As he picked up one and then another, she could see him looking at her, swinging it experimentally, teasing her with the thought that he might use it ...ight then and there. He seemed to be settling on a large wooden paddle with holes bored into it, and she shuddered, thinking how much it might hurt if he really used it hard. Not that he would, she did not think, but the threat of it was enough to send more tingles coursing through her damp nethers. Mason had been the one insisting on the paddle,. ? Cautious and honest, definitely a good sign. ?Why were you staring at me?? Hopefully his answer to this question wouldbe honest as well. ?You were kind to that man.? ?I've seen this happen time and again. Someone comes into this place, wantingto prove to themselves and others that they're strong and brave. They don'trealise how it will affect them until they're inside and by then it's too late.If I hadn't been here, there would be plenty others to step up to his defenceand plenty will. Your women are going to be fine as long as they listen to him. He's probably already got them covered up and warm by now."One of the men spoke up, "You don't have a wife or children lost in the woods!" You're right, I don't. That means I can look at this more logically right now. I know Willy and I trust that he knows what he is doing or I would never have recommended that the captain propose his path."I spoke up, "I have two wives with Willy. And while he might flirt with both of them I still. That might have worked in times past. His employees might, thirty years ago, have looked at him as the kindly father type. Now they viewed him as that old man who sat up in the office and made big bucks while they slaved away in his plant.The fix I proposed was two-pronged. First, I suggested that no supervisor should get a Christmas bonus unless what he was supervising ran well. The second was to pay the restockers enough that they suddenly cared a lot about losing their job. In fact, I.