Marrying Matthew by Kelly Long

Author:Kelly Long [Long, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zebra Books
Published: 2020-09-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Matthew had been up and around for a week when he decided to go back to the mill. He went, of course, while Tabitha was off doing some errand for Anke.

He had kumme very close to telling his frau that he thought he was in love with her . . . but there had always been some interruption. And now, the more he considered, the surer he was that being in love and loving were two very different things. He wanted to get past the raw emotion and find something that would endure for all time. He thought about the fossil rock that Bishop Kore had given them his first day at Blackberry Falls; it certainly was something that endured....

He broke off in midthought when the mill came into view. Even from a distance, he could tell by some men’s postures that he was not the most welcome person at their workplace. But he moved on and felt better when Big Jim called to him, then drew him aside.

“Hey, Matt, gut ta see ya up and around.”

“Danki, but I think Tabitha would have a fit if she knew I was down here.”

Jim nodded. “Well, ta tell ya the truth, Matt, there are some fellas who think ya might be bad luck, seeing how you were almost hit by that widow-maker and then the log pile falling . . . ach, and the fire.”

Matthew shrugged. “Bad luck? Don’t tell me some men believe in that superstitious nonsense?”

“Blackberry Falls is a back hollow, Matt. There’s things that geh on back here that probably don’t happen in yer neck of the woods. Ya gotta understand. Mebbe it would be better if ya took another couple days off.”

“Maybe I will, Jim, but first I’ve got to talk to John.”

He shook his friend’s hand and made his way past the other men at the mill, coolly meeting the eyes of each who would look at him. He gave a brief knock on the office door, then walked in. John looked up from his desk with a bit of surprise showing on his broad face.

“Hiya, Matt! Didn’t know you were coming in today.”

“I just thought it would be a good idea to get back into a routine. I could still stack wood with my broken arm.”

“That’s true. True indeed. But what do you say to us staying in here and looking over the books and the operation for a few days?”

“John, do you believe I’m bad luck?”

“Bad luck? Nee, but you make the mill a more dangerous place because someone wants you gone. I can’t take that kind of risk around my workers.”

“But you do realize that the would-be murderer is one of your own men?”

Matthew watched his fater-in-law sigh. “There’s another possible explanation for the accidents. I’ve considered that you might be a bit lacking in cautiousness—never having worked wood before.”

Matthew opened his mouth to protest, but then remembered no one here knew about his experience in furniture making. Closing his mouth, he had to agree to work the books with John.

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