Broken Promises

by Patricia Watters

  "Just don't let my father intimidate you," Zak warned. "He's determined to stop the cutting."

  "So am I," Tess said. "At least your father and I are on the same side about that. You'll be coming too, won't you?" she asked, knowing she didn't want to face Zak's father alone.

  "I'll try," Zak replied. "But I may be late since I have paperwork to fill out on the chick."

  As Tess watched the truck drive off, she felt anxious. Although she wasn't easily intimidated, the thought of facing Zak's father made her uneasy. From what she'd heard, Jean-Pierre de Neuville was as unyielding as her father. Tomorrow's meeting, she suspected, would confirm that.

  ***

  Tess opened the door and peered into a pair of eyes that shone like honed steel. "Miss O'Reilly," the man said. "I'm Jean-Pierre de Neuville."

  Tess stared unblinking. Zak's father was perhaps the handsomest older man she'd ever met. His shock of white hair heightened the depth of his sun-bronzed face and softened the lines etched about his mouth. "Come in," she said, "I was expecting you." Her gaze brushed lightly over his suede coat and western-cut slacks, then shifted to the woman standing beside him.

  He reached out, taking his wife's arm, said in a crisp voice, "This is Mrs. de Neuville."

  Tess turned to Zak's mother. "Mrs. de Neuville," she acknowledged, noting that her blue eyes matched the shirt beneath her gray leather jacket. She was also wearing jeans and leather clogs, which surprised Tess. For some reason she'd expected her to show up wearing a long dress and a head scarf. Instead, her gray hair was swept back into a knot at her nape and held in place by a sterling silver clasp with turquoise inlay.

  Tess saw from Zak's parents where he got his impressive height, and exceptional looks.

  Jean-Pierre de Neuville fixed Tess with hard, unfriendly eyes, and said, "If the timber cutting on my property doesn't stop immediately, and compensation made for the trees that are down, I'll be forced to take legal action."

  Tess swallowed hard. The man certainly got right to the point. "Please, won't you both sit down?" she said, indicating the couch and the overstuffed chair.

  Gratianne de Neuville moved to sit on the couch, but Jean-Pierre remained standing until he caught Gratianne's eye and lowered his large frame into the chair. His eyes rested momentarily on the chess set, then he looked questioningly at Tess.

  Tess gave him a quick, nervous smile. "My father and I play sometimes," she explained. She sat on the couch with Zak's mother, maintaining some space between them.

  Jean-Pierre's eyes flashed with impatience. "According to my manager, ten trees have been taken from land your father believes is his. I assure you, Miss O'Reilly, the land in question does not belong to Timber West. The survey I've just had completed shows the property line to be forty feet east of where your father believes it to run. I want to remind you that the penalty for wrongfully cutting trees on someone else's property is four times their value, and if your father doesn't stop cutting immediately--"

  "Mr. de Neuville," Tess said, "I'm sorry about the trees and I'm trying very hard to clear up the misunderstanding about the property line with my father, and I assure you, I'll do my best to see that no more trees will be cut."

  "My son indicates that he was given that assurance once before, and after that, two more trees were cut," Jean-Pierre, replied.

  "There's a question about who cut that last two trees," Tess said. "I believe Jed Swenson, the man who's working for you, cut the two trees and is trying to blame it on one of my men."

  Jean-Pierre rose. "You're accusing my manager of cutting my own trees?" he said, his voice a subtle blend of irony and challenge. "That's just about what I expected from an O'Reilly--"

  "Jean-Pierre!" Gratianne broke in. Jean-Pierre looked at his wife. "I'm sorry," he said, shifting his gaze from Gratianne to Tess. He lowered himself into the chair once again. Gratianne caught Tess's eye and gave her a brief, apologetic smile.

  "I know you're upset about the trees, and I don't blame you," Tess said. "All I can do is assure you that I'll do everything I can to see that no more are cut. If you'll give me an estimate of what you think the trees are worth, I'll see that you're reimbursed for the first eight. The other two are still in question."

  "Jed Swenson did not cut the trees," Jean-Pierre insisted.

  "Perhaps not, but neither did Curt Broderick," Tess replied, with equal certainty. "I guess the question is, who did?"

