Providence (31 page)

Satisfied with the transformation
from farm urchin to respectable member of society once more, she returned to
the kitchen to prepare a light supper for the others.

“Oh, Momma, you look beautiful!”
Jo clapped her hands in delight as Kate entered the kitchen.

“Why thank you,” Kate replied
crossing the room to Jo.

“And you smell good, too.”

“I’ll second that,” Luke spoke
from his seat in the corner.

Kate whirled around, “You
startled me. I didn’t see you. What are you doing here already?”

“You said dinner in an hour,
didn’t you?”

“Has it been an hour already?”
Kate asked in alarm.

“Hour and ten minutes to be
exact,” Luke said. “But then, who’s counting?”

“Oh, no, the Insleys will be here
any minute, and I don’t have a thing done.”

“Where’s the ice cream freezer?”
Luke asked.

“In the shed by the smokehouse,
why?”

 “You get the ice cream
mixed up, and start on the sandwiches. I’ll get the freezer and the ice, and I
can be cranking while you finish up dinner,” Luke said, hurrying out the door.

“Jo, can you get the cream from
the spring house?”

“Yes, Momma.”

The fast approaching dusk cast
shadows through the kitchen. After lighting the lamp, Kate built up the fire in
the stove, measured sugar, set out vanilla and separated the eggs beating the
yolks into the sugar. When Jo returned, they carefully scalded the thick cream,
stirring in the yolk and sugar mixture along with a generous dollop of vanilla.

“We’ll let this cool until Luke
gets back with the freezer,” Kate said. “Let’s get the rest of supper ready.”

“I can slice some bread,” Jo
offered.

“All right, but be careful, that
knife is sharp.”

“I will.”

Kate set out jars of pickles,
jams and corn relish, a stack of plates and some forks.

“Are there any apples in the
larder?” Kate asked searching through the cupboard.

“I think Nana and I used them all
for the tart.”

“Well, I’ve got to get some meat
from the smokehouse, I can gather a few apples on the way,” Kate decided. “Are
you finished slicing the bread?”

“Uh-huh,” Jo answered. “Here you
are.”

 A loud clatter on the porch
took them by surprise. Opening the door, Kate saw Luke struggling with the
freezer, a stool and a large block of ice wrapped in a piece of canvas.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to
chip the ice at the spring house? There’s a pick, and you could have put it in
the freezer there,” Kate laughed.

“Oh, sure, now you tell me! That
would have been just too easy,” Luke said depositing the unwieldy block on the
porch.

“Is that the last of the ice?”
Kate asked.

“There’s one more small block,
don’t know how much longer it’ll last.”

Every winter they froze large
blocks of ice and packed them underground in layers of insulating straw. During
the warm summer months, the ice cooled the spring house enough to store some
perishables for short periods. They used the precious ice for rare treats like
ice cream or lemonade.

“Oh, well, winter will be here before
we know it,” Kate sighed. Picking up a basket from the nearby bench, she
continued, “Jo can get the ice cream mixture for you whenever you’re ready.
There’s rock salt in the pantry. If you wouldn’t mind lighting the lantern, I’d
sure appreciate it, it’s already starting to get dark. I’m going to the
smokehouse to get some venison.”

Luke nodded as he set about
chopping the ice into small enough chunks to fit in the freezer.

 ***

Jo brought out the bowl with the
cream and a box of salt. “I love ice cream, don’t you, Luke?”

“It is indeed a treat.”

“My momma makes the very best ice
cream. She uses five eggs, but just the yolks. She says it makes it richer.” Jo
wrinkled her nose in thought. “Luke, how can ice cream be rich? It doesn’t have
any money, and eggs aren’t money. Well, I mean, momma sells eggs for money
sometimes, is that how it makes it richer?”

Luke laughed out loud. “Jo, in
this case ‘rich’ isn’t anything to do with wealth, it just describes how
something tastes. I guess you could say it has better taste than another kind,
so that makes it richer in flavor.”

