CHAPTER 4
Jason sat by the campfire, studying Aaron in silent contemplation as he replayed the events of their search since finding Jemma's shawl the night before, which, he couldn't help but notice how adamant Aaron was to hold on to the piece of lace as if it somehow connected him with Jemma. He couldn't deny that his concern and fear of not finding his sister or of the condition that they might find her in had weighed on his mind heavily and found his hopes dimming until they had to stop and see to resting and watering the horses as well as seeing to filling their canteens. Jason and Joshua had known that Jeremy's temper was edging on a fine line of boiling over at the situation. While Joshua and Jemma were close, Jeremy and Jemma were just as close, only in a different way; Where Joshua's role in Jemma's life had always seemed to be that of best friend and confidant, Jeremy had always seen himself as his sister's protector; it was that mentality that found Jeremy's temper exploding and Aaron the recipient of the explosion's blast. Even Aaron had to admit that he had been impressed when Jeremy had belted him out of frustration.
The incident had begun simply enough, as they were resting, Joshua and even Jason couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards Aaron as they noticed the faraway look of worry and fear on his face. What seemed to be even more telling and shocking to Jason was when he noticed how Aaron had reached inside his vest to pull out Jemma's shawl to hold it in an, almost, reverent manner before tucking it securely back inside his vest, next to his heart, before patting his vest to make sure it was secured. When Joshua had joined him, Jason asked quietly;
"Joshua?"
Motioning towards their companion, Jason continued;
"We haven't had time to discuss it, but tell me something; you don't seem opposed to the idea of Jemma marrying Arron Stempel, or am I wrong?"
Joshua sighed in resignation; he had known that this discussion with his elder brother would be coming sooner or later, and the possibility of facing his brother's anger over his opinion wasn't something that he was looking forward to. Leaning his head back against the boulder that was at their backs, Joshua advised;
"You probably won't like what I have to say, Jason, but I'm not opposed to the idea of Pixie marrying Aaron."
Noticing the semi shocked look on his brother's features, Joshua asked;
"Hear me out, Jason. Look, I know our history with Aaron hasn't been the smoothest, but it's always been a case of us trying to outdo him in business or him trying to outdo us; it's never been out of anger. You can't deny that he loves her, I mean think about it, he was pushing to keep going; we had to make him stop for the horses to be watered and rested, he's willing to push himself till he drops to catch up with the Harmons."
Deciding to share what he witnessed last night, he confessed;
"And, I watched them when they were dancing last night, Jason. It's not just that he's in love with her, she's just as in love with him; I've never seen her look as happy as she did in his arms last night. Add to that, when you lost your temper last night,"
Seeing the stricken look on his brother's face at the memory of the pain and harm that he had inflicted on their sister, Joshua rushed to assure him;
"Jason, I know that you didn't mean to be as rough with her as you were and that it was your worry for her that spurred it on, but when it became obvious that you were hurting her, he didn't think twice about stopping you or taking you on to protect her. Not to mention the fact that he asked you for your permission to marry her, something that couldn't have been easy for him given the history of clashing that you two have."
Before Jason could respond, they heard Jeremy's voice raised in anger, accusing;
"This is all your fault, Stempel, Jemma would be home safe and sound right now if it weren't for you."
Knowing how Jemma would take it if he were to fight with one of her brothers Aaron rose from where he was seated on the ground near a large flat boulder to try and reason;
"Jeremy, I know that you're upset over what's happened to Jemma, but placing blame, or you and I fighting won't help us get her back any faster if anything it will only slow us down in finding her."
Seeing the combination of anger mixed with fear in the young man's eyes, Aaron had a fairly accurate idea of what to expect, and knowing that fighting would not be helpful to the situation, he decided to stand down, even when Jeremy glared before cursing;
"Damn you, Aaron!"
At that, he took a swing and caught Aaron across his jaw with a right hook that packed enough force to knock him to the ground. Despite his youth, Aaron had to admit that Jeremy packed a powerful punch, especially as he tested his jaw to ensure there was no damage. He was about to get to his feet when his eyes fell on some strange scribbles on the flat part, near the bottom, of the boulder, something he was about to dismiss as something a child might have done until he noticed the word 'PIXIE', in the scribbles, as well as catching a slight shimmer on the ground at the bottom of the boulder. Pushing the leaves and pine needles aside, Aaron's eyes widened in amazement as he found himself awed by Jemma's intelligence as he picked up the cameo earring before rising to his feet to quickly approach Jeremy, who looked shocked as Aaron gave him a quick embrace before stating;
"JEREMY, I OWE YOU A HUGE THANK YOU!"
Turning to Joshua and Jason who were staring at him as if they thought he was insane, he motioned wildly as he ordered;
"JASON, JOSHUA, COME HERE, QUICK!"
Jumping up from their perches on the ground as Aaron sat on his heels to point to the boulder as he pointed out;
"Look!"
