Will stepped cautiously onto the rickety ladder as he lowered himself down Jim Tantum’s roof. Below him, young Jason and Mathew were rehearsing their horrible experience smoking cigars. “Teacher gave us chocolate the next day,” Jason explained. “Said she didn’t like seeing us vomit, but we had to learn our lesson.”
Will chuckled. “You like your teacher?” he asked, rolling his shoulders. Six hours working on a roof was enough to give any man a stiff back.
“She’s the best teacher there is,” Mathew said with a forceful nod. “She makes lessons fun.”
Will had to agree. Abby seemed to make everything fun.
A man with kindly eyes and thinning hair walked onto the porch. “Jason, Mathew, your aunt has dinner ready. Why don’t the two of you go wash up?” Jim Tantum waited until his two nephews were inside before addressing Will. “Pastor, this is the fourth time you’ve repaired my house. Will you please let me pay you something?”
Will smiled and began gathering up his tools. “Jim, the fall you took was a nasty one. I don’t want you risking that shoulder of yours.” He stood up with his tool bag in hand. “Besides, what you and your wife are doing to help those nephews of yours… well let’s just say I’ll never be able to help you enough.”
Jim’s color heightened. “Well, we love those boys as our own. Speaking of such things, if you see Miss Esther, could you have her stop by?”
Will’s face lit up. “Your wife is expecting?”
Jim tried to give a casual shrug, but the grin on his face betrayed his excitement.
Will promised he would and made his way over to his chestnut stallion. He tied his tools to the saddle, thinking he would stop by Miss Esther’s house and let her know.
Will suddenly paused. Usually the very thought of seeing Esther made his nerves ring like church bells, but now… now there was only a steady heart beat and clear mind. How peculiar, he thought, that the mention of Esther brought out no passionate or even romantic emotions in him.
“Well, I’ll be.” Will laughed audibly as a sense of relief and jubilation ran through him. He was no longer enamored with Esther Callen, and he knew exactly why. Still smiling, Will lifted himself onto the horse and rode toward the Callen’s home—all the while thinking about a pair of beautiful gray eyes.
/
By the time Friday rolled around, Abby was ready for school to be done for the week. Her idea of Halloween crafts had gone well, as had her lessons, but on Friday both the children and she were antsy and too full of energy and impatience to be kept indoors. For more than two months now Abby had either stayed in her little house, taught at the school, chatted with Esther, or gone on walks. There had been no social visits and definitely not enough trips to town. She tried to talk more with the parents this week but was allowed only so much time. Esther usually made more of an effort to talk to her, but she’d been monopolized by Joseph all of Thursday and Friday. It was obvious she was trying to avoid him. She would stop the wagon at different places to drop Michael off and pick him up. Still, Joseph would walk out to meet her and carry Michael on his back to and fro. When Abby excitedly dismissed the class Friday afternoon, she desperately needed a break. Michael stood up and as was now customary, rushed over to Joseph who was replacing a window.
“You ready, Michael?” Joseph asked, setting down his tools.
Michael nodded and lifted up his arms ready to be swung up. “When are you going to come over and teach me how to ride again?”
Joseph picked up Michael from under the arms and swung him around on his back. “Well, I guess we are going to have to ask your momma about that,” Joseph replied.
“Ask me what?” came a velvety voice that cast a soft shadow in the schoolroom.
Joseph looked up to see Esther eyeing him with amusement.
“Momma! You came in to get me. You are back to normal!” Michael hollered.
Esther laughed, her color heightening, “I decided that I needed to spare Joseph’s back.” She waved for Michael to get off and come to her. With a heavy sigh, he slid down Joseph who followed him to the entrance.
“We were just talking about Michael needing another riding lesson,” Joseph told her. My, she looked fine today; of course, she looked fine every day. As he approached her, he noticed she seemed a bit anxious—worried maybe? She grabbed Michael’s hand and quickly kissed his head as if drawing strength from it. Instinct told him something was troubling her.
“Another riding lesson, huh?” she asked with a quick twinkle in her eye that quickly faded. She looked past Joseph and at Abby who was coming forward eagerly.
“Esther, I wanted to ask you if this Sunday you could show me how to make chili? I tried last night and it was a disaster.”
Joseph grimaced upon remembrance of Abby’s experiment. “Amen to that. It was pretty awful,” he agreed. Abby glared at him and gently swatted his arm.
