“Perhaps,” Emma answered, coming out of her daze. “But really I think it’s because he’s hungry.”
Emma reached to her side, opposite the boy, and took hold of the other, smaller satchel she had with her. She rifled through it for a moment, then withdrew a small paper sack from which she extracted a small chunk of cured meat. She only extracted a small chunk of the meat, mind you, because she didn’t have much of it left. The meat was meant to feed both her and Charlie during their journey, and unfortunately she’d miscalculated the amount they’d need.
“Here you go, boy,” Emma said, holding out the chunk for her dog. Charlie quickly took it from her hand, devoured it, and looked to her for more.
“He really likes that,” Lawrence smiled. “And I can’t say I blame him. I like meat too, though I haven’t had any for about a week. Me and Mama been eating nothing but old bread since we got on the train.”
Emma looked into the boy’s big blue eyes, then looked down at her paper sack again. Without further thought, she reached into her smaller satchel and pulled out one of her handkerchiefs. Then she took the portion of cured meat she’d allotted for herself and wrapped it in the handkerchief and handed it to Lawrence.
“Go over to your mama, and share this with her,” she instructed the child with a smile.
“But what about you and Charlie?” Lawrence asked. “Won’t you two go hungry without it?”
“I have enough meat saved for Charlie to last us,” Emma assured the child. “And I’ve got other food in my satchel to hold me over until we arrive at our destination.”
That was it. The boy needed to hear no more. “Thank you so much,” he smiled. He patted Charlie on the head one more time, then went over to join his mother, whose stomach, and heart, were both pleased by Emma’s generosity.
But as generous as Emma had been with the child, she hadn’t been completely honest with him. While she did have enough meat left to feed Charlie, she had nothing left in her bag for herself. But no matter, she figured. The train was less than a day outside of Miles City, and her going hungry for that time was a small sacrifice to make so that a young child and his mother could be properly fed.
FIVE
When the train finally came to a stop at the station in Miles City, Emma was the first person to step off it. She had two large suitcases in her hands and both of her satchels hung over her shoulder, including the larger one that still hid Charlie from the public eye.
No question, Emma had a lot to carry. But as soon as she got a good distance from the train, in many ways she felt as though her burdens were no longer that great. Notwithstanding her luggage and her heartache, she was free of so much that had previously weighed her down.
Once she was at the end of the platform and away from the train station employees and other travelers, she set her suitcases down and let Charlie out of her bag—and boy oh boy was he happy when his paws hit the ground! He began sniffing everything he could and wagged his tail with great force.
“Welcome to our new home, Charlie,” Emma laughed. “I hope you’ll be happy here… But don’t waste too much time exploring this platform. We’ve still got to find our way to Louise’s house before it gets dark out.”
The moment Charlie heard Louise’s name, his tail started wagging even harder. Like all dogs, even though he couldn’t understand sentences, he recognized certain words—and Louise’s name was one word he knew very, very well.
Emma gave Charlie a few more minutes to explore as she tried to get her bearings.
As luck would have it, the train station in Miles City wasn’t too far from the heart of town, and Emma could see a few of the town’s staple institutions from where she stood. Granted town was still a ways off, but she saw the distance she needed to walk as a welcome opportunity for both her and Charlie to further stretch their legs and take in the many splendors of their new surroundings.
Emma and Charlie walked for about fifteen minutes. But oddly enough, as Emma gazed into the horizon, town still seemed the same long distance away, as if it too moved with every step she and Charlie took. The luggage she was carrying was starting to become a hassle, and her limbs, which less than an hour earlier had ached because of disuse, were now aching from the strain.
“We’re almost there, Charlie,” Emma said, assuring herself more than the dog.
Just then Emma noticed a wagon approaching from the east, on a road perpendicular to the northbound road where she walked. As if the carriage itself wasn’t enough to take note of, the man driving it was quite a sight. Even from where she was, Emma could see his remarkable good looks and strong, well-built form, though of course, she didn’t allow herself to fully appreciate these things.