All three brothers inspected the scribbles on the boulder as they realized the same thing that Aaron had, especially when he offered;
"Look what I found just under it, that's one of Jemma's earrings."
Jeremy studied the markings before asking;
"Are you sure, I mean really sure?"
Taking the earring from Aaron's hand Jason inspected it closely and nodded;
"He can be sure, that's definitely one of her earrings. I had them made especially for her in Tacoma to match Mother's locket for her sixteenth birthday, not to mention,"
Motioning to the boulder, Jason explained;
"When she was a little girl before she learned how to read, Jemma would get frustrated because she didn't know how to write yet, so she took to trying to draw the things that she wanted to remember. Like trees, rivers, and,"
Pointing to one of the scribbles, Jason continued;
"Mountains. They're heading for the mountains."
Panicked, Aaron pointed out;
"Jason, if they get into those mountains..."
Leaving the thought unspoken, Jason glanced at him to finish it;
"We might never find them, or Jemma."
Without a word, Aaron began gathering his horse and canteen as he demanded;
"What do we do, Jason, we're obviously behind them and if they beat us..."
Nodding his agreement, Jason thought for a moment before suggesting;
"Aaron, do you remember that old trail, the one that you and I used to hunt that led to those mountains?"
Comprehending Jason's plan, he nodded;
"Yes, it cut's off a day and a half, easily, to get to the base of those mountains."
Turning to Joshua and Jeremy, Jason advised;
"They need to think that we're still on their trail. I want you two to keep following the trail, and keep a lookout for more of Pixie's markers, if she left this one, then she's certain to leave others."
Motioning to the mountain range, Jason explained;
"Aaron and I are going to take that trail, with a little luck and a lot of prayers, we'll beat them to the mountains."
Bringing his thoughts back to the present as Aaron stirred from his sleep, he turned to Jason in frustration;
"Why did you let me fall asleep, Jason?"
Offering the pouch of hardtack to his companion, Jason shrugged;
"Because, Aaron, you're exhausted, and, we've beaten them here so I saw no harm in you getting a little rest."
Seeing that he was about to refuse the offer of food, Jason pressed;
"Aaron, exactly how much good do you think you'll be to Jemma if you're exhausted and weak from hunger? Make no mistake about it, if Elijah Harmon's plan for Jemma is what I believe it is, then he and his three boys aren't going to give her up without a fight."
The logic sinking in, Aaron took the bag and removed a piece of hardtack before vowing;
"I don't care if I have to fight the devil himself, I'll do whatever it takes to get Jemma away from those animals and home where she belongs."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Jason decided to open the topic of conversation that had been occupying the back of his thoughts;
"Aaron, can we talk, man to man?"
Taking a bite of the jerky, Aaron nodded as he observed;
"I guess that it's better we do this sooner as opposed to later, so go ahead."
Taking a deep, calming breath, Jason asked;
"Why Jemma, Aaron? You've known her since she was a little girl, not to mention the age difference between the two of you."
Casting him a wry glance, Aaron pointed out;
"Bolt, I'm a year older than what you are, that means that I'm sixteen years older than Jemma. As far as 'why Jemma', I would have thought that you, of all people, would be aware of your sister's attributes, but since you don't seem in possession of that information, I'll gladly point them out to you."
Taking a drink from the canteen, Aaron recapped the container before offering;
"As was proven, yet again, today, Jemma is one of the most intelligent people I've ever known, man or woman, and you can't deny it, Jason, because you're no fool and if you didn't think so too, you wouldn't have left her in charge of the logging operation when you went
back East last year; which brings us to the next point. Not only is she intelligent, but she has guts and determination. How many other women, especially her size, do you know who can run a camp full of loggers and none of them give her any grief? Mind you, not out of fear of you and your brothers but out of respect for her and because they didn't want to raise that temper of hers."
Jason was more than aware of his sister's attributes, what he needed to know was if Aaron was as informed. Seeking to encourage his confidences, he asked;
"So she's smart and tough, but are you sure that what you feel for her is love? I know my sister, and, for her, a marriage without love, with just admiration, it would kill her, Aaron."
Raising his knee to brace his arm across it, Aaron leaned closer as he confessed;
"Jason, I know what you and your brothers think of me. I'm too serious, I'm too ambitious, I'm arrogant and I'm overbearing, and, for the most part, you're right."
His tone relenting, he continued;
"But, I'm also a man who, believe it or not, has a heart. You ask 'why, Jemma', do you know that I've asked myself that a thousand times over the years?"
Jason couldn't help but notice as Aaron leaned back against the stone of the cave where they had sought their refuge, the wistful look that came to his face as he smiled ruefully;
"You know what I find so amusing? Do you have any idea how it feels to find yourself hopelessly, desperately and so completely in love with a girl who has absolutely no idea just how fast she makes your heart beat or your pulse race just by seeing her smile, hearing her laugh or the sound of her voice? Not to mention when you close your eyes at night and all you can see is her face, and when you try to work during the day you can't concentrate because you find yourself daydreaming about her. THAT'S why Jemma."
