"I thought I'd only need to be here for a short while to pay back Jim for my train fare and then leave. But he told me otherwise just now. Looks like I'm trapped."
"We need to focus on staying strong and making it through the night. Eat your supper and pray the customers have drunk enough whiskey to make them useless. If that doesn't happen, try and make them finish quickly. Do that and we should be OK. I'm in the room next door but I don't expect we'll have another chance to talk until tomorrow. Good luck and don't fight against them, no matter what they want to do to you."
The night was bad enough to make Hetty want to kill herself. She was covered in bruises, had a black eye and Big Jim had set about her with the whip... just because he felt like it. There was no way she could stay here. She would have to escape or die trying.
~#~#~#~
Chapter Three
Harald Larson was the storekeeper and owner of the mercantile in Hope Springs. He was a cheerful, easy going fellow and loved his store. Every year his business grew until it reached a point where he needed help. What he needed, he thought, was a wife who would be both help meet and companion, someone to raise a family with.
It hadn't worked out that way though and now he was miserable. He'd married a beautiful Englishwoman who he thought would be an asset to the store, expecting her beauty to attract customers in droves. On that score, he'd chosen well, however Emmaline did not love him and refused to work in the store. If ever there was a woman who didn't belong in Texas, it was Emmaline Larson.
The result was a loveless marriage and Harald still didn't have the help he needed. Sometimes he couldn't decide what irked him the most; the fact that she was a faithless snob, or that she refused outright to dirty her hands working in the store. As if that wasn't enough, she'd been angling to marry the preacher, the Reverend J.T. Miller. Her behavior was little short of scandalous.
The Reverend J.T. Miller hadn't been a truly Christian man and had attracted a following of self-righteous bigots who had no understanding of Christ's teachings. There was no kindness and compassion to be found in the church of the Reverent J. T. Miller and consequently there had been a split within the congregation.
A more moderate group of worshipers headed up by the Sheriff and his wife, the town lawyer and his wife, the doctor and his wife, as well as a group of god fearing, mild mannered individuals from the town and nearby ranches, made up a separate group of worshipers and they met in the schoolhouse each Sunday morning.
It irked Emmaline that none of the society people attended the the Reverend J.T. Miller's church, though she did nothing to endear herself to the reasonable minded people in town. They saw through her facade and felt sorry for Harald, a man whom they held in high regard.
Eventually the Reverend J.T. Miller gave up and left Hope Springs, upset with what he considered to be the unrighteous attitude of the town's leading citizens. Emmaline was distraught when he left. She'd wanted to marry the Reverend J.T. Miller, believing him to have better prospects than a storekeeper. She hated living in the mercantile and Harald's business was not doing very well because of her shrewish nature.
Things came to a head when a new Preacher arrived and who had, within days, installed a prostitute from the Saloon in the parsonage as his housekeeper. This was too much for Emmaline and she organized a boycott of the new Preacher's first service. It soon became clear that she had no support when her remaining cronies changed sides and joined what had been the alternate worshipers.
The final straw for Emmaline came about after the new Preacher, Jeremy St. John, married Abigail, his housekeeper. She was outraged and decided on the spot to leave Harald and follow the Reverend J.T. Miller. She expected him to marry her after her divorce from Harald was finalized. After all, he had dangled that carrot enough times for her to know he meant it.
Harald was devastated, even though he did not love his wife. She shamed him with her behavior. He felt he was a failure because of his inability to keep his wife happy and he started to let things in the mercantile slide. He found himself forgetting to order inventory, started drinking and didn't sweep and clean the store or his quarters above. It was as though life was slowly leaching out of him as his failure destroyed his dreams.
The mercantile lost its prosperous look as Harald's decline gained momentum. The community was right in speculating that it wouldn't take long before he went out of business and while the good hearted folks of Hope Springs tried to support him, it was clear to all concerned that disaster was looming.
~#~#~#~
Ingrid had settled in quickly at the hotel and impressed Emma with her ability to complete all the tasks she was given. After a day or two, it soon became obvious that additional supplies were required for the kitchen and Emma had no hesitation about sending Ingrid to do the marketing.
"I'm not sure if everything we need will be available but do the best you can. The store isn't what it used to be since Mr. Larson's wife left."
"What happened to her?" It was an innocent enough question.
"She was not the right type of woman for Mr. Larson and she left him for someone who should have known better. That woman never lifted a finger and you'd think he'd be happy to be rid of her."
"Perhaps he loved her Emma, and she broke his heart. It can do bad things to a man."
"She broke his heart and shamed him with another man in front of the whole town. I don't know if he'll ever get over it. It's a pity, because Christmas is only a couple of months away and it looks like we'll have a mercantile with nothing in it."
"Well, I'll be off now Emma. We'll soon see what we have to make do with."
Ingrid walked along the uneven boards of the sidewalk, thankful that there was such a thing as a sidewalk in Hope Springs. Spring rains, summer storms and melting snow had a habit of turning hard baked dirt into boot sucking mud. That was one more good thing she'd found about Hope Springs.
