Tara's Trials (Romance on the Oregon Trail Book 4)

by Kathleen Ball

  “I missed you.”

  “How much whiskey have you had?” She laughed.

  He scowled. “I pared it down to only one swig. So, it’s not the drink talking, it’s me.”

  “You and Leona make a good couple.” She held her breath. What if he agreed? Please don’t agree with me.

  “She’s nice enough, maybe a bit too nice.”

  “She doesn’t try to knife you?” Some of her tension eased. “I’m disappointed.”

  He studied her face, and she wondered what he saw.

  “Big Red is on his way. Good night, Zander.”

  “Good night, Tara-mine.”

  He was gone before she could ask him what he meant. His visit had been a balm to her heart. She wouldn’t have to watch him with Leona for the rest of the journey.

  Big Red shook his head at her. “You should see the joy on your face. You have it bad for Zander. I’m glad you two are talking. Good night.” He grabbed his bedroll and was gone.

  Thank you, Lord.

  Chapter Seven

  It was hard going, watching the Snake River flow down in the canyon while they were several hundred feet above it and unable to reach what they could see and hear. They’d been warned to conserve water and as they traveled through the sparsest land Zander had ever seen, he prayed better things were coming in the next few days. The cattle were feeling it, and they were slowing. It was so very hot, so they simply couldn’t hurry through the area without losing the livestock.

  They’d finally come to a spot where they could possibly lead the animals to the river, though it was still steep. They felt they needed to take the chance. It was, as with most of the trip, the animals that had been well treated and cared for had difficulty, but they were able to get back up the steep climb after they drank their fill. The livestock that were more like walking bones weren’t able to make it back up.

  They’d managed to get all of Harrison’s stock back on the trail. It was slow going, and he, Declan, and Heath had needed to push some upwards. Harrison and Big Red lassoed many and helped them up. They were also able to fill their water barrels through sheer strength. Big Red made extra trips for the widow ladies and some older travelers.

  There was much grumbling when the other drovers weren’t helping or exerting any extra energy. They just left the oxen in the canyon, uncaring of their fate.

  Zander realized he and Big Red were like-minded in wanting to make some of the drovers go back down into the canyon, but it wasn’t their business or so they were told. They both planned to get up early and see if, after a night of rest, they could encourage any more to come back up.

  What did folks intend to do? Walk? They needed their livestock to pull their wagons. He didn’t understand why more people weren’t outraged.

  “They’re tired,” Tara explained as she fed them both. “Some of those drovers are bullies. The livestock owners are upset, but they don’t know what to do. I heard a few mentioning putting bullets in the drovers.”

  “The captain will figure things out, I suppose,” Zander said. “This is good. Where d'you get the salmon?”

  Her eyes widened and she looked as though she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t have.

  “You might as well tell him,” Big Red suggested.

  “I just did a bit of fishing is all.”

  “I didn’t see any woman at the river.”

  “I wore my buckskins and put my hair up into a hat. No one bothered me, and I was able to feed a whole lot of people.”

  He sat still, stunned that he hadn’t noticed her. Thinking back there was a little fella going up and down the hill with a basket. Glancing around, he saw many people eating salmon.

  “You caught enough fish to feed everyone?”

  “No, not all the drovers have fish to eat.”

  Zander started to laugh. “Leave it to you to get the point across in the best way possible.”

  “You sure helped to put a few fires out, young lady,” Captain London said as he helped himself to a tin cup and filled it with coffee. “We’ll give people a bit of time in the morning to get the oxen back up. If not they must make other arrangements. I warned them.” He drank down the coffee, nodded his thanks and moved along.

  “Tara! Do you think you can watch Essie? Everyone seems to have disappeared,” Cora held the wiggly baby girl out to her. “I can figure where Dawn and Heath are, but I’m worried about Luella. Her bout of morning sickness is much worse than I’ve ever seen, and I’d like to spend some time pampering her, if a person can be pampered in this desert heat. I’ll send Declan out to take a breath. He looks so worried.”