Shocked by the admission, Jason asked;
"When did you know you felt this way?"
Leveling his eyes with Jason's he admitted;
"That's a hard question to answer. I remember thinking whenever I saw her when she was a little girl, 'she's such a pretty little girl, I'm willing to bet that, when she grows up, men will just fall in love with her', little did I know just how right I was and that I was going to be the one that fulfilled my prediction. Do you remember when she topped that tree and you decided that it was time that she start learning all the things girls should know from Lottie and Miss Essie?"
Nodding, Jason offered;
"Yes, she was fourteen at the time, I remember thinking that I must have lost at least five years off of my life when I saw her at the top of that tree. I knew that a logging camp full of men wasn't the place for her and that I had overlooked something that she really needed. Thank God for Lottie and Essie."
Chuckling, Aaron admitted;
"Would you care to guess who taught your sister how to dance?"
Shaking his head, he continued;
"Do you know what's so amusing talking about that? She and I discussed that at the dance; she remembers it as her being terrible and surprised that I would ever offer to dance with her again."
Jason couldn't help but be touched by his companion's admissions as he asked;
"And how do you remember it, Aaron?'
Shaking his head as he offered a slight chuckle, he recalled;
"I'll tell you the same thing that I told Jemma about that, what I remember was having the privilege of teaching a very lovely and special young lady the art of dancing. And, my reward for my efforts was to see what a beautiful, unique and wonderful woman she grew into and that I happen to have been blessed enough to fall in love with."
Contemplating, Jason demanded;
"I'm curious about something, you proposed to Jemma before tonight. When and why? I mean, what made you come to the decision that you wanted to marry my sister?"
Although Aaron knew that Jason would probably not be very happy with the explanation, he began;
"You asked when I knew for certain that I was in love with Jemma; I think that when it hit me, REALLY hit me, how I felt for her was when I was teaching her how to dance. She was such a serious little thing, she still is for that matter. I remember how, if she didn't get a step just right she would get frustrated with herself. I found myself enjoying her company and even looking forward to her lessons; Lottie begged and made me feel guilty until I agreed to teach her. You see, Lottie and Miss Essie thought that, at sixteen, she needed to learn how to dance and since you and your brothers were always busy and I was so close that it seemed only logical for me to help in her education."
Realizing, not for the first time that evening, just how blind he had been to his sister as she had grown and matured, Jason offered;
"I can understand Lottie's logic. But, what I don't understand, Aaron, why did you wait so long before deciding to ask her to marry you?"
Emitting a deep sigh, Aaron admitted;
"When I found myself offering to teach her bookkeeping just so I could have an excuse to spend more time with her, I knew then, for certain, that I wanted to propose. But, I didn't think that she was in love with me, and, admittedly, I wanted to give her a chance to mature a little more. I wanted her to be certain of her own mind if she agreed to marry me and I didn't want her to have any regrets."
Leaning forward to toss a few more twigs on their small fire, he continued;
"As far as when was the first time I proposed; do you remember when you had issues with the man, George?"
Recalling the incident that he was referring to, Jason nodded;
"Yes, he was trying to convince the men to strike."
Nodding, Aaron explained;
"Well, you weren't the only Bolt who had a problem with the man. Just after her eighteenth birthday, Jemma was on her way to my office, she had gotten so good with doing the books that her lessons turned into her helping me do my books. Anyway, this particular afternoon when she was on her way to the mill, George stopped her, he had, apparently, decided that he wanted more than just an increase in pay from the Bolts, he had decided that he wanted Jemma and was willing to assault her to get her."
Shocked, Jason could only mutter;
"She never said anything, how did you find out?"
Jason could only stare in disbelief as Aaron admitted;
"I found out because I was the one who stopped him. I noticed that Jemma was running late, something that, as you know, isn't at all like her, so I decided to head down to Lottie's to see if everything was okay. As I was halfway to Lottie's I heard something strange, it sounded like a muffled scream, something inside of me panicked because I couldn't help but think that, somehow, Jemma was in danger, and little did I know how right I would be. When I found them, she was fighting for all she was worth, to be honest, I think she could have bested him, but when I saw how he was abusing her I became furious and dealt with it myself."
Shaking his head, Jason ventured;
"You mean she didn't become upset with you for trying to fight her battles? She used to fly into Jeremy, Joshua and me if we did."
Shrugging, Aaron confessed;
"Actually? No, quite the opposite. I told George to leave Seattle and never return and that if he did I would make certain that Jemma never had to worry about his presence again because I would kill him. Once he was gone, I took her back to my office, she was upset and I knew that she wouldn't want anyone to see her that way so we went the back way"
Offering a slight chuckle, he continued his story;
"When I got her back to the office, she just sat there, very quietly, as if she could not believe what had just happened. I noticed that her face was smudged so I took a cloth and began wiping the smudges away when she grabbed my hand and looked at me with a look that can only be described as a combination of fear and confusion before asking me why had he wanted to attack her the way he did."
