Ribbons of Steel (27 page)

“Well, I will agree Mr. Linsky was rather shocked to see the two of you together,” Catherine said, hanging on to the buckboard as the wheels bounded along.

“If you ask me, the man was shocked because he got caught with another woman. Ha. I told you I didn’t like the man from the beginning. Couldn’t see why he was coming around Anna Louise in the first place. No doubt because her family has money.”

“It doesn’t matter now. Anna Louise has seen him for what he is. And more credit to you, I say. I could see she connected with you back there. I think you’ve hooked her good, Seth. Now just don’t go ruining everything by being stupid.”

“I love her, Catherine. I truly do. I guess I just don’t know how to go about getting past all her hopes and dreams if they didn’t include me.”

“Keeping your mouth shut is a start. Your actions seem to speak for themselves.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.” Seth looked at Catherine and smiled.

The remainder of the ride home was accomplished in companionable silence. They crested the top of the hill to the homestead to find Madeline and Timothy herding five cows along the road. Seth maneuvered the wagon up beside them.

“What happened?”

“Gab Hayland stopped by and told us he’d seen our cows grazing down the road in the hay field on the other side of the fence,” Timothy said. “Not sure how they got out. What with you gone, and Madeline’s mother up to her neck in baking and minding Sarah, we volunteered to round’em up.”

At fourteen, Timothy was starting to turn into a fine young man, and a big help on the farm. Without Ma around, Timothy had been a bit of a problem at first. Seth had a hard time getting him to help with chores, but once Mrs. Flanagan arrived, his behavior changed. He became more accommodating.

Brownie, the Collie, herded the cows as they meandered up the road like they were out for a Sunday stroll, their tails switching back and forth.

“Brownie’s a good help,” Timothy said. “He’s kept the cows from heading on down the road and got them started up the hill toward the barn without a fuss.”

The big brown dog wagged his tail and barked as if he understood and accepted Timothy’s praise.

Madeline waved her long crooked tree branch at the cows, the leaves still clinging for dear life. She hit the dirt path with the bough in an effort to help the dog coax the cows back up the hill. If Seth didn’t know any better, he’d think the girl had lived on a farm all her life; her smiles infectious. Timothy didn’t seem to care that Madeline dogged his every step. In fact, Seth considered as how Timothy enjoyed the girl’s attention. Seth would have to have a talk with Timothy soon. Madeline was only twelve.

“Catherine, take the reins.” Seth handed the strands of leather to his sister and slid down, both feet hitting the dry dirt at the same time. I’ll stay and find where they broke through the fence. Timothy, when you get the cows back to the barn, get the fencing tools and ride back on out here. We’d best take care of this before we lose a crop or two to more curious cows. I’m just thankful they didn’t discover the potatoes and tromp all over them now they’re doing so good. You two did a fine job.”

Seth finished mending the fence long after suppertime, and then headed straight to the barn. Thankfully, Timothy had gone back earlier, and he and Madeline had fed all the animals, gathered the eggs, and made sure all the gates were locked. Seth set to milking, and then settled the cows and goats for the night. For the end of July, he was satisfied everything in his life was starting to fall into place. The only thing on his mind now was the strike in Philadelphia, and what it would do to his marketing ventures.

After today’s events in Candor, Anna Louise was close to being his for good.

Chapter Eighteen

Emily couldn’t believe how much strength she’d gained over the last month and a half. Marybelle’s doctor explained to her how often times women experienced a state of depression after childbirth.

“My dear, your body has gone through some rapid changes,” the older doctor said in a mild, caring voice. “What with moving your entire family to a new location, caring for your new baby, along with your other children, not to mention taking care of an entire household, you have no strength left for yourself so soon after giving birth.” He patted her hand she held clasped in her lap.

“I have been tired,” Emily confirmed. “When Doctor Wooster told me I suffered from consumption, why I had no reason to disbelieve him. And now you’re telling me I don’t have the dreaded disease?”

“My dear Mrs. Carmichael, of course you don’t have consumption. Like I said, what you do have is a bad case of exhaustion. However, your doctor back home was right in his assessment. You needed complete rest and care. I’m glad you decided to come out west to your cousin’s. It’s plain to see she’s been taking good care of you.”

