A Promise for Ellie Read Online Free Page A

at least that was the joke. Since he’d only had to shave a couple of times in his whole life, he didn’t want to try doing so with the ax bit.
    Back at the woodpile he split enough to last a couple of days and loaded his sweaty arm high. It took him four trips to fill the woodbox.
    “Leave it to you, Andrew, to go far beyond what I asked for.” Penny handed him a napkin filled with cookies. “So you don’t starve on the way home.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
    “I don’t think you have to worry about me going anywhere.” He shrugged into his shirt. “Me’n Ellie—we’ll be right here. See you later.”
    He waved and headed for the door, only to have it pushed open before he reached for the handle. Stepping back, he groaned inside.
    “Well, well, if it ain’t Prince Andrew.” Toby Valders took a step back and gave a half bow.
    “That’s enough, Valders.” Andrew kept a smile on his face with sheer effort. Why did Toby always have to say something that set Andrew’s teeth on edge?
    “Ah, a bit surly today. Has not the fair Ellie arrived yet?” Toby’s dark eyes narrowed slightly. While Toby had never gained the height of the Bjorklund boys, he had filled out in the chest and shoulders since he left school. Hard work had a tendency to do that. The dark hair and swarthy looks of both Gerald and Toby stood out in this land of blond Norwegians.
    Andrew ignored the barb. “How’s Gerald?” Toby’s older brother had returned from the Spanish-American War in ill health, although he’d not been wounded.
    Toby shrugged. “Malaria comes and goes. He’s helping Pa out, getting the bank and post office building ready.” The new building was across the street from Bridget’s boardinghouse. “I heard the sheriff came to see about that body burned in the fire.”
    Andrew shook his head. “I was in school.”
    “Yeah, that’s right, still one of the kids.” Toby pushed on by to go into the store, his mocking laugh floating back behind.
    Andrew gritted his teeth, but if this was the worst Toby had to dish out, he’d not have a problem keeping his promise to Ellie.
    Once again he waved to Penny and headed back to the schoolhouse to harness up the wagon. His cousin Trygve would have to be in charge of the wagon next year. Hard to believe Trygve would be the oldest Bjorklund boy in the school next year. Not that Astrid, Sophie, or Grace couldn’t harness the horse and drive the wagon, but the task had always fallen to the boys.
    Astrid leaped off the steps, as did most of the other students, and within minutes Andrew had a wagonful of laughing and shouting children.
    Reverend Solberg waved them away. “Remember, tomorrow we clean, so bring soap, buckets, and rags.”
    “No more homework, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks.” Sophie led the chant and had them all laughing.
    Tomorrow he’d see Ellie again. Andrew clapped his hand over his pocket. He’d forgotten to read her letter.

Dear Ingeborg,
    Thank you for the invitation to come to Andrew’s graduation. I do wish we could attend, but spring came late here, and Kane is just now seeding the wheat. He feels he cannot take any days off, and while he said we should go ahead without him, I would rather wait and come after harvest. I know I will miss the celebration, but I hate to leave him. It seems I always do that. How I would love to see Mor more often. I wrote to her also, and I know she will be as disappointed in not seeing her three grandchildren. They are disappointed too. They were so looking forward to playing with their cousins.
    Forgive me for not being a better correspondent, and I will try to write more often. Give my love to all my family in Blessing. I wish you could all come down here. We have plenty of room on the ranch and Kane says he’ll even round up some horses for the boys to ride, after they break them, of course.
    Better close and get to making supper.
    Yours