by Faye Sonja
Luanna suddenly realized everyone was staring at her. She looked around and realized she'd been so wrapped up in her own day-dreams that she'd forgotten to pay attention to what the Pastor was saying. She sheepishly turned her head to apologize, making sure she could clearly see his lips for the rest of the ceremony.
From the other side of the aisle, Nicolas watched his peculiar new bride with astonishment, mixed with awe.
"She's sure going to shake things up here in Gold Creek," he thought to himself, as he took his vows, looking across at the pretty, strange girl that fate - and God - had sent him all the way from Chicago. "And I'm not sure I am quite prepared for it!"
* * *
4
A Series of Mishaps
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“ No. They were real. Someone
wanted to marry her,”
.
From the stories she'd heard, Luanna thought that life in Gold Creek was supposed to be rough and tough, and Nicolas thought that a big city girl like Luanna might not be prepared for life there. As it turned out, though, Gold Creek was not ready for Luanna.
They immediately thought there was something odd about her. The way she stared directly at a person's face when she spoke to them. Without realizing that she was deaf, people assumed that she was very forward, especially for a woman who was new to the settlement. Luanna, of course, knew that she was expected to be more demure, to turn her face down, or look away, while she was holding a conversation with a stranger, but she couldn't understand what was said if she did that.
"Have you seen that new woman, the wife of the school teacher?" one woman, a lady called Clarabelle asked her companion Betsy one morning, as they strolled along the main street of Gold Creek. "I think she hasn't been raised with any manners at all, the funny way she stares at you while you are talking."
Betsy nodded and covered her mouth with her lace-gloved hand as she whispered back to Clarabelle. "It seems as though she hasn't had any raising at all, doesn't it? Such a strange girl."
"Clumsy, too," Clarabelle replied. "Always running around, knocking into things. Never seems to pay attention to what she's doing."
The two women stopped suddenly and lowered their voices when they saw Luanna turn ‘round the corner, carrying a basket between her hands, skipping merrily down the main street towards them. Of course, Luanna wouldn’t have been able to hear their gossip even if she'd been right behind them, but the two women didn't know that. They straightened up and smiled, nodding as she went past with friendly "Good mornings" exchanged between the three, but as soon as she was out of - what they assumed was - earshot, they began to gossip again.
"Skipping?" Clarabelle asked, trying to hide her laughter, not wanting to be thought a sight herself. "Why, this girl seems to belong to another world at times."
Betsy kept walking alongside her friend. "I wonder where Nicolas found her," she said, giggling to herself.
Clarabelle giggled too. "Well, he is a bit of an odd character himself, wouldn't you say? No one knows anything much about him, besides the fact that he teaches the school. And if you ask me, I'm not sure he should be teaching all our children. What qualifications does he have? Everyone says that his teaching methods are highly unconventional. This strange wife of his is probably a perfect match for him!"
Clarabelle was so busy rambling on that she didn't even feel Betsy's hand on her dress sleeve, tugging at her to get her attention. "Clarabelle," she whispered, pointing behind them.
"What is it?" She spun around to see Nicolas standing right behind them.
"Mr. Williamson..." she sputtered, blushing a dark shade of red. "Why, hello there." She reached a hand up to her bonnet, touching at her hair to make sure it was all in place, feeling very caught out, not sure how much he had heard.
"Ladies, good morning," he said, dipping his hat to greet them. "Having a pleasant stroll this morning, are we?"
Betsy, also blushing, stammered as she tried to answer. "Y-yes. Thank you. It's a lovely day, isn't it?" Both women stood frozen, hoping that Nicolas would take his leave quickly, both hoping that he hadn't overheard the majority of their conversation.
"It is a lovely day," Nicolas replied, smiling down at the two women. "A lovely day to be out and about, sharing in conversation..."
Clarabelle gulped.
"I don't mind if you two - or anyone else in this town, for that matter - gossip about me. I can take it. But I don't want to ever catch you speaking like that about Luanna again, do you hear me?" His voice was gentle, not totally unkind, but there was an edge to it that made both women stand up a little straighter, made them feel ashamed about the words they had said.
"Luanna will never overhear you, you realize, not in the way that I just did. She's deaf, did you know that?" He looked to and fro between the two women, seeing their faces blush even redder.
"I… I… didn't know," Clarabelle stammered.
"She won't overhear you, as I say, but she can lip read very well from a distance," Nicolas ended with, raising an eyebrow, and Betsy and Clarabelle were left dumbfounded as he placed his hat back on his head and bid them good day.
As they watched Nicolas walk away, Betsy stated, in horror, "You don't think she...she saw what we said earlier, do you?"
Clarabelle, deeply embarrassed, clasped at her basket and began to walk along swiftly in the opposite direction. "I'm not sure - but we've learned a good lesson here today Betsy! Now, let's not repeat this mistake again."
* * *
It was the most important evening of Luanna's new life as a wife and homemaker, and she had everything prepared and set out for a perfect dinner with the pastor and his wife.
"Dear God," she prayed. "Please bless us all with a perfect evening tonight." Nerves played in her stomach and she had to keep careful concentration not to miss any important ingredients. Though she'd cooked for her employers hundreds of times, she felt as nervous as if she'd never cooked a meal in her life.
