Embers of Love

by Tracie Peterson

  G. W. bowed his head and found that his focus of prayer was once again for Lizzie’s safety and security. He had unexpectedly fallen hard for this young woman. She had been a quiet strength in his life these past few weeks, for when he needed to talk about his father and the accident, she was there for him. Little by little, he had found that his memories had lost their power and God was healing his pain.

  He also found himself praying that God would take Stuart Albright and Mrs. Decker back to Philadelphia or any place but Perkinsville, Texas. He didn’t like Albright, his bossy way of dealing with folks, and the claim he had on Lizzie.

  “Amen. Now go with the Lord’s blessings,” Brother Shattuck declared.

  Casting a quick side glance, G. W. saw Deborah slip away, leaving Lizzie to remain in the family pew. He wasn’t about to desert her and leave her to the likes of Albright, so he offered her his arm as they exited their seats. Lizzie took hold of him and smiled. “I thought the sermon quite interesting today.”

  G. W. nodded. “Preacher definitely gets all fired up for the Lord. That’s a good way to be.”

  “I agree. Although I’m not sure what Deborah will think about him becoming the regular pastor.”

  “She’ll get used to it. It’s him I feel sorry for,” G. W. said with a grin. “My sister isn’t likely to let him off easily.”

  Lizzie laughed softly. “No. I’m sure she won’t.”

  They shook hands with Brother Shattuck and G. W. thanked him for answering God’s call. They were just making their way down the steps when Mr. Perkins approached with a couple of strangers.

  “Excuse me, G. W., but I want you to meet Mr. Wright and Mr. Bishop of Buffalo, New York. These gentlemen have come to Perkinsville to observe our logging and milling industry.”

  Lizzie patted G. W.’s arm. “I’m going to go speak with Mrs. Greeley for a moment.”

  He reluctantly watched her go, then turned his attention back to the trio. The men extended their hands and G. W. obliged with a firm shake. “G. W. Vandermark,” he declared. “Glad to meet you.” But he eyed them cautiously.

  Lately, there had been more and more visitors from the East showing up to buy property and start new sawmills. Logging in East Texas was becoming something akin to a gold rush of sorts. Where once yellow pine had been considered too full of resin for practical use, it now was finding more public approval. Especially as eastern white pine became scarcer. Eastern investors were like bloodhounds, sniffing out a profit to be made.

  “I was hoping I might persuade you to take these gentlemen with you for a visit around some of the logging sites. I know you have a decent camp where they might stay and learn about the industry.”

  “I don’t know. That takes me away from my work,” G. W. answered. The last thing he wanted to do was play nursemaid to a couple of society fellas.

  The man introduced as Mr. Wright spoke up. “I assure you, Mr. Vandermark, we won’t be any problem. We are quite happy to sleep outdoors and enjoy God’s nature. We aren’t without our own skills in the woods. We both grew up in forested areas. What we’d like to do is see how your operation differs from those we’ve been a part of in the past.”

  G. W. could see that Mr. Perkins had his mind made up that he should somehow be the one to show these men around. He decided to oblige him, for Perkins was his family’s oldest and dearest friend in the area.

  “I suppose they can come along. They can ride the train out and back.”

  “I had in mind that you might actually show them the full extent of your property and operations. They’ll even hire out some of the livery horses,” Perkins explained. “And, of course, you will be subsidized for the time away from production.”

  “That’s quite right. We are prepared to pay you a fee for acting as our guide and informant. We truly seek to learn all that we can from this trip,” Mr. Bishop said. A quick glance to his companion had both men nodding.

  G. W. felt there was no choice. “Have ’em come in the mornin’. We’ll leave after breakfast and ride north to where we’re cuttin’. I hope you fellas brought a sturdy pair of shoes. You’ll need ’em.”

  “We have, indeed,” Mr. Wright answered.

  G. W. caught sight of Lizzie. Mrs. Greeley was bidding her good-bye, and Stuart Albright had maneuvered beside her, no doubt to harass her about leaving Perkinsville with him. The very thought that she might actually be married to the man gave G. W. a sick feeling in his gut. Surely it wasn’t true. He didn’t want to be pining over a married woman.

