It was at least an hour later when Tina felt the wagon shift because of Leif’s weight on the back end. She’d been listening to the night air, hearing the distant sound of the cattle, and riders singing to keep everything calm. Apparently the Hamners and the hands had retired to their own bedrolls.
Tina struggled to sit up, wondering what Leif needed.
“Sorry, to bother you. I forgot to pull out my bedroll before we put the children to sleep tonight,” he whispered.
She carefully crawled to the side where she knew it was stashed. Tina had rearranged the wagon’s contents this evening so Leif didn’t know where it was anyway. She worked her way back across the children to the end of the wagon to hand the bedroll to Leif.
“Everything okay with your parents? I never guessed Sidney would try to hurt a woman.”
“I guess you could say it brought up a sore subject for my fader. Moder took things into her own hands, so to speak, to get us to America.”
“What do you mean?” Tina was curious about his parents now.
“This could be a long story. Need your back rubbed tonight?”
The moonlight cast shadows around them, but she could see his face well since he moved closer to whisper to her. Voices carried in the night air so they needed to keep their voices low now that they were among a group.
“Yes, I’d love for you to rub out the kinks.” Leif had been massaging her back since the first day together, when the pain was almost unbearable.
“Let me unroll my bed beside the wheel, then I’ll help you down.”
Tina relaxed as soon as she lay prone on his bedroll. Leif sat on his knees, leaning over her, placing his hands on her shoulders. He had a routine now of motions and rubs, working down from her shoulders to her lower back, then back up to her neck. His hands were so big they could span around to her sides. So big and callused, but so tender on her back, and with the children.
“Fader worked in a copper mine in Sweden. It was a hard on the mind and body. He came home at night black from soot, and stank from the sweat and rock. He’d spend the day in the dark heat, digging and breaking out the ore, and setting it on fire to break up overnight. The next morning, they’d put out the fire, and start over again. Most nights he spent drinking to put out the thirst and memories.
“I was almost old enough to start working in the mine when Moder decided she was going to change things.”
“How old were you then?”
“About to turn thirteen,” Leif reflected on his past.
“Moder had a cousin from a nearby parish who was leaving for America to work on a Texas ranch. The rancher has ties with our area, and for years had been paying ship passages for families who would work on his ranch.”
“Your father liked the idea of moving to America?”
“Ha. Let’s say his last drinking spell, helped along by Moder, left him clueless of our move. She started pouring him brännvin, fermented grain liquor, Saturday night and didn’t end until we were in the ship two days later. Fader didn’t know that Dagmar and I practically dragged him on the ship. Moder convinced the ship authority Fader had partied too hard the night before our departure.
“Moder and Fader had a lot of fights during the voyage, but he was sober and sane by the time we arrived in Houston.”
Tina thought of the couple she’d met. Everyone faced challenges over their lives, some worse than others. Except for the brief bit of arguing in Swedish, it looked like Leif’s parents got along well.
Tina recalled that horrid day in San Antonio and wondering if she could have done something to stop it. Robert would have been alive today if she had. Why didn’t she talk Robert into moving? But she didn’t realize what was going on behind her back until everything happened.
“You’re getting tense again, Tina. Lower your shoulders.”
She slowed her breath and concentrated on his fingers as they slowly kneaded her between her shoulder blades.
“Us kids missed Sweden, but took to the ranch right away. There were horses to learn to ride, fresh air, sunshine most all the time and plenty of food.
“Moder won’t admit it, but I think she’s the one who brought up the idea of us settling in Kansas. She’s always hated the Texas heat,” Leif whispered confidentially.
“My parents have always been a good team as a couple and at raising us. I had hoped Britta and I would have been so lucky, too.”
Leif made comments now and then about his late wife. Tina was glad they were starting to sound more like reminiscing than remorse, as they had two weeks ago. How long would it take her to think of Robert fondly instead of with pain and embarrassment?
“Sit up and lean forward so I can stretch your back.”
This was the best part, when she learned over and Leif rubbed his thumbs up then down her spine. Why couldn’t Robert have been this attentive to me instead of…?
“Tina, how did your husband die? You’ve never said how you lost him.”
The tension was back in her back immediately, cramping it into a spasm which Leif could probably feel under his fingers.
“I’m sorry, Tina. I shouldn’t have asked.” He took his hands off her back and waited for her to say something.
“He was shot while teaching school.” Tina whispered her secret to Leif. She hadn’t told a soul since she’d left their home.
“He was murdered?!”
“A man…walked down the aisle between the desks where children were sitting…to where Robert was standing by the blackboard…and...
“In front of the children?!”
All Tina could do was nod. When Robert taught in a small school right outside of San Antonio, they lived in the house furnished for the school teacher. It sat right beside the school house.
She was the first to hear the shot, hear the children scream, and see the panicking youngsters run out the school when she looked out the window. Tina was also the first to see her husband sprawled on the floor, his white shirt turning red.
Leif pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms protectively around her.
“Why?” Leif whispered, his head pressed against hers now.