Curious as to his answer, Jason asked;
"What did you tell her?"
Rising from the cave floor, Aaron leaned against the wall of the cave as he sighed heavily, despite the fact that the only other person who knew what he was confessing to Jason was Jemma and that he had held the memories that he was now pouring out to Jason as something to be kept and, in some cases, treasured, as confidences between himself and Jemma, he felt it important that Jason understand just how in-depth his and Jemma's feeling were for each other. Turning he replied;
"I told her that, sadly, there are twisted individuals in this world, and that rather than looking at someone as beautiful as herself and treasuring and appreciating that beauty, they would rather cause pain and twist that beauty so that it would become just as twisted and distorted as they were. That's when I received one of the biggest shocks of my life; she looked at me with those beautiful emerald eyes of hers and, in all innocence, asked me if that was why I had spent so much time with her because I was trying to protect her."
Jason couldn't help but realize that Aaron was sharing a trust and confidence with him that none other, save his sister, would ever come to know, something that seemed important, almost vital for his peace of mind. Bearing this in mind, Jason encouraged;
"Go on, what did you tell her?"
Taking a seat on the cave floor, Aaron seemed to focus on the flames of the fire, as if reliving the moment all over again as he continued;
"The only thing that I could do when confronted as I was; I confessed the truth and prayed that I wouldn't frighten her off with my admission. I remembered wondering where I would find the words and even more shocked when I managed to do so. Looking back on it, all I can say is that when I looked into her eyes it just seemed so
natural for me to say; 'yes, that's part of why I spend so much time with you. Another part of why I spend so much time with you is because I'm so much happier when you're near me and that's because I love you.'"
His curiosity spurring his question, Jason tilted his head to the side as he queried;
"How did she take the news?"
Chuckling slightly, Aaron looked at him in amused disbelief as he recounted;
"She sat absolutely still and silent for a few moments. I thought that I had truly frightened her and that she would run away from me, taking any happiness I might have with her. But then, she just smiled that serene little smile of hers and her face brightened just before she giggled and said; 'thank God, I thought I was imagining things.' I was shocked and when I asked her how long she had known, she told me that she had suspected it when I volunteered to teach her how to dance and she knew for certain when I offered to teach her bookkeeping."
Shaking his head in amusement, Jason ventured;
"She always has been a quick study."
Nodding, Aaron agreed as he offered;
"You wanted to know the first time that I proposed to Jemma; it was shortly after I told her that I loved her. The day that I told her, she asked me to take a walk with her, you know that small lake on the side of the mountain that hasn't been logged yet? Did you know that's her favorite spot?"
Shocked, Jason shook his head;
"No, I knew that there would be times she would wander away from camp or decide to go riding on the mountain but I never knew that there was one specific place."
Meeting Jason's look of incredulousness with a knowing look of his own, Aaron nodded;
"There is. She took me to see it and after we had sat there for a little while, she looked at me and told me that, other than her family, that place was what she loved the most in this world, up until that point. I guess she must have read my confusion on my face, because she just shook her head before taking my hand and saying; 'what I'm trying to say, is that one of the reasons I'm so relieved that you love me is because I was afraid that I had managed to fall in love with someone who didn't love me in return.' Can you believe that she was afraid that I didn't love her?"
Standing to stretch his legs as he took a drink from his canteen, Jason observed;
"Aaron, there's one thing that has always been consistent with Jemma, and that's her humility. She's never tried to be anything but herself and she's never seen in herself what others see in her. She's always had a naturalness about her, no matter where she is; she's just as comfortable in an evening gown as she is climbing a tree or riding a horse."
Turning serious, Jason pointed out;
"I've asked you before, but you haven't exactly answered my question; when did you first propose to my sister?"
Clearing his throat to break and uncomfortable silence, Aaron admitted;
"I want you to listen to all of what I'm about to say before you fly off the handle. I told her that day that I knew she needed time to adjust to everything and, admittedly, I was worried about the age difference. She just shook her head and told me that, since there had always been the difference in our ages and it didn't seem to stop us from falling in love than she didn't see where it was a problem now. A couple of weeks went by and we continued in our same routine, of course, the only difference now was that we knew we loved each other and we had taken to walking to that spot she loved so much. This particular day, she seemed a little sad and when I asked her why she told me it was because you might have to start cutting on that section of the mountain soon and that she would miss her special place. On our way back to the mill there was just something about the way her eyes were shining and the way the sun was reflecting off of her hair that day that made me realize just how much I wanted her to be my wife. I couldn't help myself from pulling her to a stop so that I could steal a kiss and when I looked into her eyes I asked her to marry me."
Unable to prevent himself from interrupting as his curiosity was peaked, Jason demanded;
"Would I be right in assuming that she turned you down?"
