by J. R. Biery
“Dying, you faker,” but the words died in a gasp.
Claire’s mind raced with all the possibilities of what the man had done now. She tried to tilt her head, but it would have been impossible to see what he was doing without turning around and staring. This time she heard the words he said and felt dizzy for Bonnie. If only Henry would ever say anything so wonderful to her.
“I love watching the shamrocks bloom in your eyes. I love you. I want to make you my wife.”
Claire held her breath in happiness for her friend. She waited to hear her say yes. Instead, she looked back and saw Bonnie leaning forward to kiss him.
She had heard all her friend’s arguments before, but the woman had also told her how tempted she was to ignore the scandal and just have an affair with the man. When Claire had looked at her in disbelief, Bonnie had admitted she would never do it, but lord she was tempted.
When Bonnie raised her head from the kiss, both his hands had fallen away and she knew he had passed out again. The wagon wheel hit a rut and his head rolled against the wagon bed. As though it was what she had been made to do, Bonnie curved into the space between his head and the wagon seat ahead and cushioned his body with the curves of her own.
Claire felt her friend move, knew it meant the soldier had slipped back into his dreams again. With Bonnie so close, Claire dared to whisper. “I see what you mean, the man could be a poet. What I wouldn’t give to have a man talk to me so passionately.”
“You didn’t see what he was doing with his hands?”
At Claire’s no, Bonnie raised up to whisper. “If he’s like this now, as weak as a kitten and sick to boot, how will I ever be able to handle him when he’s well? The situation is impossible. He has his enlistment to serve out, and the Indians are on the warpath everywhere. He could be shot or killed at any time.”
“That’s no argument. Any of us could die at any time. God doesn’t promise us anything in this life, only in the next,” Claire whispered.
“Which I’ll never have if I surrender to sin in this one. But even if Calum were free, the boys would still be in the army and I don’t worry about them when he is in charge to protect them. It’s all impossible. If I ever see Tarn, I’m liable to shoot him on sight.”
Calum moaned restlessly and Bonnie lowered her voice. “Besides, I want to buy property, set up my own claim, build a house to bring the rest of my family west to join me. That all takes time and work. Maybe by the time his enlistment is ended, and I am free from Tarn, then maybe we can work it out.”
Claire heard her friend sigh and sighed as well. As difficult as it was, as many obstacles as Bonnie had between her and marriage to Calum Douglas, Claire was jealous. At least Bonnie knew what she wanted. She loved a man and he loved and wanted her.
But for Claire, every day was torture. She loved Henry Lambton, knew in her heart that she had loved him from the moment she walked into his store. Now his wife was gone, there should be no obstacle between them. Instead, Henry barely acknowledged her, avoided her like the plague, and had never in word her action shown her that he loved her as well. It was hopeless.
<><><>
As the wagon rolled forward, slow mile by mile, Claire studied the couple behind her. Claire again felt a wave of jealousy. Bonnie dozed with the man she loved rolling softly against her breasts with each bounce. She had everything within her grasp and still she stubbornly refused to take it.
In little more than a week they would be in Utah. Brigham Young argued there was no such thing as bigamy, that God himself had ordained polygamy as the natural state for a man.
<><><>
Claire was surprised when she realized Bonnie’s light brown eyes were open, staring into her blue ones. Carefully the tall woman eased the sleeping man’s head back onto the pillow and extricated herself from the narrow space. It took a minute for her to rise, not wanting to make a misstep in the jolting wagon onto her patient. Finally, she climbed over the seat and sat in the open air beside her friend. Bonnie stretched her arms overhead to take a deep breath and pushed the sweat dampened hair back from her cheek.
The two girls shared a smile as Bonnie flapped her skirts and Claire copied the motions. “Maybe we can shed our petticoats without anyone noticing,” Claire whispered.
“All those noisy thoughts of yours woke me up. How long was I asleep?” Bonnie asked.
“I’m not sure, not very long.
