The Ram Rebellion(19)

Caught at a disadvantage, flustered and out of sorts in general, Mary Lee sighed internally as she wondered what this visit could be about. "Please, come in. Would you care for a cold drink? I have some tea, chamomile, in the fridge."





"A cold drink, Frau Newhouse? How unusual. Yes, I should like very much to have a cold drink. It is perhaps an imposition, and I regret if it is, but may I see this `fridge,' did you call it? I have not yet had the opportunity to view the inside of an uptime house."





"Certainly, Frau Junker. I would be pleased to show you around, if you like. Please excuse the disorder. I'm afraid that my grandchildren tend to destroy the place if you don't watch them every second of every minute of every day. The fridge is in the kitchen. This way, please."





As they entered the spacious kitchen, a room that Mary Lee had spent a lot of time and effort making just right, Mary Lee watched her unexpected guest's face. Mary Lee was proud of this kitchen. It was her favorite room, one she was very pleased with. She hoped that Frau Junker wouldn't turn her nose up at her efforts.





It was a great relief when Clara smiled as she gazed around the room. Mary Lee began to relax a bit, and lose some of her irritation.





"It is very lovely, Frau Newhouse. I would never have considered this possible. So bright and colorful. Such light. It does not look like any kitchen I have ever seen."





"I'm pleased you like it, Frau Junker. It's my favorite room. We spend most of our time here, Birdie and I, when we have the opportunity. I've always felt that the kitchen was the heart of the home, and I tried to make this one reflect that feeling. Please, have a seat, here at the table."





As Clara sat down, Mary Lee retrieved her best glassware from the cupboard, filled the glasses with ice and poured the pale yellow tea into the glasses. Returning to the table, she set a glass down in front of Clara and took a seat across the table. Clara's face didn't reveal much, but Mary Lee felt that the woman was worried about something.





When Clara still remained quiet after a few sips of tea, Mary Lee decided she might as well just jump in. "You had something you wanted to speak to me about?"





"Yes, well . . . yes," Clara hesitated. "Last year, your husband offered to purchase the Lehen for the farm in Sundremda. I wondered if perhaps he would still wish to do so."





Mary Lee knew about Guffy Pomeroy and his swindle. She had even heard that Claus Junker had been involved in some way. As she looked closer at Clara she realized that Clara was a very worried woman. Damn it, she thought, there's a lot of trouble brewing for her, I can tell. And I like her. I liked her from the first.





"What Birdie wants, Frau Junker, is clear title to his own land. He wants to be able to farm, without interference, without being checked up on, and to be free to do his best at it. Yes, I'm sure he would want to buy the Lehen. I imagine that most of the villagers want the same thing."





"Each to buy their own land, each to be free, Frau Newhouse?" Clara asked.





"You might as well call me Mary Lee. We're not a very formal people, as you may have noticed. Yes, that's exactly what they want. Is your husband willing to sell it all?"





"I am Clara, then, Marilee, und yes, he is willing."





Mary Lee noticed that Clara's carefully pronounced English, apparently something she had learned in the last year, was beginning to slip. She suddenly realized the truth.





"He doesn't know about this visit does he, Clara?"





Clara started at the directness of the question. It was clearly unexpected. She flushed a bit, and looked away from Mary Lee for a few moments. Finally, composure regained, she looked directly into Mary Lee's eyes.





"No. No, he does not. I prefer that he never learns of it."





Mary Lee understood completely. She hadn't had to deal with this kind of attitude herself, Birdie being the type of man he was, but she had watched many wives deal with it. Slip in the back way, offer hesitant suggestions, and never show your own good sense.





"He won't hear it from me, Clara, or anyone else I know. In fact, Birdie is playing cards this evening and won't be home for several hours. The girls and the grandkids shouldn't be back for a good while, either. So," she said, as she rose and went to a cupboard, "You and I are going to have a nice long talk and work this out."





Mary Lee moved to the freezer and pulled out her very last can of frozen limeade, "First, though, I think we could use something a little more relaxing than this tea. I don't suppose you've ever heard of a frozen margarita, have you?"