Forever My Own

by Tracie Peterson

  “Let’s go investigate and see what everyone has been doing,” Morfar told Kirstin’s grandmother. She nodded and headed for the door. “Wait just a minute,” he said, stopping her before she went inside. “I will carry you across.”

  “No you won’t,” Mormor countered. “I am too plump, and you will drop me.”

  “I won’t drop you. You are as light as a feather.”

  Everyone roared with laughter as they argued back and forth until Habram finally just threw his new wife over his shoulder and forged ahead into the house.

  Kirstin laughed so hard that tears came to her eyes. She loved finally seeing those two together. They belonged together and were long overdue all the happiness that it was possible to have.

  From inside the house, Kirstin heard her grandmother’s joy. “Oh, just look and see what they’ve done!”

  Kirstin looked at Ilian as some of the neighborhood folks followed the old couple into the house. “Do you want to go in?”

  “No. I want to go home, where I can have you to myself.” He pulled her toward the workshop. Kirstin glanced over her shoulder to see that they were all but forgotten for now.

  “I think you’re going to be pleased. I’ve worked very hard with Far and even Domar when he had time.”

  “Worked on what?”

  They reached the back of the workshop and moved to where there was a small stoop and door. Kirstin hadn’t remembered that the building had two large windows on either side of the door, but truth be told, after agreeing to marry Ilian, she’d been rather preoccupied. Ilian opened the door and then, without warning, scooped her into his arms and carried her inside.

  “Welcome home.” He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her long and passionately.

  Kirstin’s arms went around his neck as she held him fast. What an amazing and impulsive man, her husband.

  He pulled away and lowered her to the floor. “More of that in a moment. What do you think?”

  She looked around for the first time and found they were standing in a small but very nicely arranged living area. There was a large stove in the middle of the room to heat the place. To the side, Kirstin saw a little kitchen area with white cupboards.

  “It’s . . . it’s wonderful. I thought it was just going to be a large bedroom.”

  “It was. But when I decided that we would marry, I thought it better to at least give you a little house of your own. I couldn’t afford much because I put most of my savings into what we needed for the boats. But Far and I—Domar too, when he was around—we figured we could at least add a little kitchen and living room for us. I know it’s not much, but in time I will build you a grand house all your own. Meanwhile, I know your grandmother and my father intend for us to take meals with them and be one big happy family.”

  Kirstin couldn’t hide her emotions. She wrapped her arms around Ilian. “It’s so perfect. We don’t need much space, after all. It’s just us two.”

  “For now. I hope in time we will need a much bigger place,” he said, causing Kirstin to look up. “I know we haven’t really discussed it, but I would like a big family.”

  “I would too.” She felt rather shy at the thought. “I want a house full of laughter and love,” she added quickly, hoping to calm her nerves.

  Ilian took her hands. “For now and forever, I just want you.” He pulled her back into his arms and bent her slightly back as he kissed her again. “You’re forever my own, and I am yours.”

  Epilogue

  Duluth, Minnesota

  September 1871

  “That was quite the storm last night. I hope and pray everyone is safe,” Mormor said as she served up breakfast. There were thick slabs of ham and a heaping bowl of scrambled eggs, as well as pickled herring and rusks.

  “I think it shook the house right down to the foundation,” Morfar said, helping himself to the eggs.

  A hard pounding on the front door caused Kirstin to jump. She looked at the others, who seemed just as surprised. “Who could that be at this hour? The sun isn’t even up.”

  “I’ll get it,” Ilian said, getting to his feet.

  He left the room, and Kirstin could hear him speaking to someone at the front door. When he returned, he had the strangest look on his face.

  “You will need to don your coats and boots. Apparently there is quite the sight down at the canal.”

  “What is going on?” Mormor asked.

  “Well, if I understand correctly, Mr. Webster’s hotel is floating away.”

  “What?” Kirstin shook her head and got up from the table. “How can a hotel float away?”

  “I have no idea. That was Mr. Sandberg. He said a huge part of the construction broke off, and a good portion of what used to be our old neighborhood just floated away from the shoreline.”

