His arms came around her and he pressed her to him more fully, one of his legs wrapping around hers. His hands began to roam over the front of her, cupping her breast through the thin material of her dress and chemise.
She wound her fingers through his hair, clutching him closer to her.
“Do you want to go for a walk away from everyone?” he whispered, his breathing ragged.
“We’d have to stop to walk away,” she complained, not wanting to stop touching and kissing. She clung to him to keep him from moving away from her.
“If we walk away, then we can finish this without worry of being interrupted,” he said. He said a silent prayer she’d say yes. When he’d agreed to not consummate the marriage, he’d had no idea what having almost contact with her would do to his body. He needed her to agree to go for that walk. He had never made love, but he had an idea it would not be a quiet thing.
She pulled back and picked up the blanket they’d been lying on to take with them. “Let’s go.” She wasn’t even going to stop to put shoes on.
He grinned, realizing they were finally going to make love. Yes, he knew they’d only been married for a few days, but it felt like much longer with the time they’d spent together.
They walked a short distance from the campsite, and she spread the blanket out close to the river. They’d walked the whole way in silence, hoping no one would realize what they were about to do.
Hannah walked to Jed and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him once again. It didn’t take long for the feelings of need to come back, and her nipples tightened with the cold and the electricity that was spreading between their bodies.
He cupped her bottom as he kissed her, pulling her close to the place where he needed her the most. “I need to touch your skin…”
Hannah nodded, turning so he could unbutton her dress. When he’d finished, she dropped her dress to the ground, and next came her undergarments. It felt strange to her to be completely naked outside in front of a man, but it felt glorious. She hoped their house in Oregon was far enough from neighbors they could make love outside from time to time.
He stepped to her, kissing her again, touching all of her as he did. Finally, he pushed her down onto the blanket she’d spread. He kissed her neck and then moved his lips down to her nipple, taking one of the tight points into his mouth. “You’re beautiful,” he mumbled against her breast, as his hands stroked all over her naked body.
His hand went to the spot between her legs where her body ached, and he carefully stroked there, trying to make sure she was ready for him, but he wasn’t exactly sure what he was looking for. He was glad his first time was with her, but he wished he could have found a manual on how to do it right.
Finally, he couldn’t wait another moment, and he rolled away from her and stood, unbuttoning his shirt as quickly as he knew how. When he dropped his pants, he groaned aloud when his member was freed and no longer constrained by his trousers.
He joined her again on the blanket and kissed her, bringing her back quickly to the fevered state she’d been in before he left her.
When he joined his body with hers, he gasped at the feeling. He held still for a moment, loathe to hurt her.
Her hands roamed over his back, and she sighed. “Are we finished?”
He laughed. “We’ve barely started, love.”
Love. He’d called her love. Through the pain of that first time with him, it was all she could think about. He’d called her love.
It was over much too soon for Jed’s tastes, but he pulled her close to him as the cold wind dried the sweat on their bodies. Neither spoke for a long while, but finally, Hannah whispered, “I’m getting too cold. We need to get back to camp where the other blankets are.”
He kissed her once again. “Thank you.”
She laughed. “Why are you thanking me? It was my marital duty, and if I’m honest, it felt good.” Hannah thought back to the talk her mother had with her about what the marital act was like, and she found she’d had no desire to plan meals in her head. It was so much more fun to feel everything that was happening.
He caught her lips one last time. “Let’s get dressed and get back to camp.”
“Maybe we should start pitching our tent far away from the others.”
He shook his head. “No, we’ll just sneak away whenever we want to.”
He reached down a hand and helped her to her feet, and they quickly dressed. Hannah didn’t bother with the buttons on the back of her dress when she was just going to sleep anyway.
When they got back to the tent, they smoothed out the blanket together and shared their sleeping space, sleeping in one another’s arms. Just before she fell asleep, she remembered her journal entry for the day, but she decided she would write it in the morning as if she’d written it then. She really didn’t want to skip a day writing, but lying in her husband’s arms was infinitely more important at the moment.
The following morning, the first thing Hannah did was scramble for her journal and write down her thoughts, carefully omitting the events of the night before. She certainly didn’t want her grandchildren reading about the first time she’d made love with their preacher grandfather.
The shot still hadn’t sounded when she was finished, so she moved to the spot where she’d started a fire the night before. The morning at least would be spent in trying to raft all the wagons across the river, and she knew she wouldn’t be walking nearly as much, which was good because she was now sore in new places.
She started the fire and got a pot of coffee going, and then packed up as much as she could of their camp. Jed emerged at the sound of the gunshot into the sky as he did every morning, but the first thing he did was walk around behind Hannah and wrap his arms around her, resting his cheek atop her head. “Good morning, love.”
She felt herself melting back against him. “I thought I’d cook a real breakfast this morning since I woke early.” And when he called her love, her heart beat faster. How had she not known the instant she saw him that he would be the man she would love for the rest of her days?
“And what is in this real breakfast?” he asked.
“Flapjacks.”
