Clara thanked her for explaining so much to her. Clara knew in her heart that she was truly grateful for Rebecca’s prayers as she thought about all that she had heard this day. And Clara knew she’d read the little black book and be back with lots of questions for Rebecca and Mrs. Lewis before long.
Chapter 7
Bess enjoyed every day of her weeks now, but Sunday held a special place in her heart because the family went to church together and many times would spend the afternoon with one of the families from the church or invite friends to spend the day on the farm with them. Bess was always considered part of the Sheldon family—by the Sheldons themselves as well as by the other families of the church.
What pure joy it was for Bess to be part of a family! It was not something she’d ever really considered in her young life, but it didn’t take long to figure out that God had a wonderful idea when He created the family. She smiled as she thought of Anita. How good it was to see her walking. Bess had noticed that Anita’s figure was filling out some too. She was looking healthy and robust.
So it was not unusual for Bess to be humming as she made breakfast for the family that Sunday morning in late September. She had barely started the breakfast when Anita arrived and gave her a friendly hug from behind.
“Good morning to you, too,” Bess said to her friend.
“I have never minded mornings in my life, but they are even better when I wake and hear your sweet voice in this house.” Anita tied on an apron and grabbed a stack of plates.
“I can’t help singing; I’m so full of happiness. I can’t imagine anything in the world that could make me happier than I am now in this home with you all. God is so good to me, and my heart just sings.”
“Bess, would you like to be part of a secret?” Anita whispered merrily.
“Yes…it must be a good one the way your eyes are dancing.”
“Well, soon after the first of the year we should have a new baby in our home. My clothes aren’t fitting too well anymore, and I wanted you to know and to ask your help in re-fitting some of my clothes next week. I wanted it to be a surprise, but I can’t keep something this jolly from you. You know how I love the fragrance of the lilies of the valley? Well, this baby was conceived about the time of the lilies, so I have decided that if it is a girl, we will name her Lily Bess.”
Tears of joy sprang to Bess’s eyes. “Anita! How wonderful! I just don’t know what to say!”
“Don’t say anything yet. It might be a boy. And if it is, I haven’t even thought of what we should name him. Guess we still have time for that, but something in my heart says this is a sister for our Anna.”
Later, as the family was in the wagon on their way to church, Bess started the children singing, and soon Robert and Anita joined in. Bess had quickly learned the songs of the church and sang them beautifully. Joyful sounds floated on the air, preceding the happy family on their way to the church.
As usual, the family arrived at the church a good while before the services were to start. They enjoyed visiting with the other families that they often did not see from one week to the next. It was a beautiful day, and many groups of people stood outside the church. Most of the men seemed to stand near the wagons and horses, while the women tended to stand nearer the church in little groups in the shade of the large old trees.
Today Bess was just climbing down from the wagon when she heard her name called by a familiar voice as Rebecca Taylor hurried over to her. The two women greeted one another with a hug and then reached to help Anita walk on the uneven ground. Bess was happy to see her friend and to be with the other women of the church, but today Rebecca seemed to be nearly bursting with excitement. “Come,” she said, tugging at Bess’s sleeve.
As they rounded the corner of the church and started over to the trees where the women were standing, one lady approached Bess quickly. Before Bess had time to think, she was wrapped in a strong hug. Pulling back a bit, Bess looked into the smiling face of Clara and immediately knew something was different.
“What is it, Clara? Tell me,” Bess said excitedly as she hugged her dear friend back.
“I am a believer, too, Bess! I have been meeting with Rebecca and Marita, and they have helped me read and understand a lot of the Bible. And I have prayed and I now am a believer also. Bess, I have so much to tell you. My life has changed so very much this week.”
“Oh, Clara, I was just thinking this morning that I couldn’t possibly be any happier, but I was wrong. You have made me so very happy! I am glad for you, and I’m glad for me. It is wonderful to have this new way of life in common with you since you have always been the greatest part of my life and my joy. Tell me, do you still live at the saloon?”
