She was glad the children didn’t have a problem with leaving their father. Becky had already made friends with Joe, and Will had gone to sleep soon after the festivities began, so he didn’t care where he slept. Ivy had insisted on putting him in their wagon. Now, Becky was sleeping there, too.
To keep up appearances, Ulla climbed into the back of the wagon that would be their home for the next five or six months. Without a word, Cord followed her.
When they were inside, he dropped the flap, turned around to her and whispered, “I haven’t forgotten my promise to you, Ulla. You don’t have to worry about tonight. I’m not going to touch you.”
It was good to hear him reiterate his promise and it helped her to relax somewhat. “Thank you, Cord, but I never doubted you’d not keep your word. I may not know you well, but I believe you’re a man of your word.”
He dropped to one of the mattresses and began taking off his boots. “What did your uncle say when you left today?”
“I didn’t tell him. Aunt Vida was working in the store, so they gave me the afternoon off. It worked out perfectly for me to go home and get dressed for our wedding.”
“So they didn’t know you were getting married?”
“No. I was afraid they’d try to stop me. I think I told you they planned to marry me off to a dreadful man and I wanted to get away before they knew where I was going.”
“I guess they’ll know you’ve gone somewhere when you don’t show up at home tonight.”
“Probably not. They’ll think I’m shut up in my room because I wanted to get away from them. I do that sometimes. They’ll find out in the morning when I don’t go downstairs to go to work in the store, but it’ll be too late to do anything about it. I left them a letter wishing them well with the store and telling them Colton should marry their daughter Claudine.”
“Why did you do that?”
“Because I think Claudine is going to have Colton’s baby.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “That doesn’t bother you?”
“Not at all. I told you, to me he was a terrible man. If there was anything I could’ve done about it, I’d never have let them think I’d marry him in the first place. I knew all the time I couldn’t stand the thoughts of being his wife. I’d rather have to spend the rest of my life alone.”
“Are you saying you think I might be the better man?”
“I know you are, Cord Dermott.”
“Then, I’m lucky that Colton wasn’t a viable choice for you. Maybe things will work out for us quicker than you think.” She didn’t say anything. He chuckled and took off his coat. “I don’t want to embarrass you, Ulla, so if you’ll turn your back, I’m going to get out of these clothes. I’ve never felt comfortable in a suit like this. As soon as I’m decent, I’ll provide you the same privacy to change your clothes.”
Her heart beat faster as she whirled around. She didn’t want to admit, even to herself, that she would have liked to watch him take his clothes off.
~ * ~
A loud horn sounded and Ulla sprang up with a little scream. She was confused and scared and not sure where she was.
“It’s all right, Ulla,” Cord said as he moved beside her. “It’s just the wagon master blowing his trumpet. I forgot to tell you he’ll be doing that at four o’clock every morning.”
Still half asleep, she muttered, “Did you say four o’clock?”
“Yes. It takes a while to get the animals harnessed up and to take care of the other things that have to be done in the mornings. We have to start preparing to pull out early.” Cord rose and started buttoning his pants.
“Then I better get dressed, too.”
“Good idea. I don’t want my new wife going out there in her night clothes.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.” She pulled the sheet up to her chin. “What am I supposed to do while you’re working with the animals?”
“Pete said last night he’d get a fire going so it would be great if you’d make us a cup of coffee. Maybe fry a little bacon. There probably won’t be time for biscuits. We’ll have a bigger meal later today.”
“I sent some cheese and bread and a few cookies with the last things Wilbur delivered to your wagon. We can use that bread to make bacon sandwiches.”
“Sounds good.” He took his black hat from a peg on one of the wagon spines.
“It won’t take me long to get dressed and I’ll get some food together. I’ll also milk the cow so the children can have milk. That’s something that’ll have to be done every morning, too.”
He asked, “Would you check on the children as soon as they get up?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’ll see you later.” And he was gone.
