A Touch of Grace (18 page)

The man looked about as tired as the cattle he drove. “Howdy, missus. I heard tell you might be in the market for another milk cow. The heifer is carryin’ too, by a real beefy bull. Cow’s been a good milker.”

“Looks like you’ve been on the road some time.” While they talked, she looked the cow over for any injuries. “How long since she calved?”

“Three, four months. She’s bred back too.”

“Why are you selling?”

“This land just takes too much. My wife and daughter are gone. I can’t stay here any longer. I’d give ’em to you if’n I didn’t need some cash so bad. Folks around here say you’re always on the lookout for more cows.”

“What do you want for the pair?”

The man named a price higher than she wanted to pay, but her heart got in the way.

“I’ll give you sixty dollars and a good meal.”

The man tipped his fedora back, scratched his several-day-old whiskered chin, and hitched his overall strap higher on his shoulder. “Guess I’ll take it.”

“You can put them in that corral by the barn. Give them a good drink at the water tank first.”

“Thank you, missus. Lord bless you.”

Ingeborg returned to the house to fix a plate of food and fetch the cash from her strongbox. After slipping the bills into her pocket, she sliced bread and cheese, poured a glass of buttermilk from the crock Astrid had brought in, added the last of the gingerbread from the night before, and headed back outside. The cows were still drinking, and the man had soused his head in the tank too. Water drops darkened his shirt, but he looked a mite refreshed.

“Why don’t you sit down in the shade of the well house and let them graze while you eat. Then you can put them in the corral.”

“Be glad to do that.” He took the plate and the money and sank down cross-legged in the shade. After a couple of bites he looked up. “You know what time the train comes by going east?”

“About another hour or two.”

“Good. I’ll be on it.” He held up a piece of bread with cheese. “Mighty fine, ma’am. Mighty fine.”

Ingeborg returned to the house, and the next time she looked out the window, the cow and heifer were in the corral, and the man was down the road on his way to town. She found the glass sitting on the plate on her back porch. Glancing out over the fields, she saw the two teams mowing hay, one slightly ahead of the other, the way they’d always done it. Lars and Haakan would move from field to field, the sickle bars laying the grass out flat behind them. The breeze carried the fragrance of newly mown grass and clover across the fields, a summer scent that promised a bountiful year. She probably should have gone out and asked Haakan what he thought, but one milking and one due to freshen soon didn’t make a whole lot of difference in the milking time. Surely he wouldn’t mind. Besides, the cheese house could always use more milk.

When Haakan came in from the fields that evening, she told him about the man and her purchase. “He looked so down and out, I couldn’t refuse.”

Haakan shook his head. “Leave it to my Inge.” He lifted his hat and wiped his forehead with his forearm. “You got something cold to drink?”

“Buttermilk?”

“Sounds good.”

“I’ll bring it out. They look to be a good addition to the herd. They’re both bred. I was going to ask him if the heifer was out of the cow, but I forgot.”

“They look similar enough. I’ll get the harnesses off. The boys are milking already.”

“They started early.”

Ingeborg brought a glass of buttermilk out to her husband, thinking he looked mighty tired himself. But she knew better than to suggest he let the young men finish off the chores and he take it easy. At the sound of a trotting horse, she looked around to see Astrid turning into the lane, Inga waving beside her. When Astrid stopped the buggy, Ingeborg held out her arms and swooped Inga into her embrace.

“Gamma, I come see you.”

“I know. I am so happy, I could squeeze you forever.”

“Mr. Jeffers said thank you and he’ll be out as soon as the store can be closed. Thorliff and Elizabeth will be along soon. What did we bring for Grandma?”

“Candy. Good candy.”

“I see you already had some.”

Inga held up one finger. “One, that all.”

“Andrew and Ellie are here too,” Ingeborg told Astrid. “Ellie brought a rhubarb pie. And yes, the chocolate pudding is ready for the topping.”

“I see you bought the cows.”

“Ja, I couldn’t help it.”

“Down, Gamma. See Gampa.”

“You stay with me until he gets the horses unharnessed.”

Astrid backed the buggy into the shed and jumped out to release the horse. She stripped the harness off, handing it to her father, and led the horse to the corral, where he couldn’t get a drink yet. “You want me to put the cow in the barn?”

