The Drifter's Promise

by Rita Hestand

  "I'll go when I'm good and damned ready."

  "Alright, why are you so mad. I'm trying to be nice. You've helped me so much. You deserve some time off. In fact, if you want to go to the dance, feel free. Have you asked anyone yet?"

  "No, I don't usually go to local dances. I'm not part of the community."

  "Well, I'd say getting that cat made you part of this community, Wes. You're a hero, don't you know?" She asked. "I'm sure there are lots of girls that would love to go with you."

  "I just did what I had to do, that's all. I'm no hero."

  "Well, I think you are." She said softly.

  He glanced at her and a slight smile crossed his face, "Well, I'm not."

  Chapter Seventeen

  But when Wes came back from her fitting, Wes was playing with a strange dog.

  "Where'd he come from?" she asked.

  "Just wandered over here. Didn't see anything of him belonging anywhere, so I thought I'd see if I could teach him a few things."

  He demonstrated and the dog obeyed every trick. Dickens and Kate looked at each other and laughed.

  "Wow, he does mind you. Sure he don't belong to anyone around?"

  "No, not sure at all, but if anyone asks about him, tell them he's here." Wes instructed.

  "Well, I hope for your sake he don't belong to anyone." Kate said. "I love Moby, and this dog seems to have taken to you. What kind of dog is he?"

  "I think he's a sheep dog." Wes declared with a smile.

  "Well, ain't heard of no sheep herders in this area." Dickens chuckled.

  "Good."

  "What are you going to name him?" Kate asked leaning down to pet the dog.

  "I think Lucky."

  "That's a swell name for him." Dickens smiled and went in the house.

  Kate lingered a bit to watch the dog do more tricks. But when she went inside Dickens looked a bit down.

  "Something wrong?"

  "Nah, just thinking about my hogs. I sure miss them. Man should always have a good pet."

  "Yours weren't pets?"

  "Well, in a way, I named them all. Raised all of them from just pups."

  Kate thought about it a while then smiled, "Why don't you sell your place, and stay with me, and get you some more hogs to raise here."

  Dickens looked at her seriously. "You want me to stay on here?"

  "I'd like it. Wes will probably move on, and I'd be alone if you left. I'm not sure I want to be alone any longer. There's plenty of room."

  Dickens looked at her for a moment. "That's a nice offer, I'll think on it for a while."

  "Good." She smiled at him.

  But secretly she worried that Wes would leave, and she knew deep down, she didn't want him to go. She knew she couldn't tie him down to one place, but she didn't want him to leave, she knew that. If she were truthful, she'd have to admit, she was falling in love with Wes. Everyday she worked with him, was a pleasure. He never hollered at her or got angry because she was slower. He actually seemed to appreciate the fact that she wanted to help. But the crops were in now, she'd be making a trip to the bank any day and paying Wes what she owed him for his help.

  She feared when she paid him, he'd leave.

  So she put it off as long as possible.

  Still Dickens hadn't forgotten and let her know it.

  "Yeah, I'll go in first of next week, I guess." She said rather softly.

  Dickens looked at her, "You got enough to pay this year's mortgage?"

  "Yes, I do, thanks to you and Wes." She told him.

  "Have enough to pay Wes?"

  "Yes, I will."

  "Well, that's good, you should be proud."

  "I guess so. But he'll probably leave the minute I pay him." Kate let a tear spill.

  "Hey now, don't fret so much. Things have a way of working out." Dickens told her.

  "I doubt that. He doesn't realize how much help he's been to me. And I'll need him in the spring for the planting."

  "Maybe he'll come back and check on you."

  "With me making him jealous with Frank Campbell, I doubt that." Kate cried.

  "Don't give up so easy." Dickens told her. "And don't let him see you crying."

  "I won't. He deserves to be happy." Kate told him. "I just wish he could be happy with me."

  "Well maybe you should pray to the Lord about that." Dickens told her.

  Kate stared and then wiped her eyes, "You know you are right!"

