Robert kicked at the dirt at his feet. “Don’t have to worry about getting the teacher to let me go early. I ain’t never going to get ahead.”
He ruffled the boy’s hair. “I’ll take whatever hours you can give me. You’re too good a worker for me to turn down what time I can get.”
“Yes, sir.” Robert’s chest puffed up a little before he turned to follow Mrs. Wisely back to the mansion with the crying baby.
Feeling Evelyn’s eyes on him, he turned to look at her. What he saw in her gaze made him puff up his chest a little, just like Robert.
Evelyn quickly shuttered her eyes and rushed around to the other side of the wagon.
That stubborn woman was going to climb into the wagon on her own. He strode right behind her, and when he got to her side, she looked at him with an expression much warmer than he was used to. She put her hand in his, and he helped her up.
She took her seat but kept a hold of his hand. He couldn’t help but grip it tighter.
“I’ll try to think of something you can help me with, David, but until then, enjoy your free weekend.” And then she let go.
She waved back at her father as Caroline started the team, and David was forced to step out of the way.
Mr. Wisely’s hand clamped down on his shoulder after they’d turned down the drive. “Since you’re here. Want to join us for lunch? Hargrove’s coming.”
“How could I say no?” David summoned up a grin, as if eating dinner with a baby who could rattle the dead from their tombs sounded splendid. He took a glance back at the disappearing wagon.
“Son, I believe you’ve got a long road ahead of you if that’s the direction you’re going.”
His body turned hot at being found out, and by someone so close to her. He turned to meet Mr. Wisely’s assessing gaze, but the older man didn’t seem opposed. Did he have an ally? “What would you suggest to make that road shorter?”
“I wish I knew. But we’ll pray you figure it out.” He gave David’s shoulder a squeeze before letting go and heading back to the mansion. “Evelyn and I quarreled nearly every day a decade ago. One summer, when she and I butted heads more than normal, she left to visit my aunt but came back broken. My aunt wasn’t of the soundest mind and probably wasn’t the best person to guide her through that time in her life, but I’d thought the separation would do us good.” He turned to look back, but the wagon had already disappeared. “I’d thought I’d failed her that year. I was so frazzled over so many things going on in my life that I did and said things I regret, but the woman Evelyn is today . . . I couldn’t be more proud.”
“So what happened over the summer to change her?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I think she started punishing herself for her rebellion, as if she couldn’t possibly deserve to be loved anymore. She’s nothing but sweet now, yet ever since then, she’s cocooned herself away from me.” Mr. Wisely’s voice cracked. “So I’ll pray you can get through to her, to convince her that God doesn’t want her to punish herself forever. That she’s allowed to be happy.”
He’d pray for the same thing. For if she wouldn’t allow herself to be happy, he’d have nothing but heartache ahead.
25
“So when do you think this women’s home will come about?”
Evelyn tied off her thread and looked at the moral-society president across the quilt. For the last half hour, the ladies had been discussing what they would do once Nicholas got the women’s home running. They hadn’t all been enthusiastic, but most offered suggestions or tried to improve upon them. Mrs. Naples, however, hadn’t said a word until now.
Evelyn unwound more thread. “I don’t know, exactly. Mr. Lowe said we’ll take things slow so we’ll face minimal opposition.”
“So years, maybe?”
“Could be months, but years might be a possibility.” Oh, let it not be more than a year. So many bad things could happen in the space of a few months, let alone years.
“Well then, I say we focus our attentions on something we know will happen, something that won’t”—Mrs. Naples sniffed—“bother anyone’s sensitivities.”
The room grew quiet. She glanced at Momma, who nodded at her as if she knew Evelyn would say the right thing.
“I don’t want to force anyone into doing anything, of course, but I hope we can all agree that the children could use our help. Mercy’s suggestion of taking turns making cookies for the children on Saturday is a wonderful one. That will show them that people outside the district besides me and Caroline care for them. But I think we could still gather up donations of old clothing. Even before the home is built, the women might need them. I don’t know who here might be willing to teach them to sew, but—”
“You can’t possibly be suggesting we take them into our own homes to teach them?” Stella Sorenson pierced her with a stare.
