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unnecessary.”
    Copper studied her patient. Adie needed something to keep her spirits up. She patted Adie’s knee. “I’m going to bring you some sassafras tea to cut your fever and some yarn and needles to cut your boredom. This wee one will need a gown and a hat. And how about some socks for your husband and the boys?”
    A flicker of interest lit up Adie’s dull eyes. “I’d dearly love to put my hands to work.”
    Copper stood. “I’m sorry. I should have thought of it before.”
    Inside the washhouse, Copper stripped off the duster that covered her day dress, removed her bonnet, and hung both on the same nail. The mask she stuck in the duster pocket to be used again the next day. After pouring water from a bucket into the granite pan she kept handy on an old washstand, she scrubbed her hands and arms to the elbows with lye soap. The clean, strong smell of lye tickled her nose and caused her to sneeze.
    From the direction of the creek she could hear childish laughter. The sound lightened her heart, and she paused to thank the Lord for her blessings, specifically her husband and her children. Smiling, she thought of John. He didn’t mind a whit that she had been married before and that she brought a child to their union. From where she stood at the washhouse door, she could see the proof of his love for her. He had built their home himself, and it was more than the usual cabin. It was open and spacious with room for their family and the occasional patient. Even the burbling creek was a sign of his love. He had started building in a different location only to move everything when she decided she could not be happy without the sound of Troublesome Creek out her kitchen door.
    John had not been pleased when she brought poor Adie home with her a few days ago, and he continued to worry about her safety. But what was she to do? It wasn’t Adie’s fault that she had scarlatina and that she was due to deliver a baby within the month. Copper couldn’t just ignore her, so she had sworn to the law that she would keep Mrs. Still in quarantine at least until the baby came.
    Copper carried the pan several feet behind the washhouse, then dumped the contents in a pit John had dug for her. She returned the pan to the washstand. She wouldn’t need to clean up again if she put Adie’s tea outside her door. Hefting a bucket of disinfectant, she carried it to the place where she had dumped the wastewater and other refuse from the sickroom and the invalid house. With an old dipper she sprinkled the solution all around. The bucket used to dissolve the solution of zinc and common salt in water was almost empty. She’d need to mix more disinfectant soon. Lastly, she changed her shoes and set the dirty pair on the windowsill to catch some sun.
    When she got back to the house, she was pleasantly surprised to see Tillie sitting on the porch with Jumbo.
    Tillie flashed a big smile. “Look how well we’re doing,” she said, pulling the blanket back from the baby’s face. “Miss Remy said it would do us a world of good to get some air.”
    â€œWonderful,” Copper replied, studying the infant’s face. With her thumb she retracted his lower eyelid. “Looks like Jumbo’s got a bit of yellow jaundice. Let’s move your chair so you’re sitting in the sun. Sunshine will clear this right up.”
    Tillie thanked her profusely—so different from Adie.
    â€œIt is my pleasure to see you doing well.” Copper chucked Jumbo lightly under the chin. “Would you like a cup of sassafras? I’m just going in to make a pot.”
    The cookstove was almost cold. Jamming a long-handled prong into a cast-iron burner plate, Copper lifted it and was rewarded by the sight of live coals. A chunk of wood from the wood box soon had the fire going again. What had gotten into Manda? She knew to keep one burner going under the teakettle. Not to