Mail Order Mix-Up

by Christine Johnson

  Her lips pressed into a straight line. “I am not a simpleton, Mr. Decker. This is not a lumbering venture, and these logs are not destined for fine homes.”

  “As a matter of fact, they are. We do not waste timber. These logs will go to the mill.” He turned to the foreman, Sawyer Evans. “Resume work.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t.” Pearl flung herself between Roland and Evans. “This can’t continue.”

  “It can and will.” He nodded at Evans, who stepped away.

  She stomped her foot. “Did you ever once consider what effect this will have on the children? They made wreaths using the cones from that spruce. We were going to press maple leaves today. You’ve ruined everything. I can’t bring them into this...this wasteland.” She’d gotten so wound up that she was sputtering.

  “Press leaves? I thought you were teaching them to read and write and add.”

  Her jaw locked, and she stood on tiptoe to glare inches from his face. “I am, but tell me how I’m supposed to teach anything with this racket?”

  He hadn’t considered that. “Surely with the windows and door closed—”

  “Have you checked to see that the noise is bearable?”

  “How can I check the sound level from inside the schoolhouse when it’s locked and I don’t have a key?” he countered, stepping back. As a rule, he didn’t back away from a fight, but her presence had an unnerving effect on him. Instead of getting angry, he wanted to hold her and calm her down and tell her that they could work together, but she would insist he shut down his operation, which was not possible. “We can check now, if you wish.”

  Her arms crossed again, and the frown deepened. “It doesn’t matter. The moment the children see all this activity, they won’t be able to concentrate on the lessons.”

  She might have a point, but he wasn’t about to let her know that. “Maybe for a day or two, but they’ll soon lose interest.”

  She considered that a moment before coming back with another concern. “And how do you intend to ensure their safety?”

  “Their safety?” This completely puzzled him. Anyone could wander into the sawmill, which was much more dangerous.

  “From falling trees and whatnot.”

  He stifled a chuckle, not very successfully judging by the flash of her eyes. “I assure you that my men can fell a tree in the proper direction—away from the school. Your school is in no danger.”

  “And when they walk here in the morning and leave in the afternoon?”

  Roland’s head ached. “We are well clear of the roads. There’s no reason for the children to go near our operation. Simply tell them to stay on the roads.” Roland noticed the men were still watching and listening to every word. He gave her a smile intended to calm her down. “Now, don’t you fret. We won’t be any bother to your students or classroom.”

  Instead of simmering down, she stiffened. Red dotted her cheeks, and she looked like she was about to spit out something extremely unpleasant. What had he said? He was just trying to calm her down. Instead, he was about to face her wrath.

  “Pearl? Shouldn’t we go to the school?” Amanda had edged near, and her halting question managed to deflate Pearl’s ire. “The children will start arriving soon.”

  “Yes, I suppose we should.” But Pearl said that to Roland, not Amanda. “We must ensure the children’s safety, not to mention drying their tears when they see their beloved spruce and maple trees fall.”

  With that, Pearl stomped off with Amanda on her heels.

  “Everything all right, boss?” asked Evans.

  Roland watched Pearl’s retreating figure. “Yes. Everything is just fine.”

  But it wouldn’t be. Knowing Pearl, this was just the beginning.

  * * *

  “He is sadly mistaken if he thinks he is going to jeopardize our school,” Pearl huffed as she readied the classroom.

  She’d left Amanda outside to guide the students past the mayhem, so her words weren’t heard by anyone but the kittens, who wove around her legs, eager for the milk they received each morning. Today, Sadie and Isaac had been charged with bringing some. She hoped they didn’t forget, what with their uncle’s rush to destroy the last patch of woods near Singapore.

  Had she been too harsh with him? With all the windows and doors closed, the racket was muffled enough so she could be heard, but the construction activity would prove a terrible distraction, especially to the boys. Roland might think one or two days would dampen their interest, but spelling and addition tables could not compete with machinery and crashing trees. Already the spruce had been toppled. The maple would soon follow.

  Once the property was cleared, those piles of brick and wooden beams would be assembled into a formidable factory just down the slope from their school. Surely the towns could not approve of the glasswork’s location so close to the school. Then again, Singapore appeared to have no government, and she’d heard no protests from Mr. Farmingham or anyone in Saugatuck. Regardless, in one fell swoop she would lose all the progress she’d made settling the children down enough to focus on learning.

  By the end of the school day, her fears had been realized. Once the children left for home and Amanda returned to the now-empty classroom, Pearl had come to a conclusion.

  “We must find another place to hold classes until this construction ends.”

  Amanda picked up Dandelion, whom the children called Dandy, and stroked his white fur. “But where?”

  “The new church would do. I can’t see any objections.”

  “The children from Saugatuck and Goshorn Lake would have to walk farther.”

  “True.” Pearl breathed out in frustration. Most of her students hailed from outside Singapore. Though the distance wasn’t far, it would entail a longer walk. The days were growing shorter, and soon they would have to walk in the dark. She would have to dismiss them earlier and start later if they moved to the church building. “It can’t be helped. The students will never learn a thing with all that commotion going on.”

