A Time to Bloom (Leah's Garden #2)(26)

“Amen.” Lark felt something release inside her. She couldn’t have said it as well.

“We made even more progress than I thought we would this morning.” Forsythia broke Mikael’s bread and cheese into tiny bits for him to palm. “What do you want to do this afternoon, Lark?”

“Let’s rest a bit and then replant what we can in seeds—beans and greens, and I want to plant more carrots and beets and turnips since they can grow into the fall and give us more food for the winter. I wish we could replant the onions, too, now that I know the grasshoppers got to them, but it’s too late to grow more from seed.”

“I have some onion sets a neighbor gave us,” Forsythia put in. “I’ll share some with you.”

“That would be wonderful, thanks.”

Lilac passed the plate of ham. “So seeds this afternoon, seedlings and starts when it gets toward evening.”

“That sounds good.” Del stood and lifted the water pitcher. “Anyone need a refill?”

Jesse held out his tin cup. “Lark, d-did you still w-want to plant winter wheat too?”

“I do, but that won’t be for another month or two. In my understanding, it germinates but then doesn’t really grow until spring, so it will help make up our loss, but not for this year.”

“So what kept Anders and Adam back today?” Lilac asked.

“A man with a broken leg. It sounded like a hunting accident.” Forsythia shook her head. “It’s a young family, just a wife and young children, so there was no one to help hold him down. That’s why Anders went to help.”

Lark winced. Not a pleasant job, but Adam would be grateful for their brother’s strong arms.

“What about RJ?”

Lark glanced at Del, surprised by her sister’s question. As was Del, by the look on her face.

“He went to give input on the train station today and maybe help out a bit,” Forsythia said.

“I’d like to ask him again about helping with the boardinghouse too,” Lark said. “See if he’s given it some thought.”

“Are you still going into town with Anders to look at possible lots tomorrow?”

“Planning on it. As long as we can get everything planted today.” Lark rubbed a sore spot on her shoulder.

“Who will run the boardinghouse?”

Lark glanced over at Climie’s quiet question.

“That’s something we still have to sort out. We’ll all be involved, of course, but we may need to hire someone to run it eventually. Between the farm, Leah’s Garden, Del’s teaching . . . well, my sisters tell me that, despite all appearances, there is some limit to what the Nielsens can do.” She made a wry face, making Robbie and Sofie giggle.

They spent the afternoon planting seeds, then, as the sunlight slanted toward evening, hauled from the barn the wooden buckets and tubs Anders had brought. The bravely waving leaves and seedlings lifted hope to Lark’s heart, and she passed a gentle hand over a young raspberry start. Lord, please protect these precious gifts.

The sun slipped toward the horizon as Jesse settled the last sugar maple seedling by the house, Climie holding it steady as he poured water around it to settle the soil. Forsythia was already loading three tired children into the wagon, Sofie nearly falling asleep on her feet.

“Thank you both so much for all your help.” Lark clasped Climie’s shoulders from behind as Jesse straightened and brushed the dirt from his hands. “We could never deserve friends like you, but we’re grateful.”

Climie turned toward her, a pucker between her brows. “I have something to ask you.”

Lark lowered her arms, her pulse quickening. “Of course, dear one.” Something about her weasel of a husband?

But Climie’s gray eyes were thoughtful, not afraid. “I was thinking of what you said about the boardinghouse. It looks as though I’ll be staying on in these parts, for the time being, at least. Forsythia and Adam are so kind, but I don’t want to be a burden. I wondered . . . do you think you might train me to run it?”

Lark blinked, then felt a smile warm its way up from her middle. Lord, this day has certainly been full of surprises.

But could Climie truly shoulder such a job?





8


So where are these lots you’ve found?” Anders asked.

Lark led her family down the dusty street with a spring in her step. “One is right near the train station. That’s the one I like best. The other is a little farther away, some unused land not far from the church.”

“By the train station sounds good.”

“Come on, girls, keep up. We don’t want to keep Mr. Young waiting.” As the banker owned the land, he’d agreed to meet them to look at the lots.

Forsythia, Lilac, and Del hurried to catch up.

“I’m so grateful Climie kept the children so I could come,” Forsythia said. “This is exciting.” She squeezed Lark’s arm.

“Have you any idea what Mr. Young might charge?” Del pulled her sunbonnet farther over her face, as the August heat was fierce today.

“I have some idea of land prices around here, but they are going up. Hopefully he’ll be reasonable.” Lark glanced at Anders. “You and Josephine are willing to invest in this?”