Westward Hearts

by Melody Carlson

  “Oh, don’t get me wrong,” she said as she struck a match to some twisted paper and held it to the kindling she’d already stacked. “My backside’s a little sore. I s’pect it’ll take some getting used to.”

  “That carriage seat Matthew rigged up for you should help some.” Elizabeth opened up the kitchen board, letting it down to discover that everything was now coated with dust. “I plan to walk this afternoon in case you care to join me.” She wet a rag and began wiping out a skillet. Soon the children joined them and were put to work getting water and firewood. Everyone had chores to do and seemed happy to do them. Elizabeth just hoped this helpfulness wouldn’t wear off before this trip ended. She didn’t even want to think about how many days and miles still stretched ahead of them. Mostly she was thankful that they were finally on their way.

  Everyone was in good spirits when they eventually sat down for their midday meal of beans and ham and biscuits. “Nothing fancy,” Clara said apologetically. “But at least it’s hot.”

  “And we got coffee.” Matthew held up his cup.

  “And we’ll have something more interesting for dinner,” she assured them. “I still have a few things packed on ice. And there’s corned beef and a smoked ham yet too.”

  “But eventually the menu will become more limited,” Elizabeth warned them. “Unless you guys do some hunting or fishing.”

  “You sure won’t hear me complaining about food,” Asa told them. “I just got a close look at what some of our fellow travelers will be eating today. I was checking on how our unit fared.” He shook his head grimly. “And I’m glad I’m not dining at their tables right now.”

  “What are they having?” Elizabeth asked.

  He chuckled. “Let me just say this. Our Bostonian friends appear to be somewhat lacking in their cooking skills.”

  “What was wrong?” Clara asked.

  “To begin with, they couldn’t get their fire going. I helped them a bit. Then I mentioned how you brought some catalogs along to use for fire starting purposes, as well as for some other purposes. Now I’m afraid you might need to hide those catalogs of yours, Clara. Precious tender.”

  They all laughed.

  “But what were they cooking?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Well, they thought they were cooking beans.” He chuckled. “Problem was that Lavinia didn’t know she had to soak the beans overnight. She thought she could just pour them into the pot and cook them.”

  “Bostonians who don’t know how to make beans?” Matthew hooted.

  “Seems they left their cooks back in Boston,” Asa explained. “None of their womenfolk know much of anything about cooking. I doubt they’ve ever cooked on an open fire before.”

  “We’ll have to go help them at suppertime,” Clara said to Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth nodded. “As much attention as you men placed on guns, I suppose we should have spent some time talking about cooking. It’s been an adjustment for us too. But I figured the other women knew what they were doing.”

  “Lavinia admitted to me that they’d been getting food in town almost every day. Buying bread from the bakery and food that was ready to eat.”

  “Do they have adequate food for the trip?” Clara questioned.

  “Oh, sure. They got everything on the supplies list just like we did. The problem is they don’t quite know what to do with it now.”

  “Well, be assured, we’ll help them,” Elizabeth told Asa. “At the very least, we could send Ruthie over.” She winked at her daughter. “You could teach them a thing or two about baking.”

  Ruth nodded eagerly. “I’m happy to go help them, Mama.”

  “I’m sure you are.”

  They were just finishing up their meal when Captain Brownlee came by on horseback. “Everyone doing all right in unit five?” he called out to Asa.

  Asa saluted him and then nodded. “All’s well in unit five.”

  The captain tipped his head. “Good to hear. We had a few minor breakdowns. That was the reason for those delays. Harness trouble in unit three. A hitch problem in unit two. But we should be ready to roll in about an hour or less.”

  After the captain left, Clara grinned at Asa. “I’m glad you didn’t tell him about Ruby’s challenges.”

  “No need to,” Asa told her. “JT’s promised to continue assisting their wagon as needed.”

  Now Elizabeth nudged her father. “You didn’t mention the cooking problems with the Bostonians either,” she teased.

  He laughed. “Oh, Lizzie, I don’t s’pect the captain wants to hear about that sort of troubles. Not just yet anyhow.”

