Eirica shook her head against him. “I won’t. Not ever again. I love you so much it hurts.”
“You have no idea how much I needed to hear you say that,” he groaned. He pulled back and tipped her chin. “I love you, Eirica. You are my life. Without you, there is no sun. No warmth, no beauty, just a frozen, bleak world. Your love is the light that gives my heart and soul life.”
Eirica trailed the back of her fingers across the stubble staining his jaw. “God help me but how can I send away a man who speaks like a poet and sings like an angel? Yet how can I ask you to stay and risk your life?”
James wiped the tears streaming down her face. “Nothing will happen to me. We’ll be safe, at least until we reach Oregon City.”
“And then?”
“Then we have to make new plans. But for now, we’ll just take it one day at a time. You have to trust me, sweetheart.”
For the first time in days, Eirica smiled. She drew out his rock. “Wrong, Mr. Jones. We have to trust each other.” She placed the rock in his palm and covered it with her own palm.
Together they sat, clasping the stone between them until James couldn’t wait any longer to kiss her, his soul starved for her touch. He dropped the rock back into her pocket and drew her close.
Eirica responded, her arms tight around his neck, her fingers buried in his hair. Their lips met for a long, searing kiss. Frantic need to believe him consumed her. Somehow, she had to believe he and Sofia were right. Somehow, everything would work out. Surely God wouldn’t be so cruel as to show her what true love was, then deny it to her? Her hands slid around to his back; his encircled her. Neither paid attention to the lightening sky or the movement of others around them.
“I love you, Eirica. I’ll love you no matter what.”
Eirica pulled back, reluctantly ending the kiss. She felt torn between their love, her need to touch him and have him touch her, and by what was right for both of them. “I’m married,” she reminded him. “What if I can’t get a divorce from Birk? What if I’m never free of him?”
James took several deep breaths. “No matter what, Eirica, I’ll be there for you. We’ll win, sweetheart.” He kissed her again, slowly, tenderly.
Summer’s hungry wail ended their kiss and their time alone. “I know you’re married and I respect that. We won’t make love until you’re free but don’t ask me not to touch you or kiss you.”
“But you need children of your own.” Eirica couldn’t stand the thought of never making love to this man again.
He smiled at her, so sure, so strong. “I have four children whom I love. And one of them needs her ma right now. Wait here. I’ll bring her out.”
A few minutes later, James returned with Summer cradled in his arms. Eirica loved the sight of this big man holding her infant daughter. He held the baby out in front of him, her body supported by his palms as he smiled and cooed at her, trying to stop her hungry wails. He was so gentle, so loving, a natural father. She couldn’t remember her pa or Birk ever holding any of their children.
Using the blanket Anne had knitted to shield herself from the others, she allowed James to put the baby to her breast. He sat next to her. She blushed as he watched Summer latch on to the engorged nipple. Part of her rejoiced at his pleasure in something so natural, so elemental. She turned her head to look at him. His hand slid up her throat and drew her lips to his in a tender kiss.
“I’ll start cooking. I stole some of Sofia’s pancake batter. We’ll surprise the children.” He stood and went to the back of the wagon.
Eirica knew, and so did he, that it would take much more than sweetened pancakes to make her children feel secure again. But at least they could see that she and James, together, were there to love and protect them. When she finished nursing, she joined James, working alongside him as if they’d done it for years rather than weeks.
When the whistle sounded to head out, they were ready. Jessie came over and took charge of the oxen to free James to help Eirica. James picked up Lara. Alison and Ian walked in front of them, while Eirica carried Summer. James put his free arm around Eirica’s shoulder.
At his touch, the warm strength holding her securely against him, Eirica stiffened, fighting a moment’s panic as she glanced around. Then his scent, warm and savory, surrounded her, soothing her raw nerves. But she couldn’t help watching, wondering when Birk would show himself.
“Relax. It’s all right. He’s not going to jump out at us. He’s hiding.”
