A Season of Grace

by Lauraine Snelling

  “Do I have time for a bath?”

  “Not a long soak, but I’m sure that will feel really good tonight.”

  Nilda bundled her hair on top of her head and stepped into the half-filled tub. As she sank into the warm water, she felt like she could float away. “I’ll hurry.”

  She washed, dried, lotioned, dressed, and then sat in front of the dressing table mirror so Sonja could brush and arrange her hair.

  “Will you be wearing this hat?” Sonja held up a black hat with jet beads.

  “I, uh—where did that come from?”

  “It was on the shelf in the armoire.”

  “I see. Then I guess I am.” She promised herself she would mention this to Mrs. Schoenleber, but in all the hurry and hustle, it slipped her mind until they were in the carriage and moving. “Where did this hat come from?” She touched it with the tips of her fingers.

  “I ordered it from a milliner down the street to be delivered. I had originally planned to go shopping first, but since Heinrik set the meeting for today, and I have learned to pick my battles with my brothers, I ordered the hat.”

  “‘Pick your battles’?”

  “Yes, we do not always see eye to eye.”

  “Yes, I understand having brothers.” Nilda remembered Johann’s refusal to tell her how they planned to deal with Dreng. Whatever they did had been effective, but . . . She snapped her mind shut on any thoughts that had to do with Dreng. Right now he was exiled to the lumber camp, and please God, he would stay there and perhaps grow into a real man.

  “Let me give you some background on my brothers,” Mrs. Schoenleber said. “You remember that I am the eldest of five children, and our father, unbeknownst to the boys, appointed me as chairman or president of the board that oversees all the different enterprises. He was a very successful businessman and went against the strictures of the day by appointing me as the head. Jonathon, next in line, is in charge of our railroad enterprise. Jacob handles the business associated with the lumbering, and our youngest brother, Heinrik, oversees it all. My sister, Elizabeth, had no interest in the businesses, but she married Brett Cullen, who also works for us. He is excellent in sensing new fields to be explored, like the forests near the Canadian border.”

  “They all live here?”

  “No, Brett and my sister live in Rochester. He was a doctor before he married into the family. Well, he still is and he is associated with the Mayo brothers, who have built a hospital there.”

  “I see. How often do you all get together?”

  “Usually once a month.”

  David drew the carriage to a stop in front of a brick building with a portico in front and two flags flying, one the red, white, and blue of the national flag, and the other the Minnesota state flag. A man wearing a navy and gold uniform greeted them and held open the door. “They are waiting for you in the boardroom, Mrs. Schoenleber.”

  “Thank you, Joseph.” To Nilda, she said, “Interesting. We’re not late, but they are already gathered. Hmm.”

  Nilda returned the doorman’s smile and made sure she kept up with her employer. Another elevator, and the doors opened onto a walnut-paneled hall and a double door of carved walnut with an arch above it. The elevator man stepped out and crossed to open the doors for them.

  “Thank you. Come, Nilda.” Mrs. Schoenleber dropped her voice. “We will breast the bears.”

  Nilda swallowed. If Mrs. Schoenleber could smile, so could she. She straightened her back, and they strode into a paneled room with tall windows along one wall that filled the room with light.

  “Good morning, gentlemen.” Mrs. Schoenleber smiled and nodded. “I’m glad to see you are all gathered.” She stopped at the chair at the head of the table, and a woman lifted away her coat to hang it up. “You sit there, Nilda.” She pointed to the chair on her right. “This is Miss Nilda Carlson, my new assistant that I told you about. I will have each of you introduce yourself when we are seated.”

  Nilda nodded and smiled and said thank you over her shoulder as her coat disappeared also.

  “Let’s be seated, and then we can have introductions while the coffee is served. I see, Jonathon, that you made sure we have a treat, Irish scones. Lovely.” She smiled up at him as he held her chair for her. Once she was seated, she clasped her hands on the table. “It’s good to see you all. One of these months, we are going to have this meeting in Blackduck so you can see where some of your investments are.”