“A lady’s reputation could be ruined spending that much time alone with them.” Mrs. Naples gave Stella a sympathetic look. “We can’t ask that of our members. Giving them our clothing instead of shortening the hems for the younger girls in our families is plenty a sacrifice.”
Lydia cleared her throat. “We might not have to teach anyone. Their families and backgrounds are often just as good as ours.”
Mrs. Naples’s one-eyed squint indicated her disbelief, despite Lydia having worked with soiled doves and Mrs. Naples having yet to visit the red-light district. Even back when they did serenades in the area, Mrs. Naples had refused to go.
“If needed, surely two or three of us could help,” Lydia continued.
No one piped up to volunteer.
Baby Hope’s cries echoed down the long hallways from somewhere in the church. When Hope had awoken fifteen minutes ago, hollering as if she were alerting the world to a fire, Mercy had volunteered to take the baby. But by the sound of it, Mercy was having as hard a time comforting Hope as everyone else did. Daddy and Nicholas had only agreed to watch the orphans if they took the baby with them to their meeting.
Stella clicked her tongue. “Perhaps you two should volunteer to teach them since your reputations can’t be made much worse—”
“What?” Evelyn straightened her shoulders. “No one would dare look down on Mrs. Lowe.”
“Some of us do not have Mrs. Lowe’s wealth, which encourages people to overlook problematic hobbies so as not to offend her.” Stella shrugged and sighed as if it were a sad but true part of life. “And though you don’t seem to care about getting married, Miss Wisely, those of us who want to attract respectable husbands have to be more mindful with whom we associate.”
A heavy foot stomp startled everyone.
Charlie Gray squinted at Stella as if she were aiming an imaginary six-shooter right at her heart, ready to pump it full of sense. “Some sourpusses who won’t lift a finger to help a kitten might grumble about Evelyn and Lydia’s ministry, but their reputations aren’t so tarnished we’re refusing to breathe the same air now, are we? What they got isn’t catching, and well, I wish it were.” She tipped her head toward Evelyn. “Several of us are mighty proud of Evelyn. She does more charitable things in a month than many do their whole lives. If I weren’t so busy running my ranch, I’d try to outshine her. And even then, I doubt I’d be able to.”
“Then why don’t you volunteer to help the prostitutes learn to sew, Mrs. Gray?”
Charlie looked at Mrs. Naples as if she’d just suggested she fly to the moon. “Out of all the ladies here, you think I should teach them to sew? I thought you told us last month that we were supposed to work within our gifts.” She pointed at Evelyn. “If any of those ladies want to learn how to hog-tie a calf, you let me know.”
The women broke into a fit of giggles until the whole group was laughing—well, everyone except Stella. She was too dignified to do anything but sniffle a chuckle.
Once the laughter ceased, Mrs. Naples rubbed her neck. “I think we should move on to our next bit of business.” She folded her hands in front of her. “It seems we
’re heading in a different direction, so I believe it’s time I step down from being president and let someone else take over.”
A murmur from the ladies around the quilting frame made Evelyn squirm. This was all her fault. Though Mrs. Naples wasn’t the most malleable woman, she hadn’t been as coldhearted as their last president. “Please, Mrs. Naples, I know I’ve been quite vocal about having our group help with the needs I see every day, but I haven’t done so to try to take over the direction of the group.”
“However, you and Mrs. Lowe are the ones with the ideas.”
Momma reached over to put a hand on Mrs. Naples’s shoulder. “I hope you know we’re very grateful for your leadership. With how you’ve delegated things this past year, we’ve produced more quilts than expected, your bake sale raised more funds than our other efforts, and you’ve brought in more members than we’ve ever had before.”
“I’m not hurt, Bernadette. I’m just old. I could keep up with the quilting project, but anything more needs to be handled by someone else.”