“No, I am staying with the Lewises now, and that’s the best news. Rebecca and Marita have encouraged me to fulfill my heart’s desire. I have long wanted to run a boardinghouse for families needing a place to stay until they can find a place of their own. Pastor and Marita are helping me until I can buy a place of my own with the money I have saved through the years. I think it will work great, because this town really has no regular hotel or place to stay, and since the railroad has gone in, there are always people looking for a place to stay.”
“Oh, Clara, you will be so good at doing that. You are so kind and considerate of other folks. I know you will do well.”
“My biggest fear is the cooking. You know that Gertie has done most all of the cooking. I’ve helped out a little here and there, but I’ve never really had the chance to learn.”
“Clara, I’ve learned to cook for the Sheldon family. Perhaps I could come in to teach you some of what I know when you get the place. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“Oh, yes, that’s a wonderful idea! I’ll plan on that.”
Bess and Clara continued to chat happily until the bell in the steeple rang. They went into the church and sat together, and several times during the service they hugged one another from pure joy. Bess was contented and happy with her life with the Sheldon family, and now she was pleased that her dear friend would find a better life as well.
Chapter 8
Autumn brought its own special joys for Bess as she learned to prepare a home for winter. Together she and the children would gather the garden produce, as the ground was too uneven for Anita. Bess worked long days cleaning the vegetables and fruit and then preserving them for the winter. She and Anita also cleaned the house thoroughly; hung the heavier draperies at the windows; and washed, aired, and remade the beds with the warm comforters and quilts.
Robert, Paul, and Conner would cut firewood whenever they had time, and the woodpile grew in size and in the promise of warmth in the cold, snowy days ahead. Everywhere on the farm one could hear chatter and laughter as the thankful hearts enjoyed one another and God’s goodness to them.
Bess noticed that not only was Anita more energetic and mischievous, but Robert’s eyes twinkled with a merry glint that had not been there before. And they often heard Robert whistling on his way to and from the barns.
In spite of being the youngest member of the family and doted on by everyone, little Anna was a happy but often quite serious child. Now and again she would amaze them all with her comments revealing a thoughtful, sincere heart. Bess loved all the family, but knew without doubt that Anna was someone very, very special that God had brought into her life.
One day as she and Anna were watching the birds and commenting about the way God provides for their needs, Anna said, “And God provides for people, too.”
“Yes, Anna, God provides for people, too,” Bess assured her. “He blessed the gardens and fruit trees and gave us food and shelter for the winter in a warm home.”
“And He brought you to us like magic to take care of us. One day we didn’t know you, and then God brought you to us and we are happy now.”
Tears sprang to Bess’s eyes, and she had to swallow the lump in her throat before she could speak to the serious little girl. “Anna, you know that you are God’s spe
cial gift to me also. My life was very empty before I knew you.”
“Really and truly, Miss Bess? You needed us, too?” Her eyes were as large as saucers as they searched Bess’s face for truth.
“Really and truly, Anna. You are a very special gift to me, and I love you.”
“I love you, too, Miss Bess, and I want to be just like you when I grow big.”
Suddenly, Bess thought of her life before she came to this family. In her heart she prayed that when the day came when Anna discovered the truth of her past, that she would indeed not follow in her footsteps in that area, but only to the foot of the cross.
As the cold autumn wind blew a gust of leaves from the nearby tree, Bess saw a vacated bird’s nest within reach. “Come, Anna. Look at this. Do you remember the baby birds that cried for food in this nest in the spring?”
“Yes! Are they lost? Did they fall out?”
“No, they grew up and have all flown away for the winter. They will be back again in the spring and will build nests, and each baby will be grown up and start a family of his own.” Bess could see the thoughts churning in Anna’s little head. “Someday you will grow up and have a family of your own, too, Anna, and it will be nice if you learn some good things from me and from your mommy and daddy also. But the most important thing is to learn the lessons God wants to teach you and grow to be just like Him.”
