“They always eat promptly at seven. Not a minute before, and not a minute after.” Hannah carefully watched the biscuits, making sure she didn’t burn them.
“I take it that’s your step-father’s doing?”
“He’s a very regimented man, wanting his meals and his clothes just so. I hope you’re not that way when you’re old like him.”
Jed laughed. “I’ll do my best not to be difficult.”
“That’s good, because I don’t think I’d be as good about it as Mother is.” She put three biscuits on a plate, and added a bit of butter to all three. Then she handed him the jar of jam they’d been eating from for lunch the previous day. “I think I may need to make biscuits every night for us to eat on the next day. Think we’ll get sick of biscuits after six months?”
“I think if we still have biscuits in six months, we’ll need to just be pleased that we have them, and that’s that.” Jed wasn’t going to complain as long as he had food in his stomach.
“That’s a good attitude. I’ll work on being the same way,” she said with a small grin. She’d never had to eat the same meals over and over, because their family cook had been quite creative. She needed to learn to accept what was available.
“Good. I wouldn’t want to have to drag a complaining wife all the way to Oregon.” But he’d do it. Now that he was getting to know her, he wouldn’t leave her behind for anything.
She chuckled softly. “I can’t believe we leave tomorrow. It seems so fast.”
“It won’t seem fast when we’re on the Trail. Your feet will ache, and most of the rest of you will too. You’ll be doing a lot more work than you’ve ever done in your life.”
“You’re excited, aren’t you?”
He grinned. “Just a little. I mean, I wish I could blink my eyes and just be there, but the journey is what has to happen first, so I will get there by any means necessary. And now that I’m married, I get a bigger plot of land.”
“That’s the only reason you married me, isn’t it? You wanted more land. And here I thought you fell in love with my carrot locks the moment you saw me.”
“Your hair looks nothing like carrots. You’re more of an autumn sunset while the world is silent around you.”
“Did you ever think about being a poet and not a preacher?” Hannah asked, shaking her head. “You have a silver tongue.”
He shrugged. “I say what I think. Not a poetic bone in my body. If I tried to rhyme something, people would point and laugh at me.”
“I wouldn’t.” She settled on the ground with her plate of biscuits in her lap. “Does anything else need to be done to prepare for the journey?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. We’re going to try to make Sundays a day of rest, even on the Trail. Of course, that means you’ll be doing laundry on Sundays, and I’m sure some of the men will hunt. It’s not possible to have a true day of rest.”
“I can’t even fathom what it’s going to be like, so why on earth am I excited? Am I just a bit deranged?”
“Everyone in this camp is. Or at least half of us. All the men. We’re all going west seeking something, and all of the women are going along because they have to.”
She sighed. “I hope it’s not as bad as you make it out to be. I want this to be a good journey.”
“It will be,” he said softly. “I’ve been praying and praying about it. God will get us through. And that sermon today was a reminder I needed as much as everyone else did. You made a wonderful suggestion.”
“I’m glad.”
“Hello, Hannah. Preacher.” Mary sank down onto the grass beside Hannah, and that’s when Hannah realized she wore a split skirt. She wasn’t having to be ladylike, because she was cheating. Hannah envied her for being able to do things that most women wouldn’t dare try.
“Does your mother know you’re wearing a split skirt?” Hannah asked, in a low whisper.
“Of course not. I made this skirt myself, and I always make sure I wash it. It’s my favorite.” Mary’s eyes twinkled as she responded to her friend.
“We should make me one.” Hannah had heard of the high winds on the prairies, and she had no desire to have her skirts fly over her head. Of course, she had a feeling Jed would think that was going too far.
“I don’t know how you would be able to explain that to your husband. He’s not going to look too kindly on a lady wearing a split skirt. And I have practice in hiding the fact that mine is split. You’re the first person to notice in three years.”
Hannah shook her head. “People aren’t very observant then.”
Jed looked over at his wife and her friend, a smile tilting the corners of his mouth. “What are you two whispering about?” he asked.