As she approached the point where the two roads converged, Emma stopped walking to allow the carriage to pass. But much to her surprise, the driver began to slow his horses until they, too, came to a stop.
“Well, hello there, beautiful,” the man behind the reins called out. He smiled a big smile at Emma, and she felt a tickling in her tummy, which she attributed to her need for food. “Welcome to Miles City,” the man added, taking off his hat and tipping his head at her.
Most women would have swooned and blushed over having such a good-looking man be so open and flattering with them. But not Emma. Instead, she rolled her eyes and ignored the tickling she felt in her stomach again. He’s charming, she thought to herself. But so was Matthew—and look how that turned out.
“What?” Emma asked, regaining her senses. “How… how did you know I am new to this town?”
The man laughed a hearty laugh. “You’re walking away from the train station, carrying luggage,” he answered with another laugh.
“Oh,” Emma replied. Now she was blushing.
“I’m headed north,” he said, putting his hat back on top of his head. “You can hop on my wagon if you like, and I’ll drop you in town.”
Emma’s limbs ached. She was sweating profusely. And she was so hungry that she could have eaten the man’s hat. But still, she was no fool. She did not know this man, and she wasn’t about to put herself, and Charlie, in jeopardy by accepting his offer.
“No thanks,” Emma said with a flat smile. “We’re fine.”
“We?” the man asked, arching his eyebrows and looking around curiously.
“Me and my dog Charlie,” Emma answered, nodding her head toward her furry friend.
“Ha!” the man laughed, eyeing her pet. “That thing’s a dog? I thought it was a tumbleweed!”
Of course Emma took great offense at the man’s remark, but she didn’t voice as much.
“Hey, tumbleweed,” the man continued, addressing Charlie, “wanna hop on?”
Charlie shook his tail vigorously and started toward the man’s wagon, until Emma called out for him to stop and come back.
“We don’t take rides from strangers,” she said in a firm voice. “So please, sir, be on your way, and let us be on ours.”
“Have it your way,” the man sniggered with a shrug. He cracked his reins and set his horses into motion again, then he turned onto the road in front of Emma and rode off toward town.
“Some nerve he has calling you a tumbleweed,” Emma said to Charlie once the wagon faded into the unmoving scene on the horizon. “We don’t need to be bothered with hecklers like him.”
Several yards later she added, “And what nerve he has to call me beautiful! Sure, he’s entitled to his opinion, and it may be a favorable one—but that doesn’t mean he should be so forward and flirtatious with a woman he doesn’t even know.”
After a wee bit of time she asked, “And what kind of woman does he think I am, that I’d accept a ride from a stranger? He must take me for a weak-minded, little woman who depends on the kindness of men to get by.”
For the next thirty minutes or so, Emma went on and on, complaining about the handsome stranger—and Charlie just kept pumping his tiny legs and panting, oblivious to the critical things she said. But as negative as her though
ts were, they afforded a positive effect. They kept her mind focused on something other than the luggage she was carrying, the distance she had to travel, and the Montana heat. By the time she made it to town, she felt like no time had passed at all, and she abandoned her negative monologue in favor of positive, more productive thoughts.
“We’re here, Charlie,” she said with a sigh of accomplishment and relief. “Now we just have to find a carriage to commission to take us to Moon Crest… But first, let’s find something to eat, shall we?”
Charlie’s ears perked up at the word “eat,” and he whimpered and started making a fuss. Emma appraised her surroundings and smiled when she saw the town restaurant just ahead. “Come on, boy,” she said, leading Charlie toward it.
Within less than a minute, Emma and Charlie were outside of the restaurant, and the smell of hot food taunted them. Still holding her luggage, Emma opened the door, and she and Charlie walked in.
It was late in the afternoon, but not yet suppertime, and the place was practically empty. So the woman behind the counter was happy to see a new customer, but she was unhappy when she saw the ball of fur near the new customer’s feet.
