Northern Lights Trilogy (92 page)

Trent raised an eyebrow and nodded. “I have heard the same. How will Virginia feel about you hauling her to places unknown?”

Brad shrugged. “She’s a strong, adventuresome woman. What’s the difference between moving her to Seattle or to Juneau?”

“A civilized city, amenities, social life …”

“The important thing is that we’re reunited, right?”

Trent smiled and cocked his head. “You know your wife far better than I.”

“So how about it?”

“How about what?”

“Well, seeing that my current business partner has reestablished his love for seafaring, and I have enjoyed our partnership in business, I was wondering if you would care to join me in heading north.”

“Me? North?” Trent shook his head. “I have ties here,” he said softly. “I might be open to investing, but—”

“Don’t get me wrong, Trent. I’ll take your money,” Brad said with a cheeky grin. “But there’s something about having a partner physically present that works well for me. You can talk things over daily, check each other’s figures and projected numbers. You understand.”

Trent sipped his coffee. “Yes. I’m beginning to. For quite some time I’ve run Storm Enterprises on my own. It has come as a pleasurable surprise to find the benefits of joining forces with others. Particularly others one can respect.” His intonation was clear. Both men had had run-ins with less reputable businessmen. “You’re thinking you’d like to continue investing in steam? Rail?”

Brad set down his coffee cup with a clatter and threw up his hands. “I hear that the world’s an oyster up there. When the people there have nothing, every new thing is bound to boom.”

Trent nodded, considering his friend’s words. What would it be like to head to such a rough-and-tumble territory? As part of a railroad operation, he had seen town after town opened up and civilized. But
Bradford was talking about land that wouldn’t see train or steam for years. Goods had to be packed in. Lumber had to be hand hewn. It was an entirely new challenge. And it appealed to him, made his blood flow faster.

But he couldn’t leave Tora. He loved her and he would wait for her to return. They had been apart for far too long. If she wouldn’t go, neither would he. “Brad, I’ll have to think this over,” Trent said carefully. “I’m intrigued, but my responsibility lies with a certain woman …”

“Tora Anders.”

Trent looked up at him in surprise.

Brad beamed, cocky with his knowledge. “Karl filled me in. Where is she now?”

“The Skagit Valley.”

This news took him by surprise. “And you’re here because …?”

“She needed to do something on her own.”

“Ah,” Brad said, after another sip of coffee. “Another independent woman. Tell you what, Trent. You convince your gal to head north, and I’ll convince mine. At least they’d have each other.”

Trent smiled, finding Brad’s enthusiasm contagious, as always. “We’ll see. But I think that moving again is the last thing on Tora’s mind.”

September 1887

K
arl entered the Butler Hotel in Seattle, and immediately ran into Brad and Virginia Bresley in the lobby.

Brad turned to him and said, “Well, if it isn’t my ol’ seafaring partner back from the dead!” He shook his hand joyfully and clapped him on the back.

Karl returned his greeting and then turned to greet Virginia with a kiss to her cheek. “It’s good to be back in the States.”

“Staying home for a while?” Brad asked.

“Just picking up a load from Ramstad Lumber Yard and then heading south to San Francisco. I’m not sure where we’ll go after that.”

“I gather you’re just in from Japan?”

“Just. We docked not three hours ago.”

“Things went all right?”

Karl grinned. Where would he start? “As well as could be expected. Let’s just say I have enough news to fill a dinner conversation.”

“Excellent! Can you join us tonight?”

“I’d be honored. But I need to see to—”

“No, no excuses,” Brad said, shaking his head. “We won’t be around for long.”

“What do you mean?”

Brad and Virginia shared a meaningful glance and then Brad turned back to him. “We’re heading out. North. To Alaska.”

“Alaska?” Karl asked, looking from one to the other. “Sounds like we have enough to fill two dinner conversations!”

“And then some,” Virginia put in.

Brad put an arm around her. “We’re expecting,” he said, in a quieter, conspiratorial tone.

“Congratulations!” Karl exclaimed. “My, this is a bit much to take in. Shall we meet here at around five?”

“That will work for us. Looking forward to it, friend,” he said, sticking out his hand again. “I’ve missed your ugly face.”

“No more than I’ve missed yours,” Karl said, pumping his hand up and down. “Until tonight, then.”