Shaking his head, Aaron chuckled;
"Actually, quite the contrary, although she didn't exactly say yes either. She wanted your, Joshua and Jeremy's blessings and she knew that it was going to take some time because she didn't want to have to choose between all of you or me and I didn't want her to have to choose. So, I agreed to give her the time she needed, although I warned her that I wouldn't stop asking unless she flat out said no."
Doing a quick calculation, Jason interjected;
"Wait a minute, Aaron, you said that the first time you asked her to marry you was just a couple of weeks after her eighteenth birthday, didn't you?"
At his nod of agreement, Jason continued;
"Aaron, that was just about a month or two before I left for New Bedford."
Sighing in frustrated dejection, he clarified;
"Almost six weeks to the day to be exact."
Seeing the look of suspicion in his companion's eyes, Aaron hastened to explain;
"Before you become indignant, let me explain something; I know what you're thinking, Jason, and believe me that had nothing to do with the bet."
Shaking his head ruefully, Aaron huffed;
"You have no idea how much that damn bet has either tripped me up or come back to haunt me over the last year. I thought that, at the time, I was trying to do something good, but I soon found myself wishing I had tried to find another way."
Staring at him in disbelief, Jason demanded;
"How did you think that trying to take the mountain from us was doing something good? The only good that would have been accomplished would have been that you owned all that timberland and you would have become richer in the bargain."
Nodding, he explained;
"You're half right, I was trying to become richer, but not by taking your mountain. I never wanted your mountain, Jason, at least not for the reason you're thinking."
Puzzled, Jason stared in disbelief as he questioned;
"Then why did you make that wager, what were you hoping to gain?"
Leaning his head back against the stone at his back, Aaron closed his eyes momentarily as he confessed;
"I thought that everything was falling into place and that it was fate the way the timing of everything seemed to work out. I didn't want the mountain for myself or my business, I wanted it for Jemma. When I saw the look on her face and in her eyes when she told me that her favorite place by the lake might well be lost to her, I wanted to stop that from happening. Then, when she asked for more time to accept my proposal and you suggested the trip to New Bedford and the idea of the bet came up, I thought that, even if you lost, you weren't really losing."
Comprehending his idea, Jason ventured;
"You were going to sign Bridal Veil Mountain over to Jemma, which meant we still would have been able to continue our lumber business, but..."
Nodding, Aaron continued;
"But, Jemma could have added the stipulation that her special place be left untouched."
Narrowing his gaze in speculation, Jason stated rather than asked;
"She didn't know anything about it, did she?"
Shaking his head, Aaron confessed;
"No, she didn't. I wanted to surprise her, in the event I won, but I guess you could say that I tripped over my own arrogance and had I known at the time how she would have reacted, I would never have made that stupid wager."
Certain as to the answer, Jason voiced;
"Let me guess, when she found out she was furious, wasn't she?"
His eyes growing serious at his recollections, Aaron shook his head, sadly as he admitted;
"No, Jason, she wasn't mad, I would have rather that she had been mad; she was hurt, very, very hurt. When she came to my office that day, I could see the hurt in her eyes and all I could think of was setting whatever it was that had hurt her so much right, imagine my shock when I learned that I was the one who did it."
Pinning Jason with his eyes, Aaron stated in self aggravation;
"You know the old saying about the road to Hell being paved with good intentions, well I definitely did that. When I asked her to tell me why she was so upset, she began crying and asked me if I had any idea what that bet meant. I told her that it was just a good-natured bet between you and me, as usual, and she just shook her head and told me that it was a good deal more than that. She had made her mind up to accept my marriage proposal, but before she could tell me I made that stupid wager and until the bet was done, there was no way that she could marry me."
Jason, suddenly, understood the reason for his sister's behavior before his departure, she had become so withdrawn and quiet and sad, but he had assumed that it was because her brothers would be away for so long. That and his faith in her capabilities had found him placing her in charge of the logging operation until he, Joshua and Jeremy's return, in the hopes that it would occupy her thoughts and raise her spirits. Now, he realized that the reason for her behavior was because she had been broken-hearted. Turning to Aaron, he pleaded quietly;
"Aaron, why didn't you tell me, we could have called the bet off."
Shaking his head, he explained;
"I wanted to do that, Jason, but she refused to let me. She was afraid that if we canceled the wager and asked for your blessings that you and everyone else would think that she had either sold herself into marriage or that I blackmailed her into marrying me in exchange for canceling the bet. She was also afraid that, with your stubborn nature, you would see it as her having a lack of faith in you to do what you set out to do."
Jason couldn't help but feel pain for what his
sister must have suffered as he voiced those thoughts;
"Poor, Pixie, she never said a word, she was hiding how heartbroken she was and never said a word."
Shaking his head, Aaron pointed out;
"She wouldn't, Jason. Unfortunately, I was stupid and lost my temper and told her that I didn't give a damn what anyone, except for her, thought about why we decided to get married, bet or no bet and that if that was her concern than she was focusing on the wrong things."
