Called to Justice: A Quaker Midwife Mystery by Edith Maxwell

Author:Edith Maxwell
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery, mystery novel, quaker midwife, quaker, mystery fiction, historical fiction, quaker midwife mystery, historical mystery, rose carroll, quaker mystery
Publisher: Midnight Ink is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
Published: 2017-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

When I arrived home at around five, Faith and Zeb were sitting outside on the landing at the side of the house. A small cloth was spread between them holding a dish of boiled eggs and pickled cucumbers, slices of ham and bread on a plate, and a dish of raspberries. Zeb held a metal cup and another rested on the first step. It had taken some persuading for Frederick to let Faith spend time with Zeb unchaperoned. I’d convince him that they were both trustworthy young people and that he should allow it. They might raise a few staid eyebrows in public, but Quakers were used to that.

“Is this supper I see?” I asked before stowing my bicycle in the shed. I took a moment to stroke Star’s nose and left the door ajar.

“It’s much too hot to cook.” Faith laughed. “But we have plenty. Come and join us.” Her feet were bare and she’d unpinned her hair, leaving it to hang loose down her back. Her hair was much like her mother’s and my own—thick, brown, and wavy.

“I will after I wash up.” I gazed back at Star. “Someone should take him out for a ride. He must be getting restless with three days of not moving about.”

“We shall a little later on,” Zeb said. “Thee can ride in front of me.” He gazed at Faith with tender eyes.

I slipped past them not even trying to hide my yawn and went indoors. All I wanted to do was to lie down and calm my thoughts, but my stomach had developed other plans once it spied the food. I also wanted to talk with Faith and make sure she was feeling better after her encounter of the morning. With clean hands and face and a loosened collar, I filled my own cup with cold water and headed back outdoors. I sank onto a step and accepted a slice of bread topped with ham from Faith, listening to the two banter with each other while I ate.

About to ask Faith how her afternoon had been, I stopped when I saw Nora Walsh turn up the path at the side of the house. She carried a flat packet and moved with a tentative gait.

“Nora, what brings thee here?” Faith called.

“I brought yeh a gift, Faith,” Nora said.

“Me?” Faith stood, brushed the crumbs from her lap, and ran down the steps. “Why did thee bring me a gift?”

Nora extended the packet to Faith. “Yer always sayin’ how much yeh like to write. So I got this for yeh.”

Faith smiled ear to ear and bounced on her heels. “I thank thee kindly, Nora.” She reached out and hugged Nora for a moment, then stepped back. “Can I open it now?”

“Of course.” Nora’s own smile wavered as if nervous Faith wouldn’t like her offering.

I watched as Faith tore off the string and then the paper to reveal a slim leather-bound book. She flipped through the pages, then looked up at Nora with her brown eyes asparkle.

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