Page 6 of Mail Order Mittens (Brides of Alaska #2 | Brides of Beckham #68)

O n Saturday, Maggie and James spent the day outside.

James chopped wood for their fireplace for the winter while Maggie gathered the wood and carried as much back to the cabin as she could.

She made trip after trip, not minding the hard work at all because she was spending time with James as she did it.

Just before going home, James found a rabbit in one of the snares he’d set, and Maggie was thrilled to have fresh meat for supper.

While she cooked, James sat at the table whittling, something she hadn’t seen him do before. “What are you making?” she asked.

He shrugged. “The wood hasn’t told me yet, but it will. It always does.”

“Have you always whittled?” she asked, having noticed small woodland creatures all over the house, some just stuffed in a chest and not displayed. She hoped to make a shelf for the creatures as a Christmas gift.

“It was something I learned from Mr. Carver, the farmer who took me in. He was very patient in teaching me how to make just about anything.”

“He sounds like he was a good man.”

“He was.” James looked back down at the wood, obviously not wanting to talk about the Carvers any longer.

“What is your favorite meal?” she asked, hoping she could make him something he loved sometime soon. He didn’t seem fussy, but she wanted to do something special for him.

He shrugged. “Fried chicken is a particular favorite of mine. My ma made it all the time before she died.”

Maggie immediately wondered if she could talk Belle into trading a chicken for something. She had no idea what, though, so she’d have to wait and see. “Dessert?” she asked.

He thought about that one. “I really like the strawberry shortcakes that Belle made this summer. All the men fought over them.”

“That sounds delicious. I’ll make certain to get her receipt.”

“There was even a fight in the store one day. Everett was angry that all of his men were at the store waiting for Belle to deliver the sweets, and they were supposed to be at the lumberyard. He said something to her in public, and she was embarrassed. One of the men decided she’d divorce him over it, and he let her know that he wouldn’t mind marrying a woman who’d been divorced. Everett was not happy.”

“I’m sure he wasn’t. Is that why you don’t want me to sell stew at the lumberyard?”

“That’s part of it, but mostly, I want you to trust me to provide for us.”

Maggie turned from the food she was making. “I do trust you! I don’t want to be a burden, and if I can help, I feel like I should.”

He stayed silent in answer to that, continuing his whittling. He thought maybe this would be a rabbit, but he simply wasn’t sure yet.

After supper, he mentioned they would be going to the church service at the Johnsons the following day. “I’m glad there will be a way to worship with others here. I worried there would be no church.”

“Well, there isn’t exactly a church. No one preaches, but Mr. Johnson goes over some Bible verses with us every week.

We all read it in advance, and then we discuss it.

It’s not what most people think of when they talk about church, but it works for us.

” He hid a yawn. “This has been a tough week. I think I’m heading to bed early tonight. ”

“I’ll join you!” she said enthusiastically.

“I will not complain a bit about that.”

*****

B ELLE AND EVERETT HAD them over for lunch after the Sunday service. The men talked about the hunting they still needed to do before it became too cold to do much.

Belle smiled. “I plan on hunting this week.”

James looked at Maggie. “You sure you don’t want to hunt? I have a bow and arrow you’d be welcome to use.”

“I don’t think so. I don’t mind helping Belle with the animal after it’s been shot, but I don’t want to shoot them myself.” She pursed her lips. “And why use a bow and arrow and not a rifle?”

“Ammunition is very expensive here,” Everett said. “I almost always use a bow and arrow, and even Belle usually does, unless she’s going for large game. She’s a good hunter.”

“Belle’s good at everything,” Maggie said. “It’s one of the things I most admire about her.”

“I hope you’re right. I’m worried about whether or not I’ll be a good mother,” Belle said.

“I can’t believe you’re nervous about that. You raised your younger brothers and sisters.”

“I did. But...I never felt like I was good at taking care of them. They didn’t respect me as they did my father.”

