“Just so you know,” Mavis went on, “we have several sharpshooters on the hill. Don’t try anything against the law.”
“They can take out a fly on your nose without leaving a scratch,” Lavinia added, hoping Belle was really that good. She hadn’t known her sister had become so proficient with her Winchester, having seen no proof until today, just Blake’s words. “As well as sharpshooters, an army of men is on its way here as we speak and will arrive any moment.” She thought she saw Rhett smile. “You’ve all broken the law by attacking the sheriff.”
The closest men around her mumbled with disquiet.
Mavis went to Clint and squatted at his side. Leaning over, she carefully examined the side of his head where he’d been struck. Her hands trembled as she tenderly brushed the hair back from his eyes. She glanced up at Blake. “Has he regained consciousness?”
Blake shook his head. “No.”
That was all Blake said. Lavinia could tell he was steaming mad they’d disobeyed. They would all hear about this for months, she was sure.
The ring of men surrounding them backed up, making room. A cool whiff of air, with the scent of the river, was a welcome relief.
The foreman straightened. “When the tree by the bank fell, one of my men mistook the sound for a gunshot. He struck out. It was an accident.”
The foreman touched Clint’s boot with the toe of his own boot, and Lavinia thought Mavis was going to spring at his face and claw his eyes out.
“He’ll come around soon enough. It’s just a whack on the head. Men get hurt worse out here all the time. That’s nothin’.”
Mavis returned to Lavinia’s side. “Doesn’t look like nothing to me,” she said angrily.
“Clint had asked for the paperwork giving you permission to cut,” Rhett said, “when some fella stepped forward and hit him over the head with the butt end of his ax.”
Thank God Rhett’s all right. Blake and Maverick too. But poor Clint. He looked so helpless stretched out on the ground. “What do we do now?” she found herself asking. “Wait for help that’s on the way, or try to take Clint back to Dr. Gannon’s ourselves?”
Blake shook his head. “He can’t ride.”
“My men will carry him,” the foreman said. “Stu, Bill, Sam, Clark, Mason, Hawk!” he shouted. “Get a stretcher and take the sheriff back to town and then get back here right away. We have work to do.”
Six men stepped forward. Lavinia couldn’t hold her curiosity any longer. “What will happen to the forest? Are you still going to be logging the trees?”
“We’ll have the surrounding acres cleared before summer sets in,” the foreman said. “If you’re smart, you won’t waste your time trying to stop us. By the time you even get a response from anyone in authority, we’ll be finished and gone. More men are arriving soon. And now that you know that we’re here, no more working under the darkness of night or trying to keep our operation hidden. We can come and go in Eden without problem. We always win, Miss Brinkman. Now, let us collect your man so you can be on your way. We have trees to fell.”
Lavinia glanced at the river, her heart sinking. Logs floated down the waterway, their branches having been sheared off. She thought of her beautiful forest. Of Eden. Of their father’s dream. They couldn’t let this happen! Something had to be done, and quickly.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Crowded around a still-unconscious Clint in the doctor’s office, Rhett and the others talked in hushed voices. At Clint’s side, Mavis dipped a washcloth in a bowl of cool water, wrung out the excess with bare hands, and placed the material back on Clint’s forehead.
Rhett noticed her missing finger, and his gaze strayed to her face, so full of concern for the sheriff. He was sure she didn’t hear the conversation going on around them. So that’s why she always wears gloves. There wasn’t anything about her missing a finger in the articles. Now, for Clint’s sake, she’s putting her embarrassment aside.
His gaze strayed to Lavinia, and thought about what she’d told him last night. She was leaving Eden. Perhaps, if given the chance, something could have grown between them. Her company always brightened his day, and she was more or less always in his thoughts. He swallowed and moved his attention to Cash and Nicole, Clint’s young sister, on the other side of the bed.
The group had been halfway back to Eden, riding behind the six lumberjacks carrying Clint on a stretcher, when Henry, Cash, Emma, and twenty more men galloped up to them. Cash had vaulted out of his saddle and run to his father’s side. When the boy realized his father was still unconscious, he had let out a primeval howl of pain.
