“But what are we going to do?” Ingeborg looked from one son to the other. Thorliff had arrived a few minutes earlier after driving Rebecca home, skiing back to town, and driving out to pick up Andrew before showing up at his mother’s house.
Andrew paced the kitchen from table to door and back again. “Run him out on a rail. Tar and feathers would be too good for him.”
“The problem is he’s not broken any real law. Yes, he frightened Rebecca, but he didn’t actually hurt her.”
“Thanks be to God that you arrived when you did.” Ingeborg cupped her elbows with her hands. A shiver worked its way up her spine. After all they’d done for that man … No matter how hard they’d tried to include him in family and community events, he’d insisted on staying an outsider. And now he’d attacked one of the town’s daughters.
“She seemed to be holding her own. She put up a good fight. I wasn’t even planning on going to the store, but something led or pushed me over there.”
“Inge?” The call came from the bedroom.
“Coming.” She made her way to the bedside, wishing they had shut the door so he couldn’t hear what had happened. Haakan did not need one more thing on his mind right now, nothing but getting better. “What do you need?”
“I need you and the boys in here so that I can listen to what is going on.”
“But …” Ingeborg closed her eyes, then tipped her head back. “This needn’t concern you.”
“If something happened to Rebecca, it concerns me. I told Joseph I would make sure his family was all right. A promise is a promise.” While his words were still a bit slow, the determination in his eyes never faltered. “My right hand might not work so good, but my mouth and my mind are just fine.”
He tried to push himself up against the pillows, and with Ingeborg’s help, he succeeded. “And please bring the coffee too.”
Andrew and Thorliff brought chairs in with them and sat down.
“Now, start at the beginning.” Haakan nodded toward Thorliff.
“I was working on the paper when I felt I had to go to the general store. It was the strongest feeling. Strange.” He glanced at his mother. “But I put on my coat and headed over there, no idea why, but before I walked in the door, I heard Rebecca screaming, ‘Let go of me,’ and while I couldn’t understand what the man was saying, I charged in to find Jeffers had Rebecca up against the implements, trying to kiss her. He didn’t even hear me coming. About the time I got there, she bit him on the lip, and he reared back to hit her. But I grabbed him by the arm, yanked it behind his back, and goose-stepped him to the door. He looked mighty fine with his head in the snowbank.”
“And Rebecca?”
“Very shaken. But other than trying to scrub him off her face, the only thing really wounded was her hat.”
“Thank God.” Ingeborg closed her eyes and shook her head. “Thank you, Father, for sending Thorliff there, and thank you that Rebecca had the gumption to …” She shuddered. What was this world coming to? She turned her attention to Haakan. His left hand was clenching and unclenching on the bedcovers.
“She asked me not to tell anyone, but this has to be dealt with,” Thorliff said.
“And Jeffers?”
“Mad as a whole nest of hornets. He was yelling something about marrying her and courting and her brothers. I have no idea what he was ranting about. He stomped his way back into the store after we left. Rebecca asked that we pick up her order at Garrisons’, and after I got my skis, I drove her home. Good thing Gus wasn’t there. I sure wouldn’t want to explain to him what had happened, especially in the mood I was in. I’m thinking I should stop and talk to Knute on my way back to town.”
Ingeborg sat on the bed next to Haakan and, picking up his right hand, began the gentle massage that Dr. Elizabeth said might help to restore the feeling. All the while a battle roared in her mind. Fury at the man for wounding one so gentle. Pleading that God would give them wisdom to handle this in the best way. Grateful that Thorliff had listened to the Lord’s prompting.
“Do you think anyone heard him yelling?”
“Possibly the Garrisons, but with winter and all the doors and windows shut tight, perhaps not. I didn’t see anyone else on the street.” Thorliff crossed one ankle over the other knee. “The man doesn’t impress me as too smart. I could smell the alcohol on him, so if he starts drinking, I’ve no idea what he’ll say or to whom.”
