Shining Water 01 - The Icecutter's Daughter (23 page)

Merrill lifted her head to look at Carl. He had opened his eyes, but didn’t seem to be focused on anything in particular. “Is the pain any better?” she asked.

“A little,” he said. “But not much. I don’t expect it to be. My heart has been giving out for some time now.” His voice was barely audible.

Merrill patted his hand. “I’m sorry you’re in pain. I’m sorry that all of this has happened.”

“You’ll . . . be . . . good to him . . . won’t you?”

It wasn’t really a question. She knew exactly what Carl Jorgenson was saying. “I certainly hope to be.”

“He’s not guilty.”

“I know that, Uncle Carl. Rurik wouldn’t hurt anyone—and especially her.”

Carl gave the briefest nod and closed his eyes. “Would you read a Scripture to me?”

Merrill glanced around the room. “I don’t have a Bible, but I know some passages by heart.”

“The Twenty-third Psalm?”

“Yes,” she said, tightening her hold on his hand. “I know that one well.”

His lips moved along with hers as she began to say the familiar words.

“How is he doing?” the doctor asked, coming at last to check on Carl.

Merrill straightened in her chair. “He’s been sleeping for the most part. I think the pain has eased. Is there anything more you can do for him?”

“No. Nothing. His heart is too weak. I’m sorry to say that eventually it will take his life. He knows that.” The doctor looked past Carl to Merrill. “I wonder if I could ask you something.”

“Of course.”

The doctor looked uncomfortable, then motioned her toward the hall. Merrill followed him.

Reaching the hall, Merrill asked quickly, “Is something wrong, Doctor?”

“I realize this is a delicate issue, but I have to ask why you believed Miss Olsson to be with child.”

“Because she told me she was. She told Rurik the same. She said he was the father, but Rurik insists he’s never been . . . with her . . . that way.” Merrill flushed and looked at her hands. “I believe him.”

“Actually, I do also.”

Merrill’s head snapped up. “You do?”

“I do. I gave Miss Olsson a complete exam. She’s a little banged up, but no broken bones, no internal bleeding that I can tell, and . . . no pregnancy.”

“She lost the baby?”

“There never was a baby. She isn’t pregnant, never has been. At least in my professional opinion.”

Merrill felt her heart beat faster. “Why would she say she was?”

“That’s a good question.”

The doctor moved toward the door, but Merrill stopped him. “Is she conscious?”

“Oh yes. She pretends to be otherwise from time to time, but I wave some smelling salts under her nose. I’m afraid she’s playing a game with me. When I rally her, she begins to moan and complain about all manner of pain. Even so, I see no evidence for it.” He rubbed his chin. “I suppose I am going to have to present her with the truth and try to figure out what this is all about.”

“I wish you would. It would most likely help Rurik. Doctor,
I know he would never push her down the stairs. He would never hurt anyone. I think maybe Miss Olsson has only pretended to be with child in order to force Rurik to marry her. I don’t know why that is so important to her, but apparently her reasons make it worth lying about.”

The doctor nodded. “Given Miss Olsson’s performance in my exam room, I’m beginning to think you may be right.”

After writing a short note to be delivered to her father, Merrill made sure Carl was resting comfortably and hurried to the city jail. The skies had turned cloudy and the air cold, but the weather was not on her mind as she rushed through the police station door. “I wish to see Mr. Jorgenson,” she told the officer, a man named Clarence Obermeyer. “And, also, Dr. Hickum wishes to speak to the police chief as soon as possible.”

“He’s out right now,” the man replied. “I guess if it’s important, I can go find him.”

“Please, I wish you would. I believe the doctor has news on Miss Olsson’s condition.”

The man looked at her for a moment and nodded. “It doesn’t seem fitting to have you here. Rurik Jorgenson isn’t your kin.”

“I assure you that I intend to marry Mr. Jorgenson,” she said forthrightly. “That makes us kin, does it not?”

“Well . . . I guess in that case . . . I could let you see him. I’ll take you back to where Mr. Jorgenson is.” He seemed rather hesitant, though.

To encourage the officer, Merrill began moving toward the cells. “Thank you.”

The man led Merrill to a cell where Rurik sat on a narrow bed reading a Bible. She smiled at the sight. “Don’t forget to fetch the police chief for Dr. Hickum.”

The man nodded. “I’ll be right back.” He stopped and looked at her. “You didn’t bring him any weapons, did you?”

Merrill rolled her eyes. “Clarence Obermeyer, you know me better than that.”

The man looked sheepish. “Sorry, Miss Krause. I didn’t mean nothing by it.” He turned and left.

When Merrill turned back to the cell she found Rurik standing very near the bars separating them. She smiled again. “I have good news.”