  Jean-Pierre stood. "If you'll excuse me, I want to drive up the road to where the cutting took place and take a look at the trees."

  "Please do," Tess said. "Shall I go with you?"

  "That's not necessary," Jean-Pierre stated, his voice firm. "Gratianne?"

  Gratianne eyed her husband, and said, "If Miss O'Reilly doesn't mind, I'll stay here."

  "That would be fine," Tess replied.

  Jean-Pierre looked from his wife to Tess, then turned and left. Moments later, Tess saw his dark blue SUV move past the window.

  "You'll have to forgive my husband," Gratianne said. "When he feels he's right about something, he'll defend it to the bitter end, much like Zak." She looked directly at Tess then, as if waiting for a response.

  Tess wondered if Zak's mother had stayed behind in order to learn if their old relationship was on again. As Jean-Pierre de Neuville's wife, she too would want Zak to marry a Basque woman. "I'm afraid my father's the same," she replied, taking the focus off Zak. "I guess the problem is they both think they're right, and neither will back down and admit being wrong."

  "That's Jean-Pierre for you," Gratianne replied. "I learned long ago to let him spout off when he thinks he's right, even when I know he's wrong, then I quietly put him in his place when he settles down again. I guess it works because we've been married for thirty-five years and the sparks are still there."

  Tess visualized Jean-Pierre de Neuville's handsome face and forceful bearing and considered Gratianne's eloquent, yet spirited demeanor, and knew sparks could indeed be there. And she and Zak after thirty-five years? Would there still be sparks, if they ever married? She couldn't deny there were sparks now. Every time Zak looked at her, her heart tripped, and when he kissed her while they were watching the eagles, he'd barely brushed her lips when she felt a shot of adrenaline...

  "Zak told me that Pio lost his mother recently," she said, hoping to glean information about Zak's marriage. "I was sorry to hear about that."

  Gratianne's face grew concerned. "It's been a difficult adjustment for all of us," she said. "As soon as school's out for the summer, Pio will be staying here with Zak and I think they're both looking forward to that. Of course, Zak can't take the place of Pio's mother, but hopefully Zak will find a nice Basque woman in Navarre and settle down and make his father very happy."

  Which reaffirmed what Tess already knew. Times had not changed in Navarre over the years, especially in the de Neuville household. Basque still married Basque. It also laid out Gratianne de Neuville's position. She was aligned with Zak's father.

  Hearing footsteps on the porch, Tess looked over to find Zak peering through the window. She moved quickly to open the door, relieved that he'd finally arrived. Pio rushed around his father to where Gratianne sat, and Gratianne gave him a big hug.

  "Do you have something for me?" Pio asked, looking expectantly at his grandmother.

  Gratianne smiled. "Of course." She rummaged through her leather hand bag and withdrew a piece of beef jerky and handed it to him. Pio took the jerky and sat on the floor beside the overstuffed chair and started unwrapping it.

  After Zak settled into the chair, he said to Tess, "How did it go? I assume my father went to check on the trees."

  Tess shrugged. "I guess we'll soon find out. Your father is a very... umm... formidable man."

  Zak laughed. "That's a nice way of putting it." He glanced at his mother, and said, "I hope someone will let me know if I ever get to be an obstinate, bullheaded old man."

  "Son," Gratianne said with the expressive wave of her hand,
"you're already obstinate and bullheaded. All you have to get is old."

  Zak laughed and reached around to pull Pio up onto his lap, tickling his tummy. Pio curled around Zak's hand and giggled. "They're all against us, Pio. Remember that," he said.

  Tess watched the interplay between father and son, feeling envious of their closeness. She remembered times when she and her father scrapped playfully, even after her mother died. They had a camaraderie, something she felt was unique that none of her friends had.

  Her smile on watching Zak and Pio faded when she saw Jean-Pierre's SUV pull up in front. As he walked toward the cabin, she opened the door and stepped aside for him to enter.

  Jean-Pierre remained outside. "The trees are larger than I thought," he said, his face sober. "We're looking at six to eight-hundred dollars a tree. I'll have Jed Swenson measure them and come up with an estimate."

  "Swenson?" Tess said. "I hardly think we'd get a fair estimate if Jed Swenson measures the trees. That would be like sending the fox to guard the henhouse."