  “I’ll bet you, by golly, that it is a floating island,” Morfar said, going to his boots. “When we first got here, there were a lot of them. Some got built on, and some would break up when the weather got bad.”

  “A floating island?” Kirstin asked, pulling on her boots. “How could people not know it wasn’t solid land?”

  “Sometimes they knew but built anyway,” Mormor said. “I remember one man put up his house and bought a few cows and lost it all because the land tore apart in a storm.”

  Morfar was dressed first and helped Mormor with her coat. Kirstin loved the way he took care of her. Since they had married, she hadn’t known any two happier people unless it was Ilian and herself.

  “Well, let’s go see this sight. I remember the man Lena is talking about. That was quite the experience, watching his house disintegrate and those poor cows swimming for all they were worth,” Ilian said, helping Kirstin with her coat. “I was just a boy, and it fascinated me. I remember wondering if the rest of the land would do the same thing. I was glad Far had taught me to swim the year before.”

  The foursome made their way outside. The horizon was just showing pink hues as light filled the eastern skies.

  “Be careful, it’s slick in places,” Ilian said, taking Kirstin’s arm. “I don’t want you getting hurt.” His expression was filled with love, and she couldn’t help but smile.

  “If I fall now, I’ll be taking you with me.”

  “That’s all right. At least you’ll be safe.”

  “Unless you happen to land on top of me.” She chuckled and sidled closer to her husband.

  They reached the canal about fifteen minutes later and stood looking down at the great amount of debris passing through the narrow opening. Other people had gathered up and down the roadway even though it wasn’t yet six thirty.

  “Will you look at that?” someone cried out. “That chunk is as big as a ship.”

  They all looked as a piece of the island maneuvered into the canal. The lake was already churning from last night’s storm. It seemed to greedily accept the new offering coming from the bay and then chew it to bits. The pieces of island continued to float and break and swirl as they moved away from the city. It appeared Mr. Webster’s dreams were soon to be at the bottom of Lake Superior.

  “It’s a good thing the hotel was just being built,” Kirstin murmured. “How tragic it would have been to have guests wake up to find themselves being swept away.”

  Mormor reached out and took her arm. “It could have been us.”

  “Ja, she’s right,” Morfar said, shaking his head. “That’s the old neighborhood. We didn’t know we had built on such dangerous ground. Everything seemed solid and firm.”

  The sun was just coming up, and Kirstin could see the shock on his face as he continued.

  “It could have been us scrambling in the dark to find our way to safety. We would have lost everything—maybe even our lives.”

  The realization hit them hard. They looked at one another as the full implication settled on each one of them. The storm had come in the night, and the disturbance caused the currents to shift, no doubt weakening the foundation of the land.

  “That
was our neighborhood,” Mormor said, shaking her head. “God has saved us from a terrible fate.”

  Kirstin shivered more from the thought of what could have happened than the cold. Ilian put his arm around her. “I think it’s much too cold to stand out here watching this terrible thing. Let’s go home.”

  He led her back up the road, and his father and Kirstin’s grandmother fell in step behind them. The shock of it all and the realization that they might have been killed had caused them to fall silent.

  Once they were back in the house and rid of their coats and boots, the foursome reclaimed their seats. For a long while no one spoke. Kirstin kept seeing the demolished structure and land float past her and disappear into the lake. How very fragile was their world.

  “I just stand amazed at how God has saved us from complete devastation,” Mormor said, picking up her coffee. “That would have been us in our houses. It would have destroyed everything. We might not have even had time to save our lives, but for sure we would have lost all that we owned.”

  “God is good.” Morfar leaned back in his chair. “We couldn’t see the good when Mr. Webster and the city forced us to sell. We wondered why God would allow such a thing. We mourned having to leave, and yet now we see the outcome of it all.”

  “At least it was still being built,” Ilian reminded them. “There should be no loss of life, and hopefully if anyone was hiding out there or using it to get away from the cold, they had time to run for safety. I can’t imagine such a thing happened in silence. Breaking apart a building and the ground beneath it would have to be a noisy affair.”