“Ja, thanks.” Haakan lifted the harness onto pegs on the barn wall. “You go on and help your mother if we’re having all this company. We’ll finish the milking.”

Ingeborg stretched the table out to its longest length in order to seat all the guests. Ellie did her best to help with Carl on her hip. He gave a huge yawn and laid his head on Ellie’s shoulder.

“Why don’t you go lay Carl on one of the beds, Ellie,” Ingeborg suggested. “His eyelids are looking heavy.”

“I’ll give it a try. He didn’t sleep long enough this afternoon.”

Inga helped Astrid set the table while Ellie took care of Carl.

“Each plate gets a spoon,” Astrid said as she handed Inga spoons and set the rest on the table, where she could reach them.

“For pudding?”

“How do you know there is pudding?”

“Gamma said.” Inga placed the spoon very carefully on a plate and looked up to Astrid, who shook her head.

“Beside the plate.”

Inga moved the spoon. “Here?”

“Good.”

“She talks more every day,” Ellie commented as she sliced the bread. “Carl has someone to keep him on his toes. When he starts walking, that is.”

“Don’t rush him. At least you can catch him when he’s crawling.” Ingeborg pulled a pot of beans from the oven and checked on the roast. “We’re going to have to butcher one of those steers pretty soon. I’m running out of meat.”

“One of the sheep is limping. Pa said he’d butcher it and hang the hindquarters to dry in the haymow.”

“Some venison would taste good.”

“They won’t take time to butcher now that haying is begun.” Astrid watched as Inga, the tip of her tongue showing between her lips, placed each spoon precisely.

“Now I do knives?”

Ellie glanced at Ingeborg. “How does she know all this so soon?”

“She’s helped Astrid set the table before. You only have to tell her something once and she’ll remember.”

“Are all children this smart?”

“Not that I know of.” Ingeborg dropped a kiss on the little tow-head at her side.

“Takk, Gamma.”

The three women burst into laughter, making Inga giggle too, her little hands clapped over her mouth.

“Oh my, what a good girl you are.” Ingeborg wiped her hands on her apron and swung her granddaughter up onto her hip.

Inga looked toward the door. “Gampa coming.” She pushed away to be set down, and when her feet hit the floor, she ran to the screen door. “Gampa!”

“Coming.” Haakan’s voice floated through the screened kitchen window above the wash bench, where the milkers were cleaning up.

Inga pushed against the screen door and, when it opened, started out.

“No, you stay inside. Watch your fingers.” While Ingeborg cautioned, Astrid swooped the little one up and danced around the room with her.

“See Gampa!” Inga glared up at her aunt, making Astrid laugh again.

“He’ll be here in a minute.” Astrid spun them in a circle, bringing a smile back to the stern little face.

When Haakan came through the door, Inga ran to him, her face beaming and her arms raised. “Gampa, up.”

Haakan lifted her and kissed her cheek, holding her against his chest. “Your pa and ma are here,” he said when he heard a buggy. She nodded but kept her arm around his neck, even when Thorliff and Elizabeth came through the door.

“Smells good in here.” Thorliff sniffed deeply a second time.

“Pudding,” Inga informed him.

“You don’t say. Did Grandma make you chocolate pudding?”

“Uh-huh.” She stuck a forefinger in her mouth and leaned her forehead against Haakan’s chin. “Gampa milk cows.”

“Did Pa help milk cows?” Astrid asked.

Inga shook her head. “Pa no milk cows.” Her serious look at her father made them all chuckle.

“She has that right.” Thorliff held up his hands, still ink stained from printing the newspaper. “But I never had hands like this milking cows.”

“No matter what he scrubs with, we all know when it is printing day.” Elizabeth reached for her daughter. “You come sit with Ma.”

They were all taking their chairs when they heard a buggy nearing the house. Ingeborg looked out the window. “Mr. Jeffers is here, just in time.”

“Welcome, Mr. Jeffers,” she said, meeting him at the door. “Please come in.”

He looked short next to all the Bjorklund men as he shook hands around the table and said howdy to them all. Extra girth usually hidden by his shop apron added to the impression. With his mouse brown hair pomaded to stay back and his slightly darker mustache newly trimmed, he’d obviously cleaned up to be company. A wandering left eye made one wonder where he was looking.

