“Dawn, you haven’t inconvenienced me at all. I told you about looking for a wagon so you would know that we are your family now and there is a place for you.”
Dawn stared at the grains of sand blowing across the terrain. Part of their family? Could that be true? “Thank you. It’s been a while since I’ve had good people in my life. Swift Eagle chose well.”
“Oh look, two wagons have pulled off,” Cora said.
All the other wagons had come to an almost stop as they drove around the stopped wagons. “Will anyone help them?” Dawn asked.
“It depends. People are expected to be able to fix their own wagons. It could be sickness. We’ll pass too close if it’s sickness.” Cora held Essie closer.
“We’ll have to go around from the other side. We’ll be a bit farther from the wagons though,” Dawn suggested.
They walked perpendicular from the road and went around the wagons.
“Look Cora, it’s Eddie. He has a broken wheel. That’s fixed easy enough,” Luella commented.
Cora laughed. “He didn’t bring any spare parts and didn’t think that keeping your wagon and livestock in good condition pertained to him. Who else stopped?”
Movement on the ground caught Dawn’s attention, and she threw her knife so fast it made Cora scream.
“Oh you saved my life,” whispered Cora, staring at the sand. “I thought snakes went away when people were around.”
Dawn bent and retrieved her knife. “I’m not sure that’s true. I’ve seen more than my share.”
Cora handed Essie to Luella. Tears rolled down her face. “I could have left Essie motherless.” Her body began to shake. Dawn pulled her close in a big hug.
Fortunately, Harrison was driving in the back of the line and pulled off. He jumped down and ran to them. “Cora?” She looked up at him and exchanged Dawn’s hug for his.
“We’ll keep walking,” Luella said as she took Dawn’s hand in hers. The two walked on with Essie in Luella’s arms.
“I figured they needed a bit of privacy. Facing death can be hard to take.”
“It is,” Dawn answered tonelessly, only with great determination pushing back the memories of her time as a captive.
“I’m sorry. Of course you know. I’m going to treat you as I would any family member, and I’ll end up saying the wrong things at times but tip-toing around things will make it hard to become close. I won’t ask you what happened but I’m here if you need someone to talk to.”
“Now I’m going to cry,” Dawn whispered. Then Essie began to cry loudly. Luella tried everything to calm the baby. “Here let me try.” She took the precious girl into her arms and sighed contently. Essie stared at her with her big eyes and then began to coo at her. Then she yawned and lay her head down on Dawn’s shoulder.
Mixed blessings. Dawn missed her own child but holding Essie no longer made her heart hurt; if anything it helped.
Luella peered at the two stopped wagons. “It’s that Chuck Klass man who stopped with Eddie.” Well they are well matched in temperament. Both are mean. It’s best we walked past them the way we did even with the snake.”
“Chuck Klass, is the man I see watching me from time to time as well as Eddie. I figured Eddie was just trying to find out more about Cora.” Dawn kissed the top of the baby’s head. “Essie is such a sweet baby.”
“Declan and I haven’t announced it yet, but I’m pretty sure I’m with child.” Luella blushed.
“That’s the best news I’ve heard in a while. Imagine Declan holding a tiny baby.” Dawn smiled.
“Declan is a big, tall man,” said Luella. “It will be nice to see. We’re not making a formal announcement. Too many women have lost their babies on this trip. All the exertion is hard on the body. We got married only a little while before you appeared. So it hasn’t been very long. Please don’t tell Heath.”
“I won’t breathe a word. Look, that’s Heath. He must have known something was wrong.” They walked a bit faster until they got to the stopped wagon.
“What happened? Where is Cora?”
Luella told Heath about the snake.
Heath gazed at Dawn in surprise. “I knew you carried a knife, but…”
“I do know how to use it.”
“Where’s the snake? You didn’t leave it there, did you?”
Dawn scrunched her nose. “I will never eat snake again, and I didn’t want the rattle tail either. If I wasn’t holding this dear one, I’d have to punch you in the arm.”
