Marie The Builder’s Wife

By Anne Welters

Marie The Builder’s Wife

When Marie met Fred she was taken in by his charm and could not foresee the heartache she would endure. Could she bear the strain? Would she survive?
She was tested over and over and the thought of doing what her father had done to their family made her doubt if she could do what he could not. Did she deserve happiness or was it only for a chosen few?
Fred found that strength and courage was not all that one needed and that fate was a strong contender. Above all though, faith was what one needed for the battle to survive.
“I loved reading this interesting family history. It is beautifully written, with warmth and compassion.”
Editor’s comment

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anne Welters
• Release date: Feb 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9780620732840

Book preview

Prologue

The funeral was over and most of the people had left with the empty plates that they had brought earlier filled with sandwiches of cheese and cold meats. The bread was freshly baked as were the scones with cream and jam that were put on the dining table with the other dishes for the mourners.

Martha had been a good mother and wife and her illness, although not long, had nevertheless been traumatic for her family. The five girls and one boy ranged in age from twelve to one. It was after the youngest was born that her health had begun to wane. Life was demanding on a farmstead and the older girls had to help as best they could until their brother was old enough to be of any use. The household chores were also important and Martha knew she depended too heavily on her two older daughters but she was just too weak to manage by herself. It was not that the children were not loved because they were but her strength was so sapped that she could barely get herself washed in the mornings.

Martha Nortier had been very young when she arrived with her parents from France and she hardly remembered anything from the time before the family moved to South Africa. People of many cultures from over the world had settled in South Africa and over time and with intermingling they had eventually all become one nation. Dutch was spoken in schools and later the language evolved to Afrikaans, which was a combination of Dutch and German with a smattering of French and English.

Once she was married, it was Martha who had looked after their farm in the district of Groot Marico, where the soil was good for farming, while her husband was on the war front, returning home only on his leave. When her second youngest was born he was away and he only got to see his daughter a month later to register her birth with the local authorities. When he finally returned and his wife gave birth to another girl he was happy.  Martha did not regain her strength as quickly as she did after the birth of her other children and Johannes saw her slowly fading away no matter how he tried to help her.

Johannes was considerate towards his ailing wife but was himself strained with all the work on the farm. The corn was standing high in the fields and with their older girls helping him Martha had to rely on Linah, her house helper, to look after the little ones. When she looked at the two toddlers, Maria barely three years old and Kowie not yet one, crawling on the floor, her heart was heavy. The realisation that she would not see them grow up saddened her but she never said anything to her husband, not wanting to alarm him. Her family was her greatest joy and all she could do was smile indulgently when they came to her for a hug or a kiss when they’d hurt themselves. It was even an effort to touch their little heads before they went off again. Johannes was a good father and she knew he would look after them, although there was just that something in her heart that caused some doubt.

Chapter One

Johannes could not look at the faces of his children where they stood in a row like a cattle exhibition. When he’d briefly spoken to them earlier his voice had kept fading away as the emotion he felt overwhelmed him. He had tried to manage on his own after his wife had died but knew he could not carry on as he was doing. The widow that he had met was young and he had not wasted any time in proposing, thinking she could be a mother to his children along with her own son. It was only weeks after, when he was truly in love again, that she told him she did not want to be a stepmother and in fact made him promise that he would ask others to take in his children. The older girls she said could be a great help to other people who had no daughters and the younger ones could be taken in where another mouth to feed would not be too difficult.

He had not said anything to the children except for his oldest daughter, Martha, whom they all called ‘Sis’, because she was the eldest. She had been appalled that he could even think of giving his children away but kept herself from crying so he could not see how hurt she was. It was she who had to pack a small parcel of clothing for each of her siblings to take with them and it was she who had to tell them that they would be going to live with other families. She tried to make it sound exciting for them and only shared her sorrow with her sister Dolly, who was devastated when she told her. The two girls cried in each other’s arms and afterwards pledged themselves to keep contact with the younger children and to look after their interests as best they could. They did not know how and if they would be able to do so but sealed their promise with a kiss on both cheeks.

And now, as they stood in a row, Sis held her two youngest sisters’ little hands tightly as they shyly tried to hide behind her. Earlier she and Dolly had washed and dressed the younger ones in their best clothes, hugging them and kissing their foreheads and telling them how much they were loved. Sis saw Dolly’s silent tears glisten on her cheeks and Sarah, her younger sister, looking down to hide her face. Daniel, their only brother, stood defiant with his chest pushed out to hide his feelings and at that moment Sis made a vow that no matter what happened she would make sure that they were together again one day.

One by one the children were called to leave with their new families. Some would become part of an already existing unit and others would be used by families for the labour that they needed.