  “Oh, Pearl, they were just excited today. Every new thing does that. They’ll come around. Give it time. Soon enough the noise will lessen and the construction will seem ordinary.”

  Cocoa pawed at her skirt, begging to be picked up. Pearl bent down to gather the little ball of fur. “Soon it will be time to send these little ones to their winter homes.” She stroked Cocoa’s cheeks until she purred. “Why can’t things go along smoothly?”

  “Didn’t Jesus say that in this life we would have trouble?”

  “True.” Pearl set the kitten down. “Trouble is a given, but it doesn’t mean lying down and accepting it without a fight. This is not for my comfort. This is for the sake of those precious children. I will not accept defeat without trying. We will ask if we can use the church, at least until the noise dies down.”

  “Who do we ask?”

  That was the problem. “Since Mr. Stockton isn’t here, I will have to ask Roland.”

  After today’s outburst, he wasn’t likely to listen, least of all agree. She must somehow convince him that this change would be to his advantage.

  * * *

  “More sawmill workers?” Roland stared at his brother, who met him in the store at the end of the work day.

  “That’s what the cable says.” Garrett spread it out on the counter. “Postman brought it down from Holland this afternoon.”

  Roland read the short message again.

  Two dozen workers coming. Stop. Ready all housing. Stop. Stockton

  That meant both mills would run at full capacity. The store would be busier than ever, cutting into his time on the construction site. That also meant closing the church and reinstalling the bunks. Pearl would not be pleased. That church meant a lot to her. He’d seen the glow in her eyes that first Sunday and the way she sang with abando
n, as if in the actual presence of God. He’d felt both unworthy and irresistibly drawn to her. After today’s argument, heaping on the news that the church must be dismantled would drive an even bigger wedge between them.

  “Why bring in more workers now?” Roland grumbled. “That usually happens in the spring.”

  Garrett shrugged. “Must have a lot of logs heading our way.”

  That much was obvious. Handling the rest would not be pleasant. He groaned and rubbed his throbbing temples. Ever since arguing with Pearl this morning, his head ached.

  “Pearl is going to hate me.”

  Garrett grinned. “Glad I’m not in your shoes, but maybe she’ll pay me a little more attention.” He cuffed Roland on the shoulder.

  “Don’t pin your hopes in that quarter.”

  “Why? Don’t you think I’m a good enough catch for a schoolteacher?”

  “I think she doesn’t want to marry.”

  “Could’ve fooled me a few Sundays ago up on the dune.”

  Roland groaned. Had all of Singapore seen that ill-advised kiss? He’d gotten carried away in the moment. That was all.

  “Uncle Roland? Can I have a licorice?” a small voice asked.

  Isaac stood politely on the other side of the counter with Sadie by his side. How long had they been there? Had they heard the whole conversation? Roland swallowed hard. That wasn’t the sort of thing he and Garrett should be discussing in front of children.

  “If your father agrees.”

  “All right, but only one.” Garrett lifted the lid off the jar of licorice and let Isaac take one.

  Roland leaned over the counter and caught his niece’s eye. “What would you like?”

  “She doesn’t know,” Isaac said.

  “Why don’t we let your sister answer,” Roland suggested. He’d noticed Isaac taking the lead far too much. His niece needed to stand on her own. Like Pearl. His gut twisted. She was going to hate him.

  Sadie didn’t answer. Isaac shrugged and headed through the back to the kitchen. Sadie eyed all the jars of candy, peering intently at each one before moving on to the next. It seemed to take forever. Finally she lifted her big blue eyes up to him.

  “What would Cocoa want?”

  “The kitten? Cats don’t eat candy.”

  “They don’t?”

  He shook his head. “That’s why you bring her milk.” Soon they would need meat, yet another expense his brother had placed on his shoulders. Garrett insisted that since Roland had encouraged Sadie to take a kitten, he was responsible for feeding and taking care of the cat.

  “Then I want a milk candy,” she exclaimed.

  The bell on the door tinkled.

  Roland looked up and groaned.

  Pearl Lawson strode toward him with purpose, an artificially buoyant smile pasted on her face. Something was up, and he was sure he wouldn’t like it.

  “Good evening, Roland. Garrett. Sadie, what a pleasure to see you.”

  “Hello, Miss Lawson.”

  Roland handed Sadie a caramel, hoping it would suffice. “Go play with your brother. I think Miss Lawson wants to talk to the grown-ups.”

  She skipped away, humming a tune that sounded vaguely familiar.

  Pearl watched her, a genuine smile curving her lips. “Isn’t it wonderful how far she’s come? She even remembers the hymns from last Sunday.”

  The hymns. That was it.

  “Is there a problem with Isaac or Sadie in school?” Garrett asked.

  “Not at all.” Again that forced smile. “I’ve simply been thinking about our situation, and I’ve come to a conclusion.”

  Roland inwardly groaned.

  “Situation?” Garrett asked in spite of Roland’s gestures not to say anything.

  “The fact that the construction is disrupting the classroom.”

  Garrett turned on him. “Is that true?”

  “It, uh, well, the tractor and timbering might prove a bit fascinating to some of the boys,” Roland admitted.

