by Caryl McAdoo
“Don’t have to. I already did.”
“But—”
He waved her off. “When we’re done with ’em, I should be able to get my money back. I mean to get you to Jefferson in time to sell your cotton, Sue.”
She lowered her head and cleared her throat. “Thank you, Henry.”
“You’re welcome.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY
SUE WAS PLEASED to be on the trace again and could hardly believe how easily her four mules pulled the load now. It pained her so bad that she’d been such a shrew with Henry for taking so long and buying so much. Good Lord, she chided herself, he was only trying to be wonderful. The poor man had only wanted to do everything he could to get her cotton to Jefferson in time.
Forgive me, Lord.
What a shame Henry Buckmeyer was such a confirmed bachelor, because he would make some woman a near-perfect husband. Well, except for his being unsaved. Any God-fearing woman would know better than to yoke herself up to a nonbeliever. Sue had never known a man like him, though, not even her Andy.
Henry’s selflessness amazed her, especially seeing as how he’d been alone all these years. His thoughtfulness, too. He acted so much like—so much like—Christ. What a paradox.
Never ever would she have considered buying more mules to help get to market in time, but he did and wanted to please her. Had she done anything on the journey, since she’d first ridden into his yard that day, specifically to please him? She couldn’t remember a thing and was shamed by that.
Oh, wait, she’d picked up a couple of pieces of deadfall. Mostly, though, she’d given him nothing but grief. She’d been stubborn, and short, and bossy. Elaine’s words about trying not to be so bossy came back to her. She should have listened to her friend. But why would Henry want to be so nice to her after all that?
Probably just another one of his admirable traits—doing whatever it took to get the job done. Maybe that was it, and he hadn’t done it for her sake at all, rather just to do what he’d been hired to do. No, that wasn’t it. She’d seen the joy in his face when he told her he bought those mules. He’d definitely done it to please her, help her.
She remembered what Becky had said, that he’d gotten her a surprise, too, and wondered if her daughter meant the new team. They weren’t really hers. They were his mules; he’d paid for them and even mentioned selling them later to get his money back. She loved the way he thought.
He wasn’t just handsome and selfless and thoughtful and generous, the man was extremely intelligent, too! She sighed. No matter how good he was, he needed the Lord. So what did she do? Live a horrible example of a Christian right in front of him. Why, a stranger would think he was the saved one and she was lost!
She sighed again, disgusted with herself.
Well, remaining single must be his life choice, because no doubt every unmarried woman he’d ever met did everything in her power to hook him, whether he was saved or not. Sue thought back to Lizbeth Aikin and had a whole new appreciation for the girl’s crush. Back then, Sue hadn’t known him that well yet. Henry had handled the young woman so gently and sweetly.
A perfect example of what she was talking about. How in the world had the busybodies back at Sulphur Fork gotten it so wrong, saying that he was a no-good layabout? She needed to set those ladies straight.
A small incline to the horizon made Sue realize again the ease with which the four mules pulled the load compared with only two on each wagon. She might actually be able to make Jefferson in three more days. She could hardly wait until her turn came to walk. She wanted to ask Henry how many miles per hour he thought they were making now.
She searched to her right and to her left, looking for her nephew, but he was nowhere to be seen. Probably back behind, walking next to Henry, enjoying talking to the man. Both the children seemed to prefer him over her, but that wasn’t hard to understand. So did she. The admission made her smile to herself.
Levi needed to be around a strong man. The difference in the boy— Well, she would hate to see him lose Henry’s fellowship. Being around the man had caused such an incredible growth in him, almost like going from a child to a grown-up. She knew how to teach a girl to grow up to be a proper woman, but how could she know how to turn a boy into a man? She had no clue.
Maybe Henry would allow Levi to visit and even stay with him some after the trip was over and everyone went back home. But then, she needed Levi’s help, too. Could she keep the place up and running without him? Even the thought of having gotten the cotton harvested without his help was daunting.
Where was that boy? She didn’t want to wait anymore. It seemed like it’d probably been almost two hours, and it was her turn to walk. Besides, she didn’t take pleasure in not having anyone to talk to. She stood to look for him. “Leee-vi!” She turned her head the other direction. “Le-viiiiiii!”
In no time, he came trotting up beside her wagon. “Yes, Aunt Sue?”
“I’m ready to walk awhile. Come on up, would you?”
“Sure.” He climbed aboard.
She handed him the reins. “How are the new mules doing?”
“Oh, they’re great. Good, well-mannered animals. Mister Henry seems real pleased with them.”
“Well, that’s excellent.” She rose to jump down. Looking toward the moving ground gave her pause every time, but she’d learned how, even if she would never enjoy it. “Sure was a grand idea.” She grabbed her skirt and took the leap, landing on her feet.
“Yes, ma’am,” Levi hollered. “That man is chock-full of great ideas.”
Sue walked slowly; the second rig rolled toward her. She couldn’t wait to talk to her children’s new favorite person. Though she found it a bit difficult not to be a little jealous, especially with Rebecca, she reveled in the children’s relationship with such a wonderful role model, and she decided she wouldn’t change a thing.