“Charley-boy was a wise man, Em,” Marybelle said. “I’m glad he sent you my way instead of to one of those old stuffy institutions for the really sick people nobody wants. Surely your condition would only have worsened all closed up in such a place.”

At Marybelle’s, she was free to sleep and relax on the side veranda and take in the soothing breezes blowing in off the ocean all day if that’s what she wanted to do. She drank plenty of fresh, cold lemonade, enjoyed hot Sassafras tea, and ate hearty meals she didn’t have to prepare. Before long, the fever had broken, and she’d gained strength. Marybelle had suggested she start taking walks in the afternoon, something she had never had the opportunity to do back home. What with the children, there’d always been too many things to do—scrubbing, laundry, cooking, and picking up after everyone. Looking back, her doctor was right. No wonder she had been so tired all the time.

Today she and Marybelle decided to take a stroll down along one of the old access logging paths.

“William and his workers cut this path months ago,” Marybelle said. “It’s turned into a nice lane for walking, don’t you think, Em? It’s good to finally get you to walk this far. I’m delighted you’re feeling so much better. Won’t your family be surprised to learn you don’t have consumption after all? Did you notice how clean the area is? Sweet the air is? My William makes sure every scrap of wood is used. See those neat stacks over there? The camp uses it for firewood for the camp stoves. We’ll take the bigger pieces for the winter months to put in our own fireplace. I wish you were going to be here in the winter months, Em. We don’t get the ice cold weather like you do back home, but it’s still cold enough to sit back and enjoy a nice log fire big enough to warm the soul.”

Emily kept in step with Marybelle, surprised when her cousin grew quiet.

Birds twittered overhead, and the sun dimpled in between the trees as if lighting their way in the forest.

“How do you manage, Marybelle?” Emily asked. “How do you keep up your strength to go on? You work hard around here. I’ve seen you manage the house and help William with the accounts. You run back and forth between the logging camp and the house and San Francisco.”

“It’s not easy, Em. Lord knows I thrive on it, though. The boys work with William all day, now they’re old enough. If I sat around I’d go crazy like old Johnny Johns back east. Say, whatever happened to him? He was pretty old when I left. Can’t be still alive now, can he? Poor old soul. Must be a relief for his family.”

“He was killed in a horse and wagon accident right after you left. He didn’t get out of the way fast enough, and a horse spooked and reared up and killed him. It was a sorry day. The whole town came out to support his family.” Emily thought of Marion Aderley’s son having ended up the same way as Johnny Johns. She wondered how Marian was doing.

“What’s Candor like now? The country sure is a great place to be, isn’t it? I’m not sorry I followed William, though. I’ve got to tell you, coming across the dry prairie was no walk down the lane. Yet, it gave me the strength I needed. My William was a big help throughout our long journey, yes sir.”

“Like you have been for me. I do so appreciate everything you’ve done. Taking care of me these past couple of months has been a blessing.”

“Ah, Em, I didn’t do much. I’m just glad you’ve regained your health and are ready to go back to Charley soon.”

“Yes. But I was glad to learn Charles sent Mrs. Flanagan and her daughter up to the farm. Just knowing there was someone to help Catherine with the children was a Godsend. You know how much I’ve missed the children, Marybelle. It will be so good to see them again.” Emily wiped her eyes. “Oh, dear. Look at me—acting like a blubbering fool.”

“Now don’t you be fretting about a few tears. You’ve been away from your children for far too long. Just wait. You’ll be seeing them before you know it. Won’t they be surprised? Come. Let’s go see what William and the boys are up to. You can tell me more about what’s been happening in Candor along the way.”

Marybelle put her arms through Emily’s, and together they walked through the sun-dappled forest of redwoods. The fresh scent of evergreen mingled with the breeze from the ocean as the two strolled along. Emily proceeded to tell her cousin about moving to Candor. In the distance, the sound of lumberjacks cutting down trees filled the air. Men called out ‘timber’ and trees pounded the forest floor, reverberating clear to her bosom.

A train whistle blew as it chugged to a stop at William’s mill. She spotted it as she and Marybelle strolled over the crest of a small knoll overlooking the logging camp.