  Cora handed Essie to Tara and headed for Luella’s tent.

  Tara’s eye widened as she examined the baby. “What am I supposed to do with this? Last time she cried and Zander took her.”

  Big Red laughed. “I imagine the same thing you did with that baby bobcat you brought home.”

  Instantly, she had Essie in her arms and was rocking her. “She’s bigger than Bob was but almost as cute.”

  “You had a baby bobcat?” Zander stared at her.

  “I found her alone and crying. Of course I brought her home. I even knitted her a blanket. My Pa wasn’t a big fan of Bob.”

  “You called a female Bob?”

  “It made the most sense. I only had her for about five months. She started eating up everything in the cabin including a table. She stayed close to the cabin for a while but one day she never came back. I was upset, but she probably found a family of her own.” She placed a kiss on the baby’s cheek. She looked good with a baby in her arms.

  Zander forced himself to glance away. Those were not observations he wanted to make. Besides, she had Big Red, and she didn’t need him any longer.

  Declan joined them looking a bit down. “We will only have the one child. I’m not putting Luella through this again. She’s sick all day.”

  Harrison chuckled, taking a seat. “Most women get morning sickness or in Luella’s case all day sickness but it only lasts for a while.”

  “How long is a while?” Declan asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.

  “I think a couple months. This is Cora and my first pregnancy together. She told me women are all different, and Luella’s being sick is uncomfortable and sometimes it might seem horrid but it’s normal.”

  “Horrid is a good word for it.” Declan agreed.

  “I think once you hold the child all the hard times will be forgotten,” Harrison said.

  Essie started cooing and everyone smiled. Zander had a hard time glancing away from Tara again. “I have guard duty. Night all.” He couldn’t help himself he found himself gazing at Tara and Essie again and he felt as though he’d been kicked in the stomach. It’s what he wanted.

  He finally walked way. What was wrong with him? She was not for him. In fact, he didn’t want a wife. If only he could remember that when she was near.

  What a morning! Tara and the other women packed up and got the livestock hitched while their men were down in the canyon trying to get the rest of the animals up the hill. One by one she saw oxen make it up to the top, but not as many as she had hoped. People argued, and words got heated as to whose fault it was. Tara waited by the wagon with her gun in her pocket. Big Red headed over. “Honey, throw me out a fresh pair of buckskins.” He was covered in mud. Even his hair was matted.

  “Where do you plan to change?”

  “Out here, I’ll keep my back to the others and if they want to peek at what the good Lord gave me, then that’s up to them.” He grinned at her.

  Tara grabbed him some clean clothes. “I wish we could spare the water to wash you. How far did you fall? Are you hurt?”

  “I didn’t fall, wait until you see your Zander.” Big Red laughed as he unlaced his buckskins.

  Face flaming, Tara turned her back while he changed.

  “I’ll hang the muddy ones on the side of the wagon. They’ll dry and then we can brush them out.”

&nbs
p; “It’s we who will get the mud off your clothes?” She enjoyed her merry banter with Big Red until she saw Leona stop Zander and take his hand.

  Tara watched as Leona used her hand to wash Zander and then urged him to take off his shirt. The woman even washed his hair for him!

  She couldn’t pretend she didn’t care, so she took cover in the wagon, tears stinging her eyes. Leona was pretty, and she had flattering clothes on. It was said she was a good cook and that she had gone to a good school back East. She wasn’t practical, though, using an entire bucket of water to wash Zander. He should have stopped her for the sake of saving water. After quickly brushing away an errant tear, Tara jumped out of the wagon and began to walk in the direction they were going. She’d walk. All the animals needed special handling, including her mare. She had no idea when they’d see fresh water again.

  She walked fast enough that she could walk alone. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Keeping up aimless chatter with the women would have been too hard. After a few hours, she slowed until she was with her group of friends. Luella looked peaked, and Tara had Big Red pull off. Then she crawled inside and took a trunk out of the wagon.

