by Lynn Donovan
“Nothing.” Mr. Houndsman smiled. “And that’s a good question. You’d continue to live at the mining camp so you could oversee daily operations. The only difference is, I’d handle the paperwork here in town and you might need to come to town more often than you have in the past.”
“Oh, Father!” Ginger perked up. “Could we go to the mining camp to see Dotty?”
Mr. Houndsman grinned even bigger. “Well,” He chuckled. “I don’t see why not.”
Ginger clapped her heads quickly and bounced in her seat. “Perhaps, Theodore could take me and you can meet my new beau.”
Mrs. Houndsman’s eyes widened and she cleared her throat. “Well, dear. We shall see how all that works out.”
Dorothy tilted her head to one side. “Ginger? Who is this Theodore?”
Ginger scooted to the edge of her seat. “I have a secret to share with you.”
Dorothy leaned forward. “What?”
“Well, as you know, father is always working business deals with new companies and he is in discussions with a gentleman with the Northern Pacific Railroad Company.” Her voice rose an octave. “He’s discussing an arrangement with one of the officers for marriage! With me! His name’s Theodore Binks. I’ve met him once. He’s very handsome and quite cordial. He will be courting me over the next few weeks and if I decide he’s the one, we will marry this autumn.” Ginger clasped Dorothy’s arm. “Perhaps one of these days when you are in town, we can go to dinner together, a double date!”
“Oh, dear me, Ginger. That’s very exciting, indeed.” Dorothy stammered, unsure what to say. “Yes. We would love to meet him.” She glanced at Aidan, whose eyes widened with alarm.
“Well… yes… we will see how things go.” Aidan conceded.
Mr. Houndsman promised to draw up papers and the two men shook on the deal. Aidan escorted his wife to the wagon, pleased to have met the Houndsmans and happy his wife’s acquaintance had brought him a profitable alliance for his copper mining company, but concern was dominate in both of their hearts for Ginger’s potential betrothal with Theodore Binks.
Aidan flipped the reins to encourage the mule to move. “Who would have thought that your acquaintance on the train would lead to a business alliance for my copper mine and bring us back full-circle to Theodore Binks?”
“Yes. Strange luck, isn’t it.” Dorothy stared out at the town building as they passed away from them.
“I don’t believe in luck, but I must say, since you came into my life, the Lord has certainly rained down blessings on us.”
Dorothy smiled. “I feel pretty blessed by what you have brought into my life too, Aidan. I had no idea things would go this well for me when I wrote that letter to The Lovelorn.”
He kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth of his caress fill her heart. Leaning against him as they rode out of town, she enjoyed the comfort of his strong arm around her shoulder.
Letting the day run through her mind, she thought of dear Ginger. She had no idea what was suspected of Theodore Binks. Dorothy lifted her head from Aidan’s shoulder. “If Theodore Binks is the murdering arsonist, we have got to find out and let Ginger know she cannot marry him. If he’s not the arsonist, then I hope she learns more about him before she accepts a proposal for marriage. I mean, I don’t know the man, but he doesn’t sound like he’s a very likable person after the sheriff told us what he did to that herd of buffalo.”
“If he turns out to be the arsonist, I would think the matter would settle itself when the sheriff arrests him. If he is not the arsonist, then I suppose it is Miss Houndsman’s business whether she accepts a marriage proposal from him.”
Dorothy let his words settle in her mind. She didn’t like them at all. She felt very protective of Ginger and didn’t want her to be hurt by someone like Theodore Binks. But Aidan was right. As long as he wasn’t a criminal, Dorothy had no business telling Ginger what to do. The thought made her heart ache, all the same.
Chapter Eight

“Miss Ginger.” The maid called from the foyer. “You have a gentleman caller.”
Ginger looked up, wide eyed at her mother. “You suppose it’s Mr. Binks?”
“I have no idea, dear, go see.” Her mother blinked, expressionless.
Ginger leapt to her feet but walked with a controlled pace to the foyer, trying to appear as calm as possible. “Hello.” She approached the front door.