After a short silence when she peered again into the empty bird nest, Anna took Bess’s face between her two chubby little hands and said seriously, “I will, Miss Bess. But you must teach me.”
“Oh, Anna, dear, I will teach you, and your mommy and daddy will teach you. Learn well, little one; learn well.” Bess couldn’t help the tears that dropped onto her cheeks.
Anna still eyed her solemnly. Then she carefully wiped the tears from Bess’s cheeks. “Don’t cry, Miss Bess. I will learn. I promise I will learn good.”
It was late in October when Bess and Anita and the younger children were digging the potatoes. The wind was cold and had a dampness that chilled them to the bone. But it was fun working together. Now and again they would faintly hear Robert’s cheery whistle coming from the barns, and the cold wouldn’t seem so bitter.
Bess encouraged Anita to stay in where it was warm, but Anita knew they were all cold and since she could help by lifting the loosened potatoes out of the soil, it helped whichever boy was pulling the wagonloads to the cellar for storage. She wanted to help so that they all could get in out of the cold as soon as possible.
Later in the day, little ice crystals stung their cheeks. It was one of those nasty tasks that must be completed but wasn’t nearly as much fun as gathering the summer produce.
Bess heard Anita cough a bit; again she encouraged her to go in where it was warm and dry. But Anita would hear none of it, so they toiled on together. Finally, Bess suggested that Anita go in and start a pot of soup for dinner so they wouldn’t have it all to do once they came in. This time Anita went inside.
Bess and the children worked on until their fingers felt numb. When the boys complained about the cold, Bess showed them how near they were to being finished. “Let me dig the rest of these, and you go in and warm up a bit now. When I’m finished out here, there will be room for me by the fire,” Bess suggested to the children.
Anna was so cold she could hardly speak. “I stay out to he’p Miss Bess. Oo boys go in. Us gulls will finish.” Her little nose was red, and her cheeks were rosy and cold.
Bess said, “Anna, why don’t you go in and set the table for your mommy? It will help us all. By the time Conner and Philip empty this wagon and come back for the rest, I’ll be finished, and we can all go in. Is that all right with you, boys?”
The boys were stomping their feet to stay warm but nodded briefly, grabbed the wagon, and started toward the house.
“Go on, Anna girl. Help your mommy, and we’ll come in just a little while, all right?”
So the faithful little girl nodded and turned for the house. Bess dug the rest of the potatoes quickly, turning them up with the sod to be sifted out. When the boys returned with the wagon, they gathered the potatoes from the dirt, and before long Bess heard more voices. Turning, she saw Robert and Paul headed toward the garden.
Together they all finished in short order. Robert sent them all to the house while he took the last wagonload to the cellar. As they started for the house, Paul said, “Philip, where did you get your rouge?”
“Rouge? I’m not wearing rouge!”
“But your cheeks are red and rosy. You look like a lady with rouge.”
“I am not wearing rouge! Your cheeks are rosy, too.”
Bess quickly joined in. “Are my cheeks rosy? We are all wearing rouge! But when our cheeks start getting warm, this rouge will sting and itch. Wait and see.”
They approached the house arm in arm, talking about their rosy cheeks and cold fingers. It was a merry but tired bunch that sat quietly at the dinner table that night. Before the soup bowls were even empty, little Anna’s head was drooping. The older ones looked from one to another and smiled. Finally, Robert carried her off to her bed.
Chapter 9
Everyone was tired from the hard work and the cold, and sleep came quickly that night. Bess loved sharing a room with little Anna upstairs. The two snuggled close as they slept, while the cold wind blew against the house and the frozen rain scraped hauntingly at the windows and siding.
Sometime in the night Bess realized she had been hearing Anna coughing now and again. She lay quietly and listened, and soon she heard it again. It was a dry, raspy cough. Bess reached out to pat her cheek and was surprised at how warm it was. She held her close for a while and then realized she had been hearing coughing from somewhere else in the house also. And she noticed that Anna’s cough was getting deeper and raspier.
