The trees were dying. It was the first thing Ella noticed on her return trip to Pine Knot. It had been over a year since she visited so she was taken aback by the change. She, Poultney and Martha Parker, her friend from New York City, were heading to her family camp via the Durant steamboat line on the Marion River. This was a clandestine affair. For the sake of economy, her father had closed the camp for most of the summer, leaving a skeleton crew to look after the grounds and had forbidden her from visiting. Her parents then took off to New York City, but he refused to take Ella along with them and this was her way of getting back at the old despot. Who cared if she spent a couple of weeks up here with her friends anyway? It wasn’t as if anyone was using it. William was away on business in Saratoga and told her he didn’t have time to accompany her anywhere for the next month until he tied up some ‘loose ends’ for father. The house at North Creek was desolate. She was doing everyone a favor, really, checking in on the place, making sure Jerome Wood was overseeing things properly and no vagrants were taking over their food supplies.
“What’s wrong with those trees?” Poultney said.
“I’m not sure.” Ella sadly cast her eyes about looking for the stately specimens of Red maples, larch, and beech she remembered from her last trip to Pine Knot. But the trees lining the river were devoid of leaves and unidentifiable.
“It’s the dam and the dredging,” a strange man said to the group. He was a guide. Probably heading to one of the camps or hotels on Raquette to work.
“The dam?” Poultney asked.
“The Durants put in a dam and dredged the Marion to make it navigable. Otherwise I’d be carrying my boat most of the way instead of dragging it behind this steamer.” The man motioned with his head to the back of the steamboat where his boat was being dragged by a long rope.
“So the dams have raised the water levels and drowned the trees,” Poultney observed.
A harbinger for what was ahead? Ella hoped not. She had thought this trip would rekindle what she and Poultney first started the last time they came to Pine Knot two summers ago. It was, quite frankly, the last chance. He was in his final year at Columbia law school and then he planned to head off to London as a correspondent for Harper’s Magazine. If only he would ask for her hand in marriage she could go with him, and return to the life she once knew.
He was an enigma to her really. Why he wouldn’t confess he was in love with her was beyond her comprehension. All of the signs were there. But she had to admit, their similarities also made them bad bedfellows. She was strong willed and independent and as much as he pretended to find that endearing she knew deep down he’d rather marry a soft-spoken society girl he could boss around. And that was not her, never was. They fought all the time because of it. It was almost as if they thrived on the challenge of teasing each other endlessly. She did love him, dearly. If only he would see that and accept her for who she was.
“It’s wonderful to be back here!” Poultney exclaimed to the startled staff when they arrived by steamboat on the docks of Pine Knot. Louise was there.
“I thought you said the camp was closed for the season. Does Louise live here now?” Poultney whispered in Ella’s ear.
“How am I supposed to know? I hardly see William anymore. He’s either in Saratoga or New York conducting business for the railroad company. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him in months.”
“Well, I’d say there is another reason you haven’t seen too much of William lately,” Poultney sniggered.
“That’s not funny, Poultney. If father found out Louise was living at Pine Knot he would be livid,” Ella fumed. But that was not the worst of it, she knew. He would send Louise back to Eighth Lake and disown William if he wasn’t more careful about whom he chose to bed. If that happened she would have no one to rely on any more.
Jerome Wood was reluctant to open up the camp for Ella and her friends, knowing it wasn’t what Dr. Durant wanted. Only Louise seemed serene about the arrangement. She made sure Ella and her friends had what they needed and instructed the work crew to stop construction so they could open up the cabins and collect wood to be put at the hearth. She sent her brother Ike to Bennett’s new hotel called Under the Hemlocks for the provisions they needed for the guests, as supplies were low and told him to track down their sister Emaline so she could help out as well.
Ella always marveled at how everyone listened to Louise without question. She had some kind of mystical power over the place. Even her father would bite his tongue around Louise. The only one that seemed to scare the girl off was her mother. Hannah had threatened more than once to replace Louise, complaining to Dr. Durant that her cooking was too native.
