So, he had thirty days to convince Tina to marry him, come heck or high water, because he wanted her and the children in his future.
Chapter 9
Tina tried to keep up with the names of the creeks they’d crossed this past week. The Hamners had traveled through the area enough times they knew the creeks and the best places to stop for water and grazing. They’d cross Beaver Creek, Stinking Creek by Monument Rocks, and Rush Creek.
There was a stage station on the east fork of the Beaver and Leif stopped by to check on the Indian situation from the owner. The man had nothing to report except to watch for raids on the herd because the Indians needed food.
They were averaging fifteen miles a day traveling along a high rolling prairie, skirting groves of oak trees which provided wood for their fires. Water barrels were always filled before they left a stream but there had been only a few days they needed to use the saved water during this part of the journey.
The Washita River had a good rock bottom to cross over, then they followed beside Walnut Creek without crossing it until they got to the Canadian River. This time they used four horses to pull the wagons across the water and didn’t have problems.
They all followed a routine, including Tina and the children, set by the cattle and the weather. And that’s what she needed now, to push back her grief, and to build her body’s strength again.
Tina helped prepare the early breakfast for the hands before waking her children for their first meal of the day. After everything had been cleaned and stored, the horses were hooked to the wagons and they traveled to the next camping site.
If it wasn’t raining or the wind blowing, they could stop at noon to prepare food and coffee. If not, a rider would stop by the wagon to pick up jerked meat or sandwiches to pass out to the others.
They’d try to get around the herd if possible to set up by late afternoon for where they’d be for the night. Washing and drying diapers were a priority, along with baking bread and soaking and cooking beans.
Robby rode with either Benny or Oskar as they drove wagons, or with Leif on his horse. Emma was a little shadow behind Annalina’s seat as she drove the chuck wagon. And Oliver was bundled against Tina’s chest with a shawl most times, either sleeping or nursing.
Meals were simple using what they had packed and whatever game the men shot along the way. Slabs of bacon were packed in barrels of bran, so they always had meat for meals if they didn’t have fresh.
Eggs were packed in corn meal so they usually had cornbread the same time they used eggs. Dried peaches and apples were made into cobblers cooked in the Dutch oven. And pickles were handed out every meal.
The three dogs hunted or ate scraps. Everyone was a good eater—not picky at all—except Beller.
“Momma, Beller’s heading this way.”
Tina looked over her shoulder, dreading to see the steer was moseying their way. She had mixed the biscuit dough and was in the process of putting the cut circles in the greased Dutch oven. She had the lid, with the hot coals setting on top, set aside ready to move back on top of the oven when all the biscuits were in place. Could she get all the dough in and the lid on before Beller got here?
Why was Beller heading into camp early today? Someone must have already strapped the clapper on his bell for the night, because otherwise his bell would have warned her he was nearby.
The longhorn steer had led herds north for years, according to Annalina, and considered himself “above” the cattle he led. Beller preferred to sleep with the horses or on the edge of the camp.
Tina always grabbed the kids and took them to the wagon when Beller made his appearance. She didn’t want them anywhere near the beast, no matter if everyone assured her he was tame. The animal was an accident waiting to happen as far as she was concerned.
“Robby, Emma! Get under the chuck wagon, now!” Tina yelled as she abandoned her task, still holding on to the bowl which had part of the dough still in it. Tina didn’t take the time to move the hot lid into place. If the steer didn’t mosey on soon, the biscuits in the Dutch oven would burn, too.
Tina stood by the wagon as the thousand-pound steer walked into camp with his six-foot span of horns. He stopped to sniff around the campfire, probably smelling the baking dough. Just her luck he’d stick his nose in the open oven, burn his nose and take it out on the camping equipment.
Annalina had gone down to the creek to wash diapers so she wasn’t around to shoo Beller away.
Drat. She was doing to have to get the steer out of there before he ruined everyone’s supper. Each time Beller swung his horns he took the chance of catching the rod and tripods holding everything above the fire pit and knocking everything down.
She’d taken Oliver out of her front shawl pouch so he was lying in his bed under the wagon already. Tina took off her apron and started waving it as she advanced on the steer.
“Shoo! Shoo! Get out of there, Beller!” Tina snapped the apron in the steer’s face, time and again, boldly advancing toward the animal to get him out of the camp.
The steer took a step back, knocking over the spit iron, causing the Dutch oven to drop in the fire, kicking up ash and fire.
The clanging irons and pots falling in a pile caused the steer to jump sideways, then turn to face who he considered a threat—which was Tina.
Tina scrambled under the wagon with the kids as the steer charged her. Missing his target, he ran into the ten-foot rope they had stretched between two wagons to dry clothes on. The wagons jumped in place as he hit the rope with his horns. He twisted his head, getting one horn back beneath the rope for a second, so now he had one of Emma’s dresses hanging from the tip of one horn, and a speared diaper on the other, which flapped over the side of his face, hampering his vision.
Where’s a cowhand when I need one?
The steer bellowed, mad or upset he couldn’t see, kicking and tossing his head around.