Ulla slipped into a blue checked cotton dress, ran a comb through her hair, twisted and pinned it on the top of her head and climbed out of the wagon. She made a quick dash to the area the women used to take care of their personal needs and when she returned she heard a child whimpering. Knowing it had to be Will, she walked up to the Nettleton wagon.
Ivy turned from her position at the cook fire. “I think he wants his family.”
“I’ll get him. Is Becky awake?”
“Yes, I am.” Becky climbed out of the wagon.
“Then you come too, honey. You can help me find your daddy some coffee.”
She scrambled out of the wagon. “I know where he keeps it.”
“Just bring your cups over. I already have a pot on the fire and I’ve started slicing the bacon. There’ll be enough for all of us.” She laughed. “Of course, if I remember our agreement, we’re supposed to fix our meals together. We might as well start today.”
“I have a loaf of bread. We can slice that to use with the bacon and as soon as I get the cow milked, we’ll have milk for the children with some left over to share with others.”
Will acted like he wasn’t sure he wanted to go with Ulla, but when she told him they were going to find a cow, he calmed down and actually grinned.
“You go ahead and milk the cow. I’m sure the children would like a cup of milk. And I’ll have the food ready when you get back. The men should be ready to eat by then, but if they’re not, we’ll feed the children.”
“And maybe ourselves?” Ulla said with a twinkle in her eye.
“And ourselves, for sure.”
“Thank you, Ivy. I’ll get the bread when I get back.”
“I’d like some milk with my bacon,” Joe said. “I’ll even go help you milk the cow if you want me to, Miss Ulla. Can Springer come?”
“Thank you, Joe, but I think you should leave Springer tied to your wagon. They’re moving the oxen and other animals around and he could get hurt.”
Though he looked disappointed, he said, “I’m glad you told me. I don’t want Springer to get hurt.”
Ulla saw his disappointment and added, “Grab one of those buckets from under my wagon and we’ll get that cow milked in no time. By the time we get back, it’ll probably be safe to let Springer go.”
Within an hour, the cow had been milked, the milk strained, the children and the mothers all fed. Ulla sat in one of the camp chairs with Will on her lap. Becky sat in another chair beside her. They were nibbling on an apple she had peeled and sliced for them.
Joe and Springer had gone with his mother to the Mahoney wagon to take his friend, Carney and his sister, Kathleen, some milk. Ivy had returned and busied herself working around her wagon. Joe stayed at the Mahoney wagon to play with his friend, Carney.
Cord walked up leading the cow. “Well, what a pretty picture you all make.”
Becky jumped up and ran to her father. “Daddy, us and Mama milked the cow and we ate bacon and now we’re eating apples she made us. Miss Ivy made you some coffee, but Mama said we should drink milk.”
“Milk,” Will said, patted Ulla’s check and giggled.
When Cord tied the cow to the back of the wagon, Ulla said, “Ivy made bacon for everyone and it’s still hot and waiting for you and Pete.
I hope you don’t mind that I fed the children and ate. If you’ll take Will, I’ll be glad to get you something.”
“Don’t get up. I can get it. He looks comfortable with you.”
“Mama’s afraid Will wants to pet the mules. He calls them cows.”
Cord frowned. “Cows?”
Ulla nodded. “He keeps pointing at the mules and saying ‘cow’ and I’m afraid to let him down. His legs might be short, but he toddles fast when he wants to. I’m afraid he might decide he wants to pet the cows. Of course, now that the cow is here, he’ll go straight for it, I’m sure.”
“Cow.” Will began to wiggle in her lap.
“Yes, sweetheart. The cow is here, but you have to stay with Mama.”
“Hold him tight. We don’t want him to tangle with one of the mules or the cow. They’re all ornery.”
“Don’t worry. I will.” She sighed. “I feel guilty for putting the idea in his head in the first place. I took him with me when I went to milk this morning. I held him and let him rub the cow’s neck.”
