#271
Clora and Lainey held their thoughts privately, not wanting to discuss the snarky way Sas treated Wayne in front of Helga and Helmer. Mark had long ago confided his suspicions about Sas and her previous behavior to Clora and Clora had shared that info with Lainey.
Helga and Helmer weren't immune to suspicious behavior, and Clora and Lainey were very much aware they were being surrounded by questionable people. Clora later told Lainey when they took a short walk to work out the kinks, that she had blisters on the inside of her cheeks from biting her tongue.
"I'm beginning to have serious doubts about Sas; but one look at Wayne would tell ya that any mention of her actions would be useless. He's down for the count, and did you notice that Helga hasn't been friendly to Sas, even after that disaster of a Vivian left?"
"Yes, I told Ben the other night that Mark and you had reservations and he said he was glad you both felt that way also. He didn't want to be the only Hanson feeling a reserve about Sas. Ben did say something interesting," Lainey lowered her voice as they had circled around close to the camp. "He said Wayne didn't marry her, and he felt that was clear thinking on Wayne's part. He was also worried about Sas working so closely with Mark. Not that Mark would do anything, but that he thought Sas was a troublemaker."
"Oh, I'll tell him," Clora smirked. "That ought to just about blow his ego up."
Lainey laughed, "I don't think there is any worry. Ben still complains about the goofy way Mark dotes on you, says it is a hard act to follow!"
"Well, there's nothing wrong with Ben having to be a little more romantic," Clora said smartly, "he's so work focused that it wouldn't hurt him to loosen up."
"Heat in the cabins will go a long way toward helping romance," Lainey giggled a little. "It's darn hard to be romantic when you're freezing to death, and the princess is cold and has to sleep with Mommy."
"Yeah," Clora washed her hands and tied her apron on. "I've had problems with Tessee being too cold at night and have had to do the same thing."
"Vhat ting?" Helga was curious, as she unlocked the top of a cooled canner.
"It's so cold at night that the kids want to sleep with us," Clora said in amusement, "really hurts romance."
"Ahh, understood. Ve haf had colds feets, stoves vill be nice." Helga used a folded towel to grab the center jar and line it up on another towel to cool. "If you vill unloads and thens reloads the canner, I vill starts on suppers," Helga proposed.
"Certainly," Clora took the offered towel and efficiently pulled jars from the old Harvest Maid canner. "I wonder how old this canner is? It's an ancient one for sure."
"Probably older than you and I together," Lainey checked the other two canners that were still cooking. 'has anyone checked the propane canisters? This canner is loosing pressure. Let's use the stove the last canner came from."
Helmer lifted the full canner from the middle stove to the third one. Clora lit the burner and watched carefully as the internal temperature started to rise. "We need to re-time this one," she reset the mechanical timer to the full 90 minutes.
"Helga? are there more canisters?" Lainey bent over to look at the blue flame under the pots.
"Nons, I vas hoping ve coulds get done vith vhat ve hads for todays."
"Rats," Clora said with a sour sigh. "Maybe Mark could find more in the hardware store basement tomorrow. I'll get a fire started in the pit, so in case all the canisters run out we can continue." She hurried, and it was a good thing
They did run out, the fire was needed to finish the last canner and cook supper. The two ovens full of cornbread were moved and the other end was full of skillets slowly sweating out the onions.
In less than 10 minutes, Mark's pickup could be seen tearing across the meadow, headed for the camp. Getting out of the cab he did a zombie like imitation with outstretched arms headed for the cooking tent. "We could smell that all the way over at Ev's place. Man that smells great."
Wayne and Sas seemed to be on the outs with each other and definitely weren't speaking. Mark gave Clora an exasperated snort and rolled his eyes, indicating the two workers deserved one another.
If Sas thought she was going to create an uncomfortable situation at supper, she was wrong and most generally ignored. She couldn't even coax the dogs to sit next to her as she scooted way to the end of the table.
The fresh liver had been soaking in milk all afternoon to take the strong taste away. It was thin, crispy on the outside and a perfect match to the softened, sweet onions heaped on squares of cornbread and smothered in pan gravy. The clan ate like they were starving, and Helga beamed as she cooked pan after panful.
Helmer sighed loudly, leaned back and patted his belly. "Very goods," he praised Helga's cooking, "I vill be on time tomorrow morning for breakfast." then he burped. The three youngest kids burst out laughing. The adults were grinning, and Wayne said seriously, "I believe I will join you," he added as he lifted the last chunk of liver.
Clora told Mark all about the day's happenings and he replied with the fight that had happened at Ev's. It seemed Sas had been pretty snoopy through Ev and Cheryl's belongings, and Wayne called her on it. From that point, the fight was on. Mark reported he finally had to go out on the roof and secure the flashing around the stove pipe to escape the turmoil.
Clora whispered in his ear the warnings Ben wanted passed on. "Way ahead of you darling," Mark whispered back. "I've already told Wayne that he has to work with me and Sas, or I don't work. That woman is like a barracuda."
"Ma, what are you and Dad whispering about?" Curious and nosy, Milo didn't want to miss out on anything.
"Milo, your mother and I are discussing adult business, now you go to sleep. You are not included in this talk." Mark was stern. "That little rascal," he whispered back to Clora's ear. "I thought he might have been listening the other night, but wasn't sure. Evidently he was."
The rest of the week was a repeat of the previous days. Canning and installing stoves took priority over every other chore. Naturally the cow gave more milk to deal with, the hens flooded the family with eggs and the kids were rascally and energetic beyond the norm.
Sunday morning during Church service when it was time to give individual thanks, Clora thanked God for his generous bounty, but asked Mark to not go after three at a time. There was so much in undone chores; but the clan was so weary they lounged around the table and made no moves to start working after lunch.
Ben was home for the day, and the only work he agreed to was splitting and carrying wood inside his cabin with no doors or windows.
"It seems kinda silly to heat the great outdoors, but whatever warms Lainey's feet is worth it." he teased, as Anne sat on his lap and snuggled.
Sas asked if it was normal for Ev and Cheryl to stay away for so long.
"I honestly don't expect them to be back until Spring," Mark commented casually. "Ev was in a terrible hurry to get back to Evergreen, but it has been a frustrating strain on him to live as we have had too this past summer. He has been cold, and out of medicine for quite a while."
"Really," Sas seemed unconvinced.
"I suspect Christy being in town has a lot to do with it," Ben said with a smile.
"Yeah, what's up with that?" Sas pushed on, "and how come they don't have more kids than her? You're not saying they are gonna hang out in town cause she's there, are ya?"
Wayne stood up, "That's exactly what we're saying, and you're out of line with prying into their private life. That's enough of the questions, Sas. Let's go." Wayne reached for her hand and pulled her out of the dining tent. Away they went, with him leading and Sas protesting, but being yanked along.
Lainey, Clora and Helga finished the dishes and Helga excused herself and Helmer. "Ve are goings to take a valk, maybe overs to the old town to looks."
Helmer looked mildly surprised, but obediently pickup up his rifle and followed Helga away from camp.
"How long has it been since the four of us have been alone?" Ben asked idly. "Close to a hundred years?"
"Or longer," Mark yawned and looked out toward his valley. "Want to go take a ride and look at the valley? I've been dying to have a look at it."
Everyone agreed and were quickly packed up and bounced over the rutted pasture to the road Wayne had pioneered and the pickup went down the steep track to the valley below.