Chapter 21
By the middle of September, all the houses were framed up and roofed.
Most of the interiors were finished and painted as well, with a few still needing finishings touches.
Evie was glad her father had finally declared it was time to return to the city.
Andrew and Jacob had already left for their prospective colleges, and the little ones went home with Mother to begin school.
It seemed quiet out here at the farm, even with the one hundred and some people spread around the place.
Max had done an exemplary job heading up the school and was even now going over all that he had covered with the newly hired teacher, Mr. Evanston.
Evie had enjoyed their classroom courtship.
She found Max easy to listen to as he told tales of history and geography and read a variety of stories.
The little ones adored him like they might a fun older brother or favorite uncle.
The older girls watched him with admiration and perhaps a bit of romantic silliness.
Evie always made sure to stick close at hand after school, given that the sixteen-year-old girls liked to hang back and ask Max numerous questions about their lessons.
Remaining above reproach was important to Max, and he wanted someone present to be assured his lessons were of the proper materials and that he wasn’t showing favoritism.
Now with Mr. Evanston at the farm, there was no need for her to continue helping at the school, and Max was spending a good portion of the afternoons with Mr. Evanston as well.
Evie felt rather lonely for Max’s company.
The turning of summer to fall was something Evie had always enjoyed.
There was a chill in the evening air, and the leaves of the trees were beginning to change.
She had always enjoyed heading back to school each autumn.
She loved learning and found that the coming of fall always stirred her interest to spend more time reading.
“Will you be sorry to head home tomorrow?” her father asked, interrupting Evie’s contemplation outside the common building.
“Not at all. You know I much prefer the city to the country.” She leaned up to kiss his cheek. “I’ve hardly seen you these last few days.”
“Yes, well, several of the Minneapolis doctors who’ve agreed to help came to see our farm operations.
I’ve been meeting with them. Thankfully, Evan was able to take additional time away from the law practice.
He’s already gone to oversee the start of the dairy farm, but I believe we’ll have little to worry about.
Three gentlemen living there were born on dairy farms and have an immense amount of knowledge.
Plus, there are only about thirty people heading to work that farm.
Two families are even related to one another, so I’m sure it will seem more like one big family operation.
We’ll send out more folks to help if it proves necessary. ”
“It’s exciting to see what can be done to help resettle folks. I know there are still a great number of people in town who wanted no part of this, but I think it’s been a very successful way to help people recover.”
“There have certainly been numerous donations from the public. Mrs. Van Cleve sent a note explaining that a recent request for clothing has far exceeded her expectations. They’ll be sending three wagons out on Saturday with not only clothes but bedding and kitchen wares. She’s been extremely busy.”
“She’s a truly remarkable woman. Mother said she’s raised twelve of her own children and they adopted ten in addition.” Evie shrugged. “But then you and Mother had seven and adopted three.”
“Your mother would have continued adopting if I’d let her, but having Jared was difficult for her physically. And then there were two still births after him. It was just very hard on both of us after that.”
“Losing those babies was the saddest thing I’ve ever had to endure. Well, that and losing Grandma Turner. I miss her a great deal.”
Father smiled. “So do I. She was an amazing woman. I wish you could have known her longer.”
“You and Mother were both wonderful parents. I hope I can be half as good a mother if God chooses to bless Max and me with a family of our own.”
“So, your heart is set on him, eh?” Her father looked at her with that approving way she had always cherished. Sometimes Evie thought she lived for that expression.
“I love him, Father. I have almost from the first second I saw him. Mother told me she felt much the same about you, but you lived so far apart and she had all her charity work to keep her busy. She said that she regretted the wasted time. I told her I didn’t have any desire to waste time.
” She smiled and looped her arm with his.
“I hope when Max asks your permission to marry me that you’ll say yes. I want to have a December wedding.”
Her father laughed aloud at this, causing several of the men working nearby to look their way. Evie couldn’t help but chuckle. “Now they’ll wonder what joke I’ve managed to tell that made you laugh so hard. You’ll be inundated with men wanting to know what was said so they can enjoy it as well.”