Theodore Binks stood there with a big grin. Ginger’s heart pounded in her chest. He held out a bundle of flowers. “I brought you these. A handful of beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman.”
“Aww. That’s so sweet.” Ginger stepped out on the porch with him. “Thank you.” She took the flowers and buried her nose in the blossoms. “Mmm, they smell so good.”
A bee flew out of the bundle and swarmed her face. “Oh!” She dropped the flowers and batted at it. “Goodness!”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” He swatted the bee and killed it against the door frame. “I didn’t realize there was a bee in there.”
“Well. Golly, you didn’t have to kill it!” Ginger stared at the squashed bee lying on the porch.
“I didn’t want it to hurt my girl.” Theodore’s jaw muscle bulged.
“Well, sure. But it didn’t hurt me, it just startled me.” She bent to gather the scattered flowers. “The flowers are lovely. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, my Ginger Blossom.” He stepped closer to her and took her shoulders into his hands and pulled her against his chest in an embrace. She laid her head against him and closed her eyes, breathing in the pleasant aroma of his cologne. “Mmm. You smell good, too.”
He chuckled. “I cleaned up for you, Ginger Blossom. Now, tell me, what would you like to do? Where can I take you for our courting?”
“Well.” Ginger lifted her head and met his eyes. “My friend, Dotty, has married a copper miner and they live up the mountain in a mining camp. I’d love to take a picnic and go see them. She tells me it’s a lovely drive. What do you think?”
“A picnic, out at the mining camp? Well, if that’s what my Ginger Blossom wants, we can do that. How about Sunday, after church, we go up the mountain and visit your friend and… what’s the miner’s name?”
“Aidan Orchid.”
“Aidan… Orchid. A copper miner. All right. We will take a picnic and go up the mountain.”
“Good. I want you to meet them. They are good people. Just last night someone set fire to a local Indian camp near their community, and out of the goodness of their hearts they have let all of the survivors come bed down in their barn until they can rebuild their village.”
“Oh really? They survived a fire, you say? Hmm. How many— your friends are helping the fil—… er, Indians…I mean. I suppose it’s the Christian thing to do to help heathens in their time of need. But you don’t realize how much trouble those blood-thirsty Indians have caused us law-abiding rail workers.”
“Mr. Binks, the Two-Rivers clan aren’t heathens.”
“Oh my Ginger Blossom, you haven’t had to deal with those… people. The Army signed treaties for a strip of land to lay our railway, but when my company came through to lay the lines they reneged on the agreements. They came at us with rifles and bows and arrows. I lost some good men who were doing nothing wrong.”
Confusion filled Ginger’s heart. “I’ve never heard of such violence from the Two-Rivers people. What I hear is that we have had a peaceful existence with them. I don’t understand why—”
“Sweet Ginger. You’re a woman. The business of laying railway and negotiating land rights is a man’s work. I don’t expect you to know about such dealings. Those Indians are wild animals, they’re not like us civilized folks. They’re like that bee. They may be part of nature but if they try to hurt those I care about, then they have to be squashed.”
“Are you saying somebody set their village on fire, to… to squash them from interfering with the railroad line—”
&
nbsp; “No. Sweet Ginger. See, as a woman, you don’t understand the ways of business or politics. I don’t know who set that fire. But it just goes to show, when the United States Government makes an agreement for land, they aren’t going to back down. This railroad will be laid clear to the Pacific Ocean and it’ll make this territory more accessible. There are fortunes to be made out west with gold and silver, and now copper, and the railroad makes it accessible to get those fortunes back east and on to Europe. If those foolish Indians refuse to let us build on the land that we have negotiated ownership for, well, then we have the right to defend ourselves.
“Besides, what do the Indians want with this land? So they can hunt the buffalo? There’s so much more to be had out west than just meat and fur. If the Indians had it their way, they would hold us back from making progress. My job is to see to it that the railroad gets put down. And if we have to fight the Indians to make that happen, then so be it. They had their chance, but they gave it up when they signed the treaties.”
