Mail Order Maternity (Brides of Beckham Book 6) (14 page)

Esther was surprised.  “Why?”

Victoria smiled.  “I’ve arranged it with Thomas.  I want her to be with you until your time comes.  That way if you go into labor while Thomas is in the field, she can come and get me.  We don’t want you to try to deliver on your own.”

Esther bit her lip, understanding the reasoning but hating the idea of taking MaryAnn from her mother for so long.  “It could still be a month before I deliver, though.  I don’t want her to have to stay with us for so long.”

Victoria shook her head.  “I don’t think so.  I’m going to examine you before you leave, but I really think you’ll deliver within the week.  I think it’s time.  The baby has already dropped.”

Esther nodded, conceding.  She was having a hard time getting the most basic chores done, and she knew that having MaryAnn with her would help her.  “If you can spare her, she’d be a great help to me.”

MaryAnn smiled over her shoulder at Esther as she put the last dish on the shelves over the work table.  “I’d love to come and help you, Aunt Esther.”  MaryAnn had turned eleven during the time Esther was there, and she seemed to have become more mature before Esther’s very eyes. 

“Well, I wish I’d known.  I’d have changed the sheets in the nursery and gotten it all ready for you.”

Victoria laughed softly.  “That’s why we didn’t tell you.  We didn’t want you to do any extra work.  MaryAnn will change the sheets when she gets there.”

Before they left for the day, Victoria examined Esther, and when she was finished, she nodded.  “I was right.  I’ll be surprised if you go another week.  You’re already starting to dilate.”

Esther smiled as she sat up.  “I don’t know if that makes me happy or nervous.”

Victoria slipped her arm around Esther shoulders.  “I don’t know how it should make you feel either.  I just know that we’ll be ready for it to happen when it’s time.”  She led Esther out to the main room where Thomas was talking to Samuel and the children were playing around them.  MaryAnn sat at the table with her small satchel by her side.  “Here’s how I want things to go.  When your pains start, I want you to send MaryAnn to Thomas, and then she’ll come back to you to stay with you.  First babies usually come very slowly, but she’s assisted me in several births already and she can help you if it comes fast for any reason.  Thomas will come get me.”

Esther nodded, taking a deep breath.  “I think that sounds like a good plan.”  She looked at Thomas.  “Do you think you’ll be able to go for Victoria?  Or will you get too nervous and ride your horse into a tree?”

Thomas laughed.  “You never know.”

MaryAnn picked up her satchel and walked out the door with them.  Esther hugged her sister-in-law.  “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

The three of them went back to the homestead with MaryAnn sitting in the middle.  Once they were back, Thomas milked the cows and MaryAnn went inside with Esther.  “Ma sent leftovers so we don’t have to cook tonight.  She sent some turkey and gravy, and said we could have turkey sandwiches.”

“That sounds good.”  Esther set the table while MaryAnn made a fire and started heating up the turkey and gravy. 

By the time Thomas finished unhitching the horses and milking the cows, dinner was ready.  They ate their meal, talking about the fun day they’d had.  MaryAnn had the glow about her that all children seem to have on Christmas.  She did the dishes, refusing to let Esther help, and then excused herself to go to bed.  Her mother had sent her schoolwork with her to do every evening, and she wanted to get started. 

Thomas pulled Esther onto his lap after MaryAnn went up the stairs.  “Did you have a good day?”

Esther nodded, snuggling close to him.  “I did.  It was the best Christmas I’ve ever had.”

He stared down at her stunned.  “Better than last year when you were married to Charlie?”

She let out a short laugh.  “We spent the day with my in-laws, and my mother-in-law told me everything that was wrong with me and why I wasn’t good enough to be married to her son.  Repeatedly.”

He stroked her hair.  “I don’t know if you’ll ever get to meet my mother, but she’d love you.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I do.”

She sighed contentedly and buried her face in his neck.  “I’m too heavy to sit on your lap, but I like it too much to get up.”

He laughed.  “You’re not too heavy.”  He put his hand on her burgeoning stomach, stroking his hand over the baby.  “He’s being quiet tonight.”

“He has been for the last few hours.  I think he’s saving up all his energy for his arrival, or to kick me all night long so I can’t sleep.  I’m not sure which.”

“He seems to be a stubborn little thing, so I’ll say it’s to kick you all night while you’re trying to sleep.” 