“Men aren’t like women,” her father said, regaining control. “We aren’t as inclined to nose into the business of another.”
“But seriously, you do like Max, don’t you, Father?” She sobered and looked him in the eyes.
“Of course I do, and I will love him like a son.” He freed his arm from hers and hugged Evie close. “It will be fun to watch the two of you change the world.”
Evie sighed and held on to her father for a long moment. She had lived to please this man, always associating it with pleasing God. Now she felt the favor of both.
“Ah, Mr. Garrison, could I speak to you a moment?”
Max looked up to find Stubbs at the opening of his tent. Max put aside the things he’d been packing and came outside. “Do you have news?”
Stubbs tipped his brown felt hat. “I did what you asked me to do. I talked to a lot of folks both here and in town. I went with the egg deliveries a couple of times and spent some time checking in with those who I knew to be knowledgeable about these kinds of things.”
“Yes, yes. I understand. What did you learn?”
Stubbs straightened. “Not much. Not much at all. Nobody heard of anyone claimin’ to have set the fire. A good friend of mine said nobody would have tried that, since there’d been so much trouble with the fire chief earlier and everything related to fires. The chief was being watched close.”
Max considered that. Chief Runge had faced many accusations and charges and had been acquitted of them all. However, Max didn’t doubt that some were watching the chief’s every move, as well as the actions of those who came to meet with him. He let out a heavy breath and nodded.
“Thank you, Stubbs. I feel better for knowing.”
“No trouble at all.” Stubbs held up his hands. “Bought me some new work gloves and boots with the money you gave me. Spent a little on a few other things too. Just wanted to show you so you knew your money went to good use.”
“Just knowing the truth about the fire is good enough use for me,” Max said.
For the first time since hearing his father’s friends talk about the benefits of burning down the mills, he felt more at peace.
It was possible they still had something to do with it, but little by little Max was learning to give it over to God.
It was the only way he’d ever have any real peace about it, no matter how many men he hired.
It was good to be back in Minneapolis. Max had been surprised to find his household running like a well-oiled machine.
Mrs. Bombeck, the cook and a cousin of Mrs. Niedermeier, had been reorganizing his kitchen while he was gone.
As Max walked in through the back door, she handed him a glass of lemonade as if she’d been watching for his arrival the entire time.
“The kitchen looks so much brighter,” Max said in between sips. He hadn’t realized how thirsty he was from the long wagon ride back to the city.
“We’ve been under Mrs. Turner’s instructions,” Mrs. Bombeck said.
Max could see that a variety of things were rearranged and re-fashioned. Someone had even painted the cupboards, much to his pleasure. The others had been a dismal shade of pale green. He had even wondered if perhaps Evie would want to replace them all together.
“It looks quite nice. I appreciate all that’s been done.” He drained the glass and placed it on the table before making his way from the kitchen to the front parlor.
Mrs. Brown, the housekeeper sent by the Turners, was in her fifties and yet as spry as if she were half those years. When he walked into the room, he found her up on a ladder, dusting the chandelier. She saw him and very nearly jumped from the rungs.
“Goodness, but you gave me a start, Mr. Garrison.” She came to him and dusted her hands off on her apron. “Good to have you home, sir.”
“Mrs. Brown, it’s good to be home. I missed this place and returned to find it much improved. I’m quite amazed at what you and the others have done in such a short time.”
“Mrs. Turner is the one to thank. When she returned to the city with the children, she came over here and set everything in motion. I think you’ll be pleased with what she’s done.
She hasn’t taken it over, merely arranged for cleaning and painting here and there.
A few repairs were made as well. However, she stressed that she would leave the majority of the changes to you and .
. .” She stopped abruptly. “I’ve said too much. Forgive me.”
“Nonsense.” He leaned down and whispered, “If you were about to say Miss Evie, then you were correct. I intend to ask for her hand.”
“That’s wonderful, sir. Miss Evie is a charming young woman. We all think so much of her.”
“I’m glad, because if you’re of a mind to stay on with us, it would be a good thing for you to think well of your mistress.” He grinned, and she did as well.