by Danni Roan
The Hampton wagon was coming up along his flank now as the boy grumbled and Mrs. Hampton waved the pair over.
“Give that boy to me Mr. Gaines,” the older woman called waving him toward the wagon. “I’ve got a couple of biscuits here he can have, and I don’t see any reason he should be stuck in the saddle with you all day. Heaven knows I’m no use for anything else, but he can ride along with me and Orville for a bit.”
“If you’re sure you don’t mind,” Spencer said, trying to keep the relief out of his voice as he sidled up to the wagon and let Chad climb in behind the older couple. At the back of the wagon the pretty young woman tipped her head from under her oversized hat and smiled, as she walked along the edge of the trail, and Spencer scowled at the impact her lovely dark eyes had on him.
“We don’t mind. Do we Orville?” Mrs. Hampton said. “It’ll make me feel useful while my hand heals. You come on back at noon again, and we’ll fix you both up with a meal.”
Spencer nodded, looking his son in the eye as he turned to go. “You be good, and I’ll see you later,” he said, but Chad just grinned around the biscuit he was busy devouring.
Daliah watched Mr. Gaines ride away. She couldn’t fathom what the wagon master could have been thinking bringing his young son along this way. Perhaps if the man was driving his own wagon instead of hiring someone else to drive it, or had relatives to help watch the boy it would have made sense, but to expect a growing boy to ride all day like that was hard. Children needed room to stretch out and explore.
There were other children in the train of course and Daliah hoped that in time Chad would be able to make friends or perhaps even travel with some of the families, but for now, with most people still virtual strangers, she supposed they would just have to do their best.
Morning was barely a suggestion of day at the moment, and the young woman couldn’t help but wonder what the day would hold. She had so many mixed emotions about the trip and her future. She had agreed to come to give herself a new start, but also to help the Hamptons. They were no longer young, and from all she had heard the trip to Texas was difficult. Perhaps one day the dream of rail travel would be realized everywhere, but for now, if you were moving, this was the only way to go.
In a way, the fact that Mrs. Hampton had cut her hand was a blessing because she had no choice, but to let Daliah do more of the work that she should be doing, anyway. Daliah had always enjoyed helping others, and it wasn’t hard when they were people you loved. Mr. and Mrs. Hampton were almost like family to Daliah. They were the only people she had on this earth who cared for her.
Placing one foot in front of the other, Daliah breathed deeply of the early morning air setting her eyes toward the horizon and the new day. Everything was fresh and she longed to know where the trail would ultimately lead.
Chapter 6
“Daliah, Billy has skinned his knuckles again,” a petite woman called walking back toward the Hampton wagon with a boy of about six in tow. “Do you have any more of that salve?”
“Of course Aida. I’ll get it now,” Daliah smiled, keeping pace with the wagon then grabbing the tail gate to pull herself up. Several of the women in the train on hearing of Daliah’s salve had asked for her help, and she was glad she could give it. Children always seemed to be doing something.
They had been on the trail for nearly three weeks now, and although Mrs. Hampton’s hand was healed, Daliah still tried to keep the other woman from doing too much. Her own mother had taught her to make the honey salve, and it seemed to work wonders on cuts, scrapes and abrasions.
“Here you are,” Daliah called, handing the small jar out of the wagon to Aida Smith.
“You’re such a help,” Aida said, stopping and smearing some of the yellow salve on her son’s hand. “You go on now Billy,” she said, falling into step with Daliah as she climbed from the wagon.
“How’s the trail treating you?” Daliah asked as they walked along at the edge of the trail. “Is your daughter feeling better?”
“Beth is so much better,” Aida said, “that elixir you made for her has knocked that cough right out. She’s taking a nap in the wagon now, thank goodness,” the tiny woman added.
Daliah felt like an Amazon from the story books walking next to her petite neighbor. Though not overly tall, Aida made her feel huge. She doubted that the woman was much over four foot nine, but she was so full of energy. She had come to Missouri to marry a man she had never met and take on a life as a mother for Billy . Now she had her own little girl, and she and her husband Terry planned on starting a brand new life in Texas.
