Shining Water 01 - The Icecutter's Daughter (11 page)

Rurik wondered if his uncle’s condition was a lot worse than he’d let on. Perhaps Rurik would speak with the doctor himself, see what the man had to say. If Carl wasn’t going to be forthcoming, maybe the doctor would level with him.

Rurik helped his uncle back to the house and then to bed. He pulled the older man’s boots from his feet. “Would you like me to help you undress?”

“No . . . I’ll just rest here for a . . . a few minutes, then tend to it myself. . . . Sorry to worry you,” Carl said, smiling in apology but sounding rather breathless. “No worse than it’s been before. Don’t fret.”

Kneeling by the bed, Rurik shook his head. “I want to help you in any way I can. Just tell me what is to be done.”

Carl patted his nephew’s hand. “You’ve already done it by being here. I’m sorry to be a burden.”

“You aren’t,” Rurik argued. “You’re family, and . . .” He fell silent for a moment, then added, “My partner.”

Smiling, his uncle closed his eyes. “It’s good to hear you say so, Rurik. I already feel much better. Tomorrow we’ll go see the lawyers, draw up the papers, and then I’ll be fit as a fiddle. You’ll see.”

Rurik nodded, even though his uncle couldn’t see him. He’d just committed himself to remain in Waseca. Oddly enough, Rurik’s next thought was of Merrill Krause. Would she be pleased to hear that he was going to stay? Of course, after she’d witnessed Svea declaring them to be engaged, Rurik knew he was probably the last person on Miss Krause’s mind.

Getting to his feet, Rurik determined he would let her know as soon as possible that Svea was mistaken in her comments. He would explain to Merrill how they had been betrothed by their parents when they were just children, that Svea had ended the engagement before he’d come to Waseca. He’d tell Miss Krause that he had been glad to comply with the girl’s edict because he didn’t love Svea and felt certain they weren’t to be together.

“But how do I explain the rest?” he wondered aloud.

“You seem to be in a troubled mood, daughter.”

Merrill continued clearing dishes from the table. “I’m just busy, I suppose.”

“How are the foals?” her father asked. “I didn’t have time to check in on them.”

“They’re all doing well. The cold doesn’t seem to be bothering them too much. I put out extra straw and hay.” She picked up a nearly empty platter of chicken and headed for the kitchen. The last thing she wanted to do right now was to explain to her father why she was distraught. How could she tell him that she had feelings for a man who was all but married?

She hurried back to the table and reached for the butter dish, but her father stopped her with his strong hand gripping hers. Merrill looked to her father for explanation.

He smiled and let go. “Sit with me awhile.”

Merrill did as he asked, hoping he wouldn’t ask her to share what was on her mind.

“You know, a young woman like you should be receiving suitors,” he said, reaching into his pocket for his pipe and
tipping back on the chair legs. “But you are always here attending to me and your brothers.”

She tried to smile. “As I am called to do.”

“God would have you marry and make a family of your own,” her father said, pulling a bag of tobacco from another pocket.

Merrill had never liked the smell of pipe smoke in the house, but it was her father’s home and his right. She would never have thought to dishonor him by suggesting otherwise.

He tamped down tobacco into the pipe and continued. “I’ve long thought a good man would step forward, but maybe some of the fellas around here worry about what your brothers will think.” He gave a chuckle. “I can’t say that I haven’t been glad for their help when you were younger, but now I think I will speak with them.”

Merrill quickly shook her head. “Father, I haven’t the time for beaus and courtship. It’s my job to take care of you and the household. Goodness, with the ice harvest on now, there’s scarcely time to get clothes mended, much less washed and ironed. Come spring things will settle down, and then we can see about beaus and such.” She was trying to make light of the matter, knowing her father obviously had some concerns.

But he didn’t seem to hear her, however. “I don’t want you helping with the ice anymore, Merrill. I know you have a good hand with the horses. They obey you better than they do anyone, but they will work for me and the boys just as well. The work is too hard for a young lady, and I’ve been wrong to have you out there.”

She couldn’t imagine what had caused her father to say such a thing. “Did Granny Lassiter give you a lecture like she gives me all the time?”