  She and Big Red shared a look and the man picked Luella up and placed her inside the wagon along with a crock of water. Luella was at first upset until she realized what was going on. “Thank you,” she said tearfully.

  “Just rest and don’t let Big Red talk too much.”

  Chuckling, Big Red kissed Tara’s cheek before he climbed back on the wagon and started out again.

  “That was the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen,” Dawn said as Cora nodded in agreement.

  “Not so sweet, it was all Big Red’s stuff in the trunk.”

  “Really?” The women laughed.

  “No not all, but we can easily make ourselves more clothes and things. Living in the mountains we make do with what we have and we have been abundantly blessed.”

  Declan caught up to the women. “Where’s Luella?”

  “She’s in Tara’s wagon. Tara threw out a trunk so Luella wouldn’t be added weight,” Cora yelled up to him.

  He nodded as he had the lines loose in his hands. “This wagon had accumulated a lot of things. We’ll need to go through it tonight. Tara that was very thoughtful of you, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

  Her face heated. “It’s just things. Luella is worth much more, and you are welcome.”

  Declan drove past them and next was Leona riding beside her father in the wagon. Was the girl ill or hurt? Leona turned her head away when she came even with them. After they pulled forward, Cora shook her head.

  A need to know what happened had Tara asking if Leona was hurt.

  “No, just selfish, I guess,” Dawn said.

  “She’s never walked,” Cora added, shaking her head.

  It was a wonder why Zander spent time with Leona. Perhaps he appreciated her beauty. It must be something.

  Tara’s chin wobbled until she clamped her jaw tight. It was no use. The more she tried not to think about that man, the more he was on her mind. Tara watched a few wagons drive by with cattle pulling them. It was the strangest sight.

  “We need grass and water soon.”

  “We sure do,” said Dawn. “It looks like we will stop for the nooning.”

  There wasn’t room for a circle and everyone just stopped where they were. Zander caught up to them on one of Harrison’s horses. “The captain said it’ll be a quick stop. If we keep going, we’ll make it to a creek by nightfall. He also said to be sure to water your livestock.” He lingered for a bit.

  “You’re welcome to come eat at my wagon,” Tara said as she gazed at him. Then she looked at Cora and Dawn. “I still have plenty of fish. I cooked it all last night. If we’re going to be at a creek, there’ll be game there.”

  “I’ll meet you there.” He urged the horse forward

  “Zander?” Tara called after him.

  He looked over his shoulder but didn’t stop his mount. “Yes?”

  “Could you tell Harrison, Declan, and Heath to join us?”

  He smiled at her. “I sure can.”

  She was still feeling warm from his gaze as the continued on to her wagon.

  “I feel something akin to love in the air when you and Zander are together,” Dawn teased.

  “Maybe at one point, but he’s made it very clear that he doesn’t want a wife. I can’t allow my heart to go down that road with him again.”

  Cora nodded. “I can understand that.”

  When they arrived at the wagon, Tara quickly served them. They were hesitant to use any of their water but Tara convinced them they had plenty. It was a hot dusty meal with mosquitoes still swarming but she felt as though they were family. She still wouldn’t be able to live near Zander and see him marry another, but for now it was a nice feeling.

  Zander stayed after the rest left Tara’s wagon. Few women would part with their things so another could ride. She impressed him.

  “Do you see how the road narrows up ahead?” Zander asked Tara. “Keep your eyes on the rocks above. I’ve seen a few shadows up there, and it would be a good place for an ambush. Have your rifles loaded and ready,” he instructed. “Tara, ride in the wagon ready to shoot out the back. I already talked to the others and Captain London and Oscar are telling the rest of the party.”

  “It’s the men after me, isn’t it?” Tara sounded weary.

  “Maybe,” he hedged. “I don’t know.”

  “Well I do know, and I’m driving the wagon, and I’m going first!”