She smiled into his neck.  “Probably.”  She sat for a moment, just enjoying his closeness.  “I’m so tired.  I don’t know why because I haven’t done anything today, but I need to go to bed.”

“You’re sleeping for two now.”

She struggled to her feet, her hand automatically going to her lower back to help her support the baby.  “You say that about everything.  I’m eating for two, sleeping for two, walking for two.”

He shrugged.  “You are.  Do you need me to carry you up?”

“No, I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”  She walked up the stairs slowly, taking each step carefully, because she’d been a little off balance for the past month.

She stripped off her dress and put on a nightgown before slowly lowering herself to the mattress.  He would have laughed if she hadn’t looked so miserable. 

Thomas quickly stripped and pulled her back against him, his front to her back.  It was the only way she felt comfortable sleeping, and he was happy to accommodate her.

She nestled back against him and sighed.  “You really do make my back feel better when we lie this way.”

He stroked her hair.  “Go to sleep.  You need your rest.”

She nodded, her eyes already drifting closed.

Chapter Ten

Esther woke while it was still dark to a pain in the small of her back.  She moaned softly, reaching behind her.  Careful to not wake Thomas, she struggled to sit up on the side of the bed, and got to her feet.  As soon as she stood, she felt the liquid pouring down her legs.  For a moment, she thought she’d wet herself, and then she realized her water had broken. 

She got a towel and cleaned the floor before changing to a clean nightgown.  Once she was clean, she reached for Thomas’s arm, gently shaking him awake.  He looked up at her by the light of the full moon and sat up straight in bed.  “Is it time?”

She nodded.  “I don’t think we’re in a hurry.  My water just broke.”

He jumped up and tugged his pants on over his nightshirt, tucking it into his pants.  “I’ll go saddle the horse and get Victoria.”

She smiled as she watched him rush down the stairs.  She went to get the cotton and old newspapers she’d bought and covered the mattress, stopping when she needed to as the pains came.  She didn’t bother waking MaryAnn, because there was no need.

When Victoria came running up the stairs, she was sitting on the edge of her bed, reading a book she’d purchased the last time she’d gone to town with Thomas.  She’d saved it for her labor time, knowing it would help keep her mind off the pain.

“How are you feeling?” Victoria asked, her eyes sweeping the room and looking at how neatly the bed was made up and prepared for the delivery. 

“I’m doing well.  My water broke, so I sent Thomas for you, but the pains are still quite a ways apart.”

“Have you been timing them?”

Esther shook her head.  “I think they’re about five minutes apart, though.”

“We’ll start timing them now.”  Victoria sat down on the edge of the bed and took her pocket watch out of her bag she took to every delivery with her.  “You didn’t wake MaryAnn?”

“No, there was no need yet.  If the pains had been closer, I would have.”

Victoria removed her stethoscope and listened to the baby’s heartbeat.  “He’s still going strong in there.”

Esther nodded.  “I can tell.”  She smiled at her sister-in-law, surprised that she was no longer afraid of what would happen.  She knew she was in good hands and she was ready to let nature take its course.

When the next pain started, Victoria noted the time so she could keep track of the time in between.  “Go ahead and lie down so I can check and see how dilated you are.”

Esther moved down to the position Victoria wanted her in and closed her eyes while Victoria checked her.   “Well?  Hours yet, right?”

Victoria removed her hand and shook her head.  “You’re almost there.  Are you sure your water just broke?”

Esther nodded.  “Yes.  When it broke, I cleaned up the mess and changed nightgowns and then I woke Thomas to come get you.”  She stopped for a moment as another pain gripped her.

Victoria checked the time.  “Only a minute and a half apart.”  She stood.  “Excuse me.  I’m going to wake MaryAnn.”  She came back with MaryAnn in her nightgown. 

It was less than forty-five minutes later that Victoria laid a tiny baby girl on Esther’s chest.  Esther was laughing and crying at the same time.  She counted the baby’s ten little fingers and ten toes.  Her eyes met Victoria’s.  “She’s so beautiful!”

Victoria smiled, her eyes pricking with tears.  “She is.  Do you have a name for her yet?”  Victoria worked as she talked, cleaning up the last of the mess.  It was just past dawn. 

Esther stared at her, startled.  “We hadn’t talked about a girl’s name.  I was so certain it was a boy.”

