Teton Splendor

by Peggy L Henderson

  If it had been just him, he might have followed up on his hunch and gone looking for the man. He hadn’t wanted to alarm Sophie or Caleb and worry them needlessly, so he hadn’t mentioned his suspicions. The responsibility of keeping her and the boy safe weighed heavily on his mind. He had told Yancey that he planned to get her safely to the Tetons, and that’s exactly what he would do. Even though she wasn’t aware of it as far as he knew, he watched her like a hawk. His protective instincts were at an all time high because of her, and perhaps his mind was merely playing tricks on him.

  He didn’t have the first inkling as to why anyone would be tailing them. He thought of Oliver Sabin, but that was highly unlikely. The man hadn’t been heard from or seen in nearly twenty years. If he were still alive, would he still carry a grudge? And how would he have known about Sophie’s presence here now?

  Joseph made up his mind. “All right, Chase. We’ll go along with you, at least part ways up the Missouri.”

  “Glad to have you. You never know what scum is out there trying to waylay someone. And you sure as hell don’t want to become a target for sport by a bunch of Indian bucks who need to prove themselves as warriors.”

  Joseph nodded, knowing Chase spoke from first hand experience, but he didn’t comment.

  “Now where did that daughter of mine run off to?” Chase glanced around as if realizing for the first time that Kara was no longer in the store.

  “Knowing your girl, she’s gone off to the dressmaker’s place. She’s been ogling that store all morning,” Sam chimed in with a smirk on his face, and reached for three licorice sticks from the candy jar on the counter. He handed one each to a wide-eyed Caleb and Kyle, and the third to the dark-haired little boy in his wife’s arms.

  Chase sighed heavily. “Yeah, she’s definitely turned into a female over the last couple of years. How did I get so lucky and end up with four daughters?” He rolled his eyes.

  The mention of dresses reminded Joseph of another item he needed to buy in addition to the provisions. Sophie was in desperate need of something else to wear other than that fancy dress she had on. It wouldn’t last another week out on the trail and barely looked like the gown she’d worn on the riverboat. Heck, it barely qualified as a dress. It was dirty and torn in places, and without those cumbersome contraptions she usually wore underneath, it hung limply from her body. Thankfully, she had left all those things behind of her own will. He’d been prepared to burn them if she insisted on bringing them along.

  Glancing toward Caleb, Joseph decided that the boy could use a new set of britches, a shirt, and new shoes as well. His coins would be depleted after today. He still had to see about two more suitable saddle horses. The old nag he’d bartered for from the farmer in exchange for the buck he’d shot for him would last about as long as Sophie’s dress.

  He eyed the rack of women’s clothes in the corner. Would Sophie agree to wear a simple dress like that? Even she would have realized by now that silk gowns had no place where they were headed. Joseph ambled to the dress rack. He fingered a simple blue cotton gown. Blue seemed to be her favorite color, and it looked good on her. The dress wasn’t pretty or fancy, but it looked practical and sturdy. Adding a set of boy’s britches, shirt and shoes to his purchases, he leaned forward and whispered to the proprietor behind the counter, asking where he could find women’s underthings.

  “Maude,” the man called loudly over his shoulder, and seconds later a burly woman appeared from the door leading to the back of the store. Joseph groaned.

  “Can you add some female things that go under a dress to my tally?” he mumbled to the woman, rubbing at the back of his head. He’d been in some tight situations before, but nothing had ever made him feel as cornered or uncomfortable as asking about unmentionables for a woman. The proprietor’s wife smiled broadly and studied him with a knowing eye.

  “Does your lady prefer something practical, or a little more fancy?” she asked, batting her lashes.

  Joseph ground his teeth. Hell, nothing in this store would even come close to the frilly things Sophie preferred.

  “Practical,” he said quickly. “You can just wrap it all up with my other things,” he sputtered, and cleared his throat. When he turned back to the men, Chase Russell stared at him intently. Joseph’s knuckles itched to punch the annoying grin off the man’s face.