For the next few days the group spent idle time enjoying the peace of Pine Knot. They swam, went fishing and canoed. One late afternoon, while Ella was resting in a hammock slung between two trees on shore, a boat pulled up with two of Poultney’s friends: Steven and Harry. Harry’s sister Frances was also on the boat. Ella was startled to see them. Who told them we were here?
“Allo there!” Harry stood up in his boat and almost tipped it over. The guide rowing the boat gestured for him to settle down. Fran held up a bottle.
“We’ve brought you some libations!”
“Well then, welcome ashore!” Poultney called to the group, eyeing their arrival from his reading spot on the porch of the chalet.
Ella put her hand over her eyes to see the group through the glare of the sun. Steven was also holding some bottles in his hand.
“We’ve brought some Clicquot!” He held one up.
The guide expertly landed the party onshore and went to find Ike. Poultney, Martha and Ella walked up to greet the crew.
“What are you all doing on Raquette?” Ella asked.
“We’re staying at Antlers Hotel and heard a rumor that you were at Pine Knot.” Steven winked at Poultney, kissed Ella on each cheek, and followed up with the same greeting on Martha. Ella stole a glance at Poultney. He shrugged as if to say, how would I know they’d show up?
“So we hired a guide to bring us here,” Fran finished for Steven.
“Veuve, hmmmm, it’ll do,” Poultney said, taking one of the bottles out of Fran’s hands and holding it up for inspection.
Ella took the other bottle from Fran and helped her out of the beached boat.
“Let’s gather at the chalet. I’ll have Ike make us a fire as the air is getting chilly,” Ella said and led the group off the beach. She left them at the chalet and went to the kitchen to find Louise leaning over a bread board kneading dough. Louise smiled as Ella entered.
“Louise,” Ella said and started looking through the cabinets. “I thought I overheard my brother say he ordered champagne flutes, do you know where they are?”
Louise was puzzled. “Flutes?” She kept her hands in the dough.
Ella opened a cabinet door and saw only claret glasses. “Glasses, Louise, for drinking.” Ella started to throw open every cabinet door. It was bad enough to have friends arrive unannounced, another not to have the right supplies to entertain. She was sure William had ordered champagne flutes.
After tackling all of the upper cabinet doors and leaving those wide open, Ella started in on the bottom, becoming more and more agitated at her own lack of preparation for this trip with her friends. It was not working out as she had planned. Poultney was barely paying any attention to her. He was too preoccupied flirting with Martha. She was beginning to think coming to Pine Knot was a disastrous idea.
Louise put a flour-dusted hand on her shoulder. “Here,” she held up the small narrow-shaped stemware. “It was in a box delivered last month from New York City. I hadn’t unpacked it yet. I was waiting for William to tell me what they were for.”
Ella noticed the box on the floor by the back door to the kitchen. There was a case of glasses, waiting to be used. She sighed with relief and went over to quickly unpack and rinse them for her company. She hadn’t expected this trek to the woods to be so much work.
“Louise, stop what you’re doing and prepare whatever food there is to accompany afternoon refreshments.” Ella gathered as many glasses as she could in two hands, brought them to the sink and cast her eyes around the kitchen. “Where is Emaline?”
“She had to go back to the hotel to work,” Louise said. “I could only have her here for a few days.”
“Well, that’s understandable, she doesn’t work for us. But is there any other help here besides you and Ike and the workmen?”
“No, Miss Ella. We weren’t expecting company,” Louise said, brushing her hands on the apron. She went over to help Ella who was standing, furiously rinsing the glasses under the water pump. The two women worked side by side.
“Louise,” Ella ventured, “does William come to visit you here often?”
“Oh yes,” Louise beamed. “He comes at least twice a month.”
“So you are living here now?”
“I’ve been here through all the seasons.” Louise looked at Ella quizzically, not comprehending why she was asking these questions.
So that is why William was never available when Ella asked to come visit him in New York City. He wasn’t there as often as he claimed. He was here. With Louise.
“Where the devil are you Ella?” It was Poultney. He came bounding into the kitchen. Ella was annoyed by his interruption. He was the one that had invited the guests unbeknownst to her. It was his fault they were unprepared.
“You go now. I’ll prepare some food and bring it when you’re ready,” Louise said as she dried her hands.