  “Are the logging camps back in business?” a gentleman asked.

  “Yes, ten days or so ago. A bit early due to severe cold and early snow. The camps have moved farther north and west, as the pine trees are growing more scarce.”

  “How long will they last?”

  She nodded to her brother Jacob. “Ask him, not me.” A chuckle rounded the table. “We’ll begin as I said. Miss Nilda Carlson emigrated from the Valders region of Norway six months ago with her younger brother to help on a farm owned by distant cousins. She spent her first night on American soil at my house due to the train schedule. They came via Duluth. Even as tired as she was, I was impressed and followed her accomplishments as they adapted to life here. A few months ago, I invited her to come work for me. Since then, she has undergone and is continuing intense schooling in English, history, deportment, and social graces, and now business and economics. I present to you my assistant, Miss Nilda Carlson. Please stand so they can see you. Thank you. Now, Jonathon, let’s begin with you as the elder brother. Introduce your assistants too.”

  As they went around the table, food was served, and people began eating until their turn to talk. While their smiles said welcome, Nilda had the feeling that it was politeness, not enthusiasm, that prompted them. She smiled and nodded in return, all the while writing their names on her pad of paper so she would remember.

  When they finished, Mrs. Schoenleber stood again. “I would open this up for questions, but I know we have a lot to cover, so let us begin with the reading of the minutes of the last meeting, and then reports.” She nodded to a young man who had a sheaf of papers at hand.

  He stood and read aloud the pages that Nilda had read on the train.

  “Any questions or additions?” Mrs. Schoenleber asked. Several questions were raised and dealt with, and the minutes were approved. “Jonathon, your turn. You did bring copies of your report for everyone?”

  “Of course. So I shall summarize.”

  Nilda quickly realized that she needed to learn to abbreviate. Good thing she would have a copy of the full report.

  When he finished, Mrs. Schoenleber announced, “We will have fifteen minutes for questions, and then fifteen minutes for a break. Questions, anyone?”

  Jonathon’s usual answer was, “You’ll find that in the report.” One question about the railroad moving beyond Bemidji caused some discussion, especially regarding if there were enough goods to be shipped from there to make the extensions worthwhile. Nilda was grateful that Miss Walstead had schooled her in geography so she knew about the region they were discussing.

  “How are you doing?” Mrs. Schoenleber asked her in the women’s restroom during the break.

  “Learning a lot. Do they always challenge each other like that?”

  “Oh yes. That is a major part of my job, keeping the anger levels down so we can get work done. Each one feels their department is the most important, so when budget time comes, the meetings can get terribly obstreperous.” She smiled in the mirror. “I am not in charge of any one section but over everything to keep business running smoothly. The amazing thing to me is that we have all learned to leave the fights and arguments here in this building, and when we go home, we leave the feelings behind too. I have not seen this happen in any other company we have worked with.”

  “It sounds to me like your father chose well.”

  “He was wise beyond his years and his experiences. He always said that wisdom comes from God and we must seek it diligently, or we would become like other companies and let rancor ta
ke over.”

  Rancor. Nilda repeated the word in her mind. More words to look up.

  The meeting was adjourned at one o’clock so dinner could be set up on that same table. The discussions continued through dinner and the afternoon, until Mrs. Schoenleber dismissed them all at four thirty.

  Heinrik smiled at his sister. “Supper will be at seven, so David will take you back to your hotel now and pick you up again at six thirty, unless you would just as soon go straight to the house.”

  “Thank you, but we need to pick up Miss Walstead too, and I would like a bit of a lie down. If you don’t mind, that is.”

  “Not in the least.” He turned to Nilda. “My youngest son, Jeffrey, is looking forward to meeting you. He is in his final year of college here in the Twin Cities.”

  Nilda nodded. “Meeting you all was indeed a pleasure. I will see you this evening, then.”

  Had she needed to describe herself, limp rag would have sufficed. When she lay down on her bed, sleep rolled over her like an ocean wave. She woke again to a tapping on the door and Sonja offering her assistance.