That confused Maggie because she knew Belle’s father hadn’t been respectable at all. “I’m sure it was because you were their sister.”

“Perhaps,” Belle said, getting to her feet. She began clearing the table, so Maggie jumped up to help.

“Thank you for inviting us for another meal. Maybe next Sunday, the two of you will join us at our place.” Maggie wanted to repay her friend’s kindness.

“We’d love to!” Belle responded.

Maggie wasn’t certain what she’d cook. Perhaps she would need to have Belle teach her to hunt that week after all. She couldn’t serve hardtack and jerky, and she wasn’t about to feed them only baked goods.

She was lost in thought as she washed the dishes. She’d have to talk to James about meat. He would know better than she did.

To her surprise, James and Everett put on their coats. “We’re going to see if we can get a deer or two,” James said. “Everett is going to let us use part of their cold house.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Belle had already told Maggie they could use it, but she knew James would want to hear it from Everett.

After the men had left, Maggie said, “I hope you know how much I appreciate all you’ve done to help us out.”

“Oh, I plan to force you to help me once the baby comes. We’ll always help one another.” Belle finished washing the plate in her hands. “I received a letter from Sally yesterday.”

“Sally? From the hotel?”

Belle nodded. “She wants to know if there are any other men in the area who need wives.”

“I have an odd feeling there are...”

“Oh, there definitely are. I’ve had Everett post Elizabeth’s address at the mill. I’ll write to her and tell her to talk to Elizabeth. You and she got along well, didn’t you?”

“We did. I wasn’t as close to her as I am to you, but we worked well together and occasionally talked outside of work.” Maggie tilted her head to one side. “Do you have someone in mind for her?”

“Not at all. I will let her take her chances with a groom. That’s what I did.”

“But you made sure I married James...”

“I needed you to be married to Everett’s best friend. It only makes sense.”

“Are you still planning on hunting most of the week?” Maggie asked.

“That depends on whether the men come home with anything or not. We may be working on cutting up the meat all day tomorrow. Well, all afternoon. We know the morning will be spent baking. I’m going to bake snickerdoodles tomorrow. Do you know what you’ll make?”

“I was thinking I’d use the lingonberry jam we just made and make jelly rolls. They’ve always been a favorite of mine.”

“Perfect. Then the men get a choice between fruity and cinnamony...I don’t think that’s a word, but I think it should be. Don’t you?”

“Shakespeare made up his own words all the time. I think we should be able to as well.”

“I think so. Cinnamony is now a word.” Maggie looked at Belle. “Do you think we could make a shelf before Christmas? Maybe you could get the lumber from Everett and ask him not to tell James? I’m happy to pay for it.”

“I’m sure we could. Why?”

“James whittles the most beautiful little animals. I want a shelf for him to display them. I’ve found them all over the house. In drawers, under the bed, and in a trunk. They need to be displayed!”

“I want to see one!”

“I’ll bring one tomorrow. Or I can show you when you come over next week.”

“Whichever. I’d be happy to help you make the shelf though.”

“Thank you!”

The men didn’t return for a good long while, and the women mended Everett’s stockings while they waited. “I swear the man didn’t have a single item of clothing without holes when I arrived!” Belle said, shaking her head.

“James is the same. I’m going to make the shirts and slowly replace everything he owns. I’ve patched what I can.”

“It’s going to take time. And soon I’ll be sewing for the baby! I’m saving that for the dreadfully cold winter months. I know I haven’t spent a winter here yet, and I really can’t say I’ve experienced this dreadful cold, but I’ve read about it, and Katie has talked about it. “

“We both know that winter is going to be brutal. I just don’t want to dwell on it too much. I’m glad our homes are so close. Then I can come over and visit, and we can sew together, or you can knit while I sew.”

“And we can both bake a ridiculous number of loaves of bread every day. Katie keeps telling me that we’re improving the lives of all the men in town. I guess it’s true.”

Maggie smiled. “You know it’s true. You can tell by the sheer number of men who are in the store when we make our deliveries in the mornings.”