She continued on down the street, noting that the most important shops and businesses were in the center of town with the Church and schoolhouse at the far southern end, while the livery and some of the more disreputable establishments were away up the northern end. It took but a few minutes before she reached the mercantile and noticed the neglected state of the store at once.
Harald, who was hung over and unkempt, didn't seem to care if he had the things she needed or not. She went exploring to find what she needed, simply copying what other customers did, including leaving money on the counter or writing what they owed in the grubby account book that sat open there.
There was something about Harald Larson that Ingrid liked immediately. He was a fellow countryman, the first she'd known since being deposited at the orphanage. She felt a kinship with him, even though she did not know him, all of which she explained to Emma when she returned to the hotel.
"Would you mind if I went back this afternoon and cleaned the store up? Maybe he would take more of an interest if it looked appealing and attractive to customers. To be honest, if he ordered some new stock in and the premises were clean, it's not too late to turn things around before Christmas."
"You're welcome to try. None of us have had any success though."
When she finished cleaning up the hotel kitchen after lunch, Ingrid went over to the store and again greeted Harald. He barely acknowledged her presence, but she continued on out the back to find a broom and rags to use for dusting. Bending to the fire box, she stirred the embers back to life, loaded in some more wood from the wood box before putting on water for coffee.
While it was boiling, she went into the store and began sweeping it clean, starting at the back and working her way out to the front, then onto the sidewalk. In no time at all, the store looked better. Harald just stared at her, as if she was a blond angel, come to earth specially for him.
Ingrid went out the back again and made the coffee, taking Harald a strong cup of the black liquid. There was no milk so she added a little sugar before handing the steaming cup to Harald, which he took gratefull
y and sipped. He savored the strong flavor as well as the effect it was having on his hang over.
She left him sipping the strong brew and began to tidy the shelves and dust off the stock so that it looked inviting to potential customers. Before long, the mercantile was clean and tidy again, while Harald was feeling a lot better. He blinked a few times and watched in awe as the store came to life again before his eyes.
Eventually he found his voice. "What are you doing?"
"I thought you could use a little help putting the store in order, seeing as you haven't been well and it's only a couple of months until Christmas. You don't mind, do you? I'll fetch you some more coffee."
"But who are you?"
"I'm Ingrid Swenson and I've just started working over at the hotel for Emma. This is a beautiful little town, is it not Mr. Larson?"
She went to retrieve the coffee pot to freshen up Harald's cup.
"Thank you so much for your help. I feel much better now Miss Swenson."
"It was my pleasure Mr. Larson. If it's alright with you, I'm happy to drop by again tomorrow. I'll see you then."
Harald was smitten. His wife had never lifted so much as a finger in all the years they'd been married and here was a chit of a girl, bustling about putting things to rights, making his store look like he had always wanted it to be – and did when he had taken the trouble to do it himself.
The young woman knew what she was about, that much was clear. Now he needed to keep a clear head so that tomorrow he could talk to her and offer her permanent work. Maybe his dream of a successful store was still within his reach. Ingrid Swenson was beautiful but also knew how to work.
~#~#~#~
Sheriff Benson called by the hotel for a quick word with Emma on his way down to conduct his business with Big Jim Olson.
"How's it working out with Ingrid?"
"That girl was born for work I think. Of all the girls who've passed through this hotel, Ingrid is the one I'm going to miss the most if she decides to leave and get married."
Jake chuckled. "Well I'm just off to rescue another little dove from the saloon yonder. She came on the train with Ingrid but felt obliged to work off her train fare to Big Jim. I'm about to set him straight and after a few days with Abigail and the Pastor, was hoping she could work here."
"You know I'll help. That man treats his girls so bad it doesn't bear thinking about."
"I was hoping you'd say that... be seeing you then."
Jake continued on up the street, meeting up with Pastor St John and two deputies as he went. This wasn't his favorite way to start the day and hoped they could take the girl out quickly.
The doors of the saloon were already open but there was no sign of Big Jim. One of his henchmen stood behind the bar though and Jake noticed a slight movement in the man's right arm as he reached for a gun hidden under the counter.
"Put it down," said Jake, his voice quiet and steady. "Believe me, you don't want that kind of trouble so early in the day. Come over here and put your hands up. Now."
"Alright already. But you ain't heard the last of this. Big Jim is gonna be real upset when he finds out."
Jake signaled for Deputy Bobby Matthews to cover him while he headed up the stairs to find Hetty. "Let's go Pastor."
The two men ran up the stairs and decided to check all the rooms. They entered the first one they came to and found Hetty beaten black and blue. She was awake and in pain but recognized the Sheriff.
"Pastor, I reckon you're going to have to carry her. She doesn't look up to walking."
Jeremy St John carefully picked Hetty up from the rumpled bed which was stained with the blood from her beatings.
"Not yet, please," Hetty mumbled through her swollen mouth. "There's another girl, Sophie, much younger than me, in the room next door. You have to take her too." That was the extent of Hetty's ability to speak and she passed out.
