by C L Lassila
Adelaide introduced them, “Darwin, this is Calix. Calix, Darwin.”
Calix patted the dog’s side.
“Good to meet you, Darwin,” he said.
Adelaide, afraid that the emotion that she was feeling would be visible, walked past Calix to enter the store. As she past him he rested his hand on the small of her back. Adelaide felt electricity shoot through her body. She wanted nothing more than to be with him, naked and in his arms.
Jonas asked her to do the shopping while he talked with the two men. So she went into the store alone, grateful for the opportunity to compose herself. When the shopping was completed she came back out, just as the men were shaking hands.
She heard Calix say, “I will see you tonight at the card game.” He then noticed her coming out of the store. “It was good to see you, Adelaide,” he said.
Adelaide’s heart sank as she watched Calix and Ten Crows walk away. Would she see him again while he was in town? She and Jonas went back into the store to collect the parcels. As they walked back toward home she fully realized that while she loved the man who was walking by her side, she was in love with Calix.
Adelaide, who had been so successful for so long in directing her thoughts away from Calix, found that she was unable to think of anything but him for the rest of the day. Jonas left right after supper to return to town for his Saturday night card game. Finally with Jonas gone, she gave in to the emotions that she had struggled to suppress for hours. Lying naked on the bed, with her eyes closed, she tried to remember the sensation of Calix’s hands on her bare skin. She thought of the thrill that she felt when his lips touched hers and the arousal that came with his touch. She fantasized that his strong arms were holding her down as his muscular body moved on top of hers. As she imagined him making love to her, she ran her fingers over her erect nipples. And then, as she thought of his penis sliding into her, she moved her fingers slowly over her stomach and down between her legs.
She had fallen asleep by the time that Jonas had returned home. When he climbed into bed, Adelaide rolled over and pulled him to her. Once again she made love to her husband while imagining that it was Calix deep inside of her.
It was Sunday morning and Adelaide played the dutiful wife and accompanied Jonas to church. Darwin, who followed her everywhere, had learned to lie outside of the door and wait for them. Adelaide daydreamed during the sermon, wondering were Calix was that morning and would they find a way to be together before he left again. It was torture for her, knowing that he was nearby and not being able to be with him. When he had been away the situation had been much easier for her. She looked over the people filling the pews. The number of people attending services had doubled since they had first arrived in Copper Harbor. She thought about Calix’s words, that in the spring they would come like ants to a picnic. All of them hoping to profit from the copper deposits discovered there. She was not looking forward to the spring.
In the front pew, seated next to Mrs. Fay, was a woman very slight in build. When the service drew to its conclusion and the congregation stood up to leave, Adelaide looked to where the woman had been seated. She was standing now, with her eyes lowered, having the demeanor of someone who wanted to go unnoticed. Mrs. Fay said something to the woman and the two then left together, moving off into the rectory.
Adelaide recognized the young woman. It was Mary. Mary, the young woman who had been so in love with Nathan, was the girl who had been raped. She wondered, had someone attacked Mary believing that she was a man in love with another man? Or had someone discovered Mary’s deception, that she was a woman living her life disguised as a man?
Jonas was in an exceedingly happy mood that morning. He sang almost all of the way home, his loud baritone voice reverberating through the trees. Adelaide, on the other hand, was saddened by the thought of what Mary had endured, first losing Nathan and then experiencing the horrible attack. She said nothing to Jonas about it. It was Mary’s story to tell, when she was able or wished to tell it.
Suddenly Jonas dashed off down the road, engaging in a foot race with their three legged dog. Darwin, chasing Jonas, stopped and looked back, wondering why the third member of his pack was lagging behind. Adelaide picked up her skirt, which she rarely wore now except when attending church, and ran to catch Darwin.