“Oh my,” Emily exclaimed. “This is a much bigger lumbering operation than I expected.”

Marybelle smiled. “William has fifty men working for him. As you can see, they all have different tasks. My William don’t need to tell them what to do, neither. They’re reliable. William don’t keep anyone who ain’t reliable.”

Men trimmed, cut, and loaded logs onto the small lumber train. Others cleared the area and stacked logs. As Marybelle said, not one man stood about waiting to be told what to do. And William and the boys worked right alongside his men.

“How do they do this day after day? It must take all their energy to cut such large trees.”

“They do eat a lot at meal time. They need to keep up their strength. But it’s a skill they’ve mastered. And with everyone moving west these days, there’s a big demand for lumber to build homes. It is hard work, to be sure, Em, but it’s provided us a very good living, as well as for the lumberjacks. No sir, you won’t hear a one of them complaining.”

“Maybe you should have kept panning for gold. Wouldn’t it have been much easier?”

“Panning for gold is even harder work. Sometimes with little results. We panned for a short time and made a bit of money. We needed to be more financially secure with the children. And dredging day after day was long, hard, dirty, and tiring work, Em. I started cooking and doing laundry, and made more money than we made from our gold. We didn’t have much to spend our earnings on in them days, so we put aside every penny we didn’t need. When William figured out there was more money in logging, what with everyone moving in and needing a place to live, he gathered up a few of the down-trodden gold busted families and offered them a job. Within a year, we had more than enough to build our own home and expand William’s business venture. In the meantime, we lived in a tent until the first winter. The nights got mighty cold. We about froze to death. Before the first snowflake fell, William built us a small shack with a fireplace. The other families did the same.”

“You’re so brave to have gone through so much and keep on going.”

“We’re not so different. Why, I bet you’d follow Charley-boy anywhere if he asked. You moved to Candor and survived, didn’t you?”

“You’re right. But I think my Seth is the true survivor there. He adapted so well to farm life, the rest of us just followed along.”

“I’m sure you had a hand in making things easier. Think of your stay here as a much needed holiday. Everyone will be so happy to have you home. They’ll bend over backwards to help you out from now on.”

“I hope you’re right. Just surviving the trip out here showed me how strong I really am. Poor Mrs. Aderley and Mrs. Young, they’ve had a much worse time traveling out here then I have in so many ways.”

“Stop worrying about other people. You need to learn to take care of yourself first. You’re going to be fine. Now, let’s get back before William and the boys come home for dinner.”

****

Seth arrived in Candor, walked inside the Town Hall on Main Street across from the train depot, and found a seat next to Mr. Strang. He nodded a quiet hello. The farmer returned the silent greeting. Many already seated were dairy farmers; others raised poultry or sheep. A few grew hops, while a good number grew buckwheat. The meeting had been called by several of the more prominent farmers concerned about the railroad strike and how it would affect them.

“If the strike continues for several more weeks, even a month, our harvests will be in jeopardy of going nowhere,” Mr. Meadows said, after he called the meeting to order.

“What are we going to do about it?” someone from the back yelled. “If this here train stops running, we’re gonna have to haul our goods to market by wagon again.”

The room erupted. Seth sat silent, taking it all in, waiting to see if someone had a solution to the problem.

“We’ll have to go back to the old ways of keeping our milk and cheese cold,” one of the dairy farmers stated.

“And our slaughtered meats, we’ll have to be doing animal drives again. I can just see it now, herding cattle, pigs, and hens cross country.”

Several snickered.

“Order,” Mr. Meadows called out. He pounded the gavel on the table to gain the men’s attention in the back. “We have a potentially serious problem on our hands. Now, let’s try to settle down and come up with a solution instead of bemoaning what might be.”

“Biggest problem is spoilage,” Mr. Tallow spoke up.

The entire room, including Seth nodded. Seth looked around at those assembled. Twenty farms in all were represented. His farm was small in comparison to the other’s operations. He had a long way to go before he was in sharp competition with any of them, despite his large acreage. There weren’t many who raised goats, so no competition there. Tobacco had become big in the area, but it required a fair amount of work. He wasn’t sure he was going to continue growing the crop. Potatoes were easier, and except for having to dig them up by hand, he had a more ready market for them locally.