  After dinner, JT and Brady took over driving Elizabeth’s wagon, and she joined Clara and Ruth in walking alongside the wagons. It was interesting to be far enough away to see the full length of the train.

  “It’s really rather picturesque,” Elizabeth said as they trekked along. “If I were a painter, I’d like to paint it just now.”

  “It’s like a town on wheels,” Clara said.

  “Wouldn’t it be fun if the wagons were all stores,” Ruth suggested. “We could buy cakes from the bakers and candy and hair ribbons from the mercantile.”

  “Speaking of cakes, JT’s birthday is just two days away. Will we try to bake him a cake?” Clara asked. “I have some cocoa powder tucked away for special occasions.”

  “Can we have a party?” Ruth asked hopefully.

  “Why not?” Elizabeth nodded.

  So, as they walked, they made plans for a birthday celebration for JT. Elizabeth wasn’t sure how many of these plans they would carry out. It was quite possible that after three days on the trail, they would all be worn out. But it passed the time to talk about it. After a couple of hours, Clara returned to riding in the wagon, and Ruth decided to join her grandparents. Curious to test her own stamina, Elizabeth continued to walk. By the time the wagons began to slow and finally stop, she was thoroughly worn out. Seeing that the units were being rearranged into camp circles, she sat down on a boulder and just watched.

  Some folks were obviously more skilled at driving teams than others. And it was one thing to keep a wagon going in a straight line but something else to get the wagon pulled into a circle. However, after about half an hour, the wagons seemed to be settled, and the teams were being released from their harnesses. Feeling slightly guilty for just sitting, Elizabeth forced herself up from her stone seat and made her way over to unit five, where Clara was already getting their cook fire started.

  “Do you think I should check on the Bostonians?” Elizabeth asked. “Make sure they’re getting their fire started?”

  Clara reluctantly handed her the catalog. “Just take a few pieces.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “Precious tender.”

  “Can I come?” Ruth asked.

  “Why don’t you stay and help Grandma to get supper started,” Elizabeth suggested. “If I need you, I’ll call out.”

  Elizabeth wasn’t sure how she’d be received by the Bostonians, but she was determined to offer them a hand. She hadn’t really met them properly, perhaps because she sensed they were a bit standoffish. Or perhaps because she’d been too busy. But if they’d really eaten uncooked beans for lunch, she thought it was about time.

  “Hello,” she called out as she approached their wagons, where the men were still struggling to remove harnesses and yokes from one of the oxen teams. At the rate they were going, it might take them some time. But one of the women came over to greet her. “You’re Asa’s daughter, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. I’m Elizabeth Martin.” She extended her hand.

  “I’m Belinda Bramford,” the young woman said. Now an older woman was joining them. “And this is Lavinia Prescott.”

  Elizabeth grasped her hand too. “My father mentioned you were having some challenges with cooking over an open fire.” She held up some catalog pages. “Would you like some fire starter?”

  Lavinia nodded eagerly. “I was just telling my daughter Evelyn that I was tempted to start
tearing up one of my books.” She sighed. “But it seems a shame to burn a perfectly good book.”

  “You’ll have to teach your children how to gather little twigs along the trail. When the weather gets warmer, dry grass will work too. You can bundle them into fire starter bundles and put some lard on them.” She walked over to where one of the girls was bent over the fire, blowing so hard that Elizabeth was surprised she hadn’t fainted by now.

  “This is Evelyn,” Lavinia said. “She was certain she could get the fire going.”

  Elizabeth bent down to help Evelyn. “I’ve been trying to figure out who goes with whom in your families.” She stood and looked at Lavinia. “You’re Mr. Prescott’s wife, right?”

  “Yes. Hugh is my husband.”

  Now Elizabeth looked at Belinda. She’d seen her riding next to Mr. Bramford, although she seemed a bit young. “So are you Mr. Bramford’s wife?”

  Belinda giggled. “No. I’m his daughter.”

  “Oh.” Elizabeth glanced around their camp. “Where’s your mother?”