Haakan tipped his head back against the headboard and stared at the ceiling. “I think we need to bring Pastor Solberg into this and perhaps Lars, since I won’t be able to go with you. Andrew, would you please go fetch Pastor Solberg? He’d be out of school about now, and you can catch him before he goes home.”
“Ja, I’ll go right now.” Andrew paused. “You want me to tell Lars to come in? He’s already at the barn.”
“It’s not milking time.”
“No. He’s fixing the ladder to the haymow.”
Haakan nodded. “When he can take a break.”
Ingeborg laid Haakan’s hand back on the bed. “I better start a new pot of coffee. Can I get you anything?” She studied his face. The lines from nose to mouth had deepened since his attack, but at least there was no sign of palsy in his eyes or mouth. That was indeed something to be grateful for.
“Have you walked today, Far?” Thorliff asked.
“Some. Andrew helped me earlier.”
“You want I should bring your rocking chair in here and you could sit in that for a while?”
Haakan nodded. “That would be a good idea. Better than the kitchen chairs.”
Thorliff hauled the chair in and set it nearer the door than the bed.
“You want me to walk that far?”
“You want it closer?”
“Ja, but no.” He heaved himself to the edge of the bed and, with a groan, swung both legs over the edge, hauling himself upright at the same time. He shoved his left foot into the slippers beside him and tried to make his right foot do the same. When it didn’t happen, Thorliff knelt and slid the slipper over his father’s foot.
“Takk.”
“You’ve been practicing.” Thorliff stood beside him on the right side. He grasped his father’s upper arm with one hand and his forearm with the other. “Here we go.” He counted to three, and they lifted together. “You are stronger.”
“That’s good to hear. It doesn’t feel like it to me.”
Ingeborg kept one ear tuned to what was happening in the bedroom and refilled the coffeepot with water at the same time. Surely if they needed her, they would call. Her mind kept walking around the problem, as if poking it with a long stick. In a town like Blessing, keeping secrets was nigh to impossible. Would there be some who might blame Rebecca? One name came immediately to mind: Hildegunn Valders. If only there were some way to get her on Rebecca’s side, not that they really wanted anyone to take sides. But surely even she must acknowledge Rebecca’s innocence. She herself couldn’t stand Mr. Jeffers. Still, it would be much better if no one else knew about it. Was Rebecca a good enough actress that she could hide her turmoil from Gus? What a question. What a burden! And why should she? Her brothers needed to protect her too.
Please, Lord, we need your wisdom here. Thank you that she wasn’t injured. That filthy old man. She knew he wasn’t old, but he was too old for a nineteen-year-old woman. A thought crossed her mind. Surely there was more to this story than what they saw on the surface. Something told her she really didn’t want to know it all.
What if she were to invite Rebecca to come and help her for a few days? Help her do what? Perhaps Astrid would have an idea when she came home from Elizabeth’s.
Boots thumping on the porch told her Lars had arrived.
“Come on in,” she said to the man who stepped through the door.
“Andrew said there is a problem.”
“Ja, the coffee will be ready shortly. Go on in. Haakan is sitting in his rocking chair.”
“Good.” Lars hung his coat on
the peg. “Kaaren said to tell you that she has a letter from Grace and you should come for coffee tomorrow to read it.”
Ingeborg nodded. That was strange. Usually she brought the letter over or sent it with one of the boys. There must be more on her mind than just reading the letter. The jingle of bells announced a sleigh. Pastor Solberg. Why wouldn’t he be on a horse? Ingeborg went to the door to look out just in time to see Andrew step out of the sleigh, skis on his shoulder. The two men walked up the shoveled walk together. Ingeborg checked her apron to make sure it was clean enough for company. Lars and the boys weren’t company.
“And how’s our man?” Pastor Solberg asked after a greeting.
“Better.” Ingeborg glanced at Andrew, who gave a slight shake of his head.
“He said it would be better to wait for the news until we were together. It about busted my curiosity bump, I’ll tell you.” Solberg smiled.
She took his hat and coat and motioned them toward the bedroom. “I’ll be right there with coffee and cookies.”
