The Seeds of Change

by Lauraine Snelling

  “What if we bring our wagon closer?” Forsythia suggested again. “It’ll make caring for her easier.”

  Lark nodded. “We’ll have to take turns sleeping. I think Mr. Durham is very near the end of his rope.”

  “I wonder how long they’ve been here,” Lilac said.

  Forsythia shrugged.

  Mr. Durham returned with another pot of water and set it on the new fire. “I’ll go find rocks as soon as it’s light enough.”

  “Mr. Durham, we’re going to give your wife a bath. Do you know if she has a clean nightdress or something to wear?”

  He shook his head and shrugged at the same time. “Clothes and bedding are in the trunk.”

  “When did this start?” Forsythia asked.

  “Yesterday morning. She mentioned the night before when we camped that she didn’t feel well but said we should keep going, so we did.” He shook his head. “She got so sick so fast, so we stopped here by the river about midafternoon.”

  “I see. Did you and Robbie eat last night?”

  He nodded. “Leftover beans and biscuits.”

  Lark joined the conversation. “Mr. Durham, we’re going to bring our wagon over closer as soon as we can. In the meantime, have you checked on your oxen?”

  Durham shook his head. “I took ’em to drink and hobbled ’em. Heard one bellow not too long ago.”

  “You feed the fires, and I’ll go see about them.” Lark stepped into the shadows.

  Forsythia stirred the simmering herbs and set the kettle back from the flames to let it steep. The fragrance that rose told her it was ready. “I could use a cup.”

  Mr. Durham brought one from the box in the wagon.

  “Do you by any chance have any honey or molasses?”

  He nodded and brought that.

  Forsythia dipped tea out of the kettle, added a drop of honey, and stirred. Please, Lord, help her keep this down. With the sky lightening, she could see their patient more clearly. Holding the cup and spoon in one hand, she softly called Mrs. Durham’s name. “I brought you some herb tea to help soothe your stomach.”

  A slight nod told her that Alice heard, and she opened her mouth as soon as the spoon touched her lips. She swallowed and coughed, spewing droplets all around. Her forehead wrinkled.

  “Lilac, I need your help,” Forsythia called.

  “I’m right here.” Lilac slid her arm under the patient’s shoulders and propped her up. This time the liquid slid down Mrs. Durham’s throat.

  “Easy.” Please, Lord, please.

  They waited awhile, then did it again. And waited.

  Lilac gently laid Mrs. Durham back on her pallet. “Can we . . . ?” She nodded to the mess.

  Forsythia nodded. “Alice, we’re going to wash you up and get you a clean bed too. My name is Forsythia, and my sister Lilac is going to search in your trunk for clean linens and something for you to wear.”

  At the woman’s barest nod, the two proceeded.

  Lark returned and joined Mr. Durham in breaking branches and chopping larger pieces for the fire. “I’ll fix some breakfast.”

  After bathing Alice and changing her sheets, Forsythia and Lilac bundled the soiled bedding and garments into the large laundry pot Del had brought. They paused long enough to eat, then kept on boiling the wash, stirring with a straight green willow stick Lark cut. She had stripped off the bark to make the work easier. Hauling the soapy wash to the river, both Forsythia and Del took off their boots, hitched up their skirts, and waded into the water. By the time they’d rinsed all the laundry, both were nearly as wet as the wash.

  “It’s a shame we can’t go swimming.” Forsythia handed Del one end of the sheet, and together they twisted the water out.

  “In our clothes?” Del motioned back toward camp.

  “Why not?” Forsythia almost dunked herself and then remembered the man working around the wagon. “No, you’re right.”

  After wringing everything out, they draped the linens over bushes and branches to dry. When they got back to camp, Mr. Durham had scrubbed his wagon and collapsed under a tree, finally getting the rest he sorely needed.

  As the morning sun climbed, Del and Forsythia took turns spooning tea into their patient and rejoiced when Alice kept it all down. Bathed and in a clean nightdress, Alice finally slept after taking some of Del’s broth.