  "I'll measure the trees," Zak said.

  Jean-Pierre's eyes shifted from Tess to Zak. "I'd prefer you not get involved in this, son."

  "Don't you think I'm capable of measuring trees?" Zak challenged.

  Jean-Pierre met his son's intent gaze. "Very well then. I'll expect to have the figures by the end of the week." He turned to Tess. "I'll also need your father's assurance, in writing, that he acknowledges the property line as shown on the survey. If he doesn't, this will have to be settled in court. I'm afraid in that case my attorney will insist we collect the penalty for wrongfully cutting trees, a substantial amount. Now, if that's all, Miss O'Reilly."

  "That's not all, Mr. de Neuville." Tess squared her shoulders. "We need to talk about the royalty on use of the logging road. It's very high. We've never paid more than a dollar per thousand board feet."

  "That's an unrealistic figure in view of the fact that the road needs to be graded, shaped and rocked," Jean-Pierre said. "I've already contracted with Jed Swenson to do the work as well as continue to maintain the road for me. The royalty I'm charging will barely meet those expenses."

  Tess looked at Jean-Pierre's rigid face. "But Timber West has always maintained the road."

  "I prefer to have control of it myself," Jean-Pierre insisted. "That way I'm assured that the road will be properly maintained."

  "The road has been adequately maintained for years, Mr. de Neuville," Tess said, holding the man's forceful gaze. "The former owner had no complaints. I don't see how the roadwork you propose is justified."

  "I'm afraid there's quite a bit of erosion at the south end of the road, and it has actually washed away in several spots during heavy rains," Jean-Pierre replied.

  "Yes, but it was always regraded when that happened," Tess argued.

  "It should never have happened in the first place," Jean-Pierre stated, "and it won't happen again when the road is properly drained, graded and rocked. I also insist that all gates be closed when the sheep are brought in, and that there will be no hauling during extremely wet weather."

  "But if the road is rocked--"

  "The road is not designed for heavy log trucks when the ground is saturated. I'm not being unreasonable, Miss O'Reilly, and I believe you know that." He looked beyond Tess to his wife."Gratianne, we should be getting back."

  Gratianne stood and extended her hand to Pio, who looked up at Zak, and said, "You'll come next weekend, Papa?"

  "You bet I will." Zak lifted Pio in his arms and gave him a hug. "Meanwhile, take good care of your kitten," he said.

  Pio smiled. "I will."

  Zak set Pio down, and Pio took his grandmother's extended hand. Gratianne smiled cordially at Tess, and after she and Pio left, Zak said to his father, "When I come next weekend, I want to talk some more about the situation with the road and the trees, so don't do anything before then."

  Jean-Pierre held Zak's gaze. "I'll do what I have to do, son. This is not your concern."

  Zak went over to stand beside Tess, and said, "Whatever involves Tess is my concern."

  Jean-Pierre's gaze shifted between Zak and Tess, settling on Zak. "Like I said, I will do what I have to do." He glanced at Tess, and added, "Good day, Miss O'Reilly," then turned and left.

  And Tess knew precisely where she stood. She also knew that Zak had positioned himself squarely between her and his father. As the SUV drove off, she said, "What you just did was like adding fuel to the fire."

  "What I did was let my father know that I'm in agreement with you," Zak replied.

  "Which also gave your father a bigger reason to press the issue with the trees and the logging road and shut Timber West down," Tess said. "That way, you're not tempted to chase after a woman who doesn't meet your father's standard as a wife for you. So when you see him next weekend, you need to assure him that there's nothing between us, and never will be. That way maybe he'll agree to some kind of reasonable settlement."

  Zak fixed his eyes on her, and as he stood looking at her, his mouth compressed in a slash, and the muscles bunch in his jaws. Then he folded his arms, and said, "Is that the way you intend things to stay? That there will never be anything between us again?"

  Tess studied his rigid face, uncertain how she felt. Even if Zak justified leaving her without a word, she still didn't know if she could trust again. He'd barely put the gold ring on her finger when he'd married another woman. "I don't know," she said, finally.

  He waited, and when she offered nothing more, he said, "I think you just answered my question," then turned and left.