Eirica knew James was right. Birk would wait until night, spying on them, hidden by the crowds and the cover of darkness. Still, she couldn’t help but stare around her. It took a few minutes, but Eirica became aware of a difference in the formation of the wagon trail. Rook rode next to Jessie who kept the oxen moving by cracking her whip over their backs when they hesitated.
Turning her head, Eirica noted that Jordan was with Coralie behind them. She frowned. Jordan never stayed with the wagons during the day. Even Wolf was still with them, riding in the lead instead of returning to the cattle as was his habit if there were no problems with any of the wagons or the trail.
Sofia and her family along with Lars and his flanked them on the other side.
“Where’s Elliot?”
James snickered. “Riding drag.”
She lifted her brow. “He’s helping with the cattle?”
“Yep.” Though the words were light, Eirica realized that everyone had rallied to form a protective circle around her and James. Birk wouldn’t be able to get to either one of them during the day.
“Did you arrange this?” She waved her hand at the placement of people they knew so well.
James smiled. “No. But that’s what family is for, Eirica. We protect our own and stand together.”
Eirica marveled at the thought that these people would give so much, and without thought. Looking at each and every person, she realized that she’d do the same. There wasn’t a single person she wouldn’t defend or help as they were protecting her. Again she was struck by the true meaning of family. James was right when he’d told her that her own relatives had failed her.
Eirica glanced at her children, then at James, and she felt a warm glow settle in her heart. The six of them looked like a family. A happy one. She took a deep breath. Somehow, they’d make it and starting right now, they’d stick together as a family should.
Hidden deep in a gully near Farewell Bend, Birk finished off his meal of hard biscuits and dried salmon that he and Zeb had gotten from a squaw near Salmon Falls. Smacking his lips, he uncapped his flask of rotgut and drank deeply, then stretched his arms over his head.
After another long drink, he set the flask down and crawled on his belly to the edge of the gully to look down onto the trail following the Snake River. He scanned the long line of wagons that moved past and frowned. Glancing up at the sky, he studied the position of the sun.
“No sign of ’em yet,” he muttered to himself. “They should’ve got here by now.”
Letting out a belch, Birk scrubbed his lips with the back of his hand. After taking Lara to warn his wife he was there, he and Zeb had ridden hard to get ahead and find a safe place to hide and wait for them. This secluded nook between hills overlooking the trail was the perfect spot. But after spending the last three days watching and waiting, he was beginning to fear they’d somehow missed them. Taking one last look up and down the trail, he yawned and slid back down. Pulling his stolen hat down over his eyes, he fell asleep.
By late afternoon, a layer of dark clouds swept across the sky and a splattering of raindrops fell.
Zeb’s return woke him. “They’s a-comin’.”
Both men moved back to the top of the hill. After a while, Birk spotted the large herd of cattle in the distance and scanned the wagons approaching. It was hard to make out individuals, so he moved down the hillside, staying low and in the narrow gullies. Finally, he saw her and his brats, but what made him tighten his hold on a nice, shiny new rifle he’d stolen three ni
ghts ago was the sight of his wife walking next to that woman-stealing Jones bastard. His lips twisted and in his fury, he forgot to breathe. His face reddened, his chest hurt and red swam before his eyes.
As if flaunting their disregard of his warning, James put an arm around Eirica’s shoulder and shifted the infant to his other side. Birk nearly stood and shouted at them, so great was his fury. She was his; she knew that and was deliberately defying him. He stroked his weapon, lifted it and took aim at James. All he had to do was pull the trigger. Then, bang, the bastard would be gone. He’d teach that bitch to look at another man.
Unlike his shotgun, this one could bring down prey at a distance.
Maybe he should just kill her. All this was her fault. He moved the barrel and sighted her. Nah, if he killed her, he’d do it slowly so that he could watch her suffer. Smirking, he trained the rifle on each of his children.
Damn brats. His heart raced and he returned the sight to James. It struck him how happy the damn lot of them looked. He narrowed his eyes. Not for long. They’d suffer, all of them.
