirteen. I think I told you that. James is next. We call him Jimmy. He’s fifteen and quite the scholar. He loves school and has fought hard to continue his education. He works selling newspapers at the crack of dawn and then again in the evening and attends school during the day. My da – father thinks it a waste of time, but I’ve encouraged Jimmy to continue.”
Deborah couldn’t help but wonder at his stumbled words, but said nothing. “Surely your father can see the good you made of your education,” she offered.
Christopher frowned momentarily. “He thought I should have come to work with him on the railroad. He’s never had much regard for doctors. He thinks us all nothing but killers who act with society’s blessing.”
“I’m sorry. That seems such a shame.”
He shrugged. “He’s known so many bad ones, I can’t really blame him. Anyway, John would be next. He died when he was seven. Next come the ‘the swing-gate boys’ as my father nicknamed them. Calvin is nearly twenty, Andrew is twenty-one, and Benjamin is twenty-three.”
“Why does your father call them ‘the swing-gate boys’?”
“Because they used to leave home and return so much that my father says they should have a swinging gate on the front of the house instead of a door. They’re always getting into trouble. They don’t have much schooling between the lot of them – spent more time using their brawn than their brains. Andrew made money for a time in boxing, but Benjamin and Cal looked for easier means to make a living. They haven’t been heard from in a while.” He quickly moved on.
“Samuel would have been twenty-four – almost twenty-five had he lived. He died at the age of three after falling off a swing. The wooden seat hit him in the head and knocked him to the ground. That would have been bad enough, but he impacted his head on a rock. He lingered for several days but never regained consciousness. My mother was inconsolable.”
“Goodness . . . that would be so very hard.” Deborah shook her head. “Poor woman.”
“It was a sad time for all of us. My father had been especially fond of Samuel. I think some of his love of life went into the grave with my brother. He was never quite the same after that. I tried hard to offer solace, but my father chose other means of comfort.”
“Such as?” Deborah braved the question.
Christopher stiffened and looked toward the road. “It’s not important now.” He drew a deep breath. “Last of all are three more sisters. Mary and Martha are twins. They married and moved west with their husbands. We seldom hear from them, but last I’d heard, they each had a couple of children. Then there’s Abigail. She’s twenty-eight. She’s married and lives back East with her husband.
She has three children.”
“That’s an amazing brood,” Deborah said, smiling. “I can’t imagine how noisy your house must have been. Did you have a really large home when you were growing up?”
He shook his head and his gaze took on a faraway look. “No. We didn’t have much money. The house was quite small until we moved to Kansas City. It was a little larger then because my father finally got steady work with the railroad. I remember that move well because we finally had enough bedrooms that the girls and boys could be separated. The more children came along, the more crowded it got. But about the time we found it unbearable, some of us started leaving home.”
Deborah tried to imagine the little house and all its children. Would Christopher expect her to have as large a family, should they marry? Never one to keep her thoughts to herself, Deborah posed the question. “And do you want a large family?”
He gave her a wicked grin that left her rather breathless. “Why, Miss Vandermark, what a forward question.”
She shrugged and hid her discomfort. “You know I speak my mind.”
“Indeed, I do.” He shifted in his seat; it was his turn to look uncomfortable. “I suppose I’ve never really thought the number mattered, so long as the father and mother loved each other and took good care of their offspring.”
She nodded, still unable to look at him. “Sounds reasonable and wise.”
“What of you? Have you given thoughts to such matters?”
Deborah shook her head. “No, not really. I always figured I’d be taking care of my mother and father and hadn’t considered a family of my own. You have to remember, for most of my life, I thought that was my purpose.”
“And now?”
“I have to admit, I’m still rather confused about that . . . in fact, I’m confused about a lot of things.” She finally lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. “Even though you’ve said nothing, I know there are a great many people in this area who aren’t fond of my getting involved with medicine. Sometimes . . . sometimes I think I should forget about it.”
“Is that what you want?” His voice was soft and gentle.
“No. At least not yet. The truth is, I still remain confused about where God wants me and how He plans to use me.”
Christopher looked at her oddly. “And does that extend to your relationship with me?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I enjoy my time with you.” Her breath caught and she bit her lower lip hard to keep from saying more. Christopher seemed to realize her feelings and moved the conversation away from the topic.
“As I mentioned, I have some medical journals you may take back with you.
The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal
has several very interesting articles. You are, of course, familiar with the Gemrig bone forceps. One of the articles details information about the new Helmond bone forceps. I’m considering ordering a set, if they aren’t too expensive.”
“That’s fascinating. I’ll be sure to read the article.”
Despite the conversation’s turn to a comfortable topic, Deborah couldn’t help but think Christopher seemed uneasy – as though he needed to say something else, but was trying to figure out how.
“Oh, there’s also an article about a new medical concern – it seems a mania has overtaken our young people in America.”
She looked at him oddly and found Christopher smiling. “Roller skating,” he said without making her ask.
“Roller skating is a mania? I tried it myself in Philadelphia and found it quite delightful.” Deborah couldn’t help but smile. “Why does the medical world believe this is a mania?”
“They believe it to be a ‘psychological contagium’ and that the vibrating brain cells of the skater have something to do with it all.
You’ll have to read the article.”