“So tell me what had you fuming?”
“Well, if a man like Young can have multiple wives, Father said the last paper he read claimed fifty-five, surely a woman can have two husbands.”
“Sounds too logical. That would only be true if Brigham Young didn’t regard women as lower than his cattle. He probably walks through his house and snaps his fingers, ‘you there, fetch my slippers, you, put down that silverware and come rub my back, and you…’” Bonnie waggled her eyebrows and pretended to pull on her long bushy beard. Both girls laughed, then looked guiltily behind them, and laughed softer.
“I’ve told myself the same thing. Why can’t I have two? One a devil and brute, the other a loving, kind man,” Bonnie said with a sigh. Behind them Calum wiped the smile from his face and struggled to keep his eyes closed.
“Even without a husband already, I’m not sure would be fair to marry him. We talked about the possibility of my being barren. A woman who was held captive longer than I had just given birth to a half-breed. I had to talk her out of drowning him, told her she was being silly. But you know how people treat those at home who are mixed race. It’s bound to be a harder life for her and those little boys.”
“Your children wouldn’t be mixed race,” Claire protested.
“No, but we’ll have to talk again about the children. It’s not fair to deny a handsome man from having his own sons and daughters.”
Claire started to protest, but Bonnie shook her head. “You should have seen his face the first time I told him. It’s not a little thing.” Bonnie put both feet up on the front board of the wagon, pushing against it. She turned to stare at Claire’s little pout of disappointment.
“What’s your sad song? Nobody loves me, everybody is telling lies about me, or is it there’s not a man alive on this wagon train that would make a suitable husband – that isn’t already married.”
Claire nodded and Bonnie bumped shoulders with her on the bouncing seat. “Don’t worry, old Willow’s got a plan, trust me. We’ll get you a husband and married, just like that.” She snapped her fingers for emphasis and Calum grunted.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
The air was cool after the smothering heat of the day. Claire pulled on her lace shawl, secured her gloves and bonnet, and stepped down into the waiting company. Bonnie wore the same as every day, her brown Lindsey-woolsey dress, although she had added a lace shawl as well. Of course the Lieutenant wore his blue and gold uniform, the children wore hats and the twins had added the dark coats they had nearly outgrown.
Calum Douglas had asked the Wimberley’s, who were her guardians on the trail, for permission to walk out with Bonnie. Courting permission had been granted, with the understanding that until she became a widow or the bonds were severed by the Bishop in Boston, the couple were to remain strictly chaperoned.
“It’s like the first day of communion,” Claire whispered to Bonnie. Bonnie gave her a hug, then Bonnie looped her arm in Calum’s and with the parents leading the way, the giggling younger children ran behind. As the parents passed each campfire, they spoke to the campers, introduced both couples as walking out and accepted the customary congratulations and teasing. For the first time, Claire realized that she and Henry were not along merely as chaperones.
Ignoring everyone else, she stared at the handsome man beside her, noted the fine tailored suit, the way his hair and mustache had both been washed, trimmed and brushed. As her eyes dropped to the ground, she saw he wore his highly polished black leather shoes. They were only ankle high and had tied laces. Shoes so stylish had to be Italian
.
When she looked up this time, he held out his arm, giving her a knowing smile. “Shall we begin our walk together, Miss Wimberley?”
Her stomach fluttered like she had swallowed a swarm of butterflies. Shaking, she took the arm that was so gallantly offered and straightened her back. Head held high so that the lace on the tiny bonnet barely fluttered, she began the most exciting evening of her life.
After the first promenade around the campground, her parents and the children left the silent couples to meander around on their own. All were aware of the curious campers glancing their way, probably looking for any improprieties.
Claire laughed nervously. “My goodness, no wonder Mother fussed over my preparations. And even loaned me her hat. That was something. They never did that for any of my other suitors.”
“Perhaps,” Henry whispered, “none of your other callers had announced their intentions.”