  Chase leaned forward and added something to Joseph’s growing pile of purchases. A flowery scent passed under his nose, something he recognized but couldn’t identify by name. It was a fragrance he’d smelled in Sophie’s hair, and a warm sensation passed through him at the memory of holding her close many weeks ago on his horse, inhaling her sweet woman’s scent.

  “Lavender soap,” Chase explained. “Trust me, women like that sort of stuff.” His grin widened. Joseph frowned, and eyed his mountain of supplies.

  “So, you got yourself a family now, huh?” Chase nodded with his chin toward Caleb, who seemed to have found a new friend in Chase’s son, Kyle. “He doesn’t look like he belongs to Sophie, and she’s a bit young to be his mother.”

  Joseph chuckled. “He’s an orphan. He ran away from the orphanage he lived at. I wasn’t gonna send him back, so I offered to bring him with me. He’s a good boy.”

  Chase nodded. “Well, your folks will sure be surprised, you coming home with a wife and kid.”

  “Wife?” Joseph’s head snapped up from looking at Caleb to stare at Chase. He laughed nervously, and ran a hand over his rough face. He could use a shave. “Sophie’s not my wife.”

  Chase’s eyebrows raised. He coughed loudly, and slapped him on the back. “Well, let me give you some advice then, Joey.” He paused, a serious look on his face.

  “What would that be?” Joseph asked reluctantly. Why the hell was he having this conversation?

  “Don’t wait too long.”

  Joseph frowned. “For what?” He paid for his purchases, and reached for the items on the counter that had been wrapped in brown paper, and piled them into his arms. He motioned for Caleb to come and grab one of the packages that contained the boy’s new clothes. Chase wordlessly grabbed the blankets and several burlap pouches that made up the rest of the items Joseph had bought. Together, they headed for the door, which Sam held open.

  Joseph blinked into the bright sunlight. The busy street teemed with riders and wagons. Chase helped him secure his purchases to his horses that were hitched in front of the store. The man still hadn’t answered his question.

  Tying the last blanket onto his gelding’s saddle, Joseph glanced up. His body tensed. In front of the building further down the street with a sign advertising it as a saloon stood a big dun horse tied to a post. Joseph squinted. At that moment, a man emerged from the establishment, and untied the reins from the rail. There was no mistaking that it was the same man Joseph had seen at the river that day. Pulling his wide brimmed hat low over his head, the man mounted the animal, and glanced over his shoulder. His eyes met Joseph’s for a split second, then he turned and kicked his mount into a trot, heading up the street that led out of town.

  Joseph’s eyes followed the rider. A rush of adrenaline surged through him. His gut instinct hadn’t been wrong after all. Was it purely coincidence that this man was here in St. Louis, so far from where the steamboat accident had taken place? What possible motive could he have to be following them? Sophie’s safety was foremost on his mind. He brushed off the ridiculous notion that Oliver Sabin might still seek revenge on something her father had done to him. Sabin wore an eye patch. Sophie’s father had blinded him during a fight at one point. This man didn’t have a patch, and he was much younger than Sabin would be.

  “Friend of yours?” Chase asked, glancing at him.

  “No. I’m not sure who that is, but I saw him a week ago near where the steamboat exploded.”

  “Wonder why he’s here in St. Louis,” Chase remarked.

  “I’m wondering that myself,” Joseph mumbled. “My gut told me we were being followed this past
week. Seems I might have been right.”

  “Well,” Chase said, his eyebrows drawn together. “It could be pure coincidence. You wanna go after this guy and introduce yourself?”

  “No.” Joseph shook his head. “I don’t want Sophie to start fretting. Besides, I think he’s had plenty of chances to make a move if he’s a threat.”

  “Maybe he tailed you because you survived. Who knows, maybe he had something to do with the explosion,” Chase offered. “Maybe it wasn’t an accident, and he’s trying to figure out if you know anything to tell the authorities.”

  “Yeah. Maybe,” Joseph answered absently. He was glad that he would have company heading into the wilderness. Chase had made an interesting point. What if the boiler explosion hadn’t been an accident? But what did that have to do with him or Sophie? So far, even if this was the person Joseph suspected of following them, he hadn’t made a threatening move.

