Walk Across the Sea by Susan Fletcher

Author:Susan Fletcher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Published: 2003-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

11

ILL NIGHT

The Cuthbertsons seemed surprised to see me. “Eliza!” Mrs. Cuthbertson said with a start. You’d think she’d seen a ghost. Mr. Cuthbertson led the doctor to the far side of the porch and spoke to him low. I thought I heard him say, “It’s an ill night for this.” Dr. Wilton cut me a sidelong glance and said something I couldn’t make out; Mrs. Cuthbertson shooed me into the house, saying they’d had supper but that if I liked, she could boil me up some cornmeal mush.

I told her I wasn’t hungry.

Mrs. Cuthbertson made no move to settle me abed. She set her spectacles on the end of her nose, threaded a needle and set to darning. Presently the doctor and Mr. Cuthbertson came in. Dr. Wilton cleared his throat. “Eliza,” he said, “there’s been a change. Come along.” He nodded at the Cuthbertsons and guided me out.

“What’s amiss?” I asked as the door shut behind us.

Dr. Wilton let out a deep, groaning sigh. He turned to me and smiled, sort of rueful. “It’s only for tonight. I pledged I wouldn’t say.”

My gaze slid past him. The saloon bled light into the rain-dimpled puddles on the street; I could hear music and voices inside. A little way down, the China shanties stood black and silent. Horace Ahrens had gone home.

“Might I stay at your house, then?”

He took out his pipe, filled it, tamped it down. He looked tired. “I’d prefer it. But I don’t want to violate your father’s trust—all the more now, when there’s hope of mending fences. Is there anyone else you could stay with, someone your folks would approve of?”

I felt like Mary and Joseph with no room at the inn. “Well, there’s the Pembertons. Mrs. Pemberton and Mama are good friends. And they’re just a couple of doors down.”

“Hmm.” Dr. Wilton lit his pipe and puffed on it, filling the night air with fragrant smoke. He stepped out to look at the Pembertons’ house.

“Or the Gumps,” I said hopefully. Mama didn’t wholly approve of Sadie. Like her—that she did. A body couldn’t help it. And she was glad that we were friends. But Sadie’s grammar and manners … well. She was not as much of a lady as Mama would have preferred.

“They’re over to Fifth Street, aren’t they?” the doctor asked.

“Yes. Far side of the courthouse.”

“Let’s mosey in that direction,” he said. “If that doesn’t pan out, I’m taking you home with me.”

Mrs. Gump opened the door. She was burping a baby over her shoulder. Two ginger-haired children peered out from behind her skirts; another one came crawling through the threshold, but she blocked it with a well-placed boot. Dr. Wilton explained the situation, and Mrs. Gump smiled. Two of her teeth were missing. “Sadie’ll be pleased as punch,” she said. “Sadie! Sadie, see who’s come!”

It was a good thing the Gumps didn’t keep a light station. With nine children underfoot and Mr. Gump up to the lumber camp, Mrs. Gump appeared to have thrown up her hands and given tidiness the go-by.

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