A New Day Rising by Lauraine Snelling Read Free Book Online Page B

appreciate each day as it comes, and after a long winter like we-I've had, I don't want to waste a moment of the sun's warmth."

    She skirted the mud patches, kicking up snow with the toe of her boot as if she could barely keep from dancing. She felt like twirling, like taking TEorliff by the hands and whirling him around, then doing the same with Andrew. To think God had sent them a gift like this visitor on such a splendid day.
    Those eyes he had, eyes she hadn't seen in such a handsome face since they buried Carl. While Thorliff, too, had the Bjorklund eyes, there was something to be said for such eyes in a tall, broad-shouldered man. She'd heard of measuring a man's breadth by ax handles, but never had the picture been so real. The ax looked to be a continuation of his arm, the way he handled it. The cleft in his chin made his strong jaw even more manly.
    She had so many questions to ask, but since Kaaren would want to know the same answers, she would wait until after dinner. The waiting would not be easy, though.

    She felt a giggle rising in her throat. What if she'd been wearing britches? He most likely would have taken one look and run clear back to the north woods. She jiggled Andrew on her hip, keeping one hand ready to protect her hair.
    "Velkommen to our house," Ingeborg said as she stepped into the dimness of the Soddy. She paused a moment to let her eyes adjust. Thank the good Lord I did the dishes and straightened up before I went outside. On the way to the table, she pulled the coffeepot closer to the heat, then settled Andrew in a chair with a box on it. Taking the dish towel draped over the back of the chair, she smoothed it around his tummy and tied a knot behind the chair so he wouldn't fall off. "Have a seat," she said, motioning to Haakan with a sweep of her hand.

    Haakan followed a pace behind so he could watch her. While she looked every inch a woman; from the crown on her head to the black wool skirt damp at the hemline from melting snow, he had the feeling it would take little encouragement for her to join the boys in a game of tag or a footrace. She didn't act like any widows he knew.
    Once seated at the square table, with benches on two sides and chairs with hand-turned spindles at the others, he could tell by the delicious smells rising from the oven and the kettle she stirred on the stove that she was no ordinary cook.
    His stomach rumbled in anticipation.
    Ingeborg poured the now hot brew and set a cup of it on the table in front of him.
    "Mange takk." He watched her smooth grace as she turned the loaf pans out on a towel spread on the counter of a cabinet of sorts that was set against the sod wall by the stove. Shelves beneath and above gave her a workplace and storage for kitchen goods.
    "That bread smells like a piece of home." He took a sip of the scalding brew and looked around the sod house. A trunk decorated in the Valdrez style of rosemaling sat in a place of honor under the one window. Beautifully carved shelves lined both sides of the deep enclosure. Two rope beds were attached to the rear wall, sharing a post in the center. Colorful quilts and several elk hides covered the mattresses. An oak rocker, turned spindles for the back and topped with a carved header, showed the pride of the maker's workmanship. Curved arms with a roll at the end told of the hours spent in making the chair a thing of beauty, not only a necessary furnishing. A picture flashed through his mind of the woman, so busy now with setting out the food, sitting in that rocker with a babe to her breast. He felt a flush start down at the base of his neck.

    He forced his gaze to the sacks hanging from the rafters, the few remaining bundles of dried herbs, and the lengths of wood stored there to dry and season. Obviously Roald had held the same love of wood and creating beautiful and useful things from it as did Haakan himself. Shame there weren't more windows so the dark walls didn't crowd in on one. He shook his head.