Chapter Four
After lunch the following day, Belle and Lula set out to find a deer or two. As they walked away from Maggie’s cabin, Lula brought up her idea. “What would you think if I sold some of the meat I shot?” she asked.
Belle nodded. “I wondered if you’d want to do that. With me being the only person hunting, it didn’t make sense to share what we badly needed for winter. But with you hunting as well, and with as skilled as you are, I think it’s a good idea. We’ll sell pelts and meat.”
“I know it’s strange, but I don’t feel as if I’m contributing the way I should since I’m only providing meat for our group’s meals. I’d feel better if I were selling something as well.”
“I don’t blame you. I felt like I needed to do a ton when I got here, and I’ve narrowed down what I feel the need to do. But I have a baby now as well.” Belle smiled. “I think you should do it. But only after we have enough meat for the winter.”
“Sebastian told me last night that he’d build me a cold house like yours,” Lula said.
“All the men will get together and do that. They build all the buildings we ask for. If wood is needed, Everett usually donates the lumber as well.”
“I haven’t been inside your cold house. Will we need wood for it?”
Belle sighed. “Unfortunately, no. We need rocks and mud. The men dig down to the permafrost, which is about two feet below the surface in most places in Central Alaska, and then they stack rocks all around it. We ladies fill in mud around the rocks, and then we have a cold house. Well, the men put the door on, of course.”
“Sounds like it’s a lot of work. With us already having two, will the men complain if I ask for another?”
Belle laughed. “The men never complain. They probably should, but they don’t. They’re so happy to have wives that they just go along with what we ask for.”
“Sounds good to me!”
“I’ll talk to Everett about it tonight. If we can gather some rocks tomorrow, I would bet they’d build it on Saturday.”
“Really? They’d do it that fast?”
“If there are no other building projects, yes. They want to dig before the ground gets harder. Winter is right around the corner, and they will not want to dig after the surface is frozen. You’ll have to feed everyone, though.
We’ll all come to your place. Once the men have done their part, we’ll do ours. Then you serve us supper.”
Lula sighed. “I hate cooking. But I am good at it. I’ll make venison stew and beg Myrtle to bake a few loaves of bread to go with it.”
“That would be perfect. We won’t all fit inside your cabin to eat, so the men will make a table with sawhorses, and we’ll drag your chairs outside. I even have a bench at my house the men will bring.”
“That sounds good to me.” Lula sighed. “Do you think I can talk Myrtle into dessert and bread?”
“I don’t think it will take much convincing at all.” Belle led the way into the small open field where she’d last seen deer tracks. “Let’s see where these take us.”
“Hopefully, to the deer. Can I say how excited I am that I can sell some of the meat I hunt?”
“Obviously, you can because you just did.”
Lula chuckled softly. “Let’s find some deer.”
They went home empty-handed that afternoon, but Lula didn’t mind. They’d had two good hunts already. It was time for a day not to turn out as they hoped.
When Belle headed home to cook supper for her family, Lula headed into town. Before she put her plans in motion, she wanted to make certain Katie would sell the meat.
Katie was closing up as Lula headed into the shop. “I have a question for you,” Lula said to the woman as she turned the sign in the window to close.
“What’s that?” Katie asked.
“My task with our group is to hunt. Would you be willing to sell the extra meat if I get more than we can eat?”
Katie grinned and nodded emphatically. “I’ve been hoping one of you would be willing to bring me fresh meat.
I’d buy some for Bernard and me, and some for the store.
Any surplus you have, I will gladly take.
” She rubbed her hands together. “And when the pigs that Sally is raising are old enough to slaughter...well, I’ll be happier than a pig in slop! ”
“Wonderful!” Lula responded. “I want to be able to help contribute financially, not just to our food stores. And bacon. Who doesn’t want bacon?”
“I want bacon! I think you’ve found the perfect way to contribute. If you like hunting, that is.”
“I love to hunt. I get to be outdoors, and I can set my own schedule. Hunting makes me happier than anything else.” It was true.
The only thing that had truly made her happy since Bill’s death was hunting, and she’d hunted every chance she got.
Not many people in Massachusetts thought favorably of a woman hunting, but here.
..it seemed to be considered normal. “I’d better get home and cook supper. I’m making a venison stew tonight.”
