“To marry her? This soon?” Marie looked at her friend. “What did you say?”
Crossing her arms, Ellen tapped her foot. “I’m not going to be the slave of some animal.”
“Ellen!” The sentiment shocked Marie. The natives might live in a primitive manner, but they were still human. She looked past Ellen to see Del. “I know you don’t think that.”
“You don’t know what I think. No one does,” Ellen snapped.
Jenny gave the other two women a weak smile. Wringing her hands, she said, “I think she’s just scared. I know I am. They started yelling, and Mr. Du Boise pushed the chief’s son to the ground.”
Marie shook her head, unable to see the calm Del as a violent man. “Why would he do that?”
“Because they’re all animals, and fighting is the only way they solve anything,” Hester snapped. She looked down at the biscuits. “Is this lunch, such as it is?”
“Yes,” said Marie.
“I’m starving. Otherwise, I’d not give this a second look.” Hester took four of the biscuits. “Some of these are for Charles. Carry on, ladies.”
Her sister in law’s absence took the heavy air with her. Marie turned to Ellen, asking, “The tribe leader’s son and Del were fighting over you, fisticuffs and everything?”
Ellen sighed. “Yes, after the chief offered for me. When Del said no, the son hopped up and started pushing at him.”
Nodding, Jenny added, “They were yelling so loudly that I thought everyone here could hear.”
Marie shook her head. “I didn’t notice, but then I was busy in our wagon helping Charles. How did you dissuade him?”
“I didn’t. Sam and Del did all the talking. They told the chief that I’m married.” She crossed her arms as if chilled. “Sam stepped next to me and held my hand, claiming me in front of everyone there.”
A warm rose color spread across Jenny’s face. “Lucky and I had to pretend to be married as well.”
The signal to continue forward drifted to the trio. Marie scooped up a couple of biscuits for herself and latched the tailgate into place. “Do you think the son is convinced you’re not for sale?”
As Charles snapped the reins and the wheels turned, all three women fell in step together. Ellen shrugged. “I hope so. I hugged Sam as if we were together. He even kissed my forehead and the chief laughed.”
An ugly little tendril of jealousy wound its way around her heart. Marie shook off the feeling, determined to press onward. “Did you get a chance to trade for anything before the incident?”
“No. Their town was so small, we only had time to look at a few things.”
Jenny added, “The jewelry looked lovely. Primitive, of course, but so pretty.”
Marie half listened as the two discussed the various semi-precious stones the tribe offered. She’d seen similar items in places before this. How Sam had kissed Ellen stuck in her mind like a broken off splinter. She glanced over at her friend. The girl smiled at something Jenny said. She was so lovely. Marie preferred to ignore how Sam probably enjoyed the pretense. For the rest of the afternoon, the younger girls talked while Marie pretended not to stew.
So caught up in her own thoughts, Marie didn’t realize they’d reached camp for the night. The bugle’s noise startled all three, with the other girls laughing with how they jumped at the sound. “How are we surprised at something that happens every day?” she asked.
“His bugle always surprises me,” Ellen confessed. “I’m not scared, but can never seem to remember when he’s going to use it.”
Sighing, Jenny said, “I love when he plays at night. He’s such a talented musician.”
Marie and Ellen’s gaze met and they both smiled. Good, yes, she thought, but talented? “I’ll agree. His playing has been a pleasant part of all this.” She paused, as did her friends, waiting for the wagons to move into their usual circle. Several trees grew near camp. Some even had dead branches under them ready for use. With plenty of grass, the cattle and other stock had already stopped to graze. Excited at the prospect of burning wood instead of sage, she stepped away from her friends. “Until tonight?”
The girls nodded and Marie smiled, headed for her wagon. Charles and the oxen were absent, as was Hester. Hands on hips, she tapped her foot. Could she count on Hester being out there, gathering firewood? She shook her head and started toward the small grove of trees to the west. Getting ever closer, Marie grinned. She’d not realized how much she missed trees until just now.