It wasn’t fair. Fury over his lot in life washed over him, making him forget his surroundings. In his mind’s eye, he saw his ma, heard the contempt in her voice as she demanded he sit in a corner, on his knees, for hours and pray for her sins.
And he had. He’d prayed when his ma demanded it, he’d obeyed her, submitted to her beatings and carried out her beliefs but what had it gotten him? A runaway, two-timing wife and a bunch of whining brats. Where was his reward? He was due. By God, he was due. Taking sight, he moved his finger to the trigger. And what better reward than watching them die one at a time?
A sudden growl off to the side penetrated the foggy haze of his need for revenge. Startled, he scooted around and saw a large white wolf standing on the small rise just below him. The beast eyed him with fangs bared. The animal stood between him and his target. Then it was too late. His wife and her lover were out of range. Below him, Wolf’s men were now passing with the cattle. Damn. He didn’t dare do anything now, including killing that damn wolf. They’d be up on him as soon as they heard the shot. “Just you wait, wife-of-mine,” he whispered.
Escaping the wolf who seemed content to stay where it had been, Birk scurried back to where Zeb was helping himself to the flask of whiskey. He’d bide his time, wait as originally planned for them to reach Oregon. Then he’d get his revenge on them all. He had time. Lots of time. “Let’s move out. They’s gone.”
They walked over to the pack mules grazing nearby along with the horses. When Zeb mounted, Birk asked, “Did ya do as I said with that last lock of hair?”
Zeb nodded. “Yeah, that wife of yers won’t be able to help noticing our little present.” He snickered, then belched.
Birk gathered his belongings and tied them behind his saddle. But before he could mount, he saw a flash of white coming straight for him. Yelling for Zeb to get his shotgun, Birk leaped into the saddle, but not before he felt the stab of fangs sinking into his buttocks. He kicked his booted foot at the wolf and heard the tear of cloth. Glancing down, he spotted Jessie’s dog beside the wagon master’s wolf, both barking and growling.
“Shoot them,” Birk yelled to Zeb. He himself was barely able to control his mount, let alone handle his shotgun. But Zeb was having the same trouble. Together, the two managed to wheel their screaming horses around, grab the reins of their frightened pack mules and take off, galloping deeper into the hills.
Finally, having escaped their canine pursuers, they turned westward, staying ahead of the travelers.
Jessie and Lara sat in the wagon with Sadie and her puppies. Jessie hoped the puppies would draw a smile or some reaction from the little girl but they’d done nothing so far. Suddenly, Sadie growled, the sound a low rumble in her throat. The dog jumped from the moving wagon, her growls turning into warning barks as she ran for the hills. Jessie started to follow, but Lara’s cry stopped her.
Knowing she couldn’t leave the little girl, Jessie yelled, “Sadie, come!”
The dog ignored her, stopping at the top of a hill. Jessie could just make out a flash of white ahead of Sadie. She frowned. Something had riled both animals. What was it? Birk? She pulled her Sharps rifle nearer without letting Lara see, then she watched, all the while talking softly to Lara and the pups.
When Sadie and the wolf returned, Jessie noted their ruffled fur. Wahoska had something in his mouth and the white fur beneath his chin was stained pink. She reached down and pulled a bit of cloth from his fangs. Conscious of the child behind her, Jessie patted both animals on the head. “Good job,” she whispered. “I’ll have Rook give you both a nice big bone.” Both wagged their tails. Muffled squeals and sharp barks came from behind Jessie and she moved aside.
“Now get back in here with your babies.” Jessie’s husband had removed one plank from the tailgate so the dog and wolf could hop in and out easier, though now that the pups were four weeks old Wolf would soon have to put it back to keep them in. Sadie leaped up. Immediately, her pups converged upon her, fighting one another to reach a free nipple. A soft giggle came from Lara. One of the pups, not interested in food, was giving the girl a hearty face-washing.
Jessie noted the markings. “I’ll bet you and your sisters and brother would like a puppy of your own, right, Lara?”
The little girl nodded shyly, then went back to sucking her thumb, her blanket clutched tightly in her fist.