“No, but she would be within her rights if she did,” he said, lighting a match and putting it to the pipe bowl. After a couple of puffs, her father filled the air with a heady aroma. “Your mother would not be pleased with the way things have turned out. She would have wanted you to find a mate. I want that for you as well, Merrill Jean. It’s only right.”

Merrill couldn’t wait for the conversation to move in another direction, so she chose that moment to bring up painting the furniture for the Jorgensons. “Well, I’m not opposed to courting, as you know. However, there is something else I wished to discuss with you.”

Her father lowered the pipe and nodded. “Go ahead. You’ll never have a better time than now, with your brothers all out of the house at their chores.”

She smiled. “Well, you know that I painted that pie safe, and Mr. Jorgenson was quite pleased with it. He has asked me to consider painting some more. He has even suggested that he would set up a little workshop for me there in Waseca. He’d have me come only when there were a dozen or so pie safes ready to paint, so it wouldn’t be every day.”

Her father nodded. “Sounds interesting. Go on.”

“Well, Mr. Jorgenson and his nephew feel they can sell quite a few with the illustrations added to them. I would be paid, and with that money I could hire a woman to come in and help with the house and mending.”

“I’ve been thinking for a long time now that we should
hire someone to help you,” her father said. “You work much too hard.”

“I’m not complaining,” she said with a smile. “But, Father, I would very much like to try my hand at painting the furniture. I think it could be quite nice to have a little of my own money—it also makes me feel closer to Mama.”

“So that’s why you’ve been troubled this evening?”

“Well, I wasn’t really troubled about telling you. It was more that I had a great deal on my mind.” She hoped that would satisfy him.

“I think it sounds like a good idea,” her father declared, to her relief. “Do you know someone we can hire to help around here?”

“Granny suggested a couple of names a few weeks back. You know she’s always after me to get more help,” Merrill said, trying her best to sound lighthearted. “I don’t know why she frets so. I suppose it’s because she can’t keep a good eye on me. You know she feels it’s her job, in spite of the fact that she’s Corabeth’s grandmother, not mine.”

“She loves you just the same,” her father replied. “She always loved your mother, too. I’m pretty sure she promised your mother to look out for you.”

Merrill nodded and got to her feet. “I know she did. She’s told me that several times. Even so, she can’t expect me to be the same as Corabeth. I’m not like her. She’s grown up in town with few responsibilities, and I’ve grown up on a farm with many. I’ve a much stronger constitution than Corabeth.”

She began gathering the dishes once again. Merrill couldn’t help but notice her father’s frown. “However,” she hurried to
add, “since Corabeth is sweet on Zadoc, it would probably do her well to toughen up a bit. Zadoc might well surprise us all and ask to court her one day. She’ll need to be firm in order to keep that one in line.”

Her father’s chuckle signaled he’d let go of his worries. “Ja, and isn’t that the truth of it.”

Sunday after church service, Merrill hurried to find Granny and ask her again for the names of women she thought might be in need of work. Making her way toward the front of the church where Granny and Grandpa Lassiter were busy talking to the pastor and his wife, Merrill stopped in surprise when someone took hold of her arm.

Turning, she found Nils Olsson. He quickly dropped his hold. “I’m sorry for my boldness, but I called to you, and you didn’t hear.”

Merrill smiled. “I apologize—Mr. Olsson, isn’t it? I’m afraid I was a bit focused on finding my friend.”

“Not a problem. I simply wanted to greet you. I regret we had very little time to talk the other day at the Jorgensons’.”

Merrill wasn’t sure why he should regret anything, but there was no denying the man seemed quite serious. “It was a very busy day.”

“Yes. For us, as well. You see, we had just arrived by train. The travel from Kansas was quite exhausting, but my sister insisted on seeing her Rurik as soon as possible, so I had no choice but to find him for her. Svea can be most insistent at times.”

Not sure what to say, Merrill only nodded and looked away for a moment to see if Granny Lassiter was still engaged. She was. There was no reason to excuse herself just yet, so Merrill did her best to think of some small talk. “So you are from Kansas.”

“Yes. Have you been there?”

“No,” Merrill replied. “I’ve never been out of Minnesota.”

“And what do you do here?”

“My father raises Belgian draft horses and uses them for freighting, logging, and the ice harvest. I’ve been a part of that, as well.”

