Free The House by the Fjord by Rosalind Laker Page A

every tree in sight. Then she heard sleigh bells and watched in delight as one of the local farmers drove past on his sleigh, the first of many that she was to see in the days and weeks ahead.
    As soon as Anna had had her breakfast, she wrapped up warmly in a thick jacket that her aunt had sent at her request, with some other items of winter clothing for her extended visit. Then, pulling her woollen cap well down over her ears, she went outside. The cold air stung her nostrils and nipped her cheeks, but she was so delighted with the glorious scene all around her that she scarcely noticed. Odin, seeing her, began jumping at his leash, eager for a walk, and she released him to let him go bounding along beside her.
    She made two discoveries as they walked the lane, which had already been cleared by a snowplough. Firstly, the dry cold did not penetrate her warm clothing and, secondly, the snow did not have the wet texture of the snow she was used to in England, but due to the low temperature it flew up like grains of rice when she kicked it.
    She walked as far as Molly’s cabin where she was welcomed in for a steaming cup of coffee while Odin settled down on the porch outside. Later they would go off to learn a Scottish dance new to them under Helen’s supervision. Anna was enjoying the lessons. The war brides had been given permission to hold their lessons in an old shed on the airfield, which was not used by the air force. The Highland music was supplied by a gramophone, Helen having brought the records with her from Scotland.
    All the war brides agreed that their first winter in Norway had not been as cold as this one was proving to be. For some time now officers and ranks alike were wearing well-fitting greatcoats and handsome round fur hats with the insignia of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Pat and Sally took their toddlers, well wrapped up, out on little sleds just as the local people did. Anna decided that one of these sleds, which were sold in the local shop, was just what she needed. She could pull along her purchases whenever foodstuffs were on sale there or elsewhere on the farms, for she had discovered that even a well-gloved hand soon became stiff and chilled to the bone when carrying anything and was agony to thaw in lukewarm water. It would be easier to pull a sledge by straps over her shoulders, even though it would make her feel as if she were ready to accompany Amundsen to the South Pole.
    When Fru Dahl, whose daughter did her shopping for her, saw Anna about to set out with the sled, she beckoned to her to wait. A few minutes later, the old lady reappeared with a dog’s sled harness for Odin. Afterwards, to Anna’s delight, he pulled the shopping effortlessly for her.
    The daily temperature at Gardermoen began to average well below zero. Soon it was said generally to be the coldest winter in living memory and even Oslo fjord had begun to freeze. Anna’s aunt wrote from England that it was the coldest season that she or anyone else could remember and the whole of Europe seemed similarly afflicted by the merciless weather.
    Everything carried on as usual in Norway. Trains kept running and snow ploughs kept the roads clear, although the former were not always on time due to unusual avalanches of snow blocking the lines and having to be cleared. Military flying was often curtailed, for heavy falls of snow were frequent, obliterating everything, but the social life of the airfield continued unhampered and many people went around on skis. Olav and Molly taught Anna to ski and she was quick to learn, in spite of many falls in the process.
    It was because she was unused to such cold weather that it played tricks on her. She had been warned never to touch metal outside with her bare hand or else she would stick to it, which she was careful to remember, but she had given up hanging out her washing because it became as stiff as boards in a matter of seconds. One day the local shop had had some jellies