Dr. Gannon had been waiting when they arrived, and Dallas, now devoid of the quills, seemed back to his old self. Gannon examined Clint and made him comfortable.
Now they had to wait. Hope he’d awaken. As difficult as it was, the doctor said he didn’t have a crystal ball to say when that might be.
Lavinia appeared totally worn-out. All the sisters did. But especially her. Rhett remembered the way she’d marched into the lumber camp, before all those men, holding her head high even though he could see the fear in her eyes. He respected her, and thought her brave. That must have cost her dearly.
“Knock, knock. May I come in?”
The group turned at the soft voice.
Lara stood in the doorway, her hands clasped before her.
“Yes, please do,” Lavinia replied. All the sisters nodded in agreement. They stepped aside, making room between Lavinia and Katie for their friend.
“I saw you bring the sheriff in. Will he be all right?” She directed her question to Dr. Gannon.
“It’s too soon to know,” the physician said, moving to Clint’s side, where he lifted his wrist to take his pulse. “He seems to be gaining strength.” He glanced at Cash, who was watching him closely. “I feel quite sure he’ll be able to go home in a day or two. But he won’t be chasing outlaws for a few weeks. Someone else will have to do that for him.”
Cash nodded and then cut his gaze away. He might be built like a man, but he was still a boy, one in fear of losing his only parent.
Rhett swallowed down his hurt and guilt. He knew that look of desperation he saw on Cash’s face. How helpless he felt. How angry.
“What will happen with the forest?” Lara asked Henry. “Do you know?”
When Emma had ridden into town, many citizens had taken notice. News traveled fast in Eden.
“You want to answer that, Blake?” Henry said. “You were there.”
Blake and Belle stood shoulder to shoulder, Blake’s hat brim crunched in his fingers. His drawn face looked beaten. “The lumber company scabbing on the Dolores River makes a practice of cutting on federal land. They have no right to be there, and the foreman more or less admitted that. Says there’s nothing to be done to stop them. They come in quietly, work fast. Clear out everything they can. A good five acres have already been cleared.”
“I was amazed at the number of logs in the river,” Emma said, her tone sad. “It looked horrible. I’m surprised they don’t jam up at the narrow turn.”
Rhett nodded. He knew something about this. “They do, from time to time, but they have men called walkers who walk the logs to undam them. A dangerous job, but production stops when the river fills up and they can’t float any of the logs away. Until they’re cleared, progress is brought to a halt. Sometimes they have to use dynamite.”
Blake shoved his hands in his pockets, almost looking like a little boy. “This outfit goes around cutting lumber that’s not theirs to take, until they’re either finished or thrown off. They float it down the river to a mill, where they’ll cut boards and supply the mines and whoever else needs their product. By the time we get through the red tape to throw them off, just like he said, they’ll most likely be finished and have moved on.”
“Can’t the sheriff just demand that they go?” Lavinia asked. “Stealing is a crime.”
“Not with so many men as backup. There’d be a bloody war, and th
ey know we don’t want that.”
“I’ll send some telegrams,” Henry said. “Starting with our congressmen. Someone should be able to tell me something. There must be a legal way to kick them out.”
Rhett knew these kinds of men. He’d lived with just their type on the docks most of his life. Did any of the Brinkmans, Harding, or even Clint or Henry know what they were up against? He didn’t think so. He’d best keep a sharp eye out for more than suspicious activity in town. He’d make sure that no one tried to take the loggers on alone.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
All in all, Lavinia was surprised at how disconcerted Rhett seemed that the lumber outfit was threatening their town. The stormy look etched on his face since the six lumberjacks had laid Clint down in Dr. Gannon’s office and quietly filed out the door was something she wasn’t used to seeing. Before Lavinia had a chance to look out the window, they’d disappeared, on the way to her café.
“What now?” Emma asked beside Clint’s still form. “How can we stop those men from clearing Eden’s trees?”
