by Paty Jager
The woman’s eyes lit. She grinned. “Woman time.”
“Yes!” Alamayda was glad that was established. “I need a new rag. For here.” She put her hand down in the same place.
The woman nodded. “I get. Go.” She pushed Allie into the outhouse.
The smell had met her nose several feet from the small building. Now it made her nose want to close and her throat gag. She shoved the door open and stepped out to wait for the woman’s return.
Glancing about, she spotted Isaac standing in the kitchen door watching her. She pinched her nose. He nodded and didn’t budge.
The woman came from around the side of the building. Something white and furry was in her hands. She hadn’t understood. The Indian woman walked up to her smiling and held out what looked like a small piece of fur.
“I asked for a rag,” Alamayda said slowly.
The woman nodded. “This better. Rabbit fur. We, Nimiipuu, use.” She patted her chest with her hand.
“Your name is Nimiipuu?” Alamayda asked.
“No. Nimiipuu, my people. I am Dreamer.” She held the fur out to Alamayda. “You like.”
She didn’t have any choice. Alamayda could feel the need to change the rag she was wearing. Holding her breath, she ducked into the outhouse and did what she needed to do.
She dropped the rag down the hole in the outhouse and pressed the fur to her body. It was softer than the rag. Exiting the outhouse, she found Isaac still watching from the door.
Alamayda walked quickly toward the house. A bucket of water sitting next to the back door was a welcome sight. She washed her hands and headed in to eat.
Isaac grasped her arm. “Are you sure nothin’s wrong? I saw Dreamer bring you something.”
Frustrated that he felt compelled to watch her every move, she pushed by his arm without replying.
Mr. Haskell and Dreamer stood at the table watching them.
Alamayda sat. Even married couples had fights. She inhaled the aroma and was thankful the stinky outhouse hadn’t soiled her sense of smell forever.
Isaac sat down next to her but didn’t say anything more.
Dreamer motioned to the pot of stew in the middle of the table and handed Isaac a plate of biscuits.
Dishing up the stew for both she and Isaac, Alamayda felt the eyes of the husband and wife on her. Why are they staring at me?
Isaac put a biscuit on her plate and started eating.
Alamayda smiled at Dreamer and put a spoonful of the stew in her mouth. While it had faint tastes of venison and onion, the stew was bland. The aroma had fooled her mouth. She continued eating but refused more when Isaac offered.
“I’m full.” She smiled at Dreamer. “Very good. Thank you.” Alamayda found the biscuit was dry and void of flavor as well. She watched Isaac soak the biscuit in the stew juice. That was how he was able to eat three biscuits and two helpings of the stew.
Alamayda leaned toward Isaac. “Do you want me to start picking out the supplies?”
“You get the food rounded up, I’ll get the tools and camp supplies.” He sipped his coffee.
“I’ll need to know how long to make the supplies last,” she said, realizing the length of time they looked could be a week to several months.
“Get enough for a month, that’s all the mule can handle besides what I’m getting.” Isaac grasped her chin and leaned close to her ear. “If Haskell asks stay with the story we’re looking for ranch land.”
His warm, moist breath on her ear made her body shiver and her heart race. She swallowed to wet her dry mouth and nodded her head.
“Go gather your supplies.” He released her chin and grasped her hand, helping her step over the bench.
Isaac squeezed her fingers gently before letting go. Her insides squirmed at the intimacy of the whisper and the squeeze of her fingers. Alamayda hurried into the other room. What was happening? Her body was responding to every move Isaac made. She’d never encountered a man who did such things to her insides before.
In the store area, she pulled her list of supplies out of her pocket and started piling items on the counter including a set of men’s clothing for herself.
Mr. Haskell tallied up each item.
“And we’ll need twenty-five pounds of flour, five pounds of coffee, and five pounds of sugar,” Alamayda said when she’d found all the other items on the list.
“This is a lot of supplies. Didn’t you bring any with you?” Mr. Haskell asked, putting the smaller items in a wooden box.
“We’ve used up most of what we brought along. And we should be finding the land soon and we’ll want to get shelter built.” This was only a partial fib. They would hopefully find the mine soon, and they would need to build a small shack to live in during the winter.
Isaac entered from the living area. He glanced at the food items bundled and boxed. “Is that enough?”
Alamayda peered at him. “For the length of time you suggested. I went a little light because the mule can only carry so much.”
He nodded and started listing the items he wanted.
Haskell’s eyes lit up and he tallied it all on a pad. “You may need another mule for all of this,” he said.
“We’ll manage fine with one.” Isaac started piling the items he’d said by the front door of the establishment. “What’s the total?”
Haskell scratched his pencil a couple more times and said, “Seventy-two-fifty.”
Alamayda squeaked. She didn’t think the items added up to that much. “Sir, that is robbery to say these items are that much.”
“Allie, the man has to go to a lot of trouble to get it here.” Isaac walked over beside her. In a hushed voice he said, “I’ll help pay.”
Her anger lessened. “You shouldn’t have to. I’m the reason you no longer have a job and now have to spend money.”
“You didn’t make me come along.” Isaac grasped Allie’s hand. “I’ll be eating half the food and using half the tools and other stuff. It makes sense for me to pay too.”