“Oh, I see.” Jo watched in
fascination as Luke placed the chunks of ice in the outside freezer, poured the
ice cream mixture into the container, and fitted it down into the ice, making
sure the lid was secure. Then he added the rock salt over the ice, placed the
handle in its slot and began turning the crank.

Kate returned carrying the basket
laden with smoked venison and fresh apples picked along the way.

“Aren’t the Insleys here yet?”
Kate asked with a note of concern in her voice.

 “No, as a matter of fact.
It’s not like Nana to be late, is it?” Luke said. Not liking the worry he saw
in Kate, he quickly added, “Though they were pretty tired after all that work
today.”

“Look, here comes Jonathan,” Jo
chimed in.

“Jon, what is it, what’s wrong?”
Kate asked.

“Nana’s had a spell,” Jon said,
his face ashen. “Papa put her to bed, and he’s sitting with her. He said to go
ahead and have our party, anyway.”

The stricken look on Kate’s face tore
at Luke’s heart. “Well, if they can’t come to the party, maybe we can take the
party to them,” he said cheerfully.

“Oh, that’s a great idea,” Jon
said. “Surely that’d perk her right up.”

“I don’t know,” Kate’s voice
trailed off.

“Please, Momma?” Jo pleaded.

“You could take your medicine
bag,” Luke added in a low voice.

“You’re right,” Kate said, relief
flooding her face. “I’ll pack the food.”

“I’ll carry the freezer.”

 Kate packed the sandwich
makings, fruit and her medicine bag in a large basket, covering it all with a
large cloth. Headed for the door, she stopped and returned to the pantry,
searching the shelf. The jar of strawberry preserves was tucked in a corner.
Grabbing it, she placed it gently in the basket and rearranged the cloth.
Within minutes the small party set off toward the Insleys cabin.

Jon walked ahead carrying the
lantern high to light the well-worn path. Jo skipped along beside him
chattering about the hay, ice cream and bemoaning the laundry day ahead of
them. Luke struggled with the freezer now laden with ice and the cream mixture.
Kate carried the basket of food and her medicine pouch.

“Has Nana had these ‘spells’
before?” Luke asked.

“Twice. The doctor says that her
heart is weakening. He gave her some medicine for it last time. Luke, it scares
me so. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost Nana or Jake.” In her pale
countenance, Luke could see the struggle she faced to keep her fears in check.

As the children entered the
cabin, he set the freezer down and turned to Kate. “Will you pray with me right
now for her?”

Kate stopped, the amazement
written plainly over her features dissolving in a soft radiant smile. “I’d like
that,” she whispered, reaching out to take his hand.

Her hand was small within his. He
could feel her warmth, smell the faint soothing scent of lavender emanating
from her. Closing his eyes he began, “Lord -- dear Lord, I
-
we ask that you protect and heal our Nana. Um, well
-
and be with us tonight, Ah
-
in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

“Amen,” Kate echoed.

 “Sorry, I’m not real good
at that yet.”

“You will be,” she said her amber
eyes glowing softly in the shadows. “Thank you.”

The love he thought had been lost
forever flooded over him in a palatable wave. The emotions that filled him were
pure and strong with their roots in a source beyond himself. “Thank
you,”
he
whispered, placing a gentle kiss above her brow.
And thank you , Lord,
he
added silently.

Picking up their burdens, they
hurried into the Insleys small soddy. Nana lay propped on pillows, covered in a
faded quilt, a cool damp rag folded across her forehead. Jake sat beside the
bed holding her hand, his face a mask of worry. Jo took Kate’s basket to the
table while Kate hurried to Nana’s side.

“How is she, Jake?”

“I’m right here, you could ask me
you know,” Nana barked irritably.

Jake shrugged and rolled his
eyes, as Kate tried to hide a smile.

“Then, how are you, Nana?” Kate
asked.

“I’ve been better.”

“Did Jake give you the medicine
the doctor left from last time?”