Jessie already knew James wanted at least one of Sadie’s litter. He’d always loved her dog and Jessie and Wolf would take the dog and wolf back with them when they returned from Oregon. Jessie reached out to stroke Sadie’s fat, furry body. Lara squeaked. When the puppy had realized he was losing out on his meal, he’d returned to fight among his litter mates for a teat of his own.
Though Lara wasn’t yet speaking, Jessie felt pleased that she’d gotten a happy reaction from her. James and Eirica would be thrilled with that news. However, that bit of joy would fade when she showed them and Wolf what Wahoska had brought back with him. The watching and waiting was telling on all of them. Birk was out there, trailing them. Of that, there was no doubt. Wahoska would not attack someone indiscriminately.
“I sure wish Ma and Pa would let me have one of your puppies, Jessie.”
Jessie turned to see Rickard—the Svensson boy—looking in over the back of the wagon. Behind him, the team of oxen in his charge plodded along slowly. He laughed when Sadie licked each pup, eliciting squeals of protest from them and stirring the furry pile into happy playing. The jostling of the wagon made the pups tip over and roll on the padded wagon bottom.
Seeing Rickard’s wistful expression, Jessie grabbed a small female with a white face. Jessie knew it was Rickard’s favorite. She’d already planned on giving it to him—with his parents’ permission. But she’d wanted it to be a surprise, so she hadn’t told him. Instead, she handed the pup to him. “Would you like to take her for a while?”
Rickard’s gaze widened. “You don’t think Sadie will mind, do you?”
Jessie glanced at her dog, but Sadie seemed to prefer napping while the other little dogs climbed over her body in their puppyish antics. “She trusts you.”
“Gee thanks, Jess. Well, I gotta get back to work.” With that, the boy tucked the yawning pup inside his shirt and resumed his place beside the oxen.
Jessie hopped out of the wagon, then lifted Lara down, too. Thinking of the wolf’s find, she stood a moment, indecisive as to what to do. With her hands on hips, she scanned the area, looking for the animal, but saw no sign of him. He’d run off. Oh well, Wahoska could take care of himself. She hurried up to fall into step beside Eirica some ways ahead. Lara walked between them, tightly holding on to her mother’s hand.
Jessie offered to carry Summer for a bit. Coralie wasn’t the only one who needed to practice and learn what to do with a baby, though she and Wolf hadn’t told anyone yet. Still, both knew it wouldn’t be long before the others guessed for themselves. Though not as far alo
ng as her sister-in-law, she already had to leave her pants unbuttoned and use a length of rope to hold them up. Good thing she had some loose flannel shirts. The one dress she owned was already too tight. She sighed with a mixture of disgust and dismay. Guess she was going to have to ask Anne to help her sew some new dresses.
Chapter Eighteen
“We have to go over those?” Coralie squeaked, her eyes round with, disbelief.
“I’m afraid so,” Eirica replied, torn between relief at having made it this far and fear of the last leg of the journey. From where the now close-knit group of women stood, the mountain range on the other side of the valley loomed large and imposing.
She glanced down. The descent into the valley below was so steep, it required the use of several switchbacks to zigzag their way to the bottom. She stared at the wagons already heading down. The noses of one team of oxen nearly touched the back wheels of the wagon in front of it.
Eirica glanced sideways at Jessie who for once wasn’t eagerly anticipating a new “adventure.” In fact, the woman looked quite pale, sick even. “Are you all right?”
Coralie took her sister-in-law by the arm. “Come on, Jessica, buck up and let’s get this over with. The sickness will pass before you know it. If it gets too bad, ask Rook to fix you his special tea.”
“What sickness? I’m just tired.” Jessie resisted and tried to put some spirit behind her denial but failed. None of them were fooled.
Coralie rolled her eyes and clucked her tongue, shaking her head, her blond curls swaying across her shoulders. “Do you honestly think you can hide your delicate condition from us? We all know. Even Jordan knows.”
Jessie straightened with a jerk. “What! My brother? How can he know? Wolf promised he wouldn’t say anything.”
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