“I asked Mr. Jarvis that when he stood there beside my husband’s body. He said, ‘Your husband was seeing my wife’. Then he put the gun to his own head…”
Tina sunk back into Leif’s arms and sobbed from the memory. Leif slowly rocked her, murmuring soft hushing sounds until she calmed down to a sigh and a hiccup.
“Was it true? Had he stepped out on you?”
“I don’t think so, but I’ll never know because Jarvis shot his wife before coming to the school house.”
“I’m so sorry, Tina, so sorry.” Leif kissed her on top of her head, probably not realizing he did it, but it felt so comforting.
“Where have you been between then and the train wreck?”
“The school board gave me money for my loss and I stayed in a boarding house in San Antonio. I was just paralyzed with grief, plus morning sickness. Time passed and I realized I needed to travel up to be with Sidney before my baby came.”
“You’ve been a brave soul, Tina Martin.”
It felt so good to have Leif’s arms around her, providing support while she’d spoken of her heartache. It was horrible to have Robert killed, but what had hurt the worst is never knowing if he’d truly loved her or not.
Chapter 7
Leif had held Tina hours after she finally fell asleep. His back had gotten stiff leaning against the wheel, and his seat numb on the hard ground, but he couldn’t disturb her after she finally confessed all her sorrow and finally sank into the first deep sleep he’d known her to have in the past two weeks.
Why the woman wasn’t insane by now was a mystery to him. First her husband’s murder and possible infidelity, then thinking her children were killed in a train wreck, and then Oliver’s birth and disappearance.
He would never complain about life’s little inconveniences again, that was for sure.
“Leif?” He could barely see his mother in the pre-dawn light as she handed him a cup of coffee.
“Is Tina all right? I heard her crying late last night.”
Did the night air carry Tina’s confession to his parents? And his consoling her, too? What should he tell his mother?
“She finally broke down last night, telling me how her husband died. It was bad, Moder. She’s been through so much the last few months.”
“I’m glad you’ve been there for her, Leif.”
“To give you the short version, so she doesn’t have to repeat it again to you…her husband was shot because a man thought Mr. Martin was seeing his wife. A bullet in the heart while teaching school. Then Tina was the first to run in the school house before the shooter put a bullet in his own head.”
His mother gave a long shuddering sigh. “How horrible! Things like that always put life in perspective don’t they?”
“Yes, they do.” And made him want to pull Tina and the kids closer to his heart. He had to admit it felt good comforting Tina, wiping her tears off her cheeks, kissing her forehead.
“I’ll take good care of them during the day for you,” his moder was saying while he’d strayed in his thoughts.
“Watch Robby. He tends to wander off—although Samson stays with him. Emma still needs help sitting down because of the splint on her leg. Oliver needs…”
“I raised you four children, so I can handle these three, Leif.”
Leif looked down at his mother’s knowing smile. Yes, he could depend on her to take care of…his family? That’s what Tina and the three children were starting to feel like to him.
“Tack så mycket, Moder. I’ll loop through when I can to check on everyone.”
“We’ll get into our own routine. You handle your job since you’re back to being the trail boss. Eat and go, Leif.”
His mother handed him a plate of eggs, potatoes and ham. Then grabbed another plate, filled it with food and handed it to his father. Leif hadn’t realized he was standing behind him hearing the conversation.
“Don’t worry, Leif. They’ll be fine with your moder.”
Leif knew that, but longingly looked at the wagon where Tina’s family was still sleeping. He’d taken care of Tina and the children for the past two weeks and would miss their routine. Wrangling Robbie into clothes, washing Emma’s sleepy face, changing Oliver’s diaper, brushing and braiding Tina’s hair. Time had changed things in the past few weeks, hopefully, better for the homeless family. It certainly had changed Leif’s life.
“Sorry so being gruff last night, Leif, but things seemed to go south instead of north when you turned around for your old home.” Miles said as he rode up next to Leif.
Leif had taken over as point rider when the hands got the herd moving first thing this morning. He’d enjoyed the position and the fresh horse he’d picked from the remuda this morning did, too. Leo and Beam deserved a rest after pulling the wagon to catch up with the herd. The horse wrangler would choose a different set to pull his wagon today.
“I thought my father was taking over. Why’d you stop and hire someone else?”
“Did your parents mention his mishap?” Miles looked sideways at him.
“No they didn’t. So what happened and when?”
“The next day after you left. One of the bulls took after him. Flipped the horse on top of your pa.”
“Good golly, they never said anything about it!”
“He got bruised up, but nothing broken. He spent a few days in the bedroll wagon before riding again.”
“Which horse was he on? Did it get gored?”
“Couldn’t say which name right off hand, since all your family’s horses are named after a planet or something.”
Leif’s sisters had started the tradition of naming their horses for stars and planets when they were younger. Fader was probably riding his gelding Dusty, first called Stardust.
“Got a long scratch on his rump and staying in the middle of the remuda, and not wanting to be caught yet.”
“Don’t blame him. Those bulls can be mean and scary.”
“Well that bull won’t bother us anymore,” Miles laughed. “Your momma rode out saying she was going to fix steaks for supper and shot it!”
Leif stared in horror at Miles. His moder shot one of Mile’s prize bulls?!
