Page 20 of A Groom for Lauren
“Aye. My husband wanted to have an even dozen.”
“How can you manage five?”
“It gets easier the more you have. The first one is always the most difficult. Come on, little one, let’s get you passed around. There are a lot of ladies that would love to hold a baby.”
Lauren watched as the woman walked over and handed Esther to another woman, who pulled a wooden rattle from her pocket. Esther watched wide eyed as wooden rings moved back on a handle.
Why hadn’t she thought of that?
She would have to see what was available at the mercantile the next time she went.
With so many women there, they made quick work of getting the house back into order. Soon the rubbish was in containers to be disposed of. Nappies were soaking in buckets to be washed. The floor was swept, the rugs were beaten, and everything had been dusted or wiped down. Even the dishes were washed, and the wood box was filled.
Lauren couldn’t believe that it took less than two hours for them to clean the entire house.
“Tell me,” Heather said a bit later as the women settled around the table, eating from one of the many dishes that had been brought along, “When you are experiencing the melancholy, what are you feeling?”
Lauren glanced at her friend, and then at the women around the table. Even though Heather spoke softly, she was embarrassed if anyone should hear them speak. Lauren learned that the woman with five children was named Charity Greene, and she was holding Esther again. Esther wrinkled her face as Charity made silly faces at the child.
Either the baby was annoyed, amused or about to make a mess.
Lauren finally turned back to Heather, her back to the rest of the women. She didn’t want anyone listening to what she was about to say.
“I can’t say for sure, Heather. There are times when Esther is crying, and I cannot move. No matter how much I want to comfort her. It’s as if I am wearing water-soaked clothing and they are so heavy I can’t lift my legs. Then, I get angry at her when she cries. I don’t mean to,” she said quickly to Heather, who nodded. “I just get so upset that she’s crying, and I want her to stop. I know there is nothing wrong with her. It’s just so loud.”
“I see,” Heather said. Her head dipped down. “I can’t begin to understand as I am not a mother. From what others have said, when you get the melancholy, you’re supposed to get a lot of fresh air, walk, and it will help.”
“I’ve tried that,” Lauren said sadly. “I was walking when…” She paused, anxious to not reveal the reason she was at the riverbank.
“When what?” Heather held her gaze intently, her blue eyes compelling her to speak.
“Nothing.” Lauren pulled her gaze away. “The walking and fresh air sometimes help but at times they don’t. I don’t know what to do.”
Heather tapped her chin. “I think you should get some help, Lauren.”
“Help? What kind of help?”
“Someone who can come in and do some of the housework for you.”
Lauren swallowed. “But Jonah always said I should be able to do these things myself.”
Heather lifted her brow. “Can you?”
Shamefully, Lauren shook her head. In five years, she had yet to improve in the areas of strength these other women had. She could barely cook. Thankfully, she knew how to boil water and eggs.
“Then, you need to see if you can hire someone. Someone who can do the housework for you a couple times of week.”
“If I were in Philadelphia, it would be easy to do that. But I’m in here in Last Chance. No one would have time to take care of my home as well as their own.”
Heather shrugged. “You won’t know unless you advertise.”
As she thought about, she knew she liked the sound of the idea. “I wouldn’t need help every day. I don’t have a large mansion like we had back home. Just a little help would go far.”
“Of course, it will. Or find someone who can live with you and help with the baby as well. Maybe an older woman.”
“Hmmm,” Lauren said, tapping her finger on her cheek. “I didn’t think of that. Maybe like a grandmother for Esther.”
“Exactly. She could even teach you how to keep house.”
