The Pattern of Her Heart (24 page)

Although she was ready for bed by nine o’clock, Elinor sat reading a book in her small parlor near the front door. She never went to bed until all of the girls had returned from their evening outings, and Janet had not yet come home.

She looked up from her book as Reggie came running into the parlor with her nightgown flying about her legs.

“Janet’s coming down the sidewalk,” she announced.

“And how do you know that?”

“I was watching from the upstairs bedroom window,” she replied with a giggle.

The words had no more than escaped Reggie’s lips when the latch on the front door clicked.

“See! I told you,” the girl whispered with a smug grin. “I believe I’ll go to bed. Shall we say our prayers?”

During Reggie’s previous visit, they had begun a ritual of saying their prayers aloud each night before going to bed, and Elinor was pleased Reggie wished to continue the practice. Elinor prayed and then nodded to Reggie to begin. Her prayer was much briefer than usual, and Elinor decided the child must be completely exhausted from the day’s activities.

“I’ll be back as soon as I make sure the front door is locked and there are no candles burning. You go ahead and get into bed.”

After completing the nightly ritual, Elinor returned to her rooms. Reggie had followed her instructions and was already in bed with her eyes tightly closed. Using the brass candlesnuffer by her bed, Elinor extinguished the flame and slid between the bedcovers. Her thoughts wandered aimlessly, and exhaustion soon gave way to sleep.

“What was that?” Elinor shrieked, sitting straight up in her bed. Something had startled her out of a sound sleep. She covered her mouth and waited a moment.

A shrill scream sounded from upstairs. Fear gripped her and she grabbed her robe from the foot of the bed. It was then she heard Reggie giggle.

“You don’t need to hurry upstairs—it’s only a toad,” she said. “I put it in Janet’s bed.”

“Who did this?” Janet screamed, her voice piercing the quiet night. “Catch it! Somebody do something!”

Reggie lifted her knees to her chest and giggled until tears ran down her cheeks. “I knew she’d be afraid of a silly toad. I told Lucinda to sleep with Mary Margaret so Janet would be the only one getting into the bed. Then I put the toad in her bed before I came downstairs,” she admitted.

“And that’s why you were watching to see when she was coming home.”

“Yes. I didn’t want the toad to be frightened for too long,” she said, stifling her laughter.

“It’s good to hear you were at least concerned about the toad’s welfare,” Elinor said.

“Please don’t be angry. We all thought it a fine joke and nobody got hurt. I’ll apologize and tell her I’m responsible so she won’t become upset with the others.”

Elinor nodded. “I think catching the toad would set things aright even more than an apology. Let’s go upstairs and see if we can find it.”

By the time they reached the upstairs room, Janet was sitting atop one of the trunks with her feet drawn up underneath her. “You did this, didn’t you? You are the most unpleasant child I’ve ever encountered.”

“Truly? Then I must introduce you to some of those who would put me to shame,” Reggie said. “I put the toad in your bed and I was going to say I’m sorry, but I’m not. If it weren’t for Mrs. Brighton, I’d leave it here to frighten you all night.”

Elinor pointed at the toad and Reggie quickly retrieved the creature. “Did it touch you?” Reggie inquired.

“Yes! It got on my legs and my hand.”

“Then you’d best watch for warts. Toads are known to cause warts on people of foul disposition—such as yourself.”

“And you!” Janet screeched. “You’re holding it in your hand and you are a horrid little person, so you will surely get warts also,” she said in a gleeful tone.

“But I don’t care if I get warts, and you do,” the child countered, then lifted the toad in front of her face and whispered words of praise to the creature while walking down the stairs. “I have to put you outside now. But if Janet is mean, I’ll be sure to find you again,” she promised.

Once the toad had been placed outside, Elinor pointed Reggie toward one of the chairs in her parlor. “We need to talk,” she said as she gently closed the door.

“Are you going to tell Father?” she asked. “He’ll never let me come and stay again if you do. Please don’t tell him.”

“I’m not going to tell him, but I think I have a better solution to the problem with Janet. Not as much fun perhaps, but I think it will prove much more beneficial to all of us.”

“What is it?” Reggie asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.

“We need to pray for Janet.”

“What? I don’t want to pray for Janet. I don’t like her.”

“I know, and that’s all the more reason we must do so. We need to pray that Janet will have a change of heart, and we need show her kindness. Only that way will we see a change in her.”

Reggie frowned as she contemplated the suggestion. “I suppose I could
try
. But I think you’ll need to pray for me too. Otherwise, I’ll fail and have thoughts of placing a snake in her bed.”

“In that case, I’ll be praying very hard!”

When Justin arrived in Lowell late Friday afternoon, he was several hours ahead of schedule. At least as far as Reggie was concerned. A single row of stitching along the bottom of her sampler required completion, and she was intent upon completing the project. Consequently, his daughter had greeted him at the front door of the boardinghouse with an accusatory “You’re early!”

“I thought you would be pleased to see me,” he said, surprised by her outburst.

“But I thought you wouldn’t be back until later in the evening.”

Justin stood in the doorway, hat in hand, uncertain how he should respond. “Would you like me to leave and come back later?” he finally inquired when she didn’t invite him inside.

Before Reggie could reply, Elinor strode down the hall, wiping her hands on a linen dish towel. “Pastor Chamberlain! How nice to see you. I trust you had a pleasant journey. Step aside so your father can come inside, Reggie,” she said in an authoritative manner.

