Chapter One

      Jeremy and Candy were clearing away party dishes in Lottie's kitchen when the first jolt hit. The two clung to each other as plates, jars, and glasses tumbled from the sideboard and smashed to the floor. Candy closed her eyes tightly and prayed for all she was worth. Jeremy tucked her head against his chest then moved them both under the large oak table. He used his body as a shield to protect her from the debris skidding in their direction.

      When the world at last grew quiet Candy whispered, "Molly and Christopher!"

      She stepped over the clutter on the floor as Jeremy shoved chairs and a small table away from the back door. The couple raced around to the front of the saloon then elbowed a path through the noisy crowd calling for the children every step of the way. Jason met them in the square and pointed them toward the front stoop of the church where Chris and Molly sat safe and sound.

      "Oh Molly-o, I was so worried. Are you both all right?" Candy asked holding her sister close.

      "We're fine," the girl assured her. "Captain Clancey carried us out."

      The hero of the hour was leaning against the railing trying to calm his pounding heart. The Santa suit was rumpled, his hat and wig missing and his beard askew but no one in the world had ever looked so wonderful to the grateful young lady.

      "Thank-you, Santa," she murmured. Clancey waved away her thanks.

      "It was nothin', dearie. Been through squalls worse than that. Just didn't expect it, that's all."

      Jeremy took a seat beside Christopher and put his arm around his shoulders.

      "Hey pal, were you scared?"

      "A little, but it was kind of like sailing on Captain Clancey's boat."

      "Ship, laddie, ship!" Clancey wheezed.

      "I hope it happens again," the boy grinned.

      "Oh, Christopher!" Candy shook her head with a smile.

      When the rumbling ceased, Katie rushed out of the dormitory, off the porch and right into Joshua's arms.

      "Josh!"

      "Are you all right?" he asked, checking her over carefully.

      "Yes, are you?"

      "It just knocked me over."

      Joshua surveyed the rest of the square in the eerie moonlight. "The buildings are all standing, but the Seamus took a real beating."

      He was about to suggest they search for Clancey when the captain strode past them making a beeline for his beloved vessel.

      Kate and Joshua followed him on board. They grabbed two lanterns and helped their friend inspect the hold for damages. After covering every inch of the hull, they determined that although cargo and supplies had been bashed about, the Seamus came through it all watertight.

      "There will be more quakes." Kate informed the men as they replaced the lanterns.

      "How do you know?" Joshua asked.

      "Dan told me about them when I first came to work in San Francisco."

      "We'd better prepare the others before the next one hits."

      The three returned to the square and Joshua called for everyone's attention. Once the crowd was quieted, Kate explained all she knew about earthquakes as calmly and objectively as she could. After she'd finished, Megan pointed up to her window on the second story of the dorm.

      "If we're going to have more of these, I'm not about to sleep up there tonight."

      A chorus of feminine voices agreed with her.

      "Now look, ladies," Jason reasoned, "chances are we won't get anything worse than we've already had. If you're worried about sleeping in the dormitory, you might ask the families you were with after the fire to take you in for the night."

      "What if their homes aren't safe?" Ann asked.

      "If these buildings have held up. I'd be willing to bet the smaller cabins have too." He turned his attention to the rest of the crowd. "Why don't you men take your families home and check for damages? If you discover your homes aren't safe, come back here and we'll do our best to get to find you a place for tonight."

      "Good idea, " Jeremy agreed. "No earthquake's going to scare us, right Christopher?"

      "Right!" The boy turned to the others, "Next time the ground starts shaking, Molly and I are going to jump up and down and see if we can bounce to the top of Aunt Lottie's."

      The youngster's plan caused even the most frightened citizens to smile, and Jason's suggestion of checking their homes took their minds off their fear until the next quake rocked the area seconds later.

      "It's going to be a long night," Aaron commented as he eased Sarah Miller's small arms from around his leg.

      Aaron's prediction was all too accurate. No one in Seattle got a wink of sleep that evening. Two more great shocks rocked the town before midnight and thirteen lesser quakes followed before the sun rose.

