Chapter Four

Chapter 4




Middle November 1890



I woke to the sound of birds singing merrily outside my window. I sat up in bed and swayed my feet off the side, and I rang for my ladies’ maid. Brigit my ladies’ maid entered with a curtsy. “What can I do for you m’am?”
“Help me dress Brigit for the day.”
“Yes m’am” Brigit walked to my closet and selected the clothes. Brigit first helped me out of my nightgown. “Hold on to the post of the bed m’am while I pull the strings.” Brigit helped me into my corset, and pulled the strings and tied them. Suddenly my mother’s ladies’ maid entered without even a curtsy she bustled in next to me with a frightened expression pasted on her face. “What is it Hannah?” I questioned Hannah. Still in my corset and chemise I pulled Hannah onto the bed and sat next to her. “Hannah tell me what’s wrong now!”
“Well, m’am I normally go about this time to help Mrs. Winthorpe to dress, because this is the time she normally is up.”
“And? Hannah just spit it out! Is it my mother?”
“Yes, she was still asleep when I went up there so I thought I’d just quietly pick out her clothes and refill the water basin for her to wash. But when I walked close enough to her bed she…I… Oh, Miss Elizabeth!” Hannah flung herself into my arms and sobbed. I put my arms around Hannah until her sobbing subsided to hiccoughs.
“Hannah, Hannah, please tell me what is it you saw?”
“Mrs. Winthorpe was so pale she looked dead! It did not look like she was breathing either.” Hannah went into another spell of sobbing until I comforted her again.
“Hannah, did you tell Pa of what you saw?”
“No, m’am I knew I should have but you are the first person I told.”
“Okay Hannah you must go tell father, and tell John the foreman to go get the doctor immediately okay? Can you do that for me?”
“Yes m’am” and Hannah ran out of the room toward Pa’s room.
“My! Do you think Mrs. Winthorpe will be okay?” Brigit questioned.
“Of course she will, do not talk like that Brigit!”
“I am sorry Miss.” Brigit hung her head down.
“Oh, fiddlesticks, I’m sorry Brigit I should not have used that tone with you, you’re just worried about Ma.”
“Yes m’am.”
Brigit helped me finish dressing and then pinned my hair. I was pre-occupied the entire time. I was worried about Ma, what was wrong. No one had come to tell me. As soon as Brigit finished pinning my hair I ran towards my parents’ room. I found my Ma lying on her bed, her face ashen. Doctor Morgan was next to the bed, obviously examining Ma. Pa was sitting in the chair next to the bed, his head in his hands. His shoulders shook telling me he was crying. Pa had never cried, I have never seen him cry. I walked slowly to the chair Pa was sitting in. I placed my hand on his shoulder and squatted next to the chair. Pa looked up at me and smiled sadly. He looked as if he aged at least ten years. His crow’s feet more pronounced. “Pa, what’s wrong?” I asked with tears swimming in my eyes.
“Doctor Morgan is still examining her. She’s still alive, just really weak.” Pa choked on the last words.
“Do not worry Pa, Ma’s strong she’ll get through whatever this is.” I tried to smile but failed. The Doctor went through everything he could and finished a couple minutes later. He closed his black bag and walked towards us.
“Mr. Winthorpe your wife has rheumatic fever. I would advise you go to Dot’s store and ask if she has anything for it. I personally have nothing that could help. Mrs. Winthorpe will be in a lot of pain, for four to six weeks. I can prescribe some laudanum for the pain, but that will not help internally. Dot might have something. Did Mrs. Winthorpe complain of having a sore throat before now?”
“Not that we know of. She kept her pain from us so we did not worry for her. Why?”
“Well, rheumatic fever usually starts with a sore throat, then progresses into the pain in the joints and fever. I would recommend going to Dot’s store and ask if she has anything. I gave her a dose of laudanum for now so she’ll asleep for a couple hours.”
“Thank you Dr. Morgan.” Pa thanked the Doctor and shaked hands with him. “Lizzy will you show him out and then get Will to take you to Dot’s store.”
“Yes, Pa I will.” I ushered the Doctor out. As we were heading down the stairs I asked the Doctor “Dr. Morgan will Ma be okay?”
“Elizabeth, your mother’s a very strong woman she will get through this. The best things you can do for her is get to Dot’s store and pray for her. It’s up to the Great Physician. But she’ll get through I know it.” He smiled sweetly at me.
I thanked him at the door and then ran towards the stable to find Will. It was chilly out and I forgot my shawl and heavy coat again. I was so worried for Ma my mind was preoccupied. I have to remember to put those things on. At least I had on my woolen petticoats and my heavy stockings on.
I found Will brushing a mustang in his stall. I ran to the stall, this is too much running for me. Stupid corset. I abhor this contraption. Why do women have to wear this? I looked up to see Will staring at me. I must look a sight. My eyes were red and swollen from crying. My hair pins fell out on my run so my hair was flowing down my back. He started to smile then saw my red and swollen eyes and the smile faded. “Lizzy?” He came to me and looked at me. “Lizzy what’s wrong?”
“Ma, Ma, Ma sh-she’s si-sic-sick, ne-nee-need to get to Do-Dot’s store.”
“Okay, come on Lizzy, I’ll take you. It’s gonna be okay.” He led me to the buggy helped me up and spread the buffalo blanket around me and then went to hitch up the horses. The entire ride to town he spoke comforting words to me. I only half listened. I knew he meant well but I could not stop thinking of Ma lying in her bed her face ashen. My tears fell silently down my face. The scenery meant nothing to me now. Ma might not be able to ever see any of this ever again. Did Dot ever tell anything of rheumatic fever before? I cannot recall if she did. Did people live from it? Will this cripple her? I need someone to answer these questions. As if he knew what I was thinking of Will asked me. “Do you know what your Ma is sick with?”
“Yes, rheumatic fever.”
“Ah, I see. My grandfather had that. I remember when I was a little boy he had it for about a month. After the month he was like his old self. Except for sometimes he had pain in his knee other than that he was fine.”
“Really? He was fine.”
“Yep, like his old self. Do not worry Lizzy your Ma will be fine.”
“I’m not worrying.”
“Lizzy, I know you. You’re probably trying to remember if Dot taught you anything about rheumatic fever, am I right?”
With a sigh I replied “Yes I am. I’m sorry I’m worried for her.”
He patted my hand and smiled at me. That same smile that lately has made my heart flip-flop. I had the same feeling. This whole thing needs to stop. I have too much to think of, to have this weird feeling. I won’t think about it today I’ll think about it tomorrow or weeks from now when Ma is better.





