“What is all this?” Lucy asked, stopping Constance when she walked past with a pile of quilts higher than her eyes.
“It’s walkabout day!” the girl answered. “Remember? We spoke of it at supper last night?”
“Oh, I heard it said, but I didn’t know what it meant,” Lucy admitted, feeling somewhat silly.
Constance took her by the elbow and pulled her aside to let Susanna pass, then explained. “It all started with the elder Mr. Miller. He had hired some ranch hands who’d come all the way from Australia. A walkabout is just some kind of journey, I suppose, but here on the ranch, it’s altogether different.”
“How do you mean?” Lucy asked, watching Mrs. Miller carry two heavy water cans to the table and set them on the floor beside it.
“Out here, once a month, we all pile up in the wagons and head out to inspect the fences, check on the river banks, break up any dams a beaver family might have built up, just any little chores that need attention. The men ride along on horseback and a few of them will break off to make repairs, then catch up to us as we move along.”
“So everyone pitches in to do the work? That sounds rather smart!” Lucy agreed, still confused by why everyone seemed so excited.
“Mostly, it helps scare off the wolves by leaving the smell of people all around the outside. So we’ll eat our meals along the way and get out and walk from time to time, and we’ll—” Constance leaned close to whisper in Lucy’s ear about using the toilet, causing her to stifle a shocked laugh of surprise. “—things like that! It’s all part of keeping the ranch running and protected, but it’s also like a party all day long.”
“It sounds wonderful,” Lucy replied, genuinely interested in the outing. “What can I do to help?”
“Well, here. You can take these quilts and carry them out to the wagon. One of us will come out and spread them over the hay with you.” She unloaded the pile into Lucy’s arms, thanked her, and hurried off.
Lucy turned and headed out the front door where the wagon waited. Unlike other trips in the small transom, this enormous wagon was already hitched to a team of six horses. It was bigger than any sort Lucy had ever seen, perhaps even bigger than the stagecoaches that had brought her to Tuckerrise.
“Good morning!” Matthew said. “Here, let me put those up for you.” He took the quilts from Lucy and rested them over the side of the wagon, which was a relief as the side was as high as her head.
“My goodness! I’ve never seen a wagon of this size before!” she exclaimed, still looking at it and wondering how any person could climb in.
“Well, it’s no ordinary wagon. This is an old covered wagon, the kind used to make the journey west. Entire families piled in it with everything they owned, from the beds to the cook pots to the wood stove itself!” Matthew said, slapping the side of the sturdy bed. “This one’s the very wagon my parents came to Utah in when they first settled the ranch. It’s a little larger than most covered wagons even, since Pa brought a lot of the lumber and all of his feed with him. He actually drove forty cattle along the way too, so you’ll never guess who drove the wagon.”
“You’re teasing!” Lucy replied, her eyes going wide. “Your mother drove the wagon?”
“That she did,” he answered, then he lowered his voice. “My mother was actually a formidable woman at times. I happen to believe she was the force behind their move west and the start of this ranch! But her grief these ten years has made her far more cautious, a little… close, if you understand my meaning.”
“I do, and I think it’s very understandable. In the short time I’ve been here, she’s spoken of him fondly a few times, and I’ve noticed how she touches his portrait in its frame as she walks past.” Matthew smiled sadly at Lucy’s observation, so she quickly changed the subject, walking around it to see more of it. “But with it being so high, how does anyone manage to get on board?”
Matthew laughed and pointed towards the back of the wagon. “We have to carry a set of steps with us. Otherwise, it’d be a real feat, wouldn’t it? But look here.” He pointed to a series of metal latches that ran along the sides. “These metal pieces held the original bows that supported the canvas cover. Those bows became the spindles on the staircase in the house.”
“Really? But they’re finely made and carved so beautifully! I was certain someone had ordered them from the east, or Europe even!”
“Nope, my father did each one by hand,” Matthew said. “They’d sit by the fire in the evenings and Mother would read to him while he carved those pieces. His handiwork is in a lot of the little touches throughout the house. I’ve always wondered if that’s why the house is so large, if it was because Pa couldn’t stand to sit idle. He was always building something or repairing it.”
Lucy smiled, envisioning on her own the joy of a quiet evening by the fire with her husband. Would that man be Matthew after all, sitting and working at something when the chores were done while she read or sewed? She was surprised by how vivid the image was in her mind, and how desperately she wanted it… how she wanted him for her own.
“Well, let me see if everyone’s ready,” Matthew said. He turned towards the house but then stopped short, and slowly came back. “Miss Jones, I do need to mention something that had slipped my mind. We ride the whole of the property today, and it will… well, it will take us back towards my uncle’s place. I hate the thought of you alone here and missing out, but if you’d rather not go, I understand.”