Hannah decided to answer him honestly. “I’m thinking about making myself a split skirt. It would look like a normal skirt, but it wouldn’t fly up with the high winds.”
Jed seemed to consider her words for a moment. “I don’t think that’s a bad idea.”
Hannah looked at Mary with a grin. “See? He’s the best of husbands!”
“I don’t know how you’ll find time to make one on the Trail, though,” Jed added. “You’re going to be too busy to worry about making skirts, split or otherwise.”
She was determined to make it happen. “I’ll do it during our lunches, and I’ll do it while I’m waiting for supper to cook. And while I’m waiting for clothes to dry.”
He laughed. “It seems you’ve thought about this a great deal. Do you have the fabric you need?” He wasn’t sure if the general store was open on Sundays, but he was sure he could find someone to barter with if it became necessary.
Hannah nodded. “Mother and I packed a couple of bolts of cloth for me to use for whatever I needed when we arrived in Oregon. I’ll make it so full no one will know the difference. I promise!”
Mary grinned. “You do have the best of all husbands, don’t you? Now I’m a little upset that you married him before I had a chance.”
Hannah knew her friend was only joking, but after what Jed had told her about considering courting Mary, she wasn’t altogether pleased by the statement. “Yup, I married him first, so you don’t get a chance,” Hannah said with a forced smile.
“I thought maybe you’d like to walk today. We could try to get another deer for supper. We fed four families last night, one of them being mine.”
“And your family is huge!” Hannah said. “I really can’t though. We’re having supper with my mother, and she’ll expect us there a little early. I need time to say goodbye.”
“Then just go for a walk with me. We’ll leave my musket in camp. I think all the others want to tell your husband how wonderful his sermon was, but they don’t want to interrupt the newlyweds.”
Hannah glanced at Jed who nodded. “Go on. You need to have fun today, while you can.”
Hannah leaned down and kissed Jed’s forehead. “Thank you for being the kindest of all the husbands in all the land.”
He laughed. “You won’t be saying that when we’re both tired and grumpy from months on the trail.”
Hannah hurried off with Mary, and the two of them walked toward the Trail. “I always feel drawn to it. I was fascinated by it even before I knew I was going. I hated the idea of the work involved, of course, but I felt like it was my destiny.” She’d taken long walks out to the Trail with her parents before her father had died.
“Really? I feel drawn to it as well, but only because I plan to find my own homestead on the other end of it. Did you tell Jed my plans?”
Hannah shook her head. “I decided that was a secret for just the two of us. We don’t have to share it with anyone else until you file the deed.”
“Sounds good to me. I feel like I’m encouraging you to lie to your husband, though.”
“There’s no lie involved. I didn’t tell him you weren’t getting your own land once we reach Oregon.” Hannah shrugged, refusing to worry about it.
“That’s true…”
Hannah smiled. “I’m excited to see my mother today. Do you know I’ve never gone so long without spending time with her? Is that crazy?”
Mary shook her head. “No. I’m the same way. But I’m not saying goodbye. I’ll see her every day as we trudge toward Oregon.” Mary stopped and stooped down, looking at something. “Deer tracks. Makes me wish I’d brought my musket after all.”
Hannah smiled. “I would have been all for it, but I don’t want to have to change clothes, and yesterday, we got some blood on my dress.”
“Would that frighten your mother?” Mary asked. “My ma is used to me coming home covered in blood and mud and all kinds of other things.”
“Yes, but I think you’ve had a lot more freedom in your life than I have. It was good while my father was alive, but when my mother remarried, things weren’t the same. My step-father really expected me to act like a lady at all times, and he made it clear that if I didn’t, I would bring shame upon his household.”
“He sounds like a real…well the word I want to say might get me struck by lightning.” Mary grinned. “Ma said I need to watch my language around the preacher’s wife anyway. She thinks that you’re uptight or something. She needs to get to know you so she understands there’s no need to worry.”