When they reached the house, Jonas changed into some work clothes and went out to chop wood. Almost all free time now was devoted to this activity, to ensure that they had enough firewood to keep them comfortable during the long, cold winter. Jonas had enclosed a section of the back porch, where wood was now being stacked. The woodshed was filled as well as a section of the barn. Jonas came in and ate lunch hurriedly, wanting to get back to work. Adelaide changed into Mr. Greenfield’s clothes and joined him outside. While Jonas chopped, she carried the split wood and stacked it on the porch, a few pieces at a time. The crows, having noticed Adelaide in the yard, began to settle in the trees near where she was working. As she walked back and forth across the lawn her thoughts were of Calix. She did not pay any attention to the loud cawing of the birds in the trees. Suddenly, as she walked back toward the porch with an armful of wood, a crow left the tree and swooped down over her. It flew down so close to her head that its feet almost touched her. Looking up, startled, she tripped and dropped the wood that she was carrying. Jonas began to laugh.
“I think that they are demanding your attention,” he said, still laughing. “It seems that they don’t appreciate being ignored.”
Adelaide went into the house and came back out with several of the biscuits that had been left over from breakfast. She broke them into pieces and tossed them out onto the lawn. The crows approached with their usual caution, taking several seconds to access the situation before hopping over and quickly eating what Adelaide had given them. They then flew off, seemingly satisfied that she had done what they wanted her to do.
Jonas was determined to get as much firewood in as possible and the two worked together until it was time for Adelaide to start making supper. Jonas didn’t rest until supper was on the table. They sat down to eat both tired from the day’s labor.
Hoping to get some information on Calix’s plans Adelaide asked Jonas about the previous night’s card game.
“You have been in an unusually good mood all day,” Adelaide said. “Did the game go well last night?”
“It was brilliant,” Jonas replied. “I seem to have exceptionally good luck when I sit down at a table with Calix.”
“So it rivaled the game down in the Sault?” Adelaide asked.
“It went even better. Calix and Ten Crows came up on a boat with several men looking to invest in a mine. He convinced them to join the game,” Jonas answered.
“There was big money at the table then?” Adelaide commented.
“The stakes got pretty high,” Jonas said. “It made things interesting.”
“Did Calix do well too?” Adelaide asked.
“We both had a very lucky night,” Jonas replied.
Adelaide got up from the table and began to clear the dishes. Jonas went to the cupboard and got a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He poured them both a drink and asked Adelaide to sit down for a minute. Sitting back down, she took the glass that Jonas handed to her.
“I want to make a toast to our future,” Jonas said. “There is money to be made here, but it won’t last forever. I want to take advantage of this window of opportunity.”
“Go on,” Adelaide said.
“I want to invest the money that I won in a mine. We found a deposit that looks promising out on the island. I want to own a piece of it. I don’t want to just be an above ground boss. I want to be an owner. This is a chance for us to have a better life. I am going to file the papers tomorrow,” Jonas continued.
“You won that much money?” Adelaide asked.
“Yes,” Jonas replied. “It was bloody brilliant.”
He started to laugh and he and Adelaide raised their glasses.
“To our
brilliant future,” he said.
They both emptied their glasses and Jonas refilled them.
“I am going to go over there and manage the start up,” he added, “until we can bring people over in the spring.”
“You’re going back to Isle Royale?” Adelaide asked, somewhat alarmed.
Jonas took her hand in his.
“I will be back before winter. You can come with me if you like, but living will be rougher out there,” he said.
“No, of course not,” Adelaide responded. “I have to look after the farm and the animals.”
She thought of the baby that she was carrying and thought perhaps to tell him, but she was still fearful that he would send her to the Sault.
“You will be back before the winter?” she inquired.
“I promise you,” he said.
“Then go. We will be alright here,” Adelaide said.
“I will have the women from the congregation check on you,” Jonas said.
Adelaide started to laugh. “Oh, by all means,” she said. “Truthfully, if you do that I will tell you not to go.”
Jonas stood up and leaned over to kiss her.
“I love you,” he said.
“And I, you,” she replied.