Chuckling because he knew what his sister's reaction to such a statement would have been, Jason asked in amusement;
"Since I don't remember you wearing any bruises, tell me, Aaron, just how long was it before Jemma stopped giving you the silent treatment?"
Offering his own amused laugh, Aaron observed;
"You know your sister too well, you know that, don't you, Jason?"
Shaking his head, Aaron continued;
"It took a couple of months after you left before she would even speak to me if she passed me in the street. Then, she would only carry on a conversation with me if it was related to the sawmill or the logging camp."
Tilting his head to the side, Jason questioned;
"Something obviously thawed out that stubbornness of hers, when she gets that determination of hers up an iceberg gives a warmer reception than my sister does. So, what happened to change it?"
Deciding to stretch his legs, Aaron rose to walk to the mouth of the cave as he recalled one of the most frightening moments, up to learning that Jemma had been abducted. Turning, he asked;
"Do you remember your man, Anderson?"
At Jason's nod of affirmation, Aaron shook his head in stubbornness as he crossed his arms over his chest before he stated emphatically;
"Jason, I won't apologize for what I did to that man. Jemma had asked me to come to the logging camp, something was going on with the flume that you were building at that time and the production was a little behind which meant a delay in shipments to the sawmill. One thing that she insisted on while you were gone was that the business between the logging operation and the sawmill be conducted just as it normally was when you and I dealt with each other."
Finding some humor, Jason quipped;
"I'm guessing that must have been a hard task for you, Aaron."
Casting a sarcastic glance in Jason's direction, he returned;
"Yes and no, I certainly didn't mind the time spent in her company, but, well, let's just say that I never had to fight the urge to take you in my arms and kiss you."
Nodding, Jason offered;
"Point taken and understood."
Continuing, Aaron offered;
"Anyway, when I got to the camp I heard a ruckus near the flume since I knew that she would, more than likely, be wherever the ruckus was I went down to see what was going on. When I got there it was just Jemma and Anderson, I found out later that she had sent the rest of the men to another site because the flume had to be reinforced. It seems that Anderson was trying to push the logs fast and closer together than what was advisable and it caused a breaking point that was going to have to be reinforced. When Jemma said something to him, he became defiant, something that I learned had been going on since you left, but she was determined to handle it all herself.
Neither of them realized I was there, listening to the interchange. Jemma told Anderson that she was taking him off of the flume because he was costing them way too much time and cost in repairing the damages that he was causing because he refused to stick to the guidelines set for safety reasons. He told her that he wasn't going anywhere, he liked the flume work and that was where he was going to stay and that no woman, no matter what her last name was, would tell him any differently. She told him that she was not going to put up with his attitude, not because of how he felt about her being a woman and in charge, but because he was putting other people's lives at risk and he could pick up his pay immediately. You know the floating walkway you had out there at the time to help traffic the logs? Well, they had been standing on that and when she turned to leave he picked her up and tossed her in the pond."
Seeing the look on Jason's face, Aaron nodded;
"I know, she can swim like a fish, but, Jason, no woman wearing a full skirt like she was that day and certainly not when her skirt gets snagged on a log that's under the water's surface, keeping her under, nor when she hits her head on a log as she hits the water."
His eyes widened in anger and fury at the audacity that Anderson had possessed to do such a thing to his sister. Even more frustrating was that he knew nothing of the incident, something that he expressed;
"Why weren't we ever told about this Aaron; and just what happened to Anderson?"
Meeting Jason's look of intensity with a level one of his own, Aaron admitted;
"Truthfully? I tried to kill him. He stood on the dock, laughing, LAUGHING, Jason. As soon as I saw him pick her up, I ran to the pond and dove in, something that I'm very glad I did. Jemma's skirt had gotten caught on the underside of a log, not to mention she had hit her head when she hit the water and she was out cold."
A cold shiver running down his spine, Jason realized aloud;
"She would have died if you hadn't of been there, Aaron."
Nodding his agreement, Aaron continued;
"I know, Jason, and that's what made me so mad, not to mention just how scared I was by that very fact. When I got her out of the water, the big oaf was still standing there, laughing, and mind you, Jemma wasn't breathing. After I got her to cough up most of the water that she had swallowed as well as making sure that she was breathing again, before I knew that I had done it, I punched the hell out of him and knocked him into the opposite side of the pond. When he went in he hit his arm on a log and managed to break it, I offered him a hand out and told him that if he didn't leave immediately, I was going to kill him and considering that he had just tried to kill Jemma no jury in the territory would convict me of it."
Taking in everything he had learned, Jason wondered aloud;
"But Aaron, how did we never find out about this?"