  "Sure I am. Glad you noticed." Dickens chuckled.

  "And I want you to know, I'm still thinking on moving in with you."

  "I hope you do."

  Moby came and stretched out by Kate's feet. "Now that's one no account dog. But I love him. At least he appreciates that."

  "He's a lazy fella."

  "Hey," Kate snapped. "He's a great dog. He keeps me company. I can talk to him and somehow I feel he understands."

  "Well, that's probably the only thing he's good for." Dickens laughed.

  She stuck her foot out and played with Moby's tummy. "Hey, I know you are a good dog, don't let him get to you."

  Moby kind of grunted and laid back so she could get all his tummy for him.

  Wes cleaned up the fields as good as he could and ploughed them under. It took a lot of backbreaking work and Kate helped him dump all the leavings in the wheelbarrow. With them both working it was easier and faster.

  But in the evenings, after supper, Wes began trying to teach her to dance. Dickens watched and offered to teach her some of the faster dances like square dancing and all, but Wes taught her the slow dance. With Dickens watching there was no chance Wes might get a bit personal, nor her either. But being in his arms was enough. A couple of times he stared into her eyes and she held her breath wishing he would kiss her.

  Dickens got up and taught her the reel and asked Wes to be one of the swingers. So she could learn how to move. Kate was a bit slow to learn. She'd never done anything like it before, and she wasn't a natural. They practiced every night and by Friday, she was better, but not as graceful as she would have liked to have been.

  When they slow danced, Dickens got her father's fiddle out and played it for her to dance to. It made it easier to keep up to the music.

  When she stepped on Wes' foot, she turned bright red, "I'm not very good at this." She apologized.

  "You get all prettied up and he won't notice," Dickens told her.

  "I hope you are right." She chuckled. "I don't know him too well, so don't know how he'll act."

  "Just relax and be yourself, he'll like you just fine," Wes told her.

  When they realized she was really worried she told them what was bothering her. "Jim's folks didn't like me. They went to dances all the time and played in the band, but they'd make fun of my attempt to dance. So much so, I quit going."

  "They obviously didn't have any manners."

  "I never went to dances when I was little. My momma and papa did, but I always played outside, never went in to watch. So I didn't learn. I should have watched. Momma wanted me to, but I was kind of tom-boyish."

  "Well, just smile and look pretty and no one will notice so much honey." Dickens told her.

  "Did you go to dances much when you were younger, Wes?"

  "When I was just a boy, I did like you, hung outside and played. When I got older, I learned. My mother taught me so I could take a girl to the dance." Wes informed her.

  "That's so sweet."

  He chuckled, "More like embarrassing than sweet."

  She chuckled too.

  "Is there anything else I need to know?"

  "Naw, well, you know they'll have punch, and unless it is spiked you should have some. Thank the musicians and have a good time."

  "I just don't want to make a fool of myself." She chided.

  "It's the men that usually does that." Dickens told her.

  She chuckled.

  On Friday, Kate went over to Annie's to try the dress on, and Annie bragged on her endlessly. "You are gonna catch ev
ery man's eye."

  "I just want to catch one."

  "Frank Campbell?" Annie asked.

  "No, Wes Dolan's."

  "I knew it, I had a feeling all along the two of you would hit it off."

  "We hit it off as you say, but he's a drifter and the crops are in, I figure when I pay him next week he'll be gone."

  "Oh, oh my, well, wait until he sees you in this dress. The blue in that gown really makes your eyes stand out. You'll be gorgeous."

  "I wish I had your confidence." Kate told her.

  "Now why don't you come over here tomorrow before the dance and let me fix your hair."

  "Oh, I was wondering what I'd would do with it."

  "Just come by. I'll fix it in no time. I'm really good with hair. And you have beautiful hair."

  "Alright, I'll have Wes bring me over."

  "Good," Annie's eyes sparkled.

  Chapter Eighteen

  But that night Kate asked Wes if he'd take her.

  "Oh but Frank should pick you up." Wes told her.

