Of course, there was still the matter of dealing with Grace’s news, as well as seeing to his own change of matrimonial state. Karen wanted to marry as soon as possible, and it wouldn’t surprise him at all if she suggested they wed right there in Whitehorse. Perhaps he should scout out a preacher as well as a bottle.
He tried not to have misgivings. It wasn’t for a lack of loving Karen that he felt apprehensive. Facts being what they were, it was probably
because
of his love that he worried about rushing into marriage. After all, he was already facing the responsibility of one pregnant woman. What if he married Karen right away and she found herself in a similar fashion?
Listen to yourself
, he chided.
You’ve lived in this wilderness
all your life. You’ve gone from plenty to poverty and back again.
This is a good land with a heap of opportunities. There’s no reason
to fear raising a family here any more than anywhere else
.
But in his heart, Adrik realized it wasn’t his own inabilities, but rather Karen’s that worried him. She was city born and raised. Sure, she’d endured an Alaskan winter, but there had always been a harbor and a ship that could take her back to Seattle. There wouldn’t be a ship up here. At least not one that could escape the frozen north on a year-round basis. What if she found herself hopelessly unhappy? What if they married and after a time she couldn’t bear living in the wilds? Adrik certainly couldn’t envision living in a city down south. What would they do then?
There was no time to consider the matter further. The crooked sign of the Mud Dog Saloon caught Adrik’s attention. This would be as good a place to start as any. He walked through the open door of the poorly built log cabin and waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dark.
“What can I do for you, stranger?”
Adrik looked in the direction of the voice and squinted at the old man. “I came for whiskey. I need a bottle.”
“Well, it’s not going to come cheap,” the man said, reaching down behind the counter. “I only sell the best here.” He slammed a small bottle up on the counter.
“It’d better be the best,” Adrik said, stalking toward the bar. “I have a sick child who needs it.”
The man shrugged. “Don’t much matter to me one way or the other. It’ll cost you ten dollars for a pint.”
Adrik knew the man could probably name any price and get it. Without the promise of regular supplies, they were definitely at the mercy of whoever had the goods this far north. Still, there were other saloons in the town. Maybe he should check them out instead. He glanced at the door.
“Maybe I’ll try elsewhere,” Adrik said, looking back to see how his words had affected the clerk. Bartering was nothing new to the north, and Adrik was better at it than most. Problem was, he really had no desire to spend the rest of his day looking for a good deal.
The man spit again and scratched his chest. Adrik could see the ragged state of his long underwear beneath his thin flannel shirt. Apparently his profits didn’t extend toward replenishing his wardrobe. Figuring the old man wouldn’t budge on his price, Adrik started for the door.
The older man muttered under his breath, then said, “Well, seein’s how this is for medicinal purposes and all, maybe I could give you my special rate. Eight dollars.”
The negotiations were open. Adrik smiled. Perhaps they could reach a compromise. Reluctantly he pulled out the money and put it on the bar.
“Six,” Adrik said firmly. “I still have food to buy.”
The old man looked at the money, then back to Adrik. “Well . . . I suppose . . .” He reached for the money and quickly shoved it in his pocket.
Adrik took the bottle and pocketed it in turn. He’d just tipped his hat when he heard a familiar voice ask, “Where you want these, Cec?”
Adrik turned on his heel, unable to believe his eyes. “Jacob?”
The boy’s eyes positively lit up. He put the tray of glasses on the counter and ran to Adrik. “I can’t believe it’s you!”
The two men embraced and pounded each other’s backs as though they’d been parted for years instead of months.
“You’re as thin as a rail,” Adrik said as Jacob stepped back.
“Oh, it’s been bad. Had the typhoid in Bennett. Then I finally got started for Dawson again and met with a bad end. Cec here found me half dead.”
“More like three-quarters dead,” the old man said, spitting to one side.
“What happened?” Adrik asked.
“Well, as best as Cec can figure out, the men I was traveling with did me in. They took my gear and left me for dead. Either that or I fell out of the boat when we came through the rapids, but if that were the case, I would’ve had my watch and money in my pocket. It was all gone when Cec found me.”
Adrik eyed the codger suspiciously. “I can well imagine.”
“Weren’t my doin’, mister, so stop lookin’ at me like I sunk the
Maine
.”