  “We are blessed.” Kirstin looked at each person at the table. “We are safe, and all of our friends are as well. God let the truth be known about the dangers of that land. He let it be known before anyone else could live or work there and be killed.”

  “It’s a lesson I won’t soon forget,” Ilian said, reaching out to hold her hand. “When something happens in my life, I must ask God to show me what’s best and what I am to do rather than look at the situation and protest the trouble it’s causing me.”

  “Ja,” his father agreed. “We have many things in life that we bemoan. We complain and grumble and fail to understand why it must be, yet we forget that God has already ordained our days.”

  “We forget that we’ve given Him charge over us—trusted Him for our future even when we do not understand it,” Mormor added.

  Kirstin smiled. “You bore this entire thing with patience and praise, Mormor. I was amazed at how calmly you took the news. You didn’t like what was happening—that Mr. Webster was forcing us to leave—but I remember you told me we would praise God anyway and look to see what He had planned.”

  “And His plan was life. Where ours was death.” Mormor put her cup down. “We must give thanks and praise, for God has saved us yet again.”

  “Ja,” Morfar said, nodding. “He has given us so much.”

  Kirstin looked at Ilian and smiled. “There is one more thing He has given us that Ilian and I wanted to tell you about this morning. The news about Mr. Webster’s hotel sidetracked us, but it’s of no matter.” She couldn’t contain her joy. “We’re going to have a baby.”

  Mormor met her gaze, and Kirstin could see the happiness in her eyes. “Oh, how wonderful. When?”

  “The doctor believes it will be in April. Just about the time Mor and Far will arrive.” They had received a letter back in August, responding to the news of Domar. Her mother and father had been in great shock over the letters they’d received, but as time passed, they were elated and more happy than they could even put into words. Mor’s letter had been more of a praise to God than comments on what had taken place. They wrote to say that they were going to arrange to come to America in the spring. They would sell everything, if need be, and leave the old country for good if it meant they could be reunited with their son—even for a short time. Brita would come with them, and perhaps in time the others siblings would as well. What a joy that would be. Kirstin could only hope they might all be reunited, but for now it was enough to know they would be able to make things right with Domar. Domar seemed just as pleased.

  “Congratulations. This is such good news. Good news and joy unspeakable,” Morfar said, reaching over to squeeze Ilian’s shoulder. “May this child be the first of many blessings on you and your household.”

  “We thought if it is a boy,” Ilian said, meeting his father’s gaze, “we would like to name him after our fathers.”

  Kirstin nodded. “Habram Albrit Farstad.”

  Her father-in-law’s eyes grew damp as he looked from Kirstin to Ilian. “Ja. It’s a good name.”

  “Ja.” Ilian met his father’s gaze. “A family name.”

  Author’s Note

  I have found the history of Duluth to be quite fascinating. The Duluth canal was a project that, as the story tells, was opposed by the folks in Superior, Wisconsin. They did indeed work for an injunction to stop the canal and got it in June of 1871—months after the initial completion of the canal. The story of the canal was exciting and truly did change the course of Duluth. For more information you can read about it at

  http://zenithcity.com/archive/parks-landmarks/the-duluth-ship-canal/

  http://www.duluthport.com/port-history

  As for the story about the floating islands, while my land was fiction, the concept was true. There were pieces of land that looked like regular islands and some that had connected to shore over years and years. Fremont, Minnesota, (not to be confused with the current-day city near Rochester) was one of the early townships on the edge of Duluth. In 1873, due to storms and changes in currents, it broke loose and floated through the canal. I thought it would be fun to show something like that in the story as I tried to imagine this township floating off to self-destruction in Lake Superior. What a shock that must have been to the people living on or near it. You can find more information in Duluth and St. Louis County, Minnesota: Their Story and People by Walter Van Brunt or at: http://zenithcity.com/archive/duluth-history/fremont-township/.

