Christmas at Carnton (Carnton 0.5)(51)

Aletta bid her good night and started back toward the kitchen through the study, then paused and waited to hear the retreat of Mrs. McGavock’s footsteps on the stairs before making a beeline out the front door.





CHAPTER 20

“Jake!” Aletta hurried after them, the muscles in her abdomen complaining.

Jake paused and looked back, the boys beside him.

Winded when she reached them, her side aching, Aletta paused for a few seconds to catch her breath. “I just needed to tell you that—” She swallowed. “Sometimes . . . Andrew has a tendency . . . to not wear his coat.”

“Mama, I’m not cold.”

Aletta held up a forefinger. “But you will be if you take off your coat. And then you’ll get a cold.”

“That’s what my mama says too, Mrs. Prescott. But I never do get sick. I always—” Winder stopped. His face crinkled up and he sneezed, which made Andrew laugh, which then started a fake sneezing contest between them.

“Please, Jake.” Aletta lowered her voice. “Make sure he keeps it on. He was born prematurely and has always had a tendency toward illness. So it’s important that he stays warm.”

“I’ll take good care of him, Aletta. Don’t you worry.”

She nodded. “Are you going far?”

“Not too far. I scouted out a place just across that field and over the ridge.”

He pointed, and she peered in that direction as though she could see anything besides darkness, and maybe the faintest outline of the trees.

“Aletta,” he said softly.

She looked back.

“He’ll be fine. I’ll bring him back to you first thing in the morning unharmed and still in one piece.”

Again she nodded, then pulled Andrew to her and gave him a hug and kiss.

“Mom!” He pulled away. “Not on a sleepout!”

“My mama does that too,” Winder said as they walked away, and Aletta could still hear his and Andrew’s exchange as they started across the field.

The night was cold without her coat, and she hurried back inside and stood in the entrance hall for a moment, her imagination running wild with all that could go wrong, with all the ways Andrew could get hurt.

She’d recently read about some Federal troops who’d taken to raiding local farms, stealing whatever they could. What if that group of soldiers happened upon Jake and the boys tonight? What would they—

“Please, Lord, keep them safe,” she whispered aloud, working to silence her worry that she knew was unfounded. She knew at heart that her heightened concern had more to do with Warren’s passing than with Andrew. Yet if anything happened to him too . . .

Telling herself he would be fine, she returned to the kitchen and found Tempy pouring the last kettle of heated water into the bathtub that was situated in front of the hearth, the fire crackling with warmth. She got teary-eyed just looking at it.

“I done pulled the curtains closed, ma’am. And with all the menfolk outta the house, it’s just us. So you go on and get undressed, and I’ll help you in. Don’t want you fallin’ on Tempy time.”

Aletta had to smile. She did as asked, feeling a little self-conscious about her body as she undressed, the air cold. But as soon as she stepped into the tub and sank down into the water, she felt herself relaxing.

“It’s important not to get the water too hot for a woman in your state, ma’am. But I can add a little more as we go along if you need it.”

Aletta sighed, able to feel the soreness in her body melting away. “It’s wonderful, Tempy. Thank you.” Then she started to cry. And couldn’t stop. “I’m-I’m sorry,” she finally managed, trying to hold herself together.

“Ain’t no reason to say you’re sorry. Not to me, anyway. You just let the tears come, ma’am. You got every reason under heaven to be cryin’. And just ’cuz you cryin’ don’t mean you don’t trust the good Lawd no more either. Jesus knows that. Shoot, even he cried when he was here. Over that good ol’ friend of his who died ’fore the Lawd could get there to save him. And what with Jesus already knowin’ he was ’bout to give Lazarus back his life. Makes me wanna cry just thinkin’ about it.”

Aletta looked back and, sure enough, tears filled Tempy’s eyes. Then Tempy grinned, and Aletta felt a bubble of laughter work its way up her throat. She sank deeper into the tub, relishing the moment.

“Want me to wash your hair for you, ma’am? I do Mrs. McGavock’s.”

“If you don’t mind, Tempy.”

The woman made a tsking noise. “If I don’t mind . . .” She laughed. “You done brought so much joy to my kitchen, I’m happy to do it for you.”

Aletta loosened the pins from her hair then dunked several times until it was thoroughly wet. Tempy lathered up the soap and began working it through, and Aletta closed her eyes, certain she’d slipped through the veil and into heaven.

A while later, hair in a towel and skin pruning, she climbed from the tub with Tempy’s help and dried off, shivering as Tempy helped her into her nightgown.

“You carryin’ that baby awful high, ma’am. And you know what that means.”

Aletta ran her hands over her belly. “Boy or girl, it doesn’t matter to me. I just pray he or she is healthy.”