Ana Leigh - [The Frasers 4 - Jed] - One Night with a Sweet Talking Man (3 page)

“I love you, sweetheart,” she whispered. “You’re my life, my reason for existing. I won’t let anyone come between us.”

She placed a gentle kiss on Garrett’s forehead, then straightened and looked at Buffer, who was watching her with large, soulful eyes.

“He’s your life, too, isn’t he, boy? We’ve got to take care of him and not let Jed Fraser ruin our lives.”

The dog responded with a sweep of his tail.

Caroline gave him a pat on the head and left the room. She paused at the top of the stairway. The low sound of the voices of the two men carried up to her, but only loud enough to tell they were talking about the railroad. Since the situation affected her as much as her father, she was tempted to join them but decided to continue on to her room.

Jed’s sudden appearance this morning had been a shock, but now she had her confidence back. She dare not allow herself to become too confident, though; the man was dangerously charming and persuasive. The next time she faced Jed Fraser, she would need a battle plan to cope with him.

Surely there must be something she could do, she pondered as she changed into her nightgown. Being unpleasant to him sure hadn’t worked; it had only piqued his curiosity about her. And he might swing that curiosity at any time toward Garrett.

Didn’t they always say one could catch more flies with honey than with vinegar? She could tell on the train and in the garden that she had caught his eye, so if she encouraged him, it might keep his attention on her. Surely he would be leaving in another day.

Caroline sat down at the dressing table and began to vigorously brush out her hair. Leaning forward, she studied her image in the mirror. Was she beautiful and desirable, as he had said? No man had ever said that before.

Her alter ego stared back at her.
Of course not. Flattery and charm is why those Fraser men are so successful at seducing women.

“What if I turned the tables on him and gave him a taste of his own medicine?”

You’re no Madame Pompadour. Flirting is an art you’ve never attempted, and you’d be up against a master.

“And Jed Fraser is no Louis the Fifteenth,” Caroline retorted. “It shouldn’t be too difficult to keep him at arm’s length for another day, even if I had to suffer a few attempts at stolen kisses.”

And what if he wants more? You know the reputation of those Fraser men. He will be very persuasive.

Caroline winked at her image. “Forewarned is forearmed, dearie.”

Having convinced herself to make the attempt, she climbed into bed.

“If I’m to believe my father, Mr. Fraser, you’re not one to shy away from a challenge. Well, sir, you may be brilliant and relentless in a sea battle, but let’s see how you fare against a she-wolf defending her cub.”

“L
et me see if I understand the facts, sir,” Jed said. “You say this local attorney, Vincent Calhoun, has made an offer for a large section of your property on behalf of the railroad, and their intent is to run a private trunk line between Napa and Sonoma.”

“That is correct,” Nathan said, handing him a glass of brandy.

“And you have had no direct contact by correspondence or mouth with any other representative of the railroad.”

“None whatsoever.”

“Hmm, that is strange. I would think the railroad would have their personal corporate attorneys representing them in this type of transaction.”

“I thought so, too, and challenged Calhoun on that matter, since a trunk line would affect other property owners, as well. Calhoun said the railroad doesn’t have the manpower to handle all the landowners involved, so they had to recruit local attorneys to represent them.”

“There is some logic to that. But why buy the property? Wouldn’t the railroad be satisfied with you giving them an easement to run the line through your land?”

“I offered to allow them to do that after we harvest the trees in that area,” Nathan said.

“Then what is the problem?”

“For one thing, my sawmill is on that same property. But more important, the trees in that area aren’t ready to be harvested for two more years. Calhoun claims the railroad can’t wait that long. They want to move on it now, so the trees and mill would have to be removed.”

Nathan slammed down his glass. “The price Calhoun offered doesn’t come near the financial loss I would suffer if I lose those trees. It would take years for me to replace them, and by that time I’d be out of the lumber business. I’d lose contracts I have with the shipping lines, because they would have to seek their lumber elsewhere, so it would be useless to build another sawmill because I couldn’t survive the financial loss. I’d have no choice but to pack up and leave.

“This is our home, Jed. My brother struggled to hold on to it the same way your family did with Fraser Keep during the war. My grandson was born here; my wife and brother are buried here. I’m not going to sell out.”

“It sounds to me like you’ve pretty much made up your mind, sir. How does Caroline feel about it?”

“She’s of the same opinion as I.”

Jed thought for a long moment, then shrugged. “So simply don’t sell. Of course I don’t have to tell you that. There’s something else you haven’t told me, isn’t there?”

Nathan smiled and refilled his glass. “You always were able to read my mind. It once annoyed the hell out of me, until I discovered how helpful it became during a crisis.” He slumped down in a chair. “You must respect this confidence, because I haven’t even told Caroline. I don’t want to alarm her.”

“You have my word, sir.”

“Calhoun threatened that some harm might fall to Caroline or Garrett if I don’t accept the offer.”

“Surely that must be a bluff.”