  ***

  Tess spent the next four days logging and yarding, and by late Thursday afternoon logs rose high on the dock. She returned to her cabin that evening, took a bath and fell into bed, exhausted. The trucks were expected to arrive early the next morning and she was thankful she wasn't needed on the ridge for loading. She'd been so troubled by her heated meeting with Jean-Pierre de Neuville, and her last encounter with Zak, that she hadn't been sleeping well, until finally, by the end of the week, and from pure exhaustion, she managed to drift into a sound sleep, only to be interrupted early the next morning by a loud knocking on the door.

  "TJ! Open up. It's Broderick."

  Pulling on a robe, Tess shuffled to the door and squinted up at Broderick. "What's wrong?"

  "Big problems!" Broderick said. "There was a rock slide on the ridge road last night and the Cat's out of commission, and the log trucks are boxed in on de Neuville's land and Swenson's charging a parking fee."

  "Wait a minute," Tess said, "I'll be right out." She threw on her clothes and rushed out of the cabin. "How bad is the slide?" she asked.

  "Bad," Broderick replied. "The road's buried."

  "What's the problem with the Cat?"

  "Broken steering hose. Lost all the hydraulic fluid."

  "That won't take long to fix," Tess said, "but we'll need a new hose. Follow me to camp.

  In the machine shed, Tess searched for the hose she'd seen earlier in the week but couldn't find it. "I've got to get to the ridge," she said. "You go to Baker’s Creek and get a new hose and put it on our account and get back as quick as you can."

  Ten minutes later, Tess crossed the de Neuville land and pulled up behind a line of empty log trucks parked in the road, then edged the Jeep along the steep embankment to get around the trucks and continued up the road through the Timber West gate. When she arrived at the landslide, she was baffled. Heavy rains could cause rocks to slide in some parts of the road, but this wasn't one of them, nor had they had any soaking rain for weeks.

  The sound of a vehicle brought her head around. To her surprise, she saw Zak's truck approaching. He pulled up behind her Jeep and jumped out. "I heard about the rock slide," he said. "For whatever it's worth, there won't be a parking fee."

  "That will help," Tess replied, "but I'll still have to settle up with the drivers for their lost time." She scanned the rock pile blocking the road, her gaze following the path of
the slide up the relatively gently sloping hillside. "It doesn't make sense," she said. "There's plenty enough vegetation to hold the rocks in place along this hill."

  "Yeah, it seems that way," Zak agreed. "I'll hike up there and take a look around and see if I can find out what caused it. Maybe there's a spring up there."

  Tess sighed. "Meanwhile, I'll see if I can get things moving down here."

  Forty minutes later, Broderick arrived with the hose and they started work on the Cat. Before long, Curt was back moving rock, and Tess went on ahead to see what Zak was doing. He'd been standing on the slope, studying something in his hand for some time. When he saw her, he started toward her, and as he approached, he held up an orange cord. "Dynamite," he said. "This is a piece of fuse."

  Tess picked her way over the loose rocks to where Zak stood. "So that's what helped the landslide along." Taking the cord from him, she said, "Pretty coincidental that the steering hose on the Cat broke just after the landslide, and that the spare hose was missing, and it all happened right about the time the trucks were due to haul."

  Zak looked to where the men were working. "Anything else out of the ordinary been happening?" he asked.

  "Yes. Bull lines have been breaking right and left, even when we're skidding logs on flat grade. We're lucky no one's been hurt."

  Before Zak could respond, Curt yelled to Tess from the Cat, "About fifteen more minutes and you can send the trucks through."

  Tess waved her reply, then turned to Zak, and said, "I've got to go."

  "I still want to talk to you," Zak said. "Can I stop by your place tonight? I'll bring something for you to eat so you won't have to worry about dinner. You'll be beat after today."

  Tess looked at the line of trucks and said, with a weary sigh, "I suppose that would be okay."

  Zak smiled, triggering the usual reaction. Tess's heart started hammering and a rush of adrenaline shot through her, making her arms and legs feel weak. And for the first time since she insisted there would never be anything between them, she realized she'd seriously misjudged her feelings for Zak. She also knew she'd have to maintain a physical distance between them when he came to her cabin. He had too great an emotional hold on her, and she could be all too willing if he kissed her and wanted more. And there were still too many unanswered questions.