Bruce nodded and walked several feet away. In a matter of minutes, he was back. “Who did you see? Was it Indians?”
“Could’ve been,” Rufus said, “but Clint seems to think it was probably the scoundrel who has been chasing Miss Fiona.”
“Mama said somebody was after her. Why does he keep hounding a nice woman like Fiona?”
“I don’t know, Bruce.” Clint looked at him. “I do know nobody on this train is going to let him do anything to her or her boy.”
“I sure won’t. You let me know if he comes around again and I’ll get my papa’s shotgun and fill him full of lead.”
* * * *
Clint frowned when it dawned on him Bruce Fritz had a crush on Fiona. Not that he blamed the boy. He was a teenager himself when he began to fantasize nightly about the opposite sex. Most any pretty girl or woman would set his imagination working, but Bruce could choose someone more his age for his dreams. He didn’t have to fantasize about Fiona.
Then another thought hit him. Probably the lad was closer to Fiona’s age than he was himself. He’d never asked the woman how old she was, but he knew without a doubt she wasn’t anywhere near his age of twenty-eight.
As he watched Bruce climb back under his wagon, Clint shrugged. He didn’t understand why the kid’s words had made him feel jealous. Surely he wasn’t going to worry about Fiona and a teenager.
Before he could think about it any further Rufus chuckled. “I do believe the Fritz kid has a thing for your sister-in-law.”
“Looks like it.”
“Lord, ain’t young love wonderful. I remember the first woman I fell in love with.”
“Mattie, I presume.”
“You presume wrong, son. My first love was the most glorious woman in the world. She had long red hair and she wore bright shiny dresses up to her knees and she sat on a piano and sang.”
“Sounds like a dance hall whore, Rufus.” Clint eyed him.
“She was. My old man had a liking for the saloons and the women who worked in them and this liking intensified when my ma died. When he couldn’t find anybody to take care of my brother and me, he’d take us with him and we’d set around while he got drunk and played cards. Miss Lilly was the woman’s name and while our pa was losing what little money we had, she’d slip my brother and me a peppermint stick. Then she’d go sit on the piano and sing a song for us. I thought she was the most wonderful creature in the world. I got my comeuppance when my grandma came to visit. I told her all about Miss Lilly and she had a fit. She hit my papa with a broom and told him if he ever took her daughter’s children back to that den of iniquity, she’d use a gun on him instead of a boom. He never had a chance to take us back because we went home with grandma and lived there until we were able to be on our own. Never did see Miss Lilly again and I still sometimes wonder what happened to her. Course I was only ten years old at the time and she was a woman, so I guess she’s probably dead by now.”
Clint shook his head. “For me it was a school teacher. She was quite a lady. Had dark black hair and she kept it up on her head in a fancy twist. She wore little hats with feathers and I often dreamed at night of taking her hat off and pulling the pins out of her beautiful silky hair. I was a little older than you. Thirteen or fourteen, I guess. I was up in school.” He grunted. “Broke my heart when she married a stuffy old lawyer in town who was twice her age, but as far as I know they’re still married.” He didn’t go on to add that the lawyer’s daughter by his first marriage was the reason he’d had to leave Baltimore six years ago.
Rufus chuckled. “I don’t know if the women have their crushes, but I guess all us guys go through a first love with an older woman. Funny thing is, nobody ever knows about the pain and suffering we go through because it can never be revealed.”
Clint smiled to himself. “That’s for sure.” He didn’t add that sometimes grown men got these feelings for a woman they couldn’t have, not because of age, but for a million other reasons. Nor did he say the pain wasn’t any better than it was in a man’s youth.
Chapter 9
Fiona was driving the wagon and Rose was trying to relax inside. Though it was jarring, she didn’t feel up to walking. Clint raced up. His horse reared as he jerked the reins and forced him to stop. He leaned toward Fiona and yelled, “Circle the wagons. Quickly.” He then rode back to the Fritz wagon, yelling the same instructions.