“Yaw! Yaw! Get out of here!” Tina screamed just as the tangled steer kicked the end gate of the chuck wagon, shattered the wood and sent the meal’s preparation flying through the air until it landed with a thud in the dirt below.
Beller was going to tip over both wagons and demolish everything! Just because the pet wandered in for his biscuit!
“Rope his legs after I get his head!”
Tina watched from under the wagon as horses prancing on either side of the steer as two men tried to rope the steer to immobilize him.
“No! Cut the rope between the wagons or he’ll wreck everything!”
“Shoot him!”
“No!” This time it was Annalina who yelled out.
How many people were around the wagons now?
“Tina!” She looked to the other side of the wagon as Annalina called out. “Crawl out here before the wagon flips!”
Tina looked around realizing Robby and Emma were already standing by Annalina, and only she and the baby in his box, were still in danger. She slid the box in front of her between the wheels to escape and Annalina pulled the box toward her, before reaching to help Tina up and out of the way.
Together they watched Buck and Jules rope the steer taut in different directions so he couldn’t move. Then Benny carefully slipped next to the steer to untie the rope between the wagons, thread it through his horns, and pull off the tattered clothing items off his horns.
“Okay! I’m clear. Pull his head out of the wagons’ way before taking off any ropes!”
It took several more minutes to get the ropes off the horn and hoof which had been roped, but then the steer trotted away when it was released.
“You realize that wasn’t Beller?”
Tina looked at Annalina, then whipped back to look at the retreating animal. What? Robby said it was Beller. She’d just assumed…and the coloring on the steer’s body was the same…
“I was slapping a wild steer in the face?! What was he doing wandering into camp by himself?”
“He was a diversion so the Indians could sneak off a few h
ead.” Benny sighed as he coiled the rope he’d untangled from the steer’s horns.
Tina was stunned, then mad. “Are you letting them get away with that?! They put my children in great danger!”
“It’s part of crossing the Indians’ territory. Letting them have a couple of steers is better than exchanging bullets or picking up your children,” Annalina sternly said while surveying the strewn mess of their campfire equipment.
“Let’s get the fire and supper going again,” Annalina sighed. “Beller will soon be here for his biscuit.”
Tina was still miffed about the steer incident after supper, especially since everyone teased her about snapping her apron at the animal’s face. Mad momma takes on wild longhorn. Well, it was ripping up clothing and kicking apart the wagon, besides flipping their supper in the air. She should have given the second batch of biscuits all to Beller instead of the men for their teasing.
“Want to take an evening walk?” Tina looked up from her seat on the wagon tongue to see Leif holding out his hand to her.
“The kids…”
“…are snuggled up in Owl’s and Buck’s laps, and Oliver is asleep on Moder’s shoulder. Come on, you need a change of scenery.”
“But it’s almost dark…”
“…and we can still see enough to walk to the creek and back.”
Tina let Leif pull her up, and place her hand in the crook of his elbow. They walked between the wagons and headed to the creek not even fifty feet away.
“Which creek is this one? We’ve cross so many I’m losing track of the names.”
“We crossed the Deer Creek, Kingfisher Creek and today we trailed along the Red Fork. We should be by the Turkey Creek by nooning. There’s a supply store there if you need something.”
“Clothing for Emma since Beller’s twin ripped up her extra dress?”
She smiled hearing Leif’s chuckle. It was good to relax in his company after a trying day.
“I don’t think this store will have little girls’ dresses, but I can check for you.” Leif patted her hand, and Tina liked his touch.
“How’s your back? I haven’t had a chance to rub it since I’ve been taking a different night watch time.”
Was that the real reason he hadn’t been coming to the wagon to see her before she went to bed, or his excuse? Tina wouldn’t know unless she asked.
“It’s much better, but I do miss your backrubs anyway. I was afraid you backed off since I said I needed more time…after Robert.”
“Maybe a little of both. I need to take my turn at watching the herd, and thought maybe you’d miss me, too, if you didn’t see me every night?”
At least Leif couldn’t see her blushing in the dark. She had missed his touch and the tingles of anticipation in her body he was starting to produce. As much as she felt guilty being attracted to someone other than her husband…well, Robert was gone and Leif did make her feel better about herself again.
“I do miss our late night talks, Leif.”
“Good. So do I. Singing to cattle while trying to stay awake isn’t as fun as giving you a backrub and talking.” Leif stopped walking and turned her to face him.
“I’d like to be doing something else when you’re ready though.” Leif gently pulled her against his chest.
“Like what?” Tina had to ask, although she guessed since Leif’s face was lit by the moonlight and he was staring at her lips.
“What are your plans when we get to Kansas?” Tina blurted out before Leif leaned in any closer to kiss her.
Leif straightened up and searched for her eyes in the dark.
“Why do you want to know that now?”
“Because I have to think about my children, Leif.”
Leif didn’t say anything for a few long seconds. “Finding Oliver in my wagon turned my life of sorrow around. I became responsible for a helpless infant, and the need to make life better for him changed me. That led me to you, Robby and Emma.”
“And I thank God every day you found all of us.”
“I’ve thought about this a lot since I’ve had time at night, Tina. I’d like to propose marriage when you’re ready. We can get married on the trail if we find a preacher, or wait until we get to Clear Creek.”
