"Oh, that's a good idea." Emily smiled at her.
Mrs. Meriwether paused a moment. "I wish Beth was here to see this. It might teach her a thing or two."
The pain and hollering went on for hours. A small crowd gathered outside of the wagon. Mostly women who wanted to help.
A couple of ladies spelled them a while so they could rest a bit and get a bite to eat. Mrs. Parker brought them something to eat.
But it was almost dark, when her husband finally returned.
"She's having it now?" He nearly shouted, dropping his gun and the wild turkey he had shot.
"I'm afraid so…"
"Oh my God. What do I do?" The young husband looked perplexed.
"Just peek your head in and say something soothing to her now and then. That's all a husband can do." Mrs. Meriwether informed him. "God and her will have to do the rest."
"Oh sure, sure…" He looked confused, worried and excited.
Mrs. Parker stopped off once, saw the turkey and told him she'd have it cooked for him tomorrow. "Your missus will feel better by then." She assured him.
Hours passed and then came the big moment. Most of the women outside had gone to fix supper for their families, others drifted by.
"Now darlin' you must push and push hard when I tell you. Do you hear me?" The doctor instructed.
"Yes…push hard…" Gloria grabbed Emily's hand once more. The fear and pain seemed to mix now.
"That's a good girl. It will all be over soon now. The baby is crowning." He said as he checked her again.
"What does that mean?" Gloria asked when the pain subsides momentarily.
"He's coming." Emily smiled.
"Oh my God…" she had a pain that had her screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Push!" Mrs. Meriwether instructed.
"I can't."
"Yes, you can…" Emily told her. "Now push."
Gloria bore down hard.
"Again," they all shouted at her.
"I'm give out…."
"No, you aren't. You are about to be a mother. Now push!" The doctor patted her hand as Emily wiped the sweat from her forehead.
The tiny woman took both their hands and squeezed as hard as she could then pushed. She pushed so hard she came up off the wagon bed, and they held her.
But as she began to relax, the baby came, almkost like magic.
The crying of the baby could be heard two wagons down. Emily grabbed him as Mrs. Meriwether cut the cord, and they wrapped him in his blanket.
"He's beautiful." Emily cried as she peeked at the pink little creature stirring in her arms.
"He's just so beautiful…"
Gloria reached for her child.
"Oh my God, you're right. He's beautiful." She smiled at them both. "My husband…my husband, he must see."
"We did it!" They shouted out the wagon. "It's a boy."
"Give me a few minutes to clean her up, and then we'll introduce the daddy." The doctor smiled. "He's a healthy boy and I'll bet he's eight pounds if anything."
"That's big for a first baby…" Mrs. Meriwether smiled at her.
Finally, the doctor was through, and he motioned for Mr. Townsend who climbed into the wagon as Emily came out for fresh air. She was smiling, thinking about the lovely life ahead of them.
Mr. Townsend broke out in a smile and a few men passed by wishing him the best as he held the baby for the womenfolk to see. The women all sighed a long breath and smiled at each other.
The ladies outside the wagon seemed to all relax and did a jig around the wagon.
It was a joyous occasion and for a brief moment, everything else seemed very unimportant.
Emily went back to the chuck wagon that evening feeling so different about her life. She'd never considered herself as a mother. But now, it seemed so natural and she suddenly knew she wanted to feel like Gloria did right now.
She twirled around and smiled.
She went toward the stream to get some water, and stared dreamily at the water.
He just returned to camp, it was late and most of the night crew had bedded down for the night. Cole spotted her that evening, as the night crew began riding out to the herd. Sam spoke to her a moment then left.
She was just as Cole pictured her, only more beautiful. She had cleaned the last dish, and she gathered the water pail and headed for the spring.
Cole followed her. He wanted a little privacy with her. He was about to approach her, when suddenly a man stepped out in front of her from nowhere.
The pail slipped from her hand, as she saw him.