  Chapter 1

  Oswego, New York

  Late June 1872

  Elise Wright watched her sister Caroline as she greeted the wedding guests. Caroline was five years her junior, and Elise wanted to be happy for her, but she found it difficult. Caroline hadn’t sought their father’s advice, or even Elise’s, about her marriage. Of course, Elise’s sister had been so distanced from the family that when Mama died the year before, Caroline hardly even seemed upset. Elise had tried not to hate her for her callous attitude, but it had required a great deal of prayer. Now Caroline wanted Elise and their father to be happy about her marrying into New York society to a man none of them really knew.

  Still, Caroline seemed happy as she moved effortlessly in her ivory wedding gown of lace upon lace and satin ruching. The long train didn’t seem to slow her in the least, nor did the trailing tulle veil. She was radiant and full of energy. Maybe she truly had married for love rather than money and position.

  “She is beautiful, isn’t she?” their father whispered against Elise’s ear.

  “She is. And she seems so happy. Nelson must be the right man for her.” They’d only just met Nelson Worthington a few days prior to the wedding.

  Her father nodded. “I had my doubts, but your uncle James assured me he was from a good family. They’re in church every Sunday. Your mama would be happy to know that.”

  “I don’t know that it would be enough. Mama used to say that Satan himself is in church every Sunday. The purpose in being there is what really matters.”

  Her father smiled. “You’re so like her. How I miss her.” His joy seemed to fade.

  “I do too, Papa.” She let him hug her close despite her very tight corset and uncomfortable clothes. She knew her father was just as miserable in the fancy suit that Uncle James had let him borrow. As if reading her thoughts, Papa loosened his tie.

  “It’s been a little more than a year, and yet it seems
like she was here just yesterday,” her father whispered. “Other days it feels like she’s been gone forever.”

  “I know, Papa. It’s that way for me too.”

  He gazed out across the garden reception. “She would love seeing your sister get what she wanted for her wedding.”

  “It would have been nice if Caroline had given more consideration to what you and Mama wanted.” Elise struggled with the anger she felt toward her sister. Caroline had hurt their parents so much with her choices. She never seemed to think of anyone but herself.

  “We used to talk about you girls getting married. We worried about whether we’d have enough money to give you a nice wedding. I regret that your uncle is paying for this. I offered him money—what I could—but he said it was their delight to give this wedding to Caroline. What could I say?”

  “Well, you won’t have to worry about giving me this kind of wedding. I can scarcely breathe, much less enjoy myself in restrictive gowns like this one.” She looked down at the lavender creation. “I feel completely out of sorts. Especially with this bustle. Goodness, but whoever created such a thing?” She glanced over her shoulder and then gave her father a smile. “Besides, I don’t intend ever to marry. I’m married to the Mary Elise,” she said, referencing their ship.

  Her father roared with laughter, causing a great many of Oswego’s social elite to gaze their way. It would no doubt be a terrible embarrassment to Caroline, who hated that she was from a ship captain’s family and spoke very little of it. Elise had heard from her cousins that Caroline told people their father was quite wealthy and chose to captain a ship for pure pleasure. Elise had heard her sister say their father took to sailing because it was his favorite thing to do and he was very eccentric.

  The truth was, however, that Elise and her sister had both grown up on ships, and money was often scarce. When Uncle James got into the shipping business just six years ago, he had helped Papa buy the Mary Elise—a three-masted schooner named after Elise and Caroline’s mother and grandmother. Elise loved life on the lakes and had helped their mother in the galley, but Caroline had enjoyed when they stayed with Uncle James and his family. She had taken to the life of a wealthy socialite and never wanted to return to their shipboard life. More than once she had made their mother cry, and Elise hated that Caroline had been so heartless. Her sister was only a child at the time, so Mama had encouraged everyone to be patient with Caroline, but as the years passed, the tantrums only increased. Caroline would cry for hours at a time. She would take to her bed and swear that ship life was killing her. By the time she was fifteen, Mama and Papa had given up. They allowed her to live with Mama’s wealthy brother and his family.