by Paty Jager
Kelda repositioned herself at the springboard and pushed off the ground, using her arms to propel her knees onto the board. She stood, caught her balance, and grasped the axe. Her feet were braced shoulder width apart as she swung the axe to make the next notch.
“Hand up a board,” she called down to Hank after the notch was made.
“You’re as agile as a cat,” Hank said, handing her the board. The awe in his voice let loose bees buzzing in her belly. Far handed out praise like a card dealer dealing cards, so hearing the words didn’t inflate her head. But praise from Hank warmed and excited her. He’d been so against her working as a logger, that today could be the day she proved to him she belonged alongside him and the other men in the woods.
She set the board in the notch and climbed up. The hatchet hung from a leather belt around her waist. Using the hatchet, she tapped the trunk. The springboard was ten feet off the ground. Starting at the board, she tapped up to shoulder level. To get the best wood from this tree, she needed to go up another springboard.
Kelda picked up her axe and made another notch. “Hand me up another springboard then go back to camp and get two more boards and rope. You picked a tree that’s going to teach you everything you need to know.”
Hank handed the board up. “You sure it’s safe to leave you alone?”
She laughed at the worry in his voice and shook her head. “There’s not much trouble I can get into sitting on this springboard waiting for you to come back.”
He watched her for several heartbeats as if determining she would be safe. Kelda responded with a playful smile and waved him off. He turned and headed back to camp.
Kelda set the third springboard and climbed up. She sunk the ax into the tree and straddled the board peering out through the trees. This was what she enjoyed about the woods. Sitting at heights only birds flew and watching the wildlife scurry across the ground below. The trees grew thinner back toward camp, and she could see patches of the buildings and the chute disappearing up the side of the mountain.
Tomorrow, she’d take Hank up the mountain. They’d work with the other beasts, falling trees. Today, she’d keep it easy and make sure he handled an axe well and kept his wits about him.
Hank returned with the boards and rope.
“Make the notch for the first board opposite the first notch I made.” Kelda watched him pick up the axe and swing. “Whoa! It’s not so much strength, even though you do need it, but accuracy and a sharp blade that gets the chips flying. Take your cuts only an inch apart so it chips away at the tree. It goes faster and uses less energy than taking big bites and having to swing multiple times at the same spot.”
Hank took an experimental swing.
“Ja, like that. Use your arms and keep it accurate.” Her heart swelled when a grin slipped across his face. The determination in his eyes showed he wanted to learn.
He swung the axe and smaller chips flew out of the notch.
The fact he listened to her instructions and followed them without question vanished her fears of them butting heads while working together.
“Try the board. Remember you want it tight but you also need to be able to wedge it in.”
He planted the first springboard and looked up at her grinning like a boy with a slingshot.
“Good.” The pride expanding her heart made her chest ache. He learned quickly and had the patience it required to do a good job. “Lean the next board against the tree on the other side of the springboard. You have to be able to get a hold of it once you’re on the wedged board.”
He placed the board as she instructed. “Now, tie the rope around the last springboard and then the saw and toss the loose end up to me.”
Once the items were tied to the rope, Hank tossed the end up to her.
“Climb up on the first board and make the notch for the second one.”
She sat on her board, her feet dangling down, watching Hank work from the springboard. Her stomach clenched a couple times when the board started bouncing the opposite of his strokes and he nearly toppled off.
“Work with the bounce. Use it to help propel your swing.”
“You’ve gained a lot more of my esteem. You made putting in a springboard and working from one look easy.” He peered into her eyes as he wiped at the sweat beading his brow. The sincerity would have toppled her off the board if she hadn’t been sitting down.
Finally, the second notch was ready, and he wedged the board in and climbed up higher. The tree was large enough that she could no longer see him, only hear him as he worked.
“I’m ready for the other board,” he called from the far side.
“Coming from the north,” she said, untying the board and holding it out toward the north end of the tree. This would be the hard part. Could he reach the board without falling? Or her stretching to help him?
The board tugged. “Let go.”
She released her end and watched the end dip then disappear. The screech of wood rubbing against wood signified he was wedging the board in. After a few moments and a grunt, Hank’s face appeared around the side of the tree.
“Now what?”
“We work at making the notch to fall the tree. Work in rhythm, chipping away at this side of the trunk.” She stood and yanked her axe out of the tree. “I’ll start and you follow.”
She swung the blade, biting into the wood. Hank followed with a swing, and they started a syncopated rhythm that tossed chips to the ground and matched the beat of her heart.
Fifteen minutes later, the tree had a notch two feet high and a third of the way into the tree. Kelda stopped. “Now we saw.”
Hand over hand, she pulled the rope up, until the saw handle was the next thing she grasped. She turned her back to the notch and swung the saw to the rounded side of the tree. “Catch!”
There was a tug. “Now what?” Hank called.
“We start sawing. Just like with the axes, we have to get into a rhythm to make it work.” Again, her heart soared as they fell into an easy rhythm. She’d worked with some who never could get a smooth motion going with the saw. They usually ended up working the chute, dragging the trees, or being a whistle punk.
