Note: Bold text indicates that it was spoken in French and is being presented in English.
Chapter 42 Bouchard Estate – A Very Fine Day
Lucas woke to the sound of the rooster crowing as dawn broke and painted the room with a warm glow. He was wrapped around her, and all was right with the world. He leaned in to rest his cheek against hers and drew in the scent of the flowers of the fields that Tante infused in the soap that she had used to wash her hair.
"Mmmmm," Elizabeth moaned as she slowly awoke from sleep to join him in this luscious snuggle. "Good morning my love," she whispered not really wanting to break the spell of his embrace.
"Good morning, ma cherie," he kissed her cheek as he rose up on his elbow to look at her.
"Don't go yet," she said to him, and he leaned back in to hold her closer.
"Your wish is my command," he whispered.
"I have heard that one before," she whispered back.
"Just say the word….", he trailed off as he heard a knock on the door.
"It's me," Jack had been taught to politely announce his arrival before he burst through the door and promptly ran and jumped on the bed.
"You are up early my little one, the rooster is still crowing," Lucas told him.
"Grandpere said he would show us the baby horse and the puppies."
"Yes, that is true, but he said AFTER breakfast and that is in a couple of hours. You have to be patient, right now the men are out tending to the animals while breakfast is being prepared. We will all join them before our day gets started," Lucas told him.
"But I want it to start now!" Jack pouted a bit.
"Jack, we know you are anxious to go and see the farm, but a farm is a lot of work, and we must let the family take care of the animals if we want to enjoy them. Perhaps one morning they will take you and Papa with them so you can see how they milk and feed the cows," Elizabeth told him.
"Can we Papa?" Jack said excitedly.
"I will speak with Antoine to see if he will invite us to join one morning very soon. Come here and get warm under the blankets. I will tell you about all the wonderful things that you will see and do while we are visiting," Lucas told him.
With that, Jack seemed satisfied to join them for some cuddle time as Lucas began to recall his memories of visiting as a child. He wanted Jack to experience the wonder of this beautiful land and these wonderful people that worked hard and loved mightily. And while each morning the routine was the same hard work, it was also a gift that provided them with the continuation of a legacy here in the Jura.
The foursome entered the kitchen to the smell of bread baking. "Good morning everyone, sit sit," Annette motioned to the table. "How did you sleep?"
"Wonderfully," Lucas kissed his cousin before helping Laura and Elizabeth to their seats.
"The featherbed is so comfortable, I was telling Lucas that we should get one made like it when we return to Hope Valley," Elizabeth exclaimed.
"And her wish is my command," he bowed before taking his seat. At that Elizabeth blushed profusely and tried to regain her composure as a flash of his attention from the night before struck her.
Lucas winked at her as she had understood exactly as he intended. Annette giggled and smiled understanding that there was something a bit spicy in the exchange. "As it should be," she told Lucas who then beamed at her.
Elizabeth couldn't believe how different he seemed here. This exchange would have had him blushing shyly back at home. But here, he was one of them, a Frenchman at heart and that meant embracing the pleasures of life.
"And you, Laura, were the accommodations satisfactory?" asked Annette.
"Oh yes, thank you. As Elizabeth said, the featherbed was divine. I really could have stayed in bed all day reading but I don't want to miss anything," Laura said with enthusiasm.
"That is good. Now I will get breakfast on the table, I hear the men stomping their boots and they will be hungry."
Laura rose to her feet, "Please let me help you. Just let me know what I can do."
"Well, you may certainly help. First, would you put the coffee and tea in these pots and put them on the table. The teacups are stacked near my seat so I can pour once we are seated. Then would you please fill the baskets with the croissants, and I will take the bread from the oven for you to cut. There is butter in the cooler and preserves here on the counter," Annette had Laura busy preparing their morning feast and she was excited to feel useful. She would ask Annette to teach her how to bake croissants while she was here. It would be a wonderful treat for her family and friends when she returned home.
"Is there anything I can do?," Elizabeth inquired.
"I think we are fine, Laura and me, but we will be having our main meal at lunch today and all of the family will be here. Yvonne and I will be grateful if you and Laura can help us so we can share in the conversations with the rest of the family," Annette told her.
"Absolutely, we are eager to help and to learn from you as well," my cooking skills were nonexistent when I arrived in Hope Valley and it took a long time to get to even passable, I am embarrassed to say," Elizabeth said.
Lucas stepped in, "but you have come a long way and make very tasty meals and some wonderful treats as sweet as you are."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and Annette and Laura laughed, "and where do you think that is going to get you… my love? Elizabeth teased.
"Will you let me get back to you on that?" Lucas teased back.
Lucas rose and hugged Pierre and Antoine as they entered, "Good morning, everyone," they both chimed in.
Jack had been sitting patiently since they had entered, playing with one of his cars. "The baby horse, is he awake?" Lucas translated awake for him.
