Gone to Texas: Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga, book one (Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection One 1)

by Caryl McAdoo

  A green haze clouded over her mind, then a red blaze burned through fog. “Oh, she did, did she? And what, pray tell, did she want?”

  “She claimed she was cold and her Pap was drunk, and she wanted to get into my wagon to get warm.”

  “What! Well, that little . . . So exactly what did you do, Mister O'Neal?”

  “Told her to go away! I wouldn't let her step one foot into that wagon.”

  “That's good, but she's fixin' to get a piece of my mind, I'll tell you for sure!”

  “Wait just a minute, sweetheart. Let's talk a little more.”

  “What for? She's two—faced and evil! Who'd do such a thing?”

  “See, this is why I wasn't going to tell you. You and her were just getting to be friends, and you kept saying how you loved having a friend your own age.”

  “Oh yeah, blame me.”

  “You know I am not doing that! I confided in Laud for advice and he kept an eye on her. Aunt Esther told him Gabby had a crush on me, and I should be careful.”

  “So everyone knows but me?”

  “No one else, just them. Anyway, last night while I was on watch, I found her sitting beside the creek crying. She was in a terrible way.”

  “She deserves to be, trying to steal you from me? Did you find out what was wrong with her or run the other way?”

  “Of, she told me to leave, but from what she said, I actually considered she might hurt herself, so refused to go—though she asked me repeatedly to just leave. But I wasn’t about to without finding out what her troubles were all about.”

  “Pa says if a man will steal from you, he'll lie to you! I can't believe I've trusted her, shared my thoughts with her! What did the liar have to say for herself?”

  “She said the Lord's been convicting her about her sins. This one against you is at the top of her list on account she loves you and loves being your friend. She felt like when you found out, you'd hate her.”

  “She got that one right!”

  “Alicia . . . she couldn't bring herself to tell you, and last night begged me to, thinking you'd listen longer to me. She only did it cause Junior run off after he got her in the family way, and she was trying to cover her sin. You and her weren't such close friends yet back then, and she was desperate.”

  Of its own, Alicia's fist balled, and she slugged his arm.

  “Ow! What was that for? I didn't do anything wrong.”

  “You're making excuses for her! You should have told me the next day! If you had, then . . . then—”

  “Then what? The whole clan would have put them out? Mam would never have led Corbin to the Lord. Who knows where that's going to lead? Gabby's seen the difference in him and wants what he has, but she doesn't think she can get saved until you knew what she did, and you forgive her. She's so convicted about her sins, honey.”

  “Forgiveness? From me? I just bet she’d like that!”

  “She's the one who insisted that you know, but she couldn't stand the thought of losing you as a friend. Don't you have a bit of compassion for her? Aren’t we required to forgive her?”

  “Why should I? She betrayed me!”

  “You should because the Word says if we don't forgive, God won't forgive us. Haven't you ever done anything you were sorry for, Alicia? I mean, it sure looks to me the Lord has worked all things to the good of those who love him.”

  She looked into his eyes, still glaring a little, but not as much, softer.

  “We, Mis'ess O'Neal, definitely do love the Lord and are called to his purpose. Don't you agree?”

  Oh, how she hated when he ended an argument by quoting scripture. Being right when she didn't want him to be made it worse. She wanted to hate her friend for stabbing her in the back. She didn't want to forgive her, but he was right.

  What she really wanted to do was expose what Gabrielle had done to the whole clan and have everyone know how two-faced she was!

  DO YOU NEED MERCY

  She looked at Flynn, but he hadn't said anything. She certainly heard the question, but who asked it?

  “I need mercy.”

  “You do? Scripture says the measure you give, is how much you'll get back.”

  “It does?” Rats! She was going to have to forgive Gabby and show mercy to her . . . but that way, she would still have a friend. It did happen a long time ago, before she and the girl had grown so close.

  And before she and Flynn got married. She could almost understand, knowing how frantic her friend was when she discovered she was pregnant . . . “So, I have to give mercy to get it?”