“Don’t feel guilty, Ulla. You did nothing wrong. Kids love animals and when they’re as small as Will, they have no way of knowing how dangerous it can be to make friends with a wild beast.”
“I know that, but you brought me here to take care of the children and if one of them gets hurt, it’d be my fault.”
“Mama won’t let us get hurt, Daddy.”
“Ma-ma,” Will said, and patted her cheek again.
Cord smiled at his daughter. “I know she won’t, Becky, and I’m not going to argue with her about it. I’m going to get some coffee and something to eat.”
In a minute he was back with a cup of steaming coffee in one hand and a hunk of bread wrapped around bacon in the other. He stood beside Ulla. “It’s a jumbled mess up front. Seems like every wagon is trying to get to the front of the line.”
Becky stood at her father’s knees. “Why don’t we go first, Daddy?”
“We’ll get our turn, honey. Every night when the wagons are circled, the person that was second in the row gets to be first the next day. The one that was first the previous day goes to the back of the line. We’ll rotate like that daily. I figured it was best to be a ways back in the beginning. By the time we get to be first, we’ll be hitting some dusty dry areas and it’ll be good to be in front.”
Ulla looked at him. “That makes sense. How many wagons are in the train?”
“Twenty-two.”
“Then if there’s an average of four people to the wagon that means we have at least eighty-eight people on this trip. A hundred and ten, if the average is five.”
He chucked and winked at her. “Sounds like you still like adding things. Must be your shop-keeping background.”
“I guess it does come naturally to me.” She smiled at him. “If you want milk in your coffee, I set a cup in the back of the wagon and covered it with a towel. I didn’t want the flies around here to get in it and there seems to be a lot of them since you hitched up the animals.”
“Thank you, Ulla, but I drink my coffee black.” He stood when Pete walked up.
Pete nodded. He had a cup in his hand. His voice was jovial when he said, “I see you beat me to the food.”
“I did and I’m about ready for another cup of coffee. I hope you didn’t drink it all.”
Pete chuckled. “I made a dent in it, so you better hurry.”
“I will.” Cord went for more coffee.
When he returned, Pete asked. “How much longer do you think it’ll be before we start moving?”
“I bet it’ll be at least twenty minutes.”
“I’m going to say ten.”
Ivy walked up. “Those men will bet on anything. Isn’t that a strange way to start a friendship?”
Ulla shook her head. “It sure is. When I’d kid my father about some silly action he pulled off with his friends, he’d laugh at me and say he was just a little boy in a grown man’s skin. I’m beginning to believe all men are.”
Pete turned to his wife and put his arm around her shoulder. “They don’t have much faith in us, do they, Cord?”
“Doesn’t sound like it.”
Pete looked down at Ivy. “Where’s Joe?”
“He’s with his friend, Carney Mahoney. Ulla sent them some milk for breakfast. Charlene promised to send him back when they saw we were about ready to leave.”
“Then he should be coming soon. I can see some wagons up ahead that look like they’re starting to shift.”
Becky looked at Ulla. “Joe don’t want to play with me no more. He said he likes to play with boys better.”
Ulla patted her arm. “Boys are like that, honey. Don’t worry. When they get older, they like girls better than they do boys.”
Cord shook his head. “Unfortunately that’s about the time daddies don’t think it’s a good idea for their daughters to make friends with boys.”
They all laughed.
“What’s funny?”
“Nothing, Becky. Nothing.” Cord patted the top of her head. “It’s time I got everything in the wagon or hung on the side. We’ll be moving out soon.”
Ulla stood. “Then you should hang up these chairs. I’ll get the milk out of the wagon so it won’t spill on the mattress.”
Cord took the chair and folded it. “Watch out for the cow. She’s as ornery as the mules this morning.”
“Cow,” Will said and began patting Ulla’s face for the third time. As he did, he let out a long string of jabber that nobody understood.