“Thank you, Louise.” Ella put seven glasses on a tray and handed it over to Poultney. “Take this to our friends. I have to find Ike to set up the dining room, as Emaline is no longer here and as you can see,” she added with irritation, “we are short-staffed and over booked.” She walked out the door to find Ike.
Steven had found the violin that was stashed away in the corner and started playing a soft melody.
“There’s my girl!” Steven said when Ella arrived back from giving Ike instructions. The friends were all gathered around the fire.
“She’s mine right now.” Poultney took the opportunity to lighten Ella’s mood, taking her into his arms and sweeping her around the room. “Play us a waltz Steven!” he shouted. Ella blushed and pushed Poultney away.
“Not ‘til someone gets me a glass and we have a toast,” Steven said, putting the violin down.
Harry opened a bottle and Fran poured the champagne into the glasses.
“Here’s to the Adirondacks,” Steven raised his glass along with the others, “and the great company it lures into its deep forested interior.”
“Here, here,” Harry said.
“Prost!” Poultney said putting the glass to his lips and downing it in two swigs. “Now back to the music!”
Steven gulped his champagne and picked up the violin to play a waltz.
Poultry grabbed Ella as she was about to take another sip of her champagne. She set it down quickly to avoid spilling it, and was gathered up by Poultney. Harry grabbed Fran and the foursome danced while Martha pouted in her seat.
“My turn,” Martha said.
“Let me have at it,” Harry took the violin from Steven and started in on a tune.
Poultney let go of Ella and took Martha’s hand. “My dear lady.” He bowed in a mock gesture of deference.
Steven saw the look of disappointment on Ella’s face and went to her. “Will you do me the honor then?”
The dancing went on with intervals of drinking until Louise came in to tell them there was trout for supper and it was ready to be served in the dining cabin. The fish had been freshly caught by Ike and was accompanied by fresh baked bread and butter. By then they had finished off four bottles of champagne and were famished.
The merriment stopped briefly as they all sat down to eat. Ella sat next to Martha and across from Poultney so she could monitor their flirtations.
“I overheard some people talking at the hotel. They were saying that the Adirondack air brings a cure for consumption,” Harry said between mouthfuls of food. “Something about the smell of balsam.”
“They got that from Marc Cook’s article in Harper’s didn’t they?” Poultney asked.
“Yes, that’s it,” Steven said. “That article has sparked an interest in people coming up here to find a cure for the disease.”
Martha turned to Steven who was sitting on the other side of her. “I read the article as well. He stayed at Paul Smith’s hotel and claimed he was cured by the pure mountain air. It’s causing quite a stir. People are madly rushing to Saranac Lake as a result.”
“Humph, I would expect Harper’s to have more important prose to fill their pages than some rubbish about a miracle cure,” Poultney said.
“Some of my own friends have been taken ill with this terrible disease. I showed the article to them and they told me they might visit. Why, I would rush here too if I thought it would cure me,” Fran said.
“Dear girl,” Poultney addressed Fran, “only months ago the Czar was assassinated by anarchists and weeks ago President Garfield was shot by a lunatic, and yet people can justify the use of their time reading this drivel?”
A hush fell over the group. Ella, who was feeling a bit hazy from the champagne, thought she saw Martha kick Poultney in the shin under the table.
Ella broke the uncomfortable silence. “Hah,” she said. “This Marc Cook, has he been here when it rains non-stop for days? Hardly a place for someone having a coughing fit I would say.”
“Yes, it does sound like an odd remedy doesn’t it?” Martha said. Everyone quickly murmured their agreement.
Oblivious to the undercurrents, Poultney turned to one of his favorite subjects, his life abroad while his father served as Minister to France.
“I recall the time Prince Wilhelm and I were young lads playing cowboys and Indians in the Bavarian forests,” he said a little too loudly.
“Dear God, someone stop him before it’s too late!” Ella heard Steven lean over and whisper to Martha. “He’s going to wax lyrical about his primary school antics with German royalty again.”
“Yes, whenever he’s drunk he gets like this, trying to make his youth sound more appealing than ours had ever been,” Martha whispered back drolly. They started to giggle.
“When are you heading back to the hotel?” Ella said to shush Poultney.
