Roberta: Bride of Wisconsin (American Mail-Order Bride 30) Read Online Free PDF Page B

it caught up. I can't believe you would let it get this bad."
    Jakob felt his anger rise to the surface. "You have no right to talk to me that way! Have you ever lost a loved one and tried to do their work and your own? I had no time after working all day to keep a house clean! That's why you're here!"
    Bobbie closed her eyes and counted to ten, wondering why she'd let herself say something so anger-filled. They really had gotten off to a bad start. She took a deep breath before she spoke. "What I said was uncalled for. I appreciate the place to live. I will make sure I get it looking like it should as soon as I can."
    Jakob nodded, wanting to stay angry with her, but she'd apologized. "We'll do our best not to let it get so bad again. The boys will make sure to keep their beds made and bring their laundry down to you every morning. Have you been in the basement yet?"
    She shook her head, wondering why he'd ask such a question.
    "There's a Triumph Rotary Washing Machine down there. It's amazing. I will show you how to use it."
    "A washing machine?" She'd heard of them, of course, because they were supposed to be wonderful time-saving devices. "Really?"
    He nodded. "There's a clothesline as well. That way you can hang the clothes in the basement and not have to go outside in the cold to dry them." He was proud of the little things he'd bought for Erna to make her life better. Bobbie should get the benefit of those things as well.
    "That sounds wonderful!" She'd never expected to be able to do things so easily. Of course, she was living in a house with electricity for the first time in her life. She'd been in houses that were electrified, but she and her mother had moved out of her father's home before he'd had electricity added. She'd been too poor since to even think about it.
    Working in the factory had given her an independence that most women never had. Girls seemed to go from their parents' house to their husband's house, and never really get a sense of how to do for themselves. When they were widowed young, or their husband left them, they had no idea what to do or how to take care of themselves. Her life hadn't been easy, but she'd learned a great deal. She wouldn't give up the last few years for anything.
    After dinner, Jakob took Bobbie down to the basement to show her the washing machine and how to use it. She liked the idea of being able to hang her clothes to dry down there in inclement weather, but she was certain she would hang them outside most of the time. She loved being outdoors and couldn't wait to explore her surroundings. Wisconsin was pretty, and from what she'd read, soon it would be too cold to do a great deal outdoors.
    The walls of the basement were lined with shelves of canned goods. "I purchased things from many of the local farmers' wives when the crops came in. I know how hard life is when you don't have enough money, and I knew we'd need to have many things that were easy to fix without Erna."
    Every time Jakob said Erna's name, a lost little boy look came over his face. Bobbie felt bad for him. "You miss her, don't you?"
    He nodded. "She was everything to me. She took care of the house, the boys, and everything else around here. I did nothing but go to work. It's been so different without her." He knew his fear was that he would become too close to his new wife. He wanted to remain unmarried, but he had to think of his boys. "I want you to know that you'll be sleeping alone. I've made sure the spare room was ready for you. I'll sleep in my own bed. You never have to worry about that from me."
    Bobbie nodded soberly. "Honestly, I can't say I'm disappointed. It's not something I was looking forward to. Really, I'll be a live-in housekeeper and cook, but I'll carry your name and have more respectability."
    "Ja. Exactly. I'm glad you understand."
    "I not only understand. I'm all for the idea. We'll be partners in raising the boys, but not in bed."
    "Well, I don't know how much I'll let you be