The Pattern of Her Heart (27 page)

“No. But I didn’t know if you’d think I shouldn’t come around if Father has a lady friend.”

Mrs. Brighton cupped one hand under Reggie’s chin and lifted her head until their gazes met. “I don’t know why you would even ask me such a question, Reggie Chamberlain! You are always welcome here. But since we’re revealing our thoughts, do you know what I thought when you didn’t come to visit?”

“No,” she replied as she neatly placed the circles of dough in a pan.

“That you’d wanted to be with me only until you completed your sampler. And since you had finished the sampler last week, you were finished with me also.”

Reggie’s eyes opened wide with surprise. “You thought
that
? How could you think such a thing?”

Mrs. Brighton shrugged. “It wasn’t difficult. Each evening as I sat stitching, I wondered why you hadn’t come by—it was the only thought that seemed plausible. However, it now makes sense. Your father wants you to spend time with his new friend so the two of you can become better acquainted.”

A feeble smile was the most Reggie could muster. Now what? She didn’t want to lie, yet she was still uncertain of Mrs. Brighton’s motivation. This brief conversation was not enough to convince her of the older woman’s loyalty. She’d learned long ago that she needed more than a few patronizing remarks—much more.

“I don’t know if I want my father to marry anyone—not ever,” she said, plopping down on one of the wooden kitchen chairs.

Mrs. Brighton sat down opposite her. “I understand the thought of another person becoming a part of your family could be frightening. After all, you don’t want a stranger coming between you and your father. However, I don’t think your father would be interested in a woman who wouldn’t become a good mother for you. You need to give this lady an opportunity to become your friend. Show her the sweet young lady that you’ve shown me, and the two of you will become fast friends.”

“My father isn’t always the best judge of character. He doesn’t know that people sometimes pretend to be something they’re not. Besides, we’re doing just fine without a woman in our house,”

“I suppose that’s true enough, but you must remember that your father is probably lonely. I know he has you and he has the members of his congregation, but that’s not the same as having a wife. You should think of his happiness also, Reggie,” she said softly.

“Why should he want to get married again? I thought you said it wasn’t so terrible being without a husband. Didn’t you say that?”

“Yes, I did. And for me, that’s true. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the same for your father. He may be very lonely and want to marry again. Trust God to provide you with the perfect mother and He won’t disappoint you. If you like, we could pray about this each day when you come to visit me. We wouldn’t need to tell anyone else. What do you think?”

“I suppose we could pray that if he marries, he marries the woman I choose,” Reggie replied with a giggle.

“If he’s already chosen someone, don’t you think we should pray for you to accept
her
instead?”

“Possibly . . .” She paused. “In fact, I believe you’re absolutely correct.”

The front door opened, and Elinor could hear the girls chattering as they hung their capes in the hallway.

“Smells like apple pie. Again! I would prefer some variety myself. We had apple pie earlier in the week.”

Reggie peeked around the doorway into the dining room. “If you’re tired of apple pie, then don’t have any. I’ll be happy to eat your slice and mine too.”

“There
is
no slice that belongs to you, Regina Louise. In case you’ve forgotten,
you
don’t live here,” Janet said.

Elinor slapped a serving spoon onto the table, her irritation mounting. “And
you
do not decide who eats at my table, Janet. If you’re unhappy with the fare I serve, then you’re free to seek a room elsewhere. I have no hold on you or where you live.”

“Unlike you, there are many keepers who have already lost boarders due to the layoffs. You need only speak to one or two of them to realize they are feeling the pinch of making ends meet without a full house. I’d think you would be anxious to keep
all
of us happy.”

There was little doubt Janet’s reply was a veiled threat. She would make every effort to influence the other girls to follow if she decided to leave Elinor’s boardinghouse. It was clear Janet was attempting to intimidate her, and the very thought was infuriating. Even though the girls disliked Janet’s meanspirited behavior, in her absence, they whispered about her ability to influence the overseer, so Elinor knew they feared her.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Brighton, she won’t leave,” Reggie said quietly. “You keep the best boardinghouse for the Corporation and everyone knows it—especially Janet.”

Elinor smiled and tousled Reggie’s hair. “I’m not worried, Reggie. Janet knows I strive to give my best effort in order to provide the girls with a good house.”

Obviously the comment served only to annoy Janet, for she leveled a look of disgust toward Reggie as the girls seated themselves around the supper table. An uncommon silence permeated the room as the girls filled their plates and began to eat. Had her comments to Janet caused the other girls discomfort? Surely not. Yet she wondered at their lack of conversation. Elinor had grown accustomed to their silence during the noonday meals. After all, they had but half an hour to hurry home, eat, and then rush back to the mill. However, during supper, when there was no need for haste, the girls usually recounted the day’s activities, and the room was filled with the sounds of their chattering and laughter. This evening, however, the mood remained somber and unusually quiet.

It was shortly after Janet’s exit out the front door that the girls finally began to talk. They had gathered in the parlor, and after clearing off and washing the dishes, Elinor and Reggie joined them.

“I’m pleased to hear a bit of chatter,” Elinor said as she sat down. “You were all so quiet during supper that I feared I had affronted all of you with my harsh remarks to Janet.”

“You weren’t harsh, Mrs. Brighton. You spoke only the truth,” Helen said while fidgeting with a strand of her thin, mousy brown hair.

“Thank you, Helen, but I fear I was lacking in both manners and Christian kindness toward Janet.”

“She doesn’t deserve either,” Mary Margaret chimed in, her bright blue eyes flashing. “Janet needs to be fallin’ to her knees and askin’ forgiveness from the Almighty for her behavior.”

“Yet Janet’s actions don’t excuse my own behavior, Mary Margaret. I fear I only made matters worse.”