Victoria laughed.  “You need to come up with one.  We can’t call her Baby Girl forever.”  She rolled up the last of the cotton batting in the newspaper to be thrown away.  “Are you ready for Thomas?”

Esther nodded.  “I hope he’s not disappointed that it’s a girl.”

“He’s going to be so thrilled to be a daddy that nothing else is going to matter to him.”  She waved MaryAnn out of the room to run and get her uncle.  She sat on the edge of the bed, cooing to the baby until Thomas walked in.  “I’ll leave you alone with your family.”

Esther stared at Thomas.  “Did MaryAnn tell you?”  When Thomas shook his head, she said, “It’s a girl.  Are you disappointed?”

Thomas stared down at the tiny creature in his wife’s arms, stroking his finger along her tiny ear and watching her face scrunch up.  “Of course not!”  He sat down beside her in the spot Victoria had just vacated.  “What should we call her?”

Esther bit her lip, stroking the baby’s full head of hair.  “How would you feel about calling her Harriett?  She brought us together; she deserves to have a namesake.”

He nodded immediately.  “I agree.  She’s a good woman.”

Esther smiled down at her daughter.  “Harriett Wilson.  I like it.”

Thomas swallowed hard.  “You can name her Perry.”

Esther shook her head.  “I think we’ll use that as a middle name, but she should have our name.  Harriett Perry Wilson.”

Thomas blinked quickly to hide the tears that sprang to his eyes.  “I love you, Esther.  More than I ever thought it was possible to love.”

“Do you want to hold her?”

Thomas shook his head.  “I’d break her.”

“No you won’t.  Just make sure you support her head.”  She carefully placed the baby in Thomas’s arms and watched his face light up. 

He stood, walking her and speaking softly.  “I’m going to make sure nothing bad ever happens to you, Harriett.  There’s no little girl in this world who will ever be loved as much as I love you.  I just want you to know that it doesn’t matter at all who your father is.  From today on, I’m your daddy, and I’m going to make sure your life is as good as it can be.”

Harriett opened her eyes and stared up at him.  She looked at the man holding her in his arms, and after a moment, closed them again and settled back to sleep.  Thomas held her tightly, knowing that no matter how many children he and Esther had, he would never love any of them more than he loved this one.

*****

Harriett was four months old and they still hadn’t heard a thing from Charlie’s parents.  Esther wasn’t sure if they’d given up on finding her or were having a hard time.  Harriett was growing fast and brought joy to them every day.

The winter wheat was starting to grow again, and Thomas was busy in the fields every day. 

One Wednesday afternoon Bertha had come over with her children, her tiny son held in her arms.  Their new baby was three weeks older than Harriett, and the two mothers laid the babies together on a blanket on the floor.  “I’m sure they’ll be married one day,” Esther predicted with a smile.

Bertha laughed.  “I don’t think little Timothy could do any better than Harriett.  They look really good together.”  Bertha’s five older children were playing outside, her two teenage girls watching the younger children. 

“Thanks for coming to visit today.  I was getting a little stir crazy.”  Esther had done fine through the winter with the new baby to take care of, but now that spring was upon them, she was having a hard time. 

“It’s to be expected.”  Bertha took a bite of the cookie Esther had made that morning for the visit with the other woman.  “How are you taking to motherhood?”

Esther smiled.  “I had no idea it was possible to love a little person so much.  I think I’ll have a dozen.”

“I’m sure Thomas will be happy to accommodate you.  He loves being a father.  It’s obvious in everything he says and does.” 

“It is.  He’s a good father, too.  I was a little worried when I came out here that he’d resent the baby, but he is as protective of her as I am.”  Esther took a sip of her coffee. 

Bertha’s oldest, Jane, came running into the house.  “Ma!   Come quick!  There’s a stranger here!”

There were so few strangers in the area that having one arrive was cause for alarm.  The only people they saw were the other families in their church, unless they went into town.

Bertha frowned as she stood to go to the door.  Esther looked down at the babies and picked up her gun from where it was lying on the shelf above the worktable.  She had no idea who it was, but if it was a stranger, that meant danger to her.

When Esther stepped onto the porch beside Bertha, her heart began beating faster.  There, in a fancy carriage, were her in-laws.  They’d found her.  “Take the children and go in with the babies,” Esther whispered.

Bertha looked at the gun in Esther’s hand and obeyed immediately.  “Children, inside!”  She didn’t know what was happening, but she wasn’t about to stand there and find out when her children were in danger.

