Mail Order Mix Up

by Kirsten Osbourne

  “He’ll understand. I went through the same thing when I was first married. I was certain I would adore being in the lap of luxury and not having to lift a finger for anything. It took me all of a month to hate doing nothing. I begged him to quit his job and fire all the servants so I’d have something to do with my time.”

  Ellen laughed. “He didn’t agree?” She could just picture the scene if she asked Patrick to quit his job and fire the servants.

  Elizabeth shook her head, her blue eyes dancing with laughter. “No, he told me to find something to do and let him get back to work. What else would he say?”

  After the Chandlers had left, Ellen went into Patrick’s office to talk about the things she and Elizabeth had discussed. She sat down in the chair opposite his desk and waited until he lifted his head to look at her. “I think the party went very well. Thank you for all your hard work getting it ready.”

  She smiled at the compliment. “I’m glad you were happy with it.” She looked down at her hands for a minute, trying to choose the right words to broach the subject she needed to discuss. “After talking with the other women, I realized that our marriage is normal for a banker’s marriage. I thought it was odd that you were spending no time with me, but now I understand. I do need something to do with my time, though, so I wondered if you would be amenable to me volunteering at the orphanage in town.” She really loved the idea of spending time with children. She would have preferred spending every waking moment with him, but there was no way that could happen.

  He sighed and put his pen down. “I’m sorry. I was hoping to have more time to spend with you, but I just don’t.”

  “I’m not upset about it. Anymore,” she added honestly.

  “But you were?”

  She shrugged. “We spent more time together while we were courting than we do now. I mean, you’d come over every evening and we’d have time to talk and sit together on the back porch. Now you come home from work late every night, and then you work in your study most evenings after dinner.” She paused thinking carefully about her words. “I know you’re busy, but I need something to do. I’ve spent my whole life working. Sitting around all day doesn’t work for me.”

  “That’s fine. Go to the orphanage tomorrow and see if they can use you. I’m sure there’s something they need if only someone to sit with the babies while someone else cooks the meals. If that will make you happy, then I’m all for it. I don’t want you to be bored or unhappy.”

  “Thank you. I was hoping you’d feel that way about it. It’s so hard for me to be idle.” She hoped it wasn’t coming off as if she was complaining, because she loved him, and she was happy being married to him.

  He walked around the desk and took her hand, pulling her to her feet. Leaning down to kiss her softly, he said, “I’m glad you married me. I’m very happy in our marriage. I just want you to know that.”

  She nodded. “I do know that, and I’m happy, too. I just wish we could spend more time together.”

  “I do too. There’s nothing I’d rather do than spend time with you, but I can’t sit around all day either. I need to work.”

  She snuggled against him. “Just so I know you’d rather be with me, I’m happy.”

  His arms went around her holding her against him. “I’d definitely rather be with you.”

  Chapter Nine

  After church on Sunday, Patrick and Ellen invited Wesley and Malinda for a picnic lunch in the park. Patrick would have to put in a few hours in his study that evening, but he had some time to spare, and he knew Ellen was worried about the other couple’s marriage.

  While they ate, Ellen couldn’t help but wonder what was going on between Wesley and Malinda. She’d thought they’d worked their problems out earlier in the week, but they were very obviously strained. While the men were eating the cookies she’d packed for dessert, Ellen pulled Malinda off to go for a walk around the park.

  “Are you two okay?” Ellen made certain to keep her voice low so no one would hear them. The park was fairly busy with picnicking families.

  Malinda shook her head fiercely. “I just think I’ve made a huge mistake marrying Wesley.”

  Ellen closed her eyes for a moment. “I thought you two were doing better.” How long was Malinda going to be unhappy in her marriage? She’d married a man she loved. Surely, they could overcome their problems.

  Malinda shrugged. “Well we are in some ways. But he knows I wanted to marry someone who had more money than he does.”

  “Please tell me you didn’t complain about his salary.”

  Malinda shook her head. “Of course not. I know I have a problem with speaking when I shouldn’t, but even I know better than that!”

  “Then what happened?”

  “He was right there when I got angry with you for deciding to marry Patrick and ignoring my feelings. No matter what I say to try to make him feel better about it, he’s still angry. He’s not mean to me in any way, but the open affection he showed me while we were courting is just gone.”

  “Marriage changes things. Patrick doesn’t have nearly as much time for me as he did before we married.” She’d been careful not to complain about her marriage to Malinda, because she knew she and Patrick were doing much better than Malinda and Wesley were.

  “He doesn’t? Wesley actually has more time for me, but it seems as if he’s unhappy with everything I do. Does that make sense?”

  Ellen nodded. “It does.” Even though Patrick seldom had time for her, she knew that he was pleased with her, because he told her constantly. Maybe she should have Patrick talk to Wesley about how Malinda was feeling. Immediately Ellen rejected the idea. The other couple needed to work out their problems. If Wesley went to Patrick, then it would be okay for Patrick to get involved. Until then, both Ellen and Patrick needed to keep from approaching Wesley.