“What do you think it will be like in Texas?” Daliah asked.
“I think it will be wild,” Aida said grinning. “I hear that in the spring the hills are covered in blue bonnets as far as the eye can see. I’m looking forward to having a farm and a few animals,” she finished.
Daliah smiled. “That sounds lovely. I heard that most of it is desert with cactus and sand everywhere.”
“I think that’s further south,” Aida said, shaking her head as the sound of boys arguing caught her ear. “Where will you stop?” the other woman asked.
Daliah shook her head. She didn’t know the exact plans that the Hamptons had made. Would they travel further south into the desert, or stay in the hill country? “I’m not really sure,” she confessed. “I plan on sticking with the Hamptons as long as they’ll have me,” she said dropping her eyes as a sense of loneliness enveloped her.
“They’re lucky to have you,” Aida said, squeezing Daliah’s arm as a brawl broke out somewhere along the line. “I have to go before Trey gets in over his head,” she said with a laugh, lifting her skirts and trotting toward where her son was yelling at Chad.
Daliah adjusted the old hat on her head and watched as Aida broke up the two boys sending Chad back toward her with a flea in his ear. The boy’s manner left a great deal to be desired, and he was always trying to take things from the other children.
For a moment Daliah wondered if she would ever have children to love. She was already twenty and had never had a beau. She wondered what made a happy marriage like the one the Hamptons had, but even as she thought it, she pushed the notion aside. She would be content to look after the Hamptons and help them settle into their new lives. She had already said goodbye to so many loved ones that part of her just wanted to hide away from everyone she could possibly care for.
The sound of a galloping horse caught her attention and Daliah looked up to see Mr. Gaines riding toward her. The man was leaning low in the saddle as he approached his son dipping sideways to scoop the boy up onto the fast moving horse.
Daliah covered her heart with her hands as her feet froze to the spot. What if Mr. Gaines had missed and Chad had been injured?
“Afternoon,” Mr. Gaines said, slowing his horse as he approached, then scowled as he took in Daliah’s pale appearance. “You feeling all right Miss Owens?”
“Yes, yes,” Daliah stammered pulling herself back together. “I’m afraid your performance just now rather startled me is all.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’ve been picking Chad up like that for a long time. We used to have a small cattle ranch you see, and we made a game of it.”
Daliah smiled feeling relieved but still wondering if it was wise to do such things. It wasn’t her business though, so she kept quiet. Although Chad was often with her or Mrs. Hampton, he wasn’t her responsibility.
“I rode back to let everyone know that we’ll be stopping for the night on the far side of that ridge. There’s plenty of water and a good place to rest for a couple of days.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Daliah agreed. “Perhaps we can catch up on a few things that need attention while the stock gets a chance to rest.”
“That’s the plan,” Spencer said smiling. He was surprised that the young woman’s first thoughts were of the work and maintenance that needed done and not the idea of a much needed rest. Perhaps there was more to this girl than he
had first realized. Despite himself he had noticed her helping others around the camp, or working with Mrs. Hampton. He’d tried to stop and share a meal with most of the families in the wagon train, but he found himself drawn back to the last wagon on the line again and again.
“Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?” Daliah asked as if reading his thoughts.
“I hope so,” Chad piped up. “I like the cookin’ here best,” he finished.
Daliah smiled. “Mrs. Hampton is a very good cook,” she admitted. “I think the plan is for a big pot of beans and sour dough biscuits tonight. She’s asked me to make a bit of cinnamon bread as well if I can.”
“Can ya?” Chad asked his bright eyes full of hope.
“I’ll do my best,” Daliah chuckled. “You’re both welcome as always.”
