It was a long, long, hot day. Jed rubbed his forehead wearily with the back of his hand. After dragging the bear’s carcass the last mile, most of it uphill, Jed skinned it carefully, then built a fire in both the cookstove and the fireplace, plus in the fireplace outside. Explaining to Lizzie the need to cook the meat thoroughly to prevent trichinosis, he showed her the pages in the cookbook explaining the preservation process of precooking the meat and covering it in melted grease. The grease prevented contact with air, thus preventing contamination or spoilage. It was not the best way to preserve meat, but it was the best they had available. It would prevent them from getting sick, and the meat would go a long way to provide for them through the winter.
Lizzie wore one of her well-worn T-shirts and a pair of shorts instead of her buckskins, but even so her face was sweat-streaked, and tendrils of hair pulled from her ponytail were hanging around her ears. She had the large cast iron pot hanging from the crane over the fire in the fireplace and was stirring the meat and broth with a long-handled spoon.
Jed looked in the door and thought she looked wonderful. He wanted to put his arms around her and tell her how much he loved her but knew now was not the time. He would wait until they were rescued, and he could talk with her father. It was going to be difficult enough for people to believe they had not been immoral when they returned. He must be careful for it to remain true.
Tommy lifted his head and watched as Jed stuck his head in the doorway, alert for any danger to Lizzie. Jed smiled at the sight of the dog curled up in the corner of the kitchen, out of the way but close to her. Tommy had really taken to her, and he looked as if he had never been away from home, other than being so skinny. Lizzie dished a small chunk of bear fat from the pot and blew on it until cool before tossing it to Tommy, whose tail beat a tattoo on the floor. Tommy wasn’t going to stay skinny long. Jed shook his head and walked back out to where he had the bear hide tacked to the wall. He grasped a scraper and began scraping the last of the fat and meat remnants from the skin.