by Marisa Logan
As the two men greeted each other, Lauren carefully took in the appearance of her ‘new neighbor’.
His dark hair and dark eyes clearly betrayed his Russian bloodline and his strong jaw and chiseled face were right out of a Tolstoy novel. He would have made the leading man in any good movie. The contrast between him and Carson was especially striking and the two men were nearly opposite ends of the same spectrum of handsome.
His voice rumbled from deep in his chest and his accent prevented her from comprehending anything he was saying, so she just stared in fascination. Amber was going to be sorry she’d taken that ride in the truck.
Quickly concluding their business, the man turned to get back on his horse without even acknowledging her presence. She wanted to be offended, but as he gathered the reins and began to turn away, he paused ever so briefly and stared right at her. She felt his look go through her skin and somehow she felt like he had looked right into her soul and knew everything about her. She felt her knees going weak as he broke off his gaze and gave a shrill whistle. The horse almost seemed to leap forward with an eagerness to be off, and the wolf was at their side in an instant. The three of them disappeared into the trees before she realized that she’d been holding her breath.
She turned to find Carson watching her with an amused look on his face. She blushed to the roots of her hair and beyond. He reached out his hand and gently touched her cheek with his thumb. She wanted to brush his hand away, but withheld the impulse to end the touch. Everything in her wanted to be touched in that moment as she felt overwhelmed by longing.
“Be careful, Cheechako. Some things up here aren’t meant to be tamed.”
Carson broke the spell with a laugh as he turned to secure his firearm into his shoulder holster and, in that instant, she felt young and foolish and lost in a world that she knew nothing about. Hoping to cover her embarrassment, she quickly gathered up her things and waited for him to finish his tasks.
“So, are you going to tell me,” she asked hesitantly. “Who was that?”
“That was Sergei Jameson, your closest neighbor,” Carson stated with a hint of his usual sarcasm. “Son of an American soldier and a Russian bride and a mystery beyond those simple facts. The only other thing I know about him is that he raises some of the best sled dogs in Alaska and has a team that runs the Iditarod every year and always seems to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack. You’ll be seeing him again. He’s also in charge of maintenance for the Dorman’s.”
Lauren absorbed all of this information with great interest. It was clear that her resolve to avoid men for at least a year was facing some unexpected challenges. So much for a wilderness inhabited by bears, wolves and moose. There were clearly even greater dangers lying in wait out here.
The two of them headed down the path towards the homestead without another word. As the trees closed in around them, Lauren edged a bit closer to Carson. She wasn’t sure what was lurking in the thick underbrush. Her ears strained to catch the sound of anything moving, but the silence was complete. Carson walked along as if he was taking a stroll through a city park. He didn’t seem to have a fear of anything as far as Lauren could see. She thrust her chin up and marched along behind him towards her new home, well, at least for the next year.
Chapter 7
The next few weeks passed in a blur of activity as the Dorman’s tried to teach the two women everything they’d need to know to make it through the winter so far out in the bush. The buildings were heated with a complex system powered by geothermal energy. It didn’t require much from them and Sergei handled the more technical details, but there were still things for them to learn.
The electrical power was provided by a combination of solar panels and a wind turbine with battery back-up. The solar wouldn’t provide much energy during the long, dark days of winter, but the wind was pretty constant. The Dorman’s assured them that there would be enough to meet their needs if they were careful to match their peak usage to the times of maximum production. Sergei was also the expert in maintaining these systems.
Lauren was the first to catch on to how all of this worked, so she took the lead in managing the household. There was bread to be baked and meals to be prepared, both for themselves and the occasional visitors.
The greenhouse and garden area were already in production and provided an abundant crop of a surprising variety of salad greens, squash, potatoes and other vegetables throughout the summer. Winter vegetables were stored in a root cellar under the main house.
Amber found her niche out in the barn as she learned how to care for the chickens and the goats. Eggs had to be collected daily and the goats were milked in the morning and the evening. There was an abundance of both and the excess was traded for meat and other items.
Mrs. Dorman showed them how to make goat cheese and soap for trade also. There was always a demand for good homemade soap.
Two dogs kept watch over the homestead and easily kept the larger animals away from the house. They were Anatolian Shepherds bred for protecting herds and well-used to the extremely cold weather. Their thick creamy colored coats and imposing size made them a sharp contrast to Maggie’s ragtag fur bag look but it only took a few sniffs for the three dogs to become fast friends. It was amusing to see the three of them running across the clearing, as Maggie was clearly no match for her new friends.
Both women fell in love with the three horses that roamed the homestead as freely as if they were pets. When anyone would step outside, at least one horse would meander over to investigate and say hello. Everyone carried sugar cubes or carrot sticks in their pockets for such occasions and the horses were quick to claim their treats. The Dorman’s explained how the horses came from Sergei’s breeding stock and that one of the mares was the dam to the black horse that he usually rode. When they’d gotten too old to continue breeding, he liked to retire them to homesteads where they had an easier life.
The Percheron’s were used to hauling logs or the hay wagon and didn’t mind being ridden and even Lauren soon learned to saddle them up for a quick ride around the clearing or out to the airstrip. She rarely ventured beyond these areas. These two horses were named Daisy and Petunia. Daisy was Lauren’s personal favorite.
