Chapter 1
Jason was standing on the porch of his cabin in Seattle. The sun was just coming up and it was a cool morning. Almost time to start another 6 months of logging on the mountain. He had been enjoying his time alone but there was something missing this time. He was alone, both his brothers had found wives, they had families and were more involved with their families than with him. That was to be understood. He had not expected them to remain with him all their lives. He raised them when their parents died, and he never gave thought to marrying. He was always content to have friendships with the ladies there in Seattle and to travel elsewhere to take care of more intimate matters. Usually when he went to Olympia or Tacoma. But still, he had a feeling he had never really had before. A sense of loneliness. Brought on by an 'empty nest' as the ladies would call it. When the children leave home, and you are standing in the middle of the home you made for them, and they are gone, and you know they will never really be back. He took the last sip of coffee, went inside, and grabbed his coat and headed for Lottie's for breakfast but remembered that Lottie's had burned down during the 1889, and Lottie and Clancy moved to San Francisco. He decided to go to the new hotel, The Globe, for breakfast.
The train had finally come to Seattle and stopped at King Street Station. The year was 1905 and the dream of Seattle was now a bustling city. With trains, street cars and electric lights. She stepped off the train. She was a tall woman, not too old, dressed in a brown skirt and white blouse. She wore a big hat on her head. She held her purse close to her and directed the porter to the nearest horse carriage. He put her bags and a trunk in the back and then she asked about Lottie's saloon. The driver, said:
"Ma'am, that burned down a couple of years ago and Miss Lottie and Clancy have since moved to San Francisco." The driver said. She looked at him and then asked if there was another hotel to stay in.
"Yes, ma'am it is known as The Globe Building. Still new! It was designed and built in 1901. There are several shops and an eatery if you are interested." The driver said as he pulled away from the curb. Matilda sat and wondered if Jason Bolt was still up on his mountain. The last time she had seen him was when he was rescuing his brother Joshua from the farm in Montana. That was an interesting adventure. She sighed. Now, she was an old lady, no one to cling to. She would write her stories as a Pinkerton Detective, now retired. Jason and she did not really correspond, but she still wanted to see him, even if it meant ' just a drink, a thank you and be on your way.'
"Here we are: 1007 First Avenue, Seattle, WA" he said as he hopped out of the carriage and went to get the 'Bellboy' to take her luggage. He helped her down as she went into the lobby to secure a room. She was tired and wanted to sleep for a while and then found out if Jason was still around.
Jason, having finished his breakfast, was just passing the lobby when he noticed her. She wasn't as young as she used to be, but the same thing could be said for him as well. His hair had grayed some, and he was a little wrinkled but in a handsome way. He went to the desk where she was getting a room and whispered 'hello, beautiful' in her ear. She jumped about ten feet and he laughed. She looked at him and was about to give him a few words but then she recognized him. She gave him a great big hug and he gave her a great big hug as well.
"Jason, it is so good to see you!" she said as she came out of the hug.
"And it is delightful to see you, Matilda!" Jason said as he took her hand and then asked:
"You aren't staying here, I hope?" he asked as he decided for her that she would stay with him.
"Jason, I was going to look you up when I had rested, and yes, I am staying here. I have just procured a room actually a small suite!" she said and noticed that he had surreptitiously taken the keys from her, had the clerk stop the bell hop and canceled her room.
"Jason, you didn't? I don't think that that is proper for a woman to be staying with a man she is not married to?" she said as she was trying to stop the bellhop and get her room back. But he said to her:
"Matilda, I have a very big cabin, it is not like it was when my brothers and I lived there. It is practically a house. I have several bedrooms and my nieces and nephews come to stay at various times of the year. I also have a separate cottage out back that you can stay in so that the nosy neighbors don't get ideas!" Jason said as he hailed a 'horseless carriage' and had the driver put her bags into it. Then they got in as well. When they arrived at Jason's 'mansion' she was impressed. He took her bags and he brought them to the cottage and he set them up in the little room. It was actually the old cabin his brothers and he had lived in for many years. So, with a few modifications he had made it into a cottage, for a time, the brothers had their families stay with Jason when they were gone due to safety problems or other issues. Jason had a big house, so he also had several bedrooms and even an indoor toilet!
Matilda was impressed. Jason set about getting the wood for the fire and told her to make herself at home and he would have dinner ready later and they could talk. She took her hat off and checked the cabin. Yes, it had the brothers' mark on it. She found that they had brought the fireplace from their parents' cabin down and placed it at the end of the room. It still had their measurements but there were others now. The Nieces and Nephews had been born there and lived their sometimes when needs arose.
"Those Bolt brothers sure stick together!' she thought as she sat down on the little bed.