Katie, who’d been silent since arriving, looked haggard. “I can’t believe this is happening. Has Eden ever had trouble like this, Blake? And look at poor Clint. I’m worried sick about him. We all are.”
Blake stood behind Mavis, who, finished with the washcloth, sat beside the bed, her hands, still ungloved, gripped in her lap. Cash and Nicole sat on the opposite side. The doctor had done all he could for now, and it was a waiting game. Head injuries could be tricky, he’d said. All could seem fine until the patient regained consciousness, or not. Lavinia had thought he hadn’t needed to be so forthcoming in his prognosis, especially in front of Clint’s son and sister. Or her sister. She didn’t miss that his words had made Mavis turn chalk white. Everyone understood a brain was fragile. One couldn’t go around smacking it without repercussions.
“How dare they!” Katie stood and paced across the room. “You all know my first concern is Clint, and that he makes a full recovery, but that foreman galls me. With Clint out of commission, what can we do? I’ve learned a lot since taking over my mill. We choose carefully before we cut, where, and how much. We never take too many trees from one spot. Making room for the forest to grow is a good thing. The forest is healthier. The trees left behind have sunlight. Thinning also keeps back the danger of fire. I’d never really given much thought to the lumber business before, but it’s like a science.” A whisper of a smile curled her lips.
And does she enjoy being close to Santiago? With easy access to seeing him alone, anytime she wants?
Ashamed for her wayward unkindness, Lavinia immediately called back the thought. She’d been alone with Rhett in the woods for quite some time last night and other times in the meadow. Nothing had ever happened.
A small moan escaped Clint’s lips.
Cash leaned forward, taking his father’s hand in his own. The two looked so much alike, it was uncanny.
Nicole leaned in and gently placed her hand on her brother’s head.
Mavis took up his other hand, as if in defiance, letting everyone know she didn’t care a whit what they thought of her actions.
“Pa?” Cash said, when Lavinia could tell he couldn’t wait a moment longer.
Cash’s anguish tore at Lavinia. It would be unthinkable to lose Clint now. Her gaze sought out Rhett, who looked unsure. His chin dipped and one side of his mouth pulled, as if he knew what she was thinking.
“Pa, can you hear me?”
Nicole leaned close to her brother’s face, holding back her thick, coffee-colored hair with one hand, her amber eyes brimming with worry. “Clint, please, speak to me.” She glanced up and looked at Cash. “To us. Cash is here by your side, and Mavis. We all are.” She swiped angrily at a tear that had slipped down her cheek. “You’re not being nice, making us worry like this. I want you to open your eyes right now. Stop vying for attention.”
The stark difference from Nicole’s usual, more vibrant personality was not lost on Lavinia. Clint’s sleeping form had brought out her vulnerability, a virtue she usually kept hidden. Lavinia knew Nicole didn’t mean a word of what she’d said. Clint was the last one to ever draw attention to himself.
The look on Mavis’s face broke Lavinia’s heart.
Dr. Gannon came to the foot of the bed. “I think it’s best if everyone cleared out. Let the sheriff get some rest. It’s possible he can feel the tension in the room.” He put out his hands to help usher everyone toward the door.
Cash stood defiantly. “I’m not leaving.”
Nicole straightened and shook her head. “Me either.”
Where did that leave Mavis? Would she put up a fight to stay as well? Lavinia recalled her earlier thoughts that something might have transpired recently between her oldest sister and the sheriff. Both had been exhibiting strange behavior. She hoped they’d be able to work through the situation and get back to their close friendship.
“The doctor’s right,” Henry said, his hat still grasped in his hands. “Our hovering won’t help Clint. Dr. Gannon knows where to find us if Clint wakes up. Besides, I feel an urgency to stop those men. I can’t do that here!”
Elizabeth, Johnny, and more than a handful of people had gathered out front, having seen the sheriff carried into town on a stretcher.
Blake nodded and held the door for Belle. “The best thing we can do for Clint now is to make sure nothing more happens in Eden while he’s recuperating. I, for one, will be staying in town, at the sheriff’s office, until he’s back on his feet.”