      The next morning when the shaking began to subside for longer intervals, Ben and Emily Perkins opened up their store. Kate came along to see if the telegraph was in working order. Aaron and Joshua joined them to help out any way they could.

      Once inside, Emily froze. Every shelf around the room was completely bare. Broken shards of glass and pottery were strewn across the hardwood floor. Sugar, salt and pickle barrels had toppled over, coating winter blankets and bolts of gingham with their contents. A stream of dark molasses oozed over a mess of something in the corner.

      "We're ruined," Emily groaned.

      "No, sweetheart," Ben countered quietly. "It might take some time but we'll be back in business again, don't you worry."

      Aaron placed a strong hand on his friend's shoulder.

      "Ben, if you need anything to tide you over until you're ready to open, you know where to come."

      "Thank-you, Aaron," he murmured gratefully.

      Katie maneuvered her way over the broken glass to where the telegraph was buried under a mound of boxes. She picked it up, cleaned it off and tried to make a connection with the operator in Olympia. The lines were undamaged. When Seattle's citizens discovered that Kate and Ben could get news from outside the area, they bombarded them with requests to find out how their friends and family members had fared elsewhere in the territory.

      Joshua cleared out a corner for Katie to work then watched as she began a marathon stint at the telegraph. The girl worked steadily through the day only leaving her post when tremors threatened to shake the store to its foundation.

      Within a week, the editor had managed to gather earthquake reports from every city along the Sound, and a few places along the Oregon border. To everyone's amazement including her own, she had enough accounts to fill three editions of The Inquirer in one week. Each one of those papers was sold before the ink had time to dry.

      Even the ladies of the Betterment League found that their need to know the latest news tempered their desire to see the paper closed down. They sent their husbands to town with instructions that if anyone asked why they were buying a paper, they were to say that "there was nothing better to wrap the family's fish in than newsprint."

      Mother Earth's spasms continued for quite a while until almost everyone in Seattle got used to the shaking. Some, like Christopher Pruitt even enjoyed it and were disappointed if a day went by without a sizeable tremor.

      Two days before Christmas, Candy and the children volunteered to help Emily Perkins restock the shelves of the General Store. Ben had gone to Auburn with Aaron to gather more supplies for the little community that seemed to be in need of everything they were without.

      Kate sat before the telegraph sending and receiving messages as she had since the morning after the quake. She rubbed her eyes and arched her back in hopes of relieving some of the stiffness. Candy noticed.

      "Katie, why don't you take a walk? You've been sitting here for hours."

      "I agree," Emily added. "You haven't had a break since Ben left. Let the people on the other end of that machine wait for you for a change."

      Kate smiled, "It's tempting but …"

      Just then the reporter caught sight of Joshua heading for the Seamus O'Flynn. She dug through a pile of messages on the counter; found the one she was looking for and hurried to the door, flinging her cloak around her as she went.

      "I'll be back in a little while."

      Candy and Emily grinned broadly at each other. Next to the earthquake, Kate and Joshua's relationship was the most exciting talk of the town. The couple had been too busy helping Seattle to spend any real time together but several of the brides had reported spotting them strolling arm in arm along the mountain trails at sunset, deep in conversation.

      "Has Katie said anything to you yet, Candy?" Emily asked as she peered at them from the shop window.

      "Not really," Candy said with a sigh. "I'm hoping we'll hear something exciting soon."

      "Hear about what?" Christopher wondered.

      "Never mind, Christopher," Molly advised sagely as she arranged bolts of calico on the shelf. "Boys just don't understand these things."

      "What things?" the boy asked, pulling Ben Junior's toy train around the counter.

      "Love things."

      "I know as much as you do." He loaded some peppercorns into one of the cars. "Besides, I knew a long time ago that Joshua and Katie were in love," he said innocently enough.

      The three females descended on the boy like ants to a piece of cake.

      "How do you know, Christopher?" Candy asked.

      "Have you seen anything?" Emily prodded.

      "Sure..." He continued pulling the train along.

      Candy put her hand in front of the engine, "Tell us, sweet little brother of mine."

