Plains of Promise (Wyoming Series Book 2)

by Colleen Coble

  “I can’t wait that long,” Isaac said frantically. “I have to get reinforcements.” He began to search for his greatcoat and buffalo robe.

  Hardtack sighed and pointed to the other side of the bed, where he’d piled Isaac’s belongings. “If ye are bent on killing yourself and your horse, I reckon I can’t stop ye.”

  Isaac looked at the old man a moment, then at an inner urging, rummaged through his knapsack and found his small New Testament. “Can you read?” he asked the old man.

  Hardtack bristled. “ ’Course I can read. What ye take me for? Some kind of half-wit? My mam was very particular ’bout all us young ’uns knowing about reading and writing.”

  “Then I’d like to say thanks for saving my life with this.” Isaac gently handed him the small black book. “It’s the most precious thing I own.”

  Hardtack blinked, then slowly reached out a hand and took the book. “My mam had one like this,” he said in a quavering voice. He stroked the battered cover. “Why would ye give me such a thing?”

  “God told me to,” Isaac said.

  The old man blinked back tears. “Thank ye kindly,” he said. “I’ll take good care of it.”

  When Isaac left, Hardtack had pulled a chair near the fire and sat engrossed in the contents of the small black book.

  Isaac staggered weakly through the drifts of snow to the shed surrounded by a rickety corral. How was he going to get through when he was so weak? He grimly pushed on. He had to make it. God would give him the strength somehow.

  He found Buck bedded down in a heap of straw with an old blanket thrown over him. “Sorry, boy,” he said. “We’ve got to get on the road again.” He slipped the bit into Buck’s mouth and hurriedly saddled him. He led him out the door into the wind-driven snow. After swinging up into the saddle, he tucked his buffalo robe securely around him, checked his compass, and dug his heels into Buck’s flank.

  He felt he was close enough to Fort Laramie to travel in the daylight. This close to the fort most of the Indians were friendly Brulé Sioux. It was still slow going in the drifting snow, but Isaac felt a new strength coursing through him, a new optimism. He was going to make it! He just prayed that God would protect the fort with His mighty right hand until help could arrive.

  After riding nearly three hours, he began to recognize the terrain. He was almost to Fort Reno! Maybe they would have news of Fort Phil Kearny. A sentry stopped him as he rode up, then opened the gate. He made his way to the commanding officer’s headquarters and knocked on the door.

  “Enter,” the commander called.

  He stepped inside and saluted the major seated behind a scarred, makeshift desk. “Sir, I come with a dispatch from Colonel Carrington at Fort Phil Kearny. There’s been a terrible battle and we desperately need reinforcements and ammunition.”

  The major waved his hand. “Where have you been, Lieutenant? We got word of the massacre days ago. Troops should just about be there by now.”

  Isaac sagged in relief. The fort was saved! “I had some bad luck, Major. I’m just thankful Phillips made it through.”

  The major nodded. “You don’t look well, Lieutenant. You’d better head to mess and get some chow.”

  Isaac opened his mouth to object and say he was going back to Fort Phil Kearny, when the major interrupted him.

  “That’s an order, Lieutenant.”

  Isaac sighed. It seemed he didn’t have a choice. He saluted, then left headquarters and made his way across the tiny parade ground to the mess hall. After a bowl of stew and a stringy piece of meat, he mounted up and pointed Buck’s head back to Fort Phil Kearny.

  §

  Sarah coaxed Emmie’s hair into soft ringlets with the aid of the hot tongs. “You’re going to be a beautiful bride,” she told her.

  Emmie forced a smile. “I doubt if Jake really cares how I look,” she told her. “As long as I show up, he’ll be content.”

  Morning Song peeked in the bedroom where the other two women were. “There you are, my friend. I bring you something for luck.” She held out a beautifully beaded belt.

