Lapis and Lumber

Cara Barlett wants to be a businesswoman even if the town looks down on her. When her grandfather leaves his lumber business to Cara and her brother, she finally believes her dream will come true… Until she meets the stubborn Harrison Holt who claims he owns half of the land and business since he won it from her brother in a card game. She doesn’t want to give him an inch, however, striking a bargain with the irritatingly handsome man might be to her advantage.

It was now or never.

Taking a deep breath for courage, Cara Barlett stepped up to the front door of the two-story lumber mill and knocked. The rhythm of her heartbeat was faster than she wanted, but finding answers was something that must be done if she wanted to save her own lumber mill business.

Mr. Ellis’ sawmill was one of the larger businesses in New York, and especially those along the bay. Not many mills were run by steam like his was. But as she waited for someone to answer the door, she glanced around the yard. The eerie silence bothered her.

She rapped her knuckles against the warped wood of the door, harder this time, and the door opened from the pressure. Holding her breath, she listened for sounds coming from inside. Nothing.

“Hello? Is anyone here?” she asked in a leery voice.

Cara pushed the door open wider and glanced inside. The morning sun had been hidden by clouds, and all she could see were shadows. The main office still had desks and chairs, but nobody currently occupied them.

Mr. Adams, owner of the General Store, had told her that Mr. Ellis had been forced to sell his business, even though the mill was very profitable. She had inquired about Mr. Ellis, only because she wanted advice since she and her brother had inherited a lumber mill from their grandfather. More than anything, she wanted to be a successful businesswoman, even if her brother didn’t share her interests.

Although the woman’s suffrage movement was growing stronger in New York, there were still many men who didn’t think a woman was intelligent enough to run her own business. She was determined to show them differently.

“Mr. Ellis? Are you here?” She stepped inside. Rumors about the mill being abandoned must have been true, but she didn’t want to snoop around until she knew for certain that nobody was there.

She walked in further, scanning every inch of the layout. The main office wasn’t very large, but an open door in the back led to another section of the building. She took careful steps, still wondering if Mr. Ellis—or one of his workers—was lurking about.

Being a curious woman by nature, she didn’t understand why a man who had a successful business would let anyone drive him away. Mr. Rigby had mentioned that many mills around New York were being bought out. The General Store’s owner thought that maybe some rich man was trying to obtain the property to start his own business. If that were the case, Cara would not let this man take her land.

As Gramps lay in bed dying, he spoke to her about his dream of running a lumber mill and passing it to his grandchildren—Cara and Lane. Even as a child, Cara became interested in his tales, but then Gramps moved from her homeland England, to America. Apparently, business was booming better here. Four months ago, Gramps had Cara and Lane move to Albany, New York to be with him during his last moments on earth. Although she missed England, this new land was growing on her.

Something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she swung around. The clouds must have shifted, and the sun’s brightness highlighted a man’s frock coat, but nothing more.

She sucked in a startled breath. “Mr. Ellis? Forgive me, but I didn’t see you there.”

As she waited for him to speak, she narrowed her eyes on the coat. Slowly, she stepped closer until she could see it fully. It wasn’t a person, but a coatrack that held the man’s garment.

Exhaling deeply, she was almost glad it hadn’t been a man watching her sneak around the building. But if it had been, she would have quickly thought of an excuse.

When she entered the other room, she stopped. This appeared to be the warehouse, yet the saws were gone, only leaving the long tables and structures used to hold the cut logs. It upset her that nobody was here to answer her questions. Then again, the other mill owners she had visited since Gramps death had all but threw her out, not wanting to discuss business with a woman.

Against the far wall were stairs leading to the second floor. Maybe she would find something up there that could help with her investigation into how to become successful. Without another thought, she lifted her skirt to her shins and practically sprinted up the steps.

More offices were on the second floor, but just as below, they were abandoned except for desks and chairs. As she walked into the nearest room, it surprised her that there were no windows. However, one office had an open safe, and she was tempted to peek inside.

Although she already knew there wasn’t money, she was surprised to see a journal.

She glanced toward the door just in case someone was really watching her. Thankfully, she didn’t detect anyone, so she bent toward the safe and took the journal. As she flipped through the pages, she realized it was a journal of sales the mill had accumulated in the past year. Men’s names were listed, as well as addresses, and she assumed these were the people who bought Mr. Ellis’ lumber.

Suddenly, the door to the room slammed shut, and she spun around. Someone was here, after all, and she had been caught. Out in the hall, she heard footsteps moving down the stairs.

Groaning, she bent to place the journal back in the safe, but then stopped. If Mr. Ellis abandoned his mill, would it even matter if she took his journal?

Cara straightened her shoulders and walked to the door to open it. But it was locked. Why would they have wanted to lock her inside? Then again, perhaps the person who she heard running down the stairs was heading out to find Mr. Ellis and report her.

She knocked on the door. “Please, let me out. I assure you, I’m not a thief.”

As she waited to hear if the person had returned, her nose tickled with an odd scent. She leaned toward the door, inhaling deeply, wondering what it was that slowly filled the air.

Smoke!

Her heart sank. Whoever had locked her inside was also burning the building. How could she get out now? Why would anyone want to burn a lumber mill in the first place? This was the fourth building of its kind to be set on fire.

She stuffed the journal in the bodice of her blouse, and using both hands, used her strength to pull on the door. “Open the door!”

After a few minutes, she realized the door wasn’t going to open no matter how hard she tried. She glanced around the small room again, wishing there was a window or even another door. But she was trapped.

She pounded on the door and screamed as loud as she could for help. Tears filled her eyes, and she didn’t know what else to do.

It didn’t take long before the smoke thickened. She coughed and covered her nose and mouth with her hands.

Cara moved to the corner of the room and sat, trying to keep her face covered from the smoke, even though she knew it would eventually kill her. Tears ran down her face, and as her life flashed before her, she was filled with regret.

She should have been more patient with her brother and his gambling habits instead of harping on him like a mother would. She should have been a nicer person, but her dreams and determination made her step on other people… people like that man who was too stubborn to handle. That man who had wanted her land, so she dismissed him like yesterday’s leftovers.

The smoke thickened, and the more she coughed, the tighter her chest became. Screaming for help wasn’t working, and although she didn’t want to give in, there wasn’t anything else she could do.

She was going to die, and she couldn’t stop it.