Johanna_Bride of Michigan

by Clara Kincaid

  “What is he doing?”

  “Each of the lumber companies marks the end of their logs, and we process one company together at a time.”

  “It must be easier to organize that way. How is the cut lumber sent out?”

  “It’s dried and sent by ship.”

  “I’d love to see a log cut, if I could.”

  “Of course, but watch your step,” Paul said. “If you tumble into the river, the logs will crush you.”

  Johanna glanced over at the log-jammed river and knew that to be true, but it looked almost like you could cross the river by way of the logs. Of course, she knew that couldn’t be done without them turning in the water.

  She kept close to Paul as they walked into the cutting room. A log was on a set of rollers that moved it along as a circular saw cut through it. She clapped her hands over her ears as the saw made the most irritating metal grinding sound.

  “As the water drops down on the water wheel, it moves the spindle that turns the arms of the saw and propelling the log along,” Paul explained. “Another man has to hurry to remove the board before the next rotation.”

  They walked over and Paul showed her where the boards were set for drying. In the distance, lumber was loaded onto a ship. All men were hard at work, not one had idle hands.

  “This is really interesting,” Johanna said.

  As they went back the way they came, the heel of Johanna’s boot caught between the cracks and she flew toward the river.

  Paul grabbed Johanna before she hit the water and jerked her up. She jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly as her heart pounded. “It’s okay,” Paul said, pulling her a shoulder’s width apart. “Are you okay?”

  “Besides nearly having a heart attack, you mean?”

  “I told you it can be dangerous. Let’s get out of here before you really get hurt.”

  Johanna waved to the men before she left. They stood red-faced and didn’t brave a response, but most likely they weren’t used to a lumber baron’s wife acknowledging them. She wanted to set herself apart, though. If not for them, business wouldn’t be able to do as well.

  They went back down the stairs and Paul took her to a building with the word ‘office’ in bold red lettering. In the door they went, and a young man sat behind the only desk with a pile of paperwork covering it.

  “How is it looking?” Paul asked.

  “Not sure. It will take a week to go through all the invoices.”

  “Do your best, Ashton. I want to be sure we’re being paid properly by the other lumbering companies. I can’t help but wonder if they’ve been giving William monies for cheating me, or if he was cheating us all.”

  “I’ll do my best to sort this out, Mr. Worthington.”

  There was a warning knock at the door and a man with white hair and long sideburns walked in. “Oh, there you are, Paul. I had hoped to discuss an important matter with you.”

  “I don’t have the time right now. I’m giving my wife Johanna a tour of the mill today.”

  The man’s bushy eyebrows danced. “Calvin Raybarry, dear, and what a lovely wife you have, Paul. I had no idea you were courting anyone.”

  “I’m a man of mystery.” Paul laughed.

  “I was wondering how the lumbering is going on your land?”

  “Good as far as I know, but I plan to do an inspection tomorrow.”

  “Good to know. I can’t help but wonder how long the trees will last before the time of lumbering is at an end.”

  “I can’t say, but I have other things going, as well.”

  “Such as?”

  “I’d rather not discuss my private business matters,” Paul said. “Is that all you came here to say?”

  “Well, I did hear you fired your bookkeeper yesterday.”

  “I did.”

  “I assure you that I paid you fairly, but I have suspected that your accountant was involved in underhanded dealings. He was bragging about his deception at the tavern last night. He didn’t seem upset he’d just lost his job.”

  “Like I said, this is a personal business matter, and I’d rather not discuss it.”

  “Do you plan on contacting the police about his deception?” Calvin asked.

  “Good day, Calvin, and thank you for the information. I’m a fair man, and I hope we can continue to do business with one another.”

  He nodded at Johanna. “It’s nice to make your acquaintance, dear lady. You’ve found yourself a good husband in Paul. He’s the most honest man I know of.” Calvin then left with a curt nod and was out the door without further comment.

  Johanna glanced curiously at Paul. “Check out Calvin’s account first,” Paul insisted.

  The bookkeeper nodded. “Right away, Mr. Worthington.”

  “That’s a curious man,” Johanna pointed out. “Although, I hardly think him knowing about William’s deception and contributing to the crime is the same thing.”

  “Very true. William will most certainly be the fall person since I believe he was pocketing the difference not paid to the company. He wasn’t only hurting me, but everyone who works for me.”

  “It was nice meeting you,” Johanna said to the bookkeeper as she took Paul’s arm.

  Once they were outside, he chuckled. “You do know most husbands would be upset if their wives directly spoke with the men who work for them.”

  “They’re important. It’s not as though you can do everything yourself.”

  “I’m not complaining, merely making a comment.” With that, they left in the direction of the cabins.

  Johanna didn’t know what to expect when they reached the rows of cabins, but they appeared quite tidy. Even curtains covered the glass windows! She had read a few books about cabins out west and they didn’t have glass, but were merely openings with a piece of wood they could pull down that would cover the hole.

  Paul knocked on a door and it was opened to a young woman with a baby clutched close to her breast. “Hello there, Mr. Worthington. Who is that hiding behind you?”

  “Becky, this is my wife, Johanna. I had hoped we could come in so I can show my wife the accommodations you have.”

