Fiery Passion

by Dawn Luedecke

  Once satisfied of the mills status, she’d snuck back into the house, careful not to wake him. Now here she stood. Waiting. Pacing.

  She flicked her skirts out and began to walk the room again.

  Her mother eased through the door as regally as she always did. “I’ve already warned your father several times over the past few years about pacing right there. You both are going to wear a hole straight through the carpet.”

  Victoria stopped and faced her. Regardless of whatever happened in the past, whatever her faults, she loved her mother. She’d always been kind and loving. A good mother and wife. And what family didn’t have their secrets.

  Victoria scratched the side of her forehead. I wonder what secrets Wall’s family hides? She was certain they had some, but alas that was for another time. Today she needed to focus on her problems.

  And maybe see if her father would take over the mill again. Let her move to Hartland to be with Wall.

  “Your father will be down shortly. He’s getting dressed. He’s anxious to see you.”

  Her chest dropped to her stomach. Of course he was. He needed to flay into her for ruining his mill. Victoria answered with one of her social smiles, which elicited a frown from her mother who knew her almost as well as Wall now did.

  As if conjured by the conversation, her father appeared in the doorway looking as he always did. Happy and rounded, a newspaper in one hand and a fresh cup of coffee in the other.

  Victoria glanced at her own cold cup and frowned. Ms. Bates must have noticed her consumption and hid the remaining pot. Unlike her father, Victoria knew she looked as tired and exhausted as she felt.

  “Vickie, my little girl.” Her father stepped heavily toward her and kissed her forehead. “I’ve missed you dearly. You’ll not believe what I saw over in Washington.”

  “I’m assuming trees since you disappeared into a forest and gave us all a fright.”

  Her father laughed so hard his belly shook, and he then sat in his favorite Bonner home chair. “Yes, yes, but the biggest trees you’ll ever see. It would take maybe six or eight men touching fingers to go around one.”

  “And you left me to lose the mill to Luther so you could discover a tree?” Her fingers began to shake, and she forced herself to control her tone as she spoke. “You made me have to struggle to keep the mill alive while you discovered a forest?”

  “I didn’t know you were going through all this until Paul found me out by the coastline.” He waved toward where the mill office building stood outside their mill-yard home.

  “You would have if you’d have checked in more than once when you got to Seattle. Told someone where you were going.”

  “I planned to, but your mother would have stopped me.” Her father slid a nervous glance to her mother, who stood in the corner crying. “I left a note.”

  “I don’t think she received it until after Paul got there.” Victoria’s hand shook now, and she didn’t try to hide her tone. “You could have been killed and no one would have discovered your remains for centuries. The land over there is still wild like most of Montana.”

  “Now see here, young lady, you can’t speak to your old man in such a tone.” He waggled the newspaper at her.

  Victoria began to pace again. “I can when he’s acting like a young fool, and no one else will take him to task. You left us all helpless. We lost the mill land to Luther. Have you heard?”

  “Yes. I have.”

  She stopped walking. “And what do you have to say about that?”

  Her father raised his chin. “I say it was an inevitable occurrence.”

  “So you knew Sanchez planned to take half the mill and you left me? Helpless.”

  “I left you with Paul. How was I supposed to know he would leave you to come looking for me?” Her father slammed his newspaper down on his knee. “Or that Sanchez was back in town. Last I’d heard he’d slunk out of here like the snake he is.”

  “And Luther? What do you have to say about him? You deprived me of a brother for my entire life, and then hid his existence from me. Now he hates us.”

  “His lot in life is unfortunate, but not uncaring. He was raised in a loving household. His attitude toward us is not because of deprivation of money or family, but because of who he is as a person. His father’s bitterness. He was given every opportunity to advance when he came to me for a job. He was offered a position in the mill, but chose the camp. I suspect he and his father had this plan all along, and I don’t think I could have even won the legal battle. You did just fine, daughter.”

  Victoria crossed her arms over her chest. Her guilt eased ever so slightly. “I still haven’t forgiven you for leaving me helpless.”

  “I don’t expect you to.”

  Victoria stood tapping her finger against her biceps as she watched her father for a second. “Fine. Now here’s what’s happened since Luther took the land.” She walked to the side table near the coffee where she’d placed the list of farmers who wanted land cleared, the one Willa had given her. “I’ve secured a list of farmers over in Hartland who need their places cleared. I’ve rented one lot from a widow who needs the money, but the rest of the farmers simply need the trees gone.”

  “Douglas fir,” her father said, his voice tinged with pride.

  “Yes. When Garrett brought me home, he said he could get the rails built out there by spring. I plan to send a winter crew out to cut the logs and line them up to be transported as soon as the rail line is working. We will have the fir to the mill by the springtime without needing to depend on a spring runoff.”

  “Good, good. How long is this going to last us? One season? What do we have beyond that?”

  “I haven’t figured things out that far yet, but there is prime land farther up the valley. Untouched and wild.”

  “But?”

  “It all belongs to Hamilton Adair.”

  “And he is giving you problems? Do you need me to go talk to him? Convince him with a little intimidation?”