Hannah nodded. “I’d like to get to know her as well. I’m not one of those women who is offended by everything. I should probably get offended a little more often than I do.”
“Well, don’t just yet. I want my friend first.” Mary stopped beside a tree. “See this? The deer rub their horns on trees.”
“Oh, really? That’s what this is? I’m learning so much from you. Surely there’s something I can teach you.”
“You can teach me how to pretend to be a lady,” Mary answered quickly. “Ma thinks you’re a good example for me. She doesn’t understand that I’m working hard at bringing you down to my level.”
Hannah laughed. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, will it?”
They walked and talked a good long while before finally walking back to Jed’s wagon. When he wasn’t there, Hannah frowned. “He didn’t say anything about going anywhere.”
Mary shrugged. “Let’s ask around.”
They went from wagon to wagon, asking everyone if they’d seen the preacher. By the time they got to the fifth wagon, that of Margaret Bolling—a young widow with two daughters—they spotted him coming toward them. Rather than running toward her husband as she wanted to do, Hannah made small talk with Margaret.
“I’m hoping I can get some meat by offering to cook for some of the bachelors on the Trail,” Margaret said. “I can’t hunt, but I sure can cook.”
“I’ll pass the word along to others,” Hannah said automatically. “Mary is a good hunter, and she may be able to help you with meat as well.”
“Well, that would be right kind of you, Miss Mitchell.” Margaret smiled at Mary, her eyes pleading for help.
Hannah’s heart went out to the woman. She couldn’t imagine losing Jed at such a young age. Why, Mrs. Bolling couldn’t be more than two or three years older than she was.
Mary smiled. “Any extras will go straight to your pot. I will try to get you at least a small animal every day.”
“Thank you,” Mrs. Bolling said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Now I don’t have to be quite as nervous about this journey.”
Hannah smiled. “You have friends in us. We’ll help any way we can.” She looked at Mary. “I’m heading over to see what Jed’s been up to. He usually lets me know if he’s leaving.”
“That sounds good. I’m heading back to my family. I might see if I can get a deer for supper and to make jerky out of. I know where to bring any extras now.” Mary smiled at Mrs. Bolling who smiled back.
“The girls and I would be very grateful. They’re sleeping now, or they’d tell you themselves.”
Hannah felt even worse for Mrs. Bolling at that moment, realizing she wouldn’t be able to walk with the rest of them. Instead, she’d be driving her own wagon. What a difficult thing for a widow to do, but Hannah had only respect for her.
When she got back to her own wagon, she looked at Jed curiously. “You didn’t say you were going anywhere.”
“I had to find you a wedding present. And a ‘we’re leaving tomorrow’ present.” He smiled. “Or maybe two presents.”
Hannah frowned. “You didn’t need to get me a present.”
“You’ve been such a good sport so far, making it clear that you don’t think you’re above sleeping under the stars or walking beside a wagon. I wanted to get you something. Hold out your hands and close your eyes.”
Hannah obeyed, but she felt silly doing it. When she had a small fluffy, squirming ball of life pressed into each hand, she squealed. “Kittens? Really?”
He grinned. “I got you a tom and a female. They’re from different litters, so we can breed them for more.”
She stared at the cute little kittens, who couldn’t have been weaned for long. “They’re perfect. Which is which?”
“The tom is black, and the girl is the tabby.”
“Oh, they’re going to be a huge responsibility on the Trail, but I don’t even care. My very own kittens!” After snuggling them both under her chin for a moment, she carefully set the two small critters down and threw her arms around her husband. “Thank you.” She raised her face and kissed him, surprising him and herself.
Jed smiled. “I’m glad you like the present. When you told me about having to give away Mr. Whiskers, I just knew I needed to get you a kitten or two. Just don’t name them anything silly,” he said.
“So, Mr. and Mrs. Whiskers would be bad?” she asked, smiling sweetly.
“Yes, that would be very bad.”
“I think I’ll name them Frederick and Fredericka. I’ll call the tom Freddie and the girl Ricka.”