  “Sure. I have a pot of stew on the stove that should be done about now.”

  Paul motioned Johanna to precede him through the door, and she noticed the wood floor had been scrubbed clean. In the corner was a black wood stove, with a fireplace on the other side of the cabin with only two rocking chairs near it. There was a curtain hanging over a doorway, and Johanna presumed it was a bedroom. A ladder led upstairs, where two children were glancing curiously down at them.

  “Ruby and Ben Junior, you can come down, but mind your manners. This is your father’s boss, Mr. Worthington, and his wife.”

  The children climbed down the ladder and stood near their mother. Ruby was the oldest at about nine and took the baby from her mother, who then walked over to a pot and spooned out two bowls that she set on the table. Ben Jr., the younger of the two children, sat on the rocking chair far from them, next to his sister who joined him there.

  Paul and Johanna sat down and the beefy fragrance made her mouth water. Becky brought bread over and poured them coffee. Johanna filled it with sugar to hopefully mask the awful coffee taste, since she didn’t want to offend the woman by telling her she didn’t care for coffee.

  “You have a lovely cabin here,” Johanna said as she blew on her spoonful.

  “We do the best with what we’re given. Your husband has been most kind by supplying cabins for us to live in while our husbands work cutting trees or working the mill.”

  “What does your husband do?”

  “He’s a lumberjack, but he’s an extra hand at the mill for now. I’m so busy with the baby that it’s hard to make time to sew clothes for my husband and children.”

  Johanna spoke without thinking. “I understand. Perhaps I could help you in some small way. If you give me the children's measurements, I’d be happy to sew them a few things to wear each.”

 
When Johanna ventured a look at Paul, he was smiling and didn’t appear cross at all, like she thought he might be. “I think that’s a great idea. My wife is good at sewing, or so she says. She’s currently sewing a more current dress for our staff.”

  Becky shook her head. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

  “You didn’t ask, I offered.” Johanna didn’t want to say ‘insist’ since she had a feeling that Becky was a proud woman.

  “We’ll talk more about that after we try your stew,” Paul said.

  Johanna soaked the bread and laughed when she licked her fingers with Paul looking on. He didn’t give her a scolding look, however, only laughed along with her. When they finally finished, Johanna gushed, “This beef stew was heavenly. I must have the recipe.”

  “I think our cook might have a heart attack if we tell her to cook a recipe from someone else.” Paul laughed. “She might even up and quit.”

  Johanna shook her head at Paul. “That sounds like an exaggeration. I’m sure she wouldn’t quit over something like that, but perhaps we shouldn’t expect her to change her recipes, even to appease me.”

  “I was only kidding, sweet.”

  “I must say I’m impressed that a woman with a baby is able to keep her cabin so tidy and has time to cook, too.”

  “It’s what a woman is expected to do, but I’m used to staying busy. It helps to wile away the time while Ben works. Most of the other lumberjacks’ wives get together and help each other out. We have a tight bond, you might say. We’re all so thankful your husband supplies such great cabins for us to live in. Before Ben began working for Mr. Worthington, we were living in bad conditions in shacks that didn’t help keep the cold out at all during the winter. Are you from Michigan?”

  “No, Massachusetts. This will be my first winter.”

  “It’s lovely to see, but quite cold, and does the snow ever pile up. Ben lost two toes from frostbite at a lumbering camp a few years back.”

  “Ben won’t be leaving this winter,” Paul informed her. “I’ll need help in the mill with maintenance when the river freezes.”

  Tears danced in Becky’s eyes. “Does Ben know yet? I would have remembered if he had told me that.”

  “I’ll tell him shortly. You might want to keep it to yourself for now.” Paul winked. “We should get going now. I have planned to take my wife on a picnic.”

  “After the wonderful stew?” Johanna asked.

  “I’m positive by the time we walk where we’re going, you’ll work up your appetite, or I hope you do. I’d hate to let fried chicken and lemon meringue pie go to waste.”

  “I’m hungry again already.”

  Becky handed Johanna a piece of paper with her children’s sizes, and then Paul led them outside. They walked back to the buggy and Johanna stated, “You’re an interesting man, Paul. I had visions that where the workers and their families lived wasn’t as good as you claimed. I’m proud to call you my husband.”

  Chapter Ten

  Did Paul hear her correctly? Was she actually saying she was happy to be married to him? He hoped it was true, since it was becoming impossible for him to keep his distance. She had the purest heart and it was easy to lose his own to her. It was much too soon to proclaim his love, but he intended to show her the kind of man he really was. The day was a win for him, but he didn’t want to presume anything. He took her to see Becky to gauge her reaction to the children, and he could tell she almost wanted to hold the baby as she gazed at him with adoration in her eyes.

  He took Johanna’s hand and helped her aboard the buggy. Once he was sitting next to her, off they went as the horses trotted down the trail that led away from the main road. It was bumpy and Johanna had to grab his arm more than a few times to steady herself, which he didn’t mind. It was the closest he’d been able to get to her. He had to show her that he was not the lecherous fool he had acted the previous night. He could almost still feel the slap she gave him. The whiskey had played with his mind, but he couldn’t help how he felt. Johanna’s neck was too temping to resist, and he longed for the day that they weren’t man and wife in only name alone.