When the tree started leaning, Kelda shouted, “Two more strokes and drop down to sit on the board.” She heaved the saw his way and he heaved it back. The saw slacked, she wiggled it out and dropped to the springboard as the tree slowly descended to the ground with a loud thwhump and shook the fifteen foot stump.
She peered across the cut. Hank’s lips curved into a huge smile, his eyes glint with excitement, and his flushed face beamed.
“Feels good doesn’t it?” Kelda said, lifting one eyebrow and smiling back with as much exuberance.
“Yeah!”
Chapter 27
Hank was still buzzing from the excitement of cutting down five trees. Three he worked with Kelda and the last two she let him do on his own. He’d begun to see why she was adamant about working in the woods. When they weren’t sawing or chopping, the quiet and the scents invaded his thoughts more than when he rode through the trees. There was something about harvesting the trees that made them more than just an object to look at or use for fuel or building.
He understood the excitement that followed the men in to dinner every night. Rather than stand in line with the others to clean up before dinner, he washed up in the office. Knowing he’d walk Kelda back to her cabin after dinner, he wanted to wash away the sweat and put on a clean shirt. Courting required he clean up and make a show of caring about his appearance.
Crossing the office, he caught sight of Kelda out the small window. He stood at the window watching her stride toward the cookhouse. Her hair looked freshly combed and her face glowed. His heart picked up pace as she laughed and talked with the others. The respect the men gave her came from her prowess in the woods and not that she was a woman.
After witnessing the strength in her both mentally and physically as she taught him the fundamentals of falling trees, he understo
od that respect. He couldn’t believe how easily she went from springboard to springboard. If she could have seen him when he was getting from the second board to the third she would have fallen off laughing at him. The board had started bouncing, and he’d had trouble getting his balance to swing up to the next board. He was surprised she hadn’t called out asking what was taking so long. He smiled. Perhaps she knew and planned to torment him with knowledge tonight when they were alone.
He quickly donned his coat and headed to the cookhouse. Everyone stood at his entrance, taking him by surprise. Arvid waved him to his seat between Tobias and Kelda.
“You are officially a beast.” Arvid raised his coffee cup. Everyone cheered and raised their cups before drinking, what Hank discovered to be akevitt when he tipped his cup to his lips.
Lars placed the platters and bowls of food on the table.
“I had a very good teacher,” Hank said, gazing down at Kelda’s blushing face.
The men all cheered again.
“What else is she teaching you?” a call asked from down the table.
Silence filled the room like a gust of cold air.
Anger washed through Hank, pushing him to his feet. He scanned the length of the table looking for the man who sullied Kelda’s reputation.
“Sit.” Arvid’s command wrenched his attention from his hunt to Kelda’s father. The firm set to his mouth and glint of steel in the old man’s eyes told him, the culprit would be dealt with.
Hank sank back down on the bench but not before sending a glower down one side of the table and up the other. He thought he saw Peder flinch. Could he be the one who uttered the comment?
Kelda placed her hand on his thigh. He peered into her face. She shook her head and turned to accept the bowl of potatoes from the man on the other side of her. Hank put food on his plate and ate, but he didn’t remember the act of eating. His mind ran down the line of loggers at the table figuring out who had said the comment and if he should give out a punishment. He’d not have anyone yelling out rude comments about Kelda.
The pile of dirty plates arrived in front of him and he passed them to Tobias. The commotion of the men leaving distracted him from his thoughts. Kelda placed her hand on his arm and leaned into him.
“Are you walking me to my cabin?” she whispered in his ear.
He wanted to turn his head and kiss her, but after the comment he didn’t want to show her any affection with others around. It was bad enough Tobias caught them the day before kissing in the office.
He nodded and she stood.
“Kelda, Hank, I want a word with you,” Arvid said, holding his cup up. Tobias jumped up and snatched the coffeepot off the stove, refilling his father’s as well as Kelda’s, Hank’s, Karl’s and Dag’s cups.
The refilled cups meant they’d be discussing something. Hank raised the cup to his lips and studied the Nielsen men. The younger men appeared fidgety. What was the old man up to?
“Kelda tells me you did a fine job today, and you’re ready to work with the rest of us.” Arvid motioned to his daughter with his cup.
Pride once again swelled Hank’s chest. His ability to learn things fast had come in handy today. “Thank you, sir. Like I said earlier, I had a good teacher. I can see why you take so much pride in your children. I’ve learned a lot about this business from every one of them.”
Arvid’s eyes glistened, and his grin ran from ear to ear. “Ja, they are good children who make me proud.” His gaze landed on Kelda and his expression sobered.
“Because of the comment earlier in the meal, I feel you two should not work together.” He held up his hands as Kelda sputtered. “I believe you when you say you worked hard. It can be seen by the logs Smithy dragged from that small grove and the dulled blades on your axes.” He sighed. “But because goodwill between all my workers makes for less problems, Hank will work with Dag from now on. Kelda, you will work with Peder, he’s still not as well trained as he should be. Perhaps he will listen to you.”
Hank’s gut twisted. He was positive Peder had made the comment. Arvid had to have seen the man utter the words from his vantage at the head of the table.
