Tenderness (12 page)

“Sit still, Susan. I’ll do it.” Jesse picked up her plate and Todd’s and followed the housekeeper to the kitchen. After placing
the dishes on the kitchen cabinet, she returned to the dining room for her father’s and Susan’s. She met the eyes of the housekeeper
after she butted open the swinging door with her backside. The woman’s eyes had a strange, cold faraway look that made Jesse
uncomfortable.

“You’re spoiling her, you know.”

“Susan?” Jesse set the plates down none too gently. “You’ve not been here long enough to make that judgment, Mrs. Lindstrom.
And if I were, it would be a family matter.”

“The doctor has expressed his concern to me.” There was a note of self-assurance in her voice.

A qualm of uneasiness went with Jesse back to the table, but she wore a bright cheerful smile and spoke to her brother.

“Did you go to the ball game on Sunday?”

Todd looked toward the kitchen door and nodded his head.

“Well… who won?”

“B-B-Bush-man D-da-dai-ry.”

“Did Pauline go with you?” Jesse looked across the table to where Susan sat slumped in her chair.

“She went. She came to make jam too. I don’t think she’ll come back.”

“Why is that?”

“She just… she just couldn’t do it right. Mrs. Lindstrom made it—after we picked the berries, of course.” Susan glanced at
her father. He was leaning back in his chair studying his eldest daughter.

Something had happened to her during her stay in the hills. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks tanned, her hair loose and tied
at her nape with a ribbon. She had bloomed like a woman in love. Well, she was pretty and capable and deserved to find a man
who would love her as he had loved his Dora.

Mrs. Lindstrom came through the swinging door carrying a tray she placed on the buffet after moving aside a large crystal
bowl. The bowl had belonged to Susan’s grandmother, and Jesse had carefully packed it away until Susan had a home of her own.

The housekeeper served the neat wedges of pie and took her seat at the table. Jesse looked at Susan and winked, remembering
other meals when she had set the pie in the middle of the table, and they had helped themselves until every crumb was gone,
arguing loudly about who was entitled to the last piece.

Tonight they ate in silence. When he finished, Doctor Forbes complimented Mrs. Lindstrom on the meal, moved his chair and
stood.

“Do you want your coffee in the parlor, Doctor?”

“In the surgery.”

“I’ll be in, Papa, as soon as Susan and I do the dishes.” Jesse began to pick up the plates.

Doctor Forbes smiled a trifle ruefully at his daughter. “We have a housekeeper now. Susan can help her—”

“I-I-I do-don’t have to he-help?”

“I don’t think it takes three people to do a few dishes.” The doctor ruffled his son’s hair. “Do your lessons. Soon you’ll
be having end-of-the-year tests.”

“That’s right,” Mrs. Lindstrom said brightly. “Mrs. Harper says school will be out in another three weeks. Come along, Susan.
We’ll make quick work of this chore.”

Susan wrinkled her nose at her sister, worked her mouth in silent protest and picked up the dessert plates.

J
esse followed her father into the surgery and closed the door. He sat in his swivel chair, she in the chair beside his desk.

“It was a pleasant dinner we had, huh, Jess?”

“The food was good. Where did she come from, Papa?”

“Delaware, I think she said. She came in on the morning train the day you left.”

“And came directly here seeking a job?”

“No. She came to see Dora. She didn’t know Dora had passed away. She was going to say hello and go to the hotel. Seemed broken
up about Dora’s passing. They were girlhood friends in Knoxville years ago.”

“It’s strange they didn’t keep in touch.”

“Not so strange considering Mrs. Lindstrom lived in Sweden for a number of years. Her husband died there and she came back
to her native country.”

“She’s hardly the type to be a housekeeper.”

“For the last two years she was a mistress in a girls’ school. I know she’s bossy and Susan resents her—” His voice trailed
when he saw the impatient look on his daughter’s face.

“Did she tell you why she left the school?”

“Said she got homesick for Tennessee.”

There was a soft knock on the door before it opened. Mrs. Lindstrom came in balancing a tray with two steaming cups of coffee.

“If you want more, Jesse, I’ll bring in the coffee server. Doctor usually drinks one cup after dinner.”

“One is enough for me, thank you.” Jesse knew immediately that Mrs. Lindstrom wanted her to know that she usually had coffee
with her employer after supper.