“Oh, venison sounds good! We mostly live on fish.”
“I’ll bring venison as soon as I shoot a deer,” Lula promised.
“I will happily pay for it, but I can’t promise to sell it.”
As Lula hurried home, she thought about how nice it was to be able to work at what she loved instead of staying in the house all day. She didn’t mind the cold, and she said a quick prayer that the winter would be mild enough that she could still hunt as often as possible.
She quickly cut the venison into small pieces and browned it before adding the potatoes and carrots that had magically appeared on her table while she was gone.
There was even a loaf of bread. She realized more and more that she loved the way their little business was run. It made things easy for all of them.
By the time Sebastian arrived home, supper was waiting. He walked in and sniffed deeply. “That smells delicious.”
“Oh, trust me, it is.” Lula served two bowls and put them on the table where the loaf of bread waited while Sebastian washed up for the meal.
“You’re later than usual tonight,” she commented.
“I was talking to Everett about your cold house plans, and we’re getting it done this weekend,” he said, taking his seat and reaching for her hand, saying a quick prayer over the meal. “He said that you ladies need to collect rocks tomorrow if you can.”
Lula nodded. “Belle told me the same thing. She told me it’s fine if I want to hunt and sell the meat, and Katie seemed excited by the idea.
She said she’d buy meat for her own suppers and happily sell the rest. It seems to solve a problem for her and generates new business.
I hope there’s a way I can still hunt come winter. ”
“I really don’t think there will be, but if anyone can find a way, it’s you.” He ate a bite of his stew. “You are a wonderful cook for someone who hates cooking.”
“Thanks. I apprenticed under the hotel's chef. I didn’t much like it, but I wasn’t really given a choice.”
“I’m sorry if that time was unpleasant for you, but I’m certainly happy with the results.”
She grinned. “I’m glad it worked out in our favor...or should I say flavor?”
After the dishes were done that evening, she sat at the table with him. “Everett said the best place to gather the rocks for the cold house would be along the river banks. Are you and Belle going to do that tomorrow instead of hunting?”
“That’s our plan,” she replied. “We may take Ella with us. Perhaps we can float the canoe along like we did yesterday, putting rocks into it.”
“That sounds like a good idea. Just make sure you keep it balanced, or you’ll lose your rocks to the river.”
She sighed. “I don’t want to pick up a bunch of rocks and lose them. I’ll talk to Belle about the best way to do it, and she’ll let me know.”
“You do know you’re not expected to find enough rocks for the building, right? We men will gather rocks on Saturday as well. We just want as many as you can get.”
“Oh, good! I don’t want to have to get all that done in one day. I’m not sure if I could.”
“It’s a lot of work. But the cold house will make it all worth it.” He put his hand over hers, his tone growing serious. “Do you think you’ll be happy here? With me?”
She looked up into his deep blue eyes. It was the only way she could see any Scandinavian in his blood.
His dark hair fell across his forehead, and she had the sudden thought that it made the blue of his gaze look even brighter.
Lula’s own brown eyes held his for a long moment, her long dark hair slipping loose over her shoulder as she leaned closer. “I do.”
“May I kiss you?” he asked.
He hadn’t expressed any interest in becoming more intimate until that moment, so she was a little surprised. She nodded. “Yes, of course. We’re married.”
Sebastian frowned. “I want to kiss you because we both desire it. Not because we’re married.”
Lula looked down at her hands. She did want him to kiss her, but she felt as if she was betraying Bill by allowing it.
After a moment, she looked up at him. “I do want you to kiss me.” She knew she needed to move on with her life.
She had chosen this man to spend the rest of her life with, and she needed to move forward with that.
It wasn’t as if she were a fainting virgin.
She’d been married before, and she believed Sebastian was a good man.
There was no reason to keep him waiting.
She stood and walked around the table, plopping down onto his lap. He looked a bit startled, but after a moment, he grinned. “I guess you’re not afraid of me.”
“Not at all. You’re a good man. I can see that.”
He cupped her face in his hands, looking deeply into her eyes. “You’re beautiful.”
“You’re very handsome yourself. I don’t know why you had to send for a bride when you could have easily found a wife.”
“Because I live in Alaska, where there are very few unmarried women. That’s why.” He brushed his thumb over her lips. “Now be quiet while I kiss you.”