Sleigh Ride (Homespun) (7 page)

“I’d have messed it up whether I had someone helping me or not.”  He took another large bite smiling.  He was obviously pleased to know Charlotte was capable of making something so tasty.

“She’s really a natural cook.  I don’t think I learned anything so quickly,” Millie told him with a smile.

“You’re a great cook, Mama!” Patience protested.

Millie shook her head.  “Before I came here, I’d been helping in the kitchen at the orphanage for eight years.  I’d learned a lot.  You guys had the benefit of my great teacher.  Charlotte had never cooked anything until a little over a week ago.”

Patience looked at Charlotte with a new respect.  She’d not thought much about Charlotte’s past, and had assumed it was the same as the stories her mama had told of the orphanage.  It was odd to think they’d been raised in the same home, but had lived so differently from one another.

“Wait until you see some of Charlotte’s needlework.  She can do anything with yarn or
fabric.  I’ve been so excited about her coming, because I knew I’d get all the sewing projects I’ve been putting off done quickly.”  Millie smiled at her friend.

Charlotte ducked her head to hide her red face.  She wished Millie wouldn’t praise her so much in front of James.  She didn’t want him thinking he was getting a perfect woman, because he definitely wasn’t.  She had a lot of flaws, and he would discover them quickly once they were married.

She served the cake she had baked under Millie’s tutelage the day before as dessert.  By the time he was done eating, James sat back in his chair and patted his belly.  “That was a fine meal.  Thank you all for inviting me.”

“We’re glad to have you.”  George set down his fork.  “It’s nice to have company for meals on occasion.  This place seems overrun with women lately.”  He winked at Millie as he said the last words.  He wanted to make sure she knew he was only joking.

George and James sat and talked while Charlotte did the lunch dishes with Patience.  When they were finished, Charlotte turned to Millie.  “Would you like me to start supper before we go?”

Millie shook her head.  “I was thinking we’d just have French toast.  We have some bread that’s a little stale and some eggs to use up.  It only takes a few minutes to prepare, so you can run off and have fun.”

Charlotte smiled at her friend and carefully removed her apron.  Patience ran to put her coat and hood on.  James stood and helped Charlotte into her coat, which Charlotte thought was strange, because she’d been putting on her own coat for years.  Millie helped Patience tie her scarf on and the threesome left the others. 

While they were riding, James turned to Charlotte.  “I need you to pay special attention to how to make French toast tonight.  It’s one of my favorite foods.”
  He grinned as he said the words to let her know he was half joking.

Charlotte smiled at him.  “I’ll do my best.”  She noticed they were going in a different direction than they had last time.  “It’s such beautiful country here.” 

James nodded.  “We lived in New York City until I was ten, but Pop always had a dream of farming.  We moved out here then, but the winters were just too harsh for my Ma.  I thought about going with them, but farming is in my blood.  I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

“I’m not sure how I’ll do here.  I’d never been out of Boston before a couple of weeks ago.  It’s certainly
very different here.”

“I hope you grow to love it as much as I do.”
  His voice was warm and kind as he said the words.  Charlotte knew he was hoping she’d agree to marry him. 

Charlotte smiled.  “I hope so too.”  And she found she did hope so.  James was such a gentle, caring man that she could easily imagine spending the rest of her life with him.  She couldn’t honestly say she was in love with him, but she felt that was coming.  If she could come to grips with living there and the work it would mean doing every day for the rest of her life, then she would probably marry him if he asked.

Patience spoke then for the first time since leaving the house.  “I hope you decide to stay.  Mama is so happy to have you close by.  I think it would be good for her.”

Charlotte smiled at the young girl.  She knew Patience had been annoyed with her when she’d first arrived, and having the little girl’s approval mattered to her for some reason.  Maybe it was because she seemed so grown up and always so willing to work.  Charlotte found she really admired her.

“It would be good for me to be close to your mama, too.  I’ve missed her a lot since she left Boston to marry your papa.” 

The week and a half leading up to Christmas flew by.  Everyone had secret preparations going on but Charlotte.  Charlotte had made some gifts before ever leaving Boston, knowing she would be spending Christmas with her friend’s family.

Millie was really slow moving now, and had taken to taking long naps in the afternoon.  The only blight on the days leading up to Christmas for Charlotte was the visit from the midwife.  She examined Millie in the privacy of her room, but came out shaking her head.   “May I speak with you privately?” she asked Charlotte.

Charlotte nodded, taking Ellie to the room she shared with the girls.  “What’s going on?”

“I’m really not sure.  She’s just not doing well.  And I think that baby is coming a lot sooner than expected.”  Ellie’s withered face showed concern for her patient.

Charlotte’s eyes widened in alarm.  “But it’s too soon isn’t it?”

The midwife shrugged.  “I’ve seen babies come a month early and survive.  We just have to pray.”  Ellie was an older woman, in her late fifties at least.  Her blue eyes showed a wisdom that only years at her profession could bring.

“What can I do to make sure the baby doesn’t come too soon?”
  Charlotte was willing to do triple the work she was currently doing to ensure the safety of Millie’s baby.  She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose a baby, and she hoped her friend never had to go through the experience.

“I’d like to see her stay in bed until the baby comes, but Millie is too headstrong to ever agree to that.  Keep her sitting as much as you can.  She said you were here helping out.  Anything you can do for her, you need to do.”

Charlotte nodded.  “I will.  I’ve been doing all the cooking and cleaning.  She just sits and sews and tells me how to do things.”  She paused and looked down at her feet.  “I’d never cooked a meal before I came here, so she has to instruct me in everything.”

“That’s okay.  As long as you’re doing the work, she can talk all day.  She needs to eat more.  She’s getting way too thin.  Can you poke more food in her?  Fix her favorite meals or something?”
 

