Chronicles Of The Maca Collection

Chapter 29

It took one year for the divorce decree to become final. During this time, MacDonald arranged for his home to be built. By Thalian word usage, his House was his family, his abode his home. The barn, washhouse, and springhouse were also constructed. A cistern was installed just outside the springhouse so that Anna would not have to labor so hard for water. Cruz Moreno, from Schmidt"s Corner, had been hired to build a rock fence around the garden plot behind the washhouse.

Three crab tree seedlings had been ordered through Kasper"s store. When they arrived, the trees were transferred to larger containers, but left behind the Schmidt"s Corner"s general store. Cruz had installed fencing around the trees to keep the jackrabbits out. Anna had watered and tended them. Real apple trees would not do well here, but crab apples could grow almost anywhere and they made wonderful apple butter and apple jelly. She would transplant them after their marriage.

The barn and the springhouse went up first. Then the fences were built around the sides and back of the barn to create barnyards. MacDonald took to sleeping in the barn loft. He could keep an eye on the construction while he was there. Most of the time, he and Rolfe were out on the range branding and checking the cattle. Martin was old enough that he spent the weekends with them or anytime that Kasper was not conducting classes. They had driven another herd up to Chisholm, the Indian Agent in the Indian Territory.

“Too damn dangerous to go to New Orleans now, Mac. Some of them Southerners really hate Yankees, and me, they consider a Yankee. They ain"t sure about du, but if du answer the question wrong or refuse to drink to sechees they ain"t going to like du any better.”

“What the hell is "sechees"?”

“Dot"s vhen they leave the Union.”

“Ye Gods, it twill nay go Secession.”

“Don"t bet on it, Mac. Some are ready to do it now. Vhy do du think all that killing in Kansas?”

Anna worked with Kasper in the store, the stables, and with either Kasper or Gerde in their garden. She helped with Gerde"s cleaning, laundered MacDonald"s clothes, and spent any spare moment sewing clothes for both of them. She refused to take any money from MacDonald. This was her way of paying him back. MacDonald smiled. Her stubborn pride amused him, but the clothes were a better fit than his other clothes during his sojourn on Earth.

He courted Anna in accordance to the proprieties of the 1850s" mores. He did not touch her, hug her, or kiss her. At times his body would quiver whether from desire or restraint was difficult to tell for Thalians touched, they stroked, they hugged, and he was physically so close to her. The longing at times was overwhelming and sleep fled from his brain. The years of isolation at the Justine Refuge had nay been as difficult. Kreppies and Justines were nay desirable beings.

A year had passed and they planned to leave for Arles in the morning to procure the license and to be married. From there they would take the stage to Houston and a boat to New Orleans. Then they would ride a steamship up to St. Louis.

“It costs too much money, Mr. MacDonald.”

“Don"t ye wish to see yere fither and introduce yere new husband?”

“Of course, I do.” Anna stamped her foot in frustration. “But you have worked so hard for your money and it will cost more to finish this place.”

“That tis all accounted for, Mrs. Lawrence. If I canna give ye pleasure and the things ye deserve as mistress of my heart, what good tis money?”

Anna shook her head. “You might need it for something important on this ranch.”

He had brought her to the ranch to see the almost completed kitchen and great room. He grabbed both of her hands in his.

“Mrs. Lawrence, how long has it been since ye have seen yere fither?”

“Almost four years.”

“And how eld tis he?”

Anna winced. “He is almost 60.”

“There, ye see. We may nay have this opportunity again. While we are in St. Louis, ye can see about buying a sewing machine and I twill see about one of those pumps I heard about from the freighters. That way ye twould nay need to pull up water for anything.”

Anna stared at him and shook her head. The man was mad.

“Now we shall go inside. I have a surprise for ye in the kitchen.”

They walked through the back door and Anna stopped.

“Mr. MacDonald, the cabinets—they—they are for my height.” For a moment, all Anna could think of was the backache that resulted every time she did dishes in Gerde"s kitchen. “How did you know?”

Anna ran her hands over the wooden cabinet top, marveling at its newness and the correct height. Here she would not need to stoop for kneading, for stirring, for washing dishes. If she looked to the right, she was looking out onto what would be part of the front yard. If she turned to the left, there was a corner cabinet and another small set of lower cabinets. Then came the window that looked out onto the springhouse, the fence that ran from the edge of the house, and followed the springhouse around to where one of the crab apple trees would be, and then on to the washhouse. She turned to MacDonald, her grey eyes shining, “Mr. MacDonald, I could kiss du.”

It was too much for MacDonald. All the years of longing, needing the touch of another being, of holding someone close, the need of a caress all overcame his good intentions, and he gathered her into his arms, his lips finding hers with a pent up demand.

At first Anna was too startled to object and then she found herself returning the kiss, her own loneliness and loss meeting his. It lasted until she could feel the heat coming off of his hands and his body. His hands and kiss demanded more and she wasn"t sure she had the strength to refuse him. Just as suddenly the kiss stopped and he held her close, swaying back and forth, and murmuring.

“My Anna, my love, I ken I must wait.”

And he broke away as he almost ran for the door. “I twill get the z…horses.”

She was left gasping, unsure, what should she do now? Dare she confront him? It was too improbable, too cruel, and yet he, like Mr. Lawrence, had said there would be no children. Silent tears ran through her heart and she knew what she must do. To be safe she would wait until they were back at Schmidt"s Corner for Anna knew her children lived. What was inexplicable, she had seen them all in this house opening Christmas presents, but that was in the early days of her captivity and she was half mad. When a vision was true, she would have more than one. She had not seen Mr. MacDonald in that dream, nor had she ever dreamt that scene again.