Spencer looked down at the young woman. She couldn’t be more than twenty, but she seemed older for her years. Mr. Hampton had told him a bit of her story, and he understood what it felt like to be alone in the world. It was one of the reasons he had agreed to join his brother in Texas. Would it be such a bad thing to consider a woman in his life? Wouldn’t it be better to have someone like Daliah to look after Chad?
Shaking the thoughts from his head Spencer nodded once. “We’ll be back around for supper,” he said, tipping his hat then turning his mount and trotting back toward the leads.
Daliah watched the trail boss trot away down the line. He was tall and lean and sat straight in the saddle. He was a nice looking man, and she hoped that God would bless him and help him to raise that boy. She had done her best so far to keep the young Chad out of trouble. Now if everyone could just keep up with that they might get to Texas unscathed.
***
Supper came late that night as one of the wagons had trouble with a wheel pin that day and had slowed progress, but when they had all rolled down over the small rise into a valley filled with fresh grass and a slow moving river, the collected group had issued a sigh of delight.
Two days of cleaning clothes, washing dishes, and resting the stock would go a long way to boosting morale among the trail weary troupe.
“Mr. Gaines,” Mrs. Hampton called as the man rode up dropping his son to the ground. “Daliah said you’d be by for supper, and we’ve fixed up a nice dish.”
“Sit and rest a spell,” Mr. Hampton called, encouraging the man and boy to join them.
“Somethin’ smells good,” Chad said, slipping onto an old log next to Orville.
“I’m sure you’re hungry,” Mrs. Hampton said, handing the boy a plate full of beans and a hot buttered biscuit then handed another to his father.
“Thank you,” Spencer said, turning to look at Miss Owens who had just placed something else on the grid over the fire.
“Aren’t you eating?” he asked without thinking.
“I’m just getting this started first,” Daliah replied. “We all want dessert don’t we?”
Chapter 7
Spencer watched the young woman move around the camp fire talking quietly to Mrs. Hampton as she placed the tray of something over the fire.
Only a blind man wouldn’t recognize that she was a pretty girl with a rather inviting shape. Not for the first time he wondered about her story. Mr. Hampton had told him when he signed on to the drive that she’d lost both of her parents on the way to Missouri and then her brother more recently. He wondered why she hadn’t returned east to other family members.
Of course, he had also heard from a few other towns’ folks that she had been dismissed from her job at the bank for stealing, and he questioned her motives for coming along with the Hamptons. Could she be hoping to gain something from the older couple?
Daliah looked up and smiled noting the pensive look in Mr. Gaines’ eyes. It was obvious that he had been studying her, and she wondered if she had done something that he didn’t approve of. She had mixed up a tray of cinnamon bread using the sour dough starter earlier that afternoon, and now it was ready to cook in the small covered tray she had settled over the coals.
Spencer watched Daliah dazzled by her kind smile as she fiddled with whatever it was she was cooking then picked up a plate and served her own supper. She was pretty, she seemed so kind. It just didn’t make sense that she might have done something wrong. Still here she was on the trail and not long unemployed. He would keep an eye on things as they traveled to see what kind of woman she really was.
“Daliah makes the best cinnamon bread,” Mrs. Hampton said from her perch on a cracker barrel. “Her mother must have been a whiz in the kitchen. I’m glad she agreed to make some for us today since we’ll be on the road again before you know it. How many loaves dear?” she asked looking to Daliah who took the crate next to her.
“I’m making four,” Daliah said. “I tried not to be heavy handed with the supplies though,” she added, “but I did want to have some for the week as well.”
Chad lifted his nose toward the fire, his eyes gleaming in the soft light. “Sure smells good,” he said. “Can I have some?”
“Of course you can have some,” Mrs. Hampton said. “What’s the fun of making it if we can’t share?”
“I’d rather not share,” Chad admitted.
“If we all thought like that,” Daliah said, “then you wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn’t give you any of my bread.”
The boy studied her for a moment then nodded his unruly blonde hair falling in his eyes. “I’d still rather have it all to myself,” he confessed, “but I guess it makes sense.”
