"Don't know why not."
They worked on the project together. Tam finally stood back and admired his work. "It's perfect. All the words are spelled right, even my name," he said as he winked at Big Dog.
"Yessiree, you did a grand job. Now you can put the stain on it. Be sure to stir it good before you start."
Now Tam understood why his brother, Braden, enjoyed doing woodworking. He'd admired his handy work all his life. Now he could show this to Braden if his family ever came to the Northwoods for a visit.
"Let me put it up on the shelf to dry. Now you need to find something to put inside the box."
Tam leaned back against one of the sawhorses and crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't have any idea." He watched Big Dog set the box on a high shelf. "Do you have any advice?"
"I don't suppose you have a wedding ring stashed in your belongings?"
"No, not a one."
"You still have a couple of weeks until Christmas to figure out something."
"Thank you for all of your help. Is there something I can do to return the favor?"
"Nah, not right now, but I'll keep you in mind when I need someone."
"I'll see you later then." He walked out into the sunshine. Most of the ranch hands were working on the stables while the sun warmed the air somewhat. He wandered toward all the activity.
When he got there, Jory pointed toward a hammer. "Come help. We can use every available hand we can get."
He stepped in to give them a hand. By the noon meal, the sides were up and the trusses for the roof would go up next. He and Jory made their way into the lodge in answer to Lottie's call to the noon meal. They washed their hands and sat at the dining table.
"Is that delicious smell your fruitcakes?" Tam asked Caroline as he filled his plate.
Her immediate answer was a wide smile and nod of her head. "Yes, and they turned out quite perfect."
He patted the back of her hand. "I'm quite proud of you. One more batch tomorrow?"
"Yes. Danielle and I'll be up early to get it done."
"It sounds like you're going to be busy. Am I to assume you'd like me to work the store tomorrow?" Tam dug into his food while she answered him.
"No, we'll be done in time for me to open it. Daddy, can Tam get the boxes of candles and holders out of the tunnel after our meal? I'd like to start setting them out in the next day or so."
"Certainly. He can do it whenever he has the time."
"You show me where they are and I'll do it right now."
"Are you done eating?"
"I'd rather spend time alone with you than eat."
She blushed at his comment. "Daddy, may we be excused?"
"Sure, go ahead. Tam, thanks for all the extra work you've been doing around here."
"You're welcome. That's what I'm here for." He got up and pulled Caroline's chair out.
"They're in the tunnel where we store the goods. You've probably walked past the boxes and not noticed them. Mama labeled all three so you should be able to find them without trouble."
They walked into the hall leading out to the deck. She helped him roll the rug out of the way and lifted the trapdoor. "Please, won't you come down with me? My lips need some tender care from yours."
Her eyes sparkled. "My lips would love to press tenderly against yours."
He went down first, then wrapped his hands around her waist and guided her down the stairs. She turned around and wrapped her arms about his neck. "I've missed spending time with you the last couple of days."
"I'd like that." He touched her cheek. "You have brought me untold happiness these past weeks. I thank God for you every day." Passion coursed through him as his lips pressed against hers again.
Caroline's fervor drove him to press deeper. She pushed against his chest and broke their embrace. It took a moment to catch his breath after she pulled away. He grasped her hands. "You've stolen my heart, Caroline Hughes. The moment I saw you, it was like my heart knew you and had missed you my whole life."
"Tam, you staying down there all day, or are you helping to finish the stables?"
Tam rolled his eyes at Caroline. "My brother has perfect timing."
He looked up and scowled at Jory. "I'll catch up with you in a bit. Now, go. Give us some privacy."
Jory grinned at him. "Make it quick, will ya."
As soon as he heard Jory's footsteps as he walked away, Tam pulled Caroline close to him where she belonged. "I'm in love with you my sweetheart."
She didn't say a word at first. His nerves pulled taut as he waited for a reaction. Then he saw a few tears in her eyes.
"I love you, too, Tam."
It's all he needed to hear. He pressed her tight against his heart. "You've made me so happy."
"What are we going to do, Tam?"
He tipped her chin up. "I don't know, but I've learned fate has a way of working things out the way they're supposed to be."
She chuckled. "You've been around my father too long. That's what he's always telling me."
He gave her a quick kiss and nodded toward the boxes. "Let's get them up top before my brother comes back."
Caroline pointed to the containers she wanted. He took each box and lifted it up top. Once they were all on the floor upstairs, he let Caroline go up first and then followed her. He shut the door, they unrolled the rug over the entrance, and walked back into the store.
Tam pulled his knife from his boot sheath and cut the twine so she could get into them. "Have fun. I look forward to seeing what you do with them."
"I'm trying to remember how Mama used them."
He tipped her chin up. "Maybe you should arrange them the way you think they look best. I'm sure your mother would want you to make the Christmas your own. After all, you're giving this holiday to your younger sisters as a gift."
"What do you mean?"
"You brought the holiday back so they can have what your mother gave you. I'm so proud of the way you're handling your grief by giving joy to your younger sisters."
