A Home at Trail's End (42 page)

“He did?”

Eli chuckled. “Sure. He told everyone that he'd stolen the idea from you, but he was pretty sure you wouldn't mind.”

She laughed. “Did they want to take another vote?”

“Oh, I'm sure that some of them did.”

“Yes, I'm sure.”

So it was that the little town of Riverside, Oregon, was born just before winter in 1858, a little more than a year after Elizabeth and her family settled there. To celebrate the town's name as well as the opening of its first hotel and restaurant, Ruby and Doris hosted a party at the Riverside Inn. Naturally, it was well attended and the event of the season.

The Dawson and Kincaid families had been blessed with four calves during the summer, and they'd gone in together to purchase Malinda's young bull. The calves were weaned and the grasslands were unlimited, so the cows were producing rich, creamy milk. And Asa's dream of Dawson's Dairy was beginning to be realized. Clara and Elizabeth were making two kinds of cheese, and Jessie was making butter. Not only that, but Elizabeth's ever-increasing flock of chickens was producing eggs by the dozens. All these wholesome food products were being sold and traded at the mercantile under the label of Dawson's Dairy. From what they could see, with more hard work and gumption, the future for their family and the town of Riverside was sunny and bright.

Chapter Thirty-Two

A
fter a spell of wonderful springlike weather the first three weeks of January, the weather turned gray and grim and wet. Elizabeth, late in her pregnancy, felt clumsy and awkward trying to do farm chores, and after she took a bad spill, Eli put his foot down.

“I don't want to see you out here floundering around in the mud again,” he said firmly. “Not until our baby is at least a month old. Understand?” He gently pulled her up from where she'd slipped just outside of the chicken yard. “Are you all right?”

“I'm sure my pride is a bit wounded.” She made a lopsided smile.

He leaned down to kiss her. “I'm sorry. But I mean what I said. You are to stay in the house. The children and I will see to all the outdoor chores.”

She shrugged. “Fine by me.” Looking down at her muddy dress, she frowned. “But I still need to do laundry, and I normally do that outside.”

“Yes, but you can do that on the porch. And in weather like this, you'll have to hang it in the house to dry anyway.”

Elizabeth didn't really mind being housebound, but the gray weather was a bit dreary. However, she knew she could fill her time with knitting and sewing and getting ready for the new addition to their family. But in the next few days, she started to grow concerned, and on Saturday, she asked Ruth to take a note to her mother.

“Is it an invitation to a party?” Ruth asked excitedly.

“No, dear. It's just a note. I've missed her lately.”

“Oh.” Ruth nodded as she buttoned up her coat.

Elizabeth peered out the window at the darkening sky. “Don't dilly dally on the way, and maybe you will make it back before it rains.”

Ruth hurried on out, and Elizabeth hoped that her mother wouldn't be too alarmed by the letter. Mostly she just wanted Clara to answer her questions. She'd described her symptoms in the note, reminding Clara that her baby was not due until early March. It wasn't even February yet. If the baby came too soon, it would not be good. Elizabeth had not had problems like these with JT or Ruth. But she had been considerably younger then. And though she didn't like to think of it, the two pregnancies after JT and Ruth had both ended sadly. To be fair, the first baby she'd lost was due to cholera. The second one…well, she didn't know for sure.

She sat down in the rocker, rubbing her rounded belly. “Be well, little one,” she whispered. “And be patient. Don't come too soon.” Then she picked up her knitting and attempted to distract herself with the pale blue blanket she was making for her unborn child. She hoped the baby would get to enjoy it.

“I brought Grandma with me,” Ruth announced as they both came into the room.

“Oh?” Elizabeth looked up from her knitting. “That wasn't necessary.” She started to push herself to her feet. “But I am happy to see you, Mother.”

“Stay put,” Clara demanded. “I've come to see
you
.”

“Want to put on the teakettle, Ruth?” Elizabeth called out.

“How about if Ruth takes a snack out to the fellows,” Clara suggested. “I said hello to them, and they looked hungry.”

Elizabeth looked at the clock. “Oh, my. It is about dinnertime.”

“Dinner can wait,” Clara told her.

“Take them those doughnuts we made last night,” Elizabeth told Ruth. “They can finish them off.”

“Can I have one too, Mama?”

“Sure.”

“Hurry now,” Clara called “Before they come in here demanding to be fed.”

Before long, it was just the two of them. “What is it, Mother?”

“What you wrote me.” Clara sat down across from her frowning with concern. “You've got me worried, Lizzie.” Now Clara began peppering her with questions. And she felt her forehead as well as her belly. “I brought you some red clover tea. That might help some. But as your mother and midwife, I am going to recommend bed rest for you until the problems you described to me stop. Or the baby is born.”

“But the baby isn't due until early March.”

“It's possible that your calculations are wrong.”

“I do not think so, Mother.”

“Well, that's even more good reason to get you to bed, my dear.” Clara stood and then helped Elizabeth to her feet. “To bed with you. And do not argue with your mother.”

“But I don't feel—”

“Elizabeth.” Clara said sharply.

“Yes, Mother.”

“I'll make you some tea. And then Ruth can help me fix dinner for your men. You just go get into your nightgown and climb into bed.”

Elizabeth felt foolish going to bed in the middle of the day. Perhaps she'd been mistaken to call on her mother. And yet…she didn't want to put this baby at risk. She was just getting into bed when her mother appeared with a cup of red clover tea. “Drink this all up.”

