There was no answer. Still, Doug didn’t rise, held in place by the drama that unfolded behind him. “What is his name?”
“My husband?” she asked in a voice thick with tears.
“Your son,” he said tenderly.
The answer didn’t come quickly. “I haven’t thought of it.”
“Something will come to you when you know him a bit,” he answered. He rose then and caught sight of a pile of soiled cloth at the foot of the bed. The disorder bothered him, and he realized that the room had been in perfect order when he arrived, the kind born of poverty when there is little enough to sort out.
“I’ll take those. My aunt has a laundrywoman come in every week. I’ll send them back clean.” He almost said, “bring.”
“You pay someone to do laundry?” He could hear the sharp attention in her voice, though his back was still turned toward her.
“You’re thinking you can take in laundry?”
“I can’t even find clients for sewing in this place,” she groaned. “So, finding folks who can pay for washing might be impossible.”
Doug’s admiration for this brave woman went up another notch. He gripped his cane and bunched his shoulders to step forward.
“Wait, Sergeant Marsh. Don’t forget your coat.”
“You know my name. I don’t know yours,” he said. “Your Christian name, I mean,” he added in a rush. He knew with almost certainty her surname was a fiction but didn’t press it.
“My name is Esther,” she replied, “and I’d be honored to have you use it.”
Spoken like the gentry that she surely was. She may have fallen on hard times, but this woman was far above the touch of a shopkeeper’s son.
“You can turn now,” she said.
He found her struggling to push herself with one elbow, baby still clamped to one breast. At least, he thought so; she had pulled the thin sheet up to cover him.
“Don’t! You lie back down.”
“Take your coat please. You’ve done enough.”
After a moment of hesitation, he did, if only to get her to lie back down. “You need to sleep.”And someone should check in on you later.He stared down at the wan face almost as grey as the sheets. “He’ll need you soon enough.”
She bit her lower lip and nodded, staring up at him with wide eyes. Before he could move, she murmured. “I owe you…”
“Nothing.” It dawned on him then what she feared he might want in return. He’d be insulted if he didn’t know the sorts of indignities a woman in her position had to endure. “You owe me nothing, Esther, except to care for your son.”
He scooped up the filthy laundry and lumbered toward the door, anger filling his heart.Whoever did this and left her here should be shot, lieutenant or not.If the man had appeared before him just then, he might have done it himself.You’ve done what you could, Marsh. Leave it. It isn’t your problem to solve; you’ve enough of your own. Leave it—deep in his heart he knew he would not.
* * *
Awoman came just as night began to fade, and Esther could see a bit. She opened the door a crack, whispering, “Are you awake, Mrs. Linder?” and stepping in without waiting for an answer. “Don’t get out of that bed, ducky. I’ll just set these things on your table.” She hurried in carrying two crocks with a bundle under her arm. She dumped it all on the table and turned around.
This strange vision stood arms akimbo, biting her lower lip and glancing around the room with disapproval. “This won’t do,” she murmured. “You can’t reach this table.” She brought the chair up next to Esther’s cot. “This’s better, I think. How do you feel this morning? Like the very devil I’ll warrant, but oh look at that little treasure tucked on your shoulder. You’ll feel more the thing by end of day, I promise. I’ve birthed six of ’em, and I know what’s what.” She reached over and put a hand on Esther’s forehead.
“Who are you?” Esther rasped.
“Oh my. Didn’t say, did I? Potter is my name. I’m the lead worker at Marsh Candle Works. He asked me to check in on you early in case, you know—problems. But there be no fever. Have you bled? A bit’s ok, I mean has there been too much? Y’don’t look it, but I’ll just take a peek to be sure.” She lifted the thin blanket without waiting for permission, tipping her head from side to side, to study the situation. “You’ll do, I think, as long as you rest for a day or two,” she said at last. “Linens will need cleaning, but that’s to be expected.”
“Sergeant Marsh sent you?” Esther asked when she could get a word in.
“Dint I say? Good man, the sergeant.”
“Why?”
