Shining Water 01 - The Icecutter's Daughter (3 page)

“Oh, dat’s too bad.”

“Ja, it is, but I’m hopeful it’s nothing serious.” Rurik saw that the depot traffic had lessened. He didn’t want to be rude, but he needed to attend to business. “If you’ll excuse me now, I need to talk to the depot master.”

“Ja, you go now. I tink I go buy my supplies. I vant to get home before de snow.” The old man smiled and struggled from the boardwalk to cross the street.

Rurik would have offered to assist the man through the snow, but he knew Mr. Lindquist to be quite proud. It would no doubt have insulted him to suggest he was anything but capable of conducting business on his own. Nevertheless, Rurik watched until the octogenarian was safely across the street before hurrying on his way.

After a quick visit with the depot master, Rurik settled on leaving the day after tomorrow. He paid for his passage and placed the ticket securely in his coat pocket before heading back to his tethered horse.

Rurik gave the animal a quick pat on the neck, then took up the reins to mount. It was then that he spied Nils and Svea coming out of the dressmaker’s shop. His hand drifted to his pocket, and he fingered the ticket within. Should he try to speak to Svea again?

Rurik paused a moment, then turned and headed for home.

Rurik sat down with a cup of coffee and faced his older brother across the kitchen table. After his brother had taken over the homestead when their parents had passed away, he’d brought Rurik in as a part of his family.

At nearly forty years of age, Aron Jorgenson was fifteen years Rurik’s senior. Though a bit thicker at the waist and a tad shorter, Aron was the spitting image of their father. Not only that, but his counsel was just as wise. He had always been a good source of wisdom and staid thinking for Rurik—as were his other five siblings—and now was certainly no exception.

“Ja, I think it’s good for you to go and help Carl,” Aron was saying. “He did a lot to help Far and Mor when times were bad. It would only be right.” He stirred sugar into his own cup and nodded. “He has no one else, and it is our duty to see to his care. If he is too sickly, you might have to bring him here. Elizabeth will make a room for him.”

Rurik smiled. “Your wife would make room for all the forsaken, if she thought you wouldn’t mind.”

“Ja, my Elizabeth is a good woman.” Aron sampled the
coffee and added another spoonful of sugar. “So when will you go?”

“The day after tomorrow. I have my ticket.”

Aron nodded. “And you will write to me and let me know how it goes with you?”

“Of course,” Rurik replied. “You know I value your counsel.” He paused and thought of his earlier encounter with Svea and Nils. “In fact, I have something more I need to discuss before I go to Minnesota.”

“What’s that? Something troubling you?”

Rurik pushed back his mug. “I told Svea and Nils that I was leaving to go help Carl. They were not at all pleased. Svea believes I’m running away from her and the engagement, and Nils . . . well . . . I think he believes the same thing.”

“And are you?”

Shrugging, Rurik shook his head. “I don’t know. I told Svea I thought we both needed time to decide if marriage was what we wanted. After all, it was a plan set in motion by our fathers when we were little children.”

“That doesn’t mean you should dishonor their wishes.”

“Nor does it mean I should be obligated to it,” Rurik countered. “Mor never liked the idea of an arranged marriage. She thought a person should marry for love and that God had a particular person in mind for each of us.”

“Ja, but what if that person is Svea Olsson?”

“If she’s the one, God will show me. I’m not turning away from God or the idea of marriage; rather, I’m asking for clarity on which woman it is that I should take as a wife.”

“You should do as Far wished. Honoring him is as important
as anything else you can do,” Aron said thoughtfully. “He didn’t make the choice lightly. I remember he thought about it for a long time. Prayed about it, too.”

“God knows my heart, Aron. I hold no dishonor for our parents. What of honoring our mother’s wishes? Like I said, she didn’t like the idea of an arranged marriage. She fought for each of you to marry for love. Have you forgotten that?”

Aron smiled. “I haven’t forgotten. It just so happened that Far approved my marriage to Elizabeth. He said he had already chosen her for me. He knew she would be a good match for my temperament.”

“Ja, she’s the only one who can best you in an argument,” Rurik said, laughing. He took a long drink from the mug and got to his feet. “I will be sorry to leave Elizabeth’s good cooking. I don’t imagine Carl has anyone around who can cook nearly as well.”

Aron pushed back his blond hair and nodded. “No one cooks as well as my wife.”

“Oh, listen to you,” Elizabeth said, coming into the kitchen. “Aren’t you full of compliments.” She leaned down and kissed Aron on the top of his head. “So what are you boys doing just sitting around?”