  “Belinda’s mother, also my best friend, died several years ago,” Lavinia said quickly.

  Elizabeth slowly nodded. “I’m sorry.”

  “But your father mentioned that you’re a widow,” Lavinia said with interest.

  Elizabeth nodded. “That’s true.”

  “You’re brave to take this trip without a husband,” Belinda told her. “I’m sure I never would do that.”

  “I have my family with me,” she reminded them. “And it had always been my husband’s dream to go to Oregon. His family is already there.”

  “It was my father’s dream too,” Belinda said.

  “And William talked us into coming with him,” Lavinia explained. “But I’m starting to wonder if we really knew what we were getting into.”

  Elizabeth looked at their citified clothing and wondered too. “My family and I are farmers, so we’re accustomed to a more rustic lifestyle.” She looked at the fire, which was starting to burn. “I thought perhaps I could help you with dinner.”

  “Really?” Belinda looked hopeful. “Wouldn’t that be wonderful, Lavinia?”

  Lavinia’s eyes lit up. “Any assistance would be most appreciated.”

  As Elizabeth helped them, showing them how to make biscuits and how to use their own collapsible oven, which was actually higher quality than her mother’s, she also helped them to put their outdoor kitchen into better order. As she worked with them, she met the other children. Between the two families, there were six offspring. Three young men and three young women, all in their mid to late teens and energetic. If many hands truly did make light work, the Bostonians should fare well.

  “With these three girls, you should have no problem preparing meals,” Elizabeth told Lavinia. “Once you get more order and figure things out.”

  Lavinia still looked flustered, and her patience often seemed to run thin, especially with Evelyn. She looked even more frazzled with the dusting of flour across one cheek. “I’m not sure I even know how to get organized. I can manage a retail establishment, but I seem to be useless with food preparation. And this cooking over an open fire…” She held up both hands. “What in the world have I gotten myself into?”

  “My mother and I will help you.” Elizabeth promised. Now she looked at Belinda. This girl seemed to be the fastest learner of the group. “I have an idea. Why don’t I take Belinda back to my camp with me? She can see how my mother runs her kitchen, and then she can return to help you to run your own.”

  Lavinia nodded. “I suppose that would work. Someone needs to teach them how to cook. Perhaps the girls can take turns visiting your camp while we’re preparing meals. They could provide labor in exchange for cooking lessons.” She made a helpless sigh. “I just never realized how difficult it would be. I’ve always had cooks and household help.” She frowned at Elizabeth. “And I don’t mean slaves. My family have been abolitionists for as long as I can remember.”

  Elizabeth bit her tongue. This was not the time to get into that discussion. Not with all the hungry people about…people who’d put in a hard day’s work without even having a decent midday meal. “Well, it looks as if you have things under control.” Elizabeth gave Lavinia and the two girls a few more pointers, and then, feeling that they were off to a fairly good start and promising to come back to check on her, Elizabeth took Belinda back to her own camp, where Clara and Ruth were well into their own supper preparations. Clara liked Elizabeth’s idea of labor in exchange for teaching, and she quickly put Belinda to work peeling potatoes. As they worked, they talked.

  “After my mother died, I tried to learn how to be more useful in the kitchen,” Belinda told them. “My mother was such a good cook. Oh, she always had kitchen help, but she was in charge of our meals, and they were always wonderful. I thought I could do it too. But then Dad hired a full-time cook so that I could apply myself to my schooling. He said there would be plenty of time for cooking later.”

  “It looks like later has come,” Clara said lightly.

  “What made your families want to make this trip?” Elizabeth asked Belinda.

  “For as long as I can remember, my dad has dreamed of going to the far West.”

  “My daddy dreamed of that too,” Ruth told her.

  “Everyone thought it was odd,” Belinda confided. “I mean with him being a lawyer and all. And no one would guess to look at him that he’s really an explorer at heart.”

  “That’s just like my brother,” Ruth said eagerly. “He loves explorers. He’s always talking about Lewis and Clark.”

  “My father loves reading about their expedition too.” Belinda paused from peeling a potato. “It’s what he’s always wanted to do, and now we are doing it.”

