Unfolding it, she held it up for Mary to see. Its design was that of a thigh length caraco jacket in a blue and green floral pattern. The three-quarter sleeves had white lace peeking out of the cuffs, and in place of a stomacher was a draping of matching lace, which could modestly conceal her growing belly and could be secured below her bosom with a simple brooch.
“You could wear it like a jacket with a solid green or blue skirt. The way lace drapes, no one will be the wiser, and it will extend as much as you need. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll need it,” Charise added with a twinkle in her lovely, brown eyes as she patted her abdomen, still somewhat plump after the birth of her most recent child a month before.
Mary met her older friend’s eyes and felt herself blush. She couldn’t help but say, “Charise…thank you so much for…well, for how nice you’ve been to me…especially after you found out about my, well…” she paused and gestured with a hand in the direction of her yet flat belly.
Charise offered an understanding smile and leaned forward to clasp Mary’s hand. Mary felt another pinch in her conscience that Charise wasn’t fully informed of what she was being understanding about. “No need to thank me, hon. We ladies should stick together, you know? The men…well, they do what they want and go on their merry way sometimes, not thinking what they’ve left behind. And honey, I know what it’s like to get with child at the drop of a hat. Why, all my Finn has to do is give me that wink and a kiss and it seems like I’m increasing again!” she shook her head with a chuckle. “Oliver arrived exactly nine months and two days after our wedding night. Well…after our real wedding night. I was a proxy bride—kind of like Pauline. Except that Finn and I had been writing one another and had planned to marry, only he was injured before he could come to Louisville to marry me, so he sent his brother, Sam, in his place. I used to tease them and say I had two husbands…I still do occasionally, when I want to see Finn get that look in his eyes and get all flustered like a jealous husband,” she finished, again emitting happy chuckles.
Mary laughed along with her friend and employer before they both looked over at the door as Pauline entered.
“What’s funny, ladies?” she asked, her beautiful smile making her face almost seem ethereal in Mary’s estimation.
“I was just sharing with Mary how easy it is for some of us married ladies to find ourselves in the family way,” Charise confided, with a wink to Mary. Then she pointed at Pauline with the handle end of a pair of shears and added, “You’ll be next, my Louisville friend, mark my words.”
Turning back to the cupboard, she remarked over her shoulder, “Mary, I bet your husband was fit to be tied when he found out you’d been attacked by that horrid outlaw, Hobbs, cutting your leg and stealing your money and all. I suppose it’s a credit to our sheriff and deputies that Dwight was able to go back to Louisville after Pauline’s wedding and not throw you over his shoulder and take you with him. What sort of a job does he have that you can’t join him, by the way?” she asked as an aside, her mind obviously only half on the conversation as she rooted around.
Mary’s heart jumped into a full gallop and she turned wide, pleading eyes to Pauline for help. This conversation proved that keeping this secret would be more difficult than any of them had imagined. But her friend merely gave a slight shake of her head and, sidestepping the last question, answered the former statement. “Yes, it was difficult for him. But I don’t look for him to stay away long.”
What in the world? Why did she say that? Mary’s heart thumped hard with the compounded lies being spun. Lord, forgive us all! Nothing good ever comes from a web of lies, she agonized.
With their host’s attention still distracted, Pauline signaled for Mary to come with her. “Mary, honey,” she said aloud, “I went off and completely forgot that skirt I’d told you about. It’s in my room over at the boarding house. Come with me and let me know if you want it, alright?” She again signaled by jerking her head toward the door. “We’ll come right back. Is that all right, Charise?”
“Sure thing,” the seamstress’ muffled voice acknowledged. Her head was deep in the cupboard and only a brief wave of her hand showed around the door, sending them on their way. “I’ll keep looking for that piece of dimity I told you about, Mary,” she added, her voice still muffled. “I know it’s here somewhere.”
Pauline grabbed Mary’s hand and practically dragged her out the door. Being careful not to wake any of the sleeping Maynard children, they quickly tiptoed to the backdoor and spilled down the steps of the back porch, and over to the surrounding crescent line of woods so they could speak in privacy.
“Pauline, what was that all about?” Mary asked once they stopped. She bent over a bit with her hands on her knees, unusually winded.
Pauline looked around and spotted a fallen log, then grabbing Mary’s sleeve, she dragged her over to it.
“Pebs, w…what in the world?” Mary sputtered as she lowered herself onto its surface with Pauline plopping down next to her.
“Hold onto your bonnet, my friend. There’s been a change in plans.”
Panic arced through Mary like a lightning bolt. “What