Adrik nodded. “Well, I’m grateful you found him. His guardian is going to be mighty glad to know he’s safe.” He turned back to Jacob. “Get your gear—or whatever you have coming to you. We’re docked on the north side.”
“Whoa, now,” Cec called out. “You can’t just up and take the boy. He owes me.”
Adrik forced his temper to remain under control. He nudged Jacob in the direction he’d just come. “Get your things.” Jacob nodded and disappeared while Adrik walked back to the counter where Cec stood. “Just how much do you figure the boy owes you?”
“Well, I did save his life. And I’ve been feedin’ him all this time. Oh, and I gave him a change of clothes.”
“How much?”
He could see the old man nervously trying to figure out how much he could wheedle out of Adrik. Finally, Adrik had more than he was going to take. He reached into his pocket and pulled out several bills. “Here. I don’t imagine it was more than this, and if it was, we can take it up with the law.”
The old man shook his head and snatched the money. “No, this’ll be just fine.”
“I thought it might.”
Jacob came back carrying a rolled-up knot of clothes. “I’m ready. Who’d you travel with, Adrik?”
Adrik waited until they were outside and headed back to the boat before answering. “You’re going to find this hard to believe, son—after all, I find it hard to believe myself. I’ve come here with Karen and your sister, as well as Grace Colton and her sister-in-law. Oh, and my friend Crispin Thibault joined us along the way.”
“Leah’s here?” Jacob asked as if he’d not heard anything else. He stopped and turned in disbelief. Dark half-moons under his eyes were more apparent in the sunlight.
The wind picked at the boy’s sandy brown hair, pushing it around just enough to reveal a rather nasty cut at the hairline. Adrik reached out and pushed Jacob’s hair back. “Yes, Leah’s here, and I think that old man was right. You probably were three-quarters dead with a gash this size.”
Jacob pulled away and kept walking. “Don’t worry about me none, Adrik. I had a headache for a few days and I bled like all get-out, but I feel fine now. Is Leah all right?”
“She’s a bit under the weather, but not too bad off. I came to the saloon for some whiskey. Doc figured it would do her good, help with her cough.”
“But she’s going to be all right?”
Adrik could read the worry in the boy’s eyes. “Why don’t you ask her yourself? We’re setting up camp just over there. But, Jacob, there’s just one thing.”
The boy looked to him and stopped in his tracks. “What?”
“I think it might be best if we leave out the part about you being three-quarters dead when we tell Karen about this. She’s been worried enough about losing you, and it was all I could do to keep her from coming for you the day after you disappeared. She’s here because of you, and it wouldn’t do her any good to add more guilt to how she’s feeling.”
“She’s up here because of me?” Jacob asked in disbelief.
Adrik could see it impressed the younger man. So many folks he’d cared about had left him behind, he was probably amazed to learn that someone would actually chase him down. “Yes, she’s here because of you. Leah too. There didn’t seem to be any reason to stay in Dyea when they were worried over how you were doing.”
Jacob bit his lip and looked away. “I won’t say a word about the accident.”
“Believe me, things will go better for both of us if you don’t.” Adrik put his arm around the boy and laughed. “You know how Karen can be.”
Jacob looked up, wiping a tear from his eye. “She’s a real lady, Miss Karen. She’s got a good heart.”
“That she does, but I feel I should tell you,” Adrik said, laughing, “we’re going to get married. So don’t be getting any ideas about her.”
“Married! That’s great!”
They were nearly back to the camp by now, and Adrik could see the women helping Crispin set up the second tent. Leah was nowhere in sight, and Adrik figured she was snuggly tucked inside the erected tent.
Karen was busy helping to secure the tent pegs. She worked silently with a small wooden mallet as Crispin adjusted the guy lines. Adrik marveled at her efficiency. She never complained, yet Adrik knew many a time she was spent of strength and hope. Now that she’d managed to regain her faith, Adrik saw her anger fading with each passing day. And as the bitterness left her, a new, stronger woman seemed to emerge. How could he not marry her? He couldn’t imagine life without her. He’d become so attached to her these past few months that to let her get away was simply unthinkable.
“Karen,” Adrik called. “I have what you’ve been looking for!”