The adults chuckled. It was never easy learning to share and help others. Too often, people only think of their own needs in this world, but if we try hard and put our faith in God, we could be much more than we ever dreamed.
“Chad behave yourself,” Spencer chided gently. “We’re guests at this fire.”
“More like friends,” Orville said, slapping Spencer on the back. “You’ve done a good job helping us out, and we like to repay the favor.”
Spencer grinned. It did feel like the Hamptons were more like friends than just people he was working for. It felt odd after so many years to feel as if he was welcome somewhere again.
“Where will you be settling when you get to Texas, anyway?” Orville asked, wiping his plate clean with an extra biscuit.
“My brother has a place at the lower end of the hill country,” Spencer said. “He’s started a little cattle outfit, and there’s good water and feed. A few other folks are trying to make a go of it farming. Dan reckons there will be a proper town there before long. There’s a sort of tent town already.”
“Now doesn’t that sound nice,” Mr. Hampton said. “Maybe we’ll just trail along there with you if they need more folks. I’m sure if folks are thinking of settling, it will be needing a good many people and skills.”
“That’s what my brother keeps saying,” Spencer said, looking up as Daliah finished her meal and began collecting plates.
“What will you do there?” the young woman asked.
“Probably raise cattle with my brother,” Spencer replied. “I used to have cows a while back.”
“And I’m gonna have my own pony and ride all over the place shooting prairie dogs, and ropin’ cows,” Chad added, making everyone smile.
Spencer laughed ruffling his son’s hair. “Well I think we can manage the pony,” he said. “As for the rest we might have to wait a spell on that.”
“Ah Pa,” Chad grumbled pushing his father’s hand away. “I’ll be big by the time we get to Texas.”
Everyone laughed at the boy’s misconception, but he ignored them rising and walking to the fire as he tried to peer into the pan of bread.
“You be careful,” Spencer said, as the boy teetered on his tip toes. Everyone gasped as Chad turned, the toe of his boot catching on a rock as he began to fall.
Spencer sprang to his feet, but wasn’t fast enough as his son began to fall. In an instant a strong arm reached out snatching the boy back from the brink of danger as Daliah grabbe
d him.
“That is very dangerous,” Daliah chided. “You could have been badly hurt. Fire is nothing to play with.”
Chad looked up at her as she settled him on the ground once more. “I ain’t hurt,” he groused. “I was just lookin’ at the bread.”
“Next time don’t look so close,” his father said, taking his hand and leading him back to the log. “You don’t need to be messing about with fire and such.”
“I didn’t do nothin’ Pa,” Chad grumbled.
“Just leave the cooking to the woman son,” Spencer said. “You’ll be glad you did.”
Everyone around the fire chuckled easing the tension of a moment ago as they relaxed once more.
Spencer felt his heart settling back into a steady rhythm. He was grateful that the young woman had been in the right place at the right moment to save his son from certain injury. Would a woman who had stolen from a bank be willing to put herself in danger for a stranger’s son? He didn’t know. He was just thankful that Chad was unharmed.
Chapter 8
Spencer saddled his horse the next day shoving his rifle into the scabbard as he scanned the surrounding plains. He and a few of the other men were headed out to do some hunting, and if all went well, they would have a deer or at least a few rabbits to share for supper.
“Do I have to stay with that old lady today?” Chad whined. “Why can’t I come with you?”
“You’re too young for hunting,” Spencer said, “besides I thought you liked Mrs. Hampton.”
“I like her food pretty good, so I guess she’s all right.”
“You ate three pieces of that bread last night,” Spencer chuckled. “I think you must like the food at that wagon.”
Chad shrugged. “I’ll go play with the other kids,” he said. “I hope you bring back something good.”
Spencer shook his head as the scamp raced off to play with his friends. The camp was alive with the bustle of industry as women gathered clothing and headed to the river to wash while men tended stock, checked gear, and mended rigs.
