Rebecca's Reward

by Lauraine Snelling

  She’d noticed later that he looked a bit green around the edges but thought better of saying anything. She also wondered how her brother had allowed Mr. Jeffers to influence him so. That man made her skin crawl. Oh, if only Penny and Hjelmer would come back to stay.

  Rebecca leaned her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes. The first thing she wanted to do when she got home was have a talk with Gerald. He always treated her questions and ideas with thoughtful consideration. Like Penny did. What would he have to say about all her adventures in Bismarck? She hoped she could make him laugh at her skating stories. Gerald needed to laugh more. Penny had thought his bringing her the little box of candy before she’d left home was romantic. She’d not eaten it because she hated to open the box. She thought a bit. Perhaps boxes of candy like that would be a good thing to carry in her soda shop. Along with jars of candy like Penny used to have at the store. Oh, all the things she could do—if she ever got to start her business.

  19

  Blessing, North Dakota

  THE SIGHT OF GERALD waiting for her on the platform made her heart give an extra thump. Rebecca thanked the conductor for handing her down the train stairs and the step and smiled up at her friend. She felt like throwing her arms around his neck but knew that would be all over town before she got home.

  “What a nice surprise. How did you know when I’d be coming?”

  He looked a bit sheepish. “My mother read the back of the envelope you sent to Gus.” He took her valise. “Do you have more luggage? Your brothers just pulled up. I think they got stopped by the train.”

  “Yes, there’s a trunk in the baggage car.” She glanced down the platform to see her trunk being unloaded. “So, my friend, how have you been?” Wouldn’t it be nice if she could just tuck her arm around his and go strolling through town? The audacious thought forced her to suppress a giggle.

  “Very well, thank you. From your letter I think you had a good time in Bismarck.”

  “Oh, I did. I have so much to tell you. Do you like working the switchboard?”

  “I do, although it gets a bit boring at times. I thought of taking up wood carving or perhaps knitting… .” She laughed along with him. “But I have plenty of time to read, and that’s a very good thing.”

  Should I tell him about Kurt? The thought flitted on past. “I loved the box of candy.” She wasn’t about to tell him she’d not eaten it. She watched Gus approaching out of the corner of her eye. From the way he walked, she was pretty sure her brothers were in a hurry to get on home.

  “I was hoping you would have time for a cup of coffee at the boardinghouse, but it looks like they want to go.” They were walking slowly toward the hitching rail.

  “That your trunk?” Gus asked without a hello or welcome home or any such pleasantry.

  “Yes, and hello to you too.”

  He nodded to Gerald and continued past them.

  “He seems a bit gruff.” Gerald looked toward the sleigh, where Knute waited.

  “I know. I hope nothing has happened with Dorothy.” Puzzling, Rebecca thought. “Thank you for the offer of coffee. I’d love to talk for a while—very soon. Oh, by the way, Penny said to tell you hello.”

  “Good. Are they doing well?”

  Rebecca shrugged. “Hi, Knute.”

  “We need to hurry.” Knute kept his eyes locked on the horse’s rump.

  Well, how rude can one get? Rebecca turned. “Thank you for coming.” She glanced toward her brother and shrugged again.

  “I’ll see you soon.”

  Rebecca nodded and settled the robe over her lap. Gus stuffed her trunk in beside her and climbed in front with his brother, who backed the horse almost before Gus was seated. What was going on with these two? After she tried twice to make conversation and all she got in return was silence or a grunt, she settled into flip-flopping between worrying and fuming, the latter of which was taking precedence.

  “All right, what haven’t you told me?” Rebecca asked as soon as they entered Knute’s home. She crossed her arms, staring at her brothers. She hadn’t even greeted Dorothy and the kids yet, but she had to know what was up with her brothers.

  Both men made slow work of taking off their coats and hats. Hanging them on the pegs on the wall took a great deal of precision. Exchanging looks raised the tension in the room so that even little Hans sat still in his chair, staring at the adults. When he started to whimper, Dorothy turned to the table and broke off a piece of bread for him.

  “Sugar?” he begged.