  “Not to mention the noise,” Pearl said. “We can barely hear each other.”

  “You said it wouldn’t bother the school,” Garrett said.

  Roland couldn’t very well back out of that statement now, not with Pearl providing evidence to the contrary. “It won’t last long.”

  “Humph.” She made it perfectly clear that she didn’t believe him. “Precisely how long is ‘not long?’”

  “It depends on the weather. A week or two, perhaps.”

  “One or two weeks too long.”

  “I agree with Pearl.” In fact Garrett had rounded the counter to stand next to her.

  If he hadn’t just talked about winning her over, Roland wouldn’t find the gesture so distasteful. Surely Garrett didn’t really have designs on Pearl. He couldn’t.

  “Mind you,” Pearl was saying, “I do respect your plan for the future of Singapore, and I understand the need to build before winter sets in.”

  Roland let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. She understood! The elation drove away the pain in his head. The door opened again, but he couldn’t miss what Pearl said next.

  “I have found a solution.” She looked at Garrett and then him. “The church is not in use during the week. We can hold classes there until the most disruptive work is completed.”

  “Then what Angela and Beth told me is true.” Mrs. Wardman stepped close. “The woods are being torn down.”

  “For a glassworks,” Roland countered. “Jobs for the future.” It had sounded fine when paraded before Holmes, but with two women staring at him, it sounded like the spiel from a circus pitchman.

  “And our school?” Mrs. Wardman asked.

  He thought he caught his brother chuckling.

  Roland cleared his throat. “It’s a temporary situation.”

  “I’ve thought of a solution,” Pearl interjected. “Just until the worst of the commotion is done. We can use the new church here.”

  “Oh, I’d heard that you have a church now. What a blessing that must be. It would make a fine building, but isn’t it in town?”

  Pearl turned from Roland to answer Mrs. Wardman’s questions. With every word, Roland felt worse. He was going to have to break the news to them that the church was not available, but they wouldn’t stop talking long enough for him to say it.

  Garrett chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. “Let me know how it works out.”

  Then the coward made an excuse about checking on the children and left Roland to fend for himself against two women who would soon want to tar and feather him.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “They’re closing the church.” Pearl dropped her books on the parlor tea table and removed her gloves while making the announcement to Fiona and Amanda. She was still steaming mad. After all the work they’d done to turn the cabin into a church, Roland was shutting it down. The moment he’d announced it, she’d shouted a few angry words and stomped from the store.

  Amanda set down her embroidery. “Why would they do that?”

  Pearl opened her mouth to inform them of his treachery, but Fiona spoke up first.

  “Because they need the housing.” Fiona paused from writing a letter.

  “They what?” This sounded like just the sort of excuse Roland would make. “Where did you hear that?”

  “Sawyer Evans mentioned it when I asked about heat for the warehouse on Saturday.”

  “Sawyer Evans?” The name sounded familiar, but Pearl couldn’t place it.

  “He plays a fine fiddle and is working on that new construction project of Roland Decker’s.”

  Of course. It always came back to Roland. She’d heard him mention Mr. Evans by name this morning. “What do they need to house? Building
supplies?”

  Fiona eyed her more intently. “They need to house incoming workers. That is the cabin’s purpose.”

  Pearl recalled the bunks that had filled the room. Roland had said it hadn’t been used in ages. Why the sudden need? The answer didn’t take long to surmise. “I suppose the new construction would need extra workers.”

  Fiona resumed writing. “I wouldn’t know about that. Sawyer said they’re mill workers and lumberjacks. They’re expecting a huge raft of logs from upriver within a week or so.”

  “Logs?” Shame swept through Pearl. She hadn’t waited for Roland to explain. She’d leaped to a conclusion and shouted something awful at him before storming away. The memory of her words burned. Why had she assumed the worst? She hadn’t given him a chance to explain. She hadn’t listened to what he had to tell her. She had thought only of her own situation.

  Fiona’s lips curved into a smug smile. “Ah. Had a falling-out with Roland, did you?” She glanced at Amanda. “All the better for someone else.”

  Someone more worthy. Fiona might as well have said it. It was true. Amanda was more worthy. She loved with abandon, sometimes foolishly, but always with her whole heart. Pearl held back until she was certain of the other.

  She sank into a chair. Much as she hated to admit it, Fiona was right. Pearl might well have destroyed her last chance for any sort of relationship with Roland. Even friendship was out of the question after the way she’d stormed in, accusing him. When he learned that she’d talked Debra Wardman into rallying the parents Friday morning, he would never speak to her again.

  Amanda lightly touched her shoulder. “Could you help me gather our laundry from the line and bring it upstairs?”

  Even in the depths of her misery, Pearl recognized her friend’s kind and gentle spirit. No doubt there wasn’t any laundry on the line or certainly not enough to require assistance. Amanda saw her distress and was giving her a reason to escape further questions and comments from Fiona.

  “Let me bring my books to the room first. Then I’ll meet you outside.”

  As she’d suspected the laundry consisted of two nightgowns and a couple of unmentionables. One woman could easily carry them, but Amanda laid the gowns in Pearl’s arms and carried the rest herself.