North Country Hero by Lois Richer

Author:Lois Richer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2013-09-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

On June 21, Sara went to the beach after dinner.

Since it was the longest day of the year she intended to stay awhile—daylight now lasted well into the wee morning hours. She sat on a bench, backed by the massive, smooth boulders that surrounded Hudson Bay, mesmerized by the elegant dips and dives of gigantic whales floating in the bay.

Silently she pleaded with God to lead her to her father.

“Sara?”

She turned her head. Kyle stood several feet away, breathing heavily from the effort of making his way out to her.

“May I join you?”

“Sure.” She studied his careful progress toward her, noting how he avoided the lichen-covered bits of rock, which might be slippery.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Enjoying this.” She moved her arm to include the panorama before them. “It’s nine o’clock at night yet still as bright as this morning. I can’t get over it.”

“All part of living in the North,” he said with a grin. “And you’re not the only one enjoying the light.” He pointed out the lawn chairs dotting the crest of the hill above them. “When summer arrives in Churchill, we don’t like to miss a day.”

She smiled at the we. So he still considered himself a Native. Good. Maybe he’d finally realize how much he was needed here.

Kyle sat beside her, his shoulder brushing hers. Unnerved by his touch, Sara turned her attention back to the bay and pointed.

“See those whales? They’re black. But I read that Churchill whales are white.”

“There are two main types of whales that come here,” he explained. “Beluga whales are a gray-white. They go into the Churchill river to have their babies.” He pointed. “They come right alongside a boat, so close you can pet their heads.”

“Really?” She sighed. “I would love to do that.”

“I used to do it in a kayak,” he murmured, his gaze on the horizon, deep in thought. After a moment he spoke again. “Those—” he pointed toward the bay “—are the big guys. They also come here to give birth but because of their size, they have to stay in the bay where the water’s deeper.”

“Laurel said something about there being a fort here?” She leaned back, thrilling to the sound of his deep voice and the way his whole manner grew more animated when he spoke about the town.

“Of course. Prince of Wales Fort,” Kyle told her. “Originally called Eskimo Point. Dad and I used to do a boat tour there.

“The fort was built by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1717 to protect and control their interests in the fur trade. It has forty-two cannons with more across the river at Cape Merry. It’s a protected heritage site now.”

Sara hugged her arms around her waist and imagined Churchill long ago. “This place has so much history. Everywhere you look there’s evidence of people pulling together, of families building their homes in a new and unfamiliar land. I’m going to miss the community’s closeness when I leave at Christmas.”

“What’s stopping you from staying?” he asked, one eyebrow arched.

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