Page 29 of An Uncertain Road

Jensen glanced at Flora. Were they supposed to be amused by the story?

Flora frowned. “That poor man was working to feed his family. You made his day so much harder than it needed to be.”

Archie chuckled, although the sound held haughtiness rather than warmth. “You should have seen how fast those creatures scattered. It was his own fault, anyway. All he had to do was get them off the road before I got there. These people will have to learn that roads are for driving now, not walking animals.”

A sour feeling started in Jensen’s stomach. There had been much talk amongst the teams about the mischief going on during the tour. Small things, such as missing route markers and rumors that teams were cutting through fields to get ahead, damaging property along the way. The attitude Archie displayed now, combined with what Jensen had seen of his tactics in the past, made it all too easy to imagine Archie doing those very things.

But what could he do about it? Archie already had him in an impossible position. He was expected to sabotage his team. Was that why Archie had sought them out now, to find out if Jensen was following through? He’d hoped for more time to figure out how he was going to get around Archie’s demands while keeping his friends safe.

Flora appeared as sickened by Archie’s behavior as Jensen felt. She stood with her arms crossed, wearing that expression of indignation he’d become familiar with back at the shop. “It’s people like you who give driving a bad name and cause the locals to be so skeptical of us. I hope you don’t intend to take guests out for a drive at Bretton Woods tomorrow.”

Archie stared at Flora for long enough that Jensen raised one foot, ready to step between them. But finally, a slimy grin settled on Archie’s face, and he looked away. “Oh, that was just racing. I’ll be civil to the spectators tomorrow. I don’t want to damage Mr. Dorman’s good name, after all.”

Flora’s posture relaxed, but Jensen had seen enough of Archie’s antics in the past to know better. The man had something else up his sleeve, something he was holding close. And it didn’t seem to be his blackmail of Jensen. More than ever, Jensen was convinced Archie was behind the shenanigans that were following the tour around. But he wouldn’t be able to say so until he figured out how to protect himself from Archie’s wrath.

It took a great effort, but Jensen managed to force Archie out of his mind long enough to get some rest that night and prepare for the drive to the midpoint. They would stay five nights at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. Since he planned to avoid all the pre-arranged social events he could, Jensen would use the long stop to figure out a solution to his problem. Sooner or later, Archie would expect Jensen to comply or he would follow through on his threats. Jensen would need to be ready for that moment.

In the morning, Jensen beat the rest of the Harrison Goods team to the car, giving him time to sit and watch a beautiful sunrise scorch the sky with red, orange, and yellow streaks. It reminded him of a verse he’d learned from Mrs. Harrison as a child. Something about the sky proclaiming God’s glory. It had been years since he’d thought about the days when he sat alongside Gregory and Aggie while Mrs. Harrison read to them from the Bible with baby Fred in her lap.

He remembered the way she used to pray, so comfortable about approaching the Creator of everything with even the smallest problem. An unexpected urge hit him, one that said maybe the struggles of the tour wouldn’t be so difficult if he turned them over to God as Mrs. Harrison would have.

But it had been so long since he’d bothered to pray. Would God even want to hear from him?

Before he could figure out an answer, Fred, Beth, and Flora emerged from the hotel together and made their way to the car. A bout of chivalry hit Jensen, urging him to jump out and give Flora a hand to climb up into the driver’s seat, but he quelled it. If he did, she would likely respond with a snide remark about how he felt she wasn’t capable of getting into the car herself.

Or would she?

Jensen had to admit, the more he got to know her, the more he saw a caring, intelligent, talented woman who fascinated him, rather than the self-centered one he’d assumed she was at first. She’d been responding warmly to his efforts to be more supportive, to listen better as Fred had said he should. Even last night, when they’d fallen back into arguing their viewpoints on the best way to run the tour, it had ended with camaraderie instead of animosity.

Those thoughts carried Jensen through their first uneventful leg. Flora drove with the perfect amount of intensity, focused rather than impetuous. They came up on the first team in front of them outside the limits of Portsmouth.

The road was clear and wide enough to pass, so Jensen turned to check behind them. Then he leaned close so Flora wouldn’t miss any of his words. “You’re clear all around. I suggest passing this team at a steady pace. I don’t think they have the power in that car to keep up with us, so no need to push.”

Flora didn’t need to respond or even look at him. A slight smile played on her lips, and she immediately increased their speed—but only the necessary amount to pass. They moved around the other team with shared smiles and friendly waves. Jensen found himself leaning back against the seat, more relaxed than he’d felt since the first moment Mr. Harrison had mentioned racing.

The rest of the day flew by in a similar fashion. When they encountered other cars, he gave Flora tips about possible speed and the likelihood the driver would try to race or block her attempt to pass. There was only one moment when she looked over at him and disagreed. “Jensen, I’ve been watching the teams just as you have. This driver will try to race me, I know it. I’m going to have to go faster this time.”

Fred had been right about listening to her opinion so far. Jensen looked behind them one more time, found it clear, and nodded once.

That was all she needed. Flora eased the car to a faster speed and passed before the other team knew what was happening. The other car’s engine roared, confirming Flora’s words as the driver tried to race back around them.

But she anticipated his move. Jensen’s grin echoed the delight that filled his chest when he looked back and saw they were already pulling away. He glanced at Flora to find her chin held high and her eyes gleaming. Building her confidence was far more fun than pushing her to the point of anger. If he could find more ways to do so, it was possible they would make it through the tour with a friendship intact at the end.

And Jensen very much wanted that to happen.

CHAPTER 14

For the first time in the tour, the Harrison Goods team ended the day in a higher position than they started. Flora floated around her room at the grand Mount Washington Hotel, as pleased as if they’d ended in first. The way Jensen had worked with her that day instead of against her was all she’d been dreaming of since they left Philadelphia. The rest of the tour was bound to continue improving if they kept communicating and supporting each other as they had that day.

After an early supper and a few minutes spent relaxing and freshening up, Flora met Jensen in front of the sprawling hotel, where the cars were parked in order of their finishing positions. The white building with its distinctive red roof was built into the side of a hill overlooking an expansive lawn that sloped down toward a pasture, giving it an impressive view of the mountain-ringed valley. Locals and hotel guests were everywhere, taking in the spectacle of so many automobiles in one place. Some of the drivers had already started giving people rides, evidenced by the sputter and roar of engines and the smell of gasoline in the air.

Flora found Jensen waiting with several strangers by the Decauville, which was lined up in the ninth spot. Ninth. A thrill ran through Flora as she looked ahead of them and saw only eight teams they would have to pass once they got back on the road. That delight surely came through in her smile as she approached Jensen, who stood with an older couple.

When she reached the group, Jensen stepped close to Flora and introduced her to his companions. “This is Mrs. Montfort, our driver. Flora, this is Mr. and Mrs. Grady. They’d like a ride, whenever you’re ready.”

Mr. Grady’s eyes narrowed as he took her in. “My wife told me this car was driven by a female, but you’re quite small and delicate. Are you certain you can handle this machine?”

Flora gritted her teeth, reining in her emotions before answering as kindly as she could. “I’ve driven us all the way here from Philadelphia without a bit of trouble. I’m sure you’ll find a ride with me enjoyable and safe.”