Ginger knitted her brow and pursed her lips into a frown. His sweet disposition seemed to sour when he spoke about the trouble he’d had with the Indians and laying the railroad. “Well, I may not have a college education or training in business, like you and my father, but I wouldn’t say I don’t understand negotiating with the people who were here first, or taking over a strip of land that they consider their hunting grounds.”
Binks patted her hand. “Now, now. Ginger Blossom. Don’t worry yourself with any of this. It’s not for you to trouble your pretty little head. Trust me, I will do my job and your father will do his job and between us, we will provide a good life for you. I promise you this. You will want for nothing. If you will let me court you I will show you how good of a life I can provide you. With your father’s business connections and my political connections, you will be a happy wife and mother.”
Ginger considered his words. A happy wife and mother. Was that all she wanted? Her father had always provided a plentiful life for her and Mother. Was that enough? Theodore Binks made promises and called her sweet things, but was it enough?
Taking a trip out to the Orchid mining camp with Mr. Binks was a good idea. Spending time together would help her know if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him and it would give her a chance to discuss these things with Dotty.
“So, Sunday. I’ll pack a picnic and after services, we’ll go up the mountain?”
“Whatever my Ginger Blossom wants, she will get.” He kissed the back of her hand. His lips felt warm against her skin, but she didn’t feel the tingly sensation she had heard about when one falls in love. She sighed. “Thank you for the flowers.”
He smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“I-I need to go inside. I’ll see you Sunday. Will you meet me at the chapel?”
“Of course.” He kissed her knuckle again. “Until Sunday, Ginger Blossom.”
“Until Sunday.” Ginger couldn’t think of anything cute to call him like he did her, so she just pursed her lips and watched him walk toward the street.

Theodore Binks walked away from the Houndsman residence pleased with himself. Marrying Roderick Houndsman’s daughter would be a solid financial deal for him. She was such a simple minded girl, it wouldn’t take too much to persuade her to agree to marriage. And with that buck-toothed smile, he doubted he’d have much competition in courting her. He’d promised her a wealthy life, like she was accustomed to living under her father’s roof, and would give her silly treats like flowers or cheap trinkets, and call her Ginger Blossom or Sweet Ginger. She’d agree to marriage and he’d be set financially for life and have a hardy son or two to carry on his legacy.
But first, he needed to take care of those meddlesome Indians. Killing the Chief’s son and setting their camp on fire didn’t get rid of them, thanks to Aidan Orchid interfering. He couldn’t take care of Orchid because Roderick Houndsman was aligning a business deal with that copper mine, which was a really smart transaction, as well. Any deal his future father-in-law made now would be beneficial to Binks in the long run once he married Ginger.
So it was important to appear that he was friends with Mr. Orchid. Taking Ginger to the mining camp for a picnic and building a bond with the man would only help Binks set himself up for a secure future here in Montana.
But tonight, Binks would take care of that barn. If he could slip in, set that barn on fire, and slip away undetected, his battle over the land would be solved. When he brought Ginger out on Sunday, he could announce that he wanted to organize a barn raising for the Orchid family. It’d make him look good in the eyes of Billings’ people and set him up as a hero to his future wife and in-laws. It really was the perfect plan. He wouldn’t have any more problems getting the Northern Pacific Railroad laid through this Indian country, which would look good to the President of Northern Pacific. And with Houndsman’s plan to join other difficult builds, Binks would be under budget when this rail reached Puget Sound.
An hour before dusk, Binks saddled his horse and rode up the mountain. It was the perfect night with a new moon making it darker than usual. He tethered his horse in the forest outside of the camp and walked quietly to the edge of the trees, waiting and watching for the right opportunity to move in. He had a canteen full of kerosene and a box of matches. As darkness blanketed the camp, Binks inched his way toward the barn. Gently sprinkling the kerosene around the outside wall, he looked around. No one stirred. He took out his box of matches, and struck one. Holding it up, to watch the flame take hold.
A pungent odor assaulted his nose. He sniffed.
Skunk!
