Groom For Hire (Pioneer Series #3)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  He made another round through the camp and asked Henrietta and her family if they’d seen Michelle, but all Henrietta could tell him was that once their shooting lesson was done, Michelle had to take care of personal business. So that led him to check the outskirts of the camp where women were likely to do that, and this brought him to a couple of bushes that were a good spot for privacy.

  As soon as he reached them, he heard the sound of someone crying. “Michelle, are you back there?”

  The crying stopped, and since the person didn’t answer, he took that as a yes. He came around the side of the bushes and found Michelle sitting on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  She looked up at him before she shook her head, more tears coming to her eyes. “You were right. I should have listened to you.”

  His eyes grew wide. He hadn’t expected her to say he was right about anything. If she wasn’t so upset, he might have enjoyed the moment. But she was crying, and that being the case, he couldn’t enjoy it.

  “What was I right about?” he gently asked.

  “Alice. I thought I was so smart. I came up with a whole speech on why I was doing a good thing in teaching a couple of the women how to shoot a gun. But Alice didn’t let me get a word in. She kept coming up with all sorts of mean attacks about how I was bossy and how I think I’m better than everyone else because I come from money. Everyone but Henrietta agreed with her, and now I think everyone hates me.”

  With a sigh, he sat next to her. “Alice is a difficult person, and most of the people understand that. I honestly don’t think they hate you.”

  “Then why was Henrietta the only person who defended me?”

  “Because Alice intimidates people. They were probably afraid that if they stood up for you, then Alice would attack them. Sometimes people find it easier to remain silent than to risk being ridiculed.” He paused. “I think it’d be best if you stayed as far away from her as possible.”

  “If we weren’t stuck on this trail for the next few months, I’d have an easier time of it.”

  Noting the tears in her voice, he put his arm around her shoulders in an effort to soothe her. To his surprise, she scooted closer to him and started crying on his shoulder. Since he wasn’t in the habit of comforting crying women, he sat still for a few awkward moments before he patted her shoulder.

  “It’ll be alright,” he said, hoping the words would do the trick. “This is temporary. This time next year, you won’t even remember Alice and anything she said.”

  For some reason, this only made her sob harder. Not knowing what else he could say to help matters, he opted to keep his mouth shut. Fortunately, this seemed to work since her sobbing soon gave way to quiet sniffling. Now he understood why the married men seemed to be baffled whenever their wives came to them crying about something. With a sigh, he continued to hold her while she got all of the crying she needed to out of her system.

  When she was done, they went to the spot he had marked for the lookout. They set up their things for the night, and he went to do the final round through the camp.

  He returned to their spot and was surprised to see that Michelle was curled up in his bedroll. “What do you think you’re doing?” he blurted out.

  Sniffling, she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. “I need someone to hold me.” She lifted the top of the bedroll and gestured for him to join her. “Do you mind?”

  “You bet I mind. I don’t have time to hold you. I need to keep watch. We could get attacked.”

  “You said the chances of being attacked aren’t that great. In fact, you said the biggest threat you’ve ever faced in all your years of leading a wagon train was an illness that might spread through the camp.”

  He shut his mouth. He had said that. Looking back, he wished he hadn’t. But how was he to know she would find a way to use his words against him?

  “Please hold me,” she implored, staring up at him with unshed tears in her eyes. “When I was little and upset, my father would put me on his lap and hold me until I felt better.”

  He was sure her father could do that without any difficulties because Michelle was his daughter. She, on the other hand, was his wife. That made everything different.

  He shook his head and plopped right down beside her bedroll, which he was apparently going to use for the night. “I take the duties of my job seriously. You wanted to be treated like a man when you asked to help me out. I wouldn’t ever, under any circumstance, get into a bedroll with a man.”

  She propped herself up on her elbow. “But I’m not a man. I’m a woman.” She paused. “One who’s married to you, by the way. I think you owe it to me to comfort me in my time of need.”

  He rolled his eyes and grabbed the pot of water. He was ready to put it over the fire when he felt the heat of her gaze on him. “You wanted to be treated like a man. You wanted to shoot a gun and keep the lookout. You wanted to help men hitch up their animals. You even shot a rattlesnake before it bit Phillipa’s girl.” He glanced at her. “And yes, that did impress me. But,” he quickly added, “a man doesn’t go around crying just because some busybody found a way into his business. If you want to be treated like a man, then you need to act like one and stop crying.”

  Her lower lip trembled, and she turned away from him, pulling the top of the bedroll over her head.

  He groaned. Wonderful. Just wonderful. Now he felt like a jerk. He set the pot on the ground and went over to her. Kneeling next to her, he rubbed her back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said all that.”

  “It’s true,” she mumbled. “I did ask to be treated like a man. I should do a better job of acting like one.”

  “No.” He sighed. “No, you shouldn’t.”

  He took the top of the bedroll, pulled it down, and urged her to face him. As much as he tried not to be affected by her tears, he couldn’t help it. Maybe men were supposed to be weak when a woman cried. Fighting back the urge to mutter a word that he had no right to be saying in a woman’s presence, he took his hat and boots off then got into the bedroll with her.

