Chapter Five
Belle’s first impressionof Mrs.Johnson was not favorable.The older woman looked slovenly to Belle, but as soon as Mrs.Johnson smiled, Belle knew they would be friends.“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs.Johnson.”
“Oh, call me Katie.It’s going to be so nice to have another woman around.”
“Only if you’ll call me Belle.I wouldn’t know to respond to Mrs.Thompson, as no one has called me that yet!”
Katie laughed.“You’ll get used to it soon enough.”She gestured to the eggs Belle had brought.“Let me see what I owe you for them.”
“You don’t wait to pay us until they’re sold?”
“I would if they didn’t disappear within hours.Everett’s chickens are the only ones in the area, and we rely on them.”
“That reminds me...Everett told me that when you bake extra bread, you sell it quickly.Would you mind if I made some bread or cake or pies?Whatever is needed.I do enjoy baking, and after the first few days of catching up with housework, I think I’ll want something to fill my time.”
“You are welcome to come here any time and visit,” Katie said.“But I would consider myself very fortunate to have more baked goods to sell.Breads seem to do the best, but I will have no problem selling anything you make.”
“Oh, good!”Belle looked around the store.Everett had introduced her and gone on to work, leaving Belle there to get to know Katie.“I need some fabric for curtains as well.”
“Of course you do!I keep several bolts of fabric here behind the counter.”Katie set the basket of eggs aside as she pulled out a few choices.“I like this one,” she said, pointing to a pretty blue gingham.
“I do as well!”Belle said.“And Everett’s favorite color is blue, so I think he’d like it as well.I’ll take six yards of that.I should be able to make curtains and a tablecloth.It will make the cabin so much more homey!”
“Wonderful.I’ll take it from the credit on your account.Do you need anything else while you’re here?”
There were tins of food everywhere, but there was little else to purchase.“Everett mentioned you may be willing to sell some of the produce from your garden...”
“Oh yes!I would love to.As soon as I have some ready.Right now, there’s good foraging for wild strawberries.Mainly in open areas without a lot of trees.I can show you a patch if you’d like.”
“I would love that,” Belle said.“Maybe in a few days.Are there other wild berries?”
“Not yet, but there will be next month.July and August are much better for berries here.”
“I hope you’ll show me then!”Belle took the cloth that had been cut and her empty egg basket.
“I will show you whenever you want.We can sell any extra eggs or milk if you have it.Baked goods will have all the men around begging for more.”Katie smiled, showing off two blackened teeth.“I’m so happy to have another woman in town.”
“I’m glad you’re here to show me around.Thank you for all your help!”Belle said as she headed out the door.
When she got back to the cabin, she whipped up a cake quickly, having memorized the receipt as a child cooking for her siblings.As soon as it was in the oven, she filled a tin pan with water and began scrubbing the clothes and blankets from their journey.There was a single clothesline out back, and she carefully hung everything to dry.There was a brisk breeze, so she had no doubt it would dry quickly.
She dumped out the water and refilled the pan, using it to scrub the floors and walls of the rooms.It looked as if the cabin had never had a true spring clean.It was her job to change that.
Belle made a pot of stew for supper, using up some of the salt pork she’d found.She would have preferred fresh meat, but she’d long ago learned how to do without.She kept eyeing the rifle Everett had hanging on one of the walls, thinking she could do a little hunting herself, but she really didn’t have time.No, it would be a few days before she could start killing their suppers.
When Everett walked into the cabin at the end of his day, she quickly served the prepared meal into bowls, putting a hot roll on the side of each of their bowls.She was still more tired from the journey than she would like, and she wanted to conserve dishes as much as she could.She knew she should put the rolls on their own plates, but it simply seemed like too much effort.
Everett kissed the top of her head before washing his hands in the water she’d brought in for the dishes.“Supper smells delicious.”
“I hope it is.I used some of the salt pork.In a few days, when I have the cabin in order, I’ll do some hunting, and we’ll have some fresh meat.Do you ever cull the chickens?”
“Usually not until fall.I feast on eggs in the spring and summer, and then eat lots of meat, including chicken, in the fall and winter.”
“All right.I’ll make sure to save the chickens until fall.”
“I’d appreciate that.Have you handled a rifle before?”he asked.
“My father had one just like yours.When we ran out of meat, I’d shoot rabbits or squirrels.I’ve never shot big game, but I wouldn’t be averse to it.”
