“It could be the beginning of something serious,” a woman said. “This could be cholera or typhoid.”
“No, it’s not that,” Richard interrupted. “I was with her. She’s not sick.”
Most of the group moved away from him, as if getting near him might somehow infect them from the illness they were afraid Amanda had.
Joe straightened and directed his gaze to the group. “The last thing we need to do is panic. We don’t have enough information to know what is happening.” He looked at Richard. “What happened in that canopy?”
“Nothing,” Richard said before he had time to think of a better response.
“You were in there for almost half an hour,” Joe replied. “That’s not nothing.”
“I was cooling her off. She couldn’t stay in all those clothes, not with how hot she was.”
“Hot?” Mr. Carmichael asked. “She’s got a fever?”
“No,” Richard said. “She’s fine. I meant she was sweaty. In case no one’s noticed, it’s humid out here. I took her clothes off. Considering all the layers she had on, it took time.”
He swallowed, hoping he sounded convincing. It wasn’t his habit to lie, but he had ever since he found Amanda in the alley. He had to do this for her. She’d been through enough already. He couldn’t hurt her by coming out and telling them her baby had miscarried. That would lead to far greater problems—problems that would affect Amanda. No. He was going to have to stay silent. This was going to have to be a secret he’d take to the grave.
“How do we know he’s telling the truth?” the woman asked the group.
“How do we know he’s not?” Jesse inserted, gesturing to Richard. “Don’t you think he’d know if his wife was sick? He was with her.”
“If you trust him so much, bring that baby of yours over here,” the woman challenged.
“That’s enough,” Richard’s father said. “We can’t give into fear. Let’s wait and see what happens.”
“If we don’t take measures to protect ourselves, we could all end up dead,” a man replied then turned to Joe. “You’re the leader. Lead!”
After a tense moment of silence, Joe said, “We’ll camp here for the night and see how things are tomorrow morning. From there, we’ll decide what to do.”
“Well, I’m not letting my wagon near any of the Larsons,” Mr. Carmichael said, glancing at Richard and Richard’s father. “I advise everyone who loves their family to do the same.” He headed off to his wagon.
A woman directed her gaze at Richard and snapped, “If the rest of us end up dead, our blood is on your hands.”
Richard blinked at the animosity in her tone. Several others shot him a pointed look, as if he’d intentionally brought disease and death upon them. Only a couple, including Jesse, seemed more relenting.
“Don’t let them bother you,” Richard’s father said as the group dispersed. “They’ll see how foolhardy they’re being when they see Amanda’s well and good. I’ll take your wagon and bring it next to mine. Might as well stay away from them so they don’t panic.”
“Thanks, Pa,” he whispered.
“Go on and get back to Amanda. Your ma could probably use the help.”
With a nod, Richard headed for the canopy.
Chapter Nineteen
Amanda knew she was dreaming. She didn’t often dream of her school days. Most of her dreams hovered between nightmares of that day with Mr. Price and the days that followed, particularly those which involved Richard. But this time she went back to her school days.
She was fourteen, and she was sitting outside the schoolhouse at the end of the day. Most of the other students had already gone home, and she supposed she should, too, except she wasn’t in the mood to face her parents and tell them about her day. On a pleasant day, she wouldn’t mind divulging everything. But today was different. Today, she’d overheard a couple of girls making fun of her.
“Who’s going to want to marry her?” one had asked with a giggle. “She still wears those silly braids.”
“It’s not her braids that are the problem,” another had argued. “She refuses to wear pretty dresses. Everything she has on is boring.”
“The braids are a problem,” the first girl had insisted.
“Even if she got herself all prettied up it wouldn’t help,” a third one had interrupted. “She has a boyish figure. Why, she barely even has breasts.”
“Granted, they are small, but they’re there,” the first girl had replied.
“Well, I have to squint to see them.”
Amanda had slipped out of sight so they wouldn’t know she’d heard them. It took all of her willpower to act like nothing had happened as she went through the rest of the day. The teacher’s lessons helped to keep her mind occupied, even while one of those girls had sat next to her.
Amanda didn’t know what was worse: the fact that she overheard them or the fact that the girls acted as if they liked her. They even came up to her at the end of the day and said they’d see her tomorrow.
As Amanda sat outside the school, she swallowed down her tears, not willing that anyone should see her cry. It was bad enough she felt an overwhelming sense of despair. She didn’t need anyone else to see it, too.
“Amanda, are you alright?” came a familiar voice.
She looked over her shoulder and saw Richard. “Oh, I’m fine,” she said.
But she should have known better. If anyone knew when she was lying, it was Richard. Of all the people she knew, he seemed to be the only one who understood her best.
“I can tell you’re upset,” he softly told her. “If you’re worried I’ll tell someone, I won’t. You can trust me to keep your secret safe.”
Something in his tone compelled her to tell him, but even so, she decided not to reveal the details. After all, he didn’t need to be thinking that she had a boyish figure and didn’t dress right.
