Voices From Within (Book 2)

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Making Themselves to Home

The cabin was freezing when Reggie's bladder awoke him. It was after eight o'clock in the morning. The sun glowed through the kitchen window, and the wind roared with powerful force. He left the warmth of the bed and stepped behind the dressing screen to use the commode.

In the small space, he realized he smelled like an old bear. His clothes were filthy. He needed to wash away the stench from yesterday. Reggie walked into the kitchen and started the cookstove. The wood boxes were low, and he needed kindling. For the first hour, he had all he needed. He set the coffee near the fire, adding an extra scoop of coffee and more water. He ladled water into two pans to heat for them to bathe with this morning.

Reggie stepped into the pantry and looked out the back door. Snow had blown up against the door that led to the woodpile. He knew he would need to shovel snow before he could carry wood. He carried the pot of beef stew into the kitchen, set it on the stove to thaw and added more fuel to the cookstove.

At the fireplace, he scooped out the ashes, swept it clean, and started a fresh fire from scratch for the day. With both fires started, the cabin warmed up to a comfortable temperature. Reggie carried the warm water behind Ivan's dressing screen and sat the water on the washstand. He removed his clothes and gave himself a sponge bath until the water was gray.

He searched for clean clothes amongst Ivan's belongings. First, he pulled on a pair of long woolen underwear and a shirt. The shirt fit, but the pants Reggie had to pull the drawstring tight around his waist and tie a knot.

Reggie sat on the small bench and put on clean woolen socks. Then he chose a pair of woolen knickers and a heavy pullover shirt. He saw Ivan's heavy winter boots, and he tried them on to see if they fit. They were big, but he laced them up tight. They would have to do.

When he stepped out from behind the screen carrying the pan of water, Charlotte was sitting up in bed, petting Kaiser.

"What do you think?"

"I think you look handsome and warm."

"Thank you, lass. You look lovely as well. How did you sleep?"

"Like a dream. Oh, I feel so much better this morning."

"The water's ready is you want to wash up before breakfast."

Reggie dumped the gray water down the sink drain and carried the pan of warm water to the washstand behind Martha's dressing screen. Then he lifted Kaiser off the bed and set him in front of the door. He opened it, and Kaiser limped out into the wind.

Within moments, Kaiser came back in the house and walked to his food bowls. Reggie filled the water bowl and tossed the bone from last night's roast in his dish for him to maw on until the stew was ready.

When he left the dressing area, Charlotte quickly undressed to take advantage of the warm water. She found scented soap on her dresser, and she clean her entire body and face then quickly drying with the towel that still hung on the washstand.

She opened the drawers in the daylight and search for undergarments. Charlotte put back on the woolen bloomers and found a large woolen undershirt. She pulled it over her head and tucked the excess material into the bloomers and tied the drawstring tight around her small waist.

Charlotte removed her woolen socks and put on a clean pair. Then she opened the door to her armoire and went through the dresses. Martha had two good dresses made of navy wool and black wool. Alongside them hung two beautiful overlays. One was red, and the other was a dark emerald green. Both overlays were stitched with gold decorative thread on the bodices.