“I do not see how things can get much worse with Janet. She’s filled to overflowing with the power she holds over us. It’s ironic that she should need her position at the mill less than the rest of us, yet she’ll likely be working long after the rest of us have lost our jobs,” Ardith lamented.

Tears pooled in Sarah’s eyes, and she withdrew a handkerchief from her skirt pocket. “I don’t know what will happen to my family if I lose my position. My father was severely injured in a farming accident and he’s not been able to work. In each letter I receive from home, my mother tells me how they’re struggling. She fears they’ll lose the place,” she mournfully related. “Without the money I send, her fear will become a reality.”

“Aye,” Mary Margaret agreed. “While others toil to keep food on the table for their families, Janet’s off to town purchasing new baubles for herself each payday. She’s a cheeky one.”

Sarah nodded. “I don’t approve of Janet’s behavior with the overseer, but I dare not say anything against her. Just today there were five layoffs in number three and seven in number five. It’s utterly frightening. I can barely sleep at night; then I’m so weary I have difficulty remaining alert at my looms.”

“I know all of you are deeply concerned about losing your jobs. However, you gain nothing by embracing an attitude of fear. I believe you’ll do much better if you’ll remain calm and adopt an optimistic attitude,” Elinor encouraged.

“That’s easy enough for you,” Sarah said. “You don’t have a family that’s depending upon you.”

Helen folded her lanky arms across her waist. Her eyes appeared to bulge from their deep-set sockets as she bobbed her head up and down in agreement. “She’s right, Mrs. Brighton. It’s a terrible load having your family waiting to receive money from you every week. My father’s dead, and without the money I send home, my sisters and brothers will go hungry. The burden weighs heavy on me, and there’s no one to help any of us if we lose our positions.”

Elinor leaned forward and looked into the faces of each of the girls. “Now, I want you to listen carefully to what I’m going to tell you. I am not a wealthy woman, nor do I think my life has been one of particular ease. However, God has blessed me in many ways, and I’ve been able to set aside a portion of my wages throughout the years. If your hours are decreased or you lose your position, I want you to come to me and I will help you. In addition, Pastor Chamberlain has set up a benevolence fund at the church—one that is solely for those of you who find yourselves unemployed and in need of assistance. I am overseeing that fund. All you must do is exhibit your need for assistance.

“And I hope you girls know that I would permit you to remain in the house so long as the Corporation offered no objection. I’ll do all I can to help you remain in Lowell until this crisis is over, if that is your decision. We may have to eat a bit more sparingly, but we’ll make do and see each other through this difficult time.”

Sarah began to sniffle again. “Thank you, Mrs. Brighton. You’re most generous.”

Elinor patted Sarah’s hand. “I trust all of you are keeping the economic situation in our country and at the mills in your prayers. In times of difficulty, our true power comes through prayer. We must remember that we have a heavenly Father who cares deeply about our every need. When others flail about in worry and torment, we should be leaning upon God, knowing He will see us through our tribulation. Instead of showing others the strength we have in our Lord and Savior, we often emulate the behavior of nonbelievers.”

“Aye. ’Tis true the good Lord above can help if He’s a mind to,” Mary Margaret remarked. “But there’s many an Irish family lyin’ in their graves because God turned a deaf ear during the potato famine.”

“Our ways are not God’s ways,” Elinor reminded her. “Many times we don’t understand why tragic things occur or why God doesn’t step in and make things better each time we cry out to Him. When that has happened in my life, I try to remember that Jesus didn’t want to die on the cross either. Even though Christ cried out to God, it didn’t change His death on the cross. Nor did it take away His pain and suffering. However, God was still there—as strength and refuge— just as He’s here for us. You may still lose your position at the mills, your families may go without food, and you may despair. But when all is said and done, if you have Jesus as your Savior, you have what is most important—your eternal salvation.”

“ ’Tis true, but watching those ya love die is a hard thing to do,” Mary Margaret said.

Elinor nodded. “Indeed! And I can’t even begin to fathom what it must have been like for God to observe His beloved Son put to death—especially knowing that Jesus was perfect and didn’t deserve any of the cruelty heaped upon Him. He had never sinned, yet He willingly suffered so that we might have eternal life. It truly amazes me each time I pause to think of the depth of God’s love for us.”

“Ya’re right, o’ course, but sometimes ’tis difficult to remember anything but yar own pain,” Mary Margaret said quietly.

“For all of us,” Elinor agreed, patting her arm. “Now if you girls will excuse me, I believe I’d better walk Reggie home before her father begins to worry.”

“He won’t worry,” the girl said. “I told him I was stopping after school and that you’d likely have me stay for supper.”

“But I don’t imagine he planned on your being away until this hour. It’s nearly nine o’clock. Let’s hurry to the kitchen and wrap up the sugar-and-cinnamon crusts. You can pack them in your tin for a treat with your noonday meal tomorrow.”

Reggie brightened at the offer and jumped to her feet. “I like that idea,” she said while leading the way into the kitchen.

A short time later they were on their way. Although Reggie insisted she was quite capable of walking home by herself, Elinor accompanied the girl after explaining a walk would give her the opportunity for a much-needed breath of fresh air.

“You’re very nice to everyone. I like that,” Reggie said, grasping Elinor’s hand as they walked down the street.

“I appreciate the compliment, though you seem to forget that only this evening I was less than kind to Janet.”

Reggie giggled. “You’re nice to people who
deserve
your kindness.”

“That’s just the thing, Reggie. Those who deserve our kindness the least are the very ones whom we’re called to show the most compassion. Unfortunately, I failed miserably with Janet. But I’ll try to do better next time. And here we are—you’re safely home.” She handed the sweetened piecrusts to the girl.

Reggie kicked a pebble down the street as they stopped in front of the frame house. “Can I come back and visit tomorrow?”