  “No, later.”

  “Sugar.” His tone switched to demanding.

  Rebecca refused to be distracted. Whatever it was, both brothers knew about it.

  Gus sucked in a deep breath. “Someone asked if he could court you, and since you want to be married so bad, we—” he turned to include his brother—“we told him he could talk to you.” The words came in such a rush that Rebecca felt like waving her hands to make him stop, or at least slow down.

  Gerald. The name leaped into her mind, followed immediately by a no. Why would they be acting this way if it were Gerald? They knew he’d been her friend. Or they should have known. Obtuse was a word Penny had used in reference to the two Baard men. “Who? What him are you talking about?” One of the Geddick brothers? Someone new in town?

  “Mr. Jeffers,” Gus finally said. “At the store.”

  “Mr. Jeffers?” She turned to look at Dorothy, who was shaking her head, her face set like stone.

  “I told them this was one of the stupidest things they’d ever done, but—”

  “We didn’t say you’d marry him or anything. Just that he could come see you.”

  Rebecca shuddered. “That man makes me want to wash my hands.” Or take a whole bath. No wonder she’d felt him watching her the last time she was in the store. Shaking her head, she stared from Gus to Knute. “Do you hate me or something?”

  “Now, don’t go getting foolish or some crazy thing. He asked, and we said he’d have to talk with you. That we don’t make decisions for our sister.” Gus glared at Knute, waiting for him to agree.

  “That’s right.” Knute kept his back to them, carefully stuffing his gloves into a jacket pocket.

  Gus took a step forward. “If you hadn’t been gone so long, this wouldn’t have happened. I … we … uh, went to the store only two days ago, and he asked us then.” He took another step forward. “We were only being polite.”

  “Oh, n-now you are blaming this on Mor’s trying to t-teach you good manners?” Rebecca was even stuttering now, she was so angry.

  “All you have to do is go tell him you don’t want to see him, that’s all.”

  “That’s all? You go tell him you made a mistake and your sister is NOT interested.”

  Both men took a step backward, glancing at each other, then both staring at her. “But we gave our word.”

  Hans started to cry. Sarah stood beside Rebecca and sneaked her hand into her aunt’s. “Please don’t cry, Auntie Rebecca.”

  Rebecca dashed at the tears she hadn’t realized were falling. “I’ll write him a letter, and you can deliver it.” She stared right at Gus, sure that her eyes were blazing. How could there be tears? Surely they’d turned to steam.

  “All right, that’s enough for now. Our supper is getting cold. Sarah, you sit by Aunt Rebecca, and Swen, you by Gus. Knute, please say the grace.”

  Without looking at Rebecca again, both the men did as told and quickly everyone was seated. Knute mumbled a prayer, they all said amen, and Dorothy started the serving plates and bowls around.

  Rebecca stared at her two brothers, who were carefully not looking at her or at Dorothy. How could they even think such a possibility! Her mother always said to put the best face on what someone else did. That’s what the Bible said to do. Sometimes it was easier to do that than other times. This was one of the others. Thoughts chased each other through her mind like swallows darting for insects, leaving no track or pattern. How to figure lik
e a man does. That was an impossibility. She hit on an idea.

  “Would you like to have Mr. Jeffers for a brother-in-law?” How she managed to keep the rage from licking at the words, she had no idea. The question came out in an offhand way, something to congratulate herself for. She caught a nod of approval from Dorothy. The shock on her brothers’ faces would have made her laugh at any other time.

  “I suppose we could live in the farmhouse with you, Gus. After all, you seem to need someone to take care of you.” Thoughts of the messy kitchen likely awaiting her narrowed her eyes. Again, she had to swallow a laugh. The look on his face told far more than anything he could say.

  “But … but there is a perfectly fine place to live at the store.” His voice squeaked on the last word.

  “True, but then perhaps I should help you find a wife to do your laundry and cleaning and cooking. You don’t seem to do so well yourself.”

  “I can find my own wife, thank you very much.” “

  But I can’t find my own husband?”

  Dorothy choked on her bread and had to leave the table.