  Weary to the bone, Forsythia sank onto a fallen log and watched Lilac entertaining Robbie. He shouted with glee when Lilac let him perch on Starbright’s back while she walked the horse around. A very different scene than when they’d arrived. Thank you, Lord. Thank you.

  Late in the morning, Forsythia and Lark headed back to their wagon for a rest, while Del and Lilac took a shift. They met another wagon heading down toward the river.

  “You camped down there?” the husband asked Lark after stopping their oxen.

  “Back up a ways.” Lark tipped her hat up. “But there are good spots by the river. We’re just helping some folks camped there who fell sick.”

  “Poor souls.” The wife smiled at them from the wagon seat. “You’re good to help your neighbors.”

  “Huh. We’ll steer clear of any sickness.” The husband glanced at his wife and the three children’s faces peeking from behind her. Another boy in his early teens rode horseback alongside the wagon. “Can’t let anything hold us up from joining a wagon train this late in the season.”

  “Where are you folks from?” Lark asked.

  “Ohio. Headed to the Oregon Trail. You?”

  “Same.”

  Forsythia smiled up at the wife. She seemed kind, more so than her sour-faced husband. “Perhaps we’ll see you on the trail.”

  “If we all make it soon enough.” The husband hupped the oxen and nodded at Lark, ignoring Forsythia. “Thank you kindly.”

  Forsythia studied Lark’s face as the wagon lumbered on. Brow tightened, her sister strode on ahead without a word. Forsythia followed, a tightening in her middle. Yes, they needed to press on. Time was running out. But how could they leave the Durhams behind?

  11

  We need to get moving again,” Lark said.

  “I know, but what about Mrs. Durham? Do you think she’s strong enough?” Forsythia asked. They were gathered around their campfire after helping Mr. Durham put his son and wife to bed before himself.

  “Guess we’ll see in the morning. He’s getting restless to leave too.” Lark poked a stick into the fire, causing sparks to spiral up with the smoke. “I keep remembering something about wagon trains not starting out after a certain date. I know we’re getting late in the season, but what that man said concerns me.” Calculations circled through her mind—how many miles a day they could make, how many miles still to Independence.

  “Leaving them behind doesn’t seem right either.” Forsythia slapped at a mosquito on her arm. “Pesky things.”

  “We could take turns riding with them to take care of her.” Del pushed herself to her feet. “But since she can drink from a cup now, probably the best way we can help is to keep Robbie with us.”

  Lark nodded. “I’ll go talk with him in the morning. We won’t get as early a start as we’d like, but even ten miles is better than none.” Tension tightened her shoulders again.

  “I set the snares, so perhaps we’ll have fresh meat for tomorrow.” Lilac climbed under her blanket.

  Restless even in her sleep, Lark woke before the others and went to check on the animals. As of tonight, we go back to taking turns at watch again. She stroked Starbright’s favorite spot between her eyes and leaned into the horse. Was Jonah staying out of the saloon? And any other way he could get in trouble? When were Anders and Josephine getting married? Would they find letters from home in the Independence post office? Were those two evil men still looking for them? She tipped her head back and stared at the disappearing stars as light bloomed in the east. Lord, I sure wish the Durhams would choose to stop when we come to a town with a boardinghouse and stay long enough for Alice to regain her s
trength. The question, of course, was how long that might take. Another thought chased after that one. The Herrons were only one day back. They’d take the Durhams in for sure, or help them at least. Perhaps Mr. Durham could work for them. Thought piled on thought, but any reminder of the Herron family created a warm circle around her heart.

  She heard Del starting the fire for breakfast and the others greeting her. They had invited Robbie and his pa to have breakfast with them. Forsythia planned to go tend to Alice. Better get going, Lark told herself. She gave the mare one last pat and returned to the fire.

  “I’m going to water the animals, unless you need something else,” she announced.

  “Good morning to you too.” Del set the pot of water on to heat as well as the coffee. She turned to smile at her older sister.

  Lark nodded. “Point taken.”

  “Good morning,” Forsythia said around a yawn. “I checked on our patient during the night, and she seemed to be sleeping peacefully. I thought I’d make some gruel with that chicken broth and feed her that. See if she can keep it down. I’ll make up more of the herbal tea too.”