  Big Red stood and stared at Tara. “Not without me, you don’t. I’ll be driving. It’s them, I can feel it. I knew someone was watching us today, but I missed the shadows. Thanks for letting us know, Zander.”

  Tara got busy putting everything away and getting the rifles ready. “Be careful, Zander.”

  “Are you really planning on taking the lead?”

  “It’s only right.” She jumped into the wagon and closed the tailgate. Then she jumped out again and took Big Red’s Buckskins down off the side. Now they looked like any other wagon. As soon as she was in again, she heard Big Red yelled “Haw!”

  Please keep them safe Lord. I bet Tara keeps you busy in that department. Keep us all safe, please.

  He rode at the side of the wagon, ready to shoot. Then the rock walls became very narrowed, and he had to ride behind the wagon. Gravel trickled down from overhead, and a shot cracked through the air and then another. Rocks splintered and splattered down on him.

  “Get in the wagon!” Tara called. “You’re in the way of my shots.”

  A bullet whizzed by his head as he dived head first into the wagon.

  “Go help Big Red! I can handle the back,” she yelled as she took aim and pulled the trigger.

  The resulting scream had her smiling.

  Zander hustled up front. There were a few holes in the canvas, and he shook his head. Their attackers had taken advantage of the wagon train’s need for water, knowing they couldn’t have waited the ambushers out. Thankfully, the shooters were only on one side of the canyon.

  Big Red handed Zander the lines. Here, I’m a better shot. Big Red picked up both rifles and ammunition for them and jumped off the wagon. “Keep going and take a shot now and then. I’ll take care of her.”

  Zander glanced into the back and realized Tara was gone. If he stopped, it would just alert them that Tara and Big Red weren’t in the wagon. He wasn’t sure what to do, so he did what he was told and kept shooting. A man fell in front of his wagon, and Zander gulped as the oxen trampled him, and then the wagon jolted right over him.

  He saw Indians ahead on both sides of the canyon, and he could see the end of the canyon. Zander wanted to close his eyes. An arrow was probably aimed at him this very second.

  An arrow whizzed by, but it didn’t even come close to him. More arrows sailed through the air, aimed, not at him but at the men above him. A ripple of shock raced through him. The Indians
were shooting at the gunmen. Thank you, Lord, thank you.

  As soon as he was out of the canyon, he parked the wagon and started running back in. He couldn’t see beyond the wagons. Where were Tara and Big Red? Finally he caught sight of them walking in front of a wagon, carrying the man that had fallen. It was a gruesome sight.

  “Are you all right? Who is that man? What about the Indians?” He rattled off every question that occurred to him without giving anyone time to answer.

  Tara was breathing hard. “Let me catch my breath, and I’ll tell you. They walked to the canyon’s edge and went to the side of the train. Tara sat and closed her eyes.

  “Were you hit?” Zander looked her over but didn’t see any blood.

  “No, we’re both fine. After the roan’s rider, here, fell, there was a pause and Big Red showed himself to the Indians.”

  “I traded with them when I first came out here,” Big Red said a bit sheepishly. “Stayed with ’em for a spell.”

  “This is the man who rode the roan horse in your father’s attack?” Zander asked.

  She nodded, no longer breathing hard.

  Harrison pulled over and jumped down. After a moment, he brought them water. “That was some right fancy shooting, Big Red, Miss. Tara.”

  What sounded like cries of triumph came from above. Big Red stood in the middle of the trail and waved his arm back and forth. One of the Indians waved back, and suddenly they were gone.

  The next wagon that stopped had Dawn inside, Zander just knew it from the crying. Having been captured, tortured and almost killed by Sioux, Dawn shook in fear whenever Indians were around.

  Declan carried Luella out of the wagon and Heath had Dawn. Luella was very quiet and Dawn was beside herself.

  “Big Red knows those Indians,” Zander explained. “That’s why they helped,”

  Dawn turned her head and gazed at Big Red for a moment. “Heath, can we go sit next to Big Red for a while?”