Chapter Seven
Vida and Alton were about half through the morning meal when he pulled out his watch. “I wonder why Ulla hasn’t come down to breakfast. She usually beats me to the food.”
“If she doesn’t come down soon, she’s going to have to work today without breakfast. I don’t know if I’ll allow her to leave work to get anything to eat at noon if she can’t be more respectful of our rules.”
“I don’t blame you, Vida, but we did miss her a little after you let her go home yesterday afternoon.”
“I admit you’re right. She might not be good for anything else, but she sure knows everything there is to know about that store… but not to worry. We’ll soon know all that she knows. She’s not that smart.”
He chuckled. “I guess I took it for granted she’d always be there to find whatever a customer wants. She can get to the stock room and pull it out before I can find it, but I believe you’re right. With you helping, we’ll be doing it soon.”
“Well, don’t fret while we’re catching up. I have an idea what to do. I’ve decided that Claudine is going to start coming in to help in the store every day. She’s smart and I’m sure Ulla won’t mind teaching her. Before long she’ll know as much about the business as our niece does.” She smiled. “Then we won’t need Ulla at all.”
“Our plan will have worked out perfectly, won’t it, my dear?”
“Yes, Alton. It sure will. Thanks to her marriage to Colton, we’ll have everything we want. Then our headstrong niece will learn what it’s like to have to go without everything she wants.”
“I’m glad you pushed me into talking Grady into leaving the house to us without his daughter ever knowing I did it. It was the right thing to do, Vida.”
“I knew we had to do it when I learned the old fool wanted to leave her everything because he said she was smart enough run the business by herself. Look where we’d be if your brother had not caved into our wishes.”
“She probably could run the store, but since he put it in writing, she’ll never get a chance to do it now.”
Vida grinned. “That’s right. Now she’s turned the store over to us. All we have to do is let her teach us all about running it; then we can get rid of her.”
“I thought you just said it was set that she was going to marry Colton and he was going to get the money I couldn’t talk Grady into letting me manage.”
“Oh I did, Alton. When we get the money, I plan to throw her and hi
m both out of the house. I don’t know what they’ll do then. He’s too lazy to work so I guess she’ll have to support them.”
“Maybe we’ll give her a job in the store. I’ll pay her a dollar a day, just like I do Wilbur.”
“I thought you said Wilbur quit.”
“That’s right. He did.”
“Honestly, Alton. Sometimes I think you’re losing it. Do you want some more coffee?”
“A bit… then we’ve got to go. Maybe you better go see what’s keeping Ulla.”
“The lazy girl is probably trying to make us think she’s sick.” Vida stood. “I’ll wake Claudine and have her go with us today. We might as well start implementing our plan of her learning all about the store.”
Vida went up the stairs and knocked on Claudine’s door. “Get up, honey. You’re going to work in the store with me today.”
“Oh, Mother. I don’t want to get up yet.”
“Don’t argue with me, sweetheart. Your father and I have a wonderful plan to discuss with you. Come along, now.”
“Oh, all right.”
Vida moved on to Ulla’s room. Knocking on the door, she yelled, “What’s holding you up, girl? You’re going to be late to work. Get out here.”
There was no answer and Vida frowned.
She yelled again.
When there was still no answer, she tried the door. It wasn’t locked and she opened it. “I’m coming in. You better be up and dressed.”
Vida was shocked to see the bed made and nobody in the room. She still called out, “Ulla, where are you?”
Of course there was no answer.
Vida looked around and her eyes landed on an envelope propped against the pitcher sitting in the bowl on Ulla’s dresser. She walked over and grabbed it. Aunt Vida and Uncle Alton was written across the front.
Vida started to rip it open, but Claudine called, “Where are you, Mama?”
“I’m here.” Vida stuck the letter in her pocked and hurried to her daughter’s room. “What is it, honey?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m sick, Mama. I’m throwing up and…” She grabbed her stomach and ran to the chamber pot.
“Claudine, what’s the matter with you?”
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