Chapter Four
Almost as soon as theywere in their cabin, Maggie and James fell asleep.When Maggie woke it was already light out, and she felt bad that breakfast wasn’t ready for James yet.But then she noticed he was still sleeping as well.
She crept out of bed and searched the tiny kitchen area for something she could cook, but there was nothing.The cupboards were completely bare.
There was a soft rap on the door, and she hurried to see who would be there so early.She wasn’t at all surprised to see Belle standing there in a thick fur coat with a basket over her arm.“I realized after you left that you wouldn’t have anything to make for breakfast.I put this together for you.Don’t forget to come see me so I can take you to the store later.”
Maggie took the basket that was thrust at her and watched as her friend hurried away, her feet making prints in the frost.She wanted to yell thank you after Belle, but she didn’t want to wake James until she had breakfast ready for him.
She set the basket on the counter and looked through it.There was a bottle of milk with a cork stopper, a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, and flour.Belle had even included a ball of butter.
After removing the bag of flour, she found a slab of bacon beneath it.She had choices about what she could make, and though she felt bad for leaning on her friend, she was happy to have something to cook.
She quickly whipped up scrambled eggs and bacon, toasting some of the bread to go along with it.At the same time, she put a pot of coffee on the stove, having found coffee beans to be the only thing in the house besides hardtack and jerky.
She was serving the plates as she heard James stir.She set them both on the table and poured two cups of coffee.
James sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes.“You cooked?”he asked.
“Belle came by with a basket of ingredients to make breakfast with.”
“We could have just had hardtack and jerky,” he said.“You look tired.”
“I am, but I need to adjust to getting up in the mornings to fix you breakfast before you head to work.”She frowned.“What should I make for your lunch?”
“Oh, you don’t need to go to the trouble...”
“I’ll make you a few bacon sandwiches,” she said, refusing to listen to him tell her not to make his lunch.He would be hungry after a morning of chopping trees.
They had a quiet breakfast, and she wondered how to bring up going to the store.“Belle is going to take me to the store today.”
He nodded.“You’ll like Mrs.Johnson.”
“I’m sure I will.Belle seems to think a lot of her.”She bit her lip.“I was thinking of doing what Belle does and baking for the store to sell.Would you mind?”
He frowned.“I suppose I wouldn’t, but don’t wear yourself out.Belle seems to have an endless surplus of energy, but I’m sure she gets very tired.”
“We both worked twelve-hour days regularly.I would get bored if my hands were idle.The cabin is as neat as it can be.I’ll do the dishes, but after that, I won’t need to do anything until supper.”
“I’m sure Belle will have you out hunting and foraging with her.She’s taken to Alaskan life in a wonderful way, making the most of what she can gather from the land.”
“We’ll see what happens.I do think I’ll be doing some sewing for her to trade for food for the winter.”
He frowned.“You don’t have to work for everything.I can provide.”Just barely, but he could.They would make ends meet.
“I won’t do more than I can reasonably do.I don’t want to have nothing to do.”
“I don’t see that being a problem for you.”
After James had left for work with the sandwiches she’d prepared wrapped in oil cloth and in a lunch pail, she quickly did the dishes and bundled up before walking to Belle’s cabin, returning the basket the food had been delivered in.
“Thank you so much for thinking of us for breakfast.James seems to think eating hardtack and jerky is enough for every meal, but I’m a little fussier than that.After eating it the whole way here, I don’t ever want to look at hardtack again.”
Belle smiled.“We had more time to get here, and though we moved quickly, we had time to make our meals.I’m not a picky eater, but I think I would have gone crazy eating only those two things the whole way.”She talked as she put on her coat, taking a rifle from the wall.“I’ll show you where to get berries and Eskimo potatoes, and I’ll shoot while you forage.But first, we’ll go to the store.I’ve done my baking for the day, and I need to take the extra eggs.”
Maggie took a basket of fresh-baked goods and an empty basket while Belle carried the eggs, had the rifle slung over her shoulder, and carried an empty basket as well.
Maggie could tell Belle had a knife stuck in her boot, and she felt like she was in a different world.Belle seemed so different here.In Massachusetts, her hair had always been in a perfect bun.Here...Her hair was a bit wild.Half down and half up.Belle even looked different!