Kelda’s hand sought his and squeezed.
“I don’t want to overstep since I’m new to logging, but wouldn’t it make more sense to put Peder with Karl since he has an interest in Kelda, too?” Hank didn’t want to sound jealous, but he wasn’t happy with the match up.
“I’ll keep an eye on them and if things don’t work, I’ll make changes.” Arvid downed his coffee and stood. “Kelda, Mor would like to visit with you.”
Hank stood when Kelda stood. “I’ll wait for you.”
She nodded and walked into the back room with her father.
“Kelda was impressed with your work.” Dag took a sip of coffee and eyed Hank.
“It was harder than I figured, but I now understand the draw.” Hank sat back down and finished off his coffee wondering how long Kelda would be.
“Don’t worry about Peder. Kelda will treat him like she does everyone else, and he’ll get the message she’s not interested in him,” Tobias said, picking at the bread still sitting on the table.
Hank turned to Tobias. “He’s the one who made the comment isn’t he?”
Tobias glanced across the table at Karl and shrugged. “I was taking a drink and didn’t see who said it.”
What was Arvid up to putting Kelda and Peder together? It didn’t make sense. Hank studied the brothers and realized none of them were willing to make any guesses. He walked over to the drain board to hand Lars his cup.
“Did you see who shouted out that comment?” Hank asked, knowing Lars was on their side.
“Nei. I was working.” The regret on Lars face told Hank he would have helped him knock some sense into whoever uttered the words.
Hank slapped the man on the back and sat back down. The unease in him wouldn’t settle. He stood back up and paced to the door and back. He’d be better off to go to the office and have Tobias tell Kelda that’s where he went. Solitude was better company than the three men staring at him.
“Tell Kelda I’ll be at the office when she’s done.” Hank raised his hand to grab his coat.
“Tell her yourself.”
Hank spun around as Kelda walked away from the backroom.
“Are you leaving without me?” she asked, hurrying across the room.
“I-I was going to wait for you at the office.” His heart skipped witnessing the disappointment on her face. “But now that you’re ready to go, I’ll escort you to your cabin.”
He held out her coat, Kelda slipped her arms in and flashed him a heart-stopping smile. Hank hustled her out of the cookhouse and across the camp to her cabin without a word. The moment they were behind the closed door, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Long and hot, the way he’d been dreaming about all day.
Kelda’s body sagged into Hank’s arms. Her mind fogged from the heated kiss and roaming hands of Hank. She’d dreamt of their coming together all day, but the reality was far better than any dream. Her coat was suffocating with the heat swirling in her body. The kiss was heavenly, but she needed out of the coat before she burst into flames.
Leaning out of the kiss, she drew in great gulps of air. “Please. Out of my coat. Hot.”
Hank backed up. “Sorry. I didn’t want to wait any longer to kiss you.” His hands unbuttoned her coat and hung it on the peg in one fluid movement. His coat followed, and they sat on her cot their lips locked once again.
Her heart hammered in her chest as his hands slipped under her shirt and chemise, scorching her skin with his calloused palm. The roughness scraped her nipple. The contact extracted a moan and her body arched into his hand. She craved his touch, his kiss, his body.
Kelda worked her fingers down his shirt buttons exposing his chest to her palms. The heat and solidness fascinated and enhanced her need to touch more. She pushed the flannel and the undershirt down his arms, gliding her fingers over the muscles o
f his arms and marveling at the shape and how they’d worked the axe today.
Hank pulled his hands out of her shirt and leaned his forehead on hers. “We can’t go any farther. Not here in camp. I won’t have someone catching us.” He kissed her nose and slowly pulled his shirt back up on his arms.
“Put the bar across the door and no one will see.” Why did he always have to be so staid and worry about her reputation? If they married there was nothing sullied.
“You weren’t all that quiet at the cabin.” His feral smile and heated gaze vibrated her body and started the throb between her legs.
“I can be quiet. Love me and I’ll prove it.” She raised an eyebrow, daring him.
“Woman.” He grasped her shoulders and kissed her senseless, again.
How she loved the forcefulness and starvation of his kisses. It was as if her essence was all that kept him from starving and he could do nothing to keep from kissing her. His need for her was an elixir she would never outgrow.
Her hands rubbed against the hardness in his lap. He groaned in her mouth, nipped her lips, and set her away from him. She watched his eyes slowly open as he stood. The darkness and heat curved her lips into a knowing smile. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.
She reached out to him, but he took a step back.
He ran a hand over his face and stared at her. “I’m making a rule. One that will not be broken.” The steel in his eyes revealed this was a rule she’d better follow.
Kelda swallowed and nodded slightly.
“We will not make love in the camp until we’re married.” She started to say something, and he held up a hand. “I’ll not have any more comments like was uttered at the table tonight. If I knew who said it they would be nursing a beating right now.”
She’d felt the anger in him when the comment was uttered. She also knew the voice and wasn’t happy Far had paired her up with the man. But she’d go to her grave before she’d let Hank know the person. She feared for both men. Peder, that he would be beat to within an inch of his life, and Hank, being able to cope with that kind of anger afterwards. She’d hold her tongue to save them both.