Karen looked up, and for a moment her face registered nothing but a blank, rather stunned expression. Then realizing the identity of Adrik’s traveling companion, she squealed with delight and came running across the short distance.
“Oh, Jacob!” She wrapped herself around the boy, who was nearly as tall as she was. “Oh, you’re here. You’re safe.”
Adrik exchanged a smile with Jacob over Karen’s shoulder. “I thought you might want me to bring him back rather than the other things you sent me for. Oh, but I did bring the whiskey.” “Oh, I’m so happy to see you!” Karen exclaimed. She stepped back and held him at arm’s length. “Oh, you’re so skinny. You must be starving.”
“I’m doing all right, Miss Karen. How’s Leah?” Jacob asked softly.
“Go see for yourself. She’s in the big tent,” Karen replied. “Oh, she’ll be so happy to see you. This will do wonders for her—much better than any medicine or whiskey.”
Jacob took off running, forgetting all about the pack of clothes he’d dropped on the ground.
“Come on,” Karen said. She picked up the clothes, then pulled Adrik along. “I want to be there.”
Adrik wrapped his arm around Karen’s waist and together they walked past Grace, Miranda, and Crispin. Pausing at the open flap, Adrik could see Jacob kneeling beside his sister. He held Leah in his arms as she cried.
Adrik reached for Karen’s hand. “Let’s give them some time alone.”
Karen seemed reluctant but finally picked up her steps. When they were back near the boat, she threw her arms around Adrik and hugged him tightly. “You are the most incredible man in the world,” she declared. “I simply love you more and more every day.”
Adrik held her tight. “There wasn’t much to this one, Miss Pierce. The boy just sort of came to me. I think God had more to do with this one than I did.”
Karen pulled back and frowned. “Well, if He sends Mr. Colton your way, let me know. We’ve got one problem solved, but there’s that new one to deal with. Grace’s baby is due shortly after the New Year, as best we can tell.”
Remembering their situation, Adrik felt the weight of his responsibilities falling heavily on his shoulders. “We ought to find a way to get her back to Dyea or Skagway. She could take a boat out and at least return to San Francisco.”
“By your own admission, it’s too late to turn back. She’d not make it before the snows got heavy and the rivers froze over.”
“I know. It was more wishful thinking than anything.”
“We’ll just figure this out as we go,” Karen said softly. “You keep reminding me that God has a plan.”
“Yeah, but He doesn’t seem exactly eager to share it with me.”
MARTIN PAXTON CRINGED at the sight of the four walls. His office and living quarters were the best money could buy in Skagway, but the walls were closing in on him. The weather had turned foul, and for three days it had rained and snowed off and on. There was little to entertain himself with, and now that he knew for sure Grace Colton had gone north to Dawson City, he was up against a major decision. Should he send someone to fetch her back? Should he go after her himself?
He thumbed through the latest packet of mail and shook his head. The game with Grace was growing rather dull. Still, he had his reasons. Money. At the bottom of everything that motivated Martin Paxton, money—and large sums of it—was generally the object that caught his attention. Grace Colton had the potential to be worth a fortune to him.
Of course, she didn’t know that. No one did, short of her father’s lawyer in Chicago, and that man had been paid a tidy sum to keep his mouth shut. No, Paxton was the only one who knew Grace stood to inherit a good sum of money upon the day she legally wed. Not even Mrs. Hawkins knew of the arrangement.
Martin himself had only learned the truth of this after Frederick had passed away. And nothing had ever angered him quite so much. It seemed that while Martin was systematically relieving Frederick Hawkins of his fortune, the man had connived to transfer vast sums of money to his daughter. The trust was untouchable—irrevocable. Martin could only suppose that Hawkins had figured Grace to be rid of the marriage agreement between herself and Paxton when she’d fled to the north. He probably assumed he could give his daughter the money, and once Paxton was out of their lives, Hawkins could reclaim his fortune. But he died instead. He died without telling his beloved wife yet another very important fact of his life. The thought of duping the dead man kept Martin going—pressing him to search Grace out. That and his desire to get even with the brat for making him the laughingstock of Chicago.
Even now he could remember the way people had talked about him in the finer dining establishments. More than once he’d taken a table for dinner, only to watch as those around him caught sight of him and began to whisper among themselves. He heard their snickers and knew he was the object of their scorn. Just as he had been as a boy. But no more.