A Time to Bloom (Leah's Garden #2)(38)

“Well, there are several ways,” Anders said. “We set up an account with the bank so we can draw on the funds as needed. This is business for a business. So when we order construction materials, we will have money to pay the bills as they come in.”

Lark nodded. “So we need to set up books for this from the beginning. Similar to the ones you have for the store.”

“Yes. You will have no problems with that. I’m surprised you’ve not already done so. Do you still have money left from your association with the gambling man?”

“Not much. A couple hundred.”

“Did you put it in the bank?”

“I put some in the bank and kept some cash for buying things we’ve needed, usually food for us and the animals.”

“Do you have an account at the merc?”

“When I need it. We trade as much as we can.”

“Does Hiram know of your skills with numbers?”

She shook her head. “He thinks of us as simple women in need of a man’s protection. But he doesn’t mind taking our money, like for the property for the boardinghouse. I’m sure he figures all this is thanks to you.”

Anders rolled his eyes heavenward. “Lord help the man.”

“I’ve not set him straight. It seems to me there is strength in misconceptions at times. Like a feint in military strategy.” Lark tipped her head back, remembering. “I can hear Pa saying, ‘Strategy, Lark. Think this through,’ when we were playing chess.” The memory grabbed at her throat and set her to blinking back tears. “Sometimes I miss them so much I want to go howl at the moon. It makes me wish I had sat at his feet more. He was so wise.”

“They both were,” Lilac said softly, as if dreaming back along with Lark.

Anders flattened his hands on the table and stood. “Get your hat and whatever you need, and let’s go to town and get things rolling. Lilac, you coming too?”

Lilac shook her head. “I’ll stay here and harvest more seeds. The cream is ready for churning, so we’ll have fresh butter for supper.”

“Thank you.” Lark snagged her hat off one of the pegs driven into the sod wall and picked up her reticule. Outside she whistled for Starbright, who picked up her head and, at the second whistle, broke into a lope up to the gate where Anders waited.

“She gets a reward when she comes like that.” Lark dug in her pocket for a small carrot and palmed it for the mare, who chewed and swallowed while Lark took hold of her halter. Anders pulled back the bars so Starbright could walk through.

Lark slid the snaffle bit in her mouth and the headstall over her ears. “Good girl, let’s get you harnessed.”

“Where do you keep the harness?”

“On the inside wall of the barn to the right of the door.” She led the horse over to the wagon and backed her into the traces. Anders slung the harness over her back, and while Lark buckled in one side, he did the other, and then they both stepped up into the wagon.

“Is she still mostly Lilac’s horse?”

“Lilac has done most of the training and care, but as you saw, she responds to all of us. We wrote you about the day the Indians stopped the wagon train. When they indicated they’d take Starbright, Lilac turned white as a sheet. I figured better the horse than the girl, but they settled on an ox from the Durhams’ wagon. That was Robbie’s family. Both his parents were gone by that time.”

Anders shook his head. “It’s easy to forget all that little boy has been through. But then the Indians left you alone?”

“Mm-hmm. The guide for our wagon train told us the government was not honoring their agreement with them to provide food, so in order to hunt they had to leave the reservation.” The memory still weighted her heart. How were Little Bear and his family faring now?

“I heard rumors of that. I’m grateful the reservations are farther north so they shouldn’t create a problem for you.”

She looked at her brother, who’d taken over the reins. “Your friend RJ, has he always been so surly?”

Anders shook his head. “It’s his eye socket. The pain is often excruciating. The doctor at home gave him some opium, but he had no idea what was causing it. I’ve seen RJ almost pass out from the pain. Adam is looking into it to see if he can find a solution. It’s good to have a doctor in the family.”

When Starbright trotted into town, they stopped at the bank. “Not too imposing, is it?” Anders commented.

“It serves its purpose.” She waited for Anders to assist her out of the wagon. He held the door for her too, and she nodded and smiled at Mr. Young, who stood up from his desk.

“Why, Miss Nielsen and Anders, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?” The two men shook hands, and Mr. Young motioned for them to join him at his desk.

“We plan to get the boardinghouse started before I leave,” Anders began.

“I was hoping you would decide to remain here in Salton.”

“No, I need to get back to our family store in Linksburg, but now that we can travel here by train, we plan to take advantage of that. I’m inquiring if you are set up to work with construction financing?”

“I am open to any needs as we grow Salton into the thriving town of our future. What do you have in mind?”

“Since the boardinghouse is much needed here, we plan to have it open as soon as possible. Construction costs will be higher due to the need for more workers to expedite the opening.”