"Take her downstairs Jeremy. I'll check next door and see if we can't come out of here with two little doves."
Jake quietly opened the door next to Hetty's and found himself looking down the barrel of a pistol, held in the shaking hands of a girl who was fourteen if she was a day.
"Are you Sophie? If you are, just nod. I'm Sheriff Benson and I'm taking Hetty out of here. I can take you as well if you've a mind to come with me. You can both stay with the Pastor for a while."
Sophie lowered the gun. "God answered our prayers then. Let's go, but there will be trouble. Big Jim won't take kindly to losing two of his girls in one morning."
~#~#~#~
Chapter Four
Over the following couple of weeks into November, Ingrid went to the mercantile every day and worked side by side with Harald. It was cold out and to Harald's delight, Ingrid suggested they do something to make their customers more comfortable.
"Why don't we set up one of the stoves in here. It'll make the store toasty warm and I bet you'll sell more stoves too."
"Anything you say, Ingrid. Maybe we could leave pot of coffee on it too."
The store was thriving since Harald and Ingrid had been working together. They were a good team and Harald often found himself wishing he wasn't married to Emmaline. She'd threatened him with divorce but nothing had happened yet. He was not at liberty to pursue his intentions with Ingrid, however much he wanted to. That he had intentions was a revelation to him. For the first time, he felt the blessing of the Lord in relation to a woman.
Thanks to Emmaline who had spent the better part of five years belittling Harald at every turn, he had come to believe he had nothing to offer a woman. The truth was that Harald was a handsome man, a big Norwegian built for farming, who had chosen instead to open a store in Hope Springs rather than plant and harvest wheat on the Prairie.
He worked hard and had prospered up until he married Emmaline. Yes, that woman was a mistake, just like Emma had warned. Now it was too late, just when he was coming to understand how much he actually did have to offer a woman, especially one that took pleasure in working along side him every hour of the day.
It was as though Ingrid had bewitched him with her blue eyes and blond hair, without meaning to of course. It just happened. Every moment he spent with her, was one to be treasured and while they were firm friends, he hoped with all his heart that one day they could be so much more than just friends. With each passing day, Harald was more and more attracted to the hard working Ingrid and as they enjoyed each other's company so much, worked longer and longer hours.
"I can't remember a time when there were so many customers in here. It's your influence Ingrid. People seem to enjoying being here and chatting with you, as do I."
"It's a good thing, don't you think? With Christmas coming we want all the customers we can get. We need to stock up on little gifts that don't cost too much so everyone can afford to have a little something to give to a loved one. And I want to make over a corner of the store just for Christmas things, with a beautiful nativity display in the front window." Ingrid was beaming with happiness.
"Harald, I also want to thank you for helping me with our language. I haven't spoken it since I was six and left at the orphanage. But at night, when everyone was asleep, I used to speak it in my mind. I can never tell you how much it means to me to be able to speak it again and not feel guilty for doing so."
"It is my pleasure, Ingrid." He looked deep into her eyes and saw her admiration for him shining like a beacon.
For Ingrid, Harald seemed to be perfect husband material and while she'd never experienced any romantic adventures, knew her feelings were leaning towards more than friendship. She had thought to work rather than marry, but like most young women, believed marriage was ultimately the best way for a woman to get on in life. After all, without the protection of a man, life could be a precarious business.
Now, more than ever, Harald wished he was free of his wife and again regretted marrying someone so unsuitable. He should have listened to Emma when she'd advised him against it. Still, there was nothing to be done
about it now except wait for news of the divorce Emmaline had threatened him with.
~#~#~#~
By the end of November, it was obvious to Emma that Ingrid was spending more and more of her time at the store. She'd seen and heard nothing but good reports about how things were picking up over there. With the two new girls on hand, it seemed silly for Emma to keep employing Ingrid. She sighed. Ingrid really was the best worker she'd ever had and while she was loath to part with her, it made sense that she worked full time for Harald.
After dinner that evening and the kitchen was closed for the night, she broached the subject with Ingrid.
"All finished Ingrid? Come and sit with me in the parlor for a while, I need to talk to you about a few things."
"I've not done anything wrong have I?'
"Of course not."
The two women settled with a pot of tea and Emma broached the subject of what was on her mind.
"It's just that I was thinking that you might be better off to work full time for Harald and keep your room here for sleeping. No, I'm not trying to get rid of you, but it seems like you are over there all the time anyway. It's good for Harald and it's good for you. His business has never been better and the two of you work together like you've known each other for ever."
Ingrid was thoughtful and tentatively agreed on one proviso.
"So long as I can bake for you and prepare some one pot meals that you can use over here. I'm already doing that over at the store and it makes sense to do extra for you."
"You mean in exchange for room and board."
"Yes. I don't like to think of you slaving away in the kitchen all the time. You need to rest once in a while."
"It's a deal. You're a better cook than me anyway and you're a natural at it. The new girls are working out great but they can't cook like you and I do."
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