Chapter Twenty-Five
The next morning Lottie motioned Caroline into the kitchen. She frowned as she rose from the table. "Excuse me, Mrs. Timmons. I'm needed in the kitchen. Thank you for dropping off two more letters. I'm sure hoping these are the last of them."
The pastor's wife nodded and stepped out of her way so she could pass. She entered Lottie's realm and looked around for Amanda. "What's wrong? Where's Amanda?"
"I wish I knew. She took one look at Mary Timmons and bolted out of here. I swear her face turned stark white. Please, go find her and bring her back."
"Calm down, Lottie. I'll find out what's going on. Which way did she go?"
"Out the back door."
What on earth could Mary Timmons have in common with Amanda Mason? They lived in two different worlds, or did they? She knew that Amanda had worked in a couple of different hotels in Wausau.
Caroline went out the back door and saw footprints in the snow leading toward Mama's gravesite. She followed them toward the small cemetery and saw Amanda sitting on the bench inside the fence.
"Amanda?"
The girl jumped up and spun around. Her puffy eyes and tear-stained face shocked Caroline. "Dear God, what's happened?" She unlatched the gate and rushed to Amanda's side. She wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl and rocked her. What had shaken this strong-willed survivor? "Amanda, please sit and tell me what has frightened you so."
"I can't. If she finds out I've spoken about what goes on at the hotel, it would put you all in danger."
"What do you mean? Are you saying the pastor's wife isn't who we think she is?"
Amanda nodded and got up to leave. Caroline stepped in front of her before she reached the gate. "No, no, missy, you're not going anywhere until you explain why Mary Timmons scares you. Nobody says my family is in danger, and then walks away without an explanation."
They both returned to the bench. Amanda took a deep breath before she started to tell her story.
"How long ago was this?"
"It was my first job, so almost four years ago."
"You're sure it was Mrs. Timmons?"
"Her name was Mary Fontaine back then."
"Were you introduced to her?"
"Oh, God, no. She never looked me directly in the eye in those days. Later when she started staying in the hotel where I worked as a maid, she thought me surly and reported me to the management. They fired me."
"Mrs. Timmons sure has changed a great deal. I can't understand how Jacob met and married her. Do you know what she and her friends were up to?"
"My next job was working both the kitchen and cleaning rooms. I got paid the same low wage and worked twice the job. She wasn't my favorite person by then. She must not have remembered me. I'd cut my hair shorter because I didn't have the time or strength to deal with it while working in the heat of the kitchen. Every time I brought food to their table, they stopped talking so I don't know what they were up to. Not long afterwards, I found papers and envelopes she carelessly left lying on the bed in her room. My curiosity drew me to read them."
Amanda stopped and shook her head. "I can't tell you more. They'd kill me if I did."
"I don't understand why you keep saying they'd kill. You need to forget your fears and tell me." Caroline grabbed her shoulders and squeezed. "What did the letters say and where were they mailed from?"
"I can only remember a little bit. She was involved in a world-wide smuggling organization. In the correspondence, Mary addressed them as her penpals."
Caroline sank back against the back of the bench. "Dear God, Mary is one of them?"
Amanda nodded. "I'm afraid so. She bragged about finding a man she'd conned and figured he'd ask her to marry him in the next few weeks. Her position as his wife gave her the best possible position to learn about smuggling in the area where he preached."
She grasped Amanda's hands. "You have to talk to my father and uncle. I promise, they'll protect you and put an end to Mary Timmons' participation in the smuggling operation."
Amanda jerked her hands back. "No, I can't"
Caroline stood. "Come let's go find privacy in my father's office. We can go through the back. If Mary is still inside, she won't see you."
"I don't know, Caroline. She threatened me. I moved her letters and envelopes to a small table. I was making the bed when she came into the room. She must have known I'd done some snooping by the look of shock on my face when she entered."
"You must have freaked."
"Can you believe she gathered her stuff, waved them in front of my face as she ranted at me? She said if I ever mentioned what I'd seen to anyone, she would have me and whoever I talked to destroyed."
"I'm not budging on this, Amanda. Now come on. It's time to face your fears. Believe me, I know the hell that comes along when you don't."
They left the cemetery and Caroline latched the gate. She led Amanda back to the lodge, through the back door, and into her father's office. "I'll be back in a few moments. Promise me you'll not run away."
Amanda stared her in the eye. She hesitated a moment but finally nodded. Caroline wasn't accepting her weak assurance. "Say it out loud. I want to hear you promise me."
"All right, I promise I won't move."
Caroline left and found her father and Uncle Matthias sitting in front of the fireplace discussing the near disaster of the fire. "You've got to come right now into your office, Daddy. It's shocking," She whispered.
Matthias got up and took her arm. "What are you talking about?"
"Shhh, please come and hear the story that'll give you the answers you've been seeking."
Matthias helped Hank to his feet and they followed her.
"Amanda? What's this all about?"
"Good afternoon, Mr. Hughes. I have some information you need to hear."
Hank sat behind his desk while Matthias pulled a chair over and sat on one side of Amanda. Caroline settled on the other side.
Caroline took Amanda's hand and squeezed. "It's all right. Tell them everything you just told me."