  He thought of Lizzie declaring to all of them that she didn’t consider herself married – that she’d made no pledge to God and therefore the signed paper meant nothing. But the law of the land could say otherwise, he supposed. He couldn’t help but hope Lizzie’s father would write soon to tell them the matter was resolved in her favor. She and Deborah had sent Mr. Decker a telegram immediately after Stuart had arrived, and then they had followed that up with a letter supplying all the details of the situation. They were all anxiously awaiting a response.

  A thought came to mind as Perkins and the gentlemen turned to go. G. W. couldn’t help but be concerned about the problems that might occur in his absence. “Mr. Perkins, I think it might be a right friendly gesture if you were to include Mr. Albright. He’s a fella from Philadelphia who also invests,” he offered as explanation to the two strangers. “Let me call him over.” G. W. turned. “Mr. Albright.”

  Stuart Albright looked up, none too pleased at the disruption. Lizzie quickly slipped away and G. W. motioned the man forward. “Join us. Mr. Perkins has something to say.”

  Albright closed the distance, a scowl edging his face. “Mr. Perkins, gentlemen,” he said with a brief nod of his head.

  “Mr. Albright, these are two business associates from Buffalo, New York,” Zed began. “They’ve come to investigate the logging industry, and G. W. plans to take them along tomorrow to see the Vandermark operations. We thought you might like to go along.”

  “No, I have other business,” Albright answered.

  “You aren’t by any chance related to Garrison Albright, the legislator and railroad baron?” Mr. Wright questioned.

  Stuart seemed to take interest in the man. “I am his son.”

  “Well, this is indeed a pleasure, and how fortuitous!” Mr. Wright said, looking to Mr. Bishop. “We are working even now on an arrangement that will include your father’s interests, as well as your family friend, President Cleveland. You should definitely join us, as we hope to convince them both to invest in Texas lumber.”

  Albright considered this new information for a moment while Mr. Bishop jumped in with additional news. “We have already toured several operations around Orange and saw the mills at Beaumont. We are happy to say we’ve bought several parcels of forested acreage at very reasonable prices and hope to do so in this area, as well.”

  G. W. was none too happy to hear that but held his tongue. He thought Albright looked rather uncomfortable at this open conversation, as he seemed to hurry its conclusion. “Thank you for the offer. I will be happy to go,” he agreed. “How long will we be?”

  “Plan on several days – maybe a week,” G. W. replied. He hadn’t thought to take the men out for more than a few days, but keeping Albright away from Lizzie was uppermost in his mind. He looked to Zed Perkins. “You may need to outfit Mr. Albright. I doubt he brought anything but dress shoes and suits.”

  Zed patted Stuart on the back. “Not to worry. We’ve got everything you need at the commissary. We can just slip in the back door and take the supplies you’ll need since you’ll be leaving quite early tomorrow morning.” He looked to G. W. for confirmation. “I think the Lord will understand, and since no money will change hands, we won’t be guilty of commerce on the Lord’s Day.”

  G. W. took that moment to exit the conversation while Mr. Perkins continued to speak to the trio of Eastern investors. He wasn’t entirely sure why Perkins felt so compelled to accommodate the men.

&nbs
p; “Unless he’s thinkin’ to sell out,” G. W. muttered. But no, the man had been working with the bank in Houston to arrange a loan. Expansion was already taking place. He wouldn’t sell out now – there was no reason for it. Still, he seemed awfully happy to attend to strangers who could very well prove to be his competition.

  “Why, hello there, G. W.” Annabeth Perkins practically gasped the words, trying overly hard to play the prim and proper southern belle. “I do declare it’s a hot day, don’t you think? Even with the rain threatenin’, it hasn’t cooled.” She batted her eyelashes and opened her fan. Waving it back and forth in a lazy, unhurried manner, she smiled. “You aren’t too warm, are you?”

  “I’m just fine. Thanks for askin’.”

  “How do you like my new dress?” she asked.

  He glanced at the blue-and-white-striped arrangement. “It’s nice.”

