The Pattern of Her Heart (23 page)

Reggie yanked on the needle and then emitted an exasperated sigh. “My thread knotted again,” she lamented as she turned over the sampler and glared at the tangled thread.

“You try to save time by using a piece of thread that’s much too long—that’s what causes it to knot,” Elinor quietly informed her as she sat down beside the girl and examined her handiwork.

“I use a longer piece because I don’t like threading the needle.”

“Is it because you don’t like threading the needle or because you think it’s quicker if you use a longer thread and don’t have to stop so frequently?”

“Because it’s quicker,” Reggie replied with a giggle.

“But only if the thread doesn’t knot, and usually—”

“The thread knots,” she said, completing the sentence.

“Making a sampler isn’t a test of speed, Reggie. Rather, it’s intended to teach you the variety of stitches you can use in future fancywork. There! I think I’ve untangled it for you,” Elinor said as she handed the piece of stitching back to the girl. “Your stitches have improved greatly. You should be very proud of what you’ve accomplished thus far.”

Reggie ran her finger across the stitching. “Do you think my father will believe I made this all by myself?”

“Well, if he doesn’t, I’ll be the first one to come to your defense. I do believe your father is going to be
very
proud of you.”

Shortly after Justin Chamberlain returned from Maine, Reggie had shown Elinor the sampler her mother had made before her marriage. The child was enchanted by the piece and expressed a desire to make one of her own. “So they can hang on the wall side-by-side,” she had told Elinor before expounding upon the fact that Elinor would need to teach her well. After all, the stitching would need to be of a fine quality, for people would surely compare the two pieces of handwork, Reggie had advised.

And so they had begun the project. Each evening when Reggie stopped by the boardinghouse, she worked on the sampler while Elinor prepared supper and the two of them visited about their day—Reggie’s ongoing struggle to fit in at school and Elinor’s efforts to keep her house running smoothly.

Now, without the necessity of going home for the next week, Reggie was certain she could accomplish a great deal on her sampler while her father was away in Boston—at least that was the hope she had expressed to Elinor.

So while Elinor pared potatoes for the stew she would later be serving for supper, Reggie pushed her needle through the tightly woven muslin and then gently pulled the length of thread to the opposite side of the fabric. “I heard the girls talking last night,” Reggie told her. “Ardith and Lucinda were crying. They’re afraid they’re going to lose their positions at the mill. Lucinda said the overseer in the weaving room told six girls to go to the office and collect their final pay yesterday. She thinks she’ll be next. What do you think?”

“The only thing I know is that many of the girls are losing their jobs. Thus far, we’ve been most fortunate. There are very few boardinghouses where at least one or two girls haven’t lost their positions. I suppose it was bound to happen, yet I’ve been fervently praying that those who are most in need of their wages will be protected.”

“Lucinda said she didn’t know how her family would survive without the money she sends them. Then Janet laughed and said she didn’t know how she would survive without money to buy new shoes and jewelry, but she knew she wouldn’t lose her position. Next, Ardith told Janet to keep quiet or leave the room, and then Janet said she didn’t have to and then—”

“I believe I understand the gist of the discussion,” Elinor said with a faint smile. “All the girls are concerned about losing their livelihood.”

“Aren’t you afraid? What happens if they all leave your boardinghouse? What will
you
do?” Reggie asked.

“Eventually I would be forced to speak to my brother, Taylor, and request his assistance, I suppose. However, I pray the financial problems of our country will be resolved before I’m required to take such a step.”

“I thought you told Father your brother was moving to Maine.”

“Yes. In fact, he’s already done so. He bought part interest in a milling operation. I’m not sure his timing was the very best, but one never knows about such things.”

Reggie’s eyes opened wide. “You mean you would move away from Lowell?”

“If necessary, I would have to.”

“But what would I do without you?” she asked, her eyes filled with concern.

“No need to begin worrying, Reggie. I’m confident this will all work out for the best.”

