A New Day Rising (30 page)

"Do you know when he is leaving?" Haakan asked.

Joseph shook his head. "No telling with that feller. I know he's not working his fields, though, so he must plan on being gone before fall, else they won't have nothing to eat."

"They'll be begging at our doorstep again, that's what." Agnes had no more use for the man than Ingeborg did. "Anyone that treats his wife no better'n his mule don't deserve-"

"Now, Agnes." Joseph's eyebrows became a straight line.

"Sounds like a real fine piece of humanity." Haakan turned to Kaaren. "Say, is there any more of that plum pie? If I could get it before Joseph does, I'd call this a good day."

"Now, that ain't fair." Baard got to his feet. "If'n I get there first ..."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen." Kaaren stood and waved them back.

"Me help." Metiz, who had been watching and as usual saying little, spoke up. She and Kaaren headed into the house and the discussion turned to other things.

ingeborg shot Haakan a grateful look. She knew what he had done, broken the discussion before it got any hotter and in the most pleasant way.

They'd all settled back with more coffee and either pie or cookies when they heard Paws barking in the distance.

"That's his'someone is coming bark,' " Ingeborg said after tilting her head to listen better.

"Mor, we have company," Thorliff yelled a moment later.

The wagon had followed the riverbank up from the south and now turned on the trail they had made from Ingeborg's soddy to the river. White canvas covered the hoops and horses pulled the wagon. A man on a horse rode alongside it. A cow bellered, to be answered by one of their own.

"Tell them to come over here," Ingeborg called to Thorliff. "They can water their stock and make camp by the barn." She turned to Kaaren and Lars. "If that's all right with you?"

"Of course." Kaaren headed for the kitchen. "I'll heat up the leftovers and the coffee. They are probably hungry by now and sick and tired of living in that wagon."

"Our first settlers this season." Ingeborg followed Kaaren into the soddy. "Do you think they will find land near here? What if they bought Polinskis?"

"1 wouldn't mention that if I were you." Kaaren lifted the lids on the stove and stirred the coals before adding more wood.

"Why not?"

"If anyone is going to buy Abel out, I would like our men to have first chance at it."

"Our men?"

"You saw the light in Haakan's eyes. I say, just keep quiet about it and warn the others."

Ingeborg nodded. "I will."

"Paws, come here! Paws!" Thorliff came running to the men outside. "There's gonna be a dogfight if something isn't done. Paws, he don't like that dog with them new people."

"Paws!" Haakan could be heard trotting past the house.

Ingeborg went to the doorway and shaded her eyes. Paws and a big black dog were tiptoeing around each other, hackles raised and tails no longer wagging.

The man on the horse drove between them, shouting and waving a rope. Paws rolled head over heels and got to his feet, teeth still bared and ready to go at it again.

"Paws, come here, Paws." ingeborg whistled and slapped her knees. "Come on, boy"

Since the black dog had slunk under the wagon, Paws turned and limped back to the Soddy.

"He's hurt." Thorliff knelt beside his dog and examined him for cuts. He looked up at his mother. "That dog could have killed him. Paws was just protecting his home." Paws licked Thorliff's hand and thumped his tail.

Paws whimpered and lay on his side. Haakan knelt beside the boy and ran gentle hands over the caramel-colored fur, checking for broken bones. "I think it's just a bruise, son. He'll be okay in a few days." He rubbed the dog's ears and shoulder. Paws flinched but licked his hand. "Good dog."

Haakan stood and spoke close to Ingeborg's ear. "It wasn't the dog that hurt Paws but that horse. Man should be more careful with his animals."

Ingeborg nodded. She'd seen the same thing. She felt a tightening in her chest, the same way she'd felt when Roald set out and when Lars and Haakan had left for St. Andrew. She glanced up to see a shadow cross Metiz' face. Something wasn't right here.

The visitors stopped their wagon by the well. The man dismounted and began helping his wife down over the wagon wheel.

"Howdy," he said as Haakan and Ingeborg walked over to them.

"God dag." For some reason Ingeborg spoke in Norwegian.

"Oh, heaven above, you speak Norwegian, too." The woman switched to a broken Norwegian with ease. "Both of us come from good Norwegian stock, although we be second generation." The woman looked like a giant coming toward them. Nearly as tall as Haakan and with a girth that made two of Ingeborg, she strode across the dusty yard as if she owned it. "Now ain't that fine?" Her husband, not a small man by any means, looked to be only half her size until they joined together, both with their hands extended. "I'm Elmira Strand and this be my husband Oscar." She waved a hand and a horde of children flowed out of the wagon. How they had any room for supplies was beyond Ingeborg.

Mrs. Strand introduced them all, but the only name that stayed with a face in Ingeborg's mind was the eldest daughter. While she carried a young child when descending from the back of the wagon, she quickly handed the baby to her mother and smiled sweetly at a spot over Ingeborg's right shoulder. Mary Ruth looked more like a Jezebel, her knowing eyes roving the young man with a look that said, You're mine.

Ingeborg half turned to see flames rush up Hjelmer's neck and over his face.

