Pat entered the cabin, squinted his eyes at the tub, and shook his head. “If bathing is what you want you should have asked Leon or someone to help you. It’s getting late, and I’m tuckered out.” He made a beeline for his bed.
“It’s not for me. It’s for you.”
“You have a good sense of humor, boss. I like to wash in the river. Thanks, but no thanks.”
Samuel frowned. “You actually wash? When was this?”
Pat put his hands on his hips. “I wash every day.”
“Good, you can wash here today. Now get to it. My cabin reeks, and I don’t like it.” He watched as Pat’s eyes grew wide.
“I’ll need some privacy,” he said in a soft voice.
“I won’t look. Just get on with it.” Pat looked scared as all get out. He sighed and relented. “I’ll be outside if you need me. Mind that you wash good, you hear?”
“Yes, I hear you,” Pat grumbled. He had that mulish look on his face again.
Samuel grabbed his pipe and tobacco and took a seat outside the cabin. He filled the pipe and lit it, breathing in deep. Something bad must have happened to that boy. He was too skittish about anyone getting too close or looking at him. He must have fallen prey to someone like Big Hans. Poor kid. He’d heard initial splashing but now all was quiet.
He emptied out his pipe and knocked on the door. He waited but Pat didn’t answer. Impatient and tired, Samuel walked into his cabin and stopped in his tracks.
Pat had fallen asleep in the water but the disturbing part was Pat’s breasts showing above the water. What the hell? He couldn’t help but stare. Pat was a she? He walked closer and yes, Pat was female all right, right down to her tiny toes. God, she was beautiful, and it was no wonder she didn’t want to bathe with anyone around. Who knew her dirty streaked hair was actually a beautiful, bright blonde?
Grabbing the towel he called Pat’s name again. This time she stirred and her eyes widened in panic.
He glanced away from her. “I’m not looking. Just take the towel, dry off, and get dressed. I think we need to talk.”
She took the towel from him, and he turned his back to her. How the hell had this happened? Why would her father bring her to a logging camp of all places? Hadn’t he realized the danger? He’d have to get her down off the mountain and quick before anyone found out. The men would turn her into a camp whore in a flash. Growing up, he’d seen it happen plenty of times.
He’d always had a firm rule of no women in his camp. He heard her getting dressed and all he could think of was her creamy, well-shaped breasts with dusky pink nipples. She was curvy, just the way he liked his women.
“I’m all dressed now, boss. Listen, I’m sorry for deceiving you but I didn’t think I had a choice. You’d have thrown me away when my Da died if you had known. It wasn’t my idea to live with you. I just wanted to do my job and be left alone. I planned to have the cabin my da started finished, but someone stole our money.”
He turned and gazed at her. How he could have thought her a boy he didn’t know. She was as pretty as they came. Her features were all fine. No wonder she wanted to look dirty. “Someone stole your money? When was this? Your father—”
“I noticed it when I packed up to move in here. Our money and my mum’s broach were gone.”
“How much did you lose? And don’t lie. I know how much I paid your father.”
Her mouth formed a thin line, and she crossed her arms across her chest. “I don’t lie. Truthfully, I’m not sure how much was taken, but there was enough to finish the cabin. He ordered some supplies for the cabin, and they should be on the next supply wagon.” Her shoulders slumped. “I’ll leave in the morning. I know about the no-women rule you have. It’s a good rule but…”
He couldn’t take his gaze off her fine features and her pretty hair. “How do you hide your, um, your femaleness?”
Her brow furrowed, and when she turned red, he was relieved he didn’t have to explain what he meant.
“I bind them with cloth.”
“I see.” He saw too much to ever pretend she wasn’t bountiful. “You’re shaking.”
Pat clasped her hands together. “Everything has been so uncertain since Da died. It’s taken everything within me to keep from being discovered. But now you know. I’ll just take what you owe me, and I’ll make my way down the mountain.”