“I’ll keep an eye out as well,” Rhett added, his deep voice drawing Lavinia’s attention. “My place is right across the street from his office. Cash, Nicole, if you need anything, just let me know.”
The more Lavinia came to know Rhett, the more she admired his forthrightness and conviction. Soon he’d have his restaurant open and she’d be gone. She hoped she’d be around for opening night. Would waiting a few extra days put her apprenticeship position in jeopardy?
“I’d like to stay as well, Doctor, if I may,” Mavis said.
He nodded.
Lara turned to leave, but Lavinia gently took her arm. “Lara, may we speak with you for a moment outside?”
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Lavinia, Emma, Katie, and Belle approached Lara, standing on the edge of the boardwalk. Lavinia knew this was absolutely the right thing to do and would be so glad to close this chapter.
“Yes?” Lara said. Her hands were clasped together in front of her skirt. Her raised chin was a good sign, but her gaze was hard and confident. “It’s dreadful about that lumber operation. Chopping away at Eden’s forests. They must be stopped!”
Lavinia followed Emma’s attention past the buildings to the thick forest on the mountains beyond. Letting someone destroy the beauty of Eden would be a sin. They had to try everything to stop the clear-cut logging.
“You’re right. It’s horrible. We have to think of something,” Belle agreed. “Father would be appalled.”
They had two blocks to walk back to the hotel. Lavinia’s nerves had her antsy. “Want to walk as we talk?” Lavinia suggested. “Mavis has stayed back with Clint, but she’s in full agreement with what we’d like to say.”
“All right.” Lara turned, and Lavinia and her sisters followed. “What’s on your mind?”
“We’re all in agreement that we miss you, Lara,” Lavinia said. “We don’t care what’s transpired. We forgive you and would like you to forgive us. No infraction is important enough to lose you over.”
Lara’s sad gaze moved between them. “But I didn’t sell your secrets, or do anything to be forgiven for. You still think I was the one.”
Lavinia swallowed and looked at her sisters. She’d supposed Lara would be relieved to be forgiven. Lavinia had thought she’d either admit to the act or just let it go, like they wanted to do—but not deny it again. Lavinia glanced at the ground, struggling with what she should do—or how she should respond.
“I b
elieve you, Lara,” she found herself saying. And the strange thing was, she did. “Someone else is responsible. We may never know who, but that’s all we can consider. Do you believe me?” She looked at her sisters. No one else seemed to want to say anything.
Tears filled Lara’s eyes. “I want to. But . . .”
Lavinia’s throat pinched tight. “But?”
“I’m afraid you’re all just saying that. That you still think I’m to blame.”
Katie rushed forward and took her hands. “I don’t. You saying so is enough for me.”
“Me too,” Belle said, nodding.
Emma came closer as well. “And me.”
“And me,” Lavinia added. “I just hope you can forgive us. And especially me. I was the one to first suspect you.”
Lara nodded slowly. “Thank you,” she said, as if their statement was the last thing she’d been expecting and she wasn’t quite sure how to react. She briefly glanced away. “I didn’t sell or give your stories to anyone,” she said softly, hefting a deep sigh.
For a moment, Lavinia felt she had more to say, that she was going to go on, but she didn’t. Instead a bright smile appeared on Lara’s face, one Lavinia knew well. Their friend opened her arms and the sisters piled in.
CHAPTER FIFTY
Midmorning the next day, Rhett surveyed his restaurant with a heavy heart. The construction was complete. His rooms upstairs were finished, and the bed even had sheets. There was only one thing left to do: practice a few dishes until they came out right. He’d perfected his biscuits and could make a batch without burning his hands. Now he just needed a nice soup, a chicken dish, and a dessert. That wasn’t asking much.
With an apron tied around his waist that kept his shirttail tucked in, he pulled the pencil from behind his ear and stared at the pad of paper in his hands, struggling with what should be done next.
If only Eden’s forests weren’t under attack. Concentrating on anything else is near impossible. But I have no choice. Everything I have is invested in this business. I have no other option but to go forward.
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