Heath glanced at Luella and they both laughed softly.
“Did you stop to give us a ride?” Dawn asked.
“Yes I did.”
“Dawn, why don’t you and Essie get in? I won’t add extra weight. I’ve found that I can walk farther and farther each day.”
“But—”
“Dawn you’ve walked for hours and I know your feet are still healing,” Luella strode on.
Heath helped Dawn up.
* * *
He couldn’t get over how natural she looked holding the baby. He thought she might not have wanted to have, see, or hold a baby again. Perhaps she was putting the past behind her, at least a bit.
It was getting dark, and they still hadn’t stopped. The Oxen looked tired. More than one wagon pulled over. He had enough to take care of. He wasn’t willing to stop and help.
“I can hardly see, and Essie needs to be fed.”
“I’ll hail one of the scouts when I see one.”
It wasn’t a scout but Harrison who rode up. “I bet she’s hungry.”
Heath laughed. “We were just thinking the same thing. I’ll pull off.”
“Just come to a slow crawl. There isn’t anyone behind you for at least half a mile. Eddie has been stepping in front of every wagon demanding a wheel. I’m surprised no one has run him over.”
Heath slowed and took Essie from Dawn. Dawn’s look of pleasure enthralled him. “Here you go, Daddy.”
“Dawn, thanks for saving my wife out there.” Before she could answer, Harrison swung his horse around and started back.
“You’re lovely.”
“What do you mean?”
“You seem like…” He shrugged. “I can’t think of a way to say this that won’t end up with me pushed off the wagon.”
A smile came over her face, and she chuckled.
“You have the look of a contented woman, all sweet and pretty. Not that I don’t respect your knife throwing skills.”
“As long as you know I can throw it a very far way and not miss, I thank you for the compliment. I feel more like a woman than a slave or a thing to be hurt. I think, little by little, I’m learning to trust people.”
He put the reins in one hand and took her small calloused one in the other then entwined their fingers. He had no idea why he was doing it. He wanted to be closer to her, but he didn’t want to give her the wrong idea. Maybe he could get her married off. There were plenty of unmarried drovers. Many of them planned to stay in Oregon when they got there. He gave her hand a quick squeeze and let go. He felt better having a good plan.
Finally it was time to stop. A grumpier group he’d never heard. Husbands and wives were griping at each other. Kids got in trouble and were scolded, and the youngest of children cried and carried on. Everyone was tired from walking through the sand without a break.
Then someone called out that the river was there. No wonder the oxen were impatient with him. They could smell the water. “I’ll be back.”
He led the livestock to the water and watched them drink. Zander had the oxen from Harrison’s wagon and he stood next to Heath.
“What a day, or so I heard,” Zander said.
“We got slowed down a few times. I bet the cattle and horses had an easier time of it.” Heath commented.
“We’ve been here for a long while. I was about to ride back, but the scouts showed up and told me not to. I thought at least one would be riding up and down the train making sure everything was fine.” Zander told him.
Declan joined them. “What’s this I hear about Dawn killing a rattler?”
“Did you ask Luella? She was there. All I know is it was set on striking Cora and Dawn threw her knife and killed it.”
Declan shook his head. “To hear it, she’s a hero to some and a dangerous woman to others. She carries a knife?”
“Yes, she does,” confirmed Heath with a sharp nod. “She’s still scared out of her mind that she will be taken again or attacked by one of our party. They haven’t been welcoming at all. In fact, many have threatened to throw her down and have their way with her. I can’t figure what’s wrong with people. I bet if the wives of these men knew what they were doing and how they were talking, it would come to a stop. While she was with the Indians, all she thought about was escaping. Now that she’s free…well, it’s very different than she thought it would be. People seem to hate the fact that she survived.” He sighed.
“When are you two getting married?” Declan asked. His lips twitched as though he was trying not to laugh.
“I was thinking on that this very day. I’m going to talk to each moral single man and find someone for her.”