Intentions, was he proposing? Had he made up his mind without even a word to her about his feelings, without a single kiss? Didn’t she have anything to say about things?
Suddenly Claire was having trouble breathing. She had insisted Mother help her lace her corset. After all the walking and activity of the last few weeks, she had lost weight and the corset was almost too big. Mother had protested that she didn’t need it, she was tiny enough, but Claire had insisted. Until she felt the bone of the corset pressed into her skin, she didn’t think it was working. The reward had been her perfect hourglass shape in the dark purple wool dress. She knew she looked glamorous, but her spring dress, bonnet was wrong. Hence Mother’s dark one with its lace trim provided by Mary Anne.
As she gasped and looked pale, Henry called to the others that they were stopping. He helped Claire to the outer edge of the circle, held her gloved hand as she sank onto a low rock. The raised arm worked. Claire gulped in a deep breath and then another.
Now she was so low she realized she had noticed these shoes before. He was dancing at the Grand Hotel in St. Louis, with Bella. The thought made her dizzy. Had everyone known, but her?
Henry squatted down in front of her. His face in shadows, but only his kind blue eyes were locked on hers. “I thought you would be happy.”
“Tell me,” she gulped for air. “Tell me what you told them your intentions are.” Claire was surprised that her breathless voice carried enough force to be heard.
“I told them I’d decided to remarry. That I would like to court you, to find out if you might be the one.”
“And Father said yes,” Claire demanded.
“They both gave me their blessing, on the one condition that I do nothing to hurt you. That if I decided you were not the right girl, that I make it clear and not do anything to encourage your feelings. I promised I would be respectful of you, always.”
Claire took another ragged gulp of breath. “Good enough, as long as you haven’t presumed too much.”
She stood up quickly, leaving a confused Henry below her.
When he rose and took her arm, he tried to be as nonchalant. “We’ll need to catch up to the others.”
Claire shook her head and he saw the curls bounce against her shoulder. “No need, they are there.”
Henry looked ahead and saw the tall couple, wrapped in each other’s arms as they shared a passionate kiss. Henry shook his head and blushed. When he turned to look at Claire he was shocked by the wistful look in her blue eyes. Suddenly he wasn’t so sure he had agreed to the right thing.
All week, as Calum lay recovering, he talked most nights about how he needed help to woo Bonnie. The man had been amazingly forthright with his feelings, his desperate need for the tall athletic girl. Finally, Henry had agreed to his plan to each court one of the friends. He stared from Claire’s rapturous face to the couple still kissing. The soldier had moved one of his hands to press the woman tightly against his groin.
Henry was shocked when he heard Bonnie groan. Red-faced and confused, he wrapped Claire’s hand around his arm and coughed loudly. “Lieutenant, the Wimberley’s will be waiting for us to pass.”
Before he could say more, Calum released the girl. Henry was not surprised when the Lieutenant’s knees sagged a little. He rushed forward to support his other side as Bonnie kept Calum’s arm wrapped around her shoulder to support it. Claire rushed along beside her friend, taking out a fan from her drawstring bag to flutter at the soldier.
When they reached the Wimberley’s, Ian and Shawn rushed forward to collect the Lieutenant and help carry him back to Henry’s wagon. “Sorry sir, apparently, a third walk around was too much for Lieutenant Douglas. We stopped to let him rest,” Henry said. Bonnie excused herself and followed the boys to check on her ‘patient.’
Claire looked breathless herself and made her excuses and disappeared to her parents’ wagon. With the children already in bed, the campsite appeared deserted. One of the black and white dogs stood in the opening of the boy’s tent and gave a condemning bark to Henry before disappearing.
“And so the whirlwind courtship begins,” Henry muttered as he tugged at the tight knot of his tie on the way to the wagon. He coughed loudly and the Magee girl had the good grace to come flying out of the wagon.
<><><>
Henry stood, still fuming. He carefully removed the tie and folded it. He brushed his jacket and pants and hung them between the pressing boards inside his trunk. He removed the shirt, sniffed it, and then carefully hung it inside before closing the trunk.