“No animals allowed in here,” the woman barked.
“But please, he’s just a tiny thing, and we’ve been traveling, and—” Emma started.
“No animals allowed in here,” the woman barked again, cutting Emma short.
“Fine,” Emma harrumphed. She motioned her head for Charlie to follow, then stepped outside again.
The pair walked several paces away from the restaurant, then Emma stopped and set her luggage on the crowd. “Stay out here and wait for me,” she said looking down at a very confused Charlie. He moved to follow her when she stepped away, but she repeated, “Staaay.”
Emma went back into the restaurant and hurried to the counter. Much to her dissatisfaction, she had to pass on the hot food and comfortable seating. “I’d like a few pieces of bread and some cheese,” she told the waitress. “And please put it in a paper sack, so I can take it outside to share with my dog.”
The waitress nodded and went back to the kitchen, leaving Emma at the counter, where she wrung her fingers nervously for several minutes, waiting for her to return. I hope Charlie’s okay out there, she thought to herself. I hope no one tries to take him, or my things.
When the waitress came out again, Emma quickly paid, then grabbed the sack and rushed out the door. She started toward the spot where she’d left Charlie and her luggage. But she only made it about halfway before a sharp pain in her heart made her stop. Lo and behold, her luggage was where she’d left it, but Charlie was not.
“Charlie! Charlie, where are you?” Emma shouted louder than she’d ever shouted anything in her whole life. “Charlie? Charlie, come here boy!” She eyed her surroundings frantically, but the petite pup was nowhere in sight.
Just as she was about to shout again, even louder, she heard Charlie bark, and she snapped her head in the direction of the noise.
Several yards away, Charlie was barking and making a fuss near a wagon—and he was not alone.
“Oh, Charlie, there you are!” Emma exclaimed in relief, walking toward the wagon.
The cowboy with Charlie took off his hat and bowed his head politely. “Good day, Miss,” he said. “I didn’t know this was anybody’s dog. I thought it was a stray. And I hope you don’t mind, but I gave him some scraps I had left over from lunch.”
“Good day to you too,” Emma replied with an appreciative smile. “I don’t mind at all. Thank you for sharing with him, and thanks for keeping him company while I was away.”
“No problem,” the cowboy smiled. He was a stranger to Emma, but he seemed much more even-keeled and respectful than the previous stranger she’d encountered. He was also less handsome, though still rather good-looking.
“My name’s Kenneth,” he added. “Kenneth Foster.” He looked over at Emma’s luggage. “Are you two new to town?”
“Yes,” Emma answered. “My name is Emma Harris, and Charlie and I arrived here just over an hour ago… We’ve come to stay with my sister, Louise.”
“Louise Sanders?” Kenneth asked.
“Yes,” Emma smiled.
“Ah, wonderful,” Kenneth replied. “I know Frank and Louise well… Their ranch is just a few miles away from my homestead.”
“And how far away is their ranch?” Emma asked.
“Moon Crest is about an hour outside of town,” Kenneth answered. “And their ranch is one of the first properties past the settlement lines.”
Emma glanced back at her luggage, then surveyed her surroundings again. “Do you know of any carriage drivers I can commission to take me there?” she asked.
“Not at this hour,” Kenneth replied. “There’s only one commissioned carriage that goes to and fro Moon Crest regularly. But it’s already passed through town.”
“Oh,” Emma sighed, bowing her head.
“But don’t fret, Miss Harris,” Kenneth picked up. “If it suits you, I can take you to your sister’s ranch. I’m going that way anyway, you know. And I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving you and Charlie alone here in town.”
Emma looked up at Kenneth again. Indeed, she was no fool. She didn’t know this man any better than the last man who’d offered her a ride. But at least this man was respectful, and the threat of getting on his wagon didn’t seem as looming as the threat of staying behind.
“I’d appreciate that very much,” Emma smiled. “And please, call me Emma.”