Emily grabbed her chest. "Robert!" She shouted.
"Emily!" The man frowned. Just from his expression Cole knew this was not some friendly greeting to a man he'd never seen before.
But he sized the man up quickly, this was the dude from New York, the one she had been engaged to, the one that had embezzled the company money.
He was tall, good looking, and wearing ridiculous clothing for the west.
"How did you find me?" She gasped, her face paling as she spoke.
"You got married?" He asked, turning his head to question. "Your Uncle knows the judge. He didn't recognize your name at first."
"Well…yes, I am married." She answered, stooping to fill the bucket at the stream. She didn't act rattled yet.
"To a wagon master?" Robert turned his head in surprise.
"That's right. I guess that shocks you doesn't it?" She answered her voice shakier than Cole expected. Obviously Emily was afraid of this man. Cole bristled but stayed out of sight. He wanted to learn more about this man before he approached him.
"You shouldn't have done that…"
"It's too late, Robert, I'm married now, and I'm none of your business."
She looked at him as though he were a complete stranger. But he looked so out of place, with his top hat and silk trousers, he didn't fit the area he was in. He was plainly a dude.
"You are wrong!" Robert shouted.
Emily stared at him, but Cole saw her shaking.
Emily tried to maintain her calm as she turned to go back to the train. But the man pulled a gun on her.
Cole watched with a cold fury building inside him.
"I'm taking you in." Robert threatened.
"Taking me in? What are you talking about? Why…the gun? And where exactly are you taking me?"
"Simple, I'm making a citizen's arrest."
Emily frowned and turned to look at him. "For what?"
"Embezzlement."
Emily froze. "I was afraid you'd try something like this…" Emily cried. "But I thought even you weren't that kind of man."
"Of course I would. You don't think I'm going to take the blame for it, do you? Your Uncle has a warrant for your arrest. He believes every word I speak." Robert smiled. "That's right, and it's all setup for me. He has no idea…Don't you get it, he wants you out of the way so bad, he'll believe anything."
"My Uncle…?" Emily's face turned very pale. "If he really knew me, he'd know he can have it all…"
"You'd give it up that easily?" Robert's smile faded with disbelief.
"Robert, try to understand this. I grew up with everything a girl could want, except for one thing…"
"Which was?"
"Love. My Uncle furnished me everything but that. Had he been kinder more sympathetic to my loss when I was little, I might have grown to love him as my only living relative. But…he was a cold man and rarely showed any feelings at all. I was a responsibility that's all I was. Now that I'm grown, I want to see more of the world. I want to find my place in life. I want to find a place I fit into. It certainly wasn't with my Uncle. And I've always known that when I came of age, he'd expect to control my money forever. I didn't want or need it. My father left it in his will to see that I had an allowance. Because my Uncle was so generous, I saved most of it. And that's what I left with."
"It didn't take much convincing," Robert continued his tirade. "Once you were gone, you were to inherit so much, wh
at he considered his, so it was easier to blame you than me. I was still there, still helping him. I don't know for sure what he planned to do with you, but I know you would never have inherited. He wouldn't be stupid enough to let that happen. That's right. He couldn't pay for that fancy house, and all he spends on his new wife without your share of the money. I don't suppose you know about his new wife. After twenty years of an empty house, he decided to marry Lady Ellsworth. Now, I don't want to expose you to your new life, so you'll come along with me now…" Robert insisted.
"My Uncle remarried?"
"Oh yes, you didn't know about that. The Lady Ellsworth and he had been seeing a lot of her. The one he escorted about town so long. They were married soon after you left."
"Well, I'm happy for him, of course."
"Yes, but you see, she was under the impression that he was the sole owner of Carrington Shipyards. What a shock it was when she found out. After she married him."
"Yes, I can imagine."
"So you see, if I have you arrested for embezzlement, they will put you away, and your Uncle will have control of the Shipyards. And I'll have a job forever with him as his right-hand man."