  “So are we!” Ruth beamed up at her new friend.

  “What part of the West are you going to?” Clara asked.

  “I’m not sure. Somewhere near the coast I think.”

  “We’re going to live near the coast too,” Ruth told her. “Maybe you’ll be near us.”

  “Oregon is a big place,” Elizabeth told Ruth.

  “But they might be near us,” Ruth persisted. Elizabeth could tell that Ruth was quite enamored by the pretty, friendly girl. “It would be fun to be your neighbor.”

  Belinda smiled down at Ruth. “I would love to be your neighbor.”

  “Speaking of neighbors, I should probably go back to your camp to see how Lavinia is faring,” Elizabeth told Belinda.

  Unfortunately, the Bostonian cooks were floundering again. According to Amelia, Evelyn and Lavinia had gotten into a big argument over how to properly make coffee, of all things. Now Lavinia was in her wagon fuming, and Evelyn and Amelia were trying to finish making supper on their own.

  “Goodness gracious! However will you people survive this expedition if you can’t work together?” Elizabeth scolded the girls. “And you have a family of how many people to feed?”

  “Nine,” Amelia meekly confessed. “And those men and boys eat a lot.”

  “Clearly, there’s no time to squabble and fuss.” Elizabeth took over now, putting a slab of bacon into a cast-iron pot and shooting orders at the two girls. “Amelia, you peel the outside skin off of that onion and chop it into small pieces. Evelyn, you get out some rice and another pot.” Thankfully the girls didn’t argue with her. In fact, they seemed to enjoy being ordered about, even laughing about it and calling her Captain Elizabeth as they scurried around the camp. She even made certain that they both knew the correct way to make coffee on the campfire.

  “Light a couple of lanterns,” Elizabeth called to Amelia as she helped Evelyn roll out the biscuits. “It’s getting too dark to see back here.”

  “Something smells awfully good,” a male voice said from behind her. “Lavinia, you must be improving your culinary—”

  She turned to see one of the Bostonian men approaching, but he stopped in his tracks, blinking in surprise.

  “Why, you’re not Lavinia
at all. Am I in the wrong camp?”

  “No.” She smiled with a meat fork in her hand. “I’m Elizabeth Martin, and I came to help out.”

  “Oh, yes, I remember now. You’re Asa Dawson’s daughter.”

  She pointed the fork toward the wagon. “I believe you’ll find your wife in the wagon.”

  He tilted his head to one side, and Amelia giggled as she set a lantern next to Elizabeth. “Lavinia’s not his wife,” she quietly explained. “This is my father. William Bramford.”

  “Oh.” Elizabeth shook her head. “I’m as confused as you are. I thought you were Mr. Prescott.”

  Amelia pointed at the other man now coming into camp with a couple of young men. “That’s Uncle Hugh. He’s Lavinia’s husband.”

  With a confused look he joined them, and more introductions were made. “So tell me, where is my wife?” he asked Elizabeth.

  Again she pointed to the wagon. “My father was concerned that your camp was having some…uh, cooking challenges.” She made an uneasy smile. “He thought I might be able to lend a hand around here.”

  Hugh grimaced. “Word travels fast.”

  Elizabeth looked back at Mr. Bramford. She knew some explaining was in order. “So you see, my mother and I thought we could help out. Right now, your daughter Belinda is at my camp learning some things about cooking. I’m helping out here.”

  “Sort of an exchange program?”

  She shrugged. “I suppose you could call it that.” Noticing the cooking fire was dying down, she pointed to the sparse stack of wood beside it. “Do you suppose your boys could gather us some more firewood, Mr. Bramford? And more water as well?”

  “Captain Elizabeth has spoken,” Amelia teased.

  “At your service, ma’am.” He made a mock salute and then turned and called to the boys.

  Elizabeth looked back at Evelyn. “I wonder if you might coax your mother out? She really needs to learn to do these chores too.”

  “My mother is not speaking to me.”

  “I’ll get Lavinia,” Amelia offered.

  “Good luck,” Evelyn snipped.