After the housekeeper left, the doctor leaned back in his chair and grinned at his daughter.

“Nice to be waited on, isn’t it?”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I’m used to doing things for myself.”

“You’ve got to admit she’s got things in tip-top shape.”

“She does everything beautifully—”

“—And she’ll be good for Susan. She knows how to handle girls.”

“Susan doesn’t need
handling.
Papa. She’s growing up. All girls her age try to spread their wings.”

“She spreads hers right out of the house when there is work to be done.”

“Of course she does. She’ll do as little as she can get away with, but that’s normal.”

“Mrs. Lindstrom will see that she does her share of the chores. You have enough to do.”

“And Todd? Is every minute of his time after school to be filled with chores? His stuttering is worse—”

“I’ve not noticed that. Mrs. Lindstrom will take the burden of the house off your shoulders and give you time to enjoy life.
You’re young—”

“You want me to go out and kick up my heels. Is that it?”

“You’ll have time to go to ball games, dances, church socials. You’ll have time for a beau.”

“Glory be! Do you have someone in mind?”

His eyes twinkled. “I’ll leave that up to you.”

Something in his tone and the look on his face caused Jesse’s cheeks to burn. “Todd and Susan don’t like her,” she said bluntly.

“Of course not. She has authority. Children resent authority. She explained that to me.”

“I bet she did.” Jesse’s voice held resignation.

“Give her a chance, Jess. She’s a very pleasant woman.”

“Susan tells me that Mrs. Klein will not be coming to do the washing.”

“Well, yes. Mrs. Lindstrom said that she would do it.”

“Does she know about boiling the towels from the surgery?”

“I don’t know. I never thought to mention it.”

“Is it the money, Papa? I’ll pay Mrs. Klein out of my wages. She depends on the pay she gets here.”

“Mrs. Lindstrom said it was the housekeeper’s duty to take care of the wash, and I just left it up to her.”

“Well?”

“Keep Mrs. Klein. And don’t be lippy about paying her out of your wages. You don’t get enough as it is.”

“I get room and board as well.”

“Jess, you’re about to make me angry. Is that your intention?”

“No. It was a shock to come home and find everything… different. Has anything else happened since I’ve been gone? Has The
Looker struck again?”

“If he has, it’s not been reported to me.” Doctor Forbes drained his cup and set it back on the saucer. “Simmer told me you
did a fine job up in the hills. The people liked you.”

Jesse felt the heat rush to her cheeks again and hoped her father wouldn’t notice.

“I did the best I could. The people are proud. I brought home a boot full of pay; everything from jelly to rendered lard.”

“How was Granny Lester?”

“Granny refuses to go to Knoxville for treatment. She’s dead-set against it. Her eyes are beginning to bulge and she’s short
of breath. I’m almost sure she’s taking a cure-all medicine recommended by some quack.”

The doctor sighed and shook his head. “They’re a different breed up there—pigheaded and proud. We can’t force her to go.”

“Mrs. Bailey’s toe is healing, although I don’t know why. She was in the garden digging potatoes with just a dirty sock on
her foot. Mrs. Merfeld is thin as a rail except for her stomach. I’ll be surprised if she delivers a normal baby.”

Jesse opened a notebook and read to her father the data she had recorded about each of the families she visited, including
the ages of the children in the family and some personal information.

“Mr. Merfeld is trouble. I would not like to go there alone.”

“One of us should go back up there in about a week and check on the young ones. And as soon as I get the government smallpox
vaccine, we’ll go up there and innoculate.”

“When will that be?”

“Month or so.” He studied his daughter for a long moment, rocking back and forth in his swivel chair. “I had a couple of good
visits with Wade Simmer. He helped you out, did he?”

Jesse felt her face grow hot again and gulped down the last of her coffee before she spoke.

“He was very helpful. He arranged for me to have an escort each day and a place to spend the night. The hill people are very
hospitable and went out of their way to make me comfortable. They gave me the best they had. I liked them, Papa.”

“Plenty of good people up there. You treat them right and they’ll treat you right. But I wouldn’t want to get on their bad
side.” The doctor continued to rock and to observe his daughter. “Simmer is determined to send that darkie to a boarding school
for colored.”

“Boarding schools cost money.” Jesse looked intently at the toe of her shoe.