The girl bobbed her head up and down, though she didn’t appear convinced. “I don’t like Janet—she’s mean.”

“Well, that was a quick turn in our discussion,” Elinor commented as she removed the heavy white dinner plates from a shelf in the kitchen.

“I don’t want to hear about you moving away, so I decided to talk about something else.”

Elinor was touched by Reggie’s reply. Knowing the girl had suffered through a lifetime of missing a mother gave her pause. She now questioned why she had been so forthright with the child. After all, Elinor had suffered through the same feelings as a young child, and there was no need to cause the girl unjustified concern. Yet truth was truth, and if matters continued to spiral downward, she would have no choice but to move. There would be far too many women in Lowell seeking employment for her to remain.

“So you’ve decided you don’t like Janet because of her remarks to Ardith and Lucinda?” Elinor inquired.

“Not just that. She appears to enjoy herself the very most when others are suffering. Have you noticed that about her? The last time I stayed here, Sarah received a letter from home saying her father had been severely injured in a farming accident. As she was reading the missive, Sarah began to weep. Without even asking permission, Janet took the letter from Sarah and began to read aloud all the terrible details contained in the letter. Even when Sarah covered her ears and begged Janet to stop, she continued. And all the time she had a cruel look on her face. I waited for a few moments and when no one else did anything, I grabbed the letter from Janet’s hands and gave it back to Sarah. That’s why Janet is always saying mean things to me.”

Elinor dropped into the chair opposite Reggie. “How is it that I know nothing about any of this?”

Reggie shrugged. “I suppose because Janet always threatens the girls, and they’re afraid to tell you what she’s really like. Janet told Sarah she had better not complain to anyone or she’d be sorry.”

“But what threat would Janet pose? The girls are all equal in this house.”

“But not at the mill. That night Sarah said she didn’t care what Janet said, for she was going to tell you about her improper behavior. Janet pushed me out of the room and told me to go downstairs. After she closed the door to their room, I clacked my feet on the top two steps like I was going downstairs, but instead I listened outside the door. I heard Janet tell Sarah that if she said one word to anyone, she would tell the overseer and he would terminate Sarah,” Reggie explained.

“Surely Sarah didn’t believe such nonsense. The overseer isn’t going to terminate Sarah merely because Janet makes such a request.”

“From what I heard, it appears Janet and the overseer are very close friends. The girls said she receives special treatment all the time. Even Mary Margaret said it was true, and she rarely says much about any of the girls. Did you know Janet doesn’t have to operate as many looms as the other girls? Mary Margaret says it’s because she’s friends with Mr. Wingate, the overseer.”

“I am taken aback to think that Mary Margaret would relate such delicate information to a girl of your tender years,” Elinor said.

“Oh, she didn’t tell
me
. I heard her whispering with Lucinda and Ardith in the parlor one evening after the incident with Sarah. Janet is always making unkind remarks to Mary Margaret because she’s Irish. Janet says Irish people shouldn’t be permitted to live in the boardinghouses, and as soon as she can move to another room, she’s going to do so.”

Elinor tilted her head and began to rub her forehead. “You are a true fount of information, Reggie. However, I’m afraid the details you’ve related are not very heartening. I thought the girls were all quite happy, yet trouble has been brewing right beneath my nose and I didn’t even smell a whiff. And I have always considered myself a relatively good judge of character.”

Reggie laid her stitching on the edge of the table. “You must promise you won’t breathe a word of what I’ve told you. Otherwise, I’ll never be able to sneak about and hear their conversations again.”

Elinor tucked a loose strand of Reggie’s hair behind the girl’s ear. “I won’t divulge your secret, but you must call a halt to your spying activities. You know such behavior is inappropriate, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Reggie replied in a disappointed voice. “But it
is
fun,” she added with a sparkle in her eyes.

Elinor bit her lower lip so she wouldn’t laugh at the girl’s reply. “But you promise to stop?”