“What’s going on?” Rose called.
“I don’t know, Rose.” Fiona followed the Watson’s wagon into a circle and looked frantically for Joey.
As soon as she was stopped, she jumped from the wagon bench and screamed, “Joey! Where are you?”
“Here, Ma.” Joey ran up behind her.
“Oh, thank, God.” She grabbed him and pulled him close. “I was so scared.”
“Why?” His innocent face looked up at her. “Did something scare you?”
Before she could answer, Clint was racing back. “Get under the wagon and keep Joey close.”
He ran to the back and said, “Rose, you need to come out and get under the wagon with Fiona.”
She reached out her arms and he lifted her to the ground. “What’s happening, Clint?”
“We’re not sure, but we need to be prepared.” He walked her to the side of the wagon. “Now, be careful as you crawl under.”
“Clint, please tell us what’s going on.” Fiona reached out her hand to assist Rose.
He took a deep breath. “There were some Indians spotted in the area. We think some of them were wearing war paint and we don’t want to take any chances.”
“Oh, my.” Rose put one hand to her throat and grasped Fiona’s hand with the other.
“Oh, boy. Are we going to fight them? I want to help.” Joey sounded excited.
“No, Joey.” Clint’s voice was sharp. “You stay here with your ma and don’t come out from under the wagon until I tell you to.”
“But...”
“Listen to me, Joey. I don’t have time to argue with you.” He turned to Fiona and handed her a gun. “Fiona, I know you said you could shoot a rifle. I hope you can handle a pistol. This is in case I’m not around and you need it. It’s loaded and ready.”
Fiona took the gun and gave Clint a knowing look. “I’ll use it wisely.”
“I know you will,” he almost whispered. He knew there was no need to tell her what the gun was for. She understood it was meant for the two women in case the men were all killed. “Hopefully it’s only a precaution.”
She nodded and smiled at him. “I’m sure it will be.”
“I’ll try to get back as soon as I can.” He turned and remounted his horse.
Rose turned her head and looked at Fiona. “Will he come back?”
“When they get everything settled, I’m sure he will.”
“I want to help him fight Indians.” Joey started to crawl out from under the wagon.
Fiona grabbed his leg. “Listen to me, Jody! You can’t go out there.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s dangerous,” Rose offered.
“It’s dangerous under this wagon, too. If it wasn’t Uncle Clint wouldn’t give you a gun.” His mouth formed into a pout. “I can shoot. Why didn’t I get a gun?”
“Joey! I don’t want to hear another word from you. We’re in a dangerous situation and if I have to worry about you not following instructions...” Tears formed in his eyes and Fiona softened. She put her arm around him. “Honey, I don’t want to be strict with you, but you have to listen to Clint. He told us to get under the wagon and to stay here. Rose and I are following instructions and Clint expects you to do the same.”
He snuffed.
Rose patted Joey’s shoulder. “Honey, I’m sure one reason Clint told you to stay here was to watch out for Fiona and me. He knows how women are. We get scared and excited. Having you here helps us.”
Joey looked at her then turned to Fiona. “Is that true?”
She smiled at him. “Of course it is.
How do you think I could stay here if you were out there? I need you with me, darling.”
“I guess I’d better stay, then.”
“Thank you, Joey.” She leaned down and kissed his forehead and he snuggled closer to her.
* * * *
“It’s the damnest thing I’ve ever seen, Clint,” Zeke said as Clint joined him and Mac Barnett, the scout. “The Indians are simply riding along and watching us. They’re not getting any closer or farther away. It’s like they’re waiting for something to happen.”
“Do you have any idea what?”
“Not a hell of a clue.”
Mac said, “They even ignored me when I was scouting a mile or so ahead of the wagons. They had some scouts out and it would’ve been easy for them to bushwhack me, but they just watched.”
“Wonder what they’re up to.” Clint looked at the dust the horses in the distance were stirring up.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have circled the wagons, but with the women and children...”