Charlotte thought it sounded like the midwife was grasping at straws, but she’d try anything. 
“I’ll try.  I’ve been trying to get her to eat more, but she says she just isn’t hungry.”

“Keep trying.  Call
for me as soon as she goes into labor.”

“How soon do you think that’ll be?”  Charlotte closed her eyes while she waited for the answer.  Millie wasn’t due for another five weeks.

“I hope she’ll last at least another week or two.  If she can make it until the first, the baby will have a better chance.”

“I hope we’ll see you after the first then.”  She sighed.  “Will you pray for her please?”

Ellie nodded.  “I’ve been praying for a while for that one.  First pregnancies are hard a lot, but not like this one.”  She turned to go, shrugging into the coat she’d had thrown over her arm.  “Merry Christmas.”

Charlotte walked with her to the door.  “Merry Christmas.”  She stood and watched her drive away and put on her own coat.  Walking out to the barn
, she motioned for George to talk to her.  “Ellie said Millie needs to be in bed as much as we can keep her there.  I haven’t been letting her do any of the work, but Ellie thinks the baby is coming too soon.”

George sighed.  “I’m worried about the same thing.  Thanks for telling me.  We really appreciate your help.”

Charlotte went slowly back into the house.  Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and she wanted to make sure the house was immaculate.  It would help Millie stay in bed if everything was done around her.

Millie was just settling back down at the table when Charlotte stepped back into the house.  Patience was playing in the corner with Grace, and the boys were outside with their father.

“Ellie said she wanted you in bed as much as possible.”  Charlotte gave Millie her sternest look, letting her know she wanted her to follow orders as carefully as possible.

Millie shrugged.  “She told me if I won’t stay in bed, then I had better stay sitting.  I’m sitting.”  She spread out the shawl on her lap, obviously trying to change the subject.  “I finally finished it.  What do you think?”

Charlotte picked it up and studied it.  “It looks beautiful.  You’ve done a good job on it.  Bess will be proud to wear it.”

Millie smiled.  “I’m going to finish up the quilt for the baby real quick.  I need to make sure I get it done in time.”  She didn’t add anything about the baby coming early, because Patience was listening.  Patience was worried enough about her already.

“I’m going to give the floors a good scrubbing this afternoon.  Is there any other cleaning you want done before Christmas?”

Millie looked around.  Charlotte had been doing a fine job of keeping everything up with Patience’s help.  “The stove needs to be blacked, but other than that, everything is looking good.”  She stood to get her sewing basket, but Charlotte stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. 

“What are you going for?  I’ll get whatever it is.” 

Millie sighed.  “I just need my sewing basket.”

Before Charlotte could take a step toward it to bring it to her friend, Patience had already set it down on the table for her mother.  “How can I help, Mama?”

“You just mind Charlotte.  If she needs help with anything, she’ll ask.”

Patience went back to sit down and play with her sister while Charlotte got the wash water ready.  “I’ll do the floors in the bedrooms today and black the stove in the morning.  That way I can clean up any mess I make tomorrow.”

Millie nodded.  “Have you finished the socks and tie you were making yet?”

“I have.  All my gifts are ready to go.  I’ve even wrapped them all in tissue paper.”

“Good.  Then all of the gifts for our guests are done.  We’re going to have a wonderful Christmas.”

Charlotte smiled.  “As long as I get to spend it with people I love, it’s always a wonderful Christmas.”

She picked up the bucket of water and scrub brush, and went into Millie’s room to start the scrubbing.

Charlotte was up early on Christmas morning, excited to give the gifts she’d so carefully made for the family.  She walked into the main room to start the fire and put the turkey on before she went out to collect eggs.  She carefully set the table and placed her gift for each of the family members on their plate first.

She made French toast for breakfast that morning, remembering Millie’s instructions exactly.  By the time George came out to milk the cow, she was whipping the eggs with the milk from last night.  “Merry Christmas,” he said in his deep voice.

“Merry Christmas!”  She continued to beat the eggs and went to cut up an old loaf of bread. 

“Don’t wake anyone until I’ve come back in.  I have gifts to set up.”

She smiled and nodded.  She couldn’t wait to see what he and the boys had made for Millie.  The boys had been dropping hints about it since she’d arrived.

While Charlotte cooked breakfast, George brought in a beautiful rocking chair, a small chest
for baby clothes and a polished wooden cradle.  Millie was going to love those!  As soon as Charlotte finished, she went to Millie’s scrap bag and pulled out a long red ribbon.  By the time George came back in with a small wooden doll cradle, obviously for the girls, Charlotte had tied the pretty red ribbon to the rocking chair.

George smiled.  “That’s perfect.  Thank you.”  He washed his hands quickly.  “I’ve milked the cow.  I’m going to go fetch the milk.  Wake everyone and have them dress, but don’t let them leave their rooms.  Oh!  And see if there’s anything Millie wants you to put out for her.”

Charlotte knocked on Millie’s door.  “George said to get dressed, but you’re not allowed to come out of your room yet.  Do you have anything you’d like me to put out in the way of presents?”

Millie handed her four stockings and several small gifts with names written on them.  She took them all and placed them on each of the plates.  She was surprised to see one with her name on it, but shouldn’t have been.  Millie would never dream of leaving her out.  She woke Patience and told her to dress Grace, but they needed to stay in their room until
they were told they could come out.  She called up to the loft for the boys to dress, but stay upstairs as well.

She put the big platter with the French toast in the center of the table, and when George came back in started to pour the milk.  Charlotte had never been as excited about a Christmas as she was this one.  At the orphanage, Christmas was simply a day when they received hand-me-down clothes.  It had never been anything special with magic in the air like this one.