Read Online An Angel in the Mail by Callie Hutton - Free Book Online
Authors: Callie Hutton
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she’d been pushing to the back of her mind for days. Since her stepmother’s shocking announcement, she had worried herself sick about performing the household duties of cleaning, cooking, laundry and numerous other things that hadn’t even occurred to her yet. Now that she was actually here, and aware of the warm, vital presence of Nathan Hale, she allowed herself to consider other wifely duties.
She remembered years ago, the girls at school would gather on their beds at night, and talk about boys. Never invited to join them, once in a while she would hear clips of the conversation, although mostly she remained ignorant of the whole procedure. However, she was intelligent enough to know Nate didn’t get all of these children by shaking his wife’s hand each night before they fell asleep.
The procedure involved naked bodies, and that thought made her seriously consider bolting from the house.
She wondered if her husband would give her time to adjust, as it were, to her role before he expected his husbandly rights.
Chapter 5
Once the last bite of supper was eaten, Angel managed to get the dishes washed with help from the boys. Her yellow dress was soaked down the front with soapy water. Tired of pushing her hair back while she worked, she’d quickly braided it, tied it with a piece of string one of the twins had given her, and let it hang down her back. She’d slipped her aching feet out of the dancing shoes she’d worn with this dress to a ball from a different lifetime. Barefoot was better than pain. Obviously her wardrobe would not work in her new environment.
She eased herself down on one of the kitchen chairs, and slumped over the table, her head resting on her crossed arms.
“Julia-Rose needs a bath.”
Her head jerked up. Nate stood in the doorway of the kitchen, holding the little girl in his arms. “If you get her bathed and settled for the night, I’ll see to the boys.”
“Oh.” She rose stiffly and took the drooling baby from his arms. Smashed peas decorated her hair, the remains of a biscuit stuck to her chin. But at least she wasn’t crying. Not yet, anyway.
Nate studied her for a minute. “The kitchen sink.”
“What?”
“The kitchen sink.” He gestured with his chin. “That’s where we give her a bath.”
“Oh.”
Such stimulating conversation can only be learned in the ballrooms of New York City. He turned and headed to the back of the house.
Angel held the little girl at arm’s length. “So, the kitchen sink.”
Julia-Rose gurgled, waving her food-encrusted hands in the air.
No help here.
Nate returned with a tub, dragged it into the kitchen and filled it with hot water he’d heated on the stove. He herded the boys down the stairs, and one by one they entered the tub, scrubbed themselves and stepped out, drying their bodies with the cloth he handed them. He supervised the whole process with a system he’d obviously perfected over time.
Trying not to watch him too closely, lest he realize this was all new to her, Angel filled the kitchen sink with warm water, holding Julia-Rose with one arm. The soggy diaper landed with a plop on her bare foot when she unpinned it. She eased the baby into the water where she slapped it with her hands, laughing hysterically. Water dripped from Angel’s hair, past her nose, onto the bodice of her dress. She reached for the soap, letting the baby go for a minute. Julia-Rose immediately slid beneath the water. Angel frantically pulled the little girl up, who coughed and screamed loud enough to wake the dead. She patted her on the back and snuck a glance at Nate.
“Everything all right over there?” He shouted over his shoulder as he handed a cloth to John.
Yes, just dandy. Thank God your back was turned. I almost drowned your daughter, and she probably hates me.
“No problem. Julia-Rose got a little bit of water in her mouth.”
“We’re almost done here. You about finished?”
“Um, in a few minutes.” She wrestled
She remembered years ago, the girls at school would gather on their beds at night, and talk about boys. Never invited to join them, once in a while she would hear clips of the conversation, although mostly she remained ignorant of the whole procedure. However, she was intelligent enough to know Nate didn’t get all of these children by shaking his wife’s hand each night before they fell asleep.
The procedure involved naked bodies, and that thought made her seriously consider bolting from the house.
She wondered if her husband would give her time to adjust, as it were, to her role before he expected his husbandly rights.
Chapter 5
Once the last bite of supper was eaten, Angel managed to get the dishes washed with help from the boys. Her yellow dress was soaked down the front with soapy water. Tired of pushing her hair back while she worked, she’d quickly braided it, tied it with a piece of string one of the twins had given her, and let it hang down her back. She’d slipped her aching feet out of the dancing shoes she’d worn with this dress to a ball from a different lifetime. Barefoot was better than pain. Obviously her wardrobe would not work in her new environment.
She eased herself down on one of the kitchen chairs, and slumped over the table, her head resting on her crossed arms.
“Julia-Rose needs a bath.”
Her head jerked up. Nate stood in the doorway of the kitchen, holding the little girl in his arms. “If you get her bathed and settled for the night, I’ll see to the boys.”
“Oh.” She rose stiffly and took the drooling baby from his arms. Smashed peas decorated her hair, the remains of a biscuit stuck to her chin. But at least she wasn’t crying. Not yet, anyway.
Nate studied her for a minute. “The kitchen sink.”
“What?”
“The kitchen sink.” He gestured with his chin. “That’s where we give her a bath.”
“Oh.”
Such stimulating conversation can only be learned in the ballrooms of New York City. He turned and headed to the back of the house.
Angel held the little girl at arm’s length. “So, the kitchen sink.”
Julia-Rose gurgled, waving her food-encrusted hands in the air.
No help here.
Nate returned with a tub, dragged it into the kitchen and filled it with hot water he’d heated on the stove. He herded the boys down the stairs, and one by one they entered the tub, scrubbed themselves and stepped out, drying their bodies with the cloth he handed them. He supervised the whole process with a system he’d obviously perfected over time.
Trying not to watch him too closely, lest he realize this was all new to her, Angel filled the kitchen sink with warm water, holding Julia-Rose with one arm. The soggy diaper landed with a plop on her bare foot when she unpinned it. She eased the baby into the water where she slapped it with her hands, laughing hysterically. Water dripped from Angel’s hair, past her nose, onto the bodice of her dress. She reached for the soap, letting the baby go for a minute. Julia-Rose immediately slid beneath the water. Angel frantically pulled the little girl up, who coughed and screamed loud enough to wake the dead. She patted her on the back and snuck a glance at Nate.
“Everything all right over there?” He shouted over his shoulder as he handed a cloth to John.
Yes, just dandy. Thank God your back was turned. I almost drowned your daughter, and she probably hates me.
“No problem. Julia-Rose got a little bit of water in her mouth.”
“We’re almost done here. You about finished?”
“Um, in a few minutes.” She wrestled
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