“I think it was the best thing to do, Zeke,” Mac said. “If they don’t let us in on their plans in the next hour or so, I say put the stock in the circle and see what happens. They may be after the livestock.”
“I’ll put out some guards to keep watch.” Zeke turned to Clint. “You’ve done your share. Maybe you should go back and watch after your women. The men without wives can watch for a while.”
“Thanks, Zeke.” Clint kneed his horse and turned back to his wagon. His mind was on his family, which he was beginning to think of Fiona and Joey as part of. He hoped they understood why he had to be away from them. It had been on his watch when the Indians were spotted and he had to do what Zeke needed at the moment, not that he wanted to shift the responsibility of taking care of the three of them to Fiona.
But he knew he could count on her. She hadn’t given a second thought to taking the gun and he was sure she wouldn’t hesitate to use it if the need arose. Rose could never handle a situation like that. He doubted she’d ever had a gun in her hand, much less fired one. He couldn’t fault her for that. She’d been raised in the city and there was little need for women in her position to know anything about firearms. Again, Rose was surprising him with little things she was capable of coping with. He never dreamed she’d be so easy to get along with on this trip. So far, she hadn’t uttered the first complaint, though if anyone had a right to complain it was her.
“There’s a rider coming this way,” Nina Fritz shouted. “It looks like a painted Indian.”
Clint started to gallop toward the man, but Zeke and Mac streaked by on their mounts and he decided to rein in and wait to see what happened. As he got off his horse at the wagon, Rose, Fiona, and Joey slid from under the wagon.
“I guarded them, Uncle Clint,” Joey said. “Aunt Rose said you left me under the wagon to protect them.”
“Aunt Rose is right and you did a fine job, Joey.” He ruffled Joey’s hair. “Now I want you to keep them close to the wagon in case you have to get them back under it again.”
Benny ran up to them. “Joey, let’s go to the other end of the circle. We can see the Indian better. Susie wants to go, too.”
Before Fiona could say anything, Joey said, “I can’t go. Uncle Clint said I have to watch the women in case he has to leave to help the men.”
“Ah, Clint, let him go.”
Clint shook his head. “No. Everybody has a job to do when there’s danger. Joey knows what his is.”
“Benny, get back here closer to the wagon,” Sarah called. “I told you not to go running off.”
“You better do like your ma says, Benny. I see Susie over there with her mama. I don’t think she’s going anywhere either.” Fiona put her hand on Joey’s shoulder.
He looked up at her and grinned. “I ain’t going to let nothing happen to you and Aunt Rose, Ma.”
“Thank you, Joey.” Rose smiled at him. “You’re a brave boy and I’m glad you want to protect us.”
“Now, Joey,” Clint said, “would you like to lead my horse to the circle formed by the wagons?”
“Want me to take his saddle off, Uncle Clint?”
“Not yet. I might need him. Let him graze with the saddle on.”
“Okay.” Joey grabbed the reins and headed off with the horse.
“Should he go so far away?” Fiona looked at Clint.
“He’ll be fine. He’s only going a few feet.”
“What’s going on, Clint?” Rose looked at him.
“You know about as much as I do. Indians, with what we think is war paint, have been following us today.”
“Then why did we stop?” Fiona asked.
“They were getting closer and we knew we couldn’t fight them off if we didn’t circle the wagons and prepare for an attack.”
“Will they attack?”
Clint shrugged. “I don’t know, Fiona. Maybe Mac and Zeke will know more after they meet with the Indians.”
* * * *
“What do you think they want, Mac?” Zeke slowed his horse, but didn’t take his eyes off the approaching Indian.
“Your guess is as good as mine. I only hope it’s not our scalps.”
“There’s only three of them coming. I hope they speak English. I’m not up on my Apache.”
“I can handle some of the lingo, but I don’t think they’re Apache. They look more like an off shoot of one of the smaller tribes,” Mac said.