“I promise you, I shall.” She started to ask him what people were saying to him about her interest in doctoring, but spied her mother coming from the commissary with G.W. They were heading for the wagon with an armful of goods. “It seems my family is packing to return home. I suppose I should take my leave.”
“Let me retrieve the journals,” he said, getting to his feet. “I wouldn’t want you to miss learning about what you may or may not have done to your brain while roller skating.”
Deborah couldn’t suppress a giggle as she waited for him to bring the journals from the house. She felt as if his uneasiness had passed and he was more like his old self. Her mother started walking toward them as Christopher reappeared with his offering.
She waved, and Deborah stepped down from the porch with the magazines in hand.
“Dr. Clayton, please feel free to join us for supper. I know you probably planned to look in on Sissy later, and we’d love to have you at our table.”
“Oh, do come,” Deborah agreed. “I’ll try to get the articles read by then and we can discuss them.”
He smiled. “I would find that very . . . um . . . worthwhile.” He turned to her mother. “Might I bring something?”
“Not at all. Lizzie is already baking pies, and by the time I get home, Deborah and I will be able to handle the rest. We’ll see you around five.”
“I’ll be there.”
Deborah hugged the journals to her breast as she and Mother made their way back to the wagon, as if to contain the giddy sensations roiling in her stomach. She’d see Christopher again! She was losing her heart to him in a way she’d not expected, and if she were honest with herself, she was starting to regret their agreement to take their courtship very slowly.
“You look as though you have stars dancing in your head,” her mother said as Deborah settled in the seat beside her.
Deborah smiled. “Sometimes Dr. Clayton has that effect.”
Her mother laughed heartily. “So did your father.”
“I’ve been speaking to Arjan,” Euphanel announced some days later. She’d asked her family to assemble in the living room and fixed each one with a gentle look before continuing. “I’d like to offer Sissy a permanent home with us. There’s no way of knowing whether she’ll make a full recovery or if she’ll be left debilitated. I hope you won’t have any objections to this.”
“Not at all,” G.W. replied.
Rob and Deborah nodded eagerly. “I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Deborah replied. “Sissy deserves the best of care.”
“Dr. Clayton and I spoke about Sissy’s recovery, and he believes she may continue to have difficulties for some time. She doesn’t remember things like she used to and often gets frustrated by that. She’s spent her entire life taking care of others, and now I want to assure her that someone will see to her needs.”
“I think we all feel that way,” Deborah said. “Sissy is like family.”
Euphanel gathered her thoughts and continued. “I think, in keeping with that, I want to expand the house. Arjan and I have discussed some ideas and I want your opinion.”
“Tell us what you’re thinking, Ma,” said Rob.
She smiled. “Well, I’d like to change the office into Sissy’s room and take back my old bedroom – the one G.W. and Lizzie are currently using. I’d like to add on to the front of the house, as it seems the most likely place to build. We could expand the living room, make a larger dining room and kitchen – oh, and add an office that could sit just off the house so that it can be more private. We can turn the old kitchen and dining room into bedrooms for G.W. and Lizzie, as well as a nursery. The old living room can be a sitting room for just the family.”
“Sounds like you’ve given this a lot of thought,” G.W. said, exchanging a look with Lizzie. “What do you think of this?”
Lizzie smiled. “I think the extra space would be very nice.”
“I figure that one day, this will be your house,” Euphanel said to G.W. Her husband, Rutger, had always planned to hand it down to G.W. He had intended to build Rob a house of his own elsewhere on their acreage, but the first son was entitled to inherit his father’s place.
“It’s gonna be a long time before we need to go worryin’ over who owns what,” G.W. replied. “But if we’re gonna do this, we should do it right. If there’s any other additions you want, we might as well include it all at the same time.”
“Your ma gave it a pretty good piece of thought,” Arjan explained. “I might have contributed an idea or two, but she pretty well figured out what she thought would work.”
“What about expanding the second floor, as well?” Rob asked. “Seems like it would make it easier to keep the roof one level. That way we wouldn’t have to worry about makin’ places where the water’ll gather.”
“I think that makes sense,” Mother replied. “It would give the house additional bedrooms.”
“And what about a proper bathing room downstairs?” G.W. suggested. “Those of us on the first floor would appreciate that.”
It wasn’t long before everyone was chiming in their ideas. Euphanel was glad they were of one accord. She hadn’t been sure how the comment would be received, but Arjan had figured her children would go along with most anything she suggested. Euphanel was pleased to know her family enjoyed her company and considered this her home to do with as she pleased. No one ever said a word about it not being her place since her husband was dead. However, she had known plenty of widows who had suffered such attitudes and was thankful for the love of her family.
G.W. fetched a piece of paper and began sketching out the planned addition. It would be quite an undertaking, Euphanel knew, as it would nearly double the size of the house. Arjan said they could afford it, but she couldn’t help but worry.
“If it’s going to be too costly, we could wait a spell.”
Her sons looked up and then to Arjan. “No, I think we can afford to move forward. It will take the bulk of our savings, but I feel confident we can make it back in a matter of months,” G.W. declared. “Our accounts are in good order.”
Deborah fixed him with a smile. “You’ve certainly picked up the bookkeeping quickly. Father would be proud of you.”