"Oui, said Pierre, "he is hungry for his mama's milk and is growing strong already. As soon as we have eaten our breakfast, Antoine will take you over to the other house to get Marcel and Yvonne and their Grandpere to join you." Lucas translated for the boy who could understand many but not all of the words.
Annette and Laura finished preparing the table. She indicated to Pierre that he could start off the meal by saying grace; they all bowed their heads while he spoke, "We are blessed today with the addition of our cousins from America. For this and for the blessing of this food which we have prepared with the bounty you provide us, we are truly grateful," he said followed by a chorus of "Amen".
She ladled from a large bowl of porridge and handed over the bowls to be passed around the table while Laura served tea or coffee to everyone. Soon the baskets of baked goods were also passed around. Laura buttered a slice of warm bread and added some of the fruit preserves and handed it to Jack. He took a bite and declared it "sooo good" which he then translated "treeee bien" to the amusement of all.
Once everyone was finished with their breakfast, Laura served another round of coffee to the women who were content to sit and chat for a while before clearing the table and getting the kitchen back in shape to start preparing the midday meal. Then men headed out with Jack skipping next to his Papa. They had found a pair of rubber boots for him to wear in the barrel of boots of every size, that had accumulated over the years. Marcel, Yvonne and their grandpere greeted them and joined the parade to the barn. Marcel and Yvonne had each taken one of Jack's hands leaving Lucas trailing behind them with the other men. "Oh to be young again", said the children's grandfather.
"You still have plenty of energy from what I see, Uncle," said Lucas.
"The farm keeps me going, it is in my blood," he said. Lucas threw his arm across the man's shoulders as they joined the children who were waiting eagerly near the barn.
Lucas followed behind Jack and the other two children as they entered the barn. He was struck by the sudden warmth that contrasted with the air outside what was still ridding itself of the chill of morning. Jack was already excited as they reached the first cows. The smell of fresh straw filled the air as their beds had been mucked and restocked. They chewed on the hay that the men had stocked earlier that morning. Jack approached and giggled with glee when the first cow looked at him and uttered…"moo".
"Moo," Jack answered back. French or English…. it was all the same.
Yvonne giggled with him, and all three children were soon mooing together.
Antoine smiled at them and said, "who wants to see the baby horse?"
All three children chimed in "baby horse" "bébé cheval."
Antoine led them to a stall where a beautiful chestnut mare was standing. She neighed as they approached and shook her mane as if to tell them…. "look, see what I have done….".
The little stallion was the same warm color as his mother, like her he had a white star on his forehead. He stood on long skinny legs still wobbly as he nursed.
"Look, Papa," said Jack in a whisper. He instinctively knew that the baby needed him to be quiet. "He is having his breakfast," said Jack. He understood how babies drank their mother's milk from visiting the Henderson Farm back home. He had observed the calves being nourished by their mothers.
Lucas came to where the little boy was standing and crouched down to his level. "I see that," he said, "he will grow strong." He hugged the boy who was obviously struck with love for the wobbly creature that would someday be a beautiful full-grown stallion. While this was not new to Marcel and Yvonne, they were still delighted with the new baby horse.
After a little while, Marcel asked Jack if he wanted to see the puppies. "Can I Papa?", Jack asked. Lucas nodded at Marcel who took Jack's hand and led him over to a pile of hay bales. Laying in a pile of hay tucked in the corner was a dog that looked like a mop with eyes. She was a highlands sheepdog and would be back to her post attending to the sheep and goats soon enough. But for now, she had a litter of puppies still depending on her. Marcel held Jack's hand. Antoine came up behind them.
"We must wait until the puppies are finished feeding. Then we will introduce their mama to you so she can get used to you before she lets you touch her puppies," Antoine told Jack. Antoine spoke to Marcel and Yvonne in French to remind them that they would need to introduce the mother to Jack when the puppies were finished. The children nodded.
Antoine and Lucas walked back to the men who had paused nearby. They sat on some bales of straw so they could chat while the children had some time with the dogs. The men chatted amicably and told each other jokes to amuse themselves. Lucas let the feelings wash over him as he listened to them...the men and the children and the animals all at once. "This is what I wanted to regain the moment I saw our new home," he thought to himself. This feeling of belonging to a place, to a family and leaving a legacy to continue on. He hoped to build that with Elizabeth and Jack for a start and more children to fill their new home with joy. He would also have to think about how to get the orchard and vineyard flourishing but there would be time to discuss that with Antoine and the others while they were here. For now, he would enjoy his time catching up with his French roots.
"Lucas?" His uncle brought him back to the present. "Where have you gone?"
"Pardon et moi, my mind drifted to our new home which we will move to once we return," Lucas told him.
"This is good, that you will have land to pass on to your family," he said. Lucas nodded his agreement. Lucas then proceeded to tell them a joke that Gustave had shared with him.