Later, as they lay in bed together, Jonas pulled Adelaide into his arms. His hands caressed her breasts and his lips kissed the back of her neck. She moved her body closer to his and lifting her leg slightly she felt his hardness push into her. Afterwards, she lay in his arms unable to fall asleep, fearful of his traveling on the lake, afraid that she would be left to raise the baby alone.
Jonas went into town early the next morning to file the papers on the claim. Adelaide and Darwin went with him. He planned on buying provisions for his time on Isle Royale, so that he would be prepared to leave as soon as possible. Adelaide had gone along to help to carry the purchased goods down to the dock but when they arrived at the store Jonas decided to procure a wagon to carry the items to the boat.
When he returned with the wagon he wasn’t alone. As he pulled up in front of the store, Calix and Ten Crows jumped from the wagon.
“Good morning, Adelaide,” Calix greeted her.
“Calix, Ten Crows, good morning,” she replied.
“Your husband had quite a night at cards on Saturday,” Calix continued as the three men loaded supplies into the wagon.
“So I heard,” Adelaide said.
“I hope that he has the same success at mining,” Calix added.
When the wagon was loaded Adelaide, concerned that her demeanor would give away her feelings for Calix, decided to leave the men and walk back with Darwin. She said her goodbyes and told Jonas to take his time as she wanted to stop in and see Mrs. Fay to see how the girl was doing. In fact, she hoped that she might have a chance to visit with Mary.
Before she left she said to Calix and Ten Crows, “Please come by for dinner one night soon. The farm will be lonely without Jonas around. I would appreciate the company.”
Calix looked at her a smile lighting up his face, “And we would appreciate a home cooked meal.”
“Well, I will be seeing you soon then,” Adelaide said as she walked away with Darwin at her heels.
Adelaide found Mrs. Fay out in the yard hanging the laundry. Mary was not present. After exchanging pleasantries, Adelaide mentioned that she thought that the girl might enjoy some company. Mrs. Fay shook her head, saying that their young charge was still not up to seeing visitors. She thanked Adelaide for stopping by. Adelaide got the impression that she was not welcome and left without having a chance to speak with Mary.
The reverend’s residence was on the far side of town, in the opposite direction of the route that Adelaide would normally take home. Not wanting to spend the day desiring Calix and worrying about Jonas’ trip, she decided that a long walk in the woods was the distraction that she needed. Up to that point she had not done much exploration of the woods on that side of town. She followed the road for a short distance before cutting off into the forest in the direction away from the lake.
The forest there was made up mostly of towering evergreen trees, mostly tall pines with some cedar. She and Darwin made their way through the trees quietly, walking slowly on a carpet of golden pine needles. After walking for several minutes, Adelaide found herself filled with a sense of reverence. She stood still and looked up through the trees. Her eyes followed their height up and up and up to the point where the trees met the sky. The rays of sunshine cut through the branches creating a pattern on the forest floor. There was beauty all around her.
The loud crack of breaking vegetation interrupted her contemplation. Adelaide turned and caught just a flash of the white tail of a deer as it ran away. And then the forest was silent again. She put her hand on the trunk of a large pine tree, wanting to be connected to all that surrounded her.
“This is god, Darwin. This tree is god. And the earth that we are standing on, that is god. The sky and the air are god. That woodpecker,” she continued, noticing the sound of its drumming on a tree “is god.”
As they moved on they passed a large tree, its immense trunk cracked, charred by lightening.
“Lightening is god. Water, the sun, the moon and stars, it’s all god, Darwin,” Adelaide said. “God is not what people created and put in a church.”
They were walking in forest that she had never been in before. It was forest that she was not familiar with. Up ahead the woods brightened. She and Darwin walked on, in the direction of the clearing. As they grew nearer, Adelaide saw what appeared to be tree stumps visible just beyond the tall trees. They went forward until they reached the edge of the clearing.