  Rebecca stole glances at the children. Their eyes were so wide, there was hardly room for their mouths. Never in his life had Knute paid more attention to his plate. Her focus returned to Gus and nailed him to the chair.

  Self-righteousness melted like a snowbank in the spring sun. Gus’s shoulders slumped. “Please pass the potatoes.”

  Rebecca let out a deep breath. They did mean well. She knew that. She could just picture Mr. Jeffers casually mentioning the idea of marrying her and then pushing until they agreed. He made the slime from a puddle in the cow pen look pretty. And smell better.

  They finished supper without any more discussion. Sarah asked about her cousins in Bismarck, and as soon as they finished eating, Rebecca brought out the things she and Penny had made. The doll dress that matched Sarah’s new dress was a real hit. Sarah ran and got her doll so Rebecca could help her put it on.

  “Look, even buttons.” She beamed at Rebecca as she hugged her doll. “Thank you. Know something else?”

  “No, what?”

  “My tooth is loose.” She wiggled an upper tooth. “Ma says it will fall out soon, and a new one will grow in.”

  “That’s right. Let’s go help your ma with the dishes.”

  “Thank you for the new shirt,” seven-year-old Swen said. “The sleeves are even long enough.” He held his arms out to show her.

  “You are growing so fast that I wasn’t sure how long to make them.” She patted his shoulder and dug down in her basket. “Think you can share these with your brother and sister?”

  He took the brown paper sack and looked inside. “Hans is too little to suck on candy. But Sarah and me will like it.”

  “Perhaps you are right. Why don’t you get Hans a cookie to make him happy too.”

  Swen held out the sack. “Don’t you want one too?”

  “Yes, thank you.” Rebecca smiled at her handsome nephew and watched as he offered the candy to all the adults before taking one of his own. She should have brought more. What a generous little soul he was.

  She rose and joined Dorothy at the stove, taking the dish towel that Sarah handed her.

  “I’m so sorry,” Dorothy muttered under her breath. “I just don’t know what got into those two. I’ve barely spoken to Knute since.”

  “Maybe men don’t see the same things in other men that women do.” Being charitable took a strong act of will at this point.

  “Maybe.” Dorothy set a soapy dish in the rinse water. “But I think they should have to go back and make it right.”

  “Me too, but since I need to go shopping tomorrow, I’ll just tell him I’m not interested. Otherwise who knows what other promises they’ll make for me. I have to make it clear.”

  “Your letter mentioned a man you met in Bismarck.”

  Rebecca nodded. “His name is Kurt von Drehl. He is so handsome I couldn’t believe he wanted to be with me.”

  “Rebecca Baard, haven’t you looked in a mirror lately? Besides, what a romantic way to meet—on the skating rink.”

  “Ja, with me tumbled on the ice. Poor Little Gus was so mad at the boy who ran into me that he was ready to go slug it out. By the way, he doesn’t like to be called Little Gus anymore, as he reminded me several times.”

  “Is Penny as homesick as she sounds in her letters?”

  “Yes, but she says she will make the best of it. I got the feeling that Hjelmer is not as happy with his job as he thought he would be. But he is home more than he used to be. He didn’t say so, but I think he misses everyone here in Blessing too.”

  “Hjelmer always liked the traveling.”

  “That’s true.” Rebecca dried a plate and set it on the table. “What all have I missed out on since I was gone?”

  “Well, the big thing was the men not bringing back as many cows as they’d hoped. And being charged so much more than the man had originally said. Some folks just don’t keep their word. He said he could have sold them for twice as much. There just aren’t enough cows to go around. Nor pigs nor sheep either.”

  “What does Ingeborg say?”

  “That she’ll take as much milk as can be spared and God will provide for all of us. If we have a good wheat harvest, that will surely help.”

  If—always the big word for farmers. If the rain came, but not too much. If the sun shone, but not too hot. Let alone hail, tornadoes, grasshoppers, fire. Rebecca set the last plate on the table, and Dorothy put them all away in the cupboard. And Gus thought her shop was a risk.