“Well,” she began, fiddling with the loose thread on her sleeve, “I overheard a couple of,” she almost said girls but changed her mind, “people saying some unpleasant things about me.”
“What kind of things?”
“Things.” When he seemed to want her to continue, she just said, “Things, Richard. I don’t want to repeat them. They were hurtful. I don’t feel like saying exactly what they said. Suffice it to say, it was bad.”
“Who said those things?”
“Richard.” She shot him a pointed look, indicating she didn’t want to say.
“Sorry. I’ll stop trying to press you for more information.” After a moment, he touched her shoulder and leaned toward her. “I know it’s easy for me to say this because they didn’t say these things about me, but you need to ignore them. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re saying that because you’re my friend.”
“Exactly. I’m your friend because you’re worth having as a friend.” He released her shoulder. “Amanda, you’re the sweetest and prettiest girl in the school. I think whoever said what they did were doing it because they were jealous.”
For some reason, the idea that those girls would ever be jealous of her made her laugh. They were very pretty.
“Why don’t you believe me?” he asked.
“I didn’t say I don’t believe you,” she replied.
“We’ve known each other for a long time. I know when you’re skeptical about things.” He touched her forehead. Then, in a teasing tone, he added, “Your eyebrows furrow in the most adorable way.”
Her lips curled up into a smile. “Sometimes it’s scary you know me so well.”
“Maybe to someone else, you aren’t the prettiest and sweetest girl in school. Everyone has their idea of what those things are. But to me, you are the prettiest and sweetest. I don’t agree with what those people said. I suppose the question is, who will you listen to? The people who don’t know a good thing when they see it? Or the person who does?” He pointed to himself and gave her a charming smile. “Because I am
smarter than they are.”
She chuckled. “I know you’re smart.”
“Smart enough to know a good thing when I see it. I understand it’ll take a while before their words no longer hurt. I just hope you’ll remember not everyone agrees with them. There’s no one else I’d rather be friends with than you.”
“Thanks, Richard.”
“Come on. I’ll walk you home.”
Amanda slowly came out of her dream, her heart warm at the memory. Richard had always been there for her. No matter what the situation, he was quick to make things better.
After a few seconds, she became aware of Mrs. Larson and Richard, who were whispering.
“You think she’ll be alright?” Richard asked.
“I think so,” his mother said. “Her color is returning. That’s a good sign. She’s not so sweaty anymore either. Being in the shade is helping.”
Amanda felt a damp cloth settle back on her forehead and welcomed the coolness of it.
“I got another dress,” Richard said. “Is there anything else she needs?”
“Rest, mostly. But more rags for her flow would help, and it’s probably a good idea to bring in some soup. You know what? Let me get the items and come back. You can stay with her.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. You should be here when she wakes up. If it was me, I’d want your father to be the first person I saw.”
Amanda waited until she heard Mrs. Larson leave before opening her eyes.
“You’re awake,” Richard said, offering her a smile that suggested he wasn’t sure what he should say to make things better.
Amanda tried to say something, but her throat was dry. She coughed, and he hurried to pour water into a tin cup.
“Here. Drink this,” he said, lifting her head and putting the cup to her lips.
She took a sip, just to make sure her stomach would accept it. Relieved, she drank more, finding the cool liquid refreshing, especially after what had happened.
He gently set her head back down and put the cup away. “Are you alright?” he asked, turning his attention back to her.
“Yes, I’m fine.” It was amazing how the absence of pain could feel so wonderful. But she had more pressing things on her mind. “Richard, does anyone know what happened?”
He shook his head. “They think you might be ill. A lot of them are moving their wagons away from us. As for my parents, they think you started the woman’s time of month and you threw up because you were too hot. It’s happened a couple times to Sally in the past.” He shrugged. “I didn’t know what else to say.”
She reached for his hand and squeezed it. “That will work. As long as no one knows the truth…”
“No one does. I buried everything. There’s no way anyone will find out.”
“Thank you, Richard.”
“I just want you to be alright. You know I’ll do anything for you, don’t you?”
She smiled. “I do. You’ve always been good to me. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it.”
“Well, friends are supposed to be good to each other.”
“Yes, but I think you were good to me because your feelings ran deeper than friendship. I had no idea.”
“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we’re here now.”
“I love you, Richard.”
She said the words before she had time to think them through. Her initial reaction was to take them back, but then she realized it was true. Somewhere along the way, her feelings for him had changed. It was impossible to pinpoint when it’d happened. At first, her only thought had been to get Joe to leave her and Richard alone.
It was why she decided to spend the night with Richard in bed when they were at the hotel. It was why she encouraged him to make love to her since then. It was why she’d made it a point to play the part of the loving wife when others were looking. But somewhere along the way, she’d stopped pretending. She just didn’t realize it until now.
Richard brushed a couple strands of her hair from her forehead then leaned forward to kiss it. Afterwards, he pressed his forehead to hers and whispered, “There was never anyone for me but you, and there never will be.”
She put her arms around his shoulders. “There’ll never be anyone for me but you either.”