Adelaide stopped and looked over the landscape in front of her in disbelief. Tears ran down her cheeks as she surveyed the dozens and dozens of tree stumps that were all that remained of the magnificent, towering pines that had previously stood there. She tried to comprehend the damage done to the pristine forest that had been there. At least an acre or two had been clear cut. Adelaide knelt down and wrapped her arms around Darwin.
“Look what they did, Dar,” she said, still crying. “The sky will remain, and the ground will remain, but they will take everything in between if they can.”
Adelaide turned around and made her way out of the woods and back down to the road. She walked the remainder of the way home with a heavy heart.
Two days later, Jonas was on the lake again, traveling across the temperamental body of water to Isle Royale. His plan was to stay as long as the weather allowed, with the promise to return well before hard winter set in. While buying supplies for his journey, he also purchased additional supplies for the homestead. He brought them out to the farm by wagon the day before his departure. Jonas wanted to ensure that Adelaide would have everything that she would need while he was away. She reassured him that it was all right for him to go, that she would be fine on her own for a couple of weeks.
“I am only doing this so I can make a better future for us,” Jonas said. “If you need help with anything ask the men in the congregation. They will be happy to help you.”
“I will be fine,” Adelaide said. “You’ve taken care of everything. I have more than what I will need. Go and do this. Just come home safe.”
With that Jonas was gone. It was a clear day with light winds. At least today the lake was being agreeable.
Chapter 10
Adelaide had expected that with Jonas’ departure Calix would soon be at her door. Afraid that she would miss him, she stayed close by the house, harvesting the last of the potatoes from the garden and collecting additional kindling from the woods that bordered the farm. The hours passed and it was late afternoon and time to make supper. She made enough for herself and a guest but she ate alone with Darwin lying at her feet. Adelaide then tried to read but found that she was unable to concentrate. She was waiting for Calix to knock on the door. He knew that Jonas had left. Why had he not come to see her yet? Eventually she gave up on reading and went to bed. D
arwin happily jumped up onto the bed and settled down for the night in the spot where Jonas usually slept.
The morning began with her wanting Calix, and her desire to be with him continued all through the day. She found herself watching the road and even considered going into town to look for him but she stopped herself. He knew that Jonas had gone away. By the end of the day she grew mad with herself. This would be the last day that she would spend waiting for him.
Adelaide woke to the rooster’s crowing and Darwin’s head resting on her thigh. It was a crisp, cool morning. She had decided that she would get into the woods for a long walk today. It was the one thing that she knew that she could do to direct her thoughts away from Calix. Not wanting to completely fall out of the habit of doing housework, she took care of some chores, looked after the chickens and crows, and fed Darwin. Then she felt free to pack up her sketch pad and pencils and venture off into the woods.
Once she was in the forest all of the anxiety that she had been feeling, the anxiety that had been such a burden for the past two days, left her. As she moved away from the farm, deeper into the forest, her spirits lifted. Adelaide always felt more at peace when she was outside.
Darwin, as always, followed close by. He would wander away from her and come back, never letting her move out of his sight. Adelaide was impressed with how well he had adapted to maneuvering on three legs even when moving through dense underbrush. He was better suited to the task on his three legs than she was with her two.
There were endless things of interest to Adelaide lying all around her. She noticed the colors and shapes of the vegetation; the elegant form of the ever present ferns that grew in the underbrush, the shape of a fungus growing from the trunk of an old tree, the differing patterns found in the bark, the varying shades of green coloring the moss. It was all fascinating and wondrous to her. She walked slowly, not in any hurry to get anywhere, finding first one thing and then another that she wanted to get a closer look at. The forest was quiet except for the occasional rattle of a red squirrel complaining about their presence in the squirrel’s territory. It was a loud warning call to others within hearing distance that there were intruders in their midst. Darwin had gone off a short way following an intriguing scent. Suddenly there was a loud rush of wings flapping. A partridge, disturbed by Darwin, flew off from where it had been concealed in the underbrush.