They parted ways and Karl checked into the hotel. He found several letters waiting for him, one from Gerald Kenney, one from Elsa, and one from Kaatje. He could hardly wait to get to his room and tear them open.

When he got upstairs, he threw his valise on the bed and went immediately to the writing desk by the window. Deciding to save the best for last, he opened Gerald’s letter first. It was full of good news and encouragement, going on and on about their success in placing his first load from Japan and anticipating similar response for the load of wood that he was to bring from Seattle. They expected him home in the Bay Area this month, when his business was complete in the Washington Territory.

He turned toward Kaatje’s letter.

Karl opened his eyes wider. Was everyone he knew heading north?

Karl sat back in wonder. Tora was with Kaatje! With Jessica! And they had obviously found a way to forge a new friendship. What had taken Tora there, of all places? Obviously, God was as heavily at work in her as he had been in him. Karl’s head swam with all the information that buzzed through it.

He turned toward Elsa’s letter, examining her clean, sophisticated script on the envelope. He sliced this one open more thoughtfully, taking care not to tear it.

Karl smiled wistfully at her friendly manner and stared out the window. Below him, the street was alive with carriages and wagons pulled by horses, men on horseback, pedestrians, and shopkeepers. But his thoughts were of Elsa. Where was she now? Soon home in Seattle? Who would ever have believed that he and Elsa would reestablish their friendship? It filled his heart with a gladness he could not explain.
Thank you, Father. Thank you for this peace, this freedom
. Perhaps he would still find himself in the Northwest come November. He would see. And if he was … He shook off the thought and rose.

Still mulling over the news he had received from his friends in the lobby and then from the letters, he unpacked his valise, hanging up his suit in the armoire so the wrinkles would fade a bit, and carefully set up his razor edge and shaving soap cake on the sink in his room. While the water closets and bathing facilities were down the hall, Karl appreciated the individual sinks in each room. It allowed him much-needed privacy that was part of the reason he stayed here each time he came to town. The other part was that many sea captains stayed here as well, giving him the opportunity to share stories and swap information.

As he ran the water to give himself a clean shave before dinner, he thought of Peder. Once in a while, the pain of Peder’s death was so acute it left him breathless. It seemed impossible that he would never see his best friend again. Yet, he considered as he lathered up the brush and swiped his cheeks, chin, and upper lip, something monumental
had changed for him. Just as it had when he had sought Elsa out for her forgiveness and when he had visited Peder’s grave. It was as if in freeing Elsa from Mason he had paid some sort of debt. Something wrong had been made right.

Karl reached for the blade and carefully scraped his cheek. He paused and stared at himself in the mirror. Was it merely the act of saving her, or their reunion afterward that brought him this peace? He’d never forget how she looked as he entered his cabin. Her face had been a mix of relief and excitement. Even with her hair hastily dried in matted coils, she still had been lovely. Yet all he had felt was the same relief and excitement that her face exhibited. Relief that his friend was alive. Excitement that she was well. The last time they had been in such close proximity, he had kissed her. And that kiss had changed everything.

This time it had gone as it should. Their reunion was warm, friendly, but completely chaste. He smiled at his mirror image. God had truly done a great work in him. He was finally free to be what Elsa needed most: a trusted friend.

Karl finished shaving and then dressed for dinner. Downstairs, he found Brad and Virginia waiting for him.

“Shall we go to the cafe down the street?” Brad suggested.

“Anywhere there’s fresh food and plenty of it,” Karl said. He offered Virginia his arm and she took it gleefully. “I must say that motherhood is becoming to you. You’re more beautiful every time I see you.”

“Karl, you flatterer,” she said, giving him a sly look. “How is it that you haven’t made a girl fall in love with you yet?”

“Guess I haven’t met the right one. Now how did my scoundrel of a friend convince you to go to the Alaska territory?”

“At first I told him no. Told him if he was going someplace so godforsaken, he could go on his own.”

Karl shot Brad a surprised glance. “You were in dire straits, my friend. How did you escape?”

Brad let Virginia answer for him. “Soon enough I knew that I was expecting. It made me put my priorities in order. I figured we would be a family in one place or die trying.”

“Well, bully for you,” Karl said, patting her arm. “It takes a courageous woman to head north. It so happens I know another who’s intending to go soon too.”

“Kaatje Janssen and Tora Anders?”

“Why, yes! How did you know?” He looked over her head at Brad in wonder.

“We’re all going together.”