Faith frowned. Her medical experience made her curious. “What’s wrong with her? If you don’t mind my asking.”
“I seldom speak to anyone about it lest I cause Cornelia embarrassment. When she was born, the cord was wrapped around her neck several times. She was without air for a long time. Mother said it made her simple.”
“Oh. How terrible there wasn’t a proper midwife to see that didn’t happen. Even then, they can’t always prevent such things from happening.”
Bedelia nodded. “We were poor, and my mother relied upon the help of a neighbor who knew very little. She made me promise from the time I was quite young that I would always look out for Cornelia. It’s the reason I’ve never married.”
“You sacrificed your life for hers.”
“I made a promise.”
“She seems mostly capable.”
“She is. She is not by any means unable to function. But shehas difficulties with many things. I read to her because she was never quite able to master it. She can read a little, but it becomes so burdensome to her that she easily gives up.”
Faith could better understand the stern, almost harsh personality of Bedelia Clifton considering what she’d just confessed. Here she and the others had presumed Bedelia to be overbearing and demanding. “She is very fortunate to have you. What a tender, giving heart you have.”
Bedelia blushed and looked away. “Thank you.”
“I promise to say nothing about this,” Faith added, “but thank you for the trust you have placed in me by telling me your story.”
Looking up, Bedelia met Faith’s gaze. “I knew that, as a medical woman—a physician—you would understand.”
Faith realized the honor Bedelia was bestowing on her and nodded. “I do.”
Supper came and went, and there was no sign of Seth. Nancy knew he planned to be late, but she was restless and unable to relax, and when the clock chimed nine o’clock and he’d still not returned, she began to fret.
“He’s never been this late.”
Her mother sat knitting. “Yes, but he told you he would be quite late. I think you should make your way to bed. Maybe by the time you get ready, he’ll be home.”
Nancy did her best to pace in front of the fireplace. The baby’s weight was slowing her down more each day. “I just can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right.”
“Even if there is a problem, what can we do?” Faith hadn’t really meant to ask the question out loud, but now that she had, there was nothing to do but anticipate Nancy’s answer.
“Well, we could send someone to check on him. Father couldgo down to the office and make sure he’s all right.” Nancy gave her mother a hopeful look.
“And what if Seth is already on his way home? Your father would never know, and he’d get there and then be worried about whether Seth had met with harm.”
“Yes, but once he came home and found Seth here, then he’d know. And if he came home and Seth wasn’t here, then we’d all know for certain that something was wrong.”
Grace Armistead put her knitting back into her bag. “Do you honestly want me to go wake up your father?”
Nancy frowned. “No, I suppose not. I just don’t know what to do. Seth would never stay away this long.”
“The time could have gotten away from him.” Faith knew the suggestion wasn’t at all helpful, but she was trying to think of possibilities for Nancy to focus on.
Clementine had been waiting for her brother’s return as well. “I could go. Faith and I could go together.”
“Absolutely not!” Grace declared. “If anyone is going to go, it will be Alex.” She got up from the chair. “I’ll go wake him.”
Nancy looked uncertain. “I don’t want to wake him up. I just want to know if Seth is all right. I’m worried that with everything that’s been going on, something has happened. I just have a bad feeling. Oh, I wish I’d put in a telephone.”
Grace came to her and put her arm around her daughter. “It’s all right. Sometimes we have those feelings for a reason. That’s why I’m going to wake up your father.”
The sound of someone on the front porch brought a smile to Faith’s lips. “Ah, here he is. I’ll let him in and give him a good piece of my mind for making us worry.” She went to the door and flung it wide. “Seth Carpenter, how dare—” She stopped.
The man facing her wasn’t Seth. He was a uniformed policeman.