“Don’t worry about it. That bull had already tried to take my horse down twice since we left the ranch, but I was too stubborn to get rid of it. I felt bad I hadn’t done it already when the bull took after your pa. Your momma did us a favor and we’ve enjoyed steaks, organ meats, stew. She even jerked some of the meat, so the bull has fed the crew well. They enjoyed the change from beans.”
“You realize, by now, that my moder is the real trail boss on this drive?”
“Yep, and I keep my tongue when she calls me a jackass in Swedish,” Miles chuckled. “She’s the best cook and wrangler I’ve ever worked with over the years. I hate she’s retiring off the trail.”
Leif roared with laughter realizing Miles had figured out his moder. Miles was a good man to defer to her instead of calling her out.
“She says she’s ready for a rocking chair and grandbabies. But she’s thinking of my fader’s health, too. It will be good to have them off the trail and settled near my sisters.” Leif was thinking it would be a good thing to settle down by all of his family, too.
“I picked up another man at Waco, bragging he’d trail bossed in the past.”
“Heard he broke his leg and left?”
“Shoot, Owl had more sense than that man. Second day he ropes a horse from the remuda, who clearly didn’t like him. Instead of talking to the horse a little bit to get to know each other, he slaps a saddle on the horse and tries to jump on.”
Hamners had supplied the horses for the remuda because they wanted to move them north to their new ranch, so Leif knew most of the ninety some horses one way or another.
“Big dark bay, one white stocking?”
“Yep.”
“Likes to bite and kick if he thinks you have an attitude. Gentlest horse out there with young riders, but with know-it-alls, he’ll put you in your place.”
“I saw it. Before he got his leg thrown over the saddle, the gelding had his teeth in his leg and pulled him off and dropped him on the ground. Then made a conscious stomp on the man’s leg for good measure.”
“Bet that didn’t go well.”
“He had is revolver out, ready to shoot the horse, but the horse quickly ducked back in the middle of the herd. Both Jules, the horse wrangler, and I had warned him not to mess with that horse. We knew their personalities wouldn’t mix, but he didn’t listen.
“Didn’t help that the youngest hand, Buck, called the horse out of the herd and rode him the rest of the day.”
“Needless to say we dropped the new trail boss off at the next town.”
Leif thought of all the men, young and old, who he’d worked with on the trail since he was a teenager. Some stayed friends through the years, even if they only saw each other by chance every other cattle drive. Other men, weren’t good hands, not pulling their share of the work, or bad with livestock. Unfortunately Tina’s brother came to mind, thinking back to how Sid acted on the spring drive. Leif had backed off calling him out for things he didn’t do right, because Rania really liked him. Sid was the first man who had paid attention to his gangly, tall sister and Leif wanted her happy.
Leif was glad to hear Rania was now married to a decent man instead of settling for someone like Sid.
“What’s the story behind Mrs. Martin’s family?” Miles asked, now sounding concerned for the family he met last night.
“Her husband was killed recently. They were traveling to Kansas to live with her brother when the train wreck happened. Needless to say, she doesn’t want to get on a train yet, so I offered to escort them to Ellsworth.” Tina’s situation wasn’t that cut and dried, but that’s all Leif wanted to tell Miles.
“Seems
like the kids are pretty fond of you,” Miles observed. “Maybe Mrs. Martin, too?”
Leif turned to speak a smart retort, but stopped when Miles looked serious.
Should he deny it? Would Miles court Tina if Leif said it wasn’t true? Leif and Tina were getting closer each day.
“Yep, and I’m getting pretty fond of them, too,” Leif replied with a sharp nod of his head. Was he staking his claim on Tina? His head denied it, but his heart melted every time he touched Tina or held one of her children.
“How long before we get to Red River Station?” Miles changed the subject, looking forward and not at Leif.
“Should be there in two days. Last place to get supplies before we head into Indian Territory, if you need anything.”
“How was the crossing last spring?”
“Went okay. Water was a little higher than normal. This time the water will be lower and we’ll have to watch for the sandbars. Some of these shifting sands act like quicksand, pulling an animal down, others go over it, pushing it underwater until it drowns. Millions of cattle have crossed at this same place over the years, so most cowhands know the danger.”
“Well, I’ll leave it up to you to talk to the new hands before we cross. Don’t want to lose help or livestock. My folks are depending on this herd to seed the new ranch they bought near Hays.”
Leif nodding, knowing how important it was that each man knew his job on the trail.
“In other words, I’m glad you’re back, Leif,” Miles sincerely said before turning his horse away to check on another rider.
“Pop-Pa? Where were you?”
“Please stay away from the horse until I get down, Robby.” It was good to see Robby coming toward him when he entered camp, but the boy still needed to learn his horse manners.
After he dismounted and tied the reins to the rope line, he scooped up Robby and hung him upside down, laughing as the boy screamed in delight. Leif heard the horses move behind him at the noise. Here he wasn’t minding his own horse sense because he was happy to see Robby.
Leif hauled him up to his chest. “What you been doing today since I’ve been working?”
Tina Tracks a Trail Boss: A Historical Western Romance (Brides with Grit Book 8) Page 7