Gathering wood hadn’t taken long. She’d smelled every new wildflower each time she bent down to pick up a stick or branch. Arms full, she came back to camp to see both Warrens there.
“Good job, sweetheart!” Charles said. “You’ve saved us a lot of time.”
She smiled, feeling warmed from his compliment. “I hope so. It’s early, yet. I wonder if there are fish in the river over there.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t notice any.”
Dreams of a crispy fish fillet with firm white meat for supper faded from her mind but not her stomach. “That’s a shame.”
“Still, I could try. Hessy, how do you feel about fishing with me until dinner?”
Giving her brother a slight smile, she said, “I suppose I could.”
“Excellent. Marie, you are on your own until this evening, when we’ll have fish to eat.”
“I could go fishing with you.”
“You’ll talk too much and scare the fish,” said Hester, already climbing into the wagon for fishing poles.
“Yes, dearest, it might be best if you stayed here.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Find something relaxing and productive, and we’ll be back before you know it.”
When his lips touched her skin, a thought made the back of her throat ache as if she’d been chewing metal. Sam kissed Ellen in the same way. Marie pushed the feeling away for later consideration. She watched, mute, as her husband and his sister headed off to the river’s edge. Still lost in thought, she said, “Good luck. I’ll start some dinner in the meantime.”
“Wonderful, sweetheart.” He arranged his string and hook, putting them over his shoulder as he linked arms with Hester.
She watched them walk to the river’s edge. After starting a fire, she’d have to follow them to get water for dinner. Marie bit her lip. Maybe not, if her being near them scared away all the fish. She arranged the sticks and tinder. After the fire had blazed, she took the pail for water. She kept a watch for her family, seeing nearly everyone else but them in the meantime. Uncle Joe nodded at her while leading the horses to better grazing. Arnold tipped his hat, as did Lefty when they brought water for their own meals. By the time she returned to camp, the fire burned at a gentle heat. Putting a pot of beans on took little effort. Soon, she had blankets folded into seats and began cutting her rags into quilt squares.
A few hours later, Marie stood and stretched. She’d filled her quilting box with new squares and dinner was ready. Checking the beans, they mashed easily under her wooden spoon. Her stomach growled. She straightened, her back stiff from being crouched so long while working. As if her insides boiled, too, bubbles of anger kept trying to rise within her. She took a deep, calming breath. They were late to dinner more often than on time. She knew this, and yet their being late irritated her every time. She saw two choices for the evening. One was to stay mad and eat when they got there. The other, which Marie preferred, was to eat now and let them eat later.
Dishing up a bowl of food, her stomach growled. Marie settled in and stirred her beans and ham. The aroma smelled heavenly, and she ate fast, burning her tongue in her haste. Soon she sighed, full and happy. Thinking of the Warrens, she put a plate over the cook pot to keep the food warm. Rinsing off her dishes in the nearby stream took a little time. She placed the bowl and spoon in the wagon. Was now too soon to visit Sam’s campsite? The sun dipped below the western mountains. She followed the mountain range to the south as if trying to see the Californian route. She had a fleeting image
of Sam and Ellen ending up married in Oregon. Marie swallowed the lump in her throat. For right now, she needed all the time she could spend with him.
She approached their campsite, a little nervous. All the Granville hands sat round the fire, some eating, others finished and working on their own projects. Del and Sam sat with Ellen between them as if guarding her. If not for their welcoming expressions, she’d have turned around and not intruded.
“Mrs. Warren!” Lucky waved to her. “Come over and sit with us.” Uncle Joe leaned over and said something in his ear. Lucky grinned, “If you’re free to, of course.”
“I am free, thank you for asking.” She settled in next to Uncle Joe and opposite the fire from Sam, Del, Ellen, and Arnold. “Thank you, too, Joe, for assuming my dance card is full.”
The elder man grinned at her. “You’re welcome, little lady.”
“There you are, dearest! Thank you for cooking dinner. There’s none left, it was so good.” Charles settled in beside her. “Hester is washing up and might join us later.”