“Thank you for the invitation,” he said, turning to Ingeborg. He handed her a brown wrapped parcel from his other hand.

“Why, thank you.” Ingeborg almost said, “You didn’t need to do that,” but restrained herself and slipped off the string instead. She laid it on the counter to add later to the ball of string she was saving and unfolded the paper to reveal two packets of needles—one for hand sewing, one for the machine—and several yards of inch-wide eyelet. “How nice of you.”

“Thought perhaps you could use those.”

“I surely can. Please, won’t you sit down?” She indicated a chair next to Haakan.

As soon as the guest sat, Haakan folded his hands. “We’ll say the blessing. I Jesu navn, går vi til bords… .”With all of them joining in, they finished with “amen.” Inga said it after they all did, setting a chuckle around the table.

“So how’s the store going?” Haakan asked after everyone had helped themselves from the bowls and platters that circled the table.

“Fair to middling.” Mr. Jeffers laid down his fork. “Guess it takes some time for folks to adjust to a new owner, Miz Bjorklund being part of the family and all.”

“Our Penny ran a good store all right and catered to everyone around. If she didn’t have something in stock, she’d order it right quick,” Ellie said.

“She loved finding new gadgets, especially for housekeeping.” Ingeborg buttered half a slice of bread and handed it to Inga, receiving a wide grin in return.

“I’m hoping to move out some things been sitting there awhile.”

“Well, we hope you join into the life of our town,” Thorliff said. “We’ll be putting up some new houses if you decide to bring your family out.”

“No family to speak of,”Mr. Jeffers told them. “I was hoping there might be some marriage-minded ladies out here. Although my sister from Wisconsin said she’d come out to help me if I needed her.”

“Is that where you’re from?” Dr. Elizabeth asked over Inga’s head.

“Oh no, back east. Had no idea about life in the west.”

“How did you hear about the Blessing General Store being for sale?” Thorliff asked.

Wonder why he didn’t say where exactly he was from
. Ingeborg started the meat platter around again. “Here, help yourselves. I don’t want anyone to go away hungry.”

“As if that would happen.” Thorliff gave his mother a teasing grin.

“Oh, a friend been through here on the railroad told me about the store.”

He’s very tight-lipped, yet he doesn’t appear to be shy.
You don’t
look like the kind of man who would have amassed a nest egg. Where did
the money come from to buy Penny’s store?
Ingeborg kept her thoughts to herself, knowing she and Haakan would discuss this conversation later.

“You been a storekeeper before?”

“Worked in one since I was old enough to push a broom. Our family’s been keeping stores since they come from the old country.” He passed the bowl of baked beans after spooning more onto his plate. “This is the best meal I’ve had since I left the boardinghouse. Never been much of a one to cook for myself.”

“You come to church on Sunday and we’ll make sure you’re introduced to the rest of the folks.” Ingeborg nodded to Astrid to get the coffeepot.
Didn’t say which country his family was from either. He is a
man of few words
.

“Don’t see how I can do that and keep the store open too.”

“You’re going to be open on Sundays?” Andrew asked.

“Nothing is open on Sundays except the boardinghouse.” Thorliff paused in slicing his meat.

Mr. Jeffers laid his knife across the top of his plate. “There a law against a man keeping his business open on Sunday?” His tone had tightened.

“No, not really. It’s just the way things been done here. The Bible says Sunday is a day of rest, and—”

“I see some of the farmers working on Sundays.”

Wait until the women get wind of this
, Ingeborg thought, rolling her lips together.
I can hear Mrs. Valders now
.

“Well, I’ll say you just might get some opposition from the folk around here, but what you do with your store is your business.” Haakan spoke slowly and easily, dousing a possible fire rather than adding to it.

Talk turned to other matters, and not long after they finished the meal, the guests headed homeward, since it was nearly dark already. Haakan and Ingeborg waved from their back porch, and Ingeborg blew sleepy Inga one last kiss.

Astrid and Ellie were finishing up the dishes while Andrew held his still sleeping son.

“Don’t imagine he’ll get much business on Sunday,” Andrew said. “He’ll be boycotted for sure.”

“Got to let a man learn his lessons whatever way he chooses.” Haakan settled back in his chair, pipe and tobacco in hand. “You milked the new cow tonight. How’d she do?”