He looked down in the light of his little Lucifer stick to see the back end of the horrible animal, its tail high in the air and a stream of hideous spray aimed directly for his leg. He jumped away, dropping the match, which instantly caught the kerosene on fire. Binks ran, cursing quietly as he moved, to where he’d tied his horse. He leapt on the mount and rode back to town. The skunk odor reeked from his boot and pant leg. He galloped all the way to town, sliding to a halt at the saloon where he rented a room. He ran inside, tossing a silver dollar on the bar and yelled, “I need a bath!”
“No, you need a shower!” The bartender pinched his nose. “Lucy! Set up the shower for Mr. Binks!”
The saloon gal sniffed and jerked away, blinking tears from her eyes. “Good Lord, man! Where’d you get into a skunk?”
“Never you mind, just get me a shower!”
“Sure, but the sweetest smelling soap ain’t gonna get that smell off you.”
“It’s better than nothing.” He growled.
“Follow me!” She shrugged and went through the back to light the fire on the huge copper tank over the shower nozzle. “It’ll be ready in a few minutes, meanwhile, you need to wait out here. We don’t need that smell in the saloon.”
“Yeah. I know.” Binks peeled out of his stinky clothes. “Could you go to my room and bring me some clean clothes?”
“Sure. But you better burn those. Ain’t no way to get that smell out of ‘em.”
He nodded. “Yeah, can you take care of that for me, sweetheart?”
She sighed.
Chapter Nine

Dorothy flopped onto her back. She could not sleep. Concern for Ginger and this mysterious Theodore Binks troubled her mind. Aidan was right when he said Dotty had no business interfering with Ginger’s betrothal as long as Binks was innocent of the arson suspicions. But the sheriff said one of Binks’s men reported that he had killed the herd of buffalo and burned their carcasses on the plains, just to stop the Indians from hunting across the land where the railroad was being laid.
She sighed heavily. It was pitch-black outside, but she felt drawn to the window. Rising from the bed, she eased the curtain aside. The stars were brilliant in the moonless night sky. Day or night, it was so beautiful here in Montana. The Lovelorn was right in advising her to move away from Boston. Aidan was a dear man. Her heart pounded
at the thought of him. She’d never felt like this before. Was this falling in love?
Something large moved by the barn. Dorothy strained to make out what it was. Could it be one of the clan walking around? Something in her gut told her it was not. Should she wake Aidan?
A yellow glow lit up the area. In the moonless darkness the little flame from a Lucifer stick showed enough to see it was indeed a man in dark clothing, but who was he? A miner? Why the match? Was he smoking? Why would anybody be out at this hour?
The man jumped aside as if something startled him and dropped the match. In the circle’s glow from the tiny match, Dorothy saw the skunk. She’d sprayed the man! And in the same flash of time, the match fell from the man’s hand, tumbled to the ground and burst into flames that trailed straight up the barn wall. It wasn’t natural. There had to be kerosene or something to cause that flame to ignite so quickly.
“Oh, dear me!” Dorothy staggered back from the window. A horse whinnied in the distance, the man was escaping. “Aidan!” She screamed and ran to her door, across the hall, and beat her fist on his bedroom door. “Aidan! There’s a fire… at the barn… a man lit a match…”
His door swung open, Aidan looked disheveled in his long johns and bare feet.
Dorothy’s gaze took in the length of him but she continued. “The skunk… sprayed him. He ran off… Hurry! The barn’s on fire!”
She ran back into her room and grabbed her dressing gown and slippers and tore out toward the front door. “Fire!” She screamed to wake every one else. “The barn’s on fire!”
The children staggered from their rooms, Aidan had pulled on his britches and boots and was right behind the children who were right behind Dorothy.
“Get the people and animals out of the barn.” Aidan shouted to no one in particular.
Gavin rushed to the barn door and swung it open wide, screaming. “Fire! Get out! Fire!”
The people staggered forward, opening stall doors as they moved to release the horses and mules. Animals and people poured out of the barn, chickens squawked and flapped their wings, smoke billowed out overhead.