He groaned. “If you have to.”
“Oh, I certainly do!” She sat down on the ground with the two kittens who were rolling around biting one another. “Now you two are going to stop fighting and fall in love, all right?”
Jed considered explaining about kitten biology for a moment, but decided against it. If she wanted to believe they had to love each other to make babies, then she could believe that all day long.
“Who’s going to watch them while we’re at my parents for supper? We can’t take them.”
“Do you think Miss Mitchell would mind?” he asked.
“I’m sure she wouldn’t! I’ll go ask her right now.” She had taken to wearing an apron around the camp, and she had two pockets. One kitten went into each pocket as she ran off to show Mary.
Her friend had just put her musket over her shoulder when she arrived. “Oh, I forgot you were hunting. I was hoping you could watch my kittens.”
Mary laughed. “Go ask Mrs. Bolling. I’m sure her girls will love to play with them.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re taking kittens on the trail.”
“Me neither!” Hannah hurried off to Mrs. Bolling, explaining the situation. “Would you and your girls be willing to mind the kittens while I’m at my parents’ house for supper?”
Mrs. Bolling smiled and reached for the kittens. “We would be happy to. Amanda? Sally? Come see the kittens.”
Two little blond girls climbed down out of the wagon and approached the kittens. Satisfied her babies were in good hands, Hannah went back to Jed. “Can we walk into town?” she asked. “I need to build up my muscles as quickly as possible.” She was already sore from all the walking she’d done, but she didn’t care. She was going to be a pioneer in one more day, and she had to prepare for it. Hopefully her muscles would build up enough that she wouldn’t constantly be sore as they travelled.
Jed smiled and nodded, and the two struck out toward town. “I’m glad you like the kittens.”
“Like? I love them. Thank you so much for thinking of them. They’re just the distraction I’ll need on the Trail.” She hesitated for a moment, but then told him what Margare
t Bolling had said about being willing to cook in exchange for meat in her pot. “I’m afraid they won’t be able to make it all the way to Oregon if they don’t get some help.”
Jed nodded. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll talk to the single men that are part of this train. There aren’t a lot of them, so it won’t be hard to do.”
“Good. I think I’ll try to walk with her girls during the day, because she’ll be driving her wagon.”
“We’ll all find ways to help,” Jed told her. “That’s why a group of us go together.”
“Good. I don’t want to have to worry about her the whole way there.” They had arrived at her mother’s house, and she walked in, calling out. “Mother, we’re here.”
Her mother came running out of the parlor and flung her arms around Hannah. “Do you realize this may be the very last time we ever see each other?”
Hannah frowned. “I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re right. It might be.” She didn’t let herself cry, but she was deeply saddened. “We’re going to write to each other, and you will always be welcome in my home in Oregon.”
“I don’t see Mr. Gatlin and myself traveling the Oregon Trail anytime soon.” The sadness in her mother’s eyes compounded Hannah’s own feelings greatly.
“I suppose not.” Hannah smiled. “Tonight is going to be a happy memory for both of us. We’re not going to be weeping and worrying about the trip. Instead, we’re going to be two women enjoying one another’s company.”
Over supper, they sat together, and each of them talked about silly things they had done. It was a beautiful trip down memory lane for each of them.
Hannah could see Mr. Gatlin talking to Jed, who simply nodded constantly. She didn’t once hear him say a thing.
When the evening was over, Hannah wrapped her arms around her mother and held on tight. “I promise I will write often. You don’t have to worry about me, Mother.”
Mother sniffled back a tear. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry tonight.” She dashed her tear away quickly.
“I want to remember you with smiles, not with tears. You know how much I love to write. I will be putting pen to paper often on this journey of ours, and I’ll send you a letter from every fort.” Hannah wasn’t sure she’d have the time to do so, but she would find it. Her mother was too important to her not to.
Hannah's Hanky (Clover Creek Caravan Book 1) Page 6