Alamayda peered at Haskell over Isaac’s shoulder. He was trying to see and hear what they were saying. “The money is in pockets in my underskirt.”
Isaac grinned then sobered. “Can’t have you hiking up your skirt in here.” Isaac faced Mr. Haskell. “Allie will go out to the mule and get the money.” He spun back to her and whispered. “Don’t let anyone see you get the money from your skirt.”
Alamayda nodded and edged by him and to the door. Outside, she couldn’t think of anywhere to go to hide. The forest was a good walk away. The mule wouldn’t hide her. She glanced down the side of the building and saw the corner of the nasty smelling outhouse. Heaving a big sigh, she trudged to the small building.
Holding her breath and not latching the door closed to allow a splinter of light for counting out the money, she pulled Isaac’s money out of a pocket. She counted out thirty-six dollars and shoved that in her skirt pocket. Next she found her money and counted out thirty-seven dollars.
She shouldered the door open and came face to face with a man who smelled as nasty as the outhouse. He had long shaggy hair and beard, goopy eyes, and buckskin clothes that should have been buried a long time ago.
“Excuse me,” Alamayda said, moving to step around the man.
He stuck an arm out quicker than she would have surmised he’d move. “It’s been a long time since I seen a woman.”
“You saw me. Now let me pass.” Alamayda kept her hand wrapped around the money in her pocket. She didn’t want a single dollar slipping out.
“Not before I take my fill.” The man’s gaze traveled the length of her body. “Where’d you come from?”
“She’s with me.”
The man spun around toward Isaac’s voice.
Isaac had hauled a load out to the mule and didn’t see Allie anywhere. He’d decided to find out what was keeping her.
He couldn’t see Allie for the man’s size and long blanket coat he wore. But he’d heard the man’s comments and knew w
ho he was talking to. The only other woman in these parts beside Dreamer.
“And who are you?” the trapper asked. He squinted one eye and put a hand on the handle of a large Bowie knife.
“Her husband.” Isaac walked around the trapper and put an arm around Allie’s shoulders. He had to give her credit, she appeared more mad than scared. “Come on, Haskell’s waiting for us.” Isaac walked back to the front of the trading post keeping his arm around Allie. He liked pretending she was his wife. Her body fit nicely against him as they walked.
At the mule, Allie pulled a hand out of her pocket and handed him paper money. “Here.”
He tucked the money into his inside vest pocket and turned Allie to face him. “Are you all right? He do anythin’ to you?” He ran a hand up and down her arm.
“Just scared me when I stepped out of the privy.” She wrinkled her nose. “He smelled worse than that outhouse.”
Isaac smiled. “Yeah, trappers tend to smell as bad as the animals they trap.” Grasping her elbow, Isaac escorted Allie back into the trading post. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight again.
Inside, he walked to the counter and handed the bills over to Haskell.
The man raised his eyebrows, counted the money, grinned, and handed back a few coins. “Do you need help loading your things?”
“I’d like to leave the rest here while I set up camp for the night. Once that’s done, I’ll come back and get the rest of the supplies.” Isaac could tell by the pile by the door and the supplies Allie had purchased he would have to reorganize how things were packed. At least the poor mule would only have one day to haul all the belongings on his back.
“I’ll put the rest of your things over by the door while you are setting up camp,” Haskell said.
“Thank you.”
Allie was picking up a small parcel from her pile of things. “I’ll take this now,” she said and walked back to the door.
Isaac didn’t know what was in the parcel but it didn’t matter. It all had to get to their camp today. He opened the door, picked up the lantern and oil, and followed Allie back to the mule.
He grabbed the mule’s lead rope and headed to the side of the clearing the direction they would set out from tomorrow. It would also give Allie the use of the bushes to take care of business instead of the community outhouse.
Allie fell into step beside him.
“We’ll set up camp on the edge of the clearing.” He glanced over at her.
She nodded her head. “The farther from all the rest the better.”
“I agree. Don’t go out in the woods without telling me first. I can keep a watch for anyone coming.” He tipped his head back toward the other tents. “I’m sure the first thing the trapper did was tell everyone there are new people here. We’ll get the camp set up and both go back for the rest of the supplies.”
“I’d feel better about that.” Allie’s tone reflected the trapper had upset her more than she’d let on.
Isaac stopped the mule and looked at the forest. There was a small path that would work for Allie to use to walk into the woods. He’d set the tent up in front of it, with the opening toward the forest, that way no one would know when she left the tent.
They worked together putting the tent up and unloading everything on the mule into the tent.
“Are you sure these things are safe while we go to the store?” Allie asked.
“We can look over here every trip we make out to the mule.” He touched her arm. When she looked up into his face, he said, “I’m not leaving you alone.”
Her eyes brightened and her cheeks reddened. “You act as if I am worth more than gold.”
His heart thudded in his chest. “In many ways you are.”
She sucked in her breath and stared into his eyes.
Every muscle in his body wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss her lips. His mind knew she’d go running for the forest if he followed his impulse.