For the next half hour, Amanda recounted everything she could remember. The more she spoke, the more she recalled. A dam broke and the words flooded out. Hank and Matthias sat spellbound as they listened to her tale of deception and intimidation.
Hank shook his head as Mary Timmon's secret life unraveled. When Amanda finished, he got up and sat on the edge of his desk with his broken leg to the side. He reached for her hand. "I have no words to thank you for sharing this information with us."
"It's the lease I could do."
"It's apparent you fear repercussions from these tyrants who have harassed not only you, but my family as well. We've hit one wall after another trying to learn how the revenuers learn about our habits and secrets. It's clear to me that I'm the one who has been giving it to them by trusting the wrong people."
"Thank you, Mr. Hughes. I'm glad Caroline pushed me to tell you what I know."
"Please call me Hank. Everyone calls me by my first name. And please consider yourself part of our family from now on. You've definitely earned an honorary place in our home." He leaned closer. "Anyone who can sway Lottie to liking her has probably earned even more."
"Do the men you saw her sitting with wear any kind of uniform?" Matthias asked.
"The first time I saw them together, the men wore the Mountie red jackets."
Matthias wore a pained expression as shook his head. "Thank you."
She frowned at him. "Do you know who they are?"
"I believe I do. Is one of them tall, black wavy hair?"
"Yeah, he was one. The day I left Wausau, I saw him walking along the boardwalk on Main Street with Mrs. Brown. He had an ugly cut on his cheek."
Caroline's gaze locked with his. "I'm sorry Uncle Matthias."
"You never mentioned Mrs. Brown by name before. Are you sure you have her name right?" Hank asked.
"I worked the check-in counter the last week I worked in the hotel. That's the name she signed in the log book."
"What a mess. They really had us covered on all sides, didn't they?"
"Yes, they did Matthias. I feel like a damned fool."
"Don't feel alone."
HANK GATHERED LUC, the MacGregors, and Big Dog into his office. He wished Michel had reached them by now, but realized the weather would slow his travel from Canada. Maybe they could come up with a strategy before he arrived.
Caroline came in with a tray of coffee and cookies.
Hank nodded to his daughter. "Honey, please stay. You've earned a place in our discussions."
She made sure everyone had a drink and then settled in the last empty chair.
Hank started by explaining what they'd learned during the conversation with Amanda earlier.
Luc couldn't sit still as he listened. He got up and paced back and forth behind the chairs. "I should have killed the sonuvabitch."
"No, you did the right thing. Can't you see they've been setting you up to make an arrest? You've got to keep your emotions under control or they'll put you behind bars."
"I know, but—" He shook his head and gazed at Matthias. "How could members of your family belong to a worldwide mob? You can't deny it's what it is. Now we have to find a way to bring it down without involving our operation."
"You're right, Luc. I have no idea how they got involved. Gervais has a problem with jealousy, as you well know. Why Renald would ruin his life is beyond me. He has a good job and earns more money than he can spend."
"We had something similar happen in Paradise Pines," Jory added. "The only way to kill a snake is to cut its head off."
"What are you saying?" Matthias said.
"Mrs. Brown is obviously involved up to
her ass. We know where she is. Let's go get her and then on the way back to the trading post, we can pick up the preacher's wife."
"Just how do you think we'll transport them here, Jory?"
"They owe me for the crack on the back of the head. We'll find a way. Next time it could be one of your daughters, Hank."
Big Dog got up and headed toward the door. "The coach is leaving in five minutes, so I suggest y'all hustle."
Hank chuckled. "I'll stay and keep an eye on the womenfolk. Be careful." He glanced at Matthias. "It's up to you whether you go or not."
"I wouldn't miss this for nothing." He got up. "It's the only way I can redeem my family name."
They all returned to the main room. Matthias walked behind the bar and pulled a rifle out from behind the bar. He shoved it toward Caroline. "If anyone comes here while we're gone and you don't trust them, shoot first and we'll deal with it later."
"Uncle Matthias, I can't shoot someone."
"Yes, you can. If you or one of your sisters is in danger, you'll be surprised at what you can do, Caroline." Matthias mumbled to himself as he left.
"Daddy, how can this all be happening? Our world is falling apart. You've got to do something."
"It's true that fate has dealt us a severe blow, but it has also given us the way to bring it to an end through Amanda. Convince her she needs the security of living here on the trading post with us."
"I will, but first let me get you settled." She got him tucked into a couple of blankets in front of the fire until she could get the fire going again and take the chill out of the room.
"I know you're upset because you can't be involved with this capture, and I'm sorry you'll miss the excitement, but your leg isn't healed yet."
"I messed up, didn't I? I shouldn't have acted like a teenager and gone after those wolves. Don't worry I'll get over it in time."
"You'll be fine before you know it. I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm going to go grab a few logs from out back."
He heard the stagecoach stop in front of the lodge.
Big Dog and Matthias came into the main room. Matthias grabbed Hank's coat and badger skin hat. "Come on old man, we're not leaving you behind because of a sore leg. Get up and put this on." He handed the garments to Hank. "I'll go let Lottie and Caroline know what's happening."
Christmas Surprise Page 25