  Supper at the Schmitz estate passed by with one bright spot. Jeffrey. He was seated next to her, had a fine sense of humor, and made her face flush several times until his mother came to her rescue.

  “Now, Jeffrey, Miss Carlson is not used to your banter, so be gentle with her.”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  Mrs. Schmitz rolled her eyes. “He means well.”

  “I have brothers, ma’am. This is not new to me, and I can usually keep up with them.” She turned to the young man. “Now, if we were speaking Norwegian . . .”

  He nodded. “You would cut me off at the knees.”

  “See, you did it again. Why would I want to cut your knees?”

  Heinrik Schmitz roared. “You have met your match, son. I warn you, your Aunt Gertrude might get after you.”

  “You think she needs me?” Mrs. Schoenleber gave her brother an arch look. “I think not. However, this has been a rather taxing day, so I plead an early evening.”

  “And what are you doing tomorrow?” he asked.

  “Shopping.”

  “All day?”

  “Most likely.”

  He turned to Nilda. “I fear you will think today easy after a full day of shopping.”

  “I found some of the things you were asking for,” his wife said to Mrs. Schoenleber. “If you would like, I will go with you and show you which stores carry them.”

  “Yes. We would appreciate that.”

  Heinrik shook his head. “Good Lord, deliver us.”

  On the way home on the train two days later, Nilda still smiled at Mr. Schmitz’s comment. He had been right. The business day was far easier than the shopping day. The three women had dragged her from store to store, made decisions as to what was best for her, and promised her they would do this again the next time they came to the Twin Cities.

  Nilda could hardly wait.

  Chapter

  27

  There’s a letter for you, Miss Nilda,” Charles announced Thursday morning.

  “Thank you. That must be my first letter here.” She stood up from the breakfast table where she had been reading the section of the newspaper that Mrs. Schoenleber had already finished.

  “Did you see those two acceptances on the hall table?” Mrs. Schoenleber looked up from her reading to ask.

  “No, but that’s good.” Nilda read the front of the letter Charles handed her. “From Petter.”

  “Are you surprised?

  “Yes and no.” Had I been looking for a letter? No, I didn’t even think about it. And now that I am thinking about it, I’ve not been thinking of Petter at all and Dreng less and less. That thought made her smile as she slit the envelope open.

  Dear Nilda,

  I thought I would write more often, but by the time supper is done, most of the time I go directly to bed. The noise does not bother me at all. I thought I would be getting stronger by now, and I guess I really am, but I need every minute of sleep I can find. If anyone ever tells you that being a lumberjack is a good way to make a living, take it from me, it is one of the hardest. Even worse than on the fishing boat in the North Sea. I know I could return to Blackduck to the lumberyard, but I said I would do this, and I am going to stick it out.

  The only other news is that Dreng is gone. The foreman, Mr. Nicholson, sent for the sheriff, but Dreng was gone when the law arrived. I do not know the situation.

  Nilda coughed to clear her throat.

  “What is it?” Mrs. Schoenleber asked.

  “Dreng has disappeared.”

  “Mark my words, he will be back here soon, if he’s not here already.”

  Nilda rubbed her forehead. “The nightmare has finally gone, and now this.”

  “He knows about the social. I would not be surprised if we hear from him today, asking if he can attend.”

  “Can we say no?”

  “If you want. You are in charge of the socials.”

  After such an invigorating trip, to come back to this. Nilda picked up her coffee cup, but it was cold.

  “I’ll get you more.” As always, Charles was standing by the door, ready to serve. She’d forgotten he was even there.

  “What is on your list for today?” Mrs. Schoenleber asked.

  “Miss Walstead will be here about ten, and before she comes, I want to have piano practice out of the way. I have not finished reading all those reports yet either.” Nilda sipped her refreshed coffee. “I’ve been thinking, do you have reports and minutes from past board meetings here?”