After a few moments passed, he settled down beside her and brought her into his arms. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
***
That evening, Amanda sat inside her and Richard’s wagon. The spot Richard had cleared for her was a small one, but she didn’t require much room. She was too relieved the pain was over to concern herself with much else. Besides, everyone but Richard’s family had moved their wagons far enough from them that she was pretty much alone, which was what she wanted at the moment.
She could hear Richard’s family nearby as they gathered their things for the night. At the moment, Tom and Joel were arguing about Becky, and if Amanda understood right, Joel was saying he didn’t believe Becky really kissed Tom. She couldn’t help but chuckle. No matter what Tom did, she suspected Joel would give him a hard time about it.
Poor Tom. He was such sweet person, much like Richard. But Joel had a mischievous spark in him that refused to leave Tom alone. Richard’s saving grace was his age. Joel was no match for a twenty-year-old.
Richard climbed up into the wagon, holding a bowl of soup. “My mother wanted you to try this. I know you said you weren’t that hungry, but could you try to eat some of it?”
Catching the concerned expression in his eyes, she nodded and held her hands out to take the bowl. It was still warm from when he’d offered it to her an hour ago.
“My mother kept it warm for you,’ he explained, as if he could read her mind.
“She didn’t have to do that for me,” she whispered.
He moved aside a pile of clothes that was next to her and sat beside her. “She wanted to. She’s worried about you.” After a moment, he added, “They all are.”
“I’ll be fine. I already feel much better.”
“My mother never had a miscarriage. I don’t know what else to expect.”
“It’s over,” she said, stirring the spoon in the soup. “My sister had a couple of them. Once the pain was over, my sister had her flow for almost two weeks and that was it. Then she had her monthly cycles. The body does a good job of taking care of itself.”
“Are you alright?”
“I’m relieved,” she whispered, staring at the soup in front of her. “I should be sad, shouldn’t I? My sister was devastated each time it happened to her. She cried for days.” Amanda swallowed the lump in her throat. “Does it make me a bad person because I’m not sad?”
“No. Considering the circumstances surrounding the baby’s conception, I don’t see how you could feel any other way.” Richard put his arm around her shoulders and brought her closer to him.
She leaned into him, grateful—as always—for his strength. “What would I do without you?”
“You’ll never have to find out. I’m not going anywhere.”
Though she didn’t expect it, a tear fell down her cheek. She brushed it away. “I hope I’ll have your children, Richard.”
“I’m sure you will.”
“But what if I don’t? My sister hasn’t been able to have a child yet.”
He brushed aside a lock of her hair so he could kiss her cheek. “We’ll take things one day at a time. If we have children, we have children. If we don’t, then it’s not meant to be. Either way, the important thing is we’re together.”
“You’ve always been there for me, Richard. I didn’t realize just how much until recently.”
“There’s nothing I won’t do for you.”
There was no doubt his words were true. She wished she’d noticed sooner. What might have things been like if she’d married him instead of going to live with her sister?
“Can you eat something?” he softly encouraged.
Realizing he’d feel be
tter if she did, she took a spoonful of the soup and put it in her mouth. The warm liquid was soothing, and she had to admit it tasted wonderful, especially after not eating anything since breakfast.
“It’s good,” she told him then took another spoonful.
He picked up the canteen resting next to her. “I should get you more water.”
As he scooted toward the exit, she asked, “Will you stay in here with me tonight, even though it’s hot?”
When he looked back at her, he smiled. “Of course, I will. You didn’t even have to ask.”
She returned his smile then turned her attention back to the soup as he left.
Chapter Twenty
The next morning, Richard was coming back from the stream with a pail of water when Joe came up to him. “How is Amanda doing?” Joe asked, not bothering with the pleasantries Richard had expected.
“She’s better,” Richard said. “Did you want to head out today?”
“No. Everyone’s scared she has something contagious. They won’t let you leave with us if we head out today. I told them we’d wait until tomorrow, to give everyone time to see how things play out through the day.”
“Thank you.” Richard didn’t relish the idea of being left behind, and he was sure his parents and Amanda didn’t either.
“Look, in order to do the best thing for everyone, I need to know the truth. What happened with Amanda yesterday?”
“Just what I told you. She started her monthly flow and the heat got to be too much for her.”
“We’ve had plenty of hot days, and she’s had to have had her flow at some point during this trip.” Joe put his hands on his hips and let out a long sigh. “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me the truth. What made Amanda throw up? Why was she having abdominal pain?”
Richard shifted from one foot to the other. The pail suddenly seemed heavy, and he had the urge to hurry over to his family. But if he ran off, he’d look guilty, and he couldn’t afford to do that.
“I don’t know what you want to hear,” Richard finally said, “but that’s the truth. Amanda’s not sick. She just needed time to rest. She’s kept all her food down since then. She had soup last night and she’s hungry this morning. Isn’t that enough?”
Wagon Trail Bride (Pioneer Series Book 1) Page 15