Shaking his head in disbelief, Aaron demanded;
"Knowing your sister as well as you do, Jason, are you REALLY surprised that you never found out about it? No one knows about it except Jemma, Anderson and myself; and even Jemma doesn't know what I did to Anderson. Once I made sure that she was alive and breathing alright, I couldn't hold my temper any longer where he was concerned. Once he was out of the water he left without a word to me or anyone else. Given that there was no one else around to see what had happened, or to send for a doctor, I knew that the only thing that I could do was to get her out of there, so I picked her up and was heading towards the camp when she came to. When she realized what was going on, she begged me not to let the men see her like that, she wanted to go to your cabin so that she could get out of her wet dress. I couldn't understand her logic, she had come close to losing her life and if I hadn't of just happened to have been there, she very well could have, but all she was worried about was the men not seeing her in a wet dress."
Emitting a short laugh that was a cross between amusement, disbelief, and awe, Aaron continued;
"But, as usual, I should have realized that there was a rhyme to her reason. When she had finished changing and came out of her bedroom, she shocked me, more I think than what she did the day she told me that she loved me. She just walked up to me and asked me to please take her back to the camp, mind you, after I changed my wet clothes and begged me to never say a word about what happened to anyone, especially you and your brothers. She said she would tell everyone that she fired Anderson and let it go at that because she was afraid that if the men found out what had happened, she would lose their respect and if that were to happen then her authority would always be challenged and running the logging camp would be impossible."
Although he was fairly certain that he knew the answer, Jason pressed;
"I have the feeling that wasn't the part that shocked you, Aaron."
Offering a slight smile, Aaron shook his head as he confessed;
"No, it wasn't. What shocked me was that once everything was settled, she asked me if I thought that, with all of the girls you were planning on bringing back, she might be able to find a suitable husband. I don't mind telling you, Jason, I couldn't help but feel my heart drop. I asked her what sort of a husband did she have in mind."
Leaning back as he studied the look on his companions face, Jason prodded;
"What did she say?"
Chuckling, he related the incident;
"She told me that she had been thinking about it and that she realized that the perfect husband for her was one who was serious, ambitious, overbearing, and sometimes temperamental, had a tendency to be arrogant, and could be very frustrating, and did I know of anyone who fit that description who was willing to put up with a woman who was stubborn, a little naive, had a bad temper, but just so happened to love me more than what she thought possible and was hoping that I still felt the same."
Seeing the light that had come to Aaron's eyes at the memory, Jason couldn't help but offer a warm smile as he ventured;
"Pixie was never really one to keep her feelings hidden, she's always been a direct and to the point girl. So what did you do after she told you how she felt? I'm assuming you made up?"
Nodding, he explained;
"We did, I asked her did she remember when I told her the first time that I proposed that, until she said 'yes', it wouldn't be the last time she heard that question when she said yes, I dropped to one knee
and asked her to marry me. This time, she said yes, but there was a condition to it. She wanted to wait until the bet was over, she also pointed out that, even waiting that year, she would only be a little more than twenty years old and any argument that you might be able to give about her maturity wouldn't really be valid."
Suspicion clouding his eyes as he recalled something that had occurred just after the brides had arrived, Jason demanded;
"Aaron, there's something I have to ask; just after the brides arrived, when you were 'courting' at least three different girls..."
Leaving the remainder of his statement unspoken, Aaron nodded as he confessed;
"Jason, I swear, I wasn't trying to two time your sister, I grew impatient. I wanted to marry Jemma and I was trying to do something, anything to bring the bet to an end, but, again, good intentions, pride, anger, and arrogance."
Meeting Jason's look with an even one of his own as he praised;
"As honest as you and I try to always be, Jason, your sister could teach us lessons in that quality. When she found out, I can tell you, I'm amazed I had any hide left when she was done with me, luckily for me, she wasn't mad at the idea of the girls. She told me that she knew good and well if I had waited for as long as I had to tell her I loved her and to ask her to marry me, then she had enough sense to know that I had some kind of scheme up my sleeve and she wanted to know what that was. I confessed. I told her that I was trying anything and everything to bring the bet to an end."
Recalling all of the various schemes and plots that Aaron had put into place in the past year, as well as the expense, he demanded;
"Aaron, by your own admission, your only interest in acquiring our mountain was to turn around and sign it over into Jemma's possession. Yet, you went to a lot of trouble and expense to try and cause us to lose the bet, and you did all of this to make my sister happy. By the way, what was her reaction when you admitted to what you were doing?"
Laughing, he admitted;
"She told me that I had made my bed and now I had to lay in it. She said that if you lost the bet on your own that was one thing, and she would never fault me for that. But, she also told me that if she found out I had done anything underhanded to cause you to lose it, not only would she not marry me then but she might not marry me at all."
Piecing everything together, Jason recalled when Aaron's manipulations had stopped and surmised;
"And that straightened everything out, didn't it?"
Casting a sideways glance, Aaron asked;
"Knowing Jemma, do you have any doubts?"
Turning serious, Aaron reached into his pocket to pull out a small box before tossing it to Jason. Curious, Jason lifted the lid and couldn't help but be impressed as he studied the contents; inside was a square cut emerald ring, surrounded by small diamonds. Closing the box he tossed it back to Aaron as he speculated;
"I'm assuming that would be for my sister?"