  “Oh, Morning Song, it’s lovely,” Emmie said. She took the belt and examined it. The belt had tiny eagle designs with exquisite detailing. She hugged her friend and slipped the belt around her waist. It looked beautiful against the cream of her dress.

  Morning Song sat on the edge of the bed. “Jake tell me to go make woman talk,” she said with a shy smile. “He walk and pace like a panther.”

  The women chuckled. “Rand said Jake was nervous,” Sarah said. “You wouldn’t think so since he’s been through it before.”

  They all fell silent at the oblique reference to Amelia. Emmie felt tears prick her eyes. She still missed Amelia and knew the pain was a never-ending one for Sarah, too. Poor Jake. She knew she could never make up to him all he’d lost, but perhaps they could find some measure of happiness together in raising Gabrielle and the baby Emmie carried.

  “I wish you much happiness, my sister,” Morning Song said with downcast eyes.

  Emmie looked at her lovely face and wished things could have been different. She had felt for some time that Morning Song harbored warm feelings for Jake. And sometimes she saw a softness in Jake when he looked at Morning Song. Not love yet, but it could have blossomed, Emmie thought. If there had just been the opportunity.

  She finished her toilet, and the three women pulled on their cloaks, bundled up the baby, and hurried across the parade ground to the little chapel. Once inside the foyer, Sarah handed Joshua to Morning Song, then repaired the damage the wind had wrought and put the filmy veil on Emmie’s head. Morning Song slipped inside the door and sat at the back of the chapel with baby John.

  Sarah looked into the chapel and motioned for the post band to begin the music, then stepped out and took Rand’s arm as he escorted her to front of the chapel where they would stand up with Emmie and Jake.

  Emmie took a deep breath and walked slowly down the aisle. She didn’t look to the left or the right as she fixed her eyes on the preacher, but she was aware of the many eyes on her. Most of the fort, including Maggie, the laundress, and the enlisted men, had turned out for the wedding. Everyone was grateful for a chance to forget the bad time they’d all been through. She didn’t look at the broad back of the man who waited for her. She knew she would burst into tears when she saw Jake there where Isaac was supposed to be. She stopped in front of the preacher with her head down. Warm fingers clasped hers, and she jumped a little at the gentle pressure. Perhaps Jake was beginning to feel some small affection for her.

  “Dearly beloved,” the pastor began. His voice droned on as Emmie blocked most of it out. Then he said, “Emmaline Croftner, do you take this man to be your wedded husband? Will you love him, honor and obey him, and cling to him only as long as you both shall live?”

  The words pounded in her head and she turned to meet the gaze of the man who would be her husband. Familiar blue eyes met hers, and she gasped and closed her eyes. She was hallucinating for sure. She opened one eye cautiously to see a familiar grin.

  Isaac caught her as she started to slide to the floor. “I thought you’d be glad to see me,” he said.

  It was Isaac! She looked around to see the smiling faces of her friends. Even Jake was grinning. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw him smile.

  “Surprise!” Sarah hugged her. “He made it back late this morning, just in time to switch places with Jake. I just found out myself. Aren’t you going to answer the preacher?”

  Emmie looked in bewilderment at the minister, who smiled complacently back at her.

  “Well, are you going to marry me or not?” Isaac asked.

  Jake nodded at her. “I’ve released you from your promise,” he said. “And if Morning Song is agreeable, we’ll make it a double wedding.” He looked back at Morning Song and held out his hand. Her eyes never leaving his, she stood and handed John to Frances Grummond before walking to Jake and putting her small brown hand in his. Jake turned a
nd faced the minister again. “Let’s get this wedding moving along. I’m ready for some cake.”

  With her hand in Isaac’s, looking into his warm blue eyes, Emmie knew the Lord her God had done this wondrous thing. Her heart overflowing with love and joy, she repeated her vows, then stepped into Isaac’s arms.

  epilogue

  Emmie looked around the nearly bare rooms where she’d spent the last two years. Was she leaving anything behind? This would be the last time she would ever see these rooms again. Sap no longer oozed from the rough logs, and the tiny rooms looked barren without their gay calico curtains and tablecloths. Dust motes danced in the hot summer sunshine that filled the parlor.