Esther nodded distractedly, Joseph noted. She definitely had something on her mind. He gently touched her forearm and she drew it away, giving him an apologetic smile. Joseph frowned. What was it with this woman? He’d seen her many times embrace Michael, even kiss other women on the cheek. She seemed warm and friendly despite her reserve. Yet she seemed afraid of his touch.
“Esther,” he asked, his voice low, “are you alright?”
Esther gave him the same surprised look as she had the other night. It seemed unexpected to her that he would say something nice.
“Well,” she began, shifting under his gaze. “I need to go visit Mary Higgins.”
Abby’s face fell. “Is it her time?” she asked knowingly.
Esther shook her head. “No, but anytime now. I have tried meeting with her, but she has not yet allowed me to… or better said, she does not like other women coming to her home. I have offered to take her to my house, but she won’t leave unless it is running an errand for Toby.”
Abby made a sound of disgust. “That man has that wife of his on an iron chain.”
“A chain that she sadly wears with pride.” Esther shook her head, “Anyway, I am going over there right now. She was not at home this morning so Eliza offered to go with me in order to counter Toby.”
Abby frowned with a worried expression. “Are you taking Michael?”
Esther shook her head emphatically. “No, I won’t let him go near that house. In fact, I wanted to ask if you could watch him. I won’t be gone more than an hour or two and I have a basket of food for him that he is welcome to share with you.” She looked desperate for help, yet worried to leave Michael. Joseph concluded from her apparent anxiety that she rarely left her boy.
Michael jumped up and down. “I can stay with Joseph?” he asked, now pulling with excitement on Joseph’s arm.
“Of course he can stay.” Abby took Esther’s hand in a warm friendly gesture. “He can stay as long as you need. We will make it fun for him.”
Esther smiled. “Thank you,” she said sincerely and then kneeling down, she pulled Michael into a deep embrace. “You be a good boy Michael or no Harvest Festival for you.” She gave him a teasing flick on the nose and looked up at Joseph. “No horseback riding while I am away, please.” It was an order not a request. Joseph nodded, feeling a bit worried. He did not know who this Toby Higgins was, but it worried him that Esther was obviously unsettled and he could do nothing about it.
When Esther had left, Joseph turned to Abby. “Who are Toby and Mary Higgins?”
Abby shook her head. “A scoundrel is a polite word to call him,” she said, glancing at Michael and then back again at Joseph. “I will tell you later,” she mouthed.
Joseph nodded and looked down at Michael who was looking up at him like an adoring puppy. Joseph grinned, overcome with an unfamiliar feeling of tenderness towards this boy. Without thinking he picked up Michael and swung him onto his back.
“So Michael, your mom said no riding, but she didn’t say anything about no fishing.”
Abby watched as the figures of Joseph and Michael ambled towards a fresh mountain stream that helped nourish the valley. Joseph had discovered two random fishing rods underneath the schoolhouse, and even though he declared them ancient, he was itching to use them. Abby sighed and walked back into the schoolhouse feeling discontent and lonely. Everyone seemed to have someone. The children had their parents, the parents had each other, and so on. Even Joseph, her lone-wolf brother, seemed intent on finding someone to belong to. Everyone she knew came first to someone. It seemed a natural order.
Abby began erasing the chalkboard, her forehead tense with thought. She used to belong to her parents and she still did, but since she had come out here something had shifted. She not only wanted to be important to someone, but she wanted someone to be important to her. Maybe important was the wrong word—she wanted a binding of hearts. Being out here had put a depth into her emotions or maybe just wiped away the superficial fluff she had added over the years. Even her friendships back in Texas seemed insignificant.
Were my friends ever friends?
Girls were nice to her if she could give them a ride in her white miniature carriage or give them lace gloves for their birthday. In other words, her friends had merely been social conveniences. The men in her life had been no better than bloodhounds looking for a prize, but was she any better?
She thought of the values she had placed in her ideal man: wealth, education, a fine house… all material and socially impressive attributes. Traits like kindness, moral ethics, hardworking, gentle and noble, she had never included these. Did she even have these traits? Abby had always pictured what kind of man she wanted without thinking what kind of woman she wanted to be. What did she have to offer?