“That sounds delicious. If you look carefully, there is some maple syrup back there. I know we’ll both want the sugary sweetness of that to add to our days.”
She laughed, turning to face him. “I told Mary once you were the very best of all husbands, and I see now that I didn’t exaggerate even a little bit. You truly are the best of all husbands.”
He leaned down and kissed her. “I need to go help round up the livestock and get ready for our turn to cross the river. Once everything is readied, I’ll come back and eat with you. Lots of coffee!” he called over his shoulder as he went to help the men. Someone had suggested keeping the livestock penned in the midst of their wagon circle, but Captain Bedwell hadn’t liked the idea. He wished the man would be more bending in things they could decide as a community.
True to his word, Jed was back as she finished making his pancakes. She put a dab of butter on them and then added the syrup, which she had to find in their food storage. Pouring him a cup of coffee, she handed him both, and put a bit of the milk he brought her into a bowl for the kittens.
He talked of rafting the wagons across the stream with her, and it was obvious he was a little worried about how to do it. “The oxen are well-trained, but I’m not exactly a well-trained oxen driver.” He shook his head. “They should make you take a class to learn to drive before they let you loose on the Trail.
She smiled. “I haven’t seen you try to do anything you weren’t excellent at doing. That either means you have practiced doing many things, and you will only do those things you are already good at, or you are naturally good at most things. Which is it?”
He laughed. “You give me confidence.”
“I’m glad. We’ve only been on the trail for four days, so it’s nice if you still have confidence.”
“And we�
�ve been married six days. Tomorrow will make seven. Are you ready to be married for a week?”
“I think I’ve liked the past twelve hours of marriage more than any other,” she answered honestly. Though she hadn’t enjoyed the marriage act quite as much as he had, she had loved how close she felt to him. She loved lying in his arms afterward. All-in-all, it felt good to her.
“Glad to hear it. We may have to have a repeat of last night’s activities soon.”
She had packed everything but the coffee pot, and the plates they were eating on, when the men gathered to try to get the first wagon across the river. First, they loaded Captain Bedwell’s wagon onto a raft and floated it across, and when that went well, they began with the other wagons.
Without an experienced ferry man this crossing took much longer than the last had, and they worked well into the afternoon getting all the wagons and all of the pioneers across onto the other side of the river.
They didn’t take a break for the noon meal, because the captain was determined to be able to continue along the trail that day, and the women watched with worried expressions as their men went much longer than usual without food. Finally, when she could stand it no more, Hannah took a bowl of cold beans to her husband, and she watched as many of the other women followed suit. The men ate standing up, and they took turns at it, but they ate.
At just before four that afternoon, all of the wagons were across the river, but it was really time to stop for the day. They set up camp in the spot where they could see many others before them had camped across the river from where they’d stayed the previous night.
There was a skeleton of a baby not far from the campsite that some of the children found, and there were marks on one of the legs where a wolf had obviously gnawed at it. Hannah couldn’t help but shed a few tears for the mother who had lost her child in some horrific fashion.
At that moment she grew slightly morose, looking around her and wondering which of the people she’d already grown to call her friends would die. For one out of every five who set out for Oregon never arrived.
Eight
April first, 1852
We spent all day doing our best to make it across the Wolf River. Finally, late this afternoon, we floated the last wagon across the river. Tonight, we will camp across the river from the place we camped last night, and tomorrow we will travel along the river.
While we men worked to get the wagons across the river, Miss Mitchell shot two deer and two antelopes. That will feed the train for the night, and we will all share in the bounty. I have a feeling she is supplying a great many people with the food they need for the journey, but I have not yet had this confirmed. I do know she has fed us a few nights, and I will give her powder and balls to make up for what she has used to help us.
So far, our journey has been much easier than expected, and I thank God for that hourly. He is providing for us in an amazing way. I continue to ask for His blessing to get us to Oregon in one piece.
That evening was festive. The doctor got out his jew’s harp, Jamie Prewitt his guitar, and Malcom Bentley his fiddle. The three of them played well into the night, and all of the settlers danced.
Jeremiah Mitchell was carried out so he could at least watch the dancing and hear the music, even if he couldn’t participate. The doctor was pleased with how his foot was healing, and they were all thankful he shouldn’t have to lose the foot.
Hannah found her energy for the dancing was better now that she’d been walking so much, and she didn’t have to take any breaks.
Finally, as the men were finishing up for the night and everyone was turning in, Jed told Hannah to get a blanket, and they walked downriver from the camp-ground to enjoy some time together.
They sat and talked for a while, not really discussing anything of great importance, but they both talked of their hopes for the future. Jed talked of the church he wanted and the family atmosphere he wanted from the congregation. “And I want to have a good, solid farm. It doesn’t have to be huge, but I want to have enough milk to make cheese and butter. I’ll grow my own feed for the cows during the summer, and we’ll have a big, red barn.”
