Still House Pond by Jan Watson Read Free Book Online Page B

night in fits and starts, once falling asleep in a chair with baby Merry on her chest. It was always like this when she was away from her own bed and the comfort of John’s arms. Plus, there was so much to do and so little time in which to do it. She’d already fired up the cookstove, boiled coffee, and made biscuits. It was early to do a wash, but she wanted to get the soiled birthing linens washed and on the line before Mary’s sister came to take over.
    When bubbles roiled across the surface of the water, Copper dumped in the sheets and toweling she’d let soak overnight. It was good to be outside so early in the morning while the mist swirled around her feet like the skirts of dancing girls and the sweet breath of the mountains restored her strength. As she stirred the laundry with a wooden paddle, her thoughts strayed to the time she had lived in the city with Simon. Obviously she had loved him enough to be there, but it was a hard place. Everyone lived cheek to jowl like hogs in a pen, and whenever you stepped out of doors, you saw your neighbor and your neighbor saw you. She wondered if anyone who lived in such tight places ever took a truly deep breath.
    She’d been seventeen when Simon swept her off her feet and carried her far away to live in the big city. It was an adjustment for sure, but she found her place and learned so much. She might not be birthing babies now if it hadn’t been for the teachings of her doctor husband. Thoughts of Simon turned to thoughts of his sister, Alice, and the letter Copper carried deep inside her pocket.
    Things had not been good with Alice. No matter how hard Copper tried, she had never been the frilly socialite Alice craved for her only brother. The corners of Copper’s mouth twitched and a laugh escaped as she thought of the day, years ago in Lexington, when Alice, along with the upright president of the hospital auxiliary, came calling and found Copper barefoot in the garden. Alice was nearly apoplectic. There were many times Copper unkindly wished she were.
    As Copper rubbed a stubborn stain up and down the washboard, she wondered why she still needed to please Alice—especially since she was quite sure that was never going to happen. Of course there were ties that bound tight as apron strings; at first it was their shared love of Simon, and now it was his daughter, Lilly Gray.
    Lost in thought, she’d scrubbed too hard and scraped her knuckle raw against the ribbed board. This is what happens when I don’t pay attention, she chided herself as she wrung out the piece of wash and dunked it in the rinse water.
    Sucking on the injured knuckle, she took out the letter with her other hand. It was barely light enough to read, but unfortunately there was no mistaking Alice’s request—no, demand! She wanted Lilly, just Lilly, for the month of July. Round-trip train tickets were enclosed. Alice had thought of everything. All Copper had to do was get Lilly to the depot.
    The desire to hold the missive to the flame that flickered under the washtub was so strong, Copper had to step back. Last year, she had accompanied Lilly on her yearly visit, along with the twins and Jack. Alice put up a good front with the other children although she had eyes only for Lilly Gray. Then Copper had given in to Alice’s pleading and Lilly’s whining and allowed Lilly to stay a week beyond Copper’s visit. Like the first tentative pull of a moth’s wing against a spider’s web, Copper could see now how expertly her sister-in-law had woven her manipulative trap. Alice could rightly reason that Lilly would be perfectly safe to travel without her mother. After all, Copper had allowed it before.
    Lilly would love the trip. So what was really so upsetting? Copper tried to think it through as she hung dripping laundry on the line.
    For one thing there was the time. A month was way too long for Lilly to be gone from her family. Copper would have to