Belle grinned.“Well, you got her here safely, and that’s all I wanted.”
After James left, Maggie stood.“How can I help with supper?”
“You can keep me company.I remember how tiring that trip was, and I wasn’t traveling in the cold.You rest while I cook.”
“But...”
“I enjoy cooking.You know that.”
Maggie reluctantly sat back down.“Do you enjoy being married?”
Belle nodded.“I do.So much!And I’m expecting.”
“You are?Oh, that’s wonderful!I guess I need to follow your lead so our children can play together.”Maggie pretended to be surprised.She knew Belle would rather deliver the news herself than have James tell her.
“I guess you do!”
Maggie talked about her trip while Belle told her about the town.“There’s a small store.I bake bread and sweets for them to sell.The men go nuts over anything that is premade.”
“I was hoping I could do that to earn a little extra.I’ll have to think of something else.”
“No, you won’t.There’s never quite enough to go around.There are so many bachelors living and working in this area.And they are all hungry.All the time.They all hurry to the store on their breaks to try to be the first to buy what I make.”
Maggie smiled.“So, if I did some baking and sold it, you wouldn’t feel like I was trying to compete with you?”
“Not at all!I’ll even give you pointers on what the men have liked best since I’ve been here.”
“That would be wonderful.And maybe you can show me how to clean an animal once it’s been killed...”
“I would love to do that.There’s good foraging here in the summer.We can still find a few things, like Eskimo potatoes.They aren’t what we’d call potatoes, but they can be found on the riverbanks and in open meadows.If you’d like, I’ll show you what they look like, and you can do some foraging with me.I’ve also been finding lingonberries.They’re tart, but with a little sugar, they make a fine jam.”
“Have you tried selling jam at the store?”Maggie worried that having an extra mouth to feed would be too much for James’s finances, and she wanted to help in any way she could.
“Yes!And the men buy it out within a few hours.Seriously.Anything you feel like cooking or baking, the men will buy, and Katie, the shopkeeper who has become a dear friend, will sell it and keep a small portion of your profits.I don’t know if James has hens, but I sell our eggs and surplus milk to the store as well.It works out well for Katie, and it makes me happy to contribute in some way.I’m not sure if I can keep it up once the baby comes, but I will certainly try.”
Maggie nodded.“What about sewing?”Maggie enjoyed cooking, but sewing was her true love.
“I haven’t done any sewing for the store yet, but Katie and I have talked about it, and she has said she could easily sell anything I want to sew.I prefer knitting so I’ve sold some hats and mittens.The men love them.”
“Maybe I’ll sew and let you do the cooking and baking.”
“Or we could do the cooking and baking together.”Belle turned away from the stove.“I’m so glad you’re here, and there’s another woman in town.There were only two of us, and there are no children at all.Katie’s daughter married and moved to Seattle.”
“So, there are really only two women in town?”
“Three now that you’re here.”Belle stirred the dumplings.“I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I think I am too.I just hope James is always as kind as he was on our journey here.”
“I hope so as well.I’ve never seen him get angry over anything.He seems very even-tempered.But I’ve never lived with him.”
“Well, that’s good to hear!”Maggie looked down at her hands.It was strange for her to remain idle.“I should be doing something.Are you certain I can’t help?”
“Do you want to set the table?There’s nothing else to do to get supper ready.Oh, you could slice the bread as well.”
Maggie jumped up and did as she was asked.“James said that he and Everett started the lumber operation together, but that he let Everett buy him out when he decided to become a prospector.”
“Yes, that’s how I understand it.”