“Svea?”

She nodded. “She’s going to be fine. No broken bones, no concussion. And best of all, no pregnancy.”

Rurik frowned. “She lost . . . lost the baby?”

“No,” Merrill said, reaching out to touch his hand clutched tightly about the bars. “There never was a baby. She wasn’t with child. In fact, Dr. Hickum told me that after examining her quite thoroughly, he doesn’t believe she’s ever . . . well . . .” She felt her cheeks grow warm. “He doesn’t think that Svea has ever . . .”

“I understand,” Rurik said, breathing out a long sigh. “I’m so glad. Glad for both her . . . and for me.” But he was frowning. “Why would she risk her reputation by saying otherwise, though? She has the whole town believing her to have been intimate with a man.”

“I think it was all a part of trying to force you to marry her,” Merrill said, letting her touch linger on his hand.

“But why? Why was I so important to her future? She could have attracted any number of Lindsborg fellows. . . .” He pulled away and began to pace the small area. Then he stopped. “I forgot to ask about Uncle Carl. How is he?”

“Resting. He isn’t too well, though.” Merrill’s voice dropped. “Dr. Hickum told me he really doesn’t think your uncle will last very long.”

“I know,” Rurik said. “I’ve been afraid of that even before . . . and now this.” He looked so dejected. Merrill didn’t know what she could say to help him.

“Well, we both know how stubborn Swedes are,” she finally said with a little smile. “Your uncle isn’t going to die one minute sooner than he wants to.”

Rurik stopped pacing to face her and responded with a hint of his own smile. “So, now you’re telling me you think Svedes are stubborn, ja?”

She had to laugh at the accent he added to his words. “You know they are.” She chuckled. “But I have to say, so, too, are Germans. But that’s not the point.”

“No, I suppose it’s not. So what happens now?” he asked, sobering. He reached through the bars for her hand.

“The doctor has sent for the police chief. Doc wants to explain the situation, and perhaps Svea herself will tell the truth when faced with the evidence of her deceit.”

“I pray that she will. And honestly, for her sake as well as mine. I can’t believe the scene she created at the hotel. It was so out of character for her.” Rurik shook his head. “I’ve just
never known her to act so . . . frantic. It almost seems like she’s afraid of something . . . someone.”

“Maybe her brother has been behind all of this,” Merrill offered. “It’s a possibility at least.”

“A big possibility. I found out Nils is in some kind of trouble at home, and it may have to do with money.” Rurik began to walk around the cell again. “And my uncle just learned that some money is unaccounted for in the company books here. He didn’t know if it was just a mistake, or if Nils has taken it.”

“Do you think he would do such a thing?”

Rurik shook his head. “I don’t know. My brother confided in a letter that Nils has had some gambling issues. I sure hope it’s not true, but he has asked me for loans several times, telling me he can’t afford to take care of Svea properly on the small salary he’s paid.

“My brother Aron wrote that Nils and his father argued over something—presumably the gambling debts. Nils and Svea slipped out of Lindsborg in the dead of night without telling anyone that they were leaving. The family was worried sick, but then I wrote to Aron, letting him know they were here.”

“Do you suppose Nils is in trouble with the law?” Merrill asked.

“I don’t know. I just don’t understand any of this. Nils has been like a brother to me. I really thought I knew him, and now I feel as though we’re talking about a stranger. The man I used to know would never have gambled or hurt his family by leaving unannounced.” Rurik paused a moment, then asked, “Has he come to see Svea?”

“No. Apparently he’s not in town. No one has seen him, and Svea told the doctor she didn’t know where he’d gone, only that he intended to be away overnight.”

“Uncle Carl mentioned him making a trip to Mankato, but I can’t imagine why he would. There’s nothing there for him.”

Merrill held her hand out through the bars of the cell, and Rurik took it in his. “Rurik, no matter what happens, you need to know how I feel. I want you to know that I believe in you. I know God will see us through this.” She paused, wondering if she should continue. After a moment she went on, “I meant what I said when I told you that I love you.”

Rurik gripped her hand tightly and covered it with his other one. “Merrill, I can’t tell you what it means to hear you say that—especially in this place. I’m so sorry that you are involved in all this. A woman of your character and upbringing should never have to see the inside of a jail. I hate that you have to see me this way. But that makes your telling me of your love all the more of a treasure. You know I love you, dear one.”

She nodded, and her eyes filled with tears. She shook her head. “There’s a purpose, even in this. I won’t continue to question God about it.” She smiled as Rurik kissed her fingers. “I’ve been questioning Him far too much. I know He doesn’t mind those questions, but now comes the time to have faith and trust, something I can’t do on my own. But I know He will help me even with that.”