“Then they won’t have as many as back-up.”
“That’s right, Zeke.”
They were pulling closer to the Indians and ceased the conversation.
The Indians did not speak English. All Zeke could do was sit there as Mac held a conversation. After several words, he turned to Zeke. “They want us to give them cattle. They say they need the food and from the looks of them, they do.”
“What do you recommend?”
“I say bargain with them. Ask for safe passage. Maybe they’ll give it to us and maybe they won’t, but it’s worth a try.”
“How do I know they’ll keep their word?”
“You don’t. After all, white men have been breaking their word to the Indians. They don’t trust any of us.”
“The feeling is mutual.” Zeke frowned. “Do what you think.”
Mac and the Indian conversed again. When they finished, he turned again to Zeke. “I told him we’d give him one ox if he’d assure me there would be no attack on the wagon train. He’s talking it over with his men now.”
The Indian began talking to Mac again. Mac nodded and said to Zeke, “He said he wanted two oxen and they wouldn’t attack. He also said they wouldn’t try to steal more livestock.”
“Think we should do it?”
“It will at least give us a chance to be prepared for an attack if they change their minds.”
“Then we’ll do it. We have a few extra oxen not up to pulling wagons. We’ll let them have a couple of those.”
Mac explained to the Indians they would go back and get the oxen and for them to wait here.
The Indian nodded.
When they cut two of the oxen from the group of extras, they headed back toward the Indians who were sitting proudly atop their horses.
“I sure hope this works. I’ve got a lot of scared people back there.”
“I know, Zeke. I guess since it’s still early you should try to put a mile or two behind you before you camp for the night. Might even go until almost sundown. It’ll show the Indians we take their word that they won’t attack.”
“I think you’re right.”
They gave the oxen over to the Indians and the leader indicated the two men with him were to take the ropes on the cattle. He then said something to Mac, wheeled his horse around, and led the two men away. Mac and Zeke watched as the half dressed men headed for the ridge where their comrades waited.
“Well,” Zeke said, turning his horse back toward the wagons, “I guess all we can do is head out and hope they’ll do as they say.”
; “I kind of think they will. He told me they tried to steal a couple of cows the other night, but pulled back when they saw a white man sneaking around the camp. I asked him if it was our guard, but he said it was a lone rider. He also said he followed him and found him camped with two other men behind us. From his description I figured they’re a few miles back.”
“Wonder who it is.” Zeke frowned. “Could it be the man who’s after Fiona and her son?”
“That was my first thought.”
Zeke shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll tell her.” Mac nodded and Zeke went on. “We still have several hours of daylight. Let’s see if we can’t get two or three miles further before we make camp.”
The two men turned their horses and headed back toward the wagons.
Chapter 10
It was dusk when the wagons circled and made camp for the night and dark by the time supper was ready. Fiona heated the beans left from last night, sliced some thick bacon, and dug out another jar of preserves since Rose volunteered to make her tempting biscuits.
As they were finishing up the meal, Joey asked, “When you gonna learn to cook biscuits like this, Ma?” He slapped peach preserves on the bread for his last bite.
“I’ve been taking lessons from Rose, but I don’t think I’ll ever get the hang of it.”
“Sure you will.” Rose smiled. “It only takes a little practice.”
Joey set his empty plate aside and looked at Fiona. “Can I go over and play with Benny?”
“Only for a little while. It’s almost time to go to bed.”
“Listen to your ma, Joey. We need to turn in shortly. Zeke said we would get an unusually early start tomorrow because of the time we lost today.” Clint set his plate down on Joey’s.
“I won’t be long.”
Joey scooted away as Bruce walked up. “Ma said I was to come over to your wagon and get Susie. She’s been here close to an hour already.”
The three of them looked at him. Finally Fiona said, “Susie’s not here, Bruce. Joey has gone to play with Benny. She’s probably there.”
“Probably so.” He gave Fiona a grin which made his face turn red. “I’ll go see.”
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