Abby tossed down the cloth and looked at the clean chalkboard. Colorado was proving to be much like the cleaning cloth, clearing her mind of false observations and thoughts. Yet even with a clear mind all she had come to realize was how undesirable she was. Her whole life had been covered with so much fluff that few really saw who she was, or even wanted what they saw. When so many men had come courting in Texas, all she’d had to do was sit, smile, laugh, and look pretty.
Abby shook her head. Why was she being so melancholy today? A soft creak from the entrance made her jump in eager delight. However, when she looked up to see no one, her expression fell. She stopped fussing with her things for a moment, pausing to contemplate why that darn pastor hadn’t stopped by for a few days. Hadn’t they begun to build a friendship of some sorts? Had they not laughed and teased? So why did he suddenly disappear out of the blue? Was it because he saw how Joseph looked at Esther and it angered him? Did Will still have feelings for Esther? The thought made Abby shift uncomfortably. She did not want Will to have feelings for Esther. She wanted him to have feelings for her.
Abby’s eyes went wide. “By golly,” she whispered as self-realization washed over her. She liked Will! Really, really liked him. In fact, from the first day she met him, she had fallen for him. She realized how often she looked up at the entrance hoping to see the blue-eyed pastor. She loved the way he teased her, made her mad, spoke sincerely, and didn’t hide his flaws. Had she indeed in such a short time lost her heart to this young auburn-haired man of God?
“A pastor’s girl—a pastors wife?” she whispered, testing out the titles. Could she and Will have a life in Tall Pine? Could she be away from Texas? Was that what she wanted? To start anew in a place where people did not know her as the spoiled rich girl? She had come to like Tall Pine, maybe even love it. She liked the feeling of fatigue after a hard day’s work. She liked to see mountains surrounding her, and she had yet to explore the town that she heard was growing rapidly. Yes, she could make it here. She wanted to make it here, and she wanted to make it with Will. The former scary thought of having children suddenly vanished and was replaced with images of chubby babies, Christmas visits to Texas, summer picnics, and holding hands on the porch.
Abby felt elevated. She wanted Will! How delightfully unexpected this was. A sudden sense of worry made her frown. She wanted Will, but did Will want her? Esther had one time told her that Will was the biggest catch to all the single ladies of Tall Pine; even some in Denver had their eye on him. What if Will did not want her? Out here in Colorado, her father’s ranch did her no good. All she had to offer was herself—and was that enough?
She was certainly not like Esther: queen-like, stunning, composed, and wise. Maybe Will wanted a more refined woman, or at least a capable woman who could sew, cook, and handle a farm single-handedly. Abby could learn those things, couldn’t she? She wanted to learn those things. The life of parties and coach rides along the river now seemed as boring as the men who’d once offered them to her.
Abby turned away from the chalkboard and quickly gathered her things. With so much to think about she left the schoolhouse to start dinner, chubby babies still bouncing in her mind.
/
Esther bit her lip, a feeling of trepidation gnawing at her gut. She looked over to see Eliza twirling her fingers; she was nervous as well. “Thank you for coming, Eliza,” Esther said warmly. “I know this is not the excuse you wanted to close up your shop for the day.”
“Oh come now, Esther. Do you think I was going to let you visit that odious man alone? Besides, Toby Higgins does not frighten me, and the fact that many women find him attractive is beyond me. I mean he has a pretty enough face, but something about it is, well, disturbing,” Eliza scowled.
Esther nodded. “I think as one gets older it is impossible to hide one’s character. It eventually shows through even the most handsome faces.”
Eliza nodded. “Let’s just hope the opposite is true. Maybe if I get a real good character my face will start looking nice, huh?” Eliza teased. Esther gave her a “we’re not having this discussion” look, before pulling the horses to a stop as they arrived at Toby Higgins’ home.
“Well,” Esther said quietly, “let’s get to this.”
Eliza gaped. “Esther, are you sure this is the right house? I thought this place was abandoned. I’d wondered why no one had claimed it and fixed it up.”
Esther nodded. “This is the place.” She looked over the slatternly home with chipped paint and broken windows as ghost-like curtains swung lightly in the breeze. There was no garden, no flowers, only a few scrawny chickens pecking hungrily at the garbage-littered ground. Mustering her courage, Esther climbed down to tie off the horse. Eliza followed muttering something about dirt, filth, and pigsty. Ignoring her comments, Esther walked to the front door and knocked soundly.
“It’s primitive,” Eliza whispered one last comment.
