AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The child grumbled but settled down for a moment before starting to jump and collect wildflowers, tugging on her mother’s arm at the same time.
Mrs. Anderson sighed but continued her story. “When Christopher came back from the war, he was let go from the army. See, he lost his arm, wasn’t fit anymore.” She shook her head. “He couldn’t find much work, and he was also very troubled, you know. He couldn’t sleep in a bed, and some nights he would just wander off somewhere. At first, he even couldn’t hold his child, so wild he was.”
“That must have been very difficult for you.”
Sam regarded her companion with sympathy. John was much the same. Although she wasn’t certain if he went wandering during the night, she knew he didn’t sleep well.
“Did he… Is he better now?” she asked hopefully. If a man who’d lost his arm in battle could get better, then certainly John would too.
“Not a lot. But little by little he is. He loves Carrie, but he fears that something will happen to her.” She drew a harsh breath and let it out. “It wasn’t just the sleeping, and his skittishness.”
“He was skittish?”
“Oh, yes. Loud noises startled him. Sometimes he would jump up and act as if he had no idea where he was. But that wasn’t the worst part. He couldn’t find decent work. Some places were too loud for him, but most places would turn him away because of his arm.” She shook her head again. “He risked his life for this country, lost his arm for it, and now nobody wants him.” She paused and looked at her rambling daughter. “Except for us, of course.”
Sam hadn’t even noticed that they’d drawn up close to the village.
Mrs. Anderson gestured to one of the small cottages. “This is our home. We live with Gran Anne for now, but Christopher wants to fix one of the cottages for ourselves. When he learns enough how to do that, in any case. Today is his first day at work,” she said so proudly, Sam couldn’t hold back a smile. “Gran Anne wrote to me about a sennight ago. Said a new baron came here fixing the land and needed workers. And we decided to try our luck here. We weren’t holding out hope. Nobody wants a cripple for a worker, but at least here is home.”
“I am confident your husband will get along quite well here,” Sam said with conviction. She was certain John was not about to turn away a fellow soldier.
By this time, they’d approached a little cottage.
“Would you like to come in?” Mrs. Anderson asked. “It is not much, the house is small and since we’ve just moved in, it’s in a bit of a mess. I am certain you are used to more orderly accommodations.”
Sam laughed. “Oh, believe me, Ashbury manor is in a much bigger mess than your house.”
“In that case, come on inside,” the woman said with a smile. “I suppose Gran is not home yet. She likes to spend her time visiting the neighbors during the day.”
She put the kettle on for tea as they entered and proceeded cleaning up around the tiny kitchen, while Sam played with Carrie. The little girl only had some knitted dolls and a wooden horse but a broad imagination. Sam smiled as the dolls galloped through the entire house, getting in the way of the girl’s mother and tangling in the drapes. Sam decided she would buy more toys for little Carrie once she went to one of the fairs again.
“Carrie, don’t bother our baroness with your toys,” her mother said as Carrie tugged on Sam’s arm and was dragging her around the small house.
“It’s no bother,” Sam answered with a smile. “I quite enjoy playing with her, she is a darling.”
“She likes you,” Mrs. Anderson observed. “You have a way with children.”
Sam laughed. “I don’t have much experience with them, but I would love to have children someday. A houseful.” If John ever came back to her bed, that was. She smiled for the benefit of her new friend, but her stomach made a nervous flip-flop.
Mrs. Anderson put two teacups on the table. “You can let Carrie play on her own for a while. Let’s sit and enjoy a cup of tea.”
Sam nodded and seated herself by the side of the table. “You’ve done a marvelous job with the house. It is bright and clean. What more does one need?”
“More room?” Mrs. Anderson grinned. “This is a nice little cottage, but Carrie is so active she doesn’t have enough space. Christopher promised we’ll have a new place by winter.”
“Oh, that’s good.”
“I don’t believe it will come true though,” she said sadly. “This estate needs a lot of work, and I don’t believe we have enough hands to get it all done.”
“Yes, John is always away at work because of it. And I am left quite alone in the empty estate. So it is good I finally made a friend.”
“I imagine we won’t see our husbands for many long days now. I don’t presume to complain though. We have a roof over our heads and Christopher feels useful. He feels needed. It makes such a difference to a man when he is able to take care of his family.”
Sam frowned in thought. Did John have the same reservations? What if he didn’t feel needed by Sam? True, he had spent most of his days working, but she’d never once waited for him to come back before she retired to bed. Perhaps, to change their relationship, she needed to make the first move.
“You said that when Christopher came back he was skittish, surly, and often in a foul mood,” she started carefully.
“Yes, he was suffering mightily.”