Over his shoulder, she could also see Penny, who had enjoyed the attentions of Hjelmer all day. The look on her face promised rain showers ahead.

ingeborg felt like ordering the newcomers out and on their way immediately, but her mother's good training in hospitality took over. "I am Ingeborg Bjorklund, and this is a cousin of my husband's family, Haakan Bjorklund. Why don't you let the boys"-she gestured to Thorliff and Knute-"water your stock. My sister Kaaren has food laid out for you. Come and join us. We are having a party of sorts."

"Well, now, ain't that nice." Mrs. Strand settled the child in her arms against her massive bosom. The child whimpered and drew back. "You have to forgive little Ansom, here. He ain't been feeling too good. Might have a heat rash or something. We come from the other side of Minneapolis looking for a new start. Ain't that right, Oscar?"

He nodded. Obviously, she was the talker in the family.

Ingeborg introduced them to the others, except for Metiz, who had disappeared. Once the newcomers were all seated and had filled their plates, Kaaren stopped at Mrs. Strand's shoulder. "Why don't I take the baby, and then you can enjoy your meal?"

"Why, that would be right neighborly"-Mrs. Strand handed the fussy child to Kaaren-"wouldn't it, Oscar?" Without waiting for his answering nod, she continued. "Perhaps a wet cloth on his face would feel good. Broke out in those spots just this morning, but he ain't too sick. Just feeling a mite puny."

hen Ingeborg returned from taking Andrew to stay with Kaaren the next morning, she found the team of horses along with the mule all harnessed and tied to the corral. Haakan had yoked the oxen for the first part of the day and already left for the field. They alternated so one team could be resting while the others worked. Thorliff was out with the sheep. She checked on the soup simmering on the back of the stove, and after donning her britches, she clapped her straw hat on her head and tied the strings under her chin as she strode out to the barn.

Freedom. Freedom from the dimness of the soddy and freedom from washing and cooking. She glanced over at her garden spot. Perhaps they could take time out to plow that one day soon. She was torn between the fieldwork and planting the garden. It was a typical spring; everything needed doing at once.

She untied the horses, slapped the reins on their backs, and drove them toward the field where the disc waited. Meadowlarks sang and the jingle of the harness made its own melody. Bob and Bell nodded, snorting once in a while, as if to be part of the burgeoning spring symphony. She could feel the pull of the team in her shoulders and the stretching of her legs to keep the pace.

"Ingeborg, what are you-" Hjelmer stared at her, trying not to look at her pant-encased legs. "You ... that's not ..." He stammered to a close, his cheeks bright red from the sun or the shock, she knew not which.

Oh, not again, I'm so tired of this. "Hjelmer, let's get one thing straight right now." Ingeborg hooked the reins to the metal ring high on Belle's rump. "Things are different here on the prairie. I know my wearing britches isn't considered proper, but you ought to try plowing in a skirt." He started to say something, but she raised a hand to shush him. "This is my land, and if I hadn't worked the soil, planted and harvested, we would have starved and perhaps lost our homestead. Now, which is more important, a woman in britches or the land?"

She waited for his answer. He looked everywhere but into her face.

"Well?"

"The land, but-"

"No buts. If you want to help us here and perhaps find land of your own, you'll have to put up with my britches and probably a good deal else."

He stole a peek out of the corner of his eye at Haakan who was just bringing the oxen even with them.

"Ja, Haakan too. We do what we have to do, Hjelmer. You'll understand that better some day down the road. It ain't always comfortable, but God willing, we'll keep the land and build good homes here for the children."

"There a problem here?" Haakan stopped the oxen and settled the plow blade by pushing down on the handles.

"No. I think not." Ingeborg shook her head. "Is there?" She looked to Hjelmer, who also shook his head. But instead of looking at her, he studied the toe of his boot as if it were the prettiest face west of the Mississippi.

"You ready to take the plow?" Haakan asked.

"Ja." The curt reply spoke volumes. Hjelmer traded places with Haakan and clucked the oxen forward. Immediately the handles bucked, and the plowshare rose out of the soil as if it had a life of its own.

"No. Keep it solid and point the blade down." Haakan paced beside him.

Hjelmer gripped the handles and wrestled the plow back into submission.

"Now, the oxen respond to voice commands. You heard me giving them. Gee is for-"

"I know."

"Now, don't fight it. Guide it."

"1 am."

Haakan stopped, looked back at Ingeborg, and shook his head. "I'll leave you to it, then." He paused a moment as if waiting for an answer, and when none came, he returned to help Ingeborg hitch the three to the disc. "If he'd only listen."

"Ja, he'll learn. Near as I can tell, Bjorklund men have a stubborn streak sky wide and a hard time asking for help." She stood from hooking the last trace to the doubletree.

"Only the men?"

She glanced his way and grinned back when she could see he was teasing her. "It happens to the rest of us when we marry them." Her gaze snagged on his and wouldn't let go. Blue eyes looked directly into gray, both shaded by broad-brimmed hats that failed to dim the intensity.

Ingeborg's breath left her body. Taking another made her feel light-headed. Was it the air or the fact that her heart had accelerated to running speed? Her fingers tingled.