Free Rainy Day Dreams: 2 by Virginia Smith, Lori Copeland Page A

aimed in her direction, but this time she was not the focus of the men’s attention. They were all looking at David, waiting for his answer.
    He twisted around in his chair to face the room. “A couple of us have been talking, tossing out ideas.”
    A burly man seated near Big Dog slammed a fist on the table. “I say we strike first.”
    “Yeah.” A flannel-clad blond near the door nodded. “Can’t stand the thought of sitting around waiting for one of their raiding parties to swarm the streets. We ought to go after ’em and show ’em we aren’t afraid.”
    “Are you nuts?” Noah shook his head, disbelief etched on his features. “Didn’t you hear what happened to the posse from Alki? A man’s dead because they stormed into the forest looking for trouble.”
    “They weren’t prepared like we’d be,” the blond answered.
    Red stood and turned to look at the man. “They were armed, according to Lawson. Sounds pretty prepared.”
    “Seems to me that’s what the Navy’s here for,” commented Big Dog. “If there’s any attacking to be done, shouldn’t they do it?”
    Kathryn had been watching a battle play across Louisa’s face. Now she snapped upright. “I don’t believe what I’m hearing. How can you even consider attacking anyone? We’ve spent five years assuring our Indian friends that we are peaceful.” Her eyes flashed around the room, the fury in them belying her words. “And we are.”
    David cleared his throat, and a respectful silence fell over the men. “I was thinking of something a little more defensive. Like building a blockhouse.”
    Big Dog straightened. “You mean a fort?”
    “A small one, yes, but big enough to shelter the townspeople, and sturdy enough to stand up to an attack. Something we can build quickly.”
    “Where would we put it?” asked Red, settling back into his chair.
    “Somewhere near enough for everyone to get to quickly,” said Noah. “What about the knoll at the foot of Cherry Street?”
    Thoughtful nods around the room. Kathryn wanted to ask about the location, specifically how far it was from the Faulkner House, but she couldn’t bring herself to enter the conversation. This, after all, was a Seattle matter, and she was merely a visitor. Nor did she have any intention of being here long enough to see the completion of whatever fort they decided to build, unless they intended to have it finished by the time the next ship left for San Francisco.
    “We’ll need a load of timber for that. It’ll take time to cut and mill that much.” Big Dog cast a cautious look at Jason. “That’s time away from our jobs.”
    A quick glance over her shoulder revealed a carefully composed blank expression on the face of the mill’s new manager. Whatever thoughts lurked behind those taciturn eyes remained unknown except to him.
    When she turned back toward the room, she intercepted a silent communication between Louisa and David. Louisa gave a nearly imperceptible nod, and her husband addressed the room.
    “I have a large consignment of timber rafted down on the beach, waiting for transport to San Francisco. I think it’ll be enough.”
    Noah leaned toward his friend. “But you’ve put in weeks of hard labor cutting that wood. Not to mention losing the sale means several hundred dollars of cash money out of your pocket.”
    David rested an arm across the back of little Inez’s chair. A tender smile hovered around the corners of his mouth as he looked down on her silky curls. “What’s money compared to the safety of our families?” His glance swept the room. “Of our town?”
    Admiration flared within Kathryn. What a magnanimous gesture. If she were ever to find a man as unselfish and honorable as this one, she could actually see herself giving up her independence to marry him. Louisa was a lucky woman.
    Lawson, the man who had brought the message that prompted this conversation, spoke from near the door. “When can we get started?”
    Noah answered. “How