  She frowned. “It’s silk. Don’t you think it’s beautiful?”

  He fingered his collar where it rubbed him just as wrong as Annabeth Perkins did. “I don’t think much on such things. I’ll bet my sister would discuss it with you.”

  “Your sister is much too unconventional.” Annabeth simpered. “Honestly, you would think she didn’t enjoy the company of her own gender. I swear she spends more time in discussion with the town doctor than anyone. She isn’t sick, is she?”

  “Of course not. They just have a lot in common, what with their book learnin’.”

  “That’s my point exactly. She’s not acting very ladylike. Going away to finishing school would have been one thing – but she attended the university. That’s entirely another matter.”

  G. W. frowned. “Why don’t you talk to her about it? Maybe she can help you understand. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Before she could stop him, G. W. hurried around the corner of the church and made his way to the wagon. He paused as he approached the back of the church and heard recognizable voices.

  “I think it’s a good thing you’re going along,” Harriet Decker was saying. “You can get information and keep an eye on that ghastly bumpkin. If he’s with you, he won’t be attempting to woo my daughter.”

  “You mean, my wife.”

  “Call her what you will. I’ll have better luck working on Elizabeth if he’s out of the picture. She’ll come to her senses in time.”

  “And what if she doesn’t?” Stuart Albright questioned.

  G. W. frowned as Mrs. Decker answered. “Just leave it to me. She’ll do what she’s told, and then everyone will benefit.”

  “I hope you’re right. We’ve already wasted a lot of time down here. I’m anxious to return to Philadelphia.”

  “As am I. I have no desire to spend my days in this backwoods town. There isn’t a decent meal to be had. Goodness, but if I see one more piece of ham or pork, I might very well throw the entire thing across the room. Come along now. Let us return to the boardinghouse before it starts to rain.”

  Backing away slowly, G. W. considered what he’d heard. He waited for several minutes before he approached the back of the church. Albright and Mrs. Decker were gone, much to his relief.

  He made his way to the wagon and found his uncle already preparing for the trip home. “You look like you’ve been suckin’ on a sour persimmon,” Arjan declared.

  “I overheard something that gave me concern,” G. W. replied, climbing up to sit beside his uncle for a moment. “Zed Perkins wants me to take some investors out tomorrow to the campsite and then escort them around the area – maybe for as long as a week. I didn’t want to do it, but he didn’t give me much choice. And they’re payin’ for it.”

  Uncle Arjan nodded. “Guess we can make it through. I just arranged to hire a couple of new men.”

  “I convinced Mr. Perkins to include Stuart Albright so I could keep him away from Lizzie for a time. Turns out, he knows the men who’ve come. They’re actually workin’ with his pa and the President of the United States.”

  “And that’s what you overheard?”

  “No. They said that much outright.” G. W. leaned closer. “I just heard Mrs. Decker talkin’ to Albright, though. She was sayin’ something about how she was gonna work on Lizzie to convince her to leave with ’em. Said it would benefit them all.”

  “That’s a curious thing,” his uncle replied.

  “It concerns me somethin’ fierce. I cain’t hardly be in two places at one time, but I’m hopin’ folks at home will look out for Lizzie. Her ma don’t seem to hold much affection for her, and I worry about what she has planned.”

  “You’d do well to share your thoughts with Deborah. She’ll see to Lizzie. She’ll get your ma’s help and Sissy’s, too, if need be. They won’t allow Miz Decker to take liberties, even if Lizzie is her daughter.”

  “Seems to me some folks treat their kin worse than they do strangers,” G. W. said, shaking his head. “Just don’t seem right.”

  “It ain’t, to be sure,” Uncle Arjan agreed. “Here come our ladies.”

  G. W. jumped down from the wagon and assisted his mother up to Uncle Arjan. By the time he got to the back of the wagon, Rob was handing up Lizzie and telling her how pretty she looked and saying something about her being brighter than the sun.

  Deborah rolled her eyes to the heavens and settled her gaze on G. W. “You look tired. Are you all right?”

