A Bride for Noah (29 page)

Evie followed her gaze to the opposite side of the beach where her friend stood beside David and Arthur. Mary carried the baby on one hip and held Margaret firmly by the other hand, with Louisa Catherine close to her side. A flutter erupted in her stomach when she saw Noah beside them. She and Noah had not been alone for a single moment since the night a week past, when he'd almost kissed her in the command tent. A good thing too. Until she could manage to control the bothersome giddiness that overcame her every time she thought of his breath warm upon her lips, she preferred to steer clear of him. If not she might end up flirting or fawning on him like Sarah. The last thing she wanted to do was make a fool of herself by mooning after one of her business partners.

Lucy's head turned in the opposite direction. “There's Sarah and Lester.” She marched toward them. From the determined set of her jaw, Evie deduced that the girl intended to insert herself between her sister and disaster. Judging by the cloying way Sarah clung to Lester's arm, it wasn't a moment too soon.

“Let's go down where the children are.” Ethel didn't wait for a response but took off in that direction.

Evie hesitated a moment before trailing after her. After all, it wasn't as if she would be alone with Noah. There were several dozen people gathered around. No need to be nervous.

When Louisa caught sight of her, she rushed toward her and grabbed her arm. “There you are, Evie. Isn't this exciting?”

She mumbled an affirmative reply and allowed herself to be pulled forward, unable to stop herself from looking toward Noah. When their gazes met, his mouth curved in a smile that held special warmth just for her. The flutter in her stomach returned with new energy.

The
Leonesa'
s approach slowed as she neared the dock. Her crew worked on the deck, climbing in the riggings and manning ropes. Evie glimpsed the captain on the bridge, standing tall and keeping a watchful eye on his men. Then the sails were backed and the ship drifted to starboard a short distance until she was even with the dock. Then, at a shout from the captain, the anchor plunged into the water as the sails were lowered.

“Why isn't he bringing the boat to the dock?”

Evie was glad Ethel asked because she wondered the same thing, but Noah had moved to her side and she couldn't concentrate on forming the question.

“The
Leonesa'
s bigger than the
Commodore
that brought you here,” explained David.

“I'm sure she'd be fine,” said Noah. “We selected this place because of the deep harbor. But Captain Howard isn't a man to take chances.”

Three men were lowered to the water in a boat and one of them took up oars. Arthur hopped up on the dock and turned to help Mary up. She handed the baby to Ethel before joining him.

Louisa turned excitedly to her. “I recognize Captain Howard from the last time he was here. That other man must be the minister.” Then she allowed David to assist her in climbing onto the dock.

Thank goodness Noah made no move to join them. If he did, Evie feared he might take her hand and pull her along with him, and she wasn't sure she could handle his touch. Instead, she knelt and held out her arms to Margaret, glad when the little girl ran to her. There. Her hands were full and out of danger of being touched.

When the rowboat arrived at the dock, Arthur caught the rope the oarsman tossed him and secured it. David did the same with the stern line thrown by one of the passengers. The captain, perhaps? That man lifted a hand and allowed David to haul him out of the boat.

Once he stood securely on the dock, he extended that hand to Arthur. “Mr. Denny. I see you've got a full shipment ready for me.” He aimed a huge grin past Arthur toward the boom at the mouth of the river where the logs had been corralled.

Arthur stood tall and answered proudly, “Every last pile you ordered.”

An impromptu cheer rose from the throats of the lumberjacks gathered around the landing area.

The captain nodded toward them. “You're to be congratulated. And well-paid besides. This lumber will bring top dollar down in California.”

At that, a louder cheer nearly deafened Evie. Noah turned a wide grin on her that she found impossible not to return.

The second man in the rowboat was helped onto the dock. When both of his boots were planted securely, Captain Howard gestured for him to come forward.

“Here's someone you'll be happy to meet,” he told Arthur. “This
is Henry Yesler from Maryland. Henry, this is Arthur Denny and his lovely wife, Mrs. Denny.”

The man shook hands with Arthur and nodded to Mary.

“Is it Reverend Yesler?” she asked politely.

A startled expression settled over his face. “I've been called a lot of things in my day, ma'am, but reverend isn't one them.”

The first stab of caution struck Evie then. If this wasn't the minister, then where was he?

“Oh! I almost forgot.” Captain Howard pulled a letter from his inside jacket pocket and handed it to Arthur. “They told me to hand this to you personally. It's about Reverend Mitchell.”

Up on the dock, Louisa grabbed hold of David's arm. Evie heard Ethel suck in a loud breath.

Arthur opened the letter and glanced at the contents. When he lifted his face, he looked directly at his brother. “Reverend Mitchell died of malarial fever three days before the
Leonesa
left port in San Francisco.”

The breath that Louisa drew sounded like the gasp of a wounded woman. Indeed it was, for the look she turned on Evie held as much pain as if her heart had been shattered.

Fifteen

T
he atmosphere in the little group clustered to one side of the landing area was gloomier than a thick fog on a sunless morning. Noah stood beside David, trying to decide if he should come up with comforting words or remain silent. Evie stood with an arm around Louisa and looked almost as miserable as her friend.

“No, it's all right,” Louisa insisted, though she did not lift her face to meet anyone's gaze. “The Lord must have a purpose in this. Who am I to thwart Him?”

David strode forward to stand close to her. “Sweetbriar, we can still be married. Captain Howard can perform the ceremony.”

