Plowing The Field

Photo Credit: The National Library Of Wales

Avery has been home for three days now. We have not left to go anywhere. This morning he asked me if I would like to go to my parents' church on Sunday. Would I? I have not seen them since Father and Kenneth were here and have not seen Mother or the girls since my wedding day. My wedding day seems like it was a long, long time ago now. It seems like I have always been with Avery. I look to him for everything. I remember having those feelings when I knew I was getting married to him.  I did not know him and did not really want to marry him. I am so happy that Mother and Father made my wedding plans for me and chose Avery Longworth to be my husband. Avery told me that he is the one to thank. He said he is the one who went to Father and talked to him a whole year before they ever mentioned it to me. The time he came to our house for dinner that is why he came there.

Today I have much work to do. Avery is impressed I can tell, by how much I have accomplished since he was gone. He likes it that I can take care of the garden and the food supply for us. I think he was doing this all by himself before I came here. And he probably thought he'd have to show me what or how to do it. That is a laugh! Mother taught me how to do everything. I am proud of being able to do it all. I told him about my lunch with Ruth and that she is buying all my extra berries for the hotel. It seemed to bother him at first, so I asked him if he did not want me to sell them to her. He said it was up to me. They were mine to do what I wanted with them.

He told me that he needed to plow up some more ground. He hitched up the two work horses, Zeke and Charlie. He plowed a good amount of land up in a morning. I worked in the garden for a while and then took the cabbage that was left in the house. I washed and cut it up then salted and packed it down under weights in a couple of big stone jars. I picked more hops, horseradish and peppers. The horseradish and peppers I put on my drying racks to dry. Once it dries I will grind it to store. My pantry is filling up. By winter I should have quite a storehouse.

After I finished all my work I walked down to the field to see Avery and to bring him a drink and some fresh homemade bread with my goat milk cheese. He saw me coming and pulled the horses to a halt. "Rachel honey, how did you know that I was yearning for you to bring me a drink?" he took the bucket from me and opened it eagerly.

"I figured you were due to take a break. I finished up some of my work and thought I'd take a walk down to check on you." I smiled at him. He made my whole body quiver with excitement just to be around him.

"I'm mighty glad you did. You are spoiling me for sure." he winked at me as he took a long drink of water from the jug. "I'm going to finish this field in a little bit. Didn't take me hardly any time since these boys have  been having a long vacation. They were happy to be back to work today."

I looked at the horses. "I have not been working with the horses as much as I wanted because I have been so busy with the garden and the house," I said wistfully, as I love working with horses.

Avery looked at me and got real serious as he bit into the bread and cheese. "Rachel, you have been doing a lot. Take your time. You don't have to do too much or work all the time. I will help you when I can. The horses are doing all right. In between freight runs I try to get chores done here. Like I need to be clearing more land so I can replace the firewood I used last year. This year I will need more than the last few years here because you will be here when I am away."

I made a face, "You will be taking loads in the winter too?" I dreaded the thought of that. Winter is tough out here I know, but being alone without a man around could make it doubly hard for me. I made a mental note to start gathering kindling. Mother and us girls always gathered kindling when we were out picking berries or gathering wild nuts.

I saw he was done eating and picked up the bucket and put my dishes back. Avery got up and turned toward me, he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him, and I just smiled  and said, "Better get back to work so you get that field done today. I'll see you at the house for supper." I kissed him a quick kiss on the lips but I could feel him wanting more.

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016

Three More Days

Photo Credit: The Field Museum's Library

In three days I am getting married to Avery Longworth. What will my life be like as Rachel Longworth? Will I be different than I am today? What kind of a wife will I be? I pray to God that Avery will be happy choosing me for his wife. To share his life and have his children. I am not going to dwell on worrying. I am going to concentrate on what I must do to get through the next few days till my wedding.

I was in the kitchen baking some loaves of bread that I am taking with me to my house that I will share with Avery. That way I know we will have something to eat. Mother gave me a crock with fresh made butter. She knows I am worried about this. I heard the dogs barking and a huge rumble coming up the road. I went to the side porch that is connected to the kitchen and looked out. There was large wagon pulled by a team of four horses coming to a stop out front of our house! A big burly man got off the wagon, "Hello! I am looking for Miss Rachel Kennedy."

I was speechless, but tried to answer, "Yes, I am Rachel. What can I do for you?" It was then that I saw the writing on the side of the wagon, LONGWORTH FREIGHT COMPANY in big letters.

The driver paused for a minute and looked at me intently, then walked to the stairs, "Avery Longworth is going to be marrying you in a two days?" he asked as if he didn't quite believe it himself.

"Three days." I answered firmly, thinking that now is time to start acting stronger since soon I would be a married woman and not a little girl anymore. Before he had a chance to speak, I asked, "Did Avery send you?"

"Yes ma'am! He thought you'd have things to be moved to his house. Since I was coming through the area empty he wanted me to stop and pick up your stuff so your father would not have to do it."

"You are one of Avery's drivers?" I questioned. He looked older, much older than Avery.

"Yes, ma'am. My name is Orville Babcock."

"How long have you worked for Avery?" I had this yearning to know everything I could about my soon to be husband.

"Why about a year and a half." he replied. "Miss Kennedy, do you have your belongs ready to go? I could back the wagon up to the door," he appeared anxious to get going.

All of a sudden Mother appeared. After a few minutes of figuring out what Orville was doing there, she said, "Mr. Babcock, you must be hungry after your long trip. Please join us for lunch."

Orville smiled broadly showing off his toothless grin, "Why Mrs. Kennedy, that would be right nice of you. I am famished. Just coming in from three days on the road."

Mother said, "I'll go set another place."

"Thank you ma'am, I'll go see to the horses and wash up and be right back."

We had a very interesting lunch, everyone trying to get information about Avery and his business from Orville. He was taken by the attention, and especially having lunch with Mother, my sisters and me, since Father was out in the fields with the boys. They came in just as we were finishing up, so they helped him load the wagon with my things. Had room for everything. Father was thankful, as he was figuring he'd be making many trips to my house for the next several weeks, because our wagon was not nearly big enough for the things I was taking with me. Avery is definitely impressing my family as well as me. Three more days.

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016