“Payroll is on the next supply wagon.” He watched her wilt, but it was for her own good. It was too dangerous for her to meander down the mountain.
“I’ll be gone in the morning. I’m not your problem. I was raised to be strong. You’re a good man, Samuel. Another man would have had me flat on my back by now. You’re a true gentleman. If I could just take some food with me—”
“You’re not going anywhere.” She winced at his gruff voice. “Here I can protect you. It’s too dangerous this time of year. Fall can be long but most times winter comes before you know it, and I don’t want to have to worry about you making it to town.”
“I can go back with the supply wagon.”
“The wagons stay here, and we turn them into sleds for the next run. I can’t risk the lives of others. It’s too unpredictable up here. I see the doubt in your eyes, but I’m talking from experience. We work as much as we can in the snow but there comes a point where you have to concede that the weather has won.” He took a step forward and cupped her shoulder with his good hand. The feelings she evoked inside him almost knocked him down. He wasn’t the type to mollycoddle or feel sorry for anyone, yet here he was doing both. “Listen, stay. Be the cook—as a boy—and we’ll get through it. I promise.”
Her green eyes stared into his, assessing him, taking his measure and finally she nodded. “No more complaints about how dirty I am. I hate it just as much as you, but there’s no help for it.”
“I suspect we can find a way for you to look dirty without the stench. The men already think you stink, so I don’t think they’ll get too close. You’ve played your part well. Very well. So, we’re in agreement, then? You’ll stay?”
“Yes, I’ll stay, but I think I should move back to my tent.”
“No, you’re staying here where I can protect you.”
“But maybe I can get my cabin built.”
“Maybe you can, but it won’t be anytime soon. You need the supplies, and you’ll need a few strong men to help you.”
She stepped away from him and sank onto her bunk. “I suppose you’re right. Thank you for not throwing me out. And for keeping my secret.”
He nodded. “I need some shuteye.” He pulled the tub across the floor and out the door where he emptied it. From the sounds of it, a hearty game of poker was going on in one of the other men’s cabins, while the mournful music of a harmonica floated through the air. He had a bad feeling about this whole thing with Pat. Damn her father for bringing her here. He sighed. She was now his problem. Upon carrying the tub back inside, he saw Pat already in bed, pretending to be asleep. He hoped she wasn’t afraid of him. She’d been around too many rough men lately.
Morning came none too early for Pat. She’d tossed and turned all night and was glad to be out of bed. She quickly put on some clean clothes and pulled her cap over her hair.
“Light the lamp, Pat.”
She did as he bid. “I want to get the coffee on and the biscuit dough ready. I’ll be back for you.”
“You can’t go out looking like that.”
“I’ll rub some dirt on me after I take care of some private stuff.” Her face heated.
“Just where do you go?”
“I go down past my cabin and there are some dense woods there. I’ve never run into anyone out there.”
“I’ll find a chamber pot or something for you. Make sure you use the clay to rub on. It stains your clothes so even when you’re clean you’ll look like you smell. Before you go, can you help me dress? I could ask someone else but they’d find that suspicious.”
She nodded at his wisdom. Grabbing his shirt and pants, she knelt in front of him
getting his legs in the pants. Pulling them up she stood and his heart-stopping chest was bare right in front of her. She tried to ignore the stirring in her stomach. She put his sprained arm through the sleeve first then the other arm. She practically gasped whenever her hand accidentally touched his skin. He left her mouth dry. “That should do it. Do you want to rest for a bit or do you want to come with me now?”
“I’ll come with you.” He groaned as he stood.
“Is your arm still hurting?”
“No, it’s not my arm.” He gave her a wicked grin and started for the door.
She shrugged, wondering what part of him was hurting. Then she quickly followed him as he made his way past her cabin.
“Which way?” he asked.
She pointed to the right. “I’ll be right back.” She was relieved when he nodded. For a moment, she thought he meant to go with her.
She finished painting herself with the clay and headed back to Samuel. She heard voices and wasn’t sure what to do.
