A Home at Trail's End Read Online Free

don’t believe any of us will ever experience leisurely living again. Sometimes I dream about life back in Boston. It seems so far away…like a different country.”
    Malinda grew serious. “Do you regret your emigration?”
    Lavinia pursed her lips as she looked around at the young people talking and frolicking about. “No, no…for the sake of my children and my husband…I think we made the right decision.” She gave Elizabeth a sheepish smile. “Although I’m sure there were times on the trail when I highly regretted it—many, many a time.”
    Just as Malinda and Elizabeth were confirming plans to join households later in the day, Eli and Will and Hugh came over to join the women. “I’ve been promised a sneak peek into the mercantile,” Eli told Elizabeth. “Would you like to come with me?”
    â€œYes,” she said eagerly. “Very much so.”
    â€œOh, good,” Lavinia told her. “I’ve been so eager to show it off to my friends.” She lowered her voice. “However, we can’t make it appear as though we are open for business yet. Especially since it’s the Sabbath. But do come and see what we’ve done.”
    They called out to the children, explaining where they were going and that they’d be back shortly. And then they all trekked down the street to where the most impressive and most talked-about building was progressing nicely. Like so many buildings in the frontier towns they’d passed through on the Oregon Trail, the mercantile had a false front, which made it seem even taller than its two stories. Hugh unlocked and opened the front doors, and Lavinia hurried in to light some kerosene lamps.
    â€œYou even have a glass window,” Elizabeth said. “So nice to get that sunlight in here. And it faces south too. Very smart.”
    â€œAnd we hope to put in a few more glass windows next year,” Lavinia gushed. “Now if anyone would have told me a year ago that I would be swooning over glass windows, I would have thought they were daft.” She laughed. “But, oh my, how times have changed.”
    Elizabeth looked at the wooden shelves that were being loaded with provisions and supplies. Many crates were still unopened, stacked in the back of the room. “I can see you’re getting ready for business,” she told Lavinia. “When will you be officially open?”
    â€œWe’ve actually been serving a few customers already,” Lavinia confided. “But we plan to have a grand opening ceremony next Saturday. Isn’t that so, Hugh?”
    â€œThat’s right,” he called from where he was showing the men something over in the tool section. “I expect to receive another shipment from Empire City midweek. Hopefully we’ll have most of the stock unloaded and put out by then.”
    â€œIt looks like you’ve got plenty of goods already,” Elizabeth said after they’d browsed a bit. “If today wasn’t Sunday I’d be doing some shopping.”
    â€œSo would I,” Malinda said eagerly. “It’s so wonderful to have a real store in our settlement.”
    â€œWell, you two come on over tomorrow afternoon if you like,” Lavinia told the women as they were preparing to leave. “Invite Clara to come too. I’ll open the doors especially for you folks.”
    Before long the children were gathered, and Elizabeth and Eli and the children began the walk back to their homesteads. But they hadn’t gone far when her parents and Matthew and Jess came along in their wagon, offering a ride. The children, acting as if they were worn out, happily hopped in the back.
    â€œI don’t mind walking,” Elizabeth called out to her parents.
    Asa winked at her and nodded at Eli. “I’m sure you don’t.”
    By now most of the settlement seemed well aware that Elizabeth and Eli were betrothed, which made