She and her daughter had always been best friends. At the same time, Sue couldn’t fathom being a little girl with no daddy at all—or a daddy like Henry either. She only hoped the man’s leaving at the end of the journey didn’t break her little girl’s heart. Maybe she could hire him to help around the place sometimes.
The mules got even with her. They truly were fine-looking specimens. When they passed, she looked back. Her daughter slept soundly, leaning into Henry. He finally came alongside.
“So, Levi says the new team is doing great. They’re beautiful animals.”
Henry nodded. “Yes, ma’am. As advertised; I’m happy with ’em. Titus bought the lot off a man going west on his way home.”
She had thought about what exactly to say and how to say it, even practiced while riding alone, but now that the opportunity to speak with him lay before her, she forgot everything she had rehearsed. “Henry, I, uh. Well, I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I guess for being me. I know I can be difficult at times—and that’s putting it mildly.”
He smiled. “Nothing to worry over.”
“But I just cannot seem to stop my tongue from wagging or being so sharp. It seems I’m always on the edge. I don’t intend to be mean, I truly don’t.” He looked down at her. She gave him a half smile, then faced the ground. She was proud she could have this talk without actually being face-to-face; it was easier not to have to look him in the eyes. “Holding my tongue has never been an easy thing for me. Lord knows I’ve prayed enough about it.”
He looked down and smiled. “I’ve taken no offense, Sue.”
“I’m so proud for that, but I’m afraid it’s one of my bad traits. I do seek God’s will daily.”
He smiled, but this one held no hint of smirk. “Hope that helps.”
Taken aback a bit, she speculated on exactly what he meant by that but decided not to pursue it. “So, to change the topic—and I thank you for letting me off the hook so easily—I’ve been wondering how many miles you think we’re making an hour now? I can hardly believe how mu
ch easier it seems for the mules.”
“Hard to say. I think we can make a fork Titus mentioned in a couple of hours. I’ll know better once we’re there. Should be a good place to camp.”
Two hours? He was thinking of stopping so early?
“But, Henry, shouldn’t we push on? How far is it anyway? And what makes it a good camping place?”
He sighed. “High ground.”
She looked toward the sun. “We’ve got better than four hours daylight.” With that, she made herself bless the Lord and, with great force of will, hush.
“If you want, we can go until dark or dark-thirty.”
Why did he have to speak in that tone and look at her as though he couldn’t believe what she’d just said? She hadn’t been sharp in the least; she was sure of it. Didn’t he appreciate that? Realize the effort it took?
“I’d like that better.”
“I’d like plenty of light to see to the new team. See how they do with your mules.”
“Aren’t they doing great? Levi said you said they were good animals. Why would you think there might be problems? Why is it necessary to lose a whole hour or two of daylight by stopping so early? Especially when we’re making such great time.”
He sighed. “It’s your call, boss.”
She sensed irritation. “All right. Well, I’ll think on it then.”
“If we reach that fork before we stop, Titus advised we keep to the west. It’s a bit farther on to Daingerfield’s Springs, but the folks living the other way reported it being soggy after the storm. Think on that, too, and let me know. I should be in front by then.”
“I will. Thank you.” Well, at least he had given in on going on longer—if that’s what she wanted to do. It clearly was not his preference. She let the wagon pull ahead, then slipped into the woods to take care of some pressing business. She wished she’d seen to it when in Pleasant Mound, but after the bad news about the moneymen leaving early, she hadn’t been thinking too straight.
She looked toward the sky. “Oh, Lord, please don’t let the buyers be gone.”
Ready to drive again by the time her hour of walking had ended, she caught back up with Henry. “Want me to relieve Levi and send him back here?”
He thought about it only a minute. “I think you can handle this team fine. They’re good actors. I’ll hop down and walk awhile if you want to come on up.”
She didn’t remember until she sat next to her daughter in the second wagon that the man hadn’t answered her question about how far that place was where he wanted to turn. And he had disappeared. “Becky, did you hear Mister Henry say anything about a fork?”
“No, ma’am, but Mister Titus did when we were leaving.” She hugged her doll. “Is my walking turn next? I think Blue Dog needs some exercise.”
Sue rolled her eyes. That dog surely was taking full advantage of his injuries. He’d been healing nicely, though, and she was thankful for that. “We’ll see if there’s enough light for you to have a turn this evening. Do you remember if Mister Titus mentioned how far the fork was?”
Becky nodded. “Yes, ma’am, he did. Said it was about eight miles.”
Eight miles, huh? That meant Henry thought they could be doing better than two and a half miles per hour if he believed they might reach the fork with daylight left. That was wonderful. She started calculating when they should arrive in Jefferson. Taking the longer west fork meant two full ten-hour days to get there on the third day. That sure would be cutting it close if the buyers left on Friday instead of Saturday.
Gratitude for the extra four mules washed over her again. Getting there in time with just her four would’ve been completely impossible. So, she had to decide. She had no doubt Henry would want to stop early and go the long, drier way. Maybe she should simply agree and do what he wanted. That would be the prudent way to go.