  “We’re having mush for breakfast. Lilac is out checking the snares. It makes me dream of fried rabbit for supper, and I’m setting beans to soak. Should have done that yesterday.” Del tried to cover a yawn. She nodded toward the other wagon.

  Lark turned and nodded to Mr. Durham, who was approaching. “Good morning.”

  “I’ve come to tell you my wife and I want to travel with you today.”

  Lark nodded. Good. “Breakfast will be ready soon. I’m going to water our teams, then yoke them up. You need some help?”

  “That’d be appreciated. Do yours first, then mine?”

  Lilac strode into camp holding two rabbit carcasses and set to dressing them. “We’ll eat good tonight.”

  Both spans were yoked up when Del announced breakfast. The rabbits were dressed and wrapped in a cloth, Mrs. Durham was taken care of, and Forsythia had brought Robbie, bouncing and chattering along, back to the wagon with her.

  Del dished up the mush and drizzled a dab of molasses on each bowl before handing them around. “Sythia, you want to say grace?”

  “Lord, thank you for always being with us. Please bless this food to our bodies and the hands that made it. Amen.”

  When they finished eating, Lilac and Robbie scrubbed the bowls in the river. They returned with Robbie even bouncier than before.

  “We saw a duck and her babies! Ma needs to see the babies. She likes any kind of babies.”

  Lilac squatted down beside him and said softly, “Baby ducks are called ducklings.”

  “Ducks and ducklings.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Show Ma?”

  “You’ll have to tell her about them.” Lilac stood and ruffled his hair.

  When they were ready to travel, Lark paused as she stepped up to the bench seat. “You goin’ to ride Starbright?” she asked her youngest sister.

  Lilac grinned back at her. “Of course. Come on, Robbie, you can ride with me.”

  She mounted, and Del lifted the boy up to sit in front of her and patted his knee. Lark hupped the oxen and headed south on the trail worn into a road. Mr. Durham waited for the dust to settle and then followed them.

  Lark exhaled. It’s good to be moving again.

  “Is she awake?” Lilac asked softly, riding Starbright near the tailgate of the Durhams’ wagon. “Robbie wants to say hello.”

  Forsythia nodded. “Come on, Alice, I’ll help you sit up.” She braced her weak patient with her knees. “I’ve got you.”

  “Hey, Ma, Lilac and me are riding Starbright,” Robbie crowed.

  “I see that.” She blew him a kiss.

  “We saw a mama duck and her . . .” He grinned up at Lilac. “And her ducklings swimming behind her.”

  His mother nodded and blew out a weary breath. “I’ll . . . see you . . . later.”

  Forsythia smiled at the little boy and gently settled her patient back on the pallet. She picked up the guitar she’d brought with her that morning. “I think we need some music here. Do you like to sing, Robbie?”

  “Uh-huh. Ma sings lots.”

  “Oh good.” While she spoke, Forsythia plucked at the guitar strings. “How about ‘Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing’?”

  Miles down the road, when they paused for much-needed refreshment for animals and people alike, Lilac clutched Robbie’s hand while he slid down to the ground and then dismounted herself. With no trees around, only the wagons offered shade. The oxen stamped and swished their tails against the flies, and the humans drank water from the barrels on the sides of the wagons, stretching and moving around.

  Lark and Mr. Durham filled water buckets and gave each animal a short drink, then checked hooves and under the yokes to make sure no sores were developing.

  “Why don’t I take your place with Alice and you ride?” Lilac suggested to Forsythia.

  Forsythia nodded. “Thank you. She’s sleeping much of the time. When she wakes, I help her drink right away.”

  “I’ll do the same.” Lilac dropped her voice. “Is she worse?”

  Shaking her head, Forsythia pondered. “She’s keeping everything down, so she’s not worse, just terribly weak. But she’s more aware when she’s awake now. She says she’s thirsty.”

  “I’ll get my bag.”

  Forsythia shaded her eyes with her hand and looked back the direction they’d come. “Someone’s coming. It looks like a buggy.”

  The driver pulled his team to a halt. “Good day, folks. Headin’ west?”