  “Yes, ma'am.” He rubbed his arm where she'd hit him. “I love you.”

  “I . . . uh . . . Yes, I love you, too. But you make me so mad sometimes.”

  “If only I could promise I'll never do it again, but that just isn't likely.” He pulled his shirt off. “My poor arm needs you to kiss it and make it better.” He pointed to the red spot then turned his shoulder toward her, grinned, then nodded down toward his arm.

  With barely a pucker, she leaned in, but he rolled around and put his lips in front of hers. “I love you.”

  Late into the night, Gabrielle waited for screams or footfalls charging toward her wagon. The wind howled outside, but not as loud as the storm brewing inside. Or the one about to erupt in her friend's wagon.

  But nothing happened. Thunder rolled across the sky, sounded pretty far north. It'd be coming from the O'Neal's any minute.

  Surely, he would tell her. He promised. The longer she waited, the more anxious she became.

  Either Flynn chickened out or couldn't find the right words.

  Or maybe Alicia passed smooth out from the shock of her betrayal. She considered telling Izzy all about it and getting her advice, but the freed woman fell asleep before Pap took to snoring.

  On the journey, she'd taken to thinking of having everyone call her by her given name instead of the negative connotation nickname her no-good mother hung on her. Gabby. She just wasn't!

  No one could truthfully say she talked too much, never in her whole life. Since about to be a mother herself, she figured the more grown-up name would suit her.

  Plus, she liked the way Gabrielle sounded so much more. Almost like an angel.

  The relief she'd experienced the previous night when Flynn finally agreed to tell her best friend and his wife what happened that night in Charlotte evaporated more and more by the minute. Why wasn't he keeping his word? Surely if he'd told Alicia, she'd have thrown a hissy-fit, and the whole camp would have heard.

  The newlywed wore her heart on her sleeve. One of the things Gabrielle loved about her . . . well and hated it a little too, maybe. She couldn't see her friend—if she could still call her that—keeping quiet about her doing such an awful thing. If only she hadn't tried to tempt him. She should have known he'd never choose someone like her over Alicia.

  Why would she ever even hope the girl would keep such terrible actions to herself?

  Then again, she had kept Gabrielle's secret about having the baby. Maybe she would take pity.

  Deep into the night, she waited, then the rooster crowed the sun up. Had she slept any at all?

  Her eyes said no, but the pain in her back and wrist indicated perhaps she had. She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders against the chill that had been creeping in and climbed out over the front seat, careful not to wake Izzy.

  Lightning still lit the northern sky, but the ground remained dry. Looked like the clan had missed it. If only she could miss Alicia's wrath. But sooner or later, it would come.

  After taking care of her necessaries, she eased to the cook-fire. Miss Liberty and Miss Esther already had a steaming cup in their hands, and a baby-sized bundle squirmed under a blanket near the young mother's breast.

  She couldn't imagine what that would feel like but definitely didn't look forward to it. Hopefully it'd be different when her baby showed up.

  The actual birthing scared her, too. But so many women before got through it.

&nb
sp; One fine day . . . it'd all be over, and she'd be sitting in a rocker, nursing her wee babe as though there was nothing to it, like Miss Esther. Where would she be then?

  If Alicia put up a big enough stink, they'd surely be liable to put her out. And if they did, where would she go?

  Would Pap and Izzy go with her? She eased down into her pap's chair.

  “Good morning, Gabby.”

  Tears welled. Was it? She nodded and found enough strength to offer a weak. “Miss Liberty.” Then threw a nod to her right. “Miss Esther. Looks like Josie Jo's having an early breakfast.”

  “Indeed, she still gets me up about every two or three hours.”

  “Would you like a cup of coffee, dear?”

  Miss Liberty probably wouldn’t be calling her dear very long. They'd hate her, too. She shook her head and managed to get a no ma'am out before she buried her face in her hands.