Calum rolled over on the full-size bed and grinned at him. “Thanks, fast thinking.”
Henry glared at him as he sat on the narrow cot and unhappily surveyed the arrangement. “I think, sir, if you are well enough to make love, you are well enough to let me have my bed back.”
Calum smiled, clearly amused at the angry young man. “I did all this for you, and besides, I barely fit in this bed.”
Henry stood, clearly furious. He shook his finger at the soldier who tried very hard to keep a straight face. “Claire had no idea I had spoken to her parents. She nearly fainted when I told her. But then she looked angry about it. I’m not sure she even likes me. All evening, she barely kept hold of my arm.”
Calum did laugh. “Man, do you have a lot to learn about women. Come over here and sit down so Bonnie’s brothers or those McKinney twins don’t hear.”
“Have you been married?” Henry fired back. Calum shook his head, raised his hands. “Well, I was married for over two years. Perhaps I should explain what I know about women.”
Calum tried to keep a straight face as he nodded, “Perhaps you should. But come over closer, again, we don’t want the lads to eavesdrop.”
Henry looked distrustful of the larger man, especially since he was now shirtless and probably pantless. Henry had been shocked the first time he saw the soldier without the blue uniform. He did wear the customary knitted underwear issued by the army, but only the bottom, not the top. He claimed it was too hot in the summer for them, so he left them at home.
Had Bonnie, had that young woman, helped him to remove them?
Henry realized he’d said the question out loud when Calum gave up the battle and laughed, “Hell no, she skedaddled out of here when I started unbuttoning my blouse.”
The truth was he had been able to maneuver her close enough to steal another kiss after her brother’s left by pretending to be in pain. Then Henry had coughed and she had fled, without the kiss.
“Well, I know she is a married woman, unlike Claire, but I was shocked at the liberties she permitted you to take.”
This time it was Calum’s turn to look outraged. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and started to stand up. Henry stepped back onto his side of the wagon.
“I’m sorry, I was just shocked when you kissed her with me and Claire present to witness it. You must have forgotten that Claire has been a sheltered girl, and…”
Calum did rise and now loomed over him. “I took no liberties that weren’t permitted. I love Bonnie and intend to marry her
, even if I have to track down this brute Tarn Michaels and make her a widow.”
“Well, excuse me, I didn’t know murder was part of your courtship plan,” Henry said, without backing down this time.
“Hey, quieten down in there. We’re trying to get some sleep.” Both men froze, realizing for the first time that they had been yelling
“Trust me, Henry, she more than likes you. Bonnie told me she,” he sank down, lowering his voice even more. If it had been Robert Wimberley yelling at them, he didn’t want him to hear this. “She has been tortured with guilt ever since she met you. Since you were married, she knew she had no right, but she still had feelings for you,” Calum whispered.
Henry sank onto the cot behind him. “Don’t, don’t tell me things to dupe me, just so I continue helping you seduce Bonnie. She’s too good a woman for that kind of game. And Claire, Claire…” his voice faded away as he stretched out on the cot.
“That’s right, get some sleep, Henry. Whatever you think, you’re wrong. I would never do anything to harm Bonnie. What I said about Claire is true, she has deep feelings for you. That’s why she nearly swooned when she learned you had talked to her father.” As he talked, he spread the thin blanket over the shocked young man.
Calum stepped back and sat on his own bed, then swung his legs up again. Neither man had used a light to undress so there was none to blow out. In the distance, Calum heard two men exchange words as they passed in the night. For a minute, he thought he heard a sob or cough from Henry’s bunk. The man turned away and Calum spread his own blanket, wincing as he used his stiff shoulder.
Somehow, he had made Henry cry. The possible reasons raced through his mind. But the last made the most sense. The fool loved the girl too, but had never had the courage to admit it to himself. For an old married man, Henry seemed to know very little about love.
