Voices From Within (Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Morning Visitors

Reggie awoke before sunrise. Charlotte would need wood to keep her warm until he came back for her. He didn't like the idea of leaving Charlotte. After taking care of his morning duty, he changed shirts, donning another woolen underwear shirt. He grabbed a wool sweater, knowing he would need the extra layer for traveling.

He started the cookstove to take the chill off the cabin. He got a cook fire started and then he pumped water for the animals and set them next to the stove. Reggie carried in the roasting pan with the ham and set it on a small table behind the stove to thaw.

Reggie set the soup pot on the stove and dump the leftover coffee grounds in the slop bucket. He started a fresh pot of coffee using the last of the boiled water. He ladled a pan of water to warm for Charlotte's morning sponge bath.

When he finished, he went to the fireplace and scooped the remains of last night's fire into the ash bucket. He swept it clean and carried the ashes to the outhouse and tossed them down the hole. Reggie filled the ash bucket with kindling. As he was building the fire, Charlotte came out of the commode and dashed behind Martha's dressing screen.

It was freezing in the cabin. She threw yesterday's dress overtop of her nightgown and tied the leather belt. She tied on her scarf. Charlotte would clean up when her warm water was ready.

"Good morning."

Charlotte rushed into the kitchen and checked the stove. She added some wood and checked the pans. Then she set the apple cobbler in the oven to warm. There were sausages and bacon frying in the pan. Stirring the meat, Reggie stepped up behind her and grabbed a sausage right out of the pan.

"I'm going out to the barn and check on the two prisoners. Be sure to dress in plenty of layers to travel."

He took out his knife and cut off four sausages. He threw on the heavy winter coat, stuffed the sausages in his pocket and carried the water buckets to the barn.

She carried the pan of warm water into the dressing area and shed her clothes. The fireplace and cookstove had taken the chill out of the air. She bathed and toweled off using the same towel. Charlotte put her own bloomers and chemise on first and then added a clean pair of woolen undergarments. Then she added another woolen shirt. She added her own socks and then a clean pair of woolen socks. Yesterday's socks were filthy. She had walked all day in them around the cabin.

Charlotte opened the armoire door and knelt on the rug in front of it. She felt around for shoes or boots. There were two pairs: one for work and one for dress. The shoes were several sizes too big for her feet. She searched farther and felt leather. She pulled out the piece of leather. It was a moccasin with wool lining in the shoe area and the rest of the leather wrapped around the leg and was secured with long leather strings.

She slipped the first one over her two pairs of socks and wrapped the leather tight around her leg. Then she wound the leather string until she could tie it tight on her leg just below the knee. Charlotte quickly tied on the second moccasin and decided these will have to do for traveling. She selected the heaviest wool dress and slipped it over her head. The dress was well made and warm. She tied on the leather belt and adjusted the extra material.

The hand mirror was in the drawer. She saw the dark circles under her eyes, and her complexion looked ghostly. She tried pinching her cheeks to bring up the color. Then Charlotte undid her braid and brush her hair. The incision was tender, and the headache remained a dull throb. Her arms ached. She had overdone it yesterday, and she felt stiff all over despite sleeping well.