SIX
Once Emma accepted Kenneth’s offer, he did the proper thing and loaded her luggage onto the back of his wagon, then helped her and Charlie get in the back as well. He’d invited them to sit up front with him, but Emma declined out of respect for social convention, as well as fear that rumors would spread.
Their ride to Moon Crest was relatively short and uneventful, considering all else Emma and Charlie had endured. Notwithstanding the distance between them, Kenneth and Emma chatted every now and then, mostly when Kenneth pointed out some landmark or other thing Emma should take note of.
“Beyond that crest, there’s a swimming hole that many children and women visit during the hotter months,” he said at one point or another.
So on and so on, what discussion they had was very practical and geared toward making Emma more informed—and any “livelier” conversation Emma had was done quietly with her dog.
“I bet that other stranger would have insisted we sit up front with him,” she’d told Charlie during a lull in the tour of the countryside. “And he probably would have tried to have me sit close.”
“That road leads to Doc Miller’s house,” Kenneth hollered.
“Now we know where the doctor’s house is,” she snickered. “I bet the other stranger wouldn’t have bothered telling us that. He probably would have found it more important to tell us where we could find moonshine or a game of cards.”
No matter what Kenneth said, and no matter what town attributes or splendors of nature unfolded before her, Emma couldn’t keep her mind off of the first stranger. In fact, she was so preoccupied with him that she’d completely forgotten about the bag of food she’d gotten from the restaurant.
By the time Kenneth’s wagon finally made it to Moon Crest, he’d pointed out about a dozen important places and things, but none were as important as the last.
“Look up yonder,” he called back to Emma, rousing her from her thoughts. “We’re but a few minutes away from Frank and Louise’s ranch.”
Emma repositioned her body and stared off in the direction Kenneth had indicated. How beautiful, she thought to herself as she eyed the land.
Meanwhile on the ranch, Louise Sanders happily hummed one of her favorite hymns as she chopped vegetables in the kitchen. Her husband and his workmen had just finished their work for the day, and Louise was putting the finishing touches on what she knew would be a stellar meal.
When Louise first heard a light rapping on her fron
t door, she thought nothing of it. She figured it was probably Frank trying to tease or surprise her, or perhaps one of his men who’d come back to call on him for some reason, or maybe one of their barn cats looking for a treat.
But when there came a second rapping, Louise’s curiosity was piqued. She set down her knife, wiped her hands across her apron, and went to the door. “Yes?” she asked, swinging it open.
“Hello, sister!” Emma exclaimed. She watched as Louise’s jaw dropped, then she stepped forward to allow her embrace.
“Oh, Emma!” Louise cried out in joy. “I can’t believe you’re here! I’ve missed you so much!”
“I’ve missed you too,” Emma cried back. “And so has Charlie. I hope you don’t mind us coming here unannounced.”
“Don’t be silly, not at all,” Louise replied. She stepped back away from her sister and looked her over a bit, then she glanced down and saw Charlie. “Hello, my little friend,” she added, bending down to pet the dog.
When Louise stood up again, she looked behind Emma and much to her surprise saw Kenneth Foster standing there with her luggage. “Hello, Kenneth,” she said warily. “How did—”
“I ran into your sister in town,” Kenneth interjected, answering Louise’s question before it could be asked. “She was trying to find her way here to your ranch, so I offered her a ride on my wagon.”
Louise smiled and nodded slowly, still a bit guarded.
“And now that I’ve gotten her here safely,” Kenneth went on, “my job is done. I’ll leave the two of you to catch up and be on my way.” He tipped his head at the women, then addressed Emma. “I hope to see you again soon,” he told her.
“I hope so too,” she replied.
Kenneth turned and walked back toward his wagon, and just as he did, another man walked around from the side of the house. “What’s all this commotion?” he asked.
Louise turned in his direction. “It’s the sound of a happy reunion, Frank,” she giggled. “My sister Emma is here. Kenneth Foster just rode her in from town.”
New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set Page 33