When the men came back, they had smiles on their faces. “Were you able to shoot a deer?” Belle asked.

“We shot two of them. They’re hanging in trees outside,” Everett said.

“Then we’re working on meat tomorrow and not hunting,” Belle said. “Did you each shoot one?”

“James got both,” Everett said. “But we’re splitting the meat equally. Same as we’re splitting the meat from the deer you got early in the week.”

“And we’re splitting all of our forage,” Belle said. “I’m so happy to have more venison for the winter! And the chickens that we butchered yesterday. We’re going to be well-fed.”

“I’m sending two chickens home with you,” Everett said to Maggie. “And come spring, we’re going to make sure you have chicks, so you can start your own coop.”

“We don’t have room,” James said automatically. It seemed to be his response to everything.

“The land bordering yours to the east is mine. Build a coop.” Everett wasn’t taking no for an answer.

James shrugged. “I guess.”

“I think we will be adding another room onto the cabin in the spring. We’ll need more room once the baby gets here. Can I hire you to help me?”

“I’ll help you, but you won’t be paying me,” James insisted.

“Sometimes, I think you’re the most stubborn person I ever met, but then I get a look at myself in a mirror.”

“There’s a lot of truth to that,” James said.

“Do you think the deer will be safe overnight?” Belle asked. “Or should we go work on them now?”

“They should be fine. We tied them up high enough that the wolves won’t get them.” Everett shook his head. “This area is getting populated enough we’re not seeing them often anymore.”

“That’s a good thing,” Maggie said. “I don’t fancy myself as Little Red Riding Hood.”

James looked at Maggie and shook his head. “We need to be getting home. Tomorrow is Monday.”

“I used to dread Mondays. Now, I don’t mind any day of the week. I love the work I’m doing.”

“Well, my boss is a bit of a slave driver...”

“Am not!” Everett said. “Go away. I won’t be insulted in my own home.” The words were harsh, but the twinkle in Everett’s eyes told Maggie that he was content to be called anything by James. The two men truly had a special relationship.

As they walked home, James held Maggie’s hand.

“Today was a good day,” she said. “Every day here has been good though. I’m working as hard as I worked in Massachusetts, but I get to choose what I want to do.

If I want to stay home and sew, I can. If I want to bake, I can.

It’s wonderful! I love being married to you! ”

He chuckled. “And I love being married to you. I know getting here wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. For me at least.”

“And for me. I wouldn’t want to go on that journey again, but I’m glad I made it.”

She truly couldn’t believe how content their marriage had made her. She was happy for the first time in her memory. Oh, there’d been moments of happiness, but she felt as if she would never be sad again.

Once they were home, she fixed a quick supper, and they talked about their plans for the week. He told her he would be working at the sawmill that week and not out cutting down trees. “Which do you prefer?” she asked.

“In the summer, I like to be outside cutting trees. In the winter, I’m much happier staying inside and working in the sawmill.

I ran everything for Everett while he was traveling to bring Belle here.

I liked that best. I could kick myself for selling my half of the business.

I’m sure Everett would let me buy in again, but I don’t have the money.

I spent it all trying to find my fortune. ”

“Maybe if we work together, we could make enough that you could do it. Right now, everything I make is going as credit to the store, but I could ask for that to change, and I don’t think Mrs. Johnson would mind.

” Maggie liked the idea of helping him reach his dream.

“It would probably take a few years, but I enjoy hard work.”

He shook his head, as she’d expected. “I’m the man, and I will provide for my family. I don’t want to hear anything else about it.”

She sighed. “Well, Everett was right about one thing today. You are a stubborn man.”

“Proud of it too.”

Maggie couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said, and she decided she was going to make it happen. She would find a way to buy his half of the lumber operation back. Whether he liked it or not.

She thought back to being afraid to come to Alaska, and she realized she’d changed. She was stronger now, and she was determined. James would have to deal with her help with their finances. That’s all there was to it.