“Money doesn’t seem to be a problem. He was asking me if I knew a teacher who would tutor the boy during the summer. I suggested
Pauline.”

“Mr. Harper wouldn’t let Jody darken the door of that schoolhouse and you know it.”

“I know it and Wade knows it. She can’t teach him at the school, and Mrs. Poole is going away for the summer. She couldn’t
teach him there anyway. That woman would have a fit. And, of course, she can’t stay at Simmer’s. I’ve thought of hiring the
boy to do jobs around the place. He could sleep in the barn if it wasn’t for that stupid law about darkies being in town after
dark. He’d have to go back to Wade’s at night. If Pauline came here to spend the summer on the pretext of giving Todd extra
lessons, she could teach the boy. Simmer will pay her.”

“Is this your idea or his?”

“Both, I reckon.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because, as Wade says, the colored man is here to stay. White folk brought them here. They deserve a chance for an education
the same as white folk. And the boy is hungry to learn.”

“You two must have gotten pretty friendly. Do people still think he’s The Looker?”

“Some do.”

“You don’t?”

“Use your head, Jess. Would I have sent you up there if I thought there was one chance in a thousand Simmer was that pervert?”

“How can you be so sure he isn’t?”

“You think he is?”

“No! You know I don’t,” she said in a cool no-nonsense voice.

Her father chuckled. “Then how can
you
be so sure?” His low-voiced query hung in the air between them.

“Well…” He had backed her into a corner and was actually enjoying her discomfort. Her blue-gray eyes flashed him a look of
irritation. “He hasn’t spent his entire life in the hills of Tennessee, you know. Why would he be interested in looking at
a naked woman?”

The doctor laughed. “He’s a healthy male. I doubt he’d shut his eyes if the opportunity arose.”

“I don’t think he’s the type to sneak around to do anything.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

The doctor noted his usually unflappable daughter’s agitation and changed the subject. “Do you want to talk to Pauline or
do you want me to?”

“The house is full, Papa. Where would she sleep?”

“Louella… Mrs. Lindstrom suggested we fix up the storage room for Todd so Susan could have his room. It would be plenty big
enough after all that stuff is carried to the barn.”

Resentment boiled in Jesse. “You’ve discussed this with
her.”

“She brought it up after she realized that you and Susan were sharing a room.”

“I don’t mind sharing with Susan.”

“I didn’t think you would. Don’t get on your high horse about Mrs. Lindstrom. You’ll see how pleasant it is to have a well-ordered
house and dinner ready. You’ll find you’ve gained a new freedom.”

“I’m not on my high horse. Have you considered our home up to now to be
not
well ordered?”

“Now you’re defensive.”

“I can’t help being defensive, Papa. It’s strange having an outsider in the house. I… don’t think we need her.”

“I do. When you’re not in the surgery, you’re devoting your time to this house and to your brother and sister. I want you
to leave the house entirely in Mrs. Lindstrom’s hands and enjoy yourself for a change.”

Jesse drew a deep, shaky breath. She was sure that if her spirits dropped any lower she would cry. Shielding the hurt in her
eyes with her long thick lashes, she went to the door.

“I’ll talk to Pauline,” she said just before she went out.

Jesse lay on her back beside her sister, her arm under her head, and gazed out the window at the starlit sky. She longed for
a way to turn off her thoughts so that she could sleep. She resented having Mrs. Lindstrom in the house. Mrs. Lindstrom planned
to stay or she would not have already entrenched herself so firmly in the household. Jesse also admitted a worry over her
father’s satisfaction with the woman. Yet she couldn’t believe it of herself that she was shallow enough to be jealous of
someone her father admired. It was just
this
woman. There was something disturbing about Mrs. Lindstrom that she couldn’t put her finger on.

Her thoughts also dwelled on her conversation with her father about Wade Simmer. The reality was that a couple of kisses would
mean nothing to a man who had been all over the world, had seen all shapes and colors of women’s legs, or so he had said.
Now it was easy to believe he had used her as a means of getting a teacher for Jody. Sudden embarrassment made her want to
cry. She had submited to his kiss like a love-starved old maid. Deep inside she was bitterly ashamed. She also wondered why
he hadn’t mentioned his visits to her father or their plans to get a tutor for Jody.