“He did, nasty stuff,” Nana said,
struggling to sit up.

 “Now, Nana, you just lay
still there,” Jake ordered.

The old woman settled back,
taking the cloth from her head. “Here, this isn’t doing anybody any good,” she
said handing it to Kate. “I want a cup of tea.”

“That I can do,” Kate answered.

Luke was busy cranking the
freezer, as Jo made sandwiches for everyone. Kate set the kettle to boil on the
stove, and retrieved her herbs from the medicine bag. Selecting chamomile and
adding a pinch of valerian, she placed the concoction in a tea ball as she
waited for the water to heat.

“Would you like honey in your
tea, Mrs. Insley?”

“That’d do right nice, and maybe
just a slice of bread with butter, Jo.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jo answered.

As fast the supper materialized
on the table, it was devoured. Luke and Jonathan ate heartily, Kate snatched a
bite here and there as she made sure Nana drank the tea and ate something
light. Assuring himself that his wife was in good hands, even Jake ate two of
the hearty venison sandwiches.

“Who’s ready for ice cream?”
asked Luke.

“Oh, I am.” Jo clapped her hands
in delight.

“I’d sure take a scoop,” agreed
Jon.

“I think you can make it
unanimous, except for Nana,” Kate said, smiling tenderly at the woman now fast
asleep. The herbs had done their work, and Nana now slept peacefully.

 “Is she going to be all
right?” Jake asked.

“We need to make her rest for a
few days, then just ease her in to some light work, but I think she’ll make
it,” Kate replied.

“Nana’s tough as old shoe
leather,” said Jonathan. “How do you think we’re going to keep her from doing
too much?”

“I guess we could always hog tie
her if we have to,” Kate said with a grin, taking her bowl of ice cream
dripping with strawberry preserves. “Mmmm, doesn’t that look wonderful.”

“What about laundry tomorrow,
momma?” Jo asked. “If Nana’s sick, I guess we’ll just have to wait.”

“Oh, I think you and I can manage
just fine. That laundry needs to be done, and I don’t want Nana fretting about
it when she gets well.”

Luke had to turn away to hide his
amusement at the look on Jo’s face. “Kate, I was wondering if you wanted to
ride the herds early tomorrow?” he asked between bites of the delectable treat.
“We haven’t been out for quite a while now, but if you’re going to be busy
B
“

“Oh, I want to ride the herds,”
Kate interrupted. “We’ll do it early. I’ll have plenty of time to get back and
do the wash with Jo.”

“Will you be riding the medicine
hat?”

“Yes, she’s turning into a pretty
good mount.”

“I’ll have them saddled at first
light then,” Luke said with a nod.

 “As nice as the evening has
been, I guess we really need to get back,” Kate sighed. “Nana should sleep
through the night, but if she needs me, please send Jonathan, won’t you, Jake?”

“That I will,” he answered,
gazing at his sleeping wife.

“Jo, can you carry the lantern?
I’ll get the basket if you can manage the freezer, Luke.”

“I’ve got it. Jake, I’ll see you
tomorrow. Are you going to start harvesting the oats?”

“That was the plan. Jon and I
usually do it, but I could sure use the extra help if you’re offering.”

“I am. I’ll meet you there after
we get back from the herds.”

“That’d be right fine,” Jake
said, clapping a hand on Luke’s back.

***

Kate kissed her sleeping daughter
fondly as the faint dawn light played against the window. She had left
breakfast laid out on the kitchen table in case Jo woke before their return. In
the kitchen, Kate shivered from the cold morning air. The wind had turned to
come from the north sometime in the night, bringing with it a taste of the
winter to come. She knew the air would warm again before noon, but dug out a
heavy woolen vest for this morning’s ride. Buttoning the vest, she headed out
the door, reveling in the brisk fall like day.

 Luke had the horses saddled
and ready by the time she reached the barn. Taking the reins she mounted the
white mare, who snorted and danced, feeling the weather in her blood.