  Was that the last morning those two fine ladies would speak to her? If only she could fold herself into a ball and roll away, right into the creek then float all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

  A hand held her shoulder. “Oh goodness, what's wrong, dear?”

  Lips touched her cheek on the other side, and arms wrapped around her back. Then the lips slid back to her ear. “I forgive you, friend.”

  Her heart leapt. She lifted her eyes. Alicia grinned at her.

  “You do?” Tears flowed down both cheeks, blurring her friend's face. She stood and wrapped her arms around the most wonderful person she’d ever known.

  “Thank you, Alicia. Oh, thank you so much. I . . . I . . .” She wrapped her arms around her friend even tighter, and the forgiving lady bear—hugged her right back.

  Shortly, Alicia leaned back. “Bless the Lord. His mercy endures forever.”

  The tears continued to fall in earnest, and Gabrielle fell on her friend's neck and wept.

  Liberty rocked back and feasted her eyes on the young ladies. If she had it right, her daughter-in-law had been told about that night in Charlotte.

  It swelled Liberty's heart the way her son's wife reacted . . . the way she treated poor Gabby. Esther shot her a quizzical look, but she mouthed, 'later.' It just wouldn't do to publicize the girl's sin.

  But her brother's wife had been in on helping Flynn from the beginning and would be as overjoyed as Liberty to know what had happened.

  The morning chores and breakfast went without incident, and Seve had the little wagon train on the trail as the false dawn broke.

  Alicia hurried back to her wagon to ride with her husband, and Gabby to the Harrell's, but the smile on that girl's face clearly told the story of a burden being lifted.

  The newly freed ex-slave also wore a big smile most every day. She came to relieve her from driving as the custom had become, and Liberty walked beside Corbin a bit after dinner. He obviously had no clue as to what transpired that morning.

  Though she thought about telling him, it really wasn't her place. He most likely had no idea of his daughter's transgression.

  And since it had been forgiven by the parties involved . . .

  Anyway, all he wanted to talk about was that barn he'd been building in his mind for the last few days.

  With at least a good hour of sun left, the train reached the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Seve waded across and back again then drove on through to the other side. To her surprise, he pulled his team to a stop in a little clearing not fifty yards from the crossing.

  Reining in the mules when her wagon caught up next to his, she grinned. “Whoa, boys.” She glanced over at Mallory and her husband. “Something wrong?”

  “No, ma'am.” Seve grinned back. “This just looks like a good spot. Tomorrow's Sunday, and Corbin wants me to baptize him.”

  A twinge of jealousy stabbed her heart, but how foolish was that? She had no claims on Mister Harrell. But he could have at least mentioned his plans. Of course, he'd want Seve to do the honors.

  She smiled. “Have any idea how much farther?”

  “If Levi Baylor's right, we'll be home Monday.”

  Her breath caught. “Really? We're that close?”

  “Yes, ma'am.”

  Laud stopped his wagon next to hers. “Something wrong?”

  “Nope. Pick a spot. We're camping here for tonight and tomorrow.”

  Pulling her wagon around, she sheltered under a huge cedar elm. The men went to work. Unhitched and hobbled the mules then grained them. The little boys gathered deadfall, and their partner got the cook-fire going.

  The mules got hobbled and turned out soon as they finished supper and their feed bags were gathered. The women started cooking. Liberty loved that after forty days on the trail, everyone knew what to do and got after it..

  Katie Kay played like she helped this one then that one, sticking as close as allowed to Charity and Arlene. Josie Jo obviously couldn't care less so long as her mother made sure her diaper was dry and her belly was full.

  After the beans, fatback, and cornpone, the fellows went over the map then hashed and rehashed how much farther they'd go.

  The general consciousness believed if the Ranger knew his stuff, that a spot south of the Delaware Creek would be about perfect. But only time would tell.

  Her brother suggested he and Flynn do a bit of scouting, but that idea was shot down before it even got off the ground with Esther and Alicia leading the charge.