  “I don’t know what I’d do if you didn’t come over every morning to help me with the cooking. I don’t want to displease him, but I can’t seem to do anything else.”

  Ellen sighed. “Starting tomorrow afternoon, I’m going to start going to the orphanage here in town to volunteer. I have way too much time on my hands.” She wanted Malinda to understand that she wouldn’t be at her beck and call any longer. She’d help her in the mornings, but soon she’d have to stand on her own two feet.

  “I feel like all I do is work. Of course, I don’t mind it as much as I used to because I like doing things for the man I love.”

  Ellen looked at her sister. “Love? Have you told him you love him?”

  Malinda looked down at the ground and shook her head. “He’s certain that I’ll say anything to make it better so he wouldn’t believe me. He’s really hurt over the way I reacted to you marrying Patrick. He thinks I should have been thrilled the decision was made for me and just jumped into his arms ready to say ‘I do.’”

  Ellen laughed. “He doesn’t know you at all, does he?” How could any man think Malinda wanted decisions made for her after knowing her for more than an hour?

  Malinda grinned. “Maybe not as well as he thinks he does.”

  Ellen slipped her arm through her sister’s as they continued their walk around the outskirts of the park. “It’ll get better. Just keep doing everything you can to be a good wife to him, and things will work out. You’ll see.” She hoped she was right. She’d expected Malinda and Wesley to enjoy being married with how much they liked being together, but so far, that hadn’t been the case.

  “I hope so.” She kicked at a rock on the ground sending it careening into a towering oak tree. “I just wish I hadn’t messed things up so badly.”

  “He’ll come to understand why you felt as you did. I told him about the banker back home, and I think that helped him understand a little.”

  “You told him about that?”

  Ellen nodded. “Of course, I did. He needed to understand why you feel as you do.”

  “I’ve never talked to him about it.”

  “Maybe that’s part
of your problem. If you two can’t talk about something as simple as that, then your marriage isn’t going to work.”

  “Well, I have to say, you don’t look like you’re in the bloom of love anymore either. You looked like you were much happier a week ago.” Malinda eyed her older sister. “Something’s bothering you, too.”

  Ellen sighed. “I just wish he’d put me ahead of his work. He works so hard to make more and more and more money, when we already have enough for a lifetime. I don’t know why he can’t spend some time with me instead of spending all his time working.”

  Malinda laughed softly. “I guess neither of us have the lives we dreamed about when we were courting, do we?” She put her arm around her sister and hugged her. “We’ll get there. It takes time to build up a good marriage.”

  “Promise me you’ll talk openly with Wesley about what happened with the banker back home. I don’t want him to think you’re hiding things from him. That’s probably part of the problem you’re having with him.” Why wasn’t Malinda opening up to her husband anyway?

  “I promise.”

  When they rejoined the men, they seemed to be deep in conversation. They stopped talking when the women approached. “Are you ready to go home?” Patrick asked.

  Ellen nodded. She’d have preferred to spend all day with the other couple in the park, but she knew that Patrick had work to do. At least she could cook dinner that evening. She found she was thankful for Alice’s days off, because it gave her a chance to do some work.

  Ellen and Malinda packed up the picnic basket and hugged. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Ellen told her sister.

  Malinda’s eyes cut over to Wesley as if she hadn’t wanted him to hear that. Ellen sighed. Her sister really did need to be more open with her husband.

  *****

  When Ellen arrived at the orphanage Monday afternoon, they were thrilled to have her. She was immediately put to work fixing dinner, because the other women were busy with the laundry. “Mondays are hard because we try to do all the laundry on top of everything else we have to do around here.”

  Ellen smiled. “I’d be thrilled to do the cooking.” She headed straight for the kitchen and found the food that had been left out for dinner that evening. There was a huge pot of beans soaking and some bacon for flavoring. It wasn’t much to work with. Ellen couldn’t help but wonder how often the orphans had to make do with beans when she was eating like a queen just a few streets over.

  Two of the teenage girls were assigned to help her, and she decided while they cooked the beans, they could spend time getting the kitchen in order. It was obvious that it was all the women who worked there could do to keep the children fed and clothed. There was little time left for cleaning. The girls helped her move the table out of the way, and the three of them got down on their hands and knees and scrubbed the kitchen floor.

  She’d been there for several minutes when there was a loud bang as the kitchen door was slammed open against the wall. “I’m sorry I’m late!”

  Ellen looked up to see Angela, the girl who had helped her with her hair. “Are you late?”

  Angela nodded. “I was supposed to be here to help with cooking dinner.”

  Ellen hadn’t realized Angela was one of the orphans. She suddenly felt badly that she hadn’t offered her money for helping her with her hair that day. She wondered if Alice had, and determined to ask her later.

  Angela dropped to her knees with the others, and helped scrub the huge floor. When they were finished, they scrubbed the walls as well.

  Ellen assigned Angela to cleaning the table while the other two girls were washing down the work tables. “How long have you lived here?” Ellen asked Angela as she worked on cleaning the chairs around the kitchen table.

  “My parents died five years ago when I was eleven. I’ve been here ever since.”