Nodding, Aaron asked;
"Do you know why I picked an emerald ring for her?"
Shaking his head, Jason remained silent as he allowed Aaron to continue;
"Do you remember me telling you how I ordered that perfume for her from San Francisco, do you know why?
Shaking his head, Jason replied;
"No, although I am curious as to why you went to all that trouble."
Securing the ring back in his pocket, Aaron offered;
"Jemma and I went on a picnic while you were gone, to her special spot."
Seeing a look of suspicion in the man's eyes, Aaron offered;
"Jason, before you wonder; I've never touched your sister other than to hold her or kiss her."
Nodding, Jason validated;
"I know that, Aaron. I trust Jemma completely, and as much as I hate to admit it, I know that you're an honorable man and would never take liberties with any woman, not your wife."
Feeling relieved, Aaron offered;
"Thank you for that, Jason. As I was saying, when we went on our picnic it started to rain, but rather than trying to run for the buggy or hurry home, Jemma just started laughing and got up and started running through the meadow around the lake. I was so surprised I just sat there in amazement, and admittedly, enjoying the sound of her laughter and the joy I saw on her face."
Offering a short laugh, Jason explained;
"Ever since she was old enough to walk, she's loved the rain. Fair warning though, if it's thundering, lightning, and storming, she tends to become withdrawn; she's afraid of them, but she'd rather die than admit to that."
Shaking his head, Aaron, offered;
"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. As surprised as I was by her running through the rain, I was even more surprised when she stopped and grabbed me by the hand to join her. I remember telling her how impractical it was to play in the rain in my jacket, she just took it off of my shoulders and laid it in the buggy before simply telling me that the problem was solved. Do you know something? I realized that I was enjoying the rain as much as she was. Anyway, I had a business trip to San Francisco a couple of weeks after that, and it so happens that a friend of mine is a chemist with a perfume company there. When I paid him a visit he was working on something new and asked my opinion on it; as it turned out the perfume I gave Jemma was that project. He was trying to capture the scent of fresh rain and when he handed me the bottle to ask my opinion, as soon as I opened the bottle and the scent hit me, I immediately thought of Jemma and that day in the rain. I bought the first bottle that he produced."
Jason leaned against the wall of the cave before asking;
"And the ring?"
Having taken a drink from the water canteen, Aaron replaced the cap before answering;
"I had made my mind up when I left on the trip that I was bringing back an engagement ring, and no offense to the brides but what I wanted for Jemma wasn't something that I would find in Ben's store, so I had the ring made especially to match her eyes. I gave her the perfume for her nineteenth birthday and I've kept the ring in my pocket, waiting for the day that I could give it to her."
Turning to face Jason fully, his tone hardened somewhat;
"And now you know everything, Jason, you know the how and the why. I wanted to ask for your blessing at the dance because I wanted to give her the ring then, despite your family's notoriety and full acceptance, Jason, that doesn't seem to include your sister."
Puzzled, Jason demanded;
"What do you mean?"
Leaning forward, Aaron explained;
"Jason, your sister has been raised by three brothers in a logging camp. Add to that, there's no denying that you have a sister who is one of a kind; she's beautiful beyond belief, smarter than most men I know, she's the kind of girl that you want to get to know and take a lifetime doing it. But didn't you ever wonder why none of the other men have tried to court her?"
Sighing in frustration, Jason admitted;
"I've always thought it was because anyone who might want to, were intimidated."
Nodding, Aaron agreed;
"Yes, that's a large part of it, but another part of the problem is that she doesn't feel as if she fits in; anywhere. She's been raised around men, but she doesn't fit into that world, and she doesn't fit in with the brides because she's not one of them. Everyone views her as something other than herself; she's a Bolt, but not a brother, she probably knows the timber business just as good as you or me, but she isn't a logger, she's a young lady but not one of the brides. Not only does she not really fit in, but she also doesn't really get to be just Jemma?"
Sighing in resignation, Jason met his look with one of question;
"Aaron, as much as I hate to admit it, you fall into a small, select group who have come to accept her as just that; herself. I think the only other ones who haven't tried to group her as you've described would be Lottie, Miss Essie, and Joshua."
Nodding, Aaron confessed;
"I wanted to make it as special for her as possible."
Narrowing his gaze, Jason questioned;
"Aaron, let me ask you something; suppose we find Jemma, but..."
Unable to comprehend, let alone verbalize his thought, Aaron finished his statement;
"Yes, Jason, even if that was to be the case, I would still want to marry Jemma. But we need to hope and pray that isn't the case, not because it would change how I feel about her, but because, we both know, it will kill something inside of her."
Motioning towards the visible sky outside of the cave entrance, Aaron offered;
"Since I had some sleep, I suggest that you get a little as well, I'll go out and watch for them."
Watching as he left the cave, Jason knew that he had misjudged the man, for longer than what he cared to admit to. Closing his eyes to seek some rest, he asked a prayer for his sister's safe return and the hope that he was making the right decision.