As soon as they’d all found a seat, Thorliff told the story again. Ingeborg brought in the tray, and the men took the cups and a ginger cookie with a nod, keeping all their attention on Thorliff.
Pastor Solberg heaved a sigh. “Was he drunk?”
Thorliff shook his head. “He smelled of liquor, but he wasn’t drunk. He was furious. He yelled something about courting and her brothers—it was all garbled.”
“So the question is, what do we do now, if anything?” Pastor Solberg caught each man’s eye around the circle.
“We can throw him out of town,” Andrew said.
“But technically he hasn’t broken the law.” Thorliff tipped his head.
“So you are saying to do nothing?”
“Now, boys, let’s not get in a lather here.” Solberg leaned forward. “Do Gus and Knute know about this?”
Thorliff shook his head. “Not unless Rebecca tells them, and she was adamant that no one know.”
Ingeborg sat on the trunk that had come from Norway with her and Roald, watching, listening, and praying.
“What might be some possibilities?” Haakan rubbed his left hand against the wool blanket that Ingeborg had put over his legs.
“Tell him he has twenty-four hours to get out of town.” Andrew hadn’t changed his point of view.
“We could offer to buy him out,” Lars said, breaking his silence.
“That store isn’t worth much now, save for the building.” Thorliff rocked back in his chair, lifting the front legs off the floor. At a look from his mother, he set it back on four feet.
Ingeborg smiled inside. How many times had Haakan repaired the chairs because the men rocked them back? That’s what rocking chairs were made for.
“Any idea how much he owes on it?” Lars continued his train of thought.
“Is he paying Penny?” Thorliff looked to his father, who nodded.
“Back to the situation with Rebecca. Jeffers should go apologize to her.” Solberg studied his hands clasped between his knees. “That would be the best start to mend this.”
Thorliff snorted and crossed his arms, his head shaking all the while. “He wouldn’t do that. You watch. He’s already told people some lie about it being Rebecca’s fault. People like him never accept responsibility for their own actions.”
“Offer him the choice: apologize or leave town.”
“Andrew, you can’t force a man to do that. This isn’t the Wild West, you know, where the gun is the law.” Pastor Solberg’s half smile made Andrew nod.
“I don’t think he should be allowed anywhere near her. And I’m sure she doesn’t want to see him at all,” Lars chimed in.
“Still, if it was my daughter, I’d—”
“I vote for calm,” Pastor Solberg said, motioning gently with flat hands. “If we get this upset, you can see how easily mobs start.”
Andrew sat back, nodding, but the glint in his eyes hinted at the anger that simmered below the surface. “So what do we do? Let a mob begin and take care of the whole thing?”
“Well, the Bible says if a man sins, the elders should go speak with him. I guess that needs to be our first step. Haakan, since you are unable to attend, I would request that Thorliff and Lars go with me. Andrew, I’m not shutting you out, but I think more than three would be too many.”
“And I might not keep my mouth shut. Is that it?” While Andrew crossed his arms over his chest, one cocked eyebrow and a slight grin showed his acceptance. He eyed one fist. “I know. I promised to never use these again, and I will stay with that.” He grinned at his brother. “You hit him.”
Ingeborg let out a breath of relief. The anger had slithered out of the room, and calm reason shut the door behind it.
“So we talk with him, and then what?”
“It all depends on how he reacts. This might be the turning point for him. God can bring healing out of guilt and build a new man.”
“When will you go?” Haakan asked.
“ What about right now? If we wait, there might be further trouble.”
“I’ll take care of the milking,” Andrew said, pushing back his chair.
“Let’s pray about this first.” Pastor Solberg bowed his head and waited for the others to follow suit. “Lord God, you know our situation. First of all we ask that you bring healing to Rebecca; calm her anger and her fears. In regard to Mr. Jeffers, lead us to follow your way of resolution, always offering grace and forgiveness, as you do to us. Let him see the error of his ways and seek thy face. Father, we thank you for wisdom and the joy you give us in serving you. And while we have your ear, bring healing to Haakan. Restore the strength in his right side and protect him from anything further. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.”