"You had that before I left."
"Yes, but your arrest will assure me of it. Blood being thicker than water, I can't take the chance."
"You can't do this, Robert, it's wrong. Even you know this."
When he attempted to slap her, Cole stepped out of the bushes, his gun cocked and aimed at the man.
"You touch her and I'll shoot you dead right here, mister. You aren't going anywhere with my wife…" Cole shouted as he came out of the bushes.
"Your…wife? " Robert repeated.
"That's right, now put the gun down," Cole instructed.
Emily ran to Cole's side and clutched him. He shot her a quick glance. "You alright?"
"Yes…I think so…just a little rattled." She tried to smile.
"She's wanted for embezzlement," Robert shouted."I was about to take her to the authorities."
"Is she? Sounds to me like you and her Uncle have been plotting that all along. That's a shame. She's not going anywhere with you, mister. You see as wagon master, we kind of make our own rules as we go. And you aren't in the states right now, not officially at least. So you might say you are under my law. Besides, we'd be trying the wrong party, wouldn't we?"
Robert hesitated. "Oregon joined the Union in February. Besides, she's a wanted woman in New York."
"Too bad, this isn't New York. Now holster that gun and get the hell out of here, before I kill you myself." Cole instructed. "You have no jurisdiction here, and you aren't the law."
"I'll follow you…You wait and see. I'll follow you to where ever you are going. And I'll have her arrested. I'll have her name all over the papers. Her Uncle will support me." Robert promised.
"You'll play hell doing it, as long as I'm alive…" Cole promised.
"You've not heard the last of me…" Robert promised.
"For your sake, I hope that's not true…" Cole eyed him carefully.
Robert left on his horse. Emily stared at him for a moment, then she turned to look at Cole. She waited to see if there was condemnation in his eyes.
She saw none as he reached out his arms to her.
"You're back," She sighed and stared at him for one long second, taking in his dusty clothes, and tired smile into her heart, then she went straight into his waiting arms. "Oh…I'm so glad you're back…" she kissed the side of his neck as she cuddled against him.
His lips touched her forehead, and then she raised her head and he took her lips in one swift movement.
Emily hung on for dear life. For this kiss meant more than all the others. She swooned in his arms and threw her arms around him. He had taken her side without the slightest doubt that meant so much to her.
She inhaled the scent she'd become accustomed to, the all-male scent of her man. Her man!
His kisses crossed over the delicate bridge of her nose, to the eyelids that fluttered closed, to the tip of her brow, and then back to the waiting lips that welcomed him home.
Their tongues waltzed slowly, tasting, mating.
When he finally pulled away, he kept her close. "Was that the one you were telling me about?"
He sat down and leaned against a tree, pulling her to him, so she was nearly in his lap.
"Yes…" She murmured, clutching him now.
"He's turned this around and blamed you for his own deeds?"
"Yes….and so I guess has my Uncle. I kind of expected my Uncle to pull something. And I knew Robert would."
"And your Uncle believed him?"
"Well, I'm sure it wasn't hard to convince him. With me out of the picture, he stands to inherit the Carrington Shipyards. I've just learned he's married a very influential woman, who knew nothing of what he actually owned when she married him. He had to do something to save himself in front of her. I hope he really cares for her and this wasn't some scheme to save himself financially."
Cole shook his head. "To be that greedy…So…How did he get here?"
"I don't know. Except apparently the judge that married us, knew my Uncle. It is the only way he could have traced me here." She cried. "What am I going to do, I'm a wanted woman…?"
Cole stared into her troubled face…"They'll never take you as long as I'm alive…" He affirmed and kissed her on the forehead. "Besides, this is a territory, they'll have a hard time finding anyone out here willing to take you all the way back to New York. You are a woman, for one thing."
"Shouldn't I clear my name?"
"There's nothing to clear. You didn't do anything wrong."
