Read Online The Springtime Mail Order Bride by Kit Morgan - Free Book Online Page B

“What? You mean Araln is going to hurt him?”
    “No, talk to him.”
    Samijo’s face twisted up in confusion. She looked through the window at the barn just in time to see Calvin come stumbling out of it to land rump first on the ground. He scrambled to his feet, rubbed his jaw, and stomped off. Arlan then emerged, his face stern, and marched toward the house with something in his hand.
    “I guess no bandages this time,” Ma commented. “Must have let him off easy.”
    “Easy? You call that easy?”
    “You’ll get used to it dear. Out here things are different.  There’s no Sheriff, no deputies, no law to run to.  Arlan’s trying to teach those boys about life the best way he knows how.  After his pa died, the responsibility of raising them fell to him.  Lord knows I’ve done my best, but the three younger ones need a strong hand. Arlan’s six years older than the twins, nine years older than Daniel. They’ve lived most of their lives here and don’t know any other way of life. They’d never survive in a big city, and wouldn’t know the first thing on how to go about it.
    The kitchen door opened and Arlan stormed in, a slingshot in his hand. “Put this somewhere Calvin can’t find it.”
    His mother took it from him. “Do I wan t to know what he did with it?”
    Arlan’s eyes flicked to Samijo and back. “No.” He turned on his boot heel and headed for the door. “I’ll be back in time for supper.  I’ve got to unload the wagon, check on the cabin, and then help Benjamin fix the plow.  Looks like he got part of it done, anyway.”
    “Yes,” his mother said as she stared at the slingshot in her hand. “Supper will be waiting when you get back.”
    He stopped at the door and glanced over his shoulder at Samijo. “I’ll see you at supper.” With out looking back, he left.
    She blew a loose strand of hair out of her face as she watched him walk across the barnyard to the wagon.  It was the first time she’d noticed he’d not yet unhitched the team. Should she offer to help him unload? “How far is Arlan’s cabin from here?”
    “Not far, about a quarter of a mile.  You can get there quicker if you cut through the main orchard, then across a field. Why?”
    “Does he need any help with the wagon?”
    “For Heaven’s sake, no.  The man is fine, leave him to his work and let’s get to know each other.”
    Samijo turned away from the window and offered her new mother a smile. “I guess I’m not used to being idle. I … don’t know what to do with myself.”
    “I have something to remedy that. Tell me, do you know anything about millinery?”
    “Hat making? I’m afraid not. In fact, I don’t know how to sew very well.”
    “Then it’s high time you learned.  Come, I’ll show you the sewing room.”
      Samijo then spent her first afternoon with her new mother doing what the woman liked best. Making hats.
     
    * * *

    After a couple of hours of millinery lessons, Ma needed to lie down and Samijo offered to make supper.  She listened to the woman’s directions as to where everything in the kitchen and barnyard was located, then got to work.
    She found an apron, put it on, then gathered what she needed from the fruit cellar and smoke house, the smoke house being quite the adventure, she’d never been in one before. Uncle Burr always had the butcher deliver their meats.
    She then went to work preparing a chicken dish that had been a favorite of Uncle Burr and his guests. When he had guests that is, he usually complained he hadn’t the money to feed them, so didn’t entertain much. There would be a few ingredients missing, but she figured she could make do.  At least she was confident in her cooking and house cleaning, and was sure she’d have lots of opportunities to prove to her new husband she was adept at both.
    Once she had the chicken in the oven, she sat at the kitchen table and puzzled over what to make for dessert.
    What kind of pie have you made, Samijo?
    She