  Lark nodded and smiled at the well-dressed woman seated behind the man with the reins. “Good day, ma’am.”

  “Where are you heading?” she asked, her stylish hat nearly hiding her eyes.

  “Independence, Missouri, hopefully in time to meet up with a wagon train heading to Oregon.”

  She nodded. “I see. You should be there in two or three more days. If you need more water or supplies, we have a mercantile about two miles ahead that has helped outfit many wagons. We have a place with trees where you can camp, too, and a well for water.”

  “Why, thank you, ma’am. Do you by any chance have a doctor in your town?”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but we’re still looking for one to open a practice in our town. Doctors are scarcer than turtle teeth out here.”

  “Ma’am.” The driver turned slightly.

  “Yes, almost ready.” She looked back at Lark, shaking her head and setting the red flower on her hat bobbing. The feather matched the color of her ensemble, as did her gloves. “I hope you decide to stay over, even a day or two.”

  Lark nodded, and the driver flicked the reins to set the buggy off at a trot.

  “Will we stop?” Forsythia asked. Her heart leapt at the thought of civilization again, but Lark’s brow furrowed.

  “How about you think on what we need and pass the word back. How is Mrs. Durham doing?”

  Forsythia took Starbright’s reins from Lilac. “Not vomiting, but she’s so weak. Robbie’s napping by his ma.”

  If only the sleep would give Alice some strength to recover and carry the baby to term. Please, Lord.

  Lark walked with the lead ox, watching to see if any of them were limping. Anders had reminded her several times how to care for their mode of transportation.

  She added grain to the list growing in her mind. It would be good to stock up before they reached Independence, as prices might be higher there.

  It wasn’t long before they reached the outskirts of the town, which boasted a shady, fenced pasture and a well, just as the woman had promised.

  “You’ll enjoy that, won’t you?” Lark gave Sadie a scratch behind her stubby horns. She halted the oxen next to the fence, where a gangly young man leaned against the gate.

  “A lady in a buggy a ways back told us we could spend the night here.”

  “Sure.” The boy straightened and took a piece of gras
s out of his mouth. “Cost you a dollar per wagon.”

  “A dollar?” Lark stared. “Just to camp?”

  “Take it or leave it.” He shrugged and put the grass back in his mouth.

  Lark glanced back at Forsythia. Atop Starbright, her sister tipped her head toward the Durhams’ wagon. They didn’t have much choice, not with Alice’s condition. And they needed supplies. But Lark nearly choked as she placed the dollar in the boy’s hand, then another for the Durhams. She doubted they had that kind of money to spare. At least she had her gambling winnings, strange as that still felt.

  “Make yourselves comfortable.” He swung the gate open for the wagons to pass through.

  They stopped the wagons under some spreading oaks near the well, unhitched the oxen, and lifted their yokes. Sam and Soda immediately started grazing, while Sadie and Sarge took time to rub the day’s weariness from their heads and necks against the tree trunks first.

  “A whole dollar?” Lilac crossed her arms. “That’s pure robbery.”

  “I know.” Lark lifted her hat and let the breeze blow through her hair. “We’ll stay just one night, especially since they don’t have a doctor here. Want to come with me to the mercantile?”

  “Sure.” Lilac retied her sunbonnet strings. “Man and wife again?”

  Her sister’s teasing wink made Lark smile. Thank God for her sisters.

  The mercantile was well stocked, at least. They refilled their stores of beans, flour, bacon, and even fresh eggs to pack in the cornmeal. The store sold wood for those staying in the camp overnight. Lark eyed the tagged bundles with a raised brow. Would they at least let them gather kindling for free?

  The bell on the store door jangled.

  “Ah, you found us.” The lady they’d met on the road swept up beside Lark, red flower still bobbing in her hat. “I trust you are finding all you need?”

  Lark met her gaze. “You didn’t mention the charge for camping here.”

  “Are you not satisfied with the site?”

  “It’s fine, but—”

  “Nothing comes free, you know. Water, safety, rest—we provide all these for weary travelers. You can always go elsewhere.” The woman smiled, but a hint of steel laced her voice.