Amber was a lot more adventurous and had soon learned the paths leading to all of their neighbors and to the hot springs just to the south of their place. She liked to ride Petunia, and the two of them soon became good friends. It wasn’t long before Amber didn’t even need a saddle or a bridle for a quick ride. She’d just hop up on Petunia’s back and the two of them would stroll off.
Mr. Dorman told both women to be careful about going farther out into the wilderness on the Percheron’s without a gun and a clear idea of where they were going. He explained to them how a bear could overtake a horse on a short run and what some of the other dangers were that lurked in the thick forests. His words convinced Lauren at least to stay close to the homestead.
The third horse was far more suited for longer jaunts into the wilderness. His name was Trace and he was younger and stronger than the Percheron’s. He had a special talent that the Percheron’s hadn’t been able to pick up. The Russian Draft horse was the only one that could get someone back home in the dark or a snowstorm on his own. The only catch was that you had to put your trust in him completely.
Lauren snickered when Mr. Dorman told them that.
It was going to be a good long while before she put her trust in another male, horse or man, she thought.
***
Soon the time came for the Dorman’s to head off on their own adventure as it was almost summer. Lauren and Amber were excited and eager to prove their capabilities in rising to the challenges that lay ahead of them. Both women felt they were ready to take over the homestead and had learned everything they needed to succeed. The Dorman’s could only hope for the best as they faced their own challenges in Greenland.
As they waited for Carson’s return, last minute instructions and wilderness wisdom
flew around the dinner table. The one thing that wasn’t mentioned as often was winter when everything would change.
When the subject came up, the Dorman’s often passed a worried look between themselves.
Amber was well-versed in the harshness of an Alaskan winter, but nothing they could say would prepare Lauren for what was coming.
***
Carson arrived mid-afternoon and the four of them piled into the pick-up where the Dorman’s belongings were already packed. He wasn’t going to be staying overnight as there was more than enough daylight to make the return trip. They reached the airstrip at the same time as their neighbors and everyone converged on the plane.
Lauren caught the look on her cousin’s face as she got her first glimpse of Sergei riding his tall black horse. She almost wanted to laugh, but her first response was fresh in her mind as she found herself unable to tear her eyes away from him. He looked just as imposing as the first time, but today, he appeared more relaxed as he literally danced his horse across the clearing.
The magnificent black stallion tossed his head playfully as his rider urged him through a series of moves fit for any parade. It was clear that the two of them were in sync both in mind and body, and horse and rider moved as if they were one being. Everyone stopped to watch their display of horsemanship.
As the pickup reached the plane, Lauren was surprised to see that Carson hadn’t come alone and there were two men standing next to him. There’d been no word that they were to have visitors this early in the season, but it was to be expected as communications were imperfect out here. The three men were watching the equestrian show, but turned to them as they piled out of the pickup.
The Dorman’s took the lead in making introductions all around as their neighbors gathered around the plane. Kuzih and Nasnan TwoRivers, the Athabascan couple, brought gifts for the Dorman’s to take with them on their trip. Lauren and Amber were presented to them as the caretakers of the homestead during the Dorman’s absence. They shyly welcomed the two women and pledged their support over the long winter. Lauren realized that her first impression of them was clearly wrong as their shyness was evident and their English was clear.
The two men were geologists from the university in Anchorage. It was their job to monitor and report on any volcanic activity in the area. They would be infrequent visitors throughout the long winter. Grady was the senior member while Riley, his junior colleague, was only here for the summer. They planned to stay at the homestead for the next couple of days and then head out for a survey.
Sergei was deep in conversation with Carson about his latest order when it was his turn to be introduced. Everyone stood looking at the two men in expectation as they waited to finish the introductions. The sudden silence caught their attention and both of them turned to the group.
Lauren and Amber suddenly felt their own shyness as Sergei turned his dark eyes towards them and stepped forward. As Mrs. Dorman introduced each woman, Sergei reached out his hand to take theirs in an old world manner and lifted it up almost as if to kiss it, but he stopped mid-way and bowed his head slightly. The effect was utterly charming and both women felt their insides flutter as if he’d actually put his lips to the back of their hands. Their introductions only took a moment and Mrs. Dorman quickly moved on to introduce Grady and Riley to Sergei, but Lauren and Amber were struck speechless.
Carson managed to break the spell once again as he started unloading the plane and tossing packages into different piles. The TwoRivers quickly gathered up their mail and a couple of packages and loaded them into their packs. Kuzih told Amber they’d be over in a day or two to trade for some eggs and to check on them as they drove off.
Mr. Dorman and Sergei had walked away from the plane to discuss some last minute concerns and Grady took this opportunity to ask Lauren how she came to be in Alaska. She gave him the short version and got a little of his story in return. Riley and Amber were busy helping Mrs. Dorman move stuff from the pickup to the now-empty plane so they could load their gear into the truck.
As quickly as everyone had come together, the moment had finally arrived for the Dorman’s to depart. Amber appeared relaxed and confident as she focused on the tasks at hand and clearly ignored Carson.
