“I have hesitated to mention your continuing relationship with the Turners. I’ve heard rumors, however, that you and Miss Turner spent a great deal of time together at the farm for the homeless.”
Max wasn’t at all sure how his father had gotten this news, but he felt compelled to let him know his intentions. Perhaps that would satisfy both his father and the Duchess, and they’d stop pushing him to find a wealthy heiress to marry.
“We did,” Max said as the servants entered, bringing the next course of food. He’d barely touched his soup but allowed them to take it away. In its place, they left a small piece of grilled salmon on a bed of tomato and cucumber. A dollop of what looked like dill sauce graced the filet. Max sampled the dish before further responding. It was quite good.
He glanced over at his father and smiled. “You and theDuchess will be pleased to know that I intend on marrying Evelyn Turner. She is of the same mind, and Dr. Turner has given his blessing.”
His father’s jaw dropped and then closed as a smile spread across his face. “Well done, my boy. Well done. That is quite an accomplishment. The Turners are well moneyed. Old money, in fact, on Mrs. Turner’s side of the family. I believe I’ve mentioned that before. Of course, her grandfather was a ruthless man who held little concern for treating anyone fairly, but as I understand it, his father was an old Bostonian who made his money in whale oil.”
“I care nothing for such things. I only know that we are in love and intend to wed. For the time being, I’d rather you keep it to yourself and the Duchess. I would like to be able to ask my bride for her hand before the entire town breaks out in congratulatory greetings.”
“Of course. It’s not the kind of thing one speaks about without a formal announcement. When do you suppose that will come?”
Max shrugged. “Soon, but in the meantime, I would like for you to transfer care of your holdings to my brothers. Your business dealings, minus the logging and sawmills, are doing well despite the economy’s troubles. I see no reason my brothers can’t keep the records and management for you. I would like to continue rebuilding the sawmills and starting up the lumber business again. I want to buy you out of the logging business and pay you for your part of the Boom Island land so that I can move ahead right away.”
“But I thought you would continue managing things for me.”
Max shook his head. “I am no longer going to be available for such things. I plan to seek employment as a teacher. I enjoyed instructing the children at the farm, but now that they have a full-time teacher, I’m no longer needed. I plan to find a job here in Minneapolis.”
His father stared at him as if not believing what he was hearing. “I suppose,” he finally said before turning his attention on the salmon, “good news always seems to come with bad.”
“I see both my marriage and teaching plans to be good news. The Turners see it that way as well. I will continue to run the logging and sawmills with a good foreman to oversee both, but teaching is my calling. Perhaps one day I will even do so at the university. With my extensive schooling, I am more than qualified.”
“Perhaps Duchess was right. Maybe we should leave this place and resettle in New York. If we are to no longer work together, it might be simpler that way, and she would be quite happy to reinsert herself into that society.”
“I think that might very well be the best thing for you both. You’ll have my brothers to oversee all your needs, and perhaps you’ll even desire to give everything over to them so that you can better enjoy your leisure.”
His father nodded, looking most thoughtful. “Perhaps you’re right.”
Max knew that no matter the choice his father made, whatever choices he had already made, they were his problems now. There was a certain liberty that came in letting go of the family business, and Max felt no regret.
“I’m surprised to see you here at the charity hospital, Max,” Dr. Turner said, ushering Max into his office. “Is the injury bothering you?”
“No, I’m feeling fine. Although it does have to do with the fire.”
“Please sit and tell me what’s on your mind.” Dr. Turner claimed one of two chairs and motioned Max to take the other.
“I know that everyone believes the Boom Island fire to be theresult of embers from the Nicollet fire, but I have had concerns it was intentionally set. You see, the night of your charity fund raiser in August, my father was talking with several of his cronies about the economy and how badly things were going. One of the men mentioned that the sawmills would be worth more in fire insurance than they were in their meager productions. I have my suspicions that perhaps those men paid to have the Boom Island fire started, maybe the Nicollet fire as well.
“However, I spoke to one of the men at the farm who assured me that had someone been paid to set the blaze, his friends would have been among those employed. He asked around and felt confident that no one had been hired.”
“You certainly aren’t the first to suggest the fires were started in order to reap insurance benefits. There’s been a great deal of discussion on that topic. However, there’s been absolutely no proof. Where the fire on Nicollet is concerned, the boys who started it readily admit it was carelessness on their part. No charges were filed against them for their actions. And how could it ever be proven otherwise?”
“I don’t know.” Max shifted to better accommodate his injuries. “I only know what I overheard.”
“You heard desperate men worried about their financial futures. No one has admitted to hiring someone to start the Boom Island fire, have they?”
“No, of course not.”
Dr. Turner nodded. “And your connection at the farm inquired and felt certain that none were responsible for the blaze. It’s been my experience that people often say things in anger or worry that they’ve no intention of acting upon. At least this was the conclusion the mayor, fire chief, and others came to. The situation has been thoroughly investigated. You have no proof, and neither did anyone else. My best advice is to give it over to God. He is the only one who can right any wrong done at this point.”
Max let go a heavy breath. “I suppose I’ve known that was the case all along. Still, I hate to think of the injustice of it all. I did speak several times to my father and he assured me that neither he nor his friends would do such a thing, but it’s hard to forget that they were talking about it.”
“Max, we live in a fallen world full of sin and sinners. There will always be injustice until Christ returns. God sees it all. Even when a sparrow falls, He know it. He hasn’t forsaken His own, and in the end there will be justice. For now, we must do our best and live by His Word.
“We can’t fault the world when it refuses to live the same way, however. They haven’t chosen the same standards. They aren’t aligning themselves under God’s direction. For now, they have their way, but in time God will make everything right and His way will be the only way. It will be a hard reckoning for a great many people.”
“It’s difficult to just ignore the situation after seeing so many people harmed by what happened. It stirs my anger in ways I’ve never known.”