  “Well, we’d best find my daughter, and then head over to Zach’s place,” Chase said cheerfully, dismissing the stranger. He turned fully toward Joseph, his expression serious. “That girl of yours is gonna attract the attention of every brave, and probably every white man this side and the other of the Missouri. You’d better stake your claim soon, or she just might slip away. Unless, of course, you’re still holding out for your wife. Your former wife. She did toss you out, as I remember. You’re not bound to her anymore.”

  Joseph laughed to hide the jolt that hit him in the gut. Did everyone see what was in his heart and on his mind when it came to Sophie? He’d kept his distance, and stayed as impersonal as possible over the last week. What little sleep he had gotten was tormented by dreams of her and the kiss they’d shared. He watched her when she wasn’t looking, and was more aware of her than he’d ever been of another person.

  No matter how many times he told himself that nothing could ever come of his attraction to her, his heart had other ideas. Sophie wasn’t coming to the Tetons to stay. He shouldn’t entertain any crazy notions that she might choose him over her life of luxury in Boston if he asked. That she didn’t complain about her harsh conditions and seemed to take her predicament in stride had surprised him as much as everything else about her. Feather in the Wind hadn’t entered his mind at all, except to remind him that he shouldn’t pursue Sophie.

  “Sophie is heading back to Boston after she meets her grandfather,” Joseph said with as much conviction as he could muster. He tried to keep the regret out of his voice. There was no sense harboring feelings for a woman who would be gone from his life again in a few months.

  “If you say so.” Chase shrugged, and led the way up the boardwalk. They hadn’t gone far, when he stopped abruptly, and Joseph nearly collided with him. He nudged his chin at something up ahead.

  “Going back to Boston, huh?” he asked smugly.

  Joseph stared. Coming toward them were two giggling women. The blond wore a rose colored dress with a flower pattern and white lace trim at the collar. Her skirts swished lively around her legs. She wasn’t the one who caught his eye, however. The raven-haired woman walking next to her almost reminded him of an Indian brave if not for her decisive feminine curves. Buckskin britches hugged her slender legs, and a leather belt bunched the material of a tan cotton shirt around her waist. She walked gracefully beside her companion, her feet wrapped in moccasins that laced up to her knees. No one would ever guess that, several weeks ago, she wore gowns that probably cost more money than he would ever see in his lifetime. Joseph’s throat tightened, and he made a futile attempt to swallow. Sweat beaded his forehead.

  “Raven,” he whispered under his breath.

  She turned her head toward him in that instant, her face glowing with a radiant smile. Joseph held his breath. She’d never looked more beautiful. What would it take to have her smile like that for him? Their eyes met, and her step faltered for a moment. The smile froze on her face, but she raised her chin proudly and continued walking toward him.

  “Doesn’t look like a woman who has plans to return to Boston.” Chase elbowed him in the side. “You’d best take those blinders off real quick, or you might lose what’s right in front of your eyes.” He winked, and stepped out to meet his daughter.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “We’ll stop here for the night.” Joseph turned in his saddle and glanced her way before directing his attention toward Caleb. “Help Sophie set up camp. I won’t be far.” Abruptly, he wheeled his horse in the direction they had just come from.

  Sophia stared after him and sighed. She ground her teeth in frustration. All day, he’d been more silent than usual. Trying to engage him in conversation had been about as successful as squeezing water from a rock. After endless weeks on the trail, they had parted ways this morning with Chase Russell and his family. She already missed the company of Sam Osborne’s wife, Summer Rain. The Shoshone woman had taught her so much during their time spent together, and Sophia had been determined to learn all that she could. The looks of satisfaction Joseph cast her way on occasion when she worked alongside the woman warmed her insides.

  “Some men require much time to understand what their heart feels,” Summer Rain had told her one day after Sophia served Joseph the first meal she had prepared herself. His simple thank you without further comment had left her on the verge of tears.

