Second-Chance Bride (Dakota Brides Book 3)(40)

“You are still keeping company with him?” He spoke in Norwegian.

“Would you prefer I come alone to town?” She too spoke in Norwegian.

Anker studied her, shaking his head. “Perhaps it is for the best. He is capable of looking after you.”

She pursed her lips. Anger and frustration knotted her stomach. “Anker Hansen, I do not need looking after.” She said it in English and loud enough to cause a few heads to turn toward her then she grabbed a boy in each hand and marched into the church.

Ward followed. They sat down, Kit between them.

She glanced at Ward. A smile played around his mouth. “It’s not funny,” she whispered.

He shrugged. “Depends on one’s point of view.” He met her gaze, his eyes dark and filled with mirth. And approval?

Liking that thought, her anger dissipated, and she smiled back at him.

Anker and Lena slid in behind them. Lena leaned forward. “Good for you to setting Anker straight.”

Freyda glanced back at her brother. He didn’t look as if anything had been straightened out in his mind. She met his scowl with a smile and turned back to the front as Reverend Sorrow took his place in the pulpit.

They sang familiar hymns. Freyda found the English words more and more comfortable. The singing done, the preacher announced his text.

“Today I am going to talk to you from the Twenty-Third Psalm. I’m sure you can all quote it. ‘The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want…’”

Hugh quoted the entire Psalm but two portions stuck in Freyda’s head. ‘He leadeth me beside still water…he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.’ That was what she desired. To be led to a place where her heart would be at peace and she’d know she walked in the right way.

She listened keenly to every word and vowed she would cling to her trust and faith in God. If there was to be any change in her goals and plans, He would have to make it plain.

After the service, she told Lena of Ward’s promise of a kitten for Kit. “If there are still some available?”

“There are still three and please, join us for dinner.” So again, they followed the Hansens to their place.

Anker waited as they drove up to the house and reached out to help Freyda down. She would have refused, but could not bring herself to act rudely, so she took his hand and stepped to the ground beside him.

“Freyda, it’s only that I’m worried about you.”

“I’m sure that’s true. But it’s time you realized I’m grown up.”

“So you keep saying and so does Lena. Now if you were to remarry—” He nodded toward Ward.

Freyda jerked Anker’s arm. “Don’t even think it. We are good neighbors, nothing more.” She joined Lena in the kitchen. “My brother can be so annoying.”

“He can be stubborn. I think it might be a family trait.”

Freyda laughed. “You might be right. But I don’t need looking after.”

Lena thickened the gravy. “Would you mind mashing the potatoes?”

Freyda did so as Lena talked. “I had the same notion a year ago. My husband had died and I vowed I would manage on my own. It was hard work, but I did okay until my house burned down.”

Freyda had heard the story and wondered why Lena was retelling it.

Lena handed Freyda a bowl for the potatoes then she poured the gravy into a thick white jug. “What I learned was life can be lonely and hard. I knew I could deal with that. But in my heart I wanted something more. I found that with Anker.” Her smile was soft and her glance sought the distance. “I suppose it came down to letting go of my stubbornness. In the end, it wasn’t all that hard, because I trusted him.”

Freyda smiled at her sister-in-law. “I’m glad for both of you.”

“You might discover the same thing.”

Freyda stopped, the bowl of potatoes in her hands. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Lena chuckled. “I see the fondness between you and Ward.”

“We’re neighbors. That’s all.”

“Perhaps that is true at present. But don’t let your pride and stubbornness stop you from seeing it could be more.”

Lena swallowed hard. “You make it sound so simple. So easy.” As if Freyda could simply change her whole reason for being in America and by so doing, cause Ward to change his mind about his choices.

Lena chuckled. “Someday I will tell you about the hard struggle I went through last winter trying to ignore what was right before my eyes.”

The men tromped in at that moment with the three boys, and to Freyda’s relief, the conversation ended.

Anker and Ward had taken the boys to see the kittens and Kit couldn’t stop talking about the one he would take home.

“His name is Skunk.”

Freyda choked back her laughter. “I wonder if it’s black and white.”

Kit nodded. “Just like my skunk.” Kit told his side of the skunk story and Ward told his side.

Anker and Lena laughed.

The rest of the meal passed in happy chatter that carried on until time to leave for home.

“I’d like you all to come to my place after church next Sunday.” Freyda let her gaze rest on Anker. “That way you can see how well I am doing.”

“We’ll be there,” he said.