  When the talk turned to weather, Corbin invited her to the fire he'd kindled out a ways. She carried the lantern. He lugged her rocker and his chair. Once seated, he leaned forward and held his hands out toward her, palms up.

  “Forgot to tell Seve I wanted to surprise you about getting baptized.”

  “Ah.” She smiled. “I wondered why you hadn't mentioned it.”

  “Thought about you doing the honors, but well, thought better of it. Figure I might be a bit heavy for you. That fine?”

  “Oh yes, certainly.” The mental image of her trying to bring him up out of the water tickled her, and she giggled. “I'd have tried if you'd asked, but you might have drowned in the process.”

  “Have you talked with Ga . . . uh, my daughter all of a sudden wants us to call her Gabrielle now. Anyway, you talked with her today?”

  “No, sir. I did see her this morning. Again at dinner and supper, of course, but I haven't talked with her. Why?”

  “Well, something's happened. I was hoping you knew.”

  Liberty rocked back. That wasn't like Gabby . . . uh, Gabrielle to keep her pap in the dark, but at the same time, she understood. The girl specifically asked her not to tell her pap, so she kept the secret while giving him some information to explain the difference in his daughter.

  “I'm not sure for a fact, but something had come between her and Alicia. I've been noticing Gabby—I mean Gabrielle—being down in the mouth for a while. Haven't you?”

  “Now that you mention it . . .”

  “But I surmised this morning that they've made amends.”

  The shock registered on the man's face. “Humph. Can't imagine what would come between those two. Why, I thought they were boon buddies, thicker than thieves, the best of friends?”

  “Will you not say anything if I tell you what I know?”

  Twisting his head a bit, he nodded. “You have my word.”

  For the second time that day, she told the story of Gabrielle trying to get in the wagon with Flynn, but as with Esther, she never revealed how she knew for a fact that it happened like she said.

  After hearing the sordid tale, the man studied the fire for several beats of Liberty's heart. She hated being the bearer of bad news, but he was her father and needed to know what had transpired.

  She also figured more than not, Gabrielle would want someone other than herself to tell him.

  “It's all my fault.” He looked up. “Being so drunk all the time. Same as I opened the door for Junior having his way with my baby girl. Then her not being able to tell me. That's on me, too. I suspected something like that but tu
rned a blind eye when I should have pressed her.”

  “Well, what's done is done. But praise the Lord, He's worked it all out for the good.”

  Corbin eyed her hard. If only the widow could find it in her heart to say yes and marry him . . . that really would be for the good.

  Chapter Thirty

  Corbin, with the mutt beside him, watched that Sunday morning's dawn break. After the darkest dark of the new moon and not being able to even see his hand in front of his own face, moving around felt good to his old bones.

  Almost there, only a day or two more, then he'd be scouting out his new land, certain to get last choice, no doubt. But even that proved more space to be his own than he'd ever have imagined.

  According to the widow, it'd be the clan's forty-first day of the trek from Tennessee and the twenty-fifth day of October. The day he got baptized in the land of his new home. Back in the states, an election was coming.

  Made no never mind that he hadn't a clue when the Texas's office holders stood again. Wouldn't know who to vote for anyways. He'd find out though.

  If the Republic was going to be home, then he planned to have a say in what went on. Never voted for a president before, but he would as a land owner. Might ought to be about finding out such things since he planned to live out his life there.

  The way he figured it, with all the land they were willing to sign over to him just for living on the property and farming ten acres of it, Texas would be his home until the day he died. Made him remember Reagan . . . the man passed without a home. He wouldn't be like that. No sir, he'd be a man of means with close to fifteen hundred acres.

  He chuckled to himself. Loved it that he only sojourned in this hard-old world since God had written his name in the Lamb's Book of Life. Heaven was his real home, and that very morning, well, afternoon, he'd get baptized to confess Jesus his Savior before everyone. Almost like getting married.

  If only . . .

  “Father, heal her heart and soften it toward me. Let her know how much I love her and need her.”