The most important part of the dinner was her prized creation, her pecan pie. She'd spent over three hours making sure that every detail was right, painstakingly putting together the pastry and the sweet center.
"Now all that's left to do is to bake it!" she thought gleefully, as she opened the oven door to place the pie inside. "Hmm, I'll think I'll set it on the highest setting - that way the crust will be nice and crispy! I just need to remember to check it and get it out on time!"
While the pie was in the oven, Luanna busied herself preparing the other items on the menu. As it was a special occasion, they were having rabbit stew and roasted vegetables. Luanna's stomach growled as she smelled the sweet scent of the roasting pecans, and the smell helped to calm her nerves a little. Everything seemed to be going right.
Nicolas entered the room and Luanna tried to shoo him out. "I don't want you to see the meal until it's all laid out on the table. I want it to be a surprise."
"Well I'm sure it will be a surprise for Pastor John and his wife, and that's what's important," he said, giving his wife an embrace. "It certainly smells impressive, anyway." He lifted the lid on the pot to take a peek and Luanna good-naturedly swatted his hand away.
"Oh, you've ruined it now." She smiled and adjusted her apron. "You're right though, as long as Pastor John likes it. And his new wife, Marabelle, of course. Oh, everyone down at the church says she is a wonderful cook herself...I do hope that I measure up."
"I'm sure she won't be judging," Nicolas reassured her.
"I do want her to be impressed, though," Luanna said, then sighed. "Oh, I suppose that sounds a bit vain though, doesn't it? I should simply be worried about doing my best, not about being better than someone else."
"You were a professional cook before you came here, remember," Nicolas replied, grinning. He'd meant the comment as a compliment but he could see from the crestfallen look on Luanna's face that she hadn't tak
en it that way.
"Yes, just a common servant before I came here, I remember," Luanna replied softly.
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that, Luanna. I was just trying to reassure you that you're capable of cooking a wonderful meal. That you have nothing to be worried about."
She remained quiet for a moment, keeping her head tilted down, so that she didn't hear Nicolas apologizing again. He felt terrible that he'd made her feel bad about her past, as though she somehow wasn't good enough. He knew some of the women in town talked and gossiped about her - he'd overheard them - but he didn't think Luanna had anything to be ashamed of. Besides, he knew that Marabelle was a kind and gracious woman, and wouldn't have a bad thought about Luanna, despite any of her oddities.
He reached out a hand and gently tilted Luanna's chin so that she was looking at him and could read his lips. "Luanna, I think you missed what I said."
"I'm sorry," she replied. "I'm just feeling so anxious about this evening."
"I know," he said, having an idea. "Why don't you go outside and get some fresh air, and collect some flowers to set on the table?"
Luanna's eyes brightened. She clasped her hands together. "Oh, that's a wonderful idea. All the new wildflowers in bloom, down by the creek..."
"I don't think you have time to go all the way down to the creek," Nicolas said, frowning. "It's a half hour’s walk, at least, and our guests will be arriving before you've had time to return..."
Luanna untied her apron and flung it onto the table, already getting carried away with the idea of travelling to the creek. "Oh, but all the preparation is already done, and if I go quickly, if I run, I'll have time."
"Run?" Nicolas thought. "Oh, she will look a sight." But he was far more concerned over the fact that Luanna would not be back in time for dinner. It would be rude to keep their guests waiting.
"Luanna, just pick the flowers in the nearby field. Don't you think that's the more sensible option?"
She stopped tying her bonnet on and thought for a moment. "Yes. You're right." She let out a long breath. "It is a bit silly to go all the way down to the creek. I'll just go over to the next field, then come straight back."
Nicolas relaxed a little. "I think that sounds like a good idea. I'll see you soon."
* * *
Luanna looked back over her shoulder as she surveyed the flowers in the nearby field. "Oh, these ones aren't nearly as pretty, though..." she thought, her heart aching to run down to the creek to pick the fine, beautiful wildflowers that grew down there.
"After all, it is a special occasion. I know Nicolas thinks I shouldn't, but when he sees how beautiful the flowers are, and how impressed John and Marabelle are, he will forgive me. He'll be pleased, in fact," she said, convincing herself. "Everything is prepared and out of the oven, so I've got time if I run down there as fast as I can."
Taking one last glance at the house over her shoulder, she made the decision and began to run over the fields, down the hills and over the rocky earth, to the creek bed where the wildflowers grew.
* * *
Heading back up the hill, Luanna had to slow down in order to catch her breath. She was feeling quite hot as she clutched the flowers in one hand and tried to rearrange her hair with the other. "Oh, I must look quite a state," she thought, fretting. "Perhaps this wasn't the right choice after all. Oh, but these flowers do look so pretty. And Nicolas will love them, and..."
She stopped still in her tracks, the flowers falling to the earth and scattering as she brought her hands up to her mouth. There in front of her stood their house, normal as usual, except for the blankets of black smoke billowing out the windows.