  When they were heading along the river, Johanna asked, “Where are we going?”

  “I have a secret place for our picnic, but it’s some distance away.”

  “Oh. I thought you mentioned that we had to walk where we were going?”

  “It’s only a short walk.”

  Johanna seemed quite at ease next to him, and her face lit up as she gazed at the river. He knew she’d had a hard life, but he was prepared to make it a happy one from then on.

  * * *

  The further up the river they went, the less log-packed it appeared. It was quite calm and a ship was heading up the river, a cloud of smoke billowing from the huge smokestack. “Is that a steamship?”

  “Yes.” Paul waved as it passed and a few men who stood on the deck returned the gesture.

  “I expected logs to be jamming the entire river.”

  “If it was like that, we’d never get our lumber moved.”

  “Will we be where we’re going soon?”

  “Be patient. I’m sure you’ll love where we’re having our picnic.”

  Johanna was thankful Paul had planned a picnic, as it would help them both forget the night before. She had noticed a change in him. When they married, he was a bit stiff for her liking, and it took a little longer before he loosened up. She still was too worried to tell him about her scar, but she would have to in time. She only hoped she could really trust Sara to keep her secret until then.

  Paul pulled back on the reins to slow then stop the buggy. Johanna didn’t wait for him to help her, jumping down excitedly. Paul grabbed the picnic basket and blanket, leading her through the trees since the river was hidden behind them.

  When they surfaced from the woods, the riverbank was grass-covered and Paul shook the blanket out and laid it on the ground. He set the basket down and took Johanna’s hand so she could join him. Once she was sitting, she pulled her hand back as if burnt. Every nerve in her body was at attention, and she felt much warmer, even though the sun was hidden beneath the clouds.

  Paul didn’t act like she had done anything out of the way and instead began to take out the fried chicken and bread. He also pulled out a bottle of wine!

  “Isn’t it a little early for wine?” Johanna asked.

  He popped the cork and took a sip. “I don’t think so. Give it a try.”

  “You expect me to drink straight out of the bottle?”

  He raised a brow. “Sure, why not? Haven’t you ever done that before?”

  “I-I haven’t had wine before the other day with you, remember? My mother always told me to never drink in the company of a man, that no good would come from it.”

  “Your mother was a wise woman, but I assure you I only brought it so we could wash down our food. Give the chicken a try if you’d rather not drink the wine.”

  Johanna put her hand out to take the bottle. She tipped it back and the sweet wine was quite good, even if it dribbled down her chin. She handed it back to him, wiping the excess with her hand until Paul handed her a handkerchief that he fished from his pocket. “You’re certainly not acting like you do at your home.”

  “How can I with my mother watching me like a hawk?” He smiled. “I hope when she returns, she has a more pleasant attitude.”

  Johanna thought so, too, but she wasn’t going to voice her opinion since it was his mother, after all.

  “I hope I can finish the dress tonight.”

  “Oh, so you’re planning to abandon me tonight, too?”

  “I hardly did that last night, or I didn’t think I had.”

  “If you sew a worthwhile dress and I agree a change is needed, we need to do so before my mother’s return. She’ll have a hard time complaining if the staff is already wearing the dresses.”

  “I’ll have to sew all of them in a hurry then.”

  “No need. I’ll have a seamstress do the
m. I know of one who takes on extra work, but ordinarily doesn’t sew.”

  “That would be great since I’d like to get started on the clothing for Becky’s children.”

  Paul handed Johanna a chicken leg. “You’re not doing that. I can find someone else to do it.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t. I promised her I’d make the clothing, and that’s what I’ll do.”

  “There’s no need. You’re the lady of my home and have duties to run the household, remember?”

  “That won’t take all that long.”

  “You’ll also be responsible for all monies and paying bills for the household, including paying the staff. I pay them weekly so they have money in their pocket to spend when they’re off.”

  “When is the staff off?”

  “The cook and kitchen maid are off after everything is cleaned up, and so is the barn staff. Sara isn’t off until you’re done with her help for the night.”

  “I’ll simply have to tell her I don’t need her assistance tonight so I have time to finish sewing. I want to surprise her.”

  “If you need any assistance, I could help you with your corset if you like,” Paul suggested with an evil grin. When she narrowed her eyes at him, he quickly added, “I was merely kidding, but it was worth it to see you get so rattled like that. Have you never really relaxed?”

  Johanna bit into the chicken and was bothered by what he said. She hadn’t thought she was being like that at all; she was just too afraid to let her guard down. If Paul knew how she truly felt, he’d most certainly take advantage of it.

  Really, Johanna? When has Paul done anything out of line, other than last night?

  She sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think I was being like that. It’s just that—”

  “You don’t know me,” he finished for her. “I do hope in time you trust me. I’m sorry about last night, and I promise it won’t happen again unless you want it to.”

  She frowned. Did that mean Paul wouldn’t ever try to kiss her? She had to admit she rather liked it when he did. Last night just wasn’t the time. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m sorry I was so upset with you.”