“We were talking about my trip to help Uncle Carl,” Rurik said. “I leave the day after tomorrow.”

“I’d best get to work, then,” she replied, pulling her face into a frown. “I’ll need to bake you some cookies and cardamom rusks to take with you. It’s a long ways, ja. I’ll pack you some cheese and lutefisk, too.”

“No lutefisk. They would kick me off the train for smelling
it up.” Rurik didn’t bother to add that he’d never been that fond of the lye-soaked fish. “I’ll be happy to take the cookies and rusks. I suppose the cheese is all right, too. So long as it’s not the strong-smelling variety.”

Elizabeth smiled. “I’ll do what I can.” She looked to her husband. “Do you need more coffee?”

“No. I’m going to get back to work. Rurik and I were just finishing up.”

Rurik nodded and headed to the front door. “In fact, I am going over to the Olsson farm to pick up the milk and cream you wanted.”

“Oh, good,” Elizabeth replied. “I’d nearly forgotten. You hurry back so I can have it for the cookies.”

“Well, I kind of need to talk to Svea for a few minutes. Can it wait that long?” Rurik asked.

Elizabeth beamed him a smile. “Time with your sweetheart is always allowed.”

He frowned. “Well, she’s not exactly feeling sweet toward me right now. She’s not happy I’m heading off to Minnesota. I told her I thought the time apart would do us good.”

“Oh, Rurik. You didn’t.” Elizabeth shook her head as if he were a young boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “No woman wants to hear such a thing. You should go and tell her you were wrong. Tell her that you will think of her every day and that you will miss her. Promise to bring her home a present. Ja, she’ll like that.”

Rurik considered his sister-in-law’s words for a moment. “I’ll do what I can.”

He thought of Elizabeth’s suggestion while hitching a large
draft horse to the wagon. He thought even more about her words while driving to the Olsson place. There was no way around it, though. He wasn’t sure he could tell Svea that he would think of her every day or that he would miss her. Truth be told, Rurik wasn’t convinced he would. At least no more than he would miss Nils or Aron. He frowned. The more he considered the matter, the more certain he felt that marriage to Svea was not the right thing for either of them.

He brought the horse to a stop just outside the Olsson back door. The peddler’s wagon was parked near the front of the house, so he figured Mrs. Olsson and Svea would be busy looking over his many goods. Rurik headed to the milking barn, but neither Nils nor Mr. Olsson seemed to be around. Though he didn’t like the idea, he knew he would need to ask Mrs. Olsson their whereabouts, and she would no doubt want him to stay to supper. She would certainly question him about his plans, for no doubt Svea had already told her mother that Rurik was headed to Minnesota.

He sighed, walked slowly to the front door of the farmhouse, and knocked. He wiped his boots an extra time for good measure, then made sure he was smiling as the door opened. Svea looked at him with a rather silly expression.

“Oh, it’s you.” She giggled and stepped back. “Do come in. I was just telling Thomas . . . Mr. Samples . . . about my need for new ribbon. You know, don’t you, Rurik, that a girl has to do what she can to look pretty.” She cocked her head to one side, then motioned him in.

Rurik followed her into the front room and nodded at the man. Mr. Samples wasn’t much older than Rurik, and
the way he looked at Svea suggested he thought her more than pretty.

The man had already begun to gather up his products, but he paused to look at Rurik and extended his hand. “Thomas Samples with Samples’ Samples.” He grinned as if he’d just announced the cleverest of company names. Rurik briefly shook his hand before the salesman returned to packing up his goods. “I told Miss Olsson there wasn’t a ribbon in my possession that could match her beauty,” the man declared. “Why, she’s the prettiest girl I’ve seen in the entire state.”

Svea looked coyly at the salesman. “You are just the sweetest man to say so, Thomas.” She didn’t even pretend to be too forward in using his first name. She glanced back at Rurik and smiled. “I forgot to ask. Whatever are you doing here, Rurik?”

“I came for the milk and cream. Thought I’d talk to you, as well.”

She gave a little shrug and all but waltzed to where Samples stood. “As you can see, I’m quite busy right now. Besides, I thought you made yourself quite clear earlier. I can’t think that we have anything more to say about the matter.” She reached down to pick up a pair of gloves, studying them with great interest.

Rurik didn’t want to start another argument. “Very well. If you’ll tell me where your mother or father is, I’ll go fetch the milk.”