She turned to her husband, almost glad for his company. His expression seemed a lot more chipper. Glad he didn’t have his usual dour one, she asked, “Did you catch anything?”
“No. The closest we came was when Hessy lost her footing and almost fell into the water.” He winked at Marie. “I had to remind her we wanted to catch fish, not a chill.”
Marie chuckled. “I’ll bet she didn’t like hearing that,” she said and happened to glance across the campfire. Her heart skipped a beat, seeing Sam looking at her. He scowled, only stopping when Ellen patted his arm.
“Whew! Isn’t this a lovely night?” asked Hester, sitting down on Charles’ side.
She smiled, “Yes it is.” Marie bit back a retort along the lines of it was until she arrived.
“The river was so beautiful, moonlight glinting off of it as if someone had thrown pearls.” Hester sighed. “I could have stayed there on the bank all night.”
Charles laughed, and leaned back on his elbows, legs stretched out in front. “It was a sight.”
Looking at Hester, Marie had a little knot in her stomach. Her sister-in-law was staring at Charles the same as Jenny did Lucky. When they lapsed into their own language, she frowned. Of course, she’d look at her brother like that, Marie reasoned with herself. They were twins and closer than most siblings. She was silly. First, she’d been jealous over Sam, now Charles. Marie looked up through her lashes at the other hired hands, smiling. Next, she’d be jealous of Uncle Joe, Lucky, Larry, and Lefty.
Sam and Ellen caught her attention when the young woman whispered in his ear. He continued to stare at Marie; she noticed and tried to still her shaking hands. The two were her friends. Would they fall in love after she left with the Warrens? Remembering her husband and his sister, she wanted to see for herself if the river was as lovely as the Mississippi in the moonlight. She considered everyone too wrapped up in his or her own conversations to notice as she slipped away into the darkness.
In a few moments, Marie stood on the bank of Smith’s Fork. Her eyes soon adjusted to the silvery light around her. The river’s current ran differently here. Now, the water flowed so swiftly, no one dared swim across for fear of being swept away. The waning moon sent shimmers across the waves. She stepped closer to the water, homesick for the ocean and entranced by the silvery sparkles. Her shoe slipped a little on the rock from her sole worn smooth. As Marie steadied herself, the other foot gave way. She yelped, toppling into the inky black water.
Chapter 9
His blood froze at Marie’s scream and the sound of a splash. Sam ran to the water’s edge. Moonlight did little to illuminate her dark hair. Only her fair skin gave away her location further downstream. He dove in, unwilling to wait for the water to carry him to her. He swam as hard and fast as he could. Feeling fabric, he held onto her arm. “I’ve got you!” His voice rasped even to his own ears.
“Sam! What are you doing?” She held onto first one reed then another. Each tore away from the soaked earth as the river pulled her. “I can get out of here just fine.”
Like the icy water held him, he wrapped his arm around her. “Come on. Let’s get to shore.” His heart pounded hard in his chest as he struggled to regain his footing and hold up both of them.
“You shouldn’t have jumped in here.” As she gripped his arm with one hand and clung to a handful of vegetation with the other, her teeth began chattering. “It’s not deep, just cold, and I can’t move properly.”
“I’ve got you. Let go of the grass.”
“No.” The last root gave way, and she laughed when the current took them further downstream. “All right, I’ll let go.” Her body warmed his, her skirt getting tangled with his legs.
Her amusement angered him. They were in a dire situation, not a humorous one. They needed to get back on dry land before she drowned. “This isn’t funny, Marie.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right, it isn’t.” She reached behind her and pulled the skirt free from both of them. “Hold this and let go of me so we can swim to the side.”
Sam did as she asked, gripping the fabric to keep her with him. He wanted to keep her safe even if they ended up miles away from camp. She swam toward the bank, surprising him by pulling them both through the water. By the time he recovered from the shock at her strength, they had washed up onto rocks jutting above the water. He glanced down at the water to see the river had widened and become shallow.