“Someone want to help me back to bed?”
Andrew and Thorliff stepped forward as one, each taking a side and supporting their father as he wobbled to his feet. Step by shuffling step they returned him to the bed and, making sure he was stable, let him lie back down.
“I feel like I just did three days of plowing in an hour.” He shook his head. “I’ve got to get out of this bed. It’s turning me into an old man.”
The others chuckled at his grumble.
“Go with God,” Haakan told the others. “At least I can keep praying. That doesn’t take good legs and hands.”
Ingeborg blinked back the moisture that pride brought to her eyes. Thank you, Lord, for such a man as he. He could be angry over this and instead he is making a joke. She’d watched his eyes and well understood what this was costing him.
She followed the others out of the room and handed Pastor Solberg his coat. “Thank you.”
“For what? We haven’t done anything yet.” He patted her shoulder. “God will bring good out of this. Remember, He promised to do so.”
She nodded and closed the door behind them as they went about this business. Probably it was a good thing they didn’t invite her to go along. She wanted to drive the man out of town, just like Andrew did. Maybe she should take their sleigh and go out and get Rebecca herself. Why hadn’t she thought of that and suggested it? Was it too late? She hurried back into the bedroom to ask Haakan, but he was sound asleep.
He’d held up through the meeting, but look what a toll it had taken on him. So that left it up to her. Should she go after them, or should she stay?
24
HEAVING A DEEP SIGH, Rebecca stuck more wood in the firebox, checked the baking beans in the oven, added more water, gave them a good stir, and closed the oven again. At least Gus had kept the fire burning so they would have supper tonight. One promise kept. But rage at the position he and Knute had put her in flared in spite of her good intentions.
Rebecca poured water into a small pan and set it to heat for tea. Right now she needed the comfort of tea, a panacea her mother had taught her. Tears burned the backs of her eyes. If only she could bury her face in her mother’s aproned lap and cry her eyes dry.
She would tel
l her mother how dumb her two sons were. But she had a feeling her mother knew that men didn’t always think the way that women did. Or, as she sometimes wondered, think at all. Whatever made Gus and Knute think that she could or would tolerate Jeffers’ attention? Didn’t they see what pond scum he was? Or did they just want her off their hands?
That thought stopped her hand in midair, lifting the tea tin off the shelf. Was that the way of it? Was she more of a burden than a help? She surveyed the kitchen she’d spent a fair amount of time cleaning both yesterday and today. Gus lived a very comfortable life because she took over the house, garden, and the chickens. Were she not there, his life would be far different. And Knute? She knew Dorothy appreciated her care of the children, and as always, four hands made the work lighter, be it canning, spring cleaning, sewing, or cooking for the threshing and haying crews.
Before the revelation in Bismarck she might have believed she didn’t pull her weight, but ever since then she knew she was not only capable but attractive. So why did they agree to let Jeffers court her? The thought still remained beyond her comprehension.
When the dog barked, she glanced out the window to see a man riding over to Knute’s. He was hunched over, his coat collar up around his ears, hat pulled low. Surely that wasn’t Jeffers. But who else looked like that?
The tree branches shielded her view of Dorothy’s back door, but while she watched, the man mounted his horse again and rode down to the barn. Should she go see? What if it was Jeffers? She shuddered. Surely Gus would let her know what was going on. Surely. She ordered herself to believe that. While her tea steeped, she got out the makings for corn bread, including the cracklings that were nearly gone. If they had another hog to butcher, she’d render the lard in the oven again and have fresh cracklings to flavor corn bread, cornmeal mush, and other dishes. Another one of those losses due to the hoof-and-mouth disaster. Oh well, they didn’t keep well over summer anyway.
Taking her pen and the writing kit Penny had given her, she blew on her hot tea and began a thank-you letter to her cousin. She tried to make light of the altercation in the store, but knowing Penny, she’d see right through it anyway, so she might as well be completely honest.
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