Lauren was fighting off a wave of anxiety as she realized the Dorman’s would be getting into that plane and flying far away in a very short time. Grady’s small talk wasn’t going to be enough of a distraction. She excused herself and walked over to take a closer look at Sergei’s horse.
The stallion was munching grass at the edge of the runway and eyed her warily as she drew near, but didn’t move away. She reached into her pocket to find a sugar cube at the bottom and drew it out to offer it to him. He stood much taller than the Percheron’s and his breeding was evident in every line of his massive body. She took a couple of steps closer and reached out her hand.
Three things happened in a blink of an eye and none of them were what she’d expected. The stallion reared up on his hind legs looming over her. Mrs. Dorman screamed in terror thinking the young woman was going to be killed right in front of her as Sergei grabbed her and swung her around behind him. He put up his right hand in front of the horse. The stallion took two steps backwards on his hind legs and settled himself back to the ground. He calmly returned to munching grass as if nothing had happened.
Sergei spun around to check on Lauren and found her sitting on the ground with a look of shock on her face. She held out her hand to Sergei to show him the crushed sugar cube as her excuse. Ignoring the sugar, he grabbed her hand and jerked her back to her feet. She lowered her head expecting to be berated for her actions, but when he said nothing, she looked up at him again.
“Afon isn’t good with strangers,” he said quietly.
“I’m sorry. The Dorman’s horses are so friendly and they love sugar,” she ventured, “I just wanted to give him some….”
The others came over at that point to see if Lauren was okay and to make a fuss over her near-accident. Sergei moved away from the group and gathered his mail packets. He and Mr. Dorman finished their conversation as Mrs. Dorman assured herself that Lauren was still in one piece. Amber and Riley completed the task of transferring the freight and were deep in conversation about the hot springs.
Carson had finished refueling the plane and stood by impatiently waiting to head back south. He couldn’t resist one last teasing remark to remind Lauren of her status as a ‘cheechako’ which she pointedly ignored. She reminded herself to work on a comeback for that line before his next visit. As handsome as the man was, he was infuriating in his self-confidence that bordered on insolence.
As the Dorman’s completed their good-byes and climbed into their seats, Lauren felt a sudden pang of longing that it was her flying away. She wasn’t sure that she was ready to be in a place where a simple misjudgment could result in serious injury or even death. This wasn’t Boston and she wasn’t like her cousin, Amber. Her strength lay in writing stories and telling tales. These skills weren’t going to be much use to her in this place. Even writing her novel seemed like a remote dream when most of her day was going to be spent just working towards surviving the winter.
With these thoughts gathering in her mind like a storm cloud, she looked around the clearing hoping for a sign, something to let her know she was in the right place. Suddenly, her eyes met Sergei’s as he stood off to one side watching her intently. She stared back at him wondering at his thoughts as he considered her. A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth and a sparkle in his eye changed everything and, in that instant, she saw the reason that she needed to stay.
Breaking the look between them and without another word, Sergei quickly mounted Afon and urged him towards home. The noise of the plane wasn’t something the horse was accustomed to and he figured it was best to get him away before Carson started the engine. The Dorman’s waved their last good-byes as the others climbed back into the pickup to head home.
Carson made a full circle over the
homestead as a salute and a good-bye as the pickup drove into the woods. Lauren noted that Amber had jumped into the driver’s seat, but for once she wasn’t driving like her usual self. The steady stream of words out of her mouth, however, was unchanged. Her passengers were entertained with a barrage of tour guide patter fitting for a wilderness guide. Soon she had everyone laughing as they drew up to the guest cabins. The cousins were officially in charge.
Chapter 8
The long summer days with the midnight sun seemed endless and Lauren sometimes forgot that she was in Alaska where the short summers are a treasured respite from winter’s cold and icy grip. Grady and Riley had stayed with the two women for a couple of days before heading out on the Percheron’s to do their survey. The two men had served as a welcome distraction to the departure of the Dorman’s and forced the women to step up to their responsibilities on the homestead immediately.
Lauren enjoyed preparing their meals and Amber clearly felt at home in the wilderness. Their daily routines were pretty simple once the men were gone and the care of the animals took up the bulk of their mornings and evenings. The rest of the day was theirs to use the time as they wanted. There was no TV to watch and the internet access was clearly sub-par, at least by Lauren’s city standards. Neither woman was inclined to spend much time on-line anyway.
Occasionally, Lauren would sit down at her laptop and begin to type in random paragraphs hoping to find the starting point for her novel. This usually ended up with her writing about a tall, dark handsome man with an air of mystery that was positively intoxicating. She did manage to do some research on the Russian communities located in Alaska, but everything she learned only served to deepen the mystery.
Most of the Russians lived in closed communities and avoided intermingling with non-Russians. Carson’s few facts clearly showed a breach in that policy as Sergei had an American father and he wasn’t part of any community. The Dorman’s had made it clear that the man lived alone and had only hinted at the tragic deaths of his parents in a horrible plane crash. Clearly, there was no one else to ask about any of this so Lauren’s imagination filled in the gaps.