In only a few seconds the door swung open. Toby stood in front of them, his shirt opened. He grinned widely, his lips spreading thickly over his straight teeth.
“Well, well, Miss Esther,” he smacked her name on his tongue, not bothering to acknowledge Eliza. “I didn’t know that all I had to do was impregnate some woman in order to get you inside my home.” He winked suggestively and looked her up and down.
Esther swallowed, feeling exposed. Toby had a way of undressing a woman with his eyes that made her feel dirty. He barely stepped aside as Esther moved past him, forcing her to brush against him. By some power greater than herself she was able to stand strong. Eliza followed her, escaping the crude gaze of Toby. Esther gripped the sides of her skirt. There had been a time when she had purposely forgone vanity. No shiny hair done up, no beautiful clothing or even a dab of rouge. It wasn’t until Michael was three months old that she realized she needed to look good for him. People tended to treat him better, talk of him better, if Esther was well dressed and done up. After that she made a special effort to appear beautiful even though for quite a while she was afraid to walk in public looking nice. Soon, however, it became habit and then it became something she enjoyed. Not, however, with Toby licking his lips at her. She longed for a cloak of invisibility.
“Where is Mary?” Esther asked with firmness and more strength than she felt.
Toby nodded in the direction of a closed door. “She’s lying in there like some swollen pig. Says everything hurts.” He suddenly stepped in front of Esther, his hot breath covering her like a suffocating blanket. “She can’t do what a wife is supposed to for a husband, if you get my meaning.”
Esther braced herself for the wave of anxiety, but instead she lifted an eyebrow as a thought crashed through her fears. Joseph would strangle you if he knew what you were saying to me. Esther felt her mouth twitch with a hint of a smile. For some reason the thought gave her courage and drowned her usual fears. Why would the thought of Joseph comfort her? she wondered. He’s not my knight in shining armor, and I do not need him or any other man to fight my battles. Yet, she couldn’t deny the calm that had come with the thought of Joseph.
“Step aside Toby,” she said calmly, “and let me do my job.”
Toby smirked and stepped aside. Not knowing what to expect, Esther opened the door and walked into the dark room. Eliza gasped behind her, covering her mouth.
“Lord have mercy,” Eliza whispered through her hand. Esther glanced swiftly around, not wanting to embarrass Mary who lay on a small bed covered in gray blankets and dirty sheets. Empty whiskey bottles littered the floor as well as limp clothing. The walls were covered with nailed-up pictures of obscene women in compromising positions. With her lips parting slightly Esther put on her midwife smile and walked over to Mary.
“Good afternoon, Mary; I appreciate you letting me come,” she said gently as if talking to a wounded animal.
Mary barely returned the smile. It was more of a grimace mixed with a small moan. “Toby don’t like people coming in and out. I try not to need a lot—don’t want Toby thinking I take too much work,” she explained with a grunt as she tried to lift up her body.
“I see,” Esther said, helping Mary sit up a little higher. “Well, I will just examine you and make sure the baby is in the right position and that both you and your baby are healthy.” She nodded towards the sheets, “May I?”
Mary hesitated then finally nodded. Esther began to remove the scratchy blanket. Eliza sucked in a breath as Esther took off the cover and pulled up Mary’s skirt. Huge blue veins in oddly twisted shapes bulged through the white skin. There was no shape between the knee and foot, only swelling flesh. The smell that escaped made bile rise in Esther’s throat. She clenched her muscles forcing it to stay down. She heard Eliza gulp and quickly glanced in her direction. Eliza was looking away, her fingers pressing lightly on her lips also trying to keep down the urge to vomit.
“I used to have me such pretty legs,” Mary moaned, tears springing to her eyes. “Nice long legs, slender and white. Toby liked them.”
Esther nodded and began to take some cooling lotion and rubbed it lightly on the legs and then massaged her ankles. Mary sighed with pleasure.
“Your legs will go back as they were before, Mary. This is rather common, especially when women are in their last month as you are,” Esther said, trying to smile brightly.
Mary guffawed bitterly. “Toby don’t like me being pregnant…wish I wasn’t. This baby has ruined everything. I can’t be giving Toby what he wants because of it, and I ain’t pretty because of it. Honestly, I don’t want this here baby,” Mary scowled and crossed her arms like a child.