Bess half listened to her and to whomever else was coughing through the haze of her sleep. But the coughing outside her room soon had Bess wide awake. She sat up in bed and listened. It sounded like it was coming from downstairs. She knew it wasn’t Robert—it just didn’t sound like a man. She was pretty sure it was Anita.
Bess slipped out of bed and, pulling on her dressing gown, slipped quietly down the back stairs to the kitchen. She took out a large kettle and filled it with water. Then she took it to the stove that heated the front room and downstairs rooms and placed it on top. She stirred the fire and added more wood. Bess knew if she could get some moisture in the air it would ease the coughing. She hoped some of the steam would find its way into Robert and Anita’s room.
Bess went back upstairs and took some blankets from the bed. Lifting Anna in her arms, she carried the child and the blankets down to the front room and, wrapping herself and the child in the blankets, settled down near the warm steam to snooze awhile longer.
By morning, Anna’s breathing seemed much better, but Anita’s cough sounded much deeper than it had in the night. When Robert awakened and came out of their room, Bess asked how Anita was doing. Robert said she was struggling to breathe. So Bess asked him to carry her out to the steamy front room while she made a bed for Anita on the couch.
All day long Bess cared for Anita and Anna. She made chicken broth and gave them bread soaked in the broth to eat along with warm applesauce. By afternoon, Anna seemed to be feeling some better and even began to talk quietly to Bess between her naps. But Anita stayed quiet all day, and by late afternoon, her breathing became labored. Bess kept the kettle full of hot water and kept the fire hot. Whenever Anita coughed hard, Bess would trickle a bit of brandy down her throat, but it only seemed to help for a short while. Bess couldn’t help worrying for Anita and the child she carried.
By evening Robert was nearly beside himself with worry, and Bess was growing concerned also as they listened to the raspy, labored breathing. After the evening meal, Robert announced that he was going into town to fetch the doctor, and Bess was glad to hear it.
While he was gone, Bess prepared the children for bed and read to th
em. They all prayed for Anita and for Robert and the doctor to return safely and soon.
When the boys were in bed and sleeping, Bess took Anna onto her lap again. She decided it would be best if Anna slept near the steam again. The little girl soon was fast asleep in Bess’s arms. Bess found she was dozing, too, from lack of sleep and the warm room, but she would awaken each time the coughing racked Anita’s body.
Sometime late in the night, Robert returned with the doctor. Dr. Walker checked Anita’s chest and breathing and praised Bess’s work of keeping the room steamy and trickling the brandy down her throat. He gave Anita some medicine and told Robert and Bess it would just take some time.
Since the night was half over anyway, Dr. Walker told Bess to go to bed and get some sleep while he kept watch over Anita and Anna. Then Bess would be better able to care for them tomorrow when he was gone.
So Bess went to bed but awakened several times in the night to the sounds of coughing and labored breathing. Toward morning, Bess slept more soundly. No one awakened her, and it was nearly eight o’clock when she awoke with alarm.
Bess dressed quickly and went downstairs to check on the family. Anna seemed to be feeling much better and was hungry. But Anita was much the same.
Bess went to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast and was putting it on the table when Robert came in from the barn. At Robert’s questioning look, Bess said quickly, “No change at all. She is struggling to breathe.”
“I’ll bring in more wood. We must keep the kettle going and the fire hot,” Robert said.
“Why don’t you have breakfast first, Robert? We still have enough wood in the wood box to fill the stove again. You must keep up your strength, too.”
So the family and Dr. Walker sat at the table eating the delicious breakfast that held no taste because of their worry. They all were quiet. The air was compressed with the prayers in all of their hearts. It didn’t seem right somehow that someone as dear and sweet as Anita should suffer so much in her life.
The Long Road Home Romance Collection Page 16