Swallowing hard, she shook her head. “We've discussed this before. I want to be married by someone who is officially appointed by the laws of the Oregon Territory, not by maritime laws.” She lifted tear-filled eyes to him. “Our marriage is to be the first of this settlement. I want it to be performed by a lawfully licensed official of the territory.” Her lips trembled for a moment before arranging themselves into a smile. “The delay will give you a chance to build a proper home for us.”

She ducked her head and rested it on Evie's shoulder. Wrapping her arms around her sorrowful friend, Evie's eye caught Noah's.
Though she didn't say a word, her command was as clear as if she had shouted it.
Do something
!

But what could he do? He wasn't in charge of finding a minister.

“Come on, love,” Evie muttered, pulling Louisa toward the trail. “We'll go find a cup of tea to settle us.”

They wandered away, leaving Noah and David staring after them. Chief Seattle and Uncle Miles approached from one side.

“What seems to be the problem, my boy?” the old gentleman asked.

Noah let out a loud breath. “The minister died, and that means there won't be a wedding.”

The chief's expression grew curious. He said something in his language, and Noah was pleased that he recognized the question.

“Why does the
klootchman
cry and cast her face to the ground?”

David stirred from his misery to answer. “We were to be married tomorrow, and now we can't be.”

An idea struck Noah. Louisa said she wanted an official of the Oregon Territory to perform the ceremony. There was no one more qualified than Chief Seattle. He caught the chief's eye. “Can you marry them?” he asked in his language.

Seattle jerked back as if stung, then spoke shortly. Noah and David both laughed. “He says he has a wife already,” David translated.

“No, that's not what I mean. We have a man.” Noah pointed to David. “We need someone to marry him.”

Now a highly offended expression stole over the chief's face. “You want to buy
klootchman
for David Denny?” he asked as Noah translated. He drew himself up. “We no sell our
klootchmen
to each other, or to white men.”

While Uncle Miles laughed, Noah rushed to explain. He wasn't sure the chief actually understood, but at least when the man left he no longer wore the look of outrage.

David clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks, Noah. I appreciate it, but I think Louisa has her heart set on a minister, or at least
a justice of the peace. I don't blame her. That'll be at the top of my list when I get to San Francisco, or failing that, when we put in at Portland on the return trip.” He stared after his intended, a look of longing in his eyes. “I won't come back without a duly licensed official from the Oregon Territory who can marry us.”

Their conversation was interrupted when Arthur walked up, waving a letter in the air. “Have you seen this?” He slapped the letter at Noah's chest. “It's addressed to me at Duwamps, Oregon. I tell you, we must have a better name for our city than Duwamps.” He fixed Noah with a narrow-eyed stare. “What have you come up with, Hughes?”

In his practically nonexistent spare time, Noah had put some thought into possible names. “What about Bayside?” He nodded toward the bay.

Arthur curled his nose. “Too predictable. What else?”

That had been Noah's favorite, but he had a list of alternatives. “Bayshore? Loggerston? Dennysburg?”

David scowled deeply at the last suggestion. “Absolutely not.”

Uncle Miles had been standing silently beside Noah. Now he spoke up. “I rather fancy the name Seattle.”

Noah turned a sour face toward him. How like Uncle Miles to want to curry favor with the chief by naming their new city after him. Arthur was sure to dismiss the suggestion immediately.

But the man paused and cocked his head sideways. “Seattle.” He spoke the word slowly, as though testing the taste on his tongue. He straightened, one side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “I like it. What do you think, David?”

Jerked out of his silent scrutiny of the trail down which Louisa and Evie had disappeared, David focused on his brother. “Seattle?” He tilted his head, considering. “Yes, I like it.”

Noah had to admit, the name had a nice ring to it. Seattle. The chief would no doubt be honored, which wasn't a bad thing either.

“Seattle it is!” Arthur slapped the letter against his thigh,
satisfaction settling over his features. “And a thousand times better than Duwamps. I'll draw up the paperwork. When you dock in Portland, you can file it with the land management office.”

With a final clap on his brother's shoulder, Arthur strode off, his knee-high boots pounding on the packed soil.

Uncle Miles stood in place a few seconds, and then said, “I expect the loading will start soon. I must see to my salmon.” He followed in Arthur's footsteps.

Noah stood beside David in silence. There should be something he could say, something to convey the depth of his sorrow to this young man he'd come to respect.

“Do you want me to go in your stead?” he finally asked. “You can stay here and work on your cabin. I promise I'll find a minister willing to come back with me.”

David gave him a grateful look, but shook his head. “Thanks, but you had to go last time. Besides, it's better if I do it. I think we need a little time to let the emotions calm down.”

With a final sad smile David followed his brother, though his stride was slower and more ponderous, and not nearly so commanding.

On the morning the
Leonesa
was to sail, Evie rose early and climbed silently down the ladder, leaving her friends asleep. She lit a candle on her beautiful worktable and turned, a sense of satisfaction settling deep inside as she gazed at the main room of her restaurant. The long room was still mostly empty, but when she looked at the open space her mind supplied the furnishings. One day tables would be placed this way and that, with plenty of chairs. Not rough benches like those in the logging camp's cookhouse, but real chairs. She would put tablecloths on every table and fresh flowers in the center. Now that the lumber contract had been fulfilled, the men would have time to work on the furnishings for her.