Hannah smiled, imagining it. “And we’ll have a house with a small kitchen garden, and I’ll grow carrots, potatoes, barley, and green beans. I want a white house, and I want it to have actual bedrooms. And I want a bathtub so I can take baths whenever I want. When you dig the well, I want it to be close to the house so I don’t have to travel far to get the water for cooking and cleaning.”
“Maybe we can find some nice rolling hills to live in. And raise children.” He looked at her. “Do you want a lot of children?”
“I’d like at least four or five. I never did like being an only child, but my mother just never got pregnant again after me.”
“So, if we’re going to make lots of babies, do you think we should practice making them?”
Hannah laughed softly. “That sounds like a good idea to me.” She moved to him readily on the blanket, knowing now what to expect. When her mother had first told her about the marriage bed, it hadn’t sounded pleasant to her at all. But when she and Jed made love, it was a special experience.
It didn’t take them long to lose their clothes and to again move together as if they were one. When they’d finished, he rolled off her to her side. “Tomorrow’s going to be a hard day.”
She nodded. “At least we know we’ll be staying along the Wolf River tomorrow, and there won’t be any need to look for more water for camping.”
“That’s true.” He got up and put his clothes on, and she followed suit, walking back to camp with him. She yawned as he put up their tent, and she quickly grabbed her journal.
“I need to write about today before I forget.” Hannah quickly scribbled out her thoughts for the day, and she tucked the journal back into her trunk. Then she caught the kittens who were snuggled together in the back of the wagon, and took them into the tent with her and Jed. She wanted them to stay warm as well, and they could snuggle with one of the humans if they needed to.
Rain hit the small group the following day for the first time since they’d left Independence. It was cold and dreary, and when they stopped around two in the afternoon, they were all chilled to the bone. Hannah quickly built up a fire, and she changed out of her wet clothes. “Someone’s going to get sick from this,” she said worriedly to Mary.
“I agree. We’re all going to have to be extra careful to get warm tonight.” Mary hurried off to join her family.
“I guess we’re all doing beans tonight,” Hannah said to no one in particular.
The visibility had been low due to the rain, and Mary hadn’t been able to shoot any critters at all. Hannah was a little disappointed but she knew she would make it work. It was her job to provide good meals for her husband, and she had promised her mother she would do the best job she possibly could. She wouldn’t bring shame on her family.
When Jed joined her, he immediately set up their tent, and Hannah huddled inside it as she waited for the beans to boil. It hadn’t been easy to even get the fire started, and now she was going to have to cook in the rain. Somehow, she’d never imagined there would be rain on the Trail.
The mountains, the rivers, the cold…she’d been ready for all those things, but not for the rain. She said a quick prayer to thank God for giving them rain after they crossed the river and not before. She sincerely hoped the Platte wouldn’t be too high when they got there, but she knew that was down the road.
There would certainly be no slipping away late at night to make love under the stars tonight, but perhaps the sound of the rain would make it okay to make love right there in camp.
Once they’d eaten, she washed the dishes by quickly rinsing them in the rain water from the opening of the tent. There was no camaraderie that evening as everyone tried to keep out of the freezing rain.
She wrote in her journal before taking the kittens into the tent with her and Jed, both of them shaking with the cold. She wi
shed they had just one more blanket to add to the small pile covering them, but she wasn’t sure where she’d get one from out here on the trail.
She fell asleep with Jed’s arms wrapped around her, and she finally felt warm for the first time all day.
The following day they travelled along the Wolf River again, and they made good time. It was still muddy, and one of the wagons got stuck early in the morning, but the men worked together and got it going within an hour, and they simply moved later into the afternoon when possible.
They camped around five that day, and were all pleased to have left the cold rain behind them. The musicians once again took their instruments out, and a card game was organized. Hannah and Jed played against Mary and Bob Hastings. They played a game called Euchre, which neither Mary or Hannah had played, but Jed had played in Illinois growing up and Bob had played in Wisconsin.
The game was fun, if a bit complicated to learn. Mary and Bob were expert teammates, though, and they won each game, hands down.
After the game, Mary stole a few minutes with Hannah. “I think I saw buffalo tracks today. I cannot wait until I’m able to actually shoot one. It would feed the whole camp!”
“It would. And we could make jerky out of everything that’s left.”
Mary wrinkled her nose. “I hate making jerky, but I’d help, because you’re my friend.”
Hannah laughed. “So, what is going on between you and Mr. Hastings? Do you have feelings for him?”
“No. Absolutely not. Just because you’re happily married doesn’t mean I ever will be. No, you will not try to marry me off. I’m better alone.” Mary shook her head emphatically.
“Are you sure?” Hannah asked. She was more teasing her friend than anything else.
“I’m sure. Trust me. I am not meant to marry.”
When Hannah returned to camp, Jed had already prepared for bed. She joined him in their tent, and they listened to the campground, which was mostly quiet around them. “I had fun playing cards with them,” Jed said softly, burying his face in her fiery hair. More than anything else about her, her hair fascinated him. It went down to almost her knees, and he wanted to wind it around his wrists.
Hannah's Hanky (Clover Creek Caravan Book 1) Page 9
