“I do have a nanny that comes when I need her. I have been trekking out to the woods on occasion to try my hand at chopping the branches off the trees the men drop.”
“Such labor! Surely you don’t enjoy it.”
“I do. The smell of the wood and to see the logs pile up on the wagon ready to transport to the construction site—it does my heart good. Daniel is in his element. He was meant to be in the logging business.”
“Yes, my son does appear excited about adding forestry to our growing list of ventures. He’s even managed to get his father on board with the idea.”
“It is a good move,” Gwen said. “The need is great.”
“Four years of burning, looting, and destruction has changed the landscape. Wood to rebuild will be a profitable business for us and continue to supply the needs of our countrymen.”
“Exactly what we thought,” Gwen said.
“I was so pleased that my husband was permitted to stay home from the war. It was enough to sacrifice my son.” When she noticed Gwen’s questioning glance, she added, “Money, my dear. It covers a multitude of sins, but we did supply food to the army, and soldiers stayed quite regularly in one of the larger cottages on the property. It made me feel safer to have them around.”
It was four o’clock when Mrs. McAlister set out from the cottage. She hugged Jake before she left and commented that he was a good boy. Gwen left the invitation open for her to visit anytime, and she often came over during the next three weeks. Her husband accompanied her on four occasions. The lad and his grandparents were growing closer, and Gwen was pleased with the progress.
Chapter 14
For three days, Gwen searched the stores in the nearby town for the equipment and supplies she’d need to operate the clinic on the McAlister plantation. She had to order some items from the catalogue, but Jenkins from the mercantile offered to deliver them the moment they came in.
At the cottage, the employees seemed to accept her expanded role, and the on-site infirmary grew in popularity and the daily number of patients increased steadily during her hours of operation. From one until four her door was open for sniffles, infections, cuts and minor injuries. Afterward, she hung a sign that she was available for emergencies only.
A nanny came by daily to watch Jake during her working hours. She reasoned that the separation was all good preparation for when her departure time arrived—the final parting might prove less difficult for the child. But she doubted any of it would help her, for when the patients and nanny left the cottage, Gwen was more than eager to have the boy’s company all to herself. The late afternoon and evening hours were her favorite time of day.
On the mornings the doctor was not scheduled to call on the more serious cases, Gwen either went into the woods or helped at the row houses; cleaning, painting, and even pounding nails into the new boards that were transforming the shacks into decent homes for the growing number of employees.
Mr. McAlister surprised them all one morning by showing up to offer his expertise and recommendations to Arthur before walking away and leaving things in the lead man’s capable hands. Arthur had found his passion with that side of the business, and he loved working outside with the wood in any stage of development.
When Gwen noticed sweat on Arthur’s brow, she went to the well for a cold glass of water and brought it to him.
“Thank you,” he said as he downed the refreshment. He passed the empty tumbler back to her. “Has anyone heard from Daniel yet?”
“No, he is still in the land of the missing,” Gwen said. She added in a lighter tone, “But I was told by his mother that Daniel and the senior Mr. McAlister came to see you before he left the plantation for parts unknown.”
“They did. Offering apologies for the past abuse of my mother and my blood-father’s neglect during my upbringing. It was different back then, and I will not be bringing any grudges to my grave. Took a lot for the man to come, so I let him say his peace. Feels good to have it behind us.”
“You are a generous man, Arthur. And what of you and Daniel? Did you speak on more familiar terms, now that he knows you are his brother, and all of his playful memories with you have returned?”
“He came alone once. Our talk was brief, only long enough for him to say that he remembered the good and bad times we’d shared as children. He wants to get reacquainted when he returns,” Arthur said. “Made me proud when he chose me for his right-hand man in the upcoming forestry business. I’ve been doing some research and have picked the perfect spot for us to set up the mill for cutting the timber. It’s right handy having the river run through the land. It’ll sure be a lot less work to have a big saw doing the slicing.”
“Sounds like you two will be very busy in the days to come,” Gwen said.
“Mr. McAlister has put out feelers and come across a lead on a good used mill operation. An entire business is being sold off. Guess all the males in that family got wiped out during the war, and the wife wants it off the property.”
“That’s exciting! Daniel will be thrilled to see the progress you’ve made in his absence,” Gwen said. “I hope, for your sake, that he returns soon. It must be overwhelming.”
“Been talking to men hereabouts, and I already have a full sheet of names of those wanting to put in
