Chapter 9 #2
Elizabeth had offered to fetch water herself, but Sarah and her husband had made it clear that it was neither appropriate nor safe.
She did not know the local inhabitants or the language, and she knew that it would be unwise for her to venture out alone in the early hours of the day.
She also knew, from experience, that carrying one heavy bucket was not a great deal easier than two since it would pull down heavily on one side. Nevertheless, Sarah should not ...
As if God had heard her unuttered prayers, Jacob, Sarah’s husband, walked into the kitchen carrying several large fish over his strong shoulders.
Husband and wife beamed at one another and spoke in their melodic language for a few minutes. Jacob then placed the fish in a convenient bucket and took the pails from his wife’s hand.
“We be back soon,” Sarah said and Elizabeth nodded. She knew that Sarah and Jacob rarely had much time together since Sarah toiled all day in the parsonage and Jacob often fished much of the night.
Elizabeth waited for her companions to depart and then bustled around making tea and cutting up pineapple and mango.
Helena Kendall’s appetite was not robust and many foods were unpalatable, but she seemed able to tolerate fresh fruit and bread.
After she had prepared the tray, she climbed the stairs and softly opened Helena’s bedroom door.
If her friend was asleep, Elizabeth would let her be, but no, the lady was sitting up in bed under her white mosquito netting, and based on the noxious humors of the room, she had been sick in the night.
“I am so sorry, Elizabeth,” Helena said.
“It is quite all right,” Elizabeth assured her, going over to the window and opening it.
During the night, the mosquitoes were so virulent that leaving the window open was an unpleasant experience, even though the beds had mosquito netting to protect the sleepers.
When hundreds of mosquitoes infiltrated the house, the occupants spent the entire day slapping at them.
The blood suckers cleared away once the sun rose, and thus it was safe to open the window all the way. The fresh air improved the atmosphere of the room immediately. Elizabeth glanced around with slightly quivering nostrils in search of the exceedingly smelly bucket from a night of illness.
“Mr. Kendall removed it already,” Helena said softly.
Elizabeth suppressed a sigh of relief and quickly lifted away the mosquito netting from one side of the bed, “Here is your tea, my dear, and this pineapple is divine, is it not?”
Helena nodded, took a long sip of tea and a bite of pineapple, and abruptly burst into tears.
“Oh, Helena,” Elizabeth exclaimed, sitting down on the bed and wrapping her arms around the woman. “What is wrong? Is it ... is it the baby?”
“It is the baby,” the lady replied, and Elizabeth tightened her grip in horror.
“No, that is not what I meant,” the woman assured her quickly. “No, the babe is well. I felt the quickening a few days ago and regularly have felt movements since then.”
Elizabeth relaxed in relief and sat back, “Then what is it?”
“I ... I hate this. I hate being so weak and helpless and sick! I am well into my fourth month of pregnancy, Elizabeth. I never imagined I would still be feeling so poorly.”
“My dear Helena,” her friend responded, taking a fan from the nearby side table and beginning to wave it briskly. “You are in an entirely new environment, and it is very hot. It is not surprising that you are wilting.”
“It is not fair to you. I know it is not. I never meant for you to have to do all these things, Elizabeth. You are a gentleman’s daughter! You should not be up at dawn making breakfast and washing our clothing and emptying the chamber pots ...”
“I am thankful that our daily women do the latter job at any rate,” Elizabeth interrupted, reaching forward to brush sweat stained hair off of Helena’s forehead.
“My dear friend, please do not take this to heart so much. You and Mr. Kendall were exceedingly kind to me in taking me with you when I needed to leave England’s shores.
Why should I not serve you when you need help? ”
“I know it worries Samuel very much,” the lady continued, her voice cracking. “He has much to do for his position, and now he is rising very early so that he can return home after noon to assist me. I feel useless and stupid.”
“You are carrying his child, Helena,” Elizabeth responded fondly. “I truly have never seen a man so in love as Mr. Kendall, except perhaps Jacob. I envy both you and Sarah, I think.”
Another tear slid down Helena’s cheek, “Sarah is also with child and is working very hard.”
“Hush, my dear, hush. You will only make yourself more ill. I do not pretend to be an expert, but I know some women have much easier pregnancies than others. Sarah, at least, is used to the climate of St. Croix. Now come, drink the rest of your tea, eat a little more and then rest. I ... I have thought long about my own upbringing, and while it is true that I did not learn how to cook and bake and clean, I wish I had. There is much to be said for being able to manage all aspects of a household, and I confess to finding myself woefully ignorant. But I am an intelligent young woman, and a determined one, and I will gladly do what must be done. Do not worry, Helena.”
Helena Kendall smiled her thanks and leaned back against her pillows, submitting to Elizabeth’s gentle ministrations as the younger woman carefully wiped down her sweaty face.
Oddly enough, Elizabeth Bennet found herself thinking of Jane. Was Jane acting as a companion or a servant? If so, was Jane kindly treated, or was her gentle sister suffering from unkind words? Elizabeth hoped and prayed that she would receive word soon from her sweet elder sister.