Lucy looked thoughtful as she pondered seeing the cabin again. She was certainly not eager to ever go there again, but she had to admit that she was beginning to feel somewhat childish for being fearful. It had been confusing and frightening, to be sure, but it was by far not the worst fear she’d ever faced.
“No, I will be fine,” she finally said, determined to put it behind her so long as Matthew was trying to unravel the reasons. “Besides, it’s as you said. This outing sounds like a lovely time, and I don’t want to miss it.”
Matthew grinned broadly, his excitement at having her join them clear on his face. “I’m so glad. Let me round everyone up and we’ll get this day started!”
* * *
Constance’s description of the day didn’t nearly do it justice, Lucy decided. To be certain, she had called it a party of sorts, but this was so much more than that. Everyone piled in the wagon except for the handful of men who brought along the lone horses. These horses would be used for the hands who were making repairs to catch back up to the wagon when they were finished, so they rode alongside when they weren’t working.
In the wagon, everyone settled on the quilt-covered hay and relaxed. Matthew sat astride the wagon seat so he could both drive and join in the conversation with the others. He’d invited Lucy to sit with him, but had her face to the back so she could enjoy everyone’s company.
What an odd way for anyone to travel, she’d thought, but quickly she realized that the journey was the focus, not the work or even the destination.
Throughout the ride, everyone sang songs, told stories, and swapped jests about the time this cowhand had fallen in a ravine or that one had stepped on a rattlesnake. The girls took their turns laughing at one another’s missteps, such as burning all the loaves of bread or forgetting the iron and leaving a scorch mark on the back of someone’s shirt, only to never tell them it was there.
Lucy had never laughed so hard or for so long in her entire life. She secretly wondered if this was really a common event on the ranch, or if Matthew had set it up by design to make her want to stay. Deciding that such an accusation was very unfair, Lucy made a pact with herself to simply enjoy the merriment with no ill feelings. Besides, if he’d gone to such lengths just to entice her, who was she to spurn his attempt?
She felt out of sorts when she noticed Matthew making eye contact with Susanna, though, only to have him nod towards someplace in the distance and then jerk his head slightly towards Lucy. She could tell that some unspoken conversation was taking place between the
two of them, and she couldn’t help but think it had to do with her.
Lucy’s suspicions were confirmed when Susanna scrambled slowly from her place in the wagon box and came forward, then sat beside her on the wagon seat to whisper in her ear.
“We’re coming up on Mr. John’s place now,” Susanna said, and Lucy was relieved to find that it was nothing more than that.
“Thank you, but I’m fine. I promise,” Lucy assured her, but Susanna frowned.
“Well yes,” she said before leaning very close to whisper in Lucy’s ear, “but it’s also the last chance to find a real outhouse for the rest of the day!”
Lucy blushed so deeply she was certain she’d gone crimson to the roots of her hair, but Susanna patted her hand and whispered, “After this, there’s only the outdoors if you have to use the necessary. We ladies always prefer to make a stop here, but don’t worry, I’ll go with you. We all will.”
Lucy gulped loudly but nodded her head, and Susanna gave her hand a squeeze before returning to her spot beside her sister.
I suppose this is one of many things I’ll have to get used to out here, Lucy thought, then was surprised all over again by how readily her mind was accepting the notion of staying in Tuckerrise. Am I really thinking of marrying this man and staying forever?
She looked up at Matthew, who sat facing towards her, and studied his features. More than his handsome face or the strength of his build, she was struck by his compassion for others, by the joy he found even in his hard work. A day like today, she realized, could have been nothing but toil and drudgery, a monthly reminder that life on the ranch was hard and demanding. Instead, he’d carried on the family tradition of making it a festive occasion, bringing together his hired hands and servants and rewarding the work that they did for his gain.
Yes, she thought firmly, the threat of joyful tears pricking behind her eyelids. This is the man I want to marry. I will never find his equal on this earth, and I will never again meet someone whose care for others—whose care for me—runs so deep as his.
Matthew caught her looking at him and turned to watch her face. His expression was quizzical as he watched her, as if he was trying to read her expression. The firm look of determination in her eye and the confident smile on her face were a welcome sight to him, she could tell. But that moment when he finally understood her expression became etched into her heart. He silently seemed to ask, “Are you sure?” and she knew the very moment when his question was answered in his own mind.
Their silent conversation was not unnoticed by the others. Lucy was suddenly aware that all talk and laughter had stopped, that the others seemed to be watching them. It was both unnerving and awkward, but she also didn’t care.
Let them look, she thought, nothing matters but Matthew now. But us.
Suddenly, Gertie broke the silence with a loud whoop and diverted everyone’s attention as she asked, “Did I ever tell you about the time I took the lid off the cornmeal bin and there was a snake in there?”
There was a brief roar of understanding as everyone encouraged her to tell the story, taking their notice from Matthew and Lucy.
