A Touch of Grace by Lauraine Snelling Read Free Book Online Page A

were polite but barely . She rubbed her forehead. Having two voices arguing was tantamount to a headache at times. This was a fairly new thing, these voices arguing in her mind. Of course she thought with her mind and dreamed there too, but argue? No. She tried to think when it had started. After Sophie ran off and married Hamre was as near as she could figure. But that was also when the deep down loneliness started. How grateful she was when Sophie came home, yet the arguing voices didn’t go away and neither did the empty feeling, even when she was with Sophie. Had they both changed so much? Only when she was with Astrid now did she really feel like herself. But fall would be here soon too. Then who will I be? Grace, assistant teacher for her mor or Grace, preparing to marry Toby Valders?
    The house seemed still without all the schoolchildren running up and down the stairs or slamming doors when they went outside, sending the vibrations up her legs. Even though they couldn’t speak without their fingers, they could create a restless busyness. Grace followed her nose to the kitchen, where her mother was taking a chocolate cake out of the oven.
    Kaaren set the cake pan on the wooden cooling rack on the table and turned to smile at her daughter. “Did you get everything?”
    Grace nodded. “And some parts for Pa that were in.” She paused. “Sophie looks very tired.”
    “Did she say anything about Mr. Wiste?”
    “No. But I didn’t stay a long time.” Because I was hoping to see Toby, and that didn’t happen. I fear I am becoming as self-centered as Sophie used to be. Why is everyone asking about Mr. Wiste? Rumors must be spreading if even Mor is asking . “She said Elizabeth is not feeling well.”
    “I know. Astrid was in helping in the surgery today?”
    Grace nodded. “Penny wasn’t herself either.”
    “These changes will be so hard on everyone.”

    A couple days later Lemuel galloped up on a borrowed horse. “Dey needs you, Miz Knutson. I tole Miz Bjorklund. She say she be here in de buggy. Them babies is crying up a storm.”
    “I want to go too.” Grace clenched her hands.
    “We need you and Astrid here to cook for the men. Today they are eating at Ingeborg’s, so you run on over there.”
    “But Sophie needs me.”
    “Sophie is so busy she just needs to get through one minute at a time.” Kaaren grabbed her basket, and after dropping a kiss on her daughter’s cheek, she said, “Pray hard” and flew out the door. Grace banked the fire, emptied the crock of cookies she’d baked into a basket, and after tucking a cloth over it, walked across the small pasture to find Astrid rolling out noodles. Fresh bread was cooling on the counter, and the fragrance of beef stew wafted from the cast-iron roaster simmering on the back of the stove.
    “Separate these for me, please, and hang them over that rack.” Astrid gestured to the rack on the warming shelf of the stove. She looked more closely at Grace’s face. “What’s the matter?”
    Grace shrugged and shook her head. “Nothing.”
    Together the two girls set the table, dumped some of the noodles into the simmering stew, left the rest to dry for another meal, and sliced the bread. Finally Astrid rang the triangle.
    “Let me guess,” Haakan said as he came through the door. “The mothers are off on baby duty.”
    “The galloping horse?” Lars followed right behind Haakan.
    Grace and Astrid both nodded.
    “God dag,” Jonathan said with a nod to both the girls.
    Grace felt her mouth drop open. “You are learning Norwegian?” Her fingers flew faster than her tongue, which she had to force to make the right sounds.
    “He asked, so we are teaching him.” Trygve took his place at the table. “Along with hoeing and mounding the potatoes.”
    “What else can you say?” Astrid asked as she set the big crockery bowl of steaming stew in the middle of the table. “There, now, that’s all.”
    “Let us pray.” Haakan bowed his head and