Zander and Declan glanced at each other and doubled over in laughter.
“Have you looked in the mirror?” Zander ribbed. Declan and Zander continued to laugh.
Heath took his oxen and led them to a grassy spot and took all the tack off them.
He walked back toward the circle when he saw Eddie and Chuck walking each with a grip on one of Dawn’s arms. They were dragging her to the center of the circle. Heath raced toward them and stopped short as Tom Simps stepped in front of him.
“Don’t take another step, Leary. She’s dangerous, and you know it.”
“Where is Captain London?”
Simps laughed. “Not here.” He grabbed Heath, and before Heath knew it his hands were tied behind his back.
Heath struggled but he couldn’t get loose. He frantically looked around until he saw Dawn. Her face was pale, and he saw why she had not been fighting—she was tied too. The look in her eyes was one of hatred such as he’d never seen before.
“What makes her so dangerous? She hasn’t bothered anyone!” He needed to find a way to get help.
Chuck Klass reached under her skirt and produced the knife. He held it up in triumph. “I told you so!” he yelled out to the gathering crowd.
The minister tried to step forward but he was pushed back, and Simps pulled his gun. “I’ll kill anyone who interferes with our safety.” The whole crowd recoiled, seeming to take a step back.
“What are you going to do with her?” Heath asked. He caught Dawn’s gaze and held it. The fear she was trying to hide was there for him to see.
“I was thinking about using this knife on her. She’s the type that would slit a white man’s throat while he was sleeping,” Eddie said confidently.
“I didn’t know she was wandering around at night. Where does she go?” Heath asked his voice laced with sarcasm.
“Shut up!” Tom Simps yelled. He took the knife from Chuck and pulled Dawn into a standing position. He turned her around and slit her dress down the back along with her chemise. “It’s time she learns what we will do if we catch her again.”
He held up the knife and smiled at the crowd.
“Leave her alone!” Heath cried, his voice coming out shrill with his panic.
Simps gave an evil grin. “I’m just going to slice off a few layers of skin to teach her a lesson. She walks among us as if she was decent enough to be with good people. She needs to be chained up!”
There were many murmurs in the crowd. People didn’t seem to want to go along with Simps. But not one spoke up.
Simps tore the dress and chemise from her back, and the crowd gasped.
“There is nothing you can do to me that hasn’t been already done. Go ahead take your slices of skin. Will you eat them too?” She spat on the ground.
For a moment, all Heath could do was stare. The scars on her back told her story. It was much worse than he’d imagined. How had she survived? He could see where they hit her with a switch, burned her and cut her. His whole being hurt for her.
“Stop this instant!” ordered a strong woman’s voice. Della, the minister’s wife, walked toward Dawn and Simps. With a stern eye on Simps, she wrapped Dawn in a shawl and led her away. No one spoke as they watched Della take the injured woman back to the wagon.
“Cut me loose!” Heath demanded.
With a feral growl, Simps used Dawn’s knife to cut him loose, and then he handed the knife to Heath. He turned walked to his horse and rode away. Heath wished he had time to clobber each of them but they needed more Godliness and less violence. Instead, he raced for the wagon.
Dawn sat on the tailgate with a blank expression on her face. It was almost as though she wasn’t really there. He caught Della’s gaze, and she shrugged one shoulder.
“Dawn, me darlin’ I’m here. No one will hurt you. Look at me, lass.”
She blinked but otherwise she showed no sign she heard.
“Mrs. Paul, could you please tell my brother what happened. I know it’s not proper, but I’m going to tuck her in and then hold her. I’ll be fully dressed and I won’t be under the covers with her.”
Della took a minute before she nodded. “Do what you must to bring her back to us.”
Heath climbed into the wagon and put the straw tick down on the floor and then covered it with a blanket. Then he put a quilt over that. He took out a fresh nightgown for her. Then he eased her into the wagon before he closed the tailgate and cinched the canvas shut.