  "I didn't know that, so I told him I'd meet him there and you or Dickens could take me and bring me home."

  "That's not how it's done, honey." Wes let the word slip from his lips.

  Flabbergasted at him calling her such a sweet name, she looked up with innocent eyes. "It's not?" She swallowed hard.

  She shrugged quickly, "Well, under the circumstances I thought it best, as I hardly know the man. You don't mind, do you? I mean, I am still a widow and no matter how I feel about it, it's a fact and people will expect me to act accordingly, I'm sure."

  Wes studied her worried face, "Well, I guess not. I mean you do have a point. You don't know him well."

  "That's what I was thinking. I barely know the man." She kept saying.

  "Alright I'll take you." He smiled trying to settle her nerves.

  "I need you to take me to Annie's first, to get my hair done up."

  "Oh, yeah, that will be nice." Wes nodded. "Fine we'll leave a bit early then."

  "Good, thank you. Oh, and I'll have your pay next week when I go to the bank."

  "Next week huh?" he repeated dully.

  "Yeah, I'm sorry I haven't been sooner, but I'll get it for you."

  "I'm not worried about it." He told her.

  "You're not?"

  "No, I know you'll pay me."

  He saw she was still on edge about tomorrow night. "Try not to be nervous. He's just a man."

  "I just don't want to look like a fool."

  "You'll probably be the prettiest girl there." He told her.

  Suddenly something occurred to her, "Oh no!"

  "What?" he looked baffled now at her discomfiture.

  "Do you think it's too soon? I mean I'm a widow. I keep forgetting that." She looked at him with guilt written on her face.

  "Don't worry, you'll be the prettiest scandal there." He smiled.

  "Everyone will think I'm shameless, it's only been a few months. Oh God, Wes, it worries me that I haven't mourned him."

  "Most people knew him, didn't they?"

  "Well, knew of him, I'm sure."

  "Then they'll understand."

  Her face flushed, "Oh Wes, I shouldn’t go!"

  "Stop fretting it will all be okay."

  But on Saturday she went to the pond to take a bath after breakfast. She put clean clothes on, but her hair was still wet.

  Wes saw her coming from the pond and stared, she had no idea how pretty she was. But she'd probably find out tonight, he thought with a bitter taste in his mouth.

  She was already slipping through his fingers. If he'd been a local, he'd have asked her to the dance. But he wasn't. He was a drifter. And she needed a place to grow roots, have a home and a man that would be by her side all the time. And sadly, Frank Campbell was probably that man.

  Frank would kiss her, and she'd be lost, just like when he kissed her. Only somehow, he sure wished that wouldn't happen. He suddenly wished more for himself. Had he been wrong to run away from life like he had? Had he taken a path of a doomed man, to be alone the rest of his life?

  He had to make some plans of where he was going from here. What he was going to do. He suddenly realized that he was bone tired of moving all the time. Of never having a real place to call his own. But he also realized he'd have to do a lot of changing too. He'd have to make some money, buy a place, and settle down. Maybe he'd think about that when he left here. Still, the probability that he'd lose out on the best thing in his life made him rethink himself several times.

  He looked around the place. For the first time he felt bad about leaving. In more ways than one. He liked it here. He never minded sleeping in the barn. He never minded not going into town. He realized too that she'd made this place homey and he seemed to fit right into it. He loved her cooking, loved her smiles, and most of all he loved her kisses

  That was wrong thinking, and he knew it. He had nothing to offer her.

  He had to get those ideas out of his head. It wasn't his home. He didn't belong, and he'd be leaving soon. If this Frank fella took her seriously, he'd be leaving even sooner.

  So why did it hurt to think of leaving?

  He didn't want to leave Dickens either.

  He cared for both of them! Dickens was getting up in age and that bothered Wes a great deal. What if he left and come back to find him dead and buried? Could he handle that?

  What if she didn't marry Frank? Would Dickens try to do the work? He couldn't hold up to it much better than her. Well, he could always come by and check on them from time to time. That's what he'd do. Once he knew they would be alright, he'd be out of here forever.