The men all laughed merrily, "that sounds like it is one of Gustave's," said Antoine.
"Yes, it is. I tried to tell it to some friends in Hope Valley but it doesn't translate very well to English," Lucas said, remembering Lee and Bill's blank looks when he told it.
Yvonne came shyly to Lucas to tell him that Jack wanted him to come see him.
He got up and told the men, "Pardon me but I am required to see the puppies, I am sure." He followed her to the corner of the barn. Jack was sitting in the middle of a pile of hay with the mama dog's head in his lap and puppy in his arms. "Oh my," he thought to himself. He would just have to convince Elizabeth once they returned home.
"Papa…. Papa… look!" Lucas could see that the little boy was in his element. He had seen it with Floppsie aboard ship.
"I see. You have made a new friend and she is going to let you love her puppies too." Jack nodded excitedly at Lucas's response.
They returned to the house where the preparations for lunch were fully under way. Jack was anxious to tell his mother about his adventure, so she excused herself long enough to listen to his exciting story. Marcel and Yvonne called him to join them in a game, so he skipped off to play.
Lucas came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into him. "How was your morning? Jack certainly had a good time."
"I will tell you more later, but it was wonderful." He then kissed her on the forehead, "have I told you how much I love you today?" he asked.
"Perhaps once or twice but you can never tell me too often or show me enough," she said turning her face to his so she could gaze into those beautiful eyes of his. "Why were they shimmering," she wondered. "Lucas, is something wrong?
"No, everything is perfect. I love you, Elizabeth. We will talk later, okay?" He leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips but lingering just enough to make her feel her heart swell with love for this man. He then bowed his head so his forehead rested against hers. "Perhaps we should head back to join the others..." He took her hand, and they stepped back into the kitchen to the sound of many voices as everyone on the estate had headed over for the family meal. This promised to be a lively event and she could feel his hand squeeze hers. He was, she realized, very happy indeed.
'-
Jack had now tripled his companions with the addition of Pierre, Anne, Charles and baby Jean at lunch that day. Once they had eaten, Marcel, who was 11years old, was entrusted to watch over the younger children, except the baby of course, as they played in view of the dining area window where the adults could keep track of them. They played joyously as only young children can, delighting in the sunshine, chasing after butterflies and each other. After a time, the adults joined the children outside, relaxing on the patio, enjoying afternoon tea and then later a light repass of soup and salad in the evening.
Laura had offered to watch over baby Jean so that Annette had a break as she wanted to play hostess. Laura was a natural with the baby of course, she had long cared for younger siblings and Jack. The baby took to her at once and was soon cooing and giggling as they lay on a blanket in the grass.
As the sun set, candles were lit as they ate dessert and watched the fireflies. The children were trying to catch them in a jar but had more fun chasing them than actually catching any.
Laura went with Annette to put the baby to bed. She wanted to help so that she could do this herself, especially as guests would be arriving soon for the wedding and Annette would have her hands full.
Soon, the rest of the children were rounded up and hugged all around, "Goodnight my sweet ones," said Grandmere. "Sleep well."
Lucas and Elizabeth excused themselves so they could put Jack to bed and have an early night themselves.
Of course, it took a while to settle Jack who was still excited about all of the activities of the day, but soon he succumbed to that same excitement and drifted off mid-sentence. Lucas was sitting on the bed and looked up at Elizabeth who was standing nearby. He smiled brightly and she echoed his smile with her own as they tiptoed out of the room.
They removed their shoes but then just crawled up on the bed to unwind, relax and enjoy some companiable chatter. Lucas asked her to recount her time in the morning, which she did with delight. She had enjoyed the company of the women and had learned to make some new sauces that she was excited to try on her own. Lucas then told her of the morning, telling her all about Jack's exciting adventure in the barn.
"Elizabeth, while I was there talking and joking with my Uncle and cousins I drifted away captures by the children's laughter and the sounds of men talking and the animals. The barn was warm, and the smell of hay and straw and the cows and horses transported me. I realized that someone like me had been in this very place hundreds of years ago and had felt some of these very same feelings. I realized that that is what was in my thoughts when we first saw our new home. Roots, belonging to a place, enjoying the bounty of nature, and having family to love and to continue on. Even though we have only just arrived, coming here has confirmed that we are making the right choice for me. But it will only be so if you are with me… I would give it up if you wanted us to go in a different direction. You understand? This is a dream. but you are my life."
"Oh Lucas, where you are I will be happy no matter where that is. But when I saw our new home, I knew that it was our place. Together we will build a legacy for our children. Yes, I say children as I see more in my dreams. And if we aren't blessed to have children born to us, then we will find them by way of heart," she told him.
They wrapped themselves around one another and both soon fell to sleep still fully clothed. At some point in the night Lucas wrapped the comforter over them as they never found their way into the bed. It really didn't matter at all, as long as they were together. He had cuddled her close again and fell quickly back into dreams.