Harry and Fran perked up. It was getting dark outside.
“I guess we better find our guide,” Harry said.
“Nonsense,” Ella slurred. “Not until after we have had a campfire. Your guide will know the way back in the dark. These men know the waters like no other, they go hunting at night.”
“That would be swell but I’m afraid we are all out of champagne,” Steven said. They all cast their eyes about the table at the empty flutes and bottles.
“I brought a few bottles of claret. I can’t see any reason not to open them.” Poultney said.
“Haven’t you had enough, Poultney?” Martha said.
“Nonsense! I’ll go fetch Ike to make us a campfire outside,” Poultney fired back.
The friends gathered blankets from the beds in the chalet while Poultney went to find Ike and Ella went to the kitchen for claret glasses.
The next morning Ella was sitting in a wicker chair on the lawn beside Poultney and Martha, massaging her temples. She had woken up to the torturous sound of the workmen constructing a new roof. Each blow of the hammer to nail pierced her eardrums, sending jolts of pain to her throbbing head.
Suddenly, Alvah Dunning came from out of nowhere and was standing in front of her. Ella looked up and squinted at him.
“Miss Ella,” Alvah said, ignoring Poultry and Martha. “Is your brother here?”
“Why, Alvah! How nice to see you again,” she said.
Ella wondered what he was up to, he didn’t usually bother with her brother and he rarely came to Pine Knot unless he was picking up guests for a day of hunting or fishing. But since the day they had met she knew how to charm old Snake Eyes.
“How are you doing? Well, I hope?” she said, giving him the best smile she could muster.
“I’d be better if your cousin wasn’t always pestering me about my land there on Osprey. Where’s William? I want to chew his ear.”
“Yes, I hear Charles has been a bit of a nuisance. My dear cousin, like all Durants, doesn’t understand the word no,” Ella said.
“Well, he’ll quickly understan’ the end of the barrel of my gun.”
“Humph.” Poultney intervened in the conversation. “Has it really come to that?”
“Next time he steps on my property? Yeah,” he said.
“And tell me, Alvah, what is he asking for exactly?” Poultney said.
“He wants me to vacate so he can build a house. Why he’s already started constructin’ somethin’. He wants me to give him the land. The land was mine when no one else wanted it.” Alvah cocked his head and spit on the ground after making his last point.
“That sounds like squatter’s rights to me,” Poultney said.
“Excuse my ignorance,” Martha chimed in. “I am not sure how it is that anyone can claim a piece of land without a deed, although anything seems possible up here. But if that is the case, why not tell Charles to find another piece of land and use his squatters right as well?”
“Too late for that,” Alvah said. “State owns it all ‘round here now.” He swept his arms in a gesture to encompass the 20,000 plus acres the State had refused to sell to Dr. Durant.
“I say, stick to your guns, Alvah,” Poultney said. “Just try not to use one on Ella’s cousin.”
Martha laughed. Ella refrained. She knew that was the wrong thing to say to Alvah, as it would only encourage his gumption. Poultney needed to shut up or Ella was going to be in trouble with William. Indeed, this whole trip was not what she had expected. Her charms on Poultney were waning. She couldn’t seduce him as she once had, without trying. He was falling out of love with her. She knew it instinctively and she wanted to go home.
“Alvah, I’ll tell William you came by to see him,” Ella said to get him to leave—at once. “It was so nice to see you again.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Alvah said and walked away.
Alvah rowed back to Osprey pondering over what Ella’s friends said. It was true. This was his place. He had obtained it fair and square from Murray. He was the only one on the island until the Durants showed up on Raquette a few years back. Now they wanted it all.
Alvah dragged his spruce bark canoe on shore. It was leaking. They didn’t make them like this anymore. He had traded some venison and bear meat for this one from Ike’s father. Very few men knew how to make a canoe out of bark anymore, but Isaac Lawrence had skill. Now they had all kinds of fancy boats being built out of Long Lake, and the guides were abandoning these old crafts. He understood why though. They had their usefulness as lightweight crafts to drag over carries, and they could glide over stones and rocks in the tightest of spots without wearing down. But they needed a lot of maintenance. The ends were tied up with the roots of the spruce tree and the seams were held together with the gum. The gunwales were made of narrow pieces of cedar.