  “I’m sorry. I lost my mother when I was twelve and my father just a couple of months back.” She was thankful she hadn’t lost both parents at such a young ago, though. At least she’d been an adult and able to fend for herself.

  Angela nodded solemnly. “It’s hard to lose a parent.”

  “How did they die?”

  “My dad was a miner, and he got trapped in a cave-in. Mum decided she was going to get him out, and she went in and dug and dug. I took her food and water, because she refused to leave until she got him out.” She stared down at the table, rubbing her rag in slow circles. “She managed to get herself trapped along with him. I went for help, but they were both dead by the time they were found.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Ellen’s mind raced as she wondered how she could help this sweet girl. She certainly had skills as a hair dresser. Maybe Patrick would know of someone who needed a lady’s maid or a nurse for their children.

  “It’s not so bad living here. The people are nice, and there’s plenty of food.” She looked at the pot on the stove. “Even if it is beans most nights.”

  Ellen laughed. “We ate beans a lot when I was growing up, too.” She remembered hating them, but at least she’d had food every day. She was certain Angela felt the same way.

  “Where did you grow up?”

  “On a small farm in Massachusetts.”

  “We lived on a farm when I was little, but my dad was certain he could make us rich with the gold mines. My ma tried to talk him out of it, but he just didn’t want to listen.” She shrugged. “Sometimes, you just have to do what the people you love want to do to make them happy.”

  Ellen finished the last chair and stood up looking around the kitchen for something else they could all do. “Let’s wash the windows next.”

  The girls all groaned, but moved on to the windows. “You make us work harder than the other women who come here,” Angela told her.

  “Are there a lot of women who come to help?” Ellen was pleased to hear the two women who worked there had volunteers helping them. Taking care of thirty children and a house this size was way too much work for just two women even if they did have teens to help them.

  Angela shrugged. “There are a few, but most of them just sit around and tell us what to do. They don’t actually roll up their sleeves and help. For a rich lady, you sure do know how to work.”

  “I’ve only been a rich lady for a little over a week. I’m used to being a poor girl.”

  Angela nodded. “That makes sense then. The other ladies are all used to being rich. I’m sure in a few months you’ll be used to it, too.”

  Ellen shook her head emphatically. “I certainly hope not. I never want to forget how to work. I hate sitting around and doing nothing.” She couldn’t see going to the orphanage and just telling the girls what to do. She would work beside them as much as she could.

  Ellen stayed and helped serve dinner to the children. She kept watching the clock, but knew there was little chance Patrick would be home before eight, so decided she could stay until seven-thirty with no problem.

  She helped clear the table and wash the dishes thinking about how nice it would be if she could bring some food to help out. The children would certainly love having a meal that wasn’t primarily beans. She knew beans were inexpensive and filling, and it made sense for the children to eat them, because there were so many mouths to feed, but she’d seen the look on Angela’s face when she’d looked at the pot.

  She washed the dishes while her three teenaged helpers dried and put them away. She worked fast enough to keep up with all three of them with no problem. By the time seven-thirty rolled around the kitchen was spotless. She sought out Ida, whom she’d first met at the park, and promised to be back immediately after lunch on Tuesday. She hoped she could get her sister sorted out with her cooking quickly, because she found she wanted to spend every waking moment helping at the orphans’ home.

  It was a few minutes after eight when she walked into the house, and she opened the door with a smile on her face. She was thrilled to have been able to do something for others for a change. Her smile fell away when she saw Pat
rick leaning against the wall in the foyer watching for her. He looked angry, which surprised her, because she’d never seen him anything but happy.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “What’s wrong? I’ve been waiting for you for two hours. Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick!”

  “You never get home before eight.” Her eyes went to the clock on the wall. “It’s only five minutes after. I thought I’d get here before you.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “And just where have you been all this time?”

  She removed her bonnet and put it on the small table beside the stairs so she could take it up when she went up later. “We talked Friday night about me volunteering at the orphanage. I went there today.”

  “I thought you meant to go for an hour or two in the afternoon. Alice said you left just after noon. You were there for eight hours!” His face was red with anger.

  She bit her lip to keep from yelling back at him. He left her alone for twelve hours per day, and complained when she spent eight of them doing something to help others? “The need was worse than we’d realized. I fixed dinner, scrubbed the kitchen down, and then I helped serve the children their dinner, and did the dishes afterward. You’re never home before eight, so I had no idea it would bother you if I was out late. I didn’t think you cared what I did during the twelve hours a day you spend away from me as long as you didn’t have to be bothered with me.” The last two words ended on a yell despite her best intentions.

  “Of course, I care what you do! I expect you to be here when I get home in the evenings! What if something had happened to you?”

  “If I had an idea when you would be home, I’d be certain to be here, but I never know when you’ll show up. What were you doing home before eight anyway?” How dare he change his schedule without warning her and then yell at her for not conforming to it? What was his problem?

  He took a deep breath, obviously trying to control his temper. “I came home early so I could take my wife to the restaurant for dinner, because I felt like I’d been neglecting her. I had no idea she preferred it when I wasn’t home.”