During those weeks I spent alone, I thought often on Caroline Perry. I liked the way she thought, I liked the way she looked, and I liked the way she stood up for herself. She had touched me deeply, and by the time I returned to Vicksburg to get Nathan, I had made up my mind. I figured to ask Sam Perry if I could court his daughter. But before I headed out to the Perry farm, I went to see Luke Sawyer. I took him two small tables I had finished during the evening hours on the forty, and he was pleased. “Now, I know you got it in your mind to farm, Paul,” he said, “but I tell you the truth. You got a gift with wood, and if you settled down to just doing that, I could have more orders for you than you could take.”
“I thank you,” I returned. “But you know my thinking on this. Long as I can do some pieces I can work on at the place, I can sure use the cash money. Thing is, though, I’ve got to put this land first.”
Luke Sawyer nodded to that. He’d heard it before. “Just want you to know, it don’t work out, then you always got a place here.”
I thanked Luke Sawyer again, took my payment for the tables, and took on two more orders. I got the wood for the orders, then bought some of Luke Sawyer’s tools I would need to do the work. Luke Sawyer said I could just take his tools; he trusted me to bring them back. But I preferred to buy the tools. I felt the same way I had when I had rented Thunder from him. I couldn’t be beholden to Luke Sawyer.
I left Luke Sawyer after that and set off for the Perry farm. When I arrived, I learned that Nathan wasn’t there, and neither was Caroline.
“Sorry, but Nathan’s out with Caroline and their mama deliverin’ pies,” explained Sam Perry. “They be back ’fore time to fix supper.” I didn’t say anything, and he went on. “Ain’t knowed the ’xact day you was comin’, else I’d a done had Nathan here and ready t’ go.”
“It’s no problem,” I assured him, though I was disappointed about Caroline. “We can get started when he comes in.”
“Naw. Be too late by then. Best y’all spend the night here, start out early mornin’.”
I agreed to that.
“ ’Sides, I know for a fact, Nathan’s mama gonna wanna keep him close long’s she can.” Sam Perry smiled at that.
“Well, that’ll work out fine,” I said. “I’ve got a friend I want to see who works in a lumber camp south of here.”
Mr. Perry looked around at me. “Camp over by Mud Creek?”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“Say you got a friend there?”
“That’s right. Want him to help me work this forty acres I’ve taken on, but I haven’t heard from him in a while. Figured maybe I could swing by there before heading back toward Strawberry.”
“Ya do, maybe ya see my family on the way. They deliverin’ some of their pies down along that way.”
“That a fact?”
Sam Perry laughed. “Them men at that camp, they get one taste of my wife’s pies and cakes and they can’t seem t’ get enough. Every pie and cake my womenfolks make, they buys.”
“Well, I can’t say that I blame them. Your wife’s an excellent cook.”
“My girls too!” proclaimed Sam Perry, then laughed loudly at his bragging. “Even if I do say so myself!”
I smiled. “Well, it is the truth.”
“Yeah . . . these young men love my daughters’ cookin’! S’pose that’s one reason why they get spoke for so quick!” He laughed again. “Callie’s and Risten’s husbands, they already enjoyin’ good cookin’ and pretty soon now, Caroline gonna have a husband enjoyin’ hers too.”
The smile left my face. “What’s that?”
Sam Perry nodded proudly. “Said they all gonna be married ladies soon. My Caroline, she jus’ done give her heart to a fella she met not too long ago. Fact to business, he work at that same camp as yo’ friend. I don’t know that much ’bout him. Seem nice ’nough, but he got no family round here. Told Caroline she wanna marry this man, she gonna hafta pray on it ’til next summer. After that, the boy still round and he done proved hisself t’ be a good worker, then I figure him t’ be serious ’bout this thing. For young folks, near a year’s a long time, and it’s hard on ’em and they got t’ keep theyselves in check, but for a lifetime of livin’, it’s worth it to pair right. My Caroline’s a strong-willed girl, and I know she gonna keep that boy in check. She agreed t’ what her mama and me said, and he done too, so she official spoke for.”