  “I reckon I am,” he replied and then helped her into the wagon. He leaned close and whispered, “I wouldn’t mind a few words in private with you later on.”

  Deborah turned to eye him curiously but said nothing. She gave him a nod and turned her attention to Lizzie and Rob. G. W. admired his little sister greatly. She was very smart when it came to seeing beyond the surface of things. He hoped she would have some idea of what was going on with Albright and Mrs. Decker.

  –––––––

  Later that night, after hearing G. W.’s concerns regarding Stuart and Mrs. Decker, Deborah returned to her bedroom and confronted Lizzie.

  “Do you have any idea what it might mean?”

  Lizzie shook her head. “I honestly don’t. Mother can be quite manipulative when she has something to gain. There must be some benefit, but for the life of me, I can’t imagine what it is. And then there’s Stuart. I can’t see Mother having anything that would help him. His family is wealthy and well connected.”

  “Well, despite that, it sounds as though your mother plans to impose herself upon us and make certain you listen to her every thought on the matter. I will do what I can to help you, but I’m not entirely sure what you need me to do.”

  Lizzie shrugged. “I’m not sure I know myself. I suppose it would be good if you could help me to avoid being alone with her overly much. I know she’ll want some privacy with me, and that’s fine. I can tolerate her haranguing me for a short while, but then I simply lose my patience. I don’t want to make this matter worse than it already is.”

  Deborah considered her words for a moment. “If you were to leave first thing in the morning with my mother and go grape picking, then you wouldn’t be available to your mother.”

  “We can hardly go pick grapes every day until my mother leaves,” Lizzie countered.

  Laughing, Deborah pulled down the quilt and sheet and slipped into her bed. “You don’t know my mother very well. She’ll find something for you to be picking for as long as you need.”

  Lizzie sat down on the edge of her bed. “I can’t avoid my mother forever. I shall simply have to stand up to her and be the brave and strong woman she raised me to be. It’s not like she can force me to leave. Your brothers and uncle would never allow for that.”

  “Especially not G. W.” She paused. “I think you’ve completely won his heart.”

  Her friend flushed. “I think he’s won mine, as well, but this matter of whether or not I’m legally married to Stuart is a problem we cannot ignore. Oh, I do wish Father would write.”

  “Don’t worry. In time, he will. Until then, we shall simply do what we can to avoid confrontation. If
that means picking grapes, pecans, papaws, or any number of other things, then that’s what we’ll do.” Deborah smiled. “You have the advantage here.”

  “And what would that advantage be?”

  “We have time and the Lord. Both will be to our benefit.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Harriet Decker sat prim and regal as if she were a queen holding court. Dressed from head to toe in a severely cut navy blue suit, she looked every bit the righteous matriarch. Deborah could see why she intimidated her daughter. Lizzie’s nature was far more lighthearted compared to the stout woman whose serious expression demanded solemnity.

  Sipping the tea Deborah’s mother had served, Mrs. Decker finally got to the point of her visit. “I do not pretend to be happy about my journey here. However, I found it most necessary, given the legalities of the matter at hand.”

  “And what legalities are those, Mother? Did you ask Father to check into the situation, or are we relying solely on the word of Stuart?”

  Her mother frowned. “Your father has no need to be consulted in this matter. I was aghast to have him make an appearance at the wedding. It was an embarrassment.”

  Deborah watched Lizzie fix her mother with an emotionless stare. “He’s my father. He had as much right to be there as you did.”

  “He had nothing to do with your upbringing. There was no reason for him to be there, although I’m sure he enjoyed making me feel uncomfortable.”

  Lizzie put down her cup and turned to Deborah and then to Euphanel. “At my mother’s insistence, my father had little in the way of visitation. Those few times he did attempt to see me, she was cruel and made the situation quite difficult.”

  “How dare you lie? And with me sitting right here. I was not cruel or difficult. Your father wasn’t interested in visiting you. He found another woman with whom to take his comfort and had little to do with either of us after that.”

  “You drove him away and then faulted him for taking comfort with someone else. I hardly consider that fair.”

  Mrs. Decker stiffened. “I can see that you understand nothing of what really happened.”