“There you are,” Samuel said. “I was just telling Big Hans how you’re looking for a plant to relieve the pain.”
Hans leered at her, and she turned away from him. “Saw some but they need to mature a bit. I should be able to harvest then in about a week. I need to get that coffee made.”
“Let’s get going. See you in a bit, Hans,” Samuel said in a firm voice.
“Later, boss.” He cocked his eyebrow at Pat before he moved on.
“It’d be best if you stayed out of his way.”
“I know he seems to like young boys. He looks at me like he can’t wait to have me.” She shuddered.
“I’ll keep an eye on you best I can, but I won’t always be where you are. Do you know how to fight?”
“I know enough to knee a man where it hurts and try to scratch his eyes out, but these men seem a bit big.”
“I’ll teach you to use a knife starting tonight.”
“What about your sprained arm?”
“I only need one good arm to throw one.”
They entered the cookhouse, and she gestured for him to sit in his chair. “No special treatment. Don’t even look at me. I’m better off if I don’t call attention to myself. And wrinkle your nose at me like you usually do.”
“I wrinkle my nose at you?”
“You always do. I didn’t mind. That’s what the stench was for. You didn’t want to get too close to me now, did ya?”
Samuel laughed a deep laugh. “So true. I’ll treat you the same as before.”
If only he’d kept his word. All through breakfast, he stared at her and it made her clumsy. She dropped a dozen eggs, and her biscuits weren’t as light. She ended up with too many eyes upon her. As much as she tried to ignore him, her gaze fell upon him one time too many. This needed to stop.
She’d been playing the part of a boy for so long, she’d forgotten about attraction between men and women. Of course, she’d thought about a family and children. She just never gave the husband much thought. Not that she’d met anyone halfway decent before. Before the lumber camp, her and her father had tried their luck mining for gold. Talk about a ruthless, cutthroat group of men.
She sighed. She’d been around these types of men so long, she probably didn’t have the manners or social graces for a normal man. She stacked the dirty dishes and dug right in washing them. She had more important things on her mind than good manners. By the time she’d have the dishes done, it would be time to plan the next meal. It sure kept her busy.
“Hey, Pat, grab a cup of coffee and sit with me for a minute,” Samuel called to her.
Her body stiffened. What part about not drawing attention to her didn’t he understand? She poured herself some coffee and strode over to the table. “What can I do for you?”
“Can you hold this piece of paper in place while I tally up the numbers? It keeps moving.”
She sat in a chair next to him and put her hand at the top of the paper, hoping it wouldn’t take long. Bored, she read the paper and shook her head. “You added wrong.”
“Nice try. Really I need to get this done.”
“Nice try, what? You added wrong.”
Samuel glanced up at her and gave her a hard stare. “What would you know about adding?”
She shook her head. “Nothing, never mind.”
“Where did I go wrong?” he asked.
She smiled. He was taking her seriously. “See this column? She pointed to the second column on the page. You added the last number in twice.”
He ran his finger down the column as he read. “Well I’ll be darned. I didn’t take you for a learned woman.”
“Boy,” she hissed. “Do not think of me as female at all. It’ll only lead to slip ups.”
Nodding he smiled. “You’re better than me at this whole thing.”
“You mean adding?”
“That too. I just need to sign this and I’ll leave you be.”
She watched as he corrected his mistake and signed the paper. Then she stood, took her coffee with her, and headed back to the pile of dishes.
Chapter Four
Samuel walked down the most used of the logging roads to the new section they were cutting. The air was crisp, and although much of the forest was made up of towering pine trees, there was enough other foliage to create a beautiful array of fall colors. Timber was where the money was now. He hadn’t wanted any of the men to know, but he was the owner of the outfit, not just the foreman. As foreman, he was one of them. He got the respect. But as owner, he’d be the outsider. They’d never look at him as a lumberjack. He’d just be the guy who never paid them enough.
