suit. Ana had to admit that he was far more mannerly than any of the other family members she had met.
Esther and her family pulled into the yard behind them. Owen went to the buggy to speak to them and Ana went to the house. Mrs. Hanson from a neighboring farm had stayed with the baby; she was in the kitchen putting food on the table. Ana looked at the laden table with dismay. Heavens! Didn’t these people do anything but eat?
“The baby is sleeping like a lamb.”
Ana nodded. The woman was kind, but Ana felt a desperate need to be alone. The cradle had been brought down to the room across from the parlor so that the mourners could see the baby. Ana went there, picked the sleeping child up in her arms, and went up the stairs to her room. After changing from her funeral clothes to a washdress of striped calico, she sat in the rocking chair beside the window and rocked the infant.
Harriet was gone. She had to accept that. Mama, Papa, Granny, Mr. Fairfax, and now Harriet. She was alone except for this precious mite she held in her arms—so tiny, so dependent. Harriet’s son. Somehow Ana couldn’t think of him as being Owen’s son.
She wished with all her heart that she and the baby could leave this place tomorrow. It was an impossible wish. She would have to stay here for at least two weeks, she thought now, trying to think sensibly. The long ride to Lansing would be risky for the baby even two weeks from now. The infant needed clothes. He had practically nothing at all to wear. It occurred to Ana that she could spend this time crocheting booties, a cap and a long warm cloak.
The yarn she had brought with her was the dark yarn she used to knit heavy stockings and caps for the merchant in Dubuque. Besides being dark, it was too coarse and heavy for baby things. If the merchant in White Oak didn’t have yarn, she would unravel and use the white yarn in her shoulder cape. On second thought, she’d not wait. She needed something to keep her hands busy.
Ana placed the infant on the bed and took the cape from her trunk. After carefully untying the end, she pulled on the yarn, wrapping it first around two fingers, then rolling it into a ball.
The house was full of people again. They were laughing and talking. Ana understood that weddings and funerals were a time for families to get together. It had been the same in Dubuque. This group wouldn’t lack for something to eat, Ana thought drily, her own stomach rebelling against the thought of food. There was enough down there to feed an army.
Owen had introduced her to aunts and uncles and cousins on his mother’s side. Most of which, Ana was sure, hadn’t even met Harriet. Ana had paid little attention to any of them. Why were they here now? Why hadn’t they come when Harriet needed them?
Undoubtedly Esther was in her glory. Everyone conferred with her before they did anything. She was a tyrant who ruled the family with an iron hand. Her husband was old and spoke very little English. Of course Hettie needed supervision. But Lily, poor girl, was totally dominated by Esther.
Ana thought back to the night she arrived. Had it been only two days ago? Esther had threatened to leave and never come back if Owen used her mother’s sheets on Harriet’s bed. That hadn’t lasted long. She had been back the next morning acting as if she lived here, enjoying the attention as the neighbors came to call.
Of all the family Ana had met, Gus Halvorson was the most likeable. She had been surprised to learn that he was the brother of Owen’s mother and that he lived here with him. Had Esther, Hettie and Lily taken care of the women’s work here as well as in their own home before Harriet came? Harriet would have been capable of taking care of the house if Esther had allowed it. Had Owen allowed his sister to run roughshod over his wife?
No sound prepared her for Owen’s appearance in the doorway. She looked up and he was there. Their eyes caught and held before hers traveled down
Esther and her family pulled into the yard behind them. Owen went to the buggy to speak to them and Ana went to the house. Mrs. Hanson from a neighboring farm had stayed with the baby; she was in the kitchen putting food on the table. Ana looked at the laden table with dismay. Heavens! Didn’t these people do anything but eat?
“The baby is sleeping like a lamb.”
Ana nodded. The woman was kind, but Ana felt a desperate need to be alone. The cradle had been brought down to the room across from the parlor so that the mourners could see the baby. Ana went there, picked the sleeping child up in her arms, and went up the stairs to her room. After changing from her funeral clothes to a washdress of striped calico, she sat in the rocking chair beside the window and rocked the infant.
Harriet was gone. She had to accept that. Mama, Papa, Granny, Mr. Fairfax, and now Harriet. She was alone except for this precious mite she held in her arms—so tiny, so dependent. Harriet’s son. Somehow Ana couldn’t think of him as being Owen’s son.
She wished with all her heart that she and the baby could leave this place tomorrow. It was an impossible wish. She would have to stay here for at least two weeks, she thought now, trying to think sensibly. The long ride to Lansing would be risky for the baby even two weeks from now. The infant needed clothes. He had practically nothing at all to wear. It occurred to Ana that she could spend this time crocheting booties, a cap and a long warm cloak.
The yarn she had brought with her was the dark yarn she used to knit heavy stockings and caps for the merchant in Dubuque. Besides being dark, it was too coarse and heavy for baby things. If the merchant in White Oak didn’t have yarn, she would unravel and use the white yarn in her shoulder cape. On second thought, she’d not wait. She needed something to keep her hands busy.
Ana placed the infant on the bed and took the cape from her trunk. After carefully untying the end, she pulled on the yarn, wrapping it first around two fingers, then rolling it into a ball.
The house was full of people again. They were laughing and talking. Ana understood that weddings and funerals were a time for families to get together. It had been the same in Dubuque. This group wouldn’t lack for something to eat, Ana thought drily, her own stomach rebelling against the thought of food. There was enough down there to feed an army.
Owen had introduced her to aunts and uncles and cousins on his mother’s side. Most of which, Ana was sure, hadn’t even met Harriet. Ana had paid little attention to any of them. Why were they here now? Why hadn’t they come when Harriet needed them?
Undoubtedly Esther was in her glory. Everyone conferred with her before they did anything. She was a tyrant who ruled the family with an iron hand. Her husband was old and spoke very little English. Of course Hettie needed supervision. But Lily, poor girl, was totally dominated by Esther.
Ana thought back to the night she arrived. Had it been only two days ago? Esther had threatened to leave and never come back if Owen used her mother’s sheets on Harriet’s bed. That hadn’t lasted long. She had been back the next morning acting as if she lived here, enjoying the attention as the neighbors came to call.
Of all the family Ana had met, Gus Halvorson was the most likeable. She had been surprised to learn that he was the brother of Owen’s mother and that he lived here with him. Had Esther, Hettie and Lily taken care of the women’s work here as well as in their own home before Harriet came? Harriet would have been capable of taking care of the house if Esther had allowed it. Had Owen allowed his sister to run roughshod over his wife?
No sound prepared her for Owen’s appearance in the doorway. She looked up and he was there. Their eyes caught and held before hers traveled down
Similar Books