  “Come here,” he encouraged and brought her into his arms. “I’ll hold you.”

  “I’m no good at acting like a man,” she said, more of those horrid tears in her voice.

  He rubbed her back. “You’re not supposed to be like a man. You’re a woman, and you’re supposed to act like a woman.”

  “Do you wish I was a man?”

  He was sure she hadn’t intended for her question to make him laugh, but it did. “If you were a man, your father wouldn’t have arranged for us to marry. Men can be single and go on these trips without a relative.”

  “Do you wish we hadn’t married?”

  He didn’t know why, but the question made him uncomfortable. “We got married because it was the best way to get you to California. It was a business arrangement.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  He couldn’t be sure, but he thought his answer had upset her even more. Rubbing her back, he added, “I’m not saying I don’t like you. Sure, we haven’t agreed on everything, but to be fair, you have done a lot to help me out.”

  She lifted her head so she could look at him. “Really?”

  Again, the uncomfortable feeling swept over him, and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. Though there were still tears brimming in her eyes, he noted the spark of hope in them. It was funny that in all the times she had reminded him of Amanda, this wasn’t one of them. There had seemed to be something sad deep within Amanda. Even before she married Richard and he had to lead both of them to Nebraska, there had been a somber mood about her. At least, there was nothing he did that made her happy.

  But with Michelle, things were different. All the sorrow she exhibited was on the surface. Michelle was, at her core, a very happy person. She had a great sense of optimism about the future, and she was eager for adventure. In all his years, he’d never come across a woman who thrived off of challenges and strived t
o learn something new, even when society—or people like him or Alice—didn’t encourage it.

  He brushed her cheek with his fingertips. She was so beautiful. Even when she’d been crying, he was attracted to her. And at the moment, how pretty she was wasn’t the only thing on his mind. Her body was nicely pressed up against him, too. Especially her breasts. His hands itched to hold them. Of its own accord, the male part of him strained against his trousers.

  He should have known getting into the bedroll would become problematic. The last thing he wanted to do was get attached to anyone. After Amanda, he swore he would spend the rest of his life alone. But at the moment, he was having trouble remembering why he should keep Michelle at a distance.

  It was nice having her in the bedroll with him. If he was honest with himself, he’d admit that it’d also been nice to keep the lookout with her during the nights when it’d been her turn. And lately, he had been picking her for the duty more often than he’d done so with any of the able-bodied men. For one, she didn’t complain about the task, and two, she didn’t fall asleep by accident when it was her turn to stay awake. She had made his life easier. In some ways, it was as if she was made for this kind of life.

  Amanda had been right all along. He never would have been happy if he’d stayed behind in New York and worked in a factory. Her marrying Richard was the best thing that ever happened to him, even if it hadn’t seemed like it at the time.

  But he didn’t know if he should make Michelle his wife. She had a future in California. He had promised her father that he would take her there so she could marry someone who could give her the kind of life she’d had in Omaha.

  “I need to do my job and keep watch for a few hours,” he finally told her. “Do you think you’ll be able to go to sleep?”

  She nodded. “I think so. I’m not too upset to sleep anymore.”

  Good because he didn’t think he could stay in this bedroll without acting on his baser instincts. He cleared his throat and patted her shoulder. “Just remember that you can’t change what Alice thinks or what she does. All you can do is pretend it doesn’t bother you.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. “You think that will work?”

  “Yes. The less power you give her, the less she’ll be able to hurt you.”

  “Yes, that might work,” she slowly replied.

  He got out of the bedroll then tucked her in. “It’s better than crying all the way to California. Once this wagon train is done, you’re not going to see her anymore.”

  “That’s true. Then we can lead other wagon trains together and never give her another thought.”

  Before he could argue, she rolled over so that her back was to him.

  She was assuming she’d stay with him and lead future wagon trains with him. The words had come so naturally to her that he had no doubt she really wanted it. Maybe she wouldn’t be happy in California. Maybe leaving her there would be a mistake. She could have a life full of luxury beyond anything he could provide, but he’d seen enough rich people to know that money didn’t necessarily make them happy. Jesse and Laura, for instance, barely had anything beyond their land and home, and there was no denying how happy they were.

  He almost got back into the bedroll with her, but he wasn’t sure if he should. At least not now. After a long moment, he made himself a cup of coffee and stared off into the night.

  Chapter 15

  The next morning as everyone got ready to head out for the day’s trek, Michelle brought Henrietta with her to the stream so she could talk to her without Mrs. Taylor or Danny around.

  As the two knelt by the water to fill their canteens, Henrietta asked, “Are you plotting a way to get even with Alice for what she did to you yesterday?”

  “No,” Michelle replied. “I’ve decided to ignore her.” Catching sight of Alice and four other women coming down the path to the stream, she added, “As much as I can anyway.”

  “That’s probably the best way to handle it,” Henrietta whispered. Glancing over at Alice and the others as they found a spot away from then, she continued, “Sherry came up to me once everyone was asleep last night. She felt awful for what happened. She asked me if I would tell you she’s sorry for not saying anything. Alice is family, and since Alice lives with her and Stuart, she feels like she needs to keep the peace.”