Mr. and Mrs. Perry climbed down from the wagon, looking at Esther.  Mrs. Perry folded her arms across her chest, glaring.  “You had a child and you weren’t going to tell us.  Our grandchild.”

Esther nodded.  “I did.  You made it clear I wasn’t good enough to be your daughter-in-law, so I was certain I wasn’t good enough to have your grandchild.  Why would I stick around for you to reject the baby?”

Mr. Perry glared down at his wife.  “Just like I told you.  With the way you treated her, she had a right to leave and keep that baby from us.”

Esther was surprised at Charlie’s father taking her side.  He always agreed with everything his wife said.

Mrs. Perry looked at her husband and then at Esther, tears in her eyes.  “I won’t hurt him.  I just want to hold him.  Just once.”

Esther bit her lip.  Was the woman being sincere?  Or was she planning on running off with the baby?  “It’s a girl.  Her name is Harriett.”

“You should have named her Charlotte after Charlie.”  Mrs. Perry bit her lip as soon as she said the words.

“Harriett is a fine name,” Mr. Perry argued.  “May we see her, Esther?  I’d like to see my granddaughter.  She’s all we have left of our son.”  His eyes pleaded with her to agree.

Esther nodded briefly, the gun still in her hand.  “Come inside.”

She opened the door wide for the couple, and they went to the two babies lying on the floor.  Bertha met Esther’s eyes and Esther nodded.  It was then that Esther realized Bertha’s second oldest daughter, Rose, wasn’t there.  She must have run for Thomas.  Even though Esther believed the Perrys were sincere, she was glad to know Thomas was on his way.

Mrs. Perry stood looking at the two infants.  “Twins?”

“No, Ma’am.”  She bent down and picked up Harriett.  “The other baby belongs to my friend Bertha.”

Mrs. Perry stepped closer, peering down at the baby.  “She has blond hair like Charlie did.”

Esther smiled.  She was identical to Esther except for her hair which was obviously her father’s.  “Yes, she does.”  She forced herself to ask, “Would you like to hold her?”

Mrs. Perry nodded, her eyes glued to the baby in Esther’s arms.  She held her tightly, tears rolling down her face.  “She’s beautiful.”

Esther smiled.  “She’s a good baby, too.  She’s only four months old and she already sleeps through the night.”

“Thank you for letting us see her,” Mr. Perry told her.  “I know you weren’t treated well by us, but please know I’ve always considered you a daughter.”  By “us” he meant Mrs. Perry, and all three of them knew it. 

“Will you write to us and let us know how she’s doing?” Mrs. Perry asked.  “Please?”

Esther nodded.  “Of course I will.  If you want to be part of her life, you can.”  From a distance, she added in her head.

The door slammed open and Thomas entered the house, out of breath from sprinting across the fields.  Esther smiled at him and held her hand out to him.  “Thomas, these are my former in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Perry.  This is my husband, Thomas.”

Mr. Perry pulled his eyes off the baby and turned to Thomas.  “I owe you my thanks for being a good father to my granddaughter and a good husband to my daughter.  I can see they’re both happy and well-cared for.”

Thomas nodded, still out of breath.  “They’re my family now.”

“Yes, they are.”  He held his hand out to shake Thomas’s. 

Thomas swallowed hard, relieved that the couple was being calm and not trying to run off with his daughter.  He wasn’t certain what had happened before he got to the house, but Esther looked at peace with Mrs. Perry holding Harriett, and that’s all that mattered to him. 

Esther smiled.  “Would you like coffee and cookies?  I made the cookies just this morning.”

Mr. Perry nodded.  “We’d be grateful.  The drive from Lindsborg was long in the rented carriage.”

Thomas stayed at the house for as long as the older couple was there.  By the time they’d left, they all felt more comfortable with one another.  “I’ll write every month with updates on how she’s doing,” Esther promised.

Mrs. Perry had tears streaming down her face as she handed the baby back to Esther.  “We can come visit sometime?”

“As long as you give us notice and don’t just show up on our doorstep, that’s fine.”  Esther didn’t hate the couple, but she felt safer now that her baby was in her arms again. 

“We’ll give you plenty of notice next time.  I promise.”  Mr. Perry shook hands with Thomas and thanked him again.

Once the door closed behind them, Esther sank into a chair, shaking.  “I’m so glad they’re gone!”