Esther made no reply, merely pressing her lips together and biting her tongue. Eliza on the other hand let out a gasp, her own eyes brimming with tears, “How can you say that Mary Higgins?” she hissed. Esther snapped a look at Eliza trying to silence her. Eliza ignored her. “A child is a blessing and a privilege.”
Mary snorted. “You don’t know. You don’t have no children. It ain’t a blessing and it ain’t no privilege.”
Eliza gaped at Mary, shaking her head; she looked away and held up her hands in surrender. “I… I’m sorry Esther I can’t,” she turned and ran towards the door. “I just can’t.” Esther heard the front door slam. Her own heart ached for Eliza, as well as Mary. To Mary, Toby was the world, and without him, she was nothing. All in all Mary, was a baby and was not ready to have a baby herself.
“Silly woman,” Mary muttered, referring to Eliza. “That’s why she ain’t married—don’t know how to take care of a man.”
Esther gave a non-committal smile and raised Mary’s blouse. Shiny stretch marks danced across the taunt belly like shooting starts testifying to a miracle. Esther grinned, tracing them with her finger before moving her skilled hands around the belly.
“Your baby is in the right position, Mary. Hopefully you will have a fairly easy labor,” she said optimistically with a smile that she hoped hid her clouded eyes. She finished her inspection and then pulled out a bottle of rose water and muslin squares.
“You gonna wash me?” Mary asked excitedly. Esther nodded and began bathing down Mary, determined that the unborn child would have a clean mother. “I’m gonna be smelling real pretty after, huh?” She leaned back grinning and wiggled her puffy toes. “I ever tell you about the time when Toby proposed to me?” she asked, lighting up.
Esther shook her head. “No, but I would love to hear it,” she said before holding her breath to clean Mary.
After some time, Esther pulled out a clean blanket from her basket. She had felt to take it without knowing why, but through the years she’d learned to follow promptings from the heart. Now she was glad as she laid the soft blanket on Mary who stroked the “pretty thing” like a kitten. Esther bit her lip. She did not know what orders to give to Mary. The intense swelling in her legs was not good. She needed rest and lots of water. On the other hand, some movement might help get the blood moving and usher in the labor.
“Mary, I need you to drink lots of water,” she finally said, “and I will be visiting you every morning.” Esther decided that was best. In this way she could gauge how Mary was doing on a daily basis.
“I don’t know if that be a good idea,” Mary said, a line of worry wrinkling her forehead. “Like I said, Toby don’t like it when people be coming over.”
A shadow fell across the room sending an involuntary shiver down Esther’s spine.
“Well, it depends on who is coming,” Toby laughed and again licked his lips at Esther.
Disgusting! Why can’t this man keep his slug-like tongue in his mouth?
Mary’s countenance fell; she held the blanket close as if it would protect her from dark thoughts and fears.
Esther stood up and felt something she had not felt for a long time: Rage. Feeling fearless, she picked up her basket and strode over to Toby. “Mr. Higgins, a word please,” she demanded, walking past him.
Joseph really would strangle him, a fragmented part of her brain brought up again. Esther bit her cheek with annoyance. Why was she thinking about Joseph? But again, courage and calm welled up inside of her.
“You want a word, Miss Esther?” Toby smiled and stepped close to her. Too close. “I can give you a lot more than a word,” he winked.
Esther fought the urge to step back, instinct told her Toby would translate it as fear and fear would excite him, possibly encourage him.
Sick man.
Esther lifted her chin and pinned Toby with a gaze so sharp that his smile fell. “Mr. Higgins, as soon as Mary shows signs of labor, no matter how early, I am taking her to my home where she will deliver the baby. Understood?” Her voice was full of resolve. Toby scowled in confusion. He wasn’t used to being told what to do.
“I say what goes on here,” he finally snapped through slurred speech. “That’s my woman and I say what she does, where she goes, and how she does it. You understand me?”
Esther stared down the insipid man. With a sigh of disgust she pulled out a bag jingling with coins. She watched as Toby’s greedy face lit up. “That there sounds like a lot,” he commented with sickening glee.
“It is, and it is yours if and when you allow me to take Mary to my home,” she bargained. Bribery may not be godly, but a baby’s life was at stake and God loved babies more than anything. That she knew for sure.
Toby huffed, knowing he was defeated. “Fine. You can take my pregnant pig to your house. Honestly, I didn’t want no baby junk on my bed.” He scowled as Esther put the coins away.