"Oh Cole…I'm sorry I got you involved in this…" She cried. "I don't know if he was telling the truth or not, but he made it sound as though my Uncle was in with him. I really, deep down didn't think he'd believe Robert. I guess I was just hoping."
"Maybe he doesn't. Maybe he just wants to. But it doesn't matter. You're my wife, Em, what concerns you, concerns me. I told you, I'd always protect you. And you can stop worrying about your Uncle. You didn't take anything from him, and he couldn't prove it. You are in a new country now. Oregon is a territory, not a state."
"But Robert said Oregon is a state now." she corrected.
"Doesn't matter. On the train, I'm the law."
She looked up into his face. "I've missed you…"
He smiled. "Show me…" He whispered into her ear.
She looked at him, then pulled his head down and kissed him hotly on the lips.
Her whole body strained toward him, and there was no doubt in her mind what he wanted at that moment. She swooned a little, enraptured by his need of her.
Long moments later when they had quenched their thirst for each other, he pulled her close once more. "You know, this isn't the time nor the place, but when we get to Oregon, remind me to show you what we've been missing."
She blushed and smiled. "I'll remind you."
And she kissed him again.
"Em…" He murmured. "Unless you want to be taken right here in the dust, don't kiss me like that."
"Cole?" She looked into his face and smiled. "Tell me about your childhood. You know of mine, it isn't fair that I don't know anything about yours."
Cole got quiet, but when he looked into her face he sighed hard. "I never knew my folks. I was a little tyke when they died…"
"Oh Cole…what happened to you?" She touched his cheek.
He shrugged. "I was put in an orphanage. They didn't even know my name. I sorta made my name up, myself."
"Oh…" She nearly cried, and kissed his chin. "Was it horrible for you?"
"It was…rough…yeah. But I survived. I been a traveling man all my grown life. Looking for something."
When she saw that lonely look Mrs. Meriwether was talking about, she turned his face toward her and kissed him with all the passion inside her. She wanted to let him know, he wasn't alone any longer.
When they pulled away from each other a fe
w minutes later, they both smiled and he held her in his arms.
"That reminds me. Cole…Gloria Townsend had her baby, today."
Cole's eyes sparkled. "No kidding. What was it?"
"A boy. A beautiful baby boy." Emily cried.
"Is she doing alright?"
"Yes, me and Mrs. Meriwether saw to her and the doc of course."
"Then you were there, when it was born?" Cole asked, his eyes sparkling into hers.
"Yes…I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life."
He pulled her close…"I'm glad you were with her. I'm glad you had that experience."
"What a miracle life is." She murmured.
Cole stared at her and reached to take her back into his arms.
She started to kiss him again, but Perez spotted them and came over.
"Sorry amigo, but Sam wants to talk to you…"
"Sure…" Cole grunted moving to his feet and pulling Emily with him. "I was just telling Em how much I missed her…is all."
Perez smiled at them both. "Si…."
Emily smiled and blushed at the same time. Cole didn't turn lose of her for a minute. Even as they entered the camp, he held her hand tight to his.
Chapter Twenty
Three Island Crossing was up just like everyone feared and both Hawk and Perez were busy trying to find the best place to cross. Not only that, but there was a slant to the land at the crossings that made it hard for wagons to make the grade. If the wagons moved too fast, they might topple over and end up in the River. So Cole's men were singled out to drive the wagons to the edge of the waters. It took a lot of time, but the men were experienced in delicate maneuvers of the wagons. However, the water was so high, Hawk and Perez both agreed that the wagons should be ferried across.
Perez carried even worse news.
"The cow, she is sick…it is Cholera."
Cole shook his head. This wasn't the news he wanted to hear, but he had half expected it to catch up with them.
He knew he'd have to tell everyone. But he was already worrying about how to tell them and their reactions were what worried him most. They had just emptied their wagons of their loads, and with deep regret, now he had to tell them that there was a possibility of Cholera.
Brides of the West-Part One Page 54