She really would rather have the comfort of pulling into Jefferson late Thursday night, but even going the shorter route, that would mean twelve-hour days. She sighed and looked down at Becky. A ten-hour day on those hard wooden seats wasn’t easy for her, and certainly not for a nine-year-old.
Sue had to trust that God knew exactly when she needed to be there. She pondered it awhile longer, then made her decision. She settled on doing what would please Henry. A peace washed over her, and she knew with certainty she’d made the right choice. That led her to a confidence that the buyers would still be there until Saturday waiting on her.
She really hated being the last one to arrive though. The others would probably all get a better price.
“So, Becky.”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“When you said Mister Henry had gotten a surprise for me, too, were you talking about the four mules?”
“Well, sure.”
Sue’s heart fell, but she was glad in some way that he hadn’t gotten her anything. It wasn’t like she’d even thought about buying him something. “Well, I love them, and I’m so proud he did. They are certainly a big blessing. We’re able to go much faster now, and we’ll be there by Saturday morning for sure. Will you be glad the trip’s over?”
“Sort of yes, and sort of no. It all depends.” Becky made her doll dance in her lap, then held it to Blue’s face as though the doll was giving him a kiss. “But that’s not all.”
“What’s not all? What are you talking about?”
She looked up at her with an exasperated expression. “The mules, silly!” Then her eyes sparkled, and she grinned, nodding her head. “Mister Henry got you something else, too.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
HER AGREEING TO STOP EARLIER pleased Henry. He’d have been more than disappointed if she’d chosen to push on. After all, it certainly looked as though he’d made it possible to get her cotton to Jefferson before the brokers sailed back to New Orleans. As he unhitched his mules, he tried to put that city away from his mind’s eye, but that awful memory of fighting for Old Hickory wouldn’t be denied. Made him relive those horrible days when he’d seen things no human being should ever see. For too long, he fought the battle again, then a hand touched his shoulder.
“You all right, Mister Henry?”
He focused. The boy stared at him. “Hey, Levi, you see to the other team?”
“Yes, sir. Want me to help you?”
“That’d be great.”
For the next bit, he and the youngster unhitched and then hobbled the new team without a word or any trouble. He loved it that the boy didn’t have to be told twice about a thing. “Thanks for the help.”
“Any time.” Levi smiled. “You sure surprised Aunt Sue.”
Henry laughed, then nodded. “You hurrying past us when you went to help Titus was perfect timing, then you and him coming back with the team so quick. I loved it, even if it was just a little cruel.”
“Maybe so.” Levi laughed with him. “But the look on her face was something I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”
Henry gathered his new harness; it needed oil more than he’d thought. “I know I won’t.” He looked off, thinking of her. “She’s one fine woman, that aunt of yours.”
“Yes, sir. She’s been right good to me.” The boy leaned back against the wagon. “Sir, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, what’s on your mind?”
“You told Littlejohn that you’d killed seven men. I know for a fact you’re not a liar, but I can’t imagine you— Was it true?”
“Afraid so.”
“And you beat one to death with your bare hands?”
Henry nodded. “On my fifteenth birthday.” He hated telling the story, hated reliving it in his dreams even worse, but if anyone other than Sue needed to know about him, it’d be Levi. “Like the fool I acted back then, I decided to give myself a couple of beers to celebrate my birth.”
Sue’s nephew stepped closer, appeared to want to quiz him, probably about the beer, but held his peace. Henry launched into the tale, stating the facts without any relish or embellishment.
He sidestepped exactly what the lumberjack had taunted him about; surely the boy could figure it out himself.
“So I kept on hitting him. A part of me wanted to stop. I knew that I should.” He took a deep breath, then let it out. “But I didn’t.”
“What about the other six?”
Henry glanced over to see where the ladies were and saw only his little miss playing with Blue, lying stretched out near the cook fire. “Five in the war.” He pulled his shirt up, exposing his side. “See that scar?”
Levi leaned in and stared. “What’s it from?”
“An Arkansas toothpick.”
“Wow, a cut like that, and you still were able to get the other guy?” The boy shook his head.
“Two men jumped my mother and me right after we left Kentucky on our way to New Orleans.” He retucked his shirt. “I took the knife away from the guy who gutted me and killed his partner with it.”
Levi seemed all wrapped up in his story. “What happened to the one who cut you?”
“Mother shot him.” Henry looked at the ground.
“Oh.” The boy stared off at the horizon. “I told that Skunk guy that I hoped he died and that I was the one that sent him to Hell.”
“I heard you.”
He faced Henry again with his eyes watery. “I didn’t mean it. I was glad I didn’t kill him. It was bad enough that I had to shoot the man.”
Henry dropped the leather and pulled the boy to his chest, embracing him. “Son, you did what you had to, the right thing.” He held him tight and spoke directly into his ear. “I have bad dreams sometimes about the men I killed, especially that first one, but I’ve not lost a bit of sleep over those two evil ruffians that tried to rob us. No telling what else they had in mind for Mother and me.”
For the longest time, the boy let himself be hugged, then pushed away. “Would you have really shot Littlejohn while he had ahold of Aunt Sue?”
