Chapter 5
They had been on the trail for four days when Carl told Mary Jane they would be arriving at the farm the following morning.
“We will get a good night’s sleep tonight, but in the morning we will finally make it home,” he said.
They couldn’t make it quick enough for Mary Jane. She felt dirty, hot, and miserable, but she did not dare complain. Carl was being very tolerant of her by allowing her to ride under the wagon cover, and he always stopped at the fresh water streams to allow her to freshen up. That didn’t take the place of a real bath, but at least it made her feel better for a while. She anxiously looked forward to sinking herself into a fresh tub of water and washing all of the grime off her body.
The next morning Carl told Mary Jane that she could ride up front with him if she wanted.
“We are not far from the farm and we will get there before the sun gets too hot,” he said. “Before long you will get your first glimpse of your new home.”
“I am so ready,” she replied. “I fear that I have been a burden to you on this trip, but I promise you I will try my best to adjust to life on a farm.”
“I realize that this is a very different lifestyle than you are used to, but I believe that you will come to love it as much as I do,” Carl said.
It was a couple of hours later when Carl pulled the wagon to the top of a rise and pulled back on the reins of the horses to stop them. From the top of the hill Mary Jane could see fences filled with cattle, a very large barn, and nestled in a grove of trees was a stately house made of logs and boasting a big red front door. A long drive started with an arch that read Casa Farms and stopped at the front steps. At the side of the barn was a large body of water that looked cool and refreshing and just beyond it was another large building that she assumed would be the bunkhouse.
“Welcome home,” Carl said.
Mary Jane was speechless as she tried to take it all in. She had expected a small cabin with a barn and a few cattle, but this was far from that. The barn was huge, there were cattle everywhere, men were on horseback herding groups of the cattle to the water, and the house was quite large and inviting.
“Carl, this is fantastic,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting anything this big or this grand.”
“I really isn’t that big when compared to some of the neighbors, but it is enough for me,” he said. “I have enough work to keep the men busy, there is a roof over my head at night, and there is plenty of food with fresh vegetables from the garden in the rear. I think I will probably turn the gardening chore over to you.”
Carl snapped the reins and the horses started moving in the direction of the arch. He pulled the wagon up to the front steps of the house before stopping again.
“We can get the wagon unloaded and then I will take the horses to the barn,” Carl said. “You can take the rest of today to get settled in while I catch up with the guys and find out what has been going on while I was away. Perhaps tomorrow I can give you a tour of the farm.”
Carl grabbed a couple of bags from the wagon and started up the front steps. He opened the door to allow Mary Jane to enter before him. She could hardly contain her excitement to discover what was behind the door.
Mary Jane stepped inside and stood still for a minute so that her eyes could adjust to her surroundings. She saw that on her right was a large room that she assumed was the sitting room. It was filled with a couple of rocking chairs, a large couch, end tables, and a huge fireplace. It looked surprisingly like a comfortable room, but not one that had been decorated by Carl.
“This house was built by my father,” Carl said. “It is where I grew up. My mother was the one who decorated the entire house so you will probably find it to your liking. Feel free to make any changes that you want. I understand that a woman needs to make the home her own.”
“I think this is lovely,” Mary Jane said. “Where are your parents now?”
“They both lived out their lives happily here on the farm,” he said. “After my dad passed away my mother was just too lonely without him. I tried as best as I could to keep her happy, but she wanted to go on and be with dad. She died about a year after he did. They are buried here on the farm. When we take a tour I will take you to the cemetery if you wish.”
“I would like that very much,” she said. “I am sorry that I did not get the chance to meet them.”
Carl went back out to the wagon to unload the rest of the supplies he had bought while in town. Mary Jane wandered from room to room inspecting her new surroundings. There was a dining room with a large wooden table, a sideboard that leaned against the outside wall, a large kitchen with more amenities than she had in the mountains, three large bedrooms, and a bath closet. She was pleased to find the temperature inside the house much more to her liking. She had noticed that the house was built in a grove of trees and it remained shaded from the blistering sun. When she looked around she saw a house that was built with love. Carl’s mother’s touch was everywhere from the delicate curtains on the windows to the braided rugs that were placed on the floor. She said a silent prayer that she and Carl would be just as happy here as his parents had been.
“Well, the wagon is unloaded and I am going to take the horses to the barn. I have some catching up to do so just make yourself at home,” Carl said. “It will probably be several hours before I return. I have always used the bedroom at the rear of the house, but if it is not to your liking you can change it. I use it because it is the largest and the coolest.”
Mary Jane walked out onto the front porch and watched as Carl got back on the wagon and headed in the direction of the barn. She almost pinched herself to make sure she was not having some kind of dream. This place was fantastic and she could envision many happy years here with Carl and maybe a couple of children one day.