Svea frowned. Apparently this wasn’t the reaction she’d hoped for. She plopped the gloves back down. “Mother is in the kitchen, of course. Papa and Nils are gone, so you’ll have to wait for them.”

“I’ll speak to your mother, then.” He nodded to Mr. Samples. “Good day.”

Rurik passed on through the house into the kitchen where he found Mrs. Olsson busy frosting a cake.

“Oh, Rurik. It’s good to see you. Are you hungry?”

“No, ma’am. I came for the milk and cream. Svea said that Mr. Olsson and Nils were gone.”

“Ja, but they will be back shortly. Why don’t you sit and have a cup of coffee while you wait. You must be cold. It looks like snow.”

“I think it will snow tonight for sure,” he said. “But I’m really all right.”

“And how’s your family—Aron and Elizabeth . . . the children?”

“All well. Elizabeth is fretful that the youngest might be coming down with a cold, but otherwise everyone is doing fine.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” She went back to frosting the cake. “Can you stay for supper?”

“No. Elizabeth needs the milk and cream tonight. She’s doing some baking.”

“Ja, with six children that’s something you have to do all the time.” She grinned at Rurik. “Someday you will have children of your own, and you will see how it is. Always busy for the mother.”

Rurik was growing increasingly uncomfortable. “I hope you will pardon me. I think I need to speak to Svea once more before I go.”

“Of course. If you change your mind, the coffee is on the stove.”

“Ja, thank you.”

He made his way back through the house in time to find Svea waving from the front door. Mr. Samples was nowhere to be seen, all evidence of his traveling storefront gone from the room.

Turning around, Svea looked at Rurik for a moment, then smiled. “Thomas is just the nicest man I’ve ever met. He is so thoughtful, too. He seems to really understand me.” She put her hand over her heart.

“I was hoping you might talk to me now,” Rurik said, unfazed by her words.

“Thomas travels all over the world,” she offered. “He told me such wonderful stories of his journeys. I almost felt as if I could see the places he described. I thought it all so wonderful.”

Rurik could tell she wanted a reaction from him, but he wasn’t inclined to give it. She watched him for a moment, then swept across the room and took a seat on the edge of the sofa.

“I think perhaps you were right, Rurik. Maybe I don’t know my own heart. After all, I found it quite . . . oh, never mind.”

He nodded. “I can tell that you were enjoying yourself.”

She smiled. “Well, I suppose with you leaving, it only makes sense that I consider other possibilities.” Again she paused as if waiting for him to react.

“That is why I wanted us to have time to think through the idea of marriage,” Rurik replied. “I want only good things for you, Svea. You are like a little sister to me.”

That statement put a frown on her face, which quickly
dissolved into a scowl. “Sister? I’m your
betrothed
. I’m no sister. You are such a nitwit. There are many men who would happily court me.”

Rurik nodded. “I’ve no doubt . . . and I want you to have a chance to court, Svea. It wasn’t fair of your father to force you into an engagement to me. If in time we both feel that we should marry each other, then we can consider the arrangement once again.”

“I hate you, Rurik. I hate that you are ruining my life,” Svea said, dropping all pretense of being amiable. “I’m glad you’re leaving. I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man in the world.” She scrambled to her feet, and her voice grew louder. “I wouldn’t marry you if you begged me.”

“What in the world is going on?” Mrs. Olsson asked, hurrying into the room.

“Our betrothal has ended. We will not marry,” Svea announced, hands on her hips.

Mrs. Olsson looked to Rurik. “Is this true?”

“If that is what Svea wants.”

Svea stomped her foot. “I want that and more. I want you to leave and never come back. I hope never to see you again.” She stormed from the room, leaving her mother and Rurik in stunned silence.

Finally Rurik drew a deep breath. “I will wait for Mr. Olsson and Nils outside.”

“I was just coming to tell you that they’d returned.” Mrs. Olsson shook her head. “I suggest you get the milk and cream and leave it to me to tell Mr. Olsson about this matter. I’m sure she’s just having a bad moment. You will forgive her, ja?”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Mrs. Olsson. It’s best this way. I am sorry,” he said.

“I don’t know what happened, but I’ve never been in favor of arranged marriages. My sisters and I had to endure such things, and while it worked out in the long run, there were many years of unhappiness.” She looked toward the window as if trying to see something beyond the room. “I didn’t wish such a thing for Svea. I would like for her to marry a good man like you, but I would want it to be her choice.”