Reggie moved to one side and inched the door open for her father. “I’m not ready to go home,” she announced. “I have
things
to finish.”

“I see,” Justin said, looking to Elinor for assistance.

“Why don’t you see to your chores while your father and I visit in the parlor? Perhaps you’ll be finished by the time he’s ready to leave. If not, I’m sure he won’t mind if you come home after supper.”

Elinor’s words seemed to resolve matters for Reggie, and Justin watched his daughter stride down the hallway as though she were on a mission of great importance.

“I can’t believe the changes in Reggie since we’ve moved to Lowell. It’s amazing. Now she voluntarily wears a dress and combs her hair, and her schoolwork is much improved. I must admit that you’ve had an astonishing influence upon her. I am most grateful.”

“Reggie is an easy child to love,” Elinor replied.

Justin laughed and shook his head. “That’s not what most people say!”

“Then most people haven’t taken the time to get to know her. Besides, Reggie and I share much in common. I think that’s why I’m so easily able to influence her behavior.”

Justin leaned back in the chair and gave his full attention to Elinor. “You’ve never mentioned having a common bond with Reggie in our previous discussions.”

“I suppose I haven’t, but Reggie and I have discussed it. You see, like Reggie, my mother died when I was but an infant. Unlike Reggie, I had my grandmother and other family members to help raise me, but I always felt different from the other children. Especially the girls when they would speak of their mothers taking them shopping or teaching them how to do a special embroidery stitch. . . . I felt set apart from them. So I began playing with my brother and his friends, doing the things they enjoyed: climbing trees, fishing, capturing snakes and spiders to scare the girls. The boys didn’t judge me—they didn’t care whether I had a mother teaching me how to sew and shop.”

“And so that worked for you?”

“Until I began school. Once again I became an outcast because I didn’t want to dress or act like a girl—until I met Bella, Taylor’s wife. Taylor brought her to England after they married, and I thought her quite wonderful. As you know, they brought me here to America and I lived with them. Bella quickly influenced my behavior.”

“Were you unhappy when she forced you to change?”

“Oh, she didn’t force me. I admired Bella, so I attempted to emulate her in every way. Of course, I don’t believe Reggie has changed because she wants to imitate me, but rather because I can relate to her experiences. I’ve not attempted to transform Reggie—merely offered her different options. And for the most part, she has been quite receptive. Now why don’t you relax while I go to the kitchen and prepare a pot of tea.”

Justin nodded and smiled as Elinor rose from her chair. She was an extraordinary woman, tender and kind yet filled with a strength he hadn’t observed in most women—likely due to the losses she had suffered. One would be forced to develop inner fortitude in order to survive so many difficulties, he decided. And she had worked wonders in his daughter’s life, and for that he would be eternally grateful.

With a practiced ease, Elinor placed the tea tray on the table in front of her and began to pour. “Biscuit?” she offered.

“Yes, thank you,” Justin replied as he pulled a handful of coins from his pocket. “I am going to insist upon paying for Reggie’s care. If you won’t agree, then I’ll have to make other arrangements in the future. In these difficult times, I will not add to your financial burden.”

“My finances have not changed in the least. I have, in fact, been much more fortunate than many of the keepers. None of my boarders has lost her job, though I’ve heard talk of additional layoffs in the future. As for Reggie, having her here is my pleasure. Should her time with me ever become a financial burden in the future, I will surely tell you. For now, however, I simply cannot accept your money.”

Justin placed the coins on the table. “I insist!” he said while maintaining a steady gaze into Elinor’s thoughtful eyes.

“May I suggest we place the money in a benevolence fund? One that can be used solely for aiding the girls who lose their positions at the mills? There are many who help support their families with their wages, and losing their jobs will be devastating. If we could help in some small measure, I believe it would be a fine way to exhibit our Christian charity. What do you think?” she asked, scooting to the edge of her chair.

Her enthusiasm was contagious. “I believe a benevolence fund is a wonderful idea. The fund could be handled through the church, and I believe you would be the ideal person to take charge!” He leaned forward and took both of her hands in his own. “Would you be willing to accept such a challenge?”

“Yes, of course. I would be honored to do so.”

“Look what I—” Reggie’s words stopped midsentence.

Justin turned toward his daughter. Her gaze was fastened upon his hands tightly wrapped around those of Elinor Brighton. He froze in place, unable to move. There was a look of accusation in Reggie’s eyes that forced him to remain transfixed. Fortunately, Elinor pulled back.

“You’ve finished?” she asked, her attention moving to the fabric in Reggie’s hand.

She nodded. “Look what I made,” she said, proudly holding up the sampler for her father’s inspection.

“Bring it closer and let me see,” he said. He took the sampler and carefully examined her sewing. “Am I to believe you made this all by yourself?”

“Mrs. Brighton taught me the stitches, but I did all of them myself, didn’t I?”

“Every single stitch—and some of them twice.”

Reggie edged onto her father’s knee. “I want to put it in a frame and hang it on the wall.”

“That’s a fine idea. We’ll put it in the parlor, where all our guests can see it when they come to visit.”

“I want to hang Mama’s sampler in the parlor too,” she said carefully.

Justin knew she was watching for his reaction. Was it because he’d been holding Elinor’s hands and she thought him disloyal to her mother’s memory?