“Well then, we have a deal. Good day, Mr. Higgins,” Esther spun around and left the musty house. She shut the door behind her and took a deep breath of the fresh air. It felt like pure deliverance. She had seen many rough things; Tall Pine in general was a good town with well-meaning people, but like everywhere it had its dark corners and troublemakers. Men like Toby Higgins though were just plain ol’ wicked. He delighted in evil and Esther knew that no innocent baby under her watch would be born in that home.
Eliza was waiting in the cart, her elbows on her knees and her chin resting on her hands. “I’m sorry,” she blurted out before Esther could pull herself up. “I don’t know what came over me.” Her eyes were still glistening with tears.
Esther shook her head. “Don’t apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for,” Esther assured her, flicking the reigns. She wanted to drop Eliza off and get to Michael as soon as possible.
Eliza was silent for only a minute before a sob escaped her lips. “It’s just so damn unfair, Esther,” she cried out and immediately lowered her eyes. “Excuse the language.”
Esther smiled. “I took no offense Eliza,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
Eliza sighed and wiped the tears away. “Why are you so strong, Esther? Tell me how you live your life without bitterness, because I can’t do it. I used to ask God for a child, but now I know it is too late.” She hesitated, “Even if I were to marry,” she continued not wanting to think of Kyle Lampton but unable to help herself, “I am no longer young.”
“You’re not old,” Esther objected.
“Yes, but I am not young,” Eliza cried. “Who knows if I will ever be able to have a child? Now I ask God why. Why when I have tried my whole life to be a good Christian, to follow God’s will, tried to be Christ-like and serve others, why am I denied the one thing I want more than anything in the world? While scum like the Higgins are expecting a child that they don’t even want?” Her voice was broken in between sobs as tears soaked her skirt.
Esther was silent for a moment listening to Eliza’s heartbreaking words. Words that she understood all too well. She herself had been angry at God, had cursed His name and had shaken her fist at heaven. How could He have abandoned her when she had been faithful to Him? What kind of Heavenly Father allowed a daughter to experience such grief? She’d had to fight demons in order to see that He had kept angels around her. She’d had to experience hell in order to have heaven. Growing up, her life had been one of encouraged naivety. But now she was strong and had compassion, which opened her up to more understanding and joy. Above all, she had Michael. She would go through any pain and suffering again to have Michael. He was proof of God’s eternal and incomprehensible love.
“Eliza,” she said softly, “I wish I could give you the answer, but God’s plan for everyone and His relationship with them is so individual that answers only come when you are willing to bruise your knees with prayer and weary yourself with faith. You will have the answer one day. It may not be at the time you want, but it will be in the Lord’s time, which is always best.” She paused, studying Eliza’s face to make sure that she was not hurting a wound. Eliza nodded and looked at her hopefully, encouraging Esther to continue. “God loves you more than you can imagine. He does not always stop bad things from happening to us, and I don’t know why. But I do know every hardship we have, when we remain faithful, God sanctifies and turns into a blessing. I like to think of our trials as stinging nettle, and beside every stinging nettle there is a horsetail plant that has a liquid to sooth the rash. God does not keep us from getting stung, but He always gives us our own horsetail. Look at Michael—he is my world. What happened to me was horrible, but what God gave me was wonderful… perfect even. Besides, my sorrow and anger forced me to turn to God where I have found peace and true happiness.” She smiled softly, “As humans we have a tendency to turn to God only when dark clouds are in our life.” Esther bit her lip, she didn’t want to preach to Eliza, merely comfort her, but she also knew that God’s love and ways could not be described, only felt and experienced.
Eliza smiled. “Michael is a miracle isn’t he?”
Esther nodded. “A living, breathing miracle.”
“Well, Esther, I thank you. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.” Eliza leaned over as Esther pulled to a stop and embraced her. “Now, I will go inside and have some chocolate cake that was left at my shop by some stranger,” she laughed shakily. Esther smiled in delight, knowing full well who left the cake even though Eliza found it difficult to speak of Kyle Lampton, as if speaking of him would bring bad luck. She watched the slight figure of Eliza walk away then turned the horse towards the direction of the schoolhouse. She was now hungry, very hungry, and missing her son. No doubt Michael was thrilled beyond measure as he played with Joseph.
Without thinking Esther smiled. “Joseph,” she muttered softly before shaking her head and singing a song to keep her mind clear.