Determined to be a good patient, she drank the tea and remained in bed. She could hear them in the house, and she knew that Eli was probably concerned for her as well as the baby. After a bit, Ruth brought her a tray of food. “How are you feeling, Mama?” she asked with worried eyes.

“I feel just fine,” she said. “I would like to get up and take care of—”

“Grandma says you have to stay in bed to keep the baby safe.”

“Yes. I know.”

“And I am to take care of you when I'm not at school. But while I'm at school, Grandma is going to be here.”

“Oh, I don't think that's necessary.”

“Grandma said you have to mind us, Mama.” Ruth shook a finger at her. “We are all going to make you stay in bed. So you shouldn't argue about it.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Well, I can see that your grandmother is ruling the roost now.”

“Grandma and me.”

Elizabeth had never been so bored in her life. It hadn't been too bad the first day or two, but after that, being confined to bed started to feel like a cruel punishment. But because her symptoms did not seem to be improving, she knew better than to question her mother's advice. And by now her whole household seemed to have turned against her. If she even made a move to get out of bed, they would scold her and show no mercy. Even the dog seemed to be keeping guard at the bedroom door.

On the third day, her father came to visit, bringing her some books to read. “Be patient,” he told her. “Before you know it you'll be out on your feet and wondering why you didn't enjoy this respite a bit more.”

“I don't think so, Father.”

“You're a strong woman, Lizzie, but sometimes even a strong woman needs to let others help her.” And then he asked if he could pray for her. Naturally, she didn't protest. By the time he left, she felt considerably better in spirit, but not well enough physically to be on her feet. Not if she wanted the baby to born healthy.

Word of her confinement began to spread in the community, and unless Elizabeth was mistaken, the women had made a schedule to ensure that she had a female visitor calling every afternoon. This provided a diversion in Elizabeth's boring days and allowed Clara to go home and see to her own household.

Her first visitors were Jess and Baby Maude. “See how big she's getting,” Jess said as she held Maude up to stand on her little feet. “And she's only nine months old.” She nodded to a small pile of baby clothes that she'd set on the washstand for Elizabeth. “She outgrew those a couple of months ago. And now she's crawling all over the place. Matthew says she'll be riding a horse in no time.” Jess chattered cheerfully, telling Elizabeth the news from their farm and how Matthew was putting in a corral. “He's getting ready to start training our colt.”

“I can't wait until I can be out there working with our filly.”

“Don't be in a hurry.” Jess nodded to the window. “There's mud everywhere right now. You might as well enjoy this break.” She laughed. “Sometimes I think what I would give to take a nap.” She looked at Maude. “This little girl only sleeps about an hour during the day now. But at least she sleeps soundly all night.”

Jess continued chattering away, and Elizabeth couldn't help but remember the somber girl on the horse—the girl they all thought was a boy—and how she kept herself apart from everyone. And just look at her now. “Well, Jessica,” Elizabeth said when they were finally getting ready to go. “You are a fine mother. And I am proud to have you for my sister.”

Jess leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You take care of yourself. And mark my word, you'll be on your feet and chasing your little one in no time.”

Malinda came the next day, presenting Elizabeth with a small quilt that she'd just finished for the baby. Like Jess, she chattered cheerfully almost nonstop. But Elizabeth sensed that underneath the happy chitchat, her friend seemed uneasy. It was clear that someone, probably her mother, had told these women that Elizabeth had been feeling a bit down in the dumps. And of course, that made Elizabeth feel a little guilty. “So how are you?” she asked Malinda finally. “Is it just my imagination, or do you seem a bit troubled?”

“Troubled?”

Elizabeth peered closely at her friend. She seemed to have shadows under her eyes. “And tired too. Malinda, are you all right?”

Malinda waved her hand. “I'm fine. It's you we're concerned for.”

Elizabeth studied her. “Malinda Bramford—are you expecting?”

Malinda looked embarrassed.

“You are, aren't you!”

She shrugged. “To be honest, I'm not sure. I thought perhaps I was just getting old. You know I'll be thirty-five in June. I honestly felt I was too old to have another child.”

“Mother had Matthew when she was in her early thirties.”

“Yes, well…like I said, I'm not sure. I haven't said a word to anyone.”

Elizabeth remembered the time she'd confided in Malinda…and how it turned out. “Don't worry,” she told her. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Belinda and Amelia came on the next day. They gave Elizabeth two sweet little nightshirts for the baby. And then they talked about how Belinda was helping Amelia to plan her wedding. “She's getting married in June, just like we did.”

“Sisters marrying brothers,” Elizabeth said. “One big happy family.”

“It does make family gatherings simpler,” Belinda admitted. Then Amelia asked Elizabeth's opinion on wedding dress colors, and Elizabeth told her to talk to Ruth about that.

On the following day Lavinia came, bringing a lace-trimmed christening gown for the baby. “Of course, I didn't sew it myself,” Lavinia admitted. “But isn't it just fine?”

“It is beautiful. Thank you.” They talked about new developments in town and how some of the businesses felt they should consider incorporating, but others, including the Prescotts, felt it was premature. “However, I do wish we had a mayor. Someone to help lead us in a good direction. I worry that a saloon will come to town. Can you imagine?”