      "She lets Joshua eat her ice cream when he comes over for dinner." Chris reversed the train and headed it back in the opposite direction.

      "That's it?" Candy asked. "That's how you know they're in love?"

      "Well, I sure wouldn't let anyone eat my ice cream if I didn't love them," the young man said as if stating the obvious. The women laughed at the way they'd been drawn into this little spider's web so easily.

      Emily gave him a peppermint stick with a smile. "You are going to drive some poor girl crazy some day, Christopher Pruitt, but she is going to love every minute of it."

*************************

      Katie intercepted Joshua before he boarded the Seamus.

      "Good afternoon, Mr. Bolt."

      "Afternoon, Miss Macready," the lumberman smiled broadly, "What can I do for you?"

      "You have another order. It's from the Yakima this time."

      "I thought you weren't supposed to reveal the contents of a telegram?" he teased taking the note from her.

      "Just consider me your private secretary."

      Joshua's eyes grew bright as he read the message.

      "It's a big one. Several bridges have collapsed and they need lumber."

      "How many orders does this make?"

      "Five." He looked up at her with a grin. "That quake's the best thing that's ever happened to Bolt Brothers' Lumber Company."

      "It's the best thing that's happened to the paper too," Kate beamed. "Zac is coming back from Olympia tonight with a new reporter for our staff."

      "Who is it?"

      "James MacKenzie. Zac met him at the news office and told him about The Inquirer. He convinced him that his talents were needed more in Seattle that in Olympia."

      "Is he any good?" Josh asked.

      "Zac sent me one of his articles. It's complete, concise and best of all, interesting!"

      "You must have been a good girl this year." Joshua said, tapping her on the head with the telegram. "Saint Nick's sent you a reporter for Christmas."

      "And that's not all," Katie added excitedly. "Doc Mohr will be wiring accounts to me from his parents' farm in Walla Walla. Ben and Aaron are bringing back news from Auburn and Annie and Megan are leaving for Shelbyville right after the holidays."

      "You're back in action, love. Looks like your hard times are over..." At that moment, Joshua spotted Lucy Dale leaving the General Store and heading in their direction. "...then again, maybe I spoke too soon."

      Kate took a deep breath as she faced her dragon. Lucy had given her nothing but the cold shoulder ever since the fire. The only time she'd spoken to her was to cancel her subscription to the paper, which she did with feigned regret.

      "Miss Macready..." the older woman called from the square, "might I have a word with you."

      Joshua nudged Kate's elbow. "Do you want me to stick around?"

      "No, I can handle her," Kate whispered back.

      The determined look on his girl's face made him grin. "I'll bet you can. Listen, I'll be setting up a schedule with Clancey if you need me."

      Kate gave him a quick nod before joining her nemesis.

      "Mrs. Dale, a Merry Christmas to you and yours!" Kate began the conversation as cheerily as she could. Her father had taught her that the best way to disarm an enemy was with a blessing. To her surprise, Lucy Dale's gray eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

      "Mrs. Dale, what is it? What's wrong?"

      The woman erupted into sobs. Kate glanced toward the Seamus hoping that Joshua was still on deck, but he'd all ready gone below.

      "Why don't we go over to the dormitory and I'll fix you some tea," Kate offered. The older woman nodded, pressing her handkerchief to her damp eyes.

      As Kate escorted Lucy to the dorm, she wondered what could have happened to make her crumble like this. Kate had always believed that she was impervious to tears. Evidently she was wrong.

      Once inside the deserted parlor, the editor ushered Lucy to the love seat then hurried into the kitchen to brew some peppermint tea. By the time she returned with the teapot and cups, her guest had managed to pull herself together.

      "Now, tell me how I can help you." Kate handed over the steaming cup.

      "Miss Macready, I'm here to ask for your assistance in a personal matter. Because of our past differences I was reluctant to come to you for help, but there seems to be no one else to turn to and, as my Arnold has pointed out, there's no better time to make amends than at Christmas. I hope you'll accept my apology for being so...so..."

      "Difficult?" Kate suggested with a smile that Lucy returned.