His outfit paid better than most, but there was always grumbling. There were always a few men who were rabble-rousers. It wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. He liked being up on the mountain, away from the trappings of home. Especially Linda George. No matter how far away he moved, she always found him, declaring she couldn’t live without him. Damn his family for putting such ideas in that simple minded, selfish girl.
No matter where he went, his parents paid her way so she could follow. He tried to buy her off but his offer didn’t include enough money. He’d been tempted to shake her when she told him so. Now the mountain was his refuge. He’d hoped she’d go home. The town below didn’t have anything fancy, including lodging. Last he heard, though, she was still down there waiting.
The sound of sawing and trees falling came from just ahead. They’d made good progress this year so far. There were enough trees and land for a lifetime of cutting. Up ahead he spotted Fred Bean with his notebook, keeping tally of how many trees and who cut them.
“Hey, boss, are you supposed to be up here?” Fred asked when Samuel was by his side.
“I’m fine. My arm will take a while to heal, and I can’t do any more paperwork today. Everything looks great. You’re doing a hell of a job out here.”
Fred smiled. “It’s the finest timber I’ve ever seen. How’s it going with your roommate?”
Samuel shrugged. “He’s a quiet kid. I got him to bathe, but he must roll in mud or something.”
Fred laughed. “At least he doesn’t snore.”
“That is the bright side. How is the men’s morale?”
“You know. This time of year, they’re realizing they’ll be stuck up here all winter. There’s the usual griping about no women and liquor to pass the time with.”
“There’s plenty to do even in cold weather. Repairs on equipment and chopping wood come to mind too. We’d best get a few men on that full time so we have a decent amount to start with.”
Leon Getty walked up with his bandana in his hand. He mopped up the sweat along his forehead. “I know it’s getting cooler, but it’s still hard work. Hey, boss. I heard you and the kid were out foraging in the woods this morning.” Leon chuckled.
“His pa always had a stash of herbs for pain and healing, and Pat wanted to replenish the supply. I didn’t want him getting lost, so I tagged along.”
> “It wouldn’t be Indian healing would it? I don’t go in for that,” Leon said.
“Nothing wrong with it, and it helps. Is Hans running his mouth about me?”
“You and everyone else,” Leon said.
“I wish he’d gone back to town with the last supply wagon. He can be nasty.” Fred commented.
“As long as he doesn’t cross the line and does his work, he’ll stay. No law saying we have to like all the workers.” Samuel said smiling. He’d keep his own eye on Hans. No sense alerting others about the way Hans looked at Pat. Maybe Hans knew Pat was a woman. Either way he didn’t want Hans and Pat alone ever.
Hank came running up the road. “Supply wagon is here, and there’s a special delivery for ya, boss.”
Samuel frowned. “Special?”
Hank put out his hand. “Yep, she’s about this high with the prettiest red and yellow hair.”
“Strawberry blond,” Samuel automatically corrected.
“So, you do know her!” Hank nodded looking pleased.
“What the hell is Linda George doing here?”
Hank laughed. “Somethin’ about stubborn men and what women have to go through, the usual woman complaint. My guess is she’s hunting a husband and you’re in her sites. Leastways you won’t be lonely this winter.”
“Fred, supplies for the Clarke cabin should be among the wagons. Get some men on getting that place done. Miss George will need a place to stay. Have her stow her stuff at my place for now. Pat and I can move into the unfinished cabin. For now we can at least stretch canvas over part of the roof. I’ll be down in a bit.”
Both Fred and Hank nodded and hurried down the path. Samuel took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“I didn’t know you were getting married,” Leon commented as he wrote more numbers down.
“I’m not. According to my family and hers we’re a perfect match, but there is no way I’m going to marry that one. A woman in camp will just be trouble. I trust these men as far as their skill with an ax goes, but around a woman? No.”
“Supply wagon isn’t going back,” Leon stated, shaking his head.
Whispered Love Page 3