He touched her cheek with his fingertips and picked up the lead rope. “Let’s get the rest of our supplies over here so I can figure out how to pack them.” Isaac strode across the clearing, his heart pounded in his chest as if he’d run all the way from Morgan’s Crossing. The woman keeping up with him stride for stride didn’t even know the spell she’d placed on him.
Chapter Nineteen
Alamayda stood on her side of the blanket Isaac had hung down the middle of the tent. While it was comforting having the lantern light the tent with a homey glow, she was also very aware of Isaac’s silhouette in the other side. And if she could see his…could he see hers? She decided to sleep in the union suit and in the morning put on the men’s clothes she’d purchased.
Standing beside the pile of food on her side of the tent, she placed her valise on the top of the pile and started taking off her dress.
“Allie, I’m going to douse the light,” Isaac said.
“I’m still getting ready for bed.” She was used to getting ready in the dark, which made it a luxury to have the light. This was the first night since they left Morgan’s Crossing that they had a lantern.
“I know. I can see.” He said in a lower tone, “If I can see, so can anyone outside the tent.”
“Oh!” She hadn’t thought about that. “Please turn the light off. I can get ready in the dark.”
The lantern hissed a second and sputtered out.
Alamayda stood still a moment allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. The moon was full, making the tent glow from the outside. She used this bit of light to undress and fold her clothing, putting the garments in the valise. Before taking her underskirt off, she pulled the money from the pockets and tucked it into the pockets she’d sewn on the union suit. Then she put the skirt into her valise. She unpinned her hair and brushed it out before braiding the strands into one braid.
Her bedroll lay on the ground next to the blanket wall. Isaac had insisted it would be warmer in the middle of the tent than against the side. She opened the bedroll and knelt on the inner blanket before slipping between the blankets and canvas.
“Good night, Allie,” Isaac whispered.
Her heart flipped in her chest. It had been years since anyone told her good night. She’d told the children to sleep tight and they’d giggle when she’d put them to bed. But not since her ma took sick had anyone cared whether she had a good night.
She swallowed the emotion and replied, “Good night.” Her voice sounded husky and hoarse.
“Are you all right?”
The concern in Isaac’s voice started tears to burn the backs of her eyes.
“I’m fine. I-I. Thank you for helping me.” Even though this man knew more about her life than most, she wasn’t ready to tell him how lonely she’d been for so many years. Or how vulnerable knowing that made her feel.
“You’re welcome. I was tired of guardin’ the mine and had been thinkin’ about lookin’ for my ranch land. You needin’ an escort just made me strike out sooner rather than later.”
His whispered words soothed the ache in her heart. He wanted to escort her. He wanted to be with her. But for how long? Until I find the mine? Then what will I do by myself?
She rolled to her side, putting her back to the blanket and Isaac. I ran a farm and raised my siblings, I can figure out how to get the gold out of the mine and the money to May, Alice, and Alan and enough for me to live comfortably.
***
Isaac woke early. Knowing Allie was a few feet away with the blanket wall between them, he’d listened to her breathing and muttering in her sleep. Hearing her so close, had kept his body aroused all night. The last time he remembered feeling this way was his sixteenth year. He’d been in love with a woman and couldn’t control his body. He’d wanted her and she’d given herself freely. His mind shook completely awake. She’d given herself freely because she was a married woman and had no need to worry about a reputation or getting with child. When he’d discovered she’d deceived him, he’d not wanted another woman for years.
And here he was in a tent at the base of the Bitterroot Mountains wanting a woman so bad his manhood was throbbing. He stepped outside in his union suit to cool his blood and his member. The woman he wanted would turn tail and run if she knew he wanted her physically. He understood her desire to not have to be a parent or caretaker again, but why would she also rule out having a loving companion in a husband? That was one mystery he wanted to discover. Until he did, he had to keep his desire for Allie hidden.
He heard stirring inside the tent. Daylight was breaking over the treetops on the far side of the clearing. Isaac stepped back into his side and dressed. With the light he could start packing the mule.
“I’ll start breakfast,” Allie said from her side of the tent.
“I’m going to start packing the mule.” He shoved his hat on his head and stepped out of the tent. Two men walked across the clearing toward the tent. One was about his age and the other was a bit younger. Both were average size with greasy blond hair to their shoulders.
“Mornin’,” Isaac said loud enough for Allie to hear they had company.
“Morning,” the older of the two said. He stuck out his hand. “I’m Tobin Lester and this is my brother Cain.”
Isaac shook hands with the two. “Isaac Corum.”
“Haskell said you’re heading toward the old Daulken homestead,” Tobin said.
“My wife and I are thinkin’ about checkin’ it out.” He knew Allie had stepped out of the tent by the way the men’s attention jerked to the tent opening.
She stepped up beside him. He put an arm around her and discovered she was wearing a man’s shirt and trousers. No wonder the men were staring at her like they hadn’t seen a woman before.
“Good morning,” she said and leaned closer to Isaac.
He didn’t want to smile like a fool, but having Allie’s trust filled him with pride.
“Ma’am.” Tobin pulled his hat off his head and held it in his hands.
Cain just stared, slacked-jawed.
Tobin noticed and slapped him with his hat. “Close yer mouth and take off yer hat.”