When all the people had left, Johannes walked to the barn where he sat down on a wooden crate holding his worn hat in his hands. Big tears dropped onto the rough floor making little splashes as they fell. His heart was torn apart and a great emptiness was all around him as he stared at the walls. When he felt more composed, he promised himself that he would visit his children as often as he could and that they would not forget him.

But Johannes was not experienced enough for his cunning new wife and the visits to see his children that he’d promised himself were few and far apart.

Years later when they gathered at their father’s graveside they were no longer the small children he had given away and the rumour that he had been poisoned by his wife did not pass them by. That they did not inherit anything from their father was of no surprise to them. They did not greet the widow as she stood with her son and turned away as if they did not know them.

Chapter Two

True to her word, Sis wrote to her siblings on a regular basis. She had found work in a clothing shop in the small town where she found herself with her new family. She left their home as soon as she could and rented a room in a house near to the shop where she was employed so she could walk to work. The pay was meagre but her needs were few and she saved every penny she could to fulfil the promise she’d made to her siblings.

The letters Sis received from her brother and sisters were not filled with tears and sadness only and she was grateful that the people looking after her family were kind to them even if not always fair. She also knew from the letters that the children worked hard for these families but that was expected and she always encouraged them to try their best.

Sis was a trusted and well-liked worker and was sometimes invited to the home of the owner of the shop where she worked to give a hand to his wife, Rachel. While she was helping Rachel in the kitchen with the washing up of the dishes one day, their conversation took an unexpected turn.

‘You know, my dear,’ Rachel said, ‘my brother Reg is looking for a companion for our ailing sister who lives with him and I wondered if any of your sisters were perhaps suitable for the position.’

Sis stopped what she was doing and looked at the woman in surprise.

‘What is it that they would need to qualify?’ she asked.

The grey-haired woman looked at her employee standing with the dishcloth in her hands and for a fleeting moment thought she had made a mistake by mentioning it. She and her husband had grown fond of Sis and knew she had a sad childhood behind her and also that she wrote regularly to her sisters and brother. Sis was not one of them but she was always willing to help and she respected their religion as a trusted employee and friend.

Their son was away at university and seldom paid them a visit in his holidays, preferring instead to go to his friends who lived in the city. Sis had become to them like an outside member of their extended family and, even though she kept to herself mostly, they liked to have her with them. They had often spoken about the sisters and brother who lived with other people and this was why on that day Rachel had asked Sis that question. Rachel knew her brother to be a kind man and his wife was not too difficult but found looking after her sister-in-law a burden. This was why Reg had decided to find someone who could keep their sister company and look after her personal needs. Besides, Sis had told Rachel that her younger sister Maria, whom they called Marie, was a quiet girl and good with needlework. As there were not many work opportunities in the small town where Marie stayed, Rachel thought this arrangement could be of benefit to all.

When Rachel had first suggested Marie as companion for their sister, her brother Reg was sceptical but since then he had told her that he would consider such an arrangement and that as he wanted their sister to be well taken care of he would think about it.

That evening, after all her chores were done, Sis took out paper and pencil and wrote to Marie to tell her about the offer. The letter went in the morning mail and within a fortnight an excited Marie arrived. Rachel immediately took to the girl and arrangements were made for the two of them to travel to her brother, where Rachel would introduce Marie to Reg, his wife and sister.

It was a good match and Marie looked after Reg’s sister in a kind and loving way, winning the respect of all. Her own foster mother had reared her with discipline and hard work in a humble manner. She had also taught her to be a seamstress who sewed neat stitches and Marie knew all the different textures of materials. Her bedroom was small and joined that of her charge but she did not mind this. The sun threw rays of light over the foot of her bed in the late afternoons and she loved the warmth with which it filled the small room.

In the evenings, when her charge was settled, Marie made her own clothes and she was content in doing what she did. Her employer and his family were kind and she never felt that she was treated with anything but respect.

The suburb where they stayed was fairly new and Marie saw houses being built further along the road as she walked to the shops whenever her charge wanted something special. Marie had become used to the men building the houses whistling at her as she passed. She just smiled and quickened her step not wanting to jeopardise her position in any way. She would always be grateful to Rachel, who had persuaded Reg to employ her. She really liked working for the family and although they had a different religion from her own she easily fitted in, respecting all their holy days and customs. Her employer was a popular doctor and his working from home meant that Marie sometimes helped in the office when she was free. Although the wage was not high, she did not complain because she had free board and lodging and time to sew, which she enjoyed very much.

The men in their white overalls working on one of the houses along the road laughed and joked while meticulously measuring each and every angle to ensure a truly professional finish to the wall they were busy plastering. There was a feeling of camaraderie among the men, who knew each other from previous projects, and each knew the limits of the other and depended on a job well done from all. Among the builders was Fred, who with his brother De Wet did the plastering of the walls. These brothers were