  “What am I doing wrong?” she’d blurted in frustration to her new friend. The perceptive woman had already guessed at Sophia’s feelings for Joseph shortly after they left St. Louis. It felt good to confide in another woman, and Summer Rain was easy to talk to. She wasn’t sure she could have even discussed such things with Lucy.

  Summer Rain patted her hand, and offered an encouraging smile. “In time, he will come to see what his heart is telling him.”

  When it came to Joseph, Sophia doubted the woman’s words. The man didn’t seem to know what he wanted when it came to matters of the heart. His confusing behavior toward her over the weeks was more than perplexing; it was downright frustrating.

  Under Summer Rain’s guidance, Sophia had learned how to set up and tear down a camp efficiently, cook meals over a campfire, along with some useful Shoshone words. She had told her that the Bannock were close relatives of the Shoshone, and their language was very similar.

  The work to set up camp at the end of a long day on horseback was challenging to say the least, and for the first few weeks, Sophia had simply wanted to crawl under her sleeping blanket from exhaustion every night. Determined to prove to Joseph that she wasn’t weak, she fought through the discomfort, until it didn’t seem so difficult anymore to build a fire, tend to her horse, and cook a meal when she’d rather just rest.

  The love between Summer Rain and her husband, Sam Osborne, was evident for anyone to see, and they both doted on their young son, Josh. Sophia had observed the couple discreetly when they sat close together at the campfire in the evenings, the smiles they cast each other throughout the day, or the subtle ways they touched hands whenever they were near each other. She wondered if her own parents had shared this kind of love. Her eyes would often seek out Joseph, wishing she could tell him of her feelings for him. He almost seemed to go out of his way to avoid her. A few times she’d caught him staring at her from afar, with a look she would almost describe as yearning in his eyes, which he masked the moment she looked his way. Confused at his behavior, she’d kept her distance as well.

  All the more perplexing was the look in his eyes that day in St. Louis, when she’d walked up the boardwalk with Kara after changing clothes at the dressmaker’s shop. Even then, she’d read a desire, a longing in his gaze that had sent heat through her much like the one and only time he held her and kissed her.

  “You look . . . different,” he’d said when she finally stood in front of him. Clearing his throat, his eyes drifted over her and, to her utter disappointment, the fire extinguished in their blue depths. “This will be much more practical than wearing silk gowns through the wilderness.”

  Chase chuckled next to him
and shook his head. “Blinders, Joey. Blinders,” he’d said before reaching for Kara’s arm and leading the way to his brother-in-law’s home.

  Sudden anger had shot through her. More practical? That was all he could say? Sophia glared at him, fighting back the tears that threatened in her eyes.

  “I suppose it’s better than looking like a trollop,” she answered through clenched teeth. She turned on her heels to follow Kara without a backward glance at the most infuriating man she’d ever met in her life. Joseph would never see her as anything but a Boston-raised socialite. She was now all the more determined to prove him wrong, even if he never admitted he had feelings for her.

  Sophia had never seen more desolate or beautiful country as they headed into the wilderness. They traveled up along the Missouri River for weeks, where the land was flat and without much change in scenery. It seemed daunting to cross the endless sea of dry grassland that swayed with the relentless winds. Dabbing animal grease on her dry and cracking lips like Summer Rain showed her to do, Sophia often longed for the comforts of Boston.

  After weeks of travel, the flat prairie gave way to a dark-colored mountain range that looked almost black from a distance.

  “The Lakota call them the Paha Sapa, the Black Hills,” Chase pointed out to her when she asked if they had finally reached their destination. These were not the Tetons Joseph spoke so fondly of. Apparently they still had a long way to go.

  Sophia’s first experience with Indians other than Summer Rain occurred during their trek through this mountain range. Apprehension filled her when a group of half-naked warriors on horseback met them one day. All of them carried bows and arrows, and some even had rifles. She soon learned how friendly this group of Indians was after they invited them all to spend a night at their village. The encounter was much different from the accounts of blood-thirsty savages she’d heard about in Boston. Nothing could have been further from the truth. These people were hospitable and fun-loving, and their harsh nomadic lifestyle centered around their families.