Alvah did what he needed to find the holes in the canoe as Isaac showed him years ago. He placed his mouth over the area he thought was leaking and sucked in, detecting air. He found a few holes and marked them with small sticks. He went to his cabin and got out a wad of spruce gum, put it in his mouth and softened it with his chewing. Then he took an old rag, a hot poker from the fireplace and went back to the canoe. Carefully he placed a piece of the rag into the hole, took the soft gum out of his mouth and inserted a wad of it into the rag. He used the hot poker to melt it into place, continuing the procedure until the holes were all filled with the gummy substance.
Hungry, he went back to his cabin to cook bacon and beans. He had traded with Bennett for the pork, given him a few deer mounts for his hotel walls. It amazed Alvah that the city folks liked the look of these heads on the walls as if it was the trophy of the kill rather than the meat that mattered. He was taking the first bite of his bacon and bean sandwich when he heard some men coming on shore. He grabbed his gun and headed for the beach.
“Get off my island,” Alvah said as he pointed the barrel of his gun in the direction of the men that were getting out of their boats loaded to the brim with milled wood. Charles Durant had brought a contingent — some locals that were looking for work. Alvah recognized a few of them. They were men just like him, knew these woods like the backs of their hands, been guiding city folk most of their adult lives, but the business was slowing down now that the hotels had arrived. The city folk didn’t need these men when they could just plunk a rod into the lake from the end of a dock. Why bother with a canoe and carry? Charles Durant embodied everything that was ruinin’ this place for Alvah. He needed to be taught a lesson.
“I said move it!” he added with emphasis when he saw that the men were standing still, looking at Charles for direction on what to do next. None of them were quite sure if Alvah’s bad temper would get the best of him, and if what local legend said about him was true: he had a cruel streak. They didn’t put it past him to take a shot and they all knew his aim was legendary.
“Alvah, be reasonable,” Charles approached him. “I was planning to build a dock right here that we can both use. And think of the possibilities if I do, steamboats can pull up and drop off supplies for both of us when we need them.”
“That and tourists. Get off my property.”
“Well, you see Alvah,” Charles scoffed, “that’s where you’re wrong. This island belongs to no one right now. You don’t have a deed. Just ask the State Commissioners.”
Alvah lifted his gun in the air, aimed it at one of the boats filled and shot a hole in the gunwale. Splinters of wood went flying in the air. The men were shocked. Alvah meant business.
“The next one will be aimed at a head,” Alvah said.
The men wasted no time getting back in their boats and rowing away from Osprey Island.
“You shouldn’t have said that to Alvah.” Ella was furious with Poultney. They were walking after supper into the woods, purposely avoiding the hunting cabin.
“I’m not sure why you’re so upset, it’s not as if he’s going to kill your cousin. And you have to agree that he has a point. If he doesn’t want to sell he doesn’t want to sell.”
“You have no idea how long my brother has been trying to get Alvah to see Charles’ side and give up his land,” Ella said.
“Ella.” He took hold of her arm to prevent her from walking further. “What’s really bothering you?”
“I, I, I don’t know,” Ella confessed. “It’s just that you’re almost done with law school and then you’re leaving and I won’t see you again for a long time. And I think—” She stopped herself before confessing anything further.
“You think what?” Poultney said.
“Oh, nothing,” Ella said. She felt dejected. He knew what she wanted to say. He was trying to drive it out of her before he would admit it himself.
“Ella, I have so many responsibilities to deal with. I can’t be tied down right now. As much as I would like to be with you, you’ll have to be patient and accept us as friends. For now anyway.” He kept walking and when he noticed she wasn’t following, he looked behind and saw her standing in place.
“Friends?” Ella said. “Why what else would we be then?”
He walked back to her side and took her in his arms. “You know as well as I do. We both want each other.” He kissed her and she couldn’t help but respond. It wasn’t long before they were lying on the carpet of pine needles, passion taking over any sense of propriety. Their clothes were half off when Jerome Wood found them. He had come to tell Ella that William had arrived and was enraged that Pine Knot was open to visitors.