“You’re not obligated to ask for my hand in marriage, Leif. My brother can help us out.”
Marriage would solve her family’s problems, but she didn’t want to marry again unless it was for love.
“My heart isn’t thumping hard about ‘obligation’, Tina.” He took her hand and pressed it against his chest. “It’s thumping because I’ve grown fond of a petite woman and three children.”
“All of whom have had a string of hurts and hardships, Leif.”
“I know, but you’ve survived.”
Yes, they had survived thanks to Leif and his parents. She could say yes now, but she didn’t want him to feel obligated if she couldn’t return his feelings yet.
“Could we talk about this once we reach the Kansas border? How far is that from here?”
“About fifty miles and five or six more water crossings.”
“And how long before the herd arrives in Ellsworth?”
“Another hundred miles after we cross into Kansas.”
“So we have one hundred and fifty miles to think about this, then, Leif.” Surely the time and distance between here and Clear Creek would either change one of their minds, or make them feel stronger and ready for marriage.
“Then I want to start convincing you right now, Tina,” Leif whispered before lowering his mouth to touch her lips for their first real kiss.
Tina stared at him after he released his hold and tucked her hand back around his arm to walk back to camp. It would solve all her problems to say yes to his offer of marriage, but she didn’t want to hurt him by not loving him with her whole heart. Leif’s heart was just starting to mend after Britta’s death. And her heart still ached after losing Robert, and not knowing if he loved her back.
***
The land changed as they walked through the northern part of the Territory.
Near Hackberry Creek they slowly walked through a five-mile long prairie dog town, much to the children’s delight. Leif was worried about the animals stepping in holes and breaking a leg, but Emma and Robby hooted in laughter watching the prairie dogs bark warnings and pop up out of their ground holes.
When it was easy riding, he occasionally took Robby or Emma along on his horse to give Tina and his moder a break. The days were getting cooler and the body warmth of himself and the horse kept them warm.
They had gathered wood around Shawnee Creek for their next campfires at Nine Mile as there wasn’t a supply where the herd stopped for the night.
Two days ago they’d crossed the Salt Fork. It was a small stream but had high, steep banks. They drove the herd west to the only good crossing by the Pond Creek Ranch and Store. This also situated them walking further west up Cox’s Trail, avoiding trouble with the Kansas settlers who had settled along the original trail.
Now they were posed ready to cross the Bluff Creek at Cox’s Crossing the only place where wagons could safely cross for several miles. But first Leif, carrying Emma, walked Tina and Robby to the drover’s store next to the crossing site.
Besides buying some stick candy for everyone, Leif wanted to buy Tina a coat. Leif knew Stone’s Store carried mostly men’s clothing, but surely there was some kind of coat in stock she could wear to ward off the chilly morning air. It was only going to get cooler as they travelled north.
“Don’t let Emma down in here, Leif. She’ll only get into something,” Tina warned him.
“She’ll be fine,” but Leif tightened his grip when she tried to squirm down.
“What can I help you with today?” The storekeeper greeted them when they started looking around the store.
“She’s needing a winter coat since we’re into Kansas now,” Leif nodded toward Tina. He wished he could say “my wife” but Tina hadn’t brought up his ma
rriage proposal yet, even though he’d been hinting they were “almost to Kansas”, “crossing into Kansas”, and now “in Kansas.”
“Don’t have a woman’s coat or shawl I’m afraid.” The storekeeper almost looked confused, seeing a woman actually in his store. Trail riders were his usual customers.
“How about a small size pommel slicker?”
This kind of coat was used when riding a horse, but would still keep the wind from seeping into her body.
“Got that. Also how about a warm scarf and gloves, too? We’ll have frost on the ground before you know it. And for the children’s warmth?” The man, thinking hard now, was into making sales and determined to outfit everyone.
“Blankets to wrap them in! Got a nice pile on this shelf. How many do you want?”
“Leif, we can’t…”
“…let the children, or you, freeze. It’s about thirty-five miles before we get to Kingman, the next place where there’ll be a store, so we better get what our family needs while we’re here.”
He realized he’d said, our family. What would he do if she said “no” to his proposal? The children had become so important to him, not just Tina.
“Yes, Leif, our family does need things to keep us warm on the trail, and in our home in Kansas,” Tina said with a knowing smile.
Leif couldn’t help grinning ear to ear. Tina just said yes to his marriage proposal! If he couldn’t convince her to marry him in Kingman, then maybe Ellinwood, which was another forty miles. Or, thirty miles further to their destination of Clear Creek.
Actually, he’d prefer they marry in Clear Creek so his family could be present to share his joy. Hopefully they could find her brother when arriving in Ellsworth, so he could be part of the celebration, too.
Leif would mentally check off each creek and river they crossed as they drove the cattle over the open Kansas prairie. Because he was positive he was heading to his new home with a new family. The last hundred miles of his life on the trail, seven to ten days depending on the weather, and then he’d be finally home.
Tina Tracks a Trail Boss: A Historical Western Romance (Brides with Grit Book 8) Page 9