“I thought so at the time, because the man is a weasel and would barter his mother for the right price. But then last week, the day after Calhoun’s threat, Buffer drove off a stranger who suddenly appeared when Garrett was alone fishing at the river.”

Recalling his own confrontation with the dog, Jed knew his own impulse had been to run. He walked over and put a hand on Nathan’s shoulder. “Sir, that doesn’t mean the man intended to harm the boy. Under the circumstances, the dog might have been more of a threat to the stranger than the man was to Garrett.”

Nathan shook his head. “What would a stranger be doing on the property?”

“Perhaps he was one of the lumberjacks.”

“Garrett knows every one of them by sight and name, and since the next harvest isn’t until fall, I only keep a couple of sawyers on hand during the summer.”

“A mill worker, then?”

“The same is true. Garrett knows every one of them, and they all know him.”

“Then the man may have been a lost traveler, or a railroad surveyor looking the place over.”

“I wish I had your optimism, Jed.” Nathan stood up. “It’s time I get to bed, or I’ll find myself blubbering in my brandy. Good night, Jed. We’ll visit the mill in the morning.”

“Good night, Captain Collins.”

Long after Nathan departed, Jed stood with his glass in hand and stared out the window, where moonlight bathed the garden with tranquility.

Were the captain’s fears justified? Had Garrett actually been in danger? Well, there was no way he’d walk away from it now without checking into it.

He took a final sip of the brandy, then went upstairs to bed.

The following morning Jed awoke early as usual, dressed, and went downstairs. Stepping out into bright sunshine and the promise of a pleasant day, he took a deep breath. The sweet aroma of roses and gardenias made him think of Caroline.

“All right, Mr. Fraser, fifteen times around the deck,” he declared, in keeping with his morning ritual of walking a country mile when he was at sea.

When he returned, Caroline was just descending the stairway. “Good morning, Jed.”

She was wearing a yellow-and-white dress and her bright, shiny hair was tied back with a white ribbon. The faint fragrance of lavender followed as she passed him.

“Good morning, Caroline. You look as pretty and pert as one of the daisies in the garden.”

“I declare, sir, if you don’t stop flattering me, you’re going to turn my head. Did you sleep well?”

“Very well, thank you. And you?”

“I can’t remember when I had a better night’s sleep. It must be the peace of mind at having a big, handsome man in the house.”

“I had the impression you disliked men in general, Caroline.”

Her eyes widened with astonishment. “Perish the thought, sir. Wherever would you get such an idea?”

He followed her into the kitchen. “Then it must be just men from Virginia that repulse you.”

“I declare, Jed Fraser, you’re painting a bleak picture of me. Do I really appear that dismal to you?” she asked as she rolled out the dough she had mixed and using a glass, began to cut it into biscuits.

“On the contrary, you’re a very vibrant woman.”

“There you go again with your sweet talk. I declare, Jed Fraser, you’re embarrassing me.”

“Caroline, how long are you going to keep on playing a…ah…” He struggled for a word that would not be too offensive.

“Brainless twit?” she volunteered.

For a few moments he was speechless, then they both broke into laughter.

She turned away and popped the pan into the oven, and when she turned back, Jed had moved to her side. The heat of his body was as warm as the oven as he clasped her shoulders and pulled her nearer.

“Why, Caroline? Why this sudden change of heart?”

The throatiness in his voice and the intensity of his dark-eyed stare added fuel to the heat sweeping through her.

“I’m ashamed of how rude I’ve been to you, and I thought if I…if I—Oh, it was stupid of me, I know.”

“It was delightful, and I enjoyed every minute of it. But there’s a much more pleasant way of saying you’re sorry.” Gazing at her lips, he lowered his head toward hers.

Her heart beating faster. Caroline closed her eyes and parted her lips. But before he could kiss her, the kitchen door swung open and Garrett burst into the room, followed by Buffer.

“Good morning, Mama. Good morning, Mr. Fraser.”

Jed dropped his hands and stepped away. “Morning, Garrett.”

“Good morning, sweetheart.” Caroline opened her arms and Garrett ran into them for a kiss and hug. “I hope you had a good sleep with pleasant dreams.” She gave him a pat on his bottom. “Go get dressed, and tell your grandfather breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes.”

Then she turned to the dog, whose stare had never strayed from Jed. “Buffer, stop that growling.”

“Thank you,” Jed murmured.

“Come on, Buffer.” Boy and dog exited as quickly as they had entered.

“Will you please explain why that dog continually growls at me?” Jed grumbled. “I’ve never had a problem with any dog except this one.”

Caroline tried not to laugh. “Well, they do say that dogs have remarkable instincts about people, and The Buffer is usually right.”

“The Buffer!”
he scoffed. “So the captain was right; the damn dog rules this household.”

“He does indeed. Now, get out of my kitchen so I can get on with breakfast.”

“Fine, but I should tell you, I’m known for my flapjacks.”

She eyed him with a dubious glance. “Really?”