  Victoria shook off her father’s offer. “No. We have some time to figure things out. In fact, I thought I might talk to Mr. Boilson. I know he has some dealings up there. He might be able to help convince Mr. Adair that wood is just as important as cattle.”

  “We can go over there right now.” Her father drank his now-cold coffee in one gulp, and stood. “You did it, my girl. Gone and got the wood for the railroad at least. The mine will back our play and we’ll be set up in Hartland with the railroad logging. What a revolutionary you’ve become for us.”

  “I didn’t do it. Wall Adair did.”

  “Ah, yes. Your mother told me you were set to be wed to the boy.”

  “Which is not true.”

  With those words, her father frowned. “And why not?”

  “Because it can’t work between us. He is a cowboy who is needed on the ranch in Hartland, and I am a business woman who is running a mill from Bonner.”

  “A dilemma for certain,” her father said with a frown as he ushered her out the door and toward the stalls.

  “I’ll help saddle the horses,” she offered, and started to slide the halter over the nose of Wall’s horse.

  She led the gelding out of the stall as her father brought her a saddle and blanket, and heaved it onto the horse’s back. To her disappointment, she got to ride side saddle as she’d dressed in her regular wear instead of a split skirt.

  Had she been on the ranch, things would have been different even with something as simple as which saddle to use. Thanks to Wall’s sister’s influence.

  After a few minutes, she tugged tight on the cinch, and mounted as her father did the same with his horse. An hour, and one mountainous ride later, they rode into the Boilson Mine property.

  She dismounted following her father, and tied her horse on the hitching post as Mr. Boilson himself came out to greet them.r />
  “Abner,” he called with a smile. He nodded toward her. “Miss Victoria.”

  “Mr. Boilson.” She took the steps as he turned and motioned toward his office.

  “What brings you to the mine?”

  “I’ve come to inquire about your dealings in Hartland.”

  “Heard about that, did ya?” Mr. Boilson looked more pleased than ashamed as she thought he would if conspiring against her and Great Mountain as she’d believed. “Could go either way, but one things for certain, we’re going to need more timber. Triple what we already got since we’ll be starting from scratch with a new building and all.”

  Victoria shook her head. “I’m sorry…wha—”

  “I’m not as in the loop as my daughter,” her father interrupted. “Could you fill me in on your plans in Hartland?”

  Mr. Boilson waved toward her father. “Of course, of course. I heard you’d gone on vacation. We signed a partnership with Hamilton Adair to mine up there. Seems he found some color on his land, and has his hands too full to bother with it by himself. We’ll be doing it right. Building a whole new mine up there, way up in the mountains, building and all. So we’ll need all the wood we can get.”

  Victoria’s heart started to beat so fast she could hear the blood rushing past her ears. At least this part of her business dealings hadn’t gone against her, but now she needed more wood. How was she going to provide the harvest? She clutched her necklace and stared at the table as her mind worked through possibilities. How would her grandmother have handled such a situation?

  “Unfortunately, we lost the land in a family dispute so we’re starting over. We can keep you supplied for this mine, but I’m afraid we can’t triple the contract at present.” Victoria glanced back up at Mr. Boilson, whose face dropped.

  He shook his head. “Shame. That Luther fella came in here only yesterday, offering me logs, but I turned him down. Said I had a good thing going with you and didn’t plan on changing my supplier, but if you can’t produce the wood—”

  “What if you came with us to talk to Mr. Adair?” The words flowed out of her mouth before she even had a chance to think about them.

  Both men watched her with matching questioning stares.

  “Mr. Adair has so many trees right there they are certain to become a fire hazard within the next few years. What if you came with us to pitch the business plan? The trees needed to run your operation can be provided from the same land you’re working on. Mr. Adair takes pride in the Lazy Heart. Perhaps using the wood from his ranch to build his mine will sway him our way.”

  Both her father and Mr. Boilson milled through her suggestion long enough to give her butterflies. She thought the plan a good one. Hopefully others would as well.

  * * * *

  Wall sat on his bed and tossed his boots across the room, not caring if they made a thump loud enough to bring his entire family in to yell at him for the noise. He’d spent the last two weeks gathering cows without so much as a word from Victoria.

  Was her father okay? Did she even make it back to the mill? He assumed she had or else Garrett would have sent word otherwise. Which only meant she’d moved on from him, or become consumed with her work.

  “Pa wants you downstairs,” Jax said as he stepped into Wall’s room.

  “What for? I just came in from the range and I’d like to clean up and maybe get a little shuteye.” Plus, the only thing keeping him sane these days was the smell of Victoria on his pillow, and the scent had already started to fade.

  He hadn’t told her then, but many times during the night he’d stood outside the bunkhouse where he’d stayed with the cowhands, and watched the window to his room, hoping to catch even the slightest glimpse of her as she went about her routines. Like some thief in the night. He’d followed his mother’s wishes to stay well away from her while she visited—except for the day at the swimming hole, but that was a time he’d never forget and never regret—but his promise to his mother had costed him many sleepless nights since they’d come to the ranch.

  And he hadn’t slept a wink since.