Marie laughed again. “So much for my heroic rescue of you.” She climbed onto a rock and out of the water. Holding a hand out for him, she added, “If we’d known about this, you’d not have needed to jump in after me.”
“What the hell was that?” His tone came out harsher than he’d expected.
She frowned while struggling to stand. “I’m not sure. An accident?”
“Dear God, Marie. You could have drowned. Animals and men have tried crossing this and failed.” He got to his knees and started to stand until his hand slipped on the slick rock. An electric current of fear went through him. Easing his way after her, he sighed in relief when seeing her on solid ground ahead of him.
“Sam, you’re worrying too much. I’ve been swimming since I was a baby.”
The bank, still warm from the daytime heat, comforted him once he reached where Marie sat. “What if you’d hit your head on a rock, got caught on some weeds, or anything else?”
“None of it matters; we’re both safe. I’ll admit, I don’t like swimming at night, but knew I’d reach the bank eventually.”
He didn’t know what to say. Everything coming to mind sounded too intimate. Yet, in the sparse moonlight, anything seemed possible. He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. “I’ve been scheming ways of getting you alone for days.”
She leaned into his caress. “Could we be less cold and wet next time?”
Her lower lip trembled, and he heard her teeth clicking. “My poor darling.” Sam took her in his arms, her body small and shivering against his. “Do you mind me warming you before we walk back?”
“No, I don’t mind.” She looked up at him, their lips closer now. “Sam,” she whispered.
He felt the warmth of her breath as she said his name. He shook his head in a silent no to himself, but doing so didn’t work. Sam leaned down just a little, brushing his lips against hers. The small groan from her ignited hunger in him. He deepened the kiss when she wrapped her arms around him to bury her fingers in his hair. Doing so trapped him against her. He left off kissing her mouth to nibble a path to the soft and still damp skin of her neck. Smiling at how quickly this changed from a rescue to a seduction, he asked, “Do you want to sleep here tonight?”
“If you kept me warm I would.”
“Sweetheart, I’d keep you so hot, you’d start a prairie fire.”
She chuckled. “We need to join the others.”
“So soon?”
She stopped caressing him. “The others are probably on their way. I want on
e last taste of you.” Marie straddled him as he sat there. “One last memory before we leave.”
He suppressed a whimper as her hips contacted his. With their bodies so close, Sam knew Marie felt how ready he was. She leaned forward and licked his lips. He wrapped his arms around her, imprisoning her against him. Running his hand from her back to her butt, he ran his tongue along the front of her teeth.
She shuddered and leaned back. “We can’t continue, or we’ll go too far.”
“I know.” He hugged her close, taking the chance for one last kiss before letting her go. When their lips parted, he glanced toward the camp. Sure enough, lanterns in the distance loomed closer. “Our search party awaits.”
“I don’t want to leave.”
“Nor do I.”
“Honestly? You enjoy, um…” Marie moved away, using his offered hand to steady herself as she got to her feet.
He grinned despite the cold air chilling him where her warmth had been. “Couldn’t you tell?” Sam asked as he stood up.
She laughed. “A little, yes.”
“Only a little?” He leaned in to whisper in her ear. “That makes me sad.”
“Oh dear. From what I could tell, you need never be sad.”
Sam enjoyed how he could see how much she blushed even in the darkness. “You can tell me more.”
Nodding ahead at the approaching group, she said, “Not while we have company, dearest.”
Followed by Ellen and Mr. Norman, Charles ran up to them. “What the hell were you doing, Marie?”
“I accidentally fell into the river.” She took the blanket Ellen gave her. “Thank you.”
Giving her a withering glare, Charles retorted, “I know accidentally, I didn’t think you did this on purpose.” Charles snorted, “Good thing you were headed northwest. No way am I backtracking just for you.”
She glanced at Sam and tried to smile. “There’s no need to worry about it. I’m here safe and sound.” Before her husband could say anything else, she added, “You’re tired and cranky. Why don’t we get some sleep before tomorrow?”
Undesirable Page 23