  But forever was a long time and just thinking on it made him sad.

  It was four and Kate kissed Dickens on the cheek as she got upon the wagon with Wes. "Try to have a good time, girlie."

  "I will, thanks for all your help." She threw him a kiss.

  Wes drove her over and after Annie did her hair Kate put the dress on, the men got to talking.

  "So you and Annie going to the dance?"

  "Yeah a bit later. I don't want to get there too early. They always want you to set things up. I don't go to work, I do enough of that at home. You should come along; they have a pretty good band of musicians and the food is always good."

  Wes laughed. "I don't think so."

  "You aren't going?"

  "Well sir, I'm not really a part of this community, so I don't usually attend stuff like this."

  "You'd be welcome."

  "Thanks, but I'll just pick her up when it's over."

  "Oh, why isn't Frank picking her up and taking her home?"

  "She told him she'd have a ride there and home. She said it's because she doesn't know him that well, and the fact that she's a widow. I can understand that."

  "Yeah, I keep forgetting about that no-account husband of hers. I can understand why she isn't mourning him."

  "She feels guilty that she can't mourn him."

  "I can understand that. This Frank seems okay, but her being a widow, this might be better for her. It won't look so much like a date to others if she's picked up and taken home."

  "That's true. She was worried about it being too soon to go to something like this. I hope she's wrong."

  "No one will gossip. They wouldn't dare, Frank would get after them if they did. Besides, no one that I know liked her husband. Any man that visits saloons every weekend, drinks, and barks at his wife all the time won't be missed around here."

  "Is this Frank a good sort?" Wes asked with concern.

  "He pulls a lot of weight, and he's been known to lose his temper a time or two. But all in all, he's okay. A bit on the snobbish side. Still if he likes someone, no one will dare say a word. At least not while he was around."

  "I see. Well, I was just asking on account of her husband had been a bit rough with her."

  "Yes, Annie was telling me about him. Don't you fret, I'll keep an eye on her. But seriously, why didn’t you ask her?" />
  "Well sir, I'm just a hired hand." Wes said.

  "Don't let that stop you, most of the young men are just hired hands." Mr. Tate chuckled.

  "Well, Frank's pretty taken with her!"

  "But is she taken with him?"

  "Don't know yet!" Wes smiled.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Kate sauntered out of the house, slowly, almost bashfully. She looked so beautiful it took Wes' breath away when he saw her. Mr. Tate seemed to notice and went in the house, after excusing himself.

  "Well, what do you think?" Kate asked whirling around in her blue satin gown.

  "Like I said, you'll be the prettiest girl there." He smiled.

  "You think so?" she asked breathlessly.

  "You look stunning. Your hair up like that, you look like one of those ladies on the boats."

  She smiled happily. "Ladies on the boat." She whirled around as if dancing. "I wish I were going on a boat ride, instead of a dance."

  He chuckled. "You act like you're going to a hanging. Most women enjoy going to the dances. Waltzing in the moonlight."

  "I guess I feel a lot older than I used to. I don't know Frank. I don't know what possessed me to accept his invitation. This is crazy."

  "You'll have fun. Every man there will want to dance with you."

  "Yeah, but only once, until I step on their toes."

  He chuckled.

  "It won't matter, they won't be looking at your toes." He laughed.

  "I wish you were going." She murmured.

  "I kinda do too, now." He grinned. "Maybe I'll hang back and watch how it goes for a bit, before I leave."

  "Well, I guess if you are ready to take me, we should go." She sighed heavily.

  "What time is he going to be there?"

  "Six." She told him.

  "What time do you want me to pick you up?" He asked.

  "Around nine." She told him.

  "That's a bit early for a grown woman." Wes suggested. "I was actually talking to Mr. Tate and we both agreed it might be a good idea that I'm taking and picking you up. This way, you're being a widow, it won't look like a date, but someone who wants to dance with you all night."

  She grinned. "That's right, it will. But I may not dance with him all night. I mean if I get other offers."