Rurik stepped closer to the bars. “I’ve been praying for just such faith.”

“As have I,” she whispered, pressing her face toward his. Through the bars, their lips met in a kiss.

When they finally drew apart, Rurik’s gaze bore into hers. “No matter what happens . . . no matter what they do to me, always remember that I love you, and I always will.”

Merrill discovered the police chief had left by the time she made her way back to the doctor’s office. Carl was still resting and seemed to be comfortable. This left Merrill free to seek out the doctor. “Dr. Hickum?” she called. She looked into Svea’s room.

The young woman was curled up on her side and seemed to be crying. Merrill’s first thought was to leave her alone, but she didn’t want to turn her back on Svea’s suffering.

“Are you all right? Are you in pain? Should I fetch the doctor?”

Svea looked up and shook her head briefly. “I’m all right,” she said over a hiccough.

“You don’t sound fine, Svea. Can I do—?”

“I don’t want you here,” Svea said, cutting her off. She rolled to face the wall. “Go away.”

Merrill shrugged helplessly and left. She found Dr. Hickum down the hall in the examination room. “I wanted you to know that I’ve returned. How was your talk with the police chief?”

The doctor looked at her and shook his head. “Miss Olsson insists that she’s with child and refuses to clear Rurik of pushing her down the stairs. She says she’ll forgive him and press no charges if he will marry her.”

Merrill couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “What woman would marry a man who threw her down a flight of stairs? Especially if he believed her to be in such a delicate condition? With his own child?”

“I know, I know. The chief and I have the same questions. Miss Olsson says she loves him and knows it’s just a misunderstanding. When we pointed out that she was accusing him of attempted murder in one breath, and telling us it was nothing more than a misunderstanding in the next, she clammed up and refused to say anything more.”

Merrill felt a new sense of frustration creep over her. “So Rurik has to sit in jail while Svea Olsson continues to tell her lies. It hardly seems fair, does it?”

The doctor nodded. “I agree, but there’s nothing more I can do at this time. However, I am going to allow Carl to return to his home. I wonder if you would be able to stay with him. He shouldn’t be alone, and he must remain in bed, no exceptions. He’ll need around-the-clock care.”

“I can do that,” Merrill agreed, thinking quickly. “I’ll get word to Mrs. Niedermeyer. She can go take care of my father and brothers and let them know I’m staying on in town.”

“I’ll get some men to move Carl back to his house later today. Will you be there?”

“I will. It’ll only take a few minutes to get a message to Margaret. Then I’ll go right over to Uncle Carl’s house and make certain everything is ready for him.”

“Thank you, Miss Krause. You’ve a good heart.”

Merrill said nothing more, but went quickly to work on the arrangements. She reported briefly to Granny Lassiter
and Corabeth and arranged for them to get word to Margaret Niedermeyer. With a million plans racing through her mind, Merrill then made a quick stop by the livery to let them know she wouldn’t be coming back for her team that day. She considered having the man take the animals home to the farm, then changed her mind. If her father wanted the team, he would understand the situation and would come and fetch them.

Merrill made her way back to the Jorgenson house, trying to decide what she should do first. The house probably needed to be warmed up, and she’d need to put together a little supper for her patient. She wasn’t there but ten minutes, however, when a knock sounded on the front door.

She hadn’t expected Carl to arrive so soon, but she hurried to pull down the bedcovers before opening the door. To her surprise, however, two men she’d never seen before stared back at her.

“We’re looking for Carl and Rurik Jorgenson,” the younger of the two men stated.

“And who might you be?” she asked matter-of-factly.

“I’m Aron Jorgenson, his older brother.”

“Oh, I’m so glad to see you, Mr. Jorgenson. There’s been a great deal of trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” Aron asked, casting a quick glance at his companion.

“I hardly know where to start.” She motioned the two men into the house while she continued. “The worst of it is probably the most pressing. You are familiar with Svea Olsson?” Rurik’s brother nodded, and the man beside him opened his
mouth, but closed it without saying anything. “Well, she’s had a fall down the hotel stairs—only she’s telling everyone that Rurik pushed her.”

“My Svea? Is she hurt?”

Merrill looked at the other man. Only then did she see the distinct features that clearly confirmed his relationship. “You must be Svea’s father.”

“I am. Where is she? Is she going to be all right?”

Merrill drew a long breath. “Let me get my wrap. I’ll take you both to . . . to her.”

Explaining the situation in as much detail as she felt she could, Merrill walked with them to the doctor’s office. Mr. Olsson went immediately to his daughter’s side while Aron was taken to see his uncle. Within a few minutes, he reemerged. “Take me to see Rurik. Please.”