“Why not Miss Wisely, then?” Stella’s perfectly plucked eyebrows rose. Her eyes challenged Evelyn—to what, she wasn’t certain.
Sometimes it was hard to like Stella. She was pretty, had her entire life in front of her, able to chase her every dream, and yet the young lady seemed to have a hard time mustering up any sympathy for those outside her circle.
But she didn’t know Stella well, and perhaps she had a reason to act as she did.
“Thank you for the vote, but I’m afraid I don’t have time.”
“Unlike you, most of us have families to tend,” said Mrs. Albert. The woman was younger than her but rarely made it to meetings since she had five children under the age of six.
“Evelyn and her parents are running the orphanage. That’s as time-consuming as any family, and I should know.” Lydia’s face looked placid enough, but Evelyn knew she was holding back.
She smiled at her friend, thankful that not everyone believed all single people had more free time than married people.
“Well, what about you, Mrs. Gray?” Mrs. Naples stood to gather the spools and scissors lying about. “You aren’t watching over any children and seem to be on board with Miss Wisely and Mrs. Lowe’s ideas.”
Charlie huffed. “Cattle and sheep are plenty like children, as far as I know.”
“But you’ve got ranch hands.”
“Yes, but it’s still quite the workload, Mrs. Naples. You forget that I’m running the ranch, not Harrison.”
Evelyn stiffened. Charlie likely didn’t know Mrs. Naples often made judgmental remarks about how Harrison Gray had to be weak to let his wife run the ranch. That he worked for the school made no difference in her mind.
“Even if livestock isn’t as time-consuming as children,” Charlie continued, “I’ll find out for myself, come February sometime, maybe March.”
Lydia gasped. “Does that mean what I think it means?”
Charlie winked at her husband’s former pupil. “Sure does. I’ll have to learn how to hog-tie a little one of my own. We made it to four months this time, so hopefully we’ll get to the end.”
“It’s called swaddling, Charlie, not hog-tying!” Momma chuckled.
“Oh, Mrs. Gray, what a wonderful way to end the meeting.” Mrs. Naples stopped picking up notions to waggle her finger at the woman who often frustrated her with her unseemly manners. “But don’t you be riding astride or hog-tying anything. You should leave that ranching stuff to your husband and hands. You don’t want to be regretting things.”
The rest of them all chimed in with well-wishes and well-meant, though sometimes ridiculous, advice.
Evelyn blew out a breath, thankful the attention had moved off her and onto Charlie’s happy news. Next meeting they’d likely have to hash out who would take over the leadership, but at least they’d all have time to think about it now.
After giving Charlie a quick hug, she went out to look for Mercy, who must be doing all right, considering Hope’s sounds were no longer outright screams. She found them around the corner. Mercy’s good hand was thumping a distracting rhythm on the baby’s back, the crook of her shortened arm holding Hope tight against her.
“You seem to be quite good with babies. She’s about as quiet as she gets when not asleep.”
Mercy blew a strand of hair out of her face. “I wouldn’t know, really. Most mommas aren’t willing to hand me babies this tiny, afraid I’ll drop them.”
Evelyn took Hope from Mercy’s grip. “I’m not worried, and even if I were, I think a baby this fussy might make any mother willing to hand her over to a complete stranger.”
“She isn’t exactly happy, is she?” Mercy gave the baby on Evelyn’s shoulder a rub along her spine with the stump at the end of her arm. “Has the doctor said anything about why?”
Evelyn sighed and shook her head. “Momma insists there has to be something wrong with her, but the doctor says he sees babies like this from the district all the time. Says it’s God’s way of punishing the mothers.”
Mercy stiffened. “And he’s the doctor who tends the women there?”
“Afraid so.”
She frowned and patted the baby one last time. “No wonder you want some of us to help there. What kind of hope can they have when they hear things like that?”
“The world isn’t very fair, is it?”
Mercy shook her head, tucking her bad arm under her other one.
“You’re welcome to come to the orphanage anytime and try to shush the baby—though all the thanks you’ll get from her is a pierced eardrum.”