      "That is putting it mildly."

      "Mrs. Dale, I can understand how I've earned your mistrust. I just wish I could prove to you that I'm not a threat to the community."

      "Aaron Stempel has assured me that the town has nothing to gain but much to lose if you ever left Seattle again." She sniffed into her handkerchief. "I've come to the conclusion that he is right. Especially in recent days when...when I find that you are the only person who can help me. But, Miss Macready, how could you even consider aiding someone who has led such a relentless campaign against you?"

      Kate ignored her question with a smile. "Mrs. Dale, how can I help?"

      "Thank-you, my dear," Lucy said gratefully. She set the teacup on the table then got right to business. "My daughter, Myrtle, and her family live near the Canadian border. I usually receive a letter from her each week but since the earthquake there's been nothing."

      "The mail has been slower than usual, perhaps…."

      Lucy shook her head. "No, both Maude and Helen received letters from there just yesterday. We have a chapter of the Betterment League up there, you know."

      "No, I didn't know."

      "My Arnold and I have been checking your paper for any reports from her area but we haven't seen a thing."

      "Not many of the northern cities have a telegraph. Would you like me to see if I can come up with some news about Myrtle?"

      The woman touched Kate's wrist. "Would you? I would be so grateful. She and her husband, Amos Tuttle, live near the mission with their seven children. I'm willing to take the trip to check on them, but it would be more than a week's ride up and back. My Arnold is in no condition to travel and I'd hate to leave him here alone. He has a bad heart."

      "I'll do my best to get some answers for you, Mrs. Dale."

      "Bless you, Miss Macready, bless you."

      Kate walked Lucy to the door and watched as she bustled along toward her home on the bluff.

      Joshua stepped up on the porch just as Lucy disappeared behind the trees.

      "Well, what did Pickle Face want?"

      "Josh, you'll never believe what just happened."

      Kate stepped back into the parlor with Joshua close behind.

      "Tell me."

      "Lucy Dale apologized for the way she's treated me."

      "You're kidding!"

      "She wants me to dig up some information about her daughter. She hasn't heard from her since the quake."

      "I remember Myrtle Dale," Josh chuckled as he poured tea for himself into Kate's empty cup, "just like her mother. It would take more than an earthquake to damage her, believe me."

      "Even so, Lucy's very worried," Kate said as she returned the tea things to the tray.

      Joshua studied his girl carefully. "And you're going to help her?"

      Kate nodded with a shrug.

      "After all the grief she's given you?"

      "Yep."

      "I don't see how can you forgive that...woman...so easily."

      "Josh, if the people here hadn't forgiven me for burning down the dorm and blowing out every window in town, I'd be back in San Francisco right now. I'm the last person in the world who can hold anything against anybody."

      "You want to know something?" he asked.

      "What?"

      "You're an angel and I love you."

      Kate poured some cream into his tea. "You must love me to call me an angel."

      "Are you coming to dinner on Christmas Day?" he asked.

      "How can I celebrate my first Christmas home without you?"

      "We have a lot to celebrate this year, don't we?" he said softly.

      "Oh, so much." Kate's brown eyes twinkled as he placed his hand over hers. "The paper's doing well, the lumber camp is thriving; even the Betterment League is leaning my way."

      "All because of the earthquake. I guess the Reverend was right."

      Kate gave him a puzzled look. "Reverend Adams? What did he say?"

      "That God tends to work things out for those who are on His side. I never expected Him to use an earthquake to help things along for us."

      "You probably never expected Him to let you fall in love with a hurricane either," Kate smiled.

      He ran his hand over the top of the golden hair he loved. "I've come to the conclusion that all women have a little hurricane in them...take Lucy Dale, for example. Some ladies are just better at hiding it than others."

      "Is that good or bad?"

      "Depends on the man who loves them. Personally, I like to see the storms coming."

      "Why?"

      "The secrets women have kept from me eventually broke up our relationships. I like a woman to be up front and honest about things."

      "I'll do my best, sire!" Kate saluted him with a twinkle in her eye.

      "And I'll do the same, Lady Kate," he promised with a wink.