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“Ma here’s your tea; you need to drink every drop. It’ll help you.” I said to Ma going into her room.
It’s been four weeks since Ma was really sick with rheumatic fever. She’s gotten stronger and better each day. Dot had given me crushed coriander seeds to make a tea for Ma. I have given her the tea every day since that day four weeks ago. It has helped with her sore muscles.
“Lizzy, thank you so much, I’m feeling so much better today. I’ll be right as rain by next week.”
“That’s good but Dot’s orders you stay in bed for the first four weeks. So by the fifth you can walk around.”
“I have and you can go to the church choir practice tonight with Will. Aren’t you going to be practicing for the Christmas pageant?”
“Yes, but I wanted to be with you to take care of you.”
“You’ve been missing out on all social things since I got sick go out have fun.”
“You sure Ma?”
“Positive, now go get ready, and tell Will you’re going.”
“Thank you Ma, drink your tea. Bye Ma” I leaned over and kissed her cheek and ran out. I did not want to say anything but I had been wanting to go tonight. Now I can go. I could not wait Church choir was always my favorite pastime. Now I can be in the Christmas pageant. Nothing could ruin this night.





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“God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power…”
The words of the favorite Christmas carol came through the door of the church as me and Will pulled into the yard of the church. How I loved Christmas time. I heard Pastor Franklin’s wife Lisa Franklin playing the piano. Will stopped the buggy, and wrapped the reins around the hitching post. He jumped down and came to my side. I was in the process of jumping down myself when he frowned at me. I rolled my eyes and let him help me down. “Really Will I can do it myself, I don’t need your help.” I huffed as another flip-flop hit my heart. When will this stop?
“Maybe, but at least let me be a gentleman and help ya.”
He smiled that amazing smile. He’s got to stop having that strange effect on me. I smiled sweetly in return but quickly looked away. Does he smile like that to everybody or is it reserved just for me? I wonder what it would feel like to be wrapped in those arms. Whoa, where did that thought come from? I got to stop thinking these thoughts. If anybody got hold of my thoughts right now I’d forever be embarrassed. Lord, help me get these thoughts out of my head. I looked around and saw Will looking strangely at me. Oh, no please tell me I’m blushing. “What?”
“Ya coming?”
“Yes, I’m just admiring the music coming from the Church and enjoying the sight of the mountains.”
“Then why were ya staring at the ground?”
“Is it any of your business?” I huffed again and walked towards the Church. I walked past Will not even looking at him. He reached out and grabbed my arm to stop me. “Let go of me, Will seriously don’t make me yell.”
“Lizzy please, can we talk before we go in there?”
“No, it’s cold and we are already late.” I shrugged out of his grip and walked up the steps to the Church.
“Then can we talk afterwards?”
“I don’t see anything wrong with that. I guess, but make it short I want to get home to Ma right after. I like to check on her before I turn in for the night.”
“Of course it’ll be short.”
“Good.” He walked up and took the steps two at a time. He held onto my elbow ushering me in.
When we walked in everyone stopped what they were doing and stared. That’s when I saw her. What was she doing here? Like she seriously cared for the Church Christmas pageant, she never cared in past years. She was in the front row where me and Will always stood. Great.



God Bless!