  He was tired, cantankerous, and not at all inclined to cater to whatever demands his father had now.

  Jax pivoted toward the door. “You’ll see once you’re downstairs, but I think you want to come quick.”

  Wall frowned and stood. In three steps, he plucked his boots from the floor where they fell, yanked them on, and then turned to follow.

  He entered his father’s office to a sight to steal the air from any man’s lungs. Victoria stood near the window with his father, both of her parents, and Mr. Boilson.

  His first instinct was to rush over to her and sweep her up. Carry her away to be alone, but he fought the urge. The flash in her eye showed she had similar thoughts.

  “Ah, there you are,” his father said, and motioned for him to join them. “Mr. Boilson and the Harrison’s have come to talk business.”

  “Business?” He tilted his head toward Victoria.

  She nodded. “I also brought your horse back.”

  “We have discovered a dilemma in our mining partnership,” Mr. Boilson addressed his father, “and I’m hoping we can come to a logical conclusion.”

  “Oh?” His father frowned deep. A frown that always preceded hard business deals. “And what sort of problems have you discovered? If I’m not mistaken, we already have a signed business agreement.”

  Mr. Boilson nodded several times. “We do, we do. Problem is, we need lumber to support our mine, and Mr. Harrison here is my supplier, and a damn good one. I’d like to keep him on, but he’s in need of more land to harvest.”

  “We just gave him land a few weeks ago.”

  “Unfortunately,” Victoria’s father interjected, “that will only cover our contracts for the railroad, and the lumber orders Mr. Boilson currently has contracted with us.”

  “We’re going to need triple the supply he has now,” Boilson said.

  Wall caught Victoria’s stare, and a smile fluttered at the corners of her mouth. His heart sped up when he realized she’d concocted the plan. Only how would this bring them together?

  “We figure there’s no better wood to be used for a Lazy Heart mine than from trees harvested from the land itself. Sort of like putting it back where it belongs,” Victoria said, and motioned toward the back of the house, and mountain beyond.

  His father’s face didn’t change from his business scowl, and Wall’s senses centered on every flinch he might give. Trying to gauge his reaction. After a moment his father shook his head a fraction of an inch, but one side of his mouth twitched. Wall wasn’t certain if he held back a snarl or a smile.

  “Well played, young lady,” his father said.

  Victoria perked one single eye brow up. “Thank you, sir.”

  Wall smiled.

  “What’s your plan for getting the trees from ground to mine?”

  Wall moved to stand beside her. Whether to be near her once more, or to give her support with his father, he didn’t know, but he felt the need to radiate toward her.

  As if she took strength in his movement, she squared her stance toward his father. “Garrett’s rail line will be set up here by spring. We’ll take the logs to the mill, prepare the boards, and ship them back. Wagons, chutes, and flumes, will take the loads between the ranches and the train.”

  His father shook his head. “I’m afraid I want to get the mine started before next year. We can find another supplier.”

  “What if we set up a mill right here in one of the fields?” Wall spit out before he’d thought through the idea.

  “I’m listening.” His father quirked his head toward him.

  Wall took a step back, shocked at his father’s reply. “A portable mill. I’ve heard of them being used out Wisconsin way. Luther is even said to be using one. I can get one designed and set up before the logg
ing team even gets to Hartland.”

  “How would a portable mill work exactly, son?” His father’s face fell back into his business scowl.

  “We’ll bring the logs down to the portable mill with a flume, cut the boards here, and then send the freshly cut boards up to the mine. It won’t be able to handle all of the logging work, but for the Lazy Heart Boilson Mine job, it would work.”

  “Is that something your company could do?” His father turned the question to Abner.

  “Yes, sir. I’ve heard of the portable mills. Never had one myself. Didn’t need to, but it could work.”

  “And what would it cost me? You taking my wood and selling it right back to me?”

  “We could cut the bill in half seeing as the logs aren’t coming to the mill, but I gotta pay my workers.”

  “Of course.” Wall’s father turned as his mother bustled into the room with a tray of refreshments.

  She set them on the side table, and then turned toward Victoria’s mother. “Mrs. Harrison, I’m terribly sorry I’ve kept you so long in this room, talking business without another woman.”

  Victoria’s mother waved off her concern. “Oh, it’s fine. I’m used to waiting for Abner to finish with his business before getting to the more pleasant conversational topics.”

  His mother searched everyone in the room. “Are we finished? Can we have some cocoa, and sit like polite people normally would?”

  Taken to task, his father extended his hand to Abner. “We have a deal. My son will start work on the portable mill as soon as all the cattle are done, and you can send your men up to start work whenever you’re ready. I’ll let Wall figure out the best section to start you on.”

  “Actually, I will be taking over the local operation,” Victoria declared, and raised her chin. “Father can run the mill again. Or Paul.”

  “I’d be more than happy to come back to work, my dear. A vacation was all the time off I needed,” her father said.

  “And me.” Her mother frowned at her father, and then addressed her. “But are you certain this is what you want?”

  Victoria took a single step forward. “Absolutely. I want to be here. In Hartland with Wall.”