He bade her to stand and then turned her away from him. With deft movements, he quickly removed her dress and put on her gown—indulging in no lingering looks. Gently, he helped her down onto the mattress and covered her with the quilt. It was short work removing his boots, and then he lay next to her and slowly pulled her to him until her head was on his shoulder. After only a moment’s hesitation, he settled both arms around her.
She still hadn’t uttered a word, and he was getting worried.
No one interrupted them, but he could hear their friends outside by the fire. Maybe it would make her feel safe hearing them. But she still hadn’t moved. She was like a ragdoll. What was he supposed to do? He had thought she’d snap out of it once they were alone. Hopefully, she wasn’t out of her mind. He’d seen it happen to a couple of people when tragedy was too much for them. She seemed to drift to sleep, and he eased her onto her side facing away from him then gathered her to him.
Out of all of them, Harrison was the only one to quietly peek into the wagon. If things weren’t so serious, Heath would have laughed at their antics. They were concerned, that much was obvious. But all Heath wanted to know was what happened to Simps, Chuck, and Eddie. Where had Captain London been?
Chapter Seven
Dawn woke before the sun as was her habit. She didn’t move. She wanted to remember this moment forever. It was a blessing to have Heath’s arms around her. She’d suffered so much and there had been no one to comfort her. She’d never experience this simple but very big gesture again. It was strange that it didn’t feel at all like Lincoln. She was very aware it was Heath holding her.
Lord, please let his dreams come true. I don’t really know if he talks to You often, but I know he was raised to be a church going man. He’s done so much for me. He’s kind and gentle, and he listens without making judgments. He even called me pretty. I know in the big scheme of things it doesn’t matter, but I’ve felt less than pleasing to look at. You granted my wish to be free, so I’ll not be asking for anything for myself. Please bless Cora and Luella and their babes. And Lord if something happened to Captain London, please lead him back to us. My love for You is all encompassing. You’ve been my only friend for a very long time and I thank You with my whole heart for being there for me.
She shifted, and his arms tightened around her.
“Lass, when we get to Oregon, you can work fo
r me. I’ll keep you safe. I’ve grown mighty fond of you. You brighten my life, and I enjoy your company. We still have a long ways to go. Now you won’t have to fret about your future that whole time.” He eased away from her and crawled out of the wagon.
He’d stunned her. His offer was a good one, but she had longed— Well, it wasn’t worth thinking about; it would just make her cry. She’d just have to smile if it killed her. More than likely he was interested in one of the single young ladies. They didn’t have scars and they weren’t full of shame.
She found her ripped dress, and took up a needle and thread. She made quick work of repairing the damage. Then she got dressed and climbed out of the front of the wagon. She didn’t want anyone to fuss over her. She’d stay at the next fort. It was really the kindest thing she could do for Heath.
She heard the minster tell everyone they’d be fording the river two times that day. And they’d reach Strawberry Creek. He also said there were trading posts there. Where was the captain? She went back into the wagon, folded the blankets, and put the straw tick on top of a couple trunks.
Taking a deep breath, she then lowered the tailgate and started to climb down. Harrison was there to help her. “I thought maybe you were still sleeping.”
“No.” She helped herself to a cup of coffee and a few pieces of fried mush and biscuits. Someone already had the beans soaking. By the look of them, they looked to have been soaking since late last night. That would help when they made supper. She didn’t make eye contact with anyone. She ate quickly and did what dishes were left to clean. They were staring at her, but she just didn’t have it in her to talk. When they finally put the tent in the wagon, she then put in all the crates.
“Luella, I’m sorry I was in the wagon too early for you get your things. If you need to change or get anything I’ll wait here.”
“Thank you. I will take you up on that.” Luella hopped up and went into the wagon.
Luella was taking a while. Dawn looked for someplace to hide. Just because they didn’t want her sliced up didn’t mean they wanted her around either.
Dawn’s Destiny: Romance on the Oregon Trail Book 3 Page 7