“Perhaps I’ll do that. Beats sewing one-handed.” Mercy winked.
“And we’ll have tea. Let’s plan on that anyway, shall we?”
While discussing when would be a good time to have Mercy visit, they walked out the back to where Evelyn had left the baby carriage someone had lent the orphanage. Hope usually calmed when placed in it, though it was nearly time for her to be fed, so Evelyn would not be pushing her home leisurely. “Say good-bye to Miss McClain. It’s time to get you back home so Mrs. Dewitt can take care of you.”
Mercy kissed the tip of a finger, pressed it against the baby’s nose, and left.
Evelyn pushed the carriage back and forth in an effort to keep Hope content until Momma and Lydia could escape the throng and join them.
A few minutes later, Momma bustled out alone.
“Where’s Lydia?”
“We’re to tell Nicholas to pick her up at the Grays’. She wanted to congratulate Harrison personally.” Momma’s smile lit up her whole face. “Oh, I’m so happy for Charlie.”
“Yes, though I hope all of us pray for them really hard. I know how devastated she’s been with all their losses.”
“I know that feeling of devastation well, but then God gave us you.” She tucked her arm around her daughter. “I had you when I was thirty-two and was just fine. We’ll pray everything goes smoothly for her as well.”
“I think Charlie’s near thirty-eight though. She might have a rough time of it.”
“Ah.” Momma waved her hand dismissively. “Can’t know that. With all the trouble we had, I thought my pregnancy would’ve been terrible, but you’ve been a joy since you existed.” She squeezed her arm. “We’ll pray God gives her this child and that he or she will make Charlie and Harrison as proud as you make us.”
Heat clumped up in her throat. Momma wouldn’t be saying that if she knew everything about her.
Momma patted her cheek and started off with her beside the carriage. “I think you should take the president position.”
“You know how busy we are.”
“But we need a spokesperson, and you’re the best at inspiring people to do things. Look how you got me and your father to take on the orphanage. And how you got three businessmen to support your women’s home. None of us could have done that. If it wasn’t for you and Lydia, the moral society would still just be making quilts.”
“You�
��ve forgotten that Mr. Kingsman had more of a hand in getting those businessmen to agree to support the shelter than I.”
“Ah, but you inspired him.”
“I don’t think he needed me to inspire him to be the kind of man he is.”
“He is a rather fine young man, isn’t he?”
“Yes.” And she needed to get off this topic quickly. “But what about you? The former pastor’s wife being the moral-society president would be a logical choice.”
“I don’t know about that. I think the pastor’s daughter would be just as logical.” She slowed as she waited for Evelyn to get the carriage wheels to cooperate over some busted sidewalk. “Your father is mighty proud of the upright young woman you’ve become, and he’d have no qualms about the direction you’d lead the group. We know you’re following after God, even if you sometimes go off to places that make us pray harder than we’d like.”
Oh, how her parents’ praises always gashed at her heart. If they’d known how she’d once disregarded all their advice, they’d not be so certain of her judgment.
But it was better to focus on the future. And thanks to David and Nicholas, women caught in helpless situations would have a chance. And what other woman could sympathize with them as well as she could? “Perhaps I’ll be president one day, but not while everything is so busy. We’ll just have to think of someone else to nominate and pray she’s willing.”
Enjoying the quiet that came from Hope having fallen asleep, she walked in companionable silence with her mother to the orphanage. Soon it would be too cold to push a baby around town, and Hope didn’t like being swaddled, though perhaps hog-tying her would work.
Evelyn let out a breathy chuckle, imagining Charlie taking care of a baby. She was so unlike any other woman she knew. Charlie would probably be as funny with a baby as she was trying to appease her mother by attending moral-society meetings and attempting to sew well enough that Mrs. Naples wouldn’t have to undo all her stitches as soon as she left.
The second they crested the rise of the mansion’s driveway, a maid burst out the front door. “Mrs. Wisely! Miss Wisely! Come quick!”
A Love So True Page 20