RR05 - Tender Mercies by Lauraine Snelling Page B

free lessons to anyone who buys a machine from you in the next three months. What with Christmas coming up and all, maybe I should go talk with the men. They’d all want their wives to have an easier life, wouldn’t they?”
    “Don’t count on it. Norwegians, especially those around here, could cut a dime in half and give you eleven cents change.” Where is Hjelmer? He surely should have been back by now . She heard the clatter of wood in the woodbox and knew her newfound cousin Ephraim was back.
    “Bet those same Norwegians know a good deal when they see it.”
    “They do at that. Go over and talk to Olaf, and I’ll have supper ready in half an hour. Tell him I sent you.” When he leaned over to pick up his case, she added, “You can leave that here. No one will bother it. Put it back by your machine.”
    After the door bell tinkled behind him, Penny went back and looked at the sewing machine again. She laid a reverent hand on the wheel and turned it just enough to watch the needle go down and up again. I want one, and I want every woman around here to have one. So how do we do that?
    She picked up their own mail and, tapping the letters against her finger, turned the Closed sign over and pushed aside the curtain to their quarters. Laying the mail on the small table by Hjelmer’s chair, she removed her canvas store apron and put on the calico one she’d hung over a hook in the pantry. Then humming to herself, she retrieved the flour, buttermilk, and eggs she needed for supper. After slicing thick ham steaks off the hindquarter, she laid those in the pan to begin frying.
    “You need anything else?” Ephraim asked from the doorway. His wet hair carefully slicked back showed that he’d already washed up.
    “No thanks.” She paused. “You know where Hjelmer is?”
    “Out in the blacksmith shop, drawing on something. I think he’s got an idea that he’s cogitating.”
    “Oh.” No wonder he’d been so quiet.
    “He was out to Haakan’s earlier to talk to his ma.”
    “Uh-oh.” That could be good or bad. Shame she and Bridget hadn’t gotten the loan request made out yet. Things down on paper always looked more possible than just talk. She thought to the sewing machine sitting in her store. That fancy machine would help out like nobody’s business in setting up the boardinghouse.
    “Would you go tell him supper will be ready in a few minutes?”
    “Sure ’nough.”
    “Mrs. Bjorklund.” Mr. Drummond knocked at the back door.
    “Come on in.” She moved the frying pan to the back of the stove and lifted the round lid. After adding a couple of sticks of wood, she pulled the frying pan to the hotter part, took the square griddle down from the row of iron hooks Hjelmer had fashioned for her, and set it to heat.
    “Do you mind if I show Mr. and Mrs. Wold the machine after supper? She is so excited about it, and Mr. Wold is plenty curious.”
    “Why not? Maybe Hjelmer would like to see it too. He likes machinery of all sorts.” And if he gets interested, I will carry them in the store for sure. Why am I dithering like this? Either I carry them or I don’t. It is not Hjelmer’s decision to make . But she knew the reason. She always talked big ideas like this over with him.
    “The Wolds want me to come for supper too, if you don’t mind.”
    “No, go on. I’m sure Goodie has something better than pancakes cooked up.”
    When Hjelmer didn’t come in, Penny sent Ephraim to find him, but it looked to Penny like Hjelmer ate supper without any idea what he put in his mouth. He passed the syrup when asked and nodded when she asked him if he wanted more pancakes. Ephraim gave up talking after a couple of attempts, but Penny persisted. She needed his opinion, not just an “um.”
    “Hjelmer?”
    “Um.” He cut his ham and put a bite in his mouth.
    “The blacksmith is on fire.”
    “Good, dear, that’s good.”
    She watched as her words sunk in.
    “Ring the fire bell!” He shoved back his chair