“Working with the horses?”

“Yes. I have to say they are a favorite of mine.”

“They are quite . . . tall.” He grinned. “As are you, if you don’t mind my saying so. I find it . . . well, refreshing.”

Merrill met his gaze. They were nearly the same height. “Refreshing? Really?”

He laughed. “Well, I suppose that does sound rather silly. I prefer meeting a person eye to eye, even a young lady—but especially a beautiful young lady.”

She wasn’t used to men flirting with her, and it left Merrill feeling like she’d tried on a dress two sizes too small.

Nils seemed to understand her discomfort and immediately apologized. “I suppose that was again rather bold of me. You no doubt have many suitors vying for your attention.”

Again, she wasn’t at all sure what to say, so Merrill hurried to change the subject. “What did you do in Kansas . . . for a living?”

He frowned. “My family runs a large dairy.”

“Oh, that’s very nice. You might find it interesting to learn that we have a new Waseca Creamery. There are a good many dairymen in the area, and everyone believes it will be beneficial to the town.”

“I’m afraid my interests have never lingered long on my father’s passions. I’m more of a book man.”

“A book man?”

“Numbers and such. I find I have a head for mathematics, so I prefer to keep books.” He shrugged. “I kept them for my father, but Rurik and I have long planned to go into business together.”

Merrill nodded. It made sense that since Rurik was to marry Nils’s sister, he had come to Waseca with her in order to get involved in the furniture business. “Have you known Mr. Jorgenson long?”

“All my life. We have always been the best of friends. Our fathers were good friends, as well. In fact, it was they who arranged Rurik and Svea’s marriage.”

“Arranged it?” Merrill asked. “That seems a very old-fashioned notion. Here we are, approaching a new century. I thought such things had passed away.”

“I suppose they have for many. Ours is an old Swedish family, and traditions are highly regarded.”

“Merrill, why don’t you introduce us,” Granny Lassiter said, coming up alongside her.

Relieved to have someone else in the conversation, Merrill provided the introductions. Granny looked Nils up and down and nodded. “It’s good to meet you. We think highly
of Rurik, and if you’re his friend, we’re sure to think quite highly of you as well.”

Nils smiled and took the opportunity to introduce Svea as she approached with Rurik. “This is my sister. Svea Olsson, meet Mrs. Lassiter.”

Svea smiled, but clung to Rurik’s arm as if she would drown should she let go. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”

“Call me Granny. Everybody does,” the older woman said. “Where’s your uncle, Rurik?”

“He wasn’t feeling well this morning. I told him he needed to stay in bed. He wasn’t exactly happy about it, but I think he knew it was for the best.”

“I’ll send him over some soup. In fact, why don’t you and your friends come for dinner, and I’ll send some food back with you for Carl.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Lassiter. I cannot speak for my friends, but I would be honored,” Rurik said with a smile.

Granny looked to Nils and Svea. “Will you join us?”

“Of course,” Nils replied. He looked toward Merrill. “Will you be there, as well?”

Merrill shook her head. “I’m afraid I have a family to see to myself.”

Nils looked around. “You are married?”

Merrill laughed. “No, but my father and brothers would be quite beside themselves if I failed to have Sunday dinner on the table—and quite soon.”

Granny shook her head. “I think they could spare you, and you are more than welcome. You always have a place at our table, you know.”

Merrill saw Svea frown and almost wished she could accept just to see what might be going on in that pretty little head. “Thank you, Granny, but I must decline.”

“Are you sure?” Rurik asked, his tone almost pleading.

Merrill caught the look in his eyes and wished with all her heart that she hadn’t. “No, I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“Well, next time then, my dear,” Granny assured her. “Rurik, you know the way to our house. Just be there at one o’clock, and we’ll be ready to sit down to dinner.” She started to leave, but Merrill reached out to touch her arm.

“Granny, I wonder if I could speak to you for a moment.”

She stopped and nodded. “What is it, Merrill Jean?”

“I wondered if you might give me the names of the women who were looking to hire out. Father has agreed to let me bring someone in on the days when I’m here in town painting furniture.”

“Wonderful!” Granny declared. “Glad to see that Bogart finally has some sense. But what’s this about painting furniture?”