“Turns out, a mama mouse had gotten in while I was staying in town with my friend for a few days, and then she couldn’t get out. She’d done had her babies in there early on, I ‘spose, and now that the whole family was fat up on cornmeal and trapped inside, a snake come in after ‘em! That snake ate up the whole family before I got home, so when I took up that old lid, there was a big ol’ rat snake with seven bumps in its belly! I screamed so loud old Mr. Miller came runnin’ with the shotgun, ready to shoot the whole barrel of cornmeal!”
Lucy laughed quietly along with the others, only half-listening to the story as she continued to look at Matthew. His smile somehow broke her heart and put it back together in a way that told her it was now his, and he didn’t even know it.
“So you’ll stay?” he asked softly while the others chatted happily.
“I’ll stay. If you’ll have me, that is,” she answered. The very words coming alive out in the open filled Lucy with a sense of peace and belonging.
“I will. And I promise you, I will love you forever. I will be the happiest man in the world if you’ll marry me… tomorrow!” he added with a laugh.
“Tomorrow?” Lucy questioned quietly, her eyes wide and innocent as she teased, “Are you sure that’s soon enough for Gertie and your mother?”
Matthew laughed, then suddenly became serious as he pointed behind her. “We’re here. If you don’t want to go over towards the cabin, I understand. Uncle John isn’t there or he’d come out to meet all of you, he’s gone over towards Green River to meet with another rancher about mixing up some of our livestock.”
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “Susanna said she’ll stay with me, but we’re all going to be together. Besides, I’m just letting an old memory of an unpleasant time get under my skin. I know there’s nothing there that can hurt me.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
The wagon pulled away a respectful distance after letting the ladies out beside the house. They stretched their legs and enjoyed the feeling of getting out of the wobbling wagon for a few moments as they ambled towards the back of the house one at a time.
“We’ll be right here,” Susanna said quietly when it was Lucy’s turn. Lucy nodded but smiled at her.
With the door to the small wooden structure leaned closed behind her, Lucy looked to the small cut out hole that allowed light to come in. Wishing to be reassured that she was actually alone and had some privacy, she looked once more to the area outside before adjusting her skirts.
A sound stopped her. Lucy distinctly heard the sound of someone walking behind the small building, their efforts to walk silently only making the crunch of sticks or leaves more pronounced. She paused, trying to breathe as quietly as she could while listening for their footsteps.
Was someone playing a trick? she thought, but she rejected that notion quickly. No, everyone knew already about how terrified she’d been, no one at the ranch could be so cruel.
The thought that this was not someone from their group having fun at her expense was worse. Lucy shrank back inside the darkness and waited, cringing in fear. She tried to spy movement in the space between the old boards, but was afraid she would be seen.
Finally, a man came into view, one who walked carefully among the rock and limbs. She saw him crouch for a moment behind the woodpile nearby, then stick his head up to see if anyone was watching.
Lucy’s heart thudded loudly and she heard the blood pounding in her ears. When the man stood up, she saw his most distinguishing feature, rivulets of deep scars that crisscrossed his face. It gave an even more monstrous appearance to the man she’d first seen in Tuckerrise.
What do I do? she thought in a panic. He had to have been waiting for me! But how would he have known I was here? And what does he want with me?
To her horror, he crept closer to the outhouse where she hid, running in a half-crouch from the woodpile to the back of the structure. She could tell by the fluttering of shadows coming in through the slats that he’d stood up and was slowly inching his way around to the front. Any second now, he’d open the door and grab her.
Lucy made ready. She pressed herself against the side wall and waited after taking a deep breath and holding it. When the small cutout window in the door no longer allowed light to enter because his head blocked the opening, she kicked the door with all her might and ran, screaming as she went.
She dared not look back to see if the man was chasing her or if he’d fallen. Instead, screaming for the others, she sprinted to the side of the cabin.
“Lucy? Whatever’s the matter with you?” Mrs. Miller asked, grabbing her and holding her close. Gertie, Susanna, and Constance instantly surrounded her.
“There’s a man back there!” she cried, pointing behind the cabin. “He came from behind the property and tried to open the door! We have to leave now!”
Instead,
Gertie hurried to the corner of the cabin and peered back, then shouted loudly. “You there! Stop where you are!” She made to head back there but Lucy stopped her.
“No, please! He may hurt you!” she cried, tugging on Gertie’s arm and pulling her back.
Within seconds, two of the cowhands sprinted past the cluster of women, intent on chasing down whomever had frightened them. Matthew appeared next, out of breath.
“We came running when we heard someone scream. What’s the matter, was there an animal?” he asked, looking from his mother to Lucy to the girls.
“No,” Genevieve cried, “Lucy saw someone. A man! There was a man back there!”
“What? Could it… could it have been Uncle John? Maybe he got home early or had to turn back?” Matthew asked, but Lucy shook her head.
A Love Defying The Odds (Historical Western Romance) Page 19