  “I did learn how pleasant it is to have a telephone in the house. I know Gus will refuse to have one put in, but you could maybe talk Knute into it. Just think, I could have called you to ask what you needed from the stores in Bismarck.”

  “Uff da, that is too much. What will they think of next?” Dorothy looked around to find Hans curled up on the blanket kept for him behind the stove. He always hated to go to bed because he might miss something, so they had appropriated the warm space behind the stove. “I need to get the children to bed.”

  “ We need to be getting home too. Thank you for the good supper.”

  “I was hoping to get over to your house to clean it up before you got home, but things got away from me.” She patted the burgeoning mound under her apron. “Somehow this seems to slow me down some.”

  “How much longer?”

  “A few weeks, I think. Dr. Elizabeth said I needed to get off my feet, but how does one do that with all this?” A sweeping gesture included the entire house and all those in it.

  “I’ll come over every day for a while and take care of things so you can rest. Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

  Dorothy shrugged.

  Rebecca stepped into the parlor, where her two brothers sat talking. “We better be getting home.”

  “Oh. Is it that late?” Gus put down the newspaper and got to his feet. “See you in the morning.”

  “I’ll help you get the horse.”

  “No need.” Gus still didn’t meet her gaze when he headed for the door to put on his things.

  “You make a list of what you need from town,” Rebecca told Dorothy, “and I’ll get yours too.” She reached for her coat. “Send it home with Gus in the morning.”

  “I will.” Dorothy started to kneel to reach for Hans, but Rebecca stopped her.

  “I’ll do that.” What is the matter with that hardheaded man in there? Doesn’t he pay attention that his wife is big as can be and he could help her a little? Maybe the baby sister needed to get her back up and get some changes started around there.

  When they got home, again without a word, Gus filled the stove with wood, adjusted the draft so that it would burn slowly through the night, and headed for bed. He had taken over their parents’ room on the first floor, and Rebecca had the one upstairs over the kitchen, so the chimney helped heat her room, plus a small grate in the floor let the heat rise. Rebecca took one of the brick
s they kept warm under the stove and, wrapping it in a towel, took it and a kerosene lamp upstairs and slipped the brick under the covers of her bed to warm it.

  At Penny’s they’d had a furnace in the cellar, and heat came to every room in the house. Not so here. The windowpanes wore ice designs that turned to fire when the sun hit them in the morning.

  Leaving her trunk for the morning, she undressed standing over the register and hung her clothes on the pegs along the wall, then pulled on her nightdress. She grabbed her brush and a ribbon and sat in her bed, pulling the quilts firmly over her legs.

  She should have brushed her hair downstairs, where it was warmer. Thinking of the stove reminded her of Hans curled up in his special cave with his thumb and forefinger in his mouth. The dog used to sleep behind the stove like that, when they had a dog. How warm and cuddly Hans had been as she’d carried him into his bed, where Dorothy sat to undress him. Would the day ever come when she had a child to love and care for?

  Thoughts of Kurt floated through her mind as she unbraided her hair. Would she see him again? Would she go to Bismarck again? No one but God knew the answers to her questions, and He wasn’t telling. Brushing her hair always let her mind run free. Did she want to fall in love with Kurt?

  Gerald took his place in her mind instead. At least they were good friends already, even if his mother didn’t like that. Perhaps she would see him when she went to the post office in the morning, since the switchboard for the telephones was in the same building. She finished brushing and loosely braided her hair again, tying the end with a ribbon. Thinking of Gerald was a pleasure. But what would she do about Mr. Jeffers? What would she need to say to him to make him take her decision seriously? Just the thought of him made her mad at her brothers all over again. Was she just livestock to be traded off?

  She blew out the light and snuggled down under the covers, rubbing her feet over the warm brick. Her mother would say to pray for wisdom. So she did. And thanked Him for a safe trip and a good home to come back to. Even if it was a mess. A mess made by the same brother who had gotten her into a worse mess. She glared into the darkness. “And I suppose you want me to forgive Gus and Knute too.” Was that a chuckle she heard or just the wind worrying at the eaves?