The Gift of Seeds (A Montana Sky Christmas Novella)

Prologue

PROLOGUE

St. Louis, 1873

AUTUMN

H ester Smith straightened from leaning over the large laundry tub and rubbing dirty clothes up and down the washboard. She swiped a hand over her apron to dry her palm. Inhaling a breath of lye-soap-smelling air, she pressed her knuckles into her back to work out the kink from scrubbing what seemed like an endless amount of the clothing and bedding from the orphanage.

She wiped an arm across her damp forehead, pushed back curling tendrils of hair, and smiled at her friend Lovie Hicks. “Lucky you. When you get married, you’ll just have Hiram’s and your clothes and linens to wash.”

Lovie scrubbed away at the clothes in her own tub, her pretty face flushed from the heat. As always when someone mentioned her betrothed, her expression lit up. “I can’t wait. Soon, I’ll be Mrs. Hiram Ledbetter.”

Knowing her friend didn’t need any encouragement to chatter away about her favorite topic, Hester curled her toes inside her oversized, thin-soled boots. The balls of her feet ached from standing so long on the flagstones lining the laundry room.

“Seems like my birthday is taking forever to get here.” Lovie gestured dramatically with one soapy hand.

Some watery bubbles sprayed and hit Hester’s cheek. Playfully, she made a face at Lovie before brushing them away with her damp sleeve.

“If only Hiram wasn’t so stubborn, insisting I turn eighteen before we wed.”

“Only two more weeks.” Hester tried to ignore the pain in her heart and look happy for her friend. Whether I’m eighteen or one hundred and eighteen, no man will want me. Especially, if he discovers I’m illegitimate. Not that she said so aloud. Even her best friend didn’t know her shameful secret.

She must not have succeeded in hiding her discouraging thoughts, for a little of Lovie’s light dimmed.

“I know things won’t be the same once I’m married. But you’re always welcome to visit the farm. I’ll do a little matchmaking. Hiram has several neighboring families with adult sons. Maybe you’ll catch the eye of one of them.”

Dear Lovie, as sweet and optimistic as her name. “You know that won’t happen. Men aren’t interested in a shy, plain wife.”

“Perhaps if you make an effort, Miss Mouse.”

How many times have we had this conversation? “You might as well give up trying to make me more like you.”

“You have a beautiful heart, Hester,” Lovie gently scolded. “But men won’t see your goodness if you hide away from them.”

The sound of heavy, limping footsteps on the slate flooring of the hallway made both girls bend to their tasks.

Matron Holtz, a stern, heavyset woman with a kind heart, entered the room, clutching an opened letter. “Hester, I have good news for you,” she said with a faint German accent. “Mrs. Nathaniel Ransome, a widow, is in need of a maid-of-all work. You’ll live with her, and she’ll provide a uniform. She’d like you to start as soon as possible. The pay is five dollars a month.”

Five dollars a month! Hester’s eyes went wide. The amount sounded like a fortune, especially since she’d never possessed any money except for the Christmas penny given to each child by generous donors, or the ones she sometimes earned from work outside the orphanage.

She glanced at Lovie, who looked equally round-eyed.

Mrs. Holtz flapped the letter. “Shall I write Mrs. Ransome and tell her that you’ll accept?”

At Hester’s vigorous nod, the matron smiled. “I have no doubt you’ll please Mrs. Ransome with your competence and reserved demeanor.”

The rare compliment made heat rise to Hester’s cheeks. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Mrs. Holtz glanced at the watch pinned to her generous bosom. “You may be excused for fifteen minutes to discuss your good fortune with your brother.” The matron smiled again. “Well, five minutes to discuss the news with Lovie, and then fifteen minutes with your brother. He’s outside digging potatoes.

Hester glanced out the steamed-up window that overlooked the orphanage garden, searching for Jimmy. But among the dim figures, she couldn’t make him out.

“Your leaving won’t be easy for him to accept.” With a sigh, the matron heavy-footed out of the room.

The quarter-acre garden, shaded along the edges by fruit trees, supplied much of the food for the orphanage, as well as being an unending source of labor and training for the children. Today, older ones dug shallow trenches, while the littles trailed behind them, planting beet, carrot, and radish seeds in rows for a late fall harvest. The middle children gathered mature vegetables, with the boys doing the digging and the girls the picking.

Passing the lavender bed, Hester stooped to break off one of the last flowering stems and brought it to her nose. She inhaled the scent and then tucked the stem through the buttonhole of her shirt.

She saw her brother Jimmy at the same time he noticed her, giving Hester a quick grin in greeting. He wore a well-patched shirt and overalls, and a straw hat with frayed edges. Hester made a mental note to weave him a new hat before she left—straw, at least, was readily available.

Skirting around the freshly dug rows, Hester hurried toward him.

Jimmy paused, leaning an arm on the shovel. Physically and mentally, they matched. Her brother at twelve possessed the same mouse brown hair, blue eyes, and unassuming features as Hester, and his skinny frame belied his wiry strength. He had a sharp intelligence and an eagerness for learning that made him do well in school.

She had hopes he’d grow up to work in a store or office rather than labor in the fields like most boys from the orphanage when they grew old enough to become employed. With her future earnings, she could help him.

“Jimmy!” Hester called, her voice high with news. She strode over to stand in front of him.

“What’s got you so stirred up, Sis?”

“I have a placement, Jimmy, working as a maid for a Mrs. Ransome.” Hester tried to make the news sound good, because really, except for leaving her brother and Lovie, she was happy to escape the orphanage. “Room and board. Five dollars a month and a uniform. Just think. I’ll get paid for what I do here for free.”

He shifted his gaze to the ground, placed a foot on the step of the shovel, and dug deep, with more force than necessary.

Guilt arose. The orphanage wasn’t a bad place to live, not in comparison to what Jane Eyre endured in Charlotte Bronte’s novel. Matron was stern but kind, although too busy to give her charges much individual attention. But at least the orphans didn’t go cold or hungry and were allowed to attend school in town with the other neighborhood pupils.

Still, loneliness abounded, and she and Jimmy were each other’s rock. With Lovie married, who would he go to for comfort?

“I’m to have a day off every other week. I promise I’ll come visit.” She tugged on his sleeve. “With the first of my wages, I’ll make you a new shirt.”

He shrugged off her hand and still didn’t say anything. But his hunched shoulders spoke volumes. His silence wasn’t really unexpected. Both were reserved and extremely shy. Except with each other. And Lovie. Her sweet-natured friend wouldn’t allow anyone to be quiet around her.

Hester slid her hand up to his shoulder. “I’ll save my money, so someday we can be together in our own little home.” She hesitated. Best be truthful. “I don’t know how long it will take to save enough for us to be together.” Hopefully not years.

“Years,” Jimmy echoed her thought in a dull tone. “I’ll be grown by then.”

“Oh, surely not, brother.”

He glanced around the garden, his tight expression easing. In five years, maybe sooner, I can leave this place, too. I’ll get a job and be able to take care of you .”

She chuckled and hugged him. “All right. We have a goal that we’ll both strive for—save enough money so we can live together in our very own home and take care of each other .”

With Jimmy on board, Hester dared allow herself to become excited for their future.