  The treaty of 1868 had agreed to abandon Forts Reno, C.F. Smith, and Phil Kearny to the Indians. No one would ever inhabit these walls again. Isaac said the Indians would burn the fort as soon as the soldiers were out of sight.

  She looked down at a tug on her skirt. Tiny Amelia, just over two, lifted her arms up to be held. Smiling, Emmie knelt and took the child in her arms. She buried her face in her daughter’s sweet-smelling hair. God had blessed her so much. Amelia’s birth had been easy, and the joy the little girl brought to both her and Isaac was simply amazing. Who would have thought that she would have so much just three years after she had heard the shriek of the overturning carriage that day in Wabash?

  Life was good. Even Jake seemed to have finally put the past behind him. He looked at Morning Song with love in his eyes now. They were expecting an addition to their little family in October. Sarah had given Rand another son last year and was also expecting a new baby around Christmas. She and Rand had said they wanted a large family and they were well on their way to having their dreams fulfilled. Emmie had even had an opportunity to tell her brother Labe about how God had changed her life when he’d stopped by three months ago on his way back to the gold fields of Bozeman.

  He had brought news about Ben’s death in a shooting during a poker game with other miners. Emmie had been sad, but not surprised. Ben had too much pride to ever bend his knee to God.

  Emmie whirled now as the front door banged shut and her husband strode in. Isaac smiled as he caught sight of her with Amelia in her arms.

  “It won’t be long before you won’t be able to pick her up,” he said, glancing at the gentle bulge where their new baby grew. Amelia held out her arms to him and he took her and tossed her into the air.

  She giggled. “Again, Daddy,” she cried.

  Emmie watched as Isaac played with Amelia. He was never too busy to take a moment to bring a smile to the little girl’s face. He had certainly kept his promise to be a good father. And husband. She loved him with a fierce, almost painful love.

  His deep voice interrupted her introspection. “Are you ready to leave?”

  Emmie linked her arm through his and gazed up into his blue eyes. “I’m ready,” she said. He opened the door and they walked across the parade ground for the last time.

  “Bye, bye, house,” little Amelia called, waving her chubby hands.

  Emmie echoed the sentiment in her heart as Isaac helped her up into their wagon and then handed Amelia to her. A new fort and a new home awaited them in Arizona. She remembered the words of Ruth, “Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried.”

  She would follow Isaac wherever the army sent them, and she would go happily. It was more than she’d ever hoped for and it was good.

  If you love historical romance with adventure and mystery, the Mercy Falls Series by Colleen Coble is one you won’t want to miss!

  The Lightkeeper’s Daughter is a reader favorite!

  The Lightkeeper’s Daughter: Growing up as the lightkeeper’s daughter on a remote island at the turn of the century, Addie Sullivan has lived a hardscrabble life. When a long-lost and wealthy relative finds her and enlists her to work as a governess at a lavish estate, she hopes to discover the truth of her heritage. But at Eaton Hall, nothing is as it seems.

  “Colleen weaves intrigue and God’s love into a story full of carefully crafted characters. If you’re looking for an awesome writer, I highly recommend her!”—Tracie Peterson, best-selling author of Dawn’s Prelude, Song of Alaska Series

  “Colleen is a master storyteller.”—Karen Kingsbury, best-selling author of Shades of Blue

  Watch for Tidewater Inn—coming in July 2012!

  Welcome to Hope Beach

  Where the sea breeze is fresh, sun sparkles on sand . . . and trouble appears with the force of a hurricane.

  I love to hear from my readers! Drop me an email at colleen@colleencoble.com and visit my website at www.colleencoble.com for more information about my many novels.

  Best-selling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana. Visit her website at www.colleencoble.com.