“All right, all right.” Carter turned back to his mother. “Her name is Ellie—actuallyEleanor—Briggs.Eleanoris rather stuffy though and her father called herEllie. I like that better, don’t you?”
“Doesn’t much matter what I like. It does seem strange that you should have such an opinion on a first-time encounter.” Mother scrubbed at the skillet.
Carter shrugged. “Just saying I like the name Ellie better than Eleanor. Don’t go trying to marry me off to her.”
His mother made a face at him. “The thought never occurred to me! Just wondered why she made such an impression.”
He leaned against the counter. Whyhadthis woman made the impression she had? It wasn’t as though he didn’t know a number of women in town, some almost as audacious as Ellie. But none of them had come to occupy his thoughts the way she had. Hmm ... “Probably because she didn’t back down.” Yes, that was it. “For such a little thing, she didn’t have a lick of restraint in stating her opinion.” His response to her came back to him and he cringed a little.
“What?” Mother put her hands on her hips. “Carter Brunswick, what did you do to that girl?”
He chuckled. “Nothing. It’s just that ... well, she statedher emphatic opinion right after I was punched. So I might have been a bit ... sarcastic with her.”
“Might?” She shook her head. “I do hope when you do decide to settle down with some girl that she will understand that side of you.”
“Well, if she doesn’t, then she won’t be right for me. My wife will need to be able to hold her own with me. Just like you do with Dad.” He kissed her cheek one more time and headed toward the door. “See you later.”
“Ride back carefully. I don’t want to hear that you were blazing down the road at a full gallop.”
“Only if there’s a grizzly—or my irate mother—chasing behind me.” He tossed the comment over his shoulder then skedaddled before she could respond.
5
THURSDAY, MAY12, 1904—KALISPELL, MONTANA
Brunswick Flour Mill was running at full capacity again now that his machinery was purring like a kitten. Amazing what peace that gave Carter. Nothing had felt right since the railroad dropped their announcement. He looked over the list Jack Gustafson had given him and signed at the bottom. Jack had been his right-hand man for over four years now. He had come from the Pillsbury mills in Minnesota and offered expertise that had gone far to teach Carter everything he needed to know.
“Thanks, Jack. I appreciate your attention to detail.”
Jack took the papers and gave them a shake. “Devil’s in the details some say, but for me the details are more of a divine concern. Seems to me the devil’s all about chaos and disorder. God’s the one who sees to the details.”
“True enough. Well, I think it’s important you know that I appreciate that detail.”
His friend quirked an eyebrow at him. “That shiner’s getting more colorful as the day goes on.”
Carter narrowed his gaze, wincing as his eye started throbbing. Again. “Let’s just not even talk about it, okay?”
Jack chuckled and sat behind his desk, opposite Carter’s. “Sure thing. You’re the boss.”
“Why don’t you catch me up on Miriam and the boys? I’ve been praying for them since you told me about the scarlet fever. I’d say that’s a bit more harrowing than me walking into the wrong end of a fist.”
“I appreciate your prayers.” All signs of laughter left Jack’s face. “The boys pulled through all right, thank the Lord. Poor Miriam was up with them around the clock. The youngest is just two and he seemed to suffer the most. On Saturday I intend to load up all four boys and get them out of the house for the day. Miriam needs a rest. I need to figure out what we’re going to do.”
Carter laced his fingers together behind his head and leaned back. “Why don’t you head out to see my folks? My mother would love to see the boys. She misses getting to spend time with her grandchildren back in Kansas.”
“Really? That would be great.”
“Sure. They’ve got some new lambs and a calf, not to mention the horses and chickens. I’m sure the boys would burn off plenty of energy running around the farm. And knowing Mom, she’d probably force you to let her oversee them while you and my dad had a nice long talk.”
Relief relaxed the worry lines around Jack’s eyes. “Sounds pretty good to me. You sure they wouldn’t mind?”
“Not at all. I’ll send word out to them to expect you. I can well imagine this will make you a hero in Miriam’s eyes, and I’m all about supporting that.” He smiled at his friend, happy he would take him up on his offer. Jack and Miriamwere two of the hardest working people he knew. And they loved their boys, but those little guys had endless energy. Carter didn’t know how Jack and Miriam kept up with them.
“Well, thanks, I know she’ll appreciate it. I’d best get back to the inventory.” Jack folded the papers and grabbed a pencil before exiting the office.
Carter jotted a note to his mother. She would take matters in hand and keep those boys busy. It would be a win for everyone.
At noon, Carter called in one of his newest workers. Bill Preston was just seventeen and Carter wanted to encourage him. Jack said the boy lacked a lot of confidence, and he’d heard around town that Bill’s father was an overbearing drunkard who had condemned his family to poverty. Maybe Carter could help Bill change things for him and his family.