Her head bobbed up and down.

“Good! Now that we’ve settled that issue, I had best get back to supper preparations. The girls will be arriving within the hour.”

“Would you like me to help you in the kitchen?”

“I believe I have everything under control. Why don’t you continue stitching on your sampler.”

“May I go outside for just a short time? I promise I won’t go far, and I’ll start home when I hear the final bell ring at the mills.”

“That’s fine,” Elinor said. “There’s a cool breeze. Be certain to wear your bonnet!”

The fresh air would do Reggie good, and Elinor needed a bit of time to digest the discomfiting news. Exasperated by what she’d been told, Elinor slapped her hand upon the table. How had she overlooked the manipulation and cruel behavior that bubbled beneath the surface of the girls’ smiles and polite table conversation? And how long had Janet’s meanspirited behavior been going on? She wrestled with the thought momentarily until she remembered Janet mentioning she was going to be promoted. When was that? At least a year ago. Elinor had been surprised when Janet made the announcement—especially since Janet had moved to Mr. Wingate’s weaving room only a few weeks earlier. From all appearances, Janet had taken the wrong path when she accepted her new position.

Elinor had heard the stories of mill girls succumbing to the advances of their superiors for special favors, yet she didn’t think any of her girls would ever compromise themselves. Obviously, she had been incorrect. Now that she was aware of what was happening, she would be more observant. Deep inside she harbored the thought of greeting Janet with a notice to vacate her house this very evening. But she couldn’t keep her word to Reggie and force Janet from the boardinghouse without furnishing a reason for her action. Janet was shrewd and would likely assume Elinor had learned of her behavior. If Elinor wasn’t careful, Janet would blame one of the other girls, who would soon suffer her wrath.

As the girls entered the house after work, Elinor reminded herself to remain silent regarding the discoveries made this afternoon. She must bide her time with a listening ear and a watchful eye.

Except for Reggie, who for some unknown reason appeared particularly jovial, the mood around the supper table was somber.

“I pray that all went well at work today?” Elinor inquired as she passed the plate of bread.

Janet ladled a heaping portion of stew onto her plate. “No one was laid off today, though I believe there will be several tomorrow.”

“Truly? And why would you think so?” Elinor inquired.

Janet glanced about the table with a self-satisfied look on her face. “I overheard some of the
men
talking today.”

Elinor digested the reply before speaking. “I would think it very difficult to overhear a conversation while operating those noisy looms.”

The girls smiled at Elinor’s remark but said nothing. They watched Janet, obviously curious about how she would reply.

“I waited a br ief time after the noonday bell had sounded—when the machinery was shut down for dinner break. Consequently, I had no difficulty whatsoever.”

“I see,” Elinor said, remembering that Janet hadn’t appeared with the other girls for the noonday meal.

In fact, now that Elinor thought about it, there had been any number of days when Janet hadn’t arrived for the noonday meal. This would provide a perfect opportunity for her to meet with Mr. Wingate, who was, after all, a married man. One who likely carried a lunch pail for his dinner yet would be expected home on time for supper.

“Where did you eat your dinner today, Janet? I missed you around the table,” Elinor casually remarked.

“I took some ham and bread left over from breakfast. I wanted to spend the time visiting with some of my friends from the number four mill.”

“I see. In that case, I hope you had an enjoyable visit.”

“Yes, I did,” she replied curtly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I want to fix my hair before I go into town. I saw a perfectly charming pair of earbobs at Whidden’s. I don’t believe I’ll be able to sleep until I’ve purchased them.”

A look of disgust was exchanged among the remaining girls, who soon excused themselves and moved to the parlor with Reggie following along behind.

“Come help me in the kitchen, Reggie. I think it’s best if you remain with me.”

“If Mrs. Brighton doesn’t object,” Mary Margaret said, “you can come up and visit with us after you’ve finished your chores. Would that be all right, Mrs. Brighton?”

“Yes, of course,” Elinor agreed.