Emma of Aurora: The Complete Change and Cherish Trilogy: A Clearing in the Wild, a Tendering in the Storm, a Mending at the Edge by Jane Kirkpatrick

Author:Jane Kirkpatrick [Kirkpatrick, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical
ISBN: 9780307732163
Google: SUkPAAAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00CQZ5OD0
Goodreads: 17910684
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Published: 2013-11-05T06:00:00+00:00

21

Emma

Cheers, and Smart You Are!

I shook my head at Andy, wanting him not to approach too close. My throat felt coated by slivers of glass that ground against each other each time I swallowed. My skin ached to the touch. The winter season might have drifted further into hope but it didn’t. When I found myself too weak to milk the goat, I sent Andy to Mary’s. The child protested, saying he could milk the goat; he could fix our meals and tend me. But he went, returning with Jack and Boshie.

“We’ll take the boys to their grandparents and I’ll bring Martin back to doctor you,” Boshie said. My face flamed from fever. I hadn’t considered that suggestion, but fearful as it was, it held merit. I pointed to Kate, but Boshie shook his head. “Kate’s of an age she can help bring you water to sip.”

“Please,” I croaked. “I don’t want any of them ill.”

“I’ll stay to look after Emma,” Jack told him. “Take them all. Kate’s small. She’ll not take up anymore room than the boys.”

“She’s little. But you here—”

“The widow is ill and in need of care,” Jack said. “I’ll stay only until the women come to help.”

Jack helped the boys find whatever they’d need to take with them. He hurried Kate along as she looked for her stocking doll and nearly had to leave without it, but Andy located it up in the loft. Andy scowled the whole time.

I watched the movements around me as though in a dream, my throat a cave of broken glass, swollen, my eyes throbbing with pain. What might it take for me to get the children to return when I was well? I couldn’t begin to imagine. I pitched the thought away.

They left and Jack proved the perfect helpmate, heating tea, helping me sit up and holding the cup to my lips. I knew the women were all busy, had children and families of their own to take care of, but I would have liked to hear the sound of a woman’s voice. I would have liked to have a woman help me to the slop jar and settle me on it rather than Jack Giesy just before he turned his back. Oh, he did step behind the curtain. But the sounds one’s body makes embarrasses in the presence of others, especially men. A woman would understand.

“Could your sister Louisa come?” I asked Martin when he arrived.

He shook his head. “She looks after the children and is a big help to Mother, don’t you know.”

He looked at me with sympathetic eyes though, and the next day, when Sarah Woodard arrived, I knew without asking who had suggested she come.

“You should have sent word to me right away,” Sarah said.

“Didn’t want … to bother,” I said.

“Ach,” she said and pushed the air with her hand. She grinned. “Now I’m sounding like you!”

Jack came in with an armload of fire logs, and he startled when he saw Sarah. “What are you doing here?” he asked.

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