"What on Earth..." she gasped, looking at the scene as she saw Nicolas run out the front, coughing and spluttering. He was doubled over, trying to wave the smoke away, and she stood and watched him as he first stopped and draped a scarf around his face and mouth to keep out the smoke, then ran back into the house, before returning outside with a small, blackened item that he threw to the ground and poured a bucket of water over.
Luanna gasped again. "The pie!"
Things were about to get even worse, though. Down the path she saw Pastor John and Marabelle walking towards the house, both of them gaping open-mouthed at the scene.
Luanna took a step backwards into the corn field, wishing that the ground would open up and a giant hole would swallow her up. She couldn't believe what was happening.
"Oh, how could I forget about the pie?" she thought in despair. "My prized item!" She looked on as Nicolas spoke to John and Marabelle, seeming to explain the situation to them. They spoke for a minute or two, nodding as though they understood, then the two guests turned around and walked back down the lane.
Luanna was horrified. "Oh, the entire meal must be ruined. And there is still smoke billowing out from all the windows! Oh, what have I done?"
* * *
Luanna returned to the house dragging her feet, wishing the journey would take a hundred years, she was so ashamed about what she was going to face. She quietly peeked her head into the kitchen. The smoke was thinning out, but there was ash everywhere, and all the food she had spent so long preparing sat on the table, cold and burnt and probably inedible.
Nicolas heard her and came bounding in. "Luanna! I was worried about you. Where on Earth did you get to?"
"I'm so sorry," she said, dropping her head into her hands. She was so ashamed that she couldn't bear to lift her head, so she missed what Nicolas said to her in return. "I was daydreaming, as per usual, and I just totally lost track of the time..."
"Lost track of the time?" he asked.
"I went all the way down to the creek," she admitted. "Oh, I know I shouldn't have, it was so foolish of me. I was being so silly, and vain, wanting to have the best centerpiece for the dinner. And now look what's happened - there's no dinner at all! Oh, it serves me right."
"Luanna..." he said, with some exasperation. "You went all the way down to the creek?"
Luanna was devastated. "Oh, I can't believe I've done this. I can never show my face in town again after this! Everyone will be talking about it, for the rest of the year!"
He reached out and gently lifted her head up so that she could read his lips. He wiped away the tear that had fallen down her cheek. Much to her surprise, she found that his face had broken into a grin, then laughter.
"What?" she asked, before joining in. Laughter began to grip her body and soon she was laughing hard and strong. Soon the tears that were spilling down her face were tears of laughter, not sadness. Soon she was doubled over and truly seeing the funny side of it all.
"Oh," she said, wiping away her tears. "I suppose it was a bit funny after all...but still, so embarrassing. What am I going to do?"
Nicolas shook his head, still laughing gently. "I don't know Luanna...I don't know what I'm going to do with you either. Life sure isn't dull around here now that you've arrived."
She bit her lip a little and looked down, before bringing her face back up. "Is that a good thing?" she asked, unsurely.
He raised his eyebrows. "It can be."
"Can be?"
"I'm certainly never bored."
Luanna felt a little worried for a second. She was half-scared that 'bored' was actually what Nicolas wanted. After all, he wanted a sensible bride, not a wild, reckless one.
"Of course it's good not to be bored," he replied gently, putting Luanna's mind at ease. "Who wants to be bored?"
* * *
"He's so kind not to get mad with me when I make mistakes like that," Luanna thought happily as she hung the washing up to dry. "Even though I know deep down he must be a bit dismayed. To be embarrassed like that in front of the pastor and his wife! Of all people. Still, I'm glad we could laugh about it in the end."
To show how grateful she was, Luanna vowed to be extra vigilant for the rest of the week. "I'm going to take extra care with all my duties, no more mistakes," she vowed out loud, pleased with this idea.
Luanna h
ad just one task left to do that morning. A few weeks earlier, Nicolas had returned to the farm one evening, not by foot but via wagon, as he'd had a surprise for Luanna. Five hens, so that they could farm their own eggs. Luanna had been delighted, and it had been her job ever since to collect the eggs, to feed the chickens, and to make sure they were locked up at night.
Finished with her washing, she put the basket down and walked ‘round to the pen where the hens were kept, and dutifully walked around, making sure they all had their fair share of feed. "Good chickens," she said, smiling down at them.
Off in the distance, the sight of something suddenly caught her eye. "That looks like Rosella," she thought, straining to see. "Oh, and she's brought her baby with her as well!" Luanna, excited at the sight of her friend, dropped the bucket of chicken feed and said a quick goodbye to the hens before running back down the path, not hearing their clucking and squawking behind her as she bounded away, merrily, lost in a daze.
* * *
Nighttime began to fall, and Luanna made her rounds of their small farm, stopping at the chicken pen to make sure the hens were locked up safe and sound.
She got there to find the gate unlocked, and the pen empty.
"Noooooo...." she whispered, bringing her hands up to her face. "I must have forgotten to shut the gate earlier, when Rosella appeared." She shook her head. "Oh, this can't be happening..." Spinning around, she double checked the pen. Empty. "No, no no...."
She ran from the paddock out into the lane besides the house. No sign of any of the hens anywhere. "Oh no, what is Nicolas going to say?"