  “She has nothing to be sorry for. Joe tried to warn me about Alice, but I refused to listen. There are some people you can’t deal with, and Alice is one of them.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t be opposed to slipping something disgusting like a frog in one of her boots when she’s not looking.”

  The image of Alice finding such a creature in her boot made Michelle chuckle. “It would be a sight. But it’s also wrong. We can’t do something like that. Even if she does deserve it.”

  “I know. It would be wrong.” Henrietta let out a heavy sigh. “Sometimes I find it a burden to be dedicated to doing the right thing.”

  “Joe made a good point last night. He said after we drop her off in California, we won’t have to see her ever again.”

  Henrietta gasped and grabbed her arm in excitement. “Did he confess his love for you?”

  “Well, no. He didn’t. But I said he and I would be leading wagon trains together in the future, and he didn’t argue with me. That’s a good step in the right direction.”

  “You’re right. It is.” She smiled. “This is romantic. The man who was hired to marry you has fallen in love with you.”

  “I don’t know if he loves me. I just know he’s not as opposed to staying married as he was when we started on this trail.”

  “He must love you if he’s not protesting staying married to you.”

  Maybe. Maybe not. Michelle wasn’t going to take anything for granted. He’d been spending more time with her lately, often joining her when she wanted to practice her shooting and choosing her to help him keep the lookouts at night. Surely, that meant he liked her.

  Henrietta nudged her in the side. “Your husband is coming over.” With a wink, she screwed the lid on her canteen and left so that Joe and Michelle could talk alone.

  Michelle’s heartbeat picked up as Joe knelt beside her. “You still want to ride a horse?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Brandon’s not doing well, and I need someone who can ride his horse up and down the wagon train to make sure everyone is alright.”

  “Really? I’d love to ride his horse! I haven’t ridden one in a long time. It’ll be nice to get back in the saddle.” She hurried to finish filling her canteen and then rose to her feet. “I’ll put on a riding skirt.”

  He touched her arm before she could leave. “You have a riding skirt?”

  She waited until he was standing to answer. “I brought some things that might come in good use. My father said it’s wise to be prepared for anything because you never know what’s going to happen.”

  “That’s good advice. The only thing you can depend on out here is that you can’t guarantee anything.”

  “Exactly, and that’s part of why it’s fun to be out here. Every day is a brand new adventure.” And finally, he was going to give her with another duty which proved how much he trusted her. He could have chosen one of the men but he hadn’t, and she was determined to do a good job. “I’ll do everything I can to make you glad you chose me.”

  Unable to contain her excitement, she kissed him on the cheek and then hurried to the Taylor wagon so she could change.

  * * *

  By the time Joe and Danny helped a pale Brandon to the Taylor wagon, Michelle was emerging out of it wearing a very nice female riding skirt and an equally nice shirtwaist. Unfortunately, one could tell by looking at them that they were expensive.

  He considered suggesting she wear one of his pants, even though they wouldn’t fit her very well. His, at least, wouldn’t stir up envy from those who weren’t as well off as she was. But then, Alice had already expressed her opinions about her. Things really couldn’t get wors
e. So she might as well be comfortable.

  “Where is Brandon’s horse?” Michelle asked him.

  He nodded in the direction the steed was at. “Over there. I’ll gather his things in a moment. Then we can head out.”

  “I hope you’ll feel better soon,” she told Brandon.

  It was hard to tell if she was really concerned about Brandon since she hurried off to the horse with unabashed enthusiasm.

  “She’s been wanting to help out more,” Joe explained to Danny and Brandon. “She gets bored just walking all day.”

  “I can understand why a woman would want to take a break from walking,” Danny said. “I’d offer her a ride on the buckboard with me, but the wagon seat isn’t all that comfortable.”

  It was just as well that the seat wasn’t comfortable. Joe had no desire to see Michelle sitting right next to Danny. Who knew what would happen between them?

  Keeping his thoughts to himself, Joe helped Danny lug a groaning Brandon into the wagon. Brandon had been fine the day before. Joe had had to urge him to do his tasks, but that wasn’t unusual.

  This morning, though, when Joe had found Brandon vomiting, he’d grown concerned. They hadn’t come across anyone who might be ill, so he didn’t think it was contagious. Thankfully, Brandon seemed to be doing better. In the last half hour, he’d been able to drink some water and eat a piece of bread without bringing either one back up.

  He still wasn’t in any shape to walk or ride a horse, but Joe didn’t think lying in the back of the wagon would cause any harm. However, to be safe, he found an empty bucket and put it next to the man.

  “If you get sick, use this,” he told Brandon once Brandon was settled in between the furniture and trunks.

  Eyes red and beads of sweat lining his brow, Brandon nodded. “I don’t think I’ll need it, but I’ll keep it next to me.”

  Joe hesitated for a moment then touched his forehead. It was cool to the touch. Well, whatever was going on, it didn’t seem serious. That was good.