  “Yes.” Mrs. Schoenleber nodded with a wide smile. “I was hoping you would ask me that. I have the minutes from this year in the cabinet in the library, and more are in boxes in the storage room. Charles can get those for you.”

  “When I need them.”

  Late in the day, Nilda was reading the reports from the previous month’s meeting when she heard the knocker on the front door.

  “Come in, come in,” Charles greeted someone. “Miss Nilda is in the morning room.”

  “Ivar!” Nilda stood so quickly that the pages snowed to the floor. “In here. Come in, get warm.” She met him at the door and stopped. “Oh, you two came together. You didn’t ski, then?”

  “Good evening, Miss Carlson.” Mr. Larsson nodded. “We decided the horse and sleigh might be wiser.”

  “Well, look who is here, my nephew who might as well be living in Canada.” Mrs. Schoenleber crossed the room to them.

  “I saw you just a couple of weeks ago, remember? You said I did a fine job playing the organ for the wedding.”

  “I know, and you did. Tonight you will have to put up with a lowly piano.” She kissed him on the cheek and shook hands with Ivar. “I am delighted to see you again. I hope you have felled as many trees as you wanted.”

  “We are doing well, especially since Oskar Kielund is trading work with us.”

  “Nilda just received a letter from Petter. He says he will survive the lumber camp only by sheer willpower, it sounds.”

  “I know I have far the better situation. There is no one yelling at me to work harder, faster. That’s normal, Oskar Kielund told me. He took his team out to the lumber camp one year and swore never to do that again.”

  “Take your things up to your rooms. Fritz, I put Mr. Carlson in the room next to yours.”

  “Do I have to be mister here?” Ivar asked.

  Nilda chuckled. Her brother sounded like a young boy again, not like the broad-shouldered, powerful man she now saw before her.

  “You can be Ivar if you would rather.” Mrs. Schoenleber patted his shoulder. “You just help entertain the ladies tonight, and I will call you anything you desire.”

  “Are we playing charades again? That was a good time. I was shocked by how good Dreng was at it.”

  Nilda tried not to let on what they’d heard regarding Dreng, but her brother knew her too well.

  He frowned. “What has happened?
”

  “Petter wrote that Dreng has disappeared.”

  “I hate to even think this, but a snowbank might have taken care of him.”

  Nilda heard him say permanently but knew that was not so. “Tonight we will not mention him. All the others know he and Petter will not be here, so we just shrug if someone asks.”

  “We’ll get changed and come back down.” Mr. Larsson picked up his satchel. “Come on, Ivar. We can catch up on the news later.”

  Nilda checked the clock. “I better go up too.”

  “We’ll have a bit to eat right away, since supper will be later, so hurry down,” Mrs. Schoenleber urged them.

  The social that night seemed calmer than the previous one, especially during charades. They numbered off again, and this time Ivar and Mr. Larsson were on the same team, not with Nilda. She gathered her team together and whispered, “We are going to beat them, agreed?” The others nodded, and the girls grinned at the one man on their team. “You agree?”

  “Of course. I like to win. It’s a shame that Dreng isn’t here, but we can do it without him.”

  By the time they finished the game, Nilda could hardly believe what she had seen. Mr. Larsson had left his scholarly teacher self somewhere else and carried his team to victory. She was the first to offer a handshake and congratulate him.

  “Supper is served,” Charles announced, and the group laughed their way into the dining room to heap food onto their plates.

  “Are you positive that laughing fellow over there is truly Mr. Larsson or only someone who looks an awful lot like him?” she muttered to Ivar while they stood in line for food.

  “He sure knows how to play charades.”

  When they finished eating, Nilda announced that card games were set up in the parlor and after that, their guest this evening, Mr. Fritz Larsson, would be playing the piano for a sing-along.

  “Then what if we skipped the card games this time?” one of the girls asked. “I’ve not been to a sing-along in ages.”

  When the others agreed, Fritz shrugged. “If that’s what you want, all I need is someone to turn the pages for me.”