“Ask your father; he’s eaten enough of them when we were at sea.”

She tossed him an apron. “Then welcome to the galley, sailor. You’ll find the ingredients in the cabinet next to the door.”

A short time later she stole a glance at his broad shoulders as he stood at the stove, whistling and flipping pancakes. She’d already known he was dangerous to her life and Garrett’s, but now there was an additional danger to fear—he excited her. Could she really hope to succeed against him in a battle of the sexes?

Garrett stuck his head in the door, interrupting her thoughts. “Mama, Granddad’s at the table waiting for his breakfast, and he told me to tell you the fifteen minutes have passed.”

“Tell your grandfather that patience is a virtue.”

She picked up the pot of coffee and plate of biscuits and carried them into the dining room.

Jed glanced over his shoulder, and as soon as the door swung shut behind her, he broke off a piece of a pancake and tossed it to Buffer, who was watching his every move. The dog’s jaws clamped on it before it hit the floor.

“Good boy,” Jed murmured, just as Caroline returned and picked up a platter of bacon.

“Pancakes ready?” she asked.

“All set,” he said. “Aren’t we, boy?”

The dog gave him a muddled look but at least didn’t growl at him. Smiling with satisfaction, Jed grabbed the platter of pancakes and followed Caroline.

Yes, sir. Just a matter of time, and that dog will be eating out of my hand.

After breakfast was over, Caroline tidied up the kitchen, then packed them a lunch. Nathan harnessed Belle to the buggy and then saddled their remaining horse Liberty for Jed to ride since there was only a single backseat in the buggy.

Nature smiled on them as they rode the five miles to the mill through the sun-kissed valley, the rough trail shaded by towering oaks and pine trees. White petals of Indian pipe lined the route, their fragrance blending with the spicy scent of pine.

Unlike the flat, arid land of the grape-growing Napa Valley, this area had a river running through it, a hot spring, an artist’s tapestry of vine-covered hillsides, and brightly colored wild flowers amid the groves of oak, maple, and Douglas fir trees.

The trail ended in a woodland clearing. Several yards away stood a large rectangular building, a small cabin, and a third building next to the cabin.

Garrett scrambled out of the buggy with his usual enthusiasm when Nathan reined up in front of the cabin.

“Garrett, you stay nearby,” Caroline called as he raced off with Buffer at his heels. Then she disappeared into the cabin. Jed walked over to a nearby hillside that was devoid of any trees or shrubbery; several chutes had been gouged into the earth.

“The chutes were made by trees being slid down the slope into the river below,” Nathan said, joining him. “We rotate the sections that we cut and skid the trees from the cutting area to the river, then float them to the mill.”

“As long as you have to haul them this far, why not take them directly to the mill?” Jed asked.

“We harvest them faster than we can mill them. We cut and jam them in fall and winter, and mill them in spring and summer. The water protects them from insects and fungi, as well as a fire.”

“But what keeps them from continuing to float downstream? Surely you don’t dam the river.”

Nathan chuckled. “No, we string a raft that jams the logs but keeps the water flowing. We might lose one now and then, but we depend on the river current to operate. Come along, I’ll show you.”

They approached the large building set on the river’s edge.

“This is the actual mill. See that water wheel at the back of the building? It’s rotated by the river’s current.”

Two men with cant hooks were standing on a logjam, manipulating the trees onto a conveyor powered by the water wheel.

“Inside, you’ll see more reasons why the river’s current is so important to our operation.”

The smell of sawdust tickled Jed’s nostrils before they even entered the building. Once inside, he saw that the tree on the conveyor was being stripped of bark and then flushed down a chute into the teeth of a saw, where it was measured and sliced lengthwise. The ends were then trimmed and smoothed by waiting hands, and when completed, the lengths of lumber were taken outside and stacked to dry out.

“An interesting operation, sir,” Jed shouted above the screech of the whirring saws.

“Most of my lumber is sold to shipyards. We delivered the last of that two weeks ago,” Nathan said, moving outside. “We send it downriver on a raft to Napa. That’s easier and faster than freighting it down in wagons. We only have a skeleton crew of buckers and boom men now, for some smaller pieces that go to furniture builders in Napa and San Francisco.”

“So you depend mainly on shipbuilders. But most ship hulls are no longer made of wood, since iron is more protective—especially in battle. How much demand can there be for lumber?”

“Enough to keep us thriving. The shipping industry is booming. There’re more ships now than there’s ever been, and with a greater demand not only for more passenger cabins, but larger and more luxurious ones. That calls for a lot of wood.

“Steam may be replacing sails on ships, but it leads to explosions and a greater potential for fires. And even when they perfect those steam engines, there’ll still be a demand for wooden masts and hulls.” Nathan winked at him.

Jed laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “And there’ll always be a need for an old sea dog like you at the helm.”

At the sound of an explosion, he spun around. “What the hell!”

Nathan chuckled. “Nothing to be alarmed about. It’s just Bomber blowing up tree stumps that are too big to dig out.”