The blanket grew soggy and disappeared under the waves. Gloriana watched until it was completely out of sight before returning to the clothesline for the sheet and pillowcase. The wind died down once again, as if its job were done.

She hugged the laundry close and glanced back at the waters. “Where were You, God?”

There was only the sound of the waves on the rocks and the occasional sound of wagons. God wasn’t offering any answers. Maybe He never would again.

“I made sure I was right with God. I guess I just wanted you to know so you could stop worryin’ about what would happen to me if I met with trouble.” Gloriana could almost hear her father speaking the words again.

“He got right with You, Lord, and then You took him from us. It’s not right. It will never be right.”

She made her way into the house and threw the laundry into a chair, not caring one bit that her mother would never have allowed such a thing. She too was gone. They were all gone except for her and JT.

The light was growing dim, but Gloriana couldn’t compel herself to light the lamp. She felt empty inside. Hollow and hopeless. Why bother with light? She sat down at the table and stared at the box of matches by the lamp. The light would help nothing. There was no light where her father’s body rested.

“What about the light of God?” a voice from somewhere deep inside her seemed to whisper.

Gloriana ignored it.

A knock came again on the door. Who would it be this time? Pastor Sedgwick making the rounds to attend his grieving flock? A neighbor or friend come to see what they could do? She took her time and lit the lamp before rising to see who had come. She had no desire to see anyone.

She opened the door and found Sally clutching her abdomen.

“It’s . . . the baby!”

Chapter 7

Gloriana sent JT for the midwife after she put Sally to bed. The young woman was in immense pain. No doubt the shock of losing her husband had brought on labor, but the baby was due any day, so things should go well. At least that was what Gloriana kept telling herself.

When JT returned with Abigail Lindquist, one of the local midwives, Gloriana breathed a sigh of relief and waited for instruction.

“We’ll need plenty of towels and hot water,” Abigail instructed. Being mother to eight of her own children, she tended to be someone folks listened to without question, and Gloriana was no exception.

Thankfully, there were plenty of clean towels, and it was easy enough to put a large pot of water on the stove. Gloriana checked the wood supply. It was good. They had plenty to keep them through the night.