~ * ~
“Ulla, these chairs are great. Do you think…?”
Ulla laughed. “Don’t worry, Ivy. I also put three camp chairs in your wagon. I know Joe won’t be sitting much, but I met a couple of nice ladies at the store and I thought we’d have plenty of seats if we get a chance to visit on the trail.”
“You thought of everything, didn’t you?”
“I tried, but I’m sure I forgot something. Of course, it’ll be too late to remedy my mistakes when we’re hundreds of miles from here.” She looked down the row of wagons and smiled when she saw Cord and Pete deep in conversation. “It looks like they’re getting along fine.”
“I’m so glad. Pete was worried because you told Mr. Dermott … I mean … you told Cord that Pete had been in prison for robbing the gun shop.”
“I didn’t want it to come up later.”
“I see now that it was a good idea to let him know. Now there’ll be no question if Pete gets moody.”
“He does that?”
“Sometimes. I’m sure it’s because he feels like everyone is looking down on him.”
“Pete is not going to feel that way on this trip. I’m sure of it.”
“I can’t help but believe you, Ulla. Everything you’ve said so far has been correct.”
Becky walked up, pulling Will behind her. “Can you watch Will for a while? I want to show Joe where the kids play sometimes.”
“Sure, Becky.”
Becky ran off. “Come on, Joe. It’s down here.”
Ulla looked down at the little boy. “Sweetie, would you like to sit on my lap?”
He shook his head and looked like he was going to cry.
She knew he wasn’t sure of her and she needed to make him her friend somehow. She remembered the peppermint stick she’d eaten half of and put the rest of in her skirt pocket. “How about if I let you look in my pocket to see if you can find a piece of candy?”
His eyes got big. “Candy?”
“Yes, candy.”
He hesitated only a moment, then put his hands on her knees and tried to pull himself into her lap.
She reached down and lifted him up. “Now let’s see. Which pocket would it be?”
He giggled when she held her left pocket for him to stick his hand in. He frowned when his hand came out empty. “No candy.”
“You’re right. There is no candy there.” She turned to her right side. “Let’s try this one.”
He stuck his hand in the pocket and came out with the peppermint stick. He laughed out loud. “Candy.”
“Well, what do you know? You found it. Now why don’t you sit back and enjoy it?”
He scooted back in her lap and rested the back of his head on her chest. He popped the candy in to his mouth and the leg that dangled to the side began to swing.
“Well, look a’ here. It’s my friend Ulla Wingate. What in the world are you doing out here?”
Ulla looked up. “Hello, Charlene Mahoney. Let me introduce you to Ivy Nettleton. She and her family will be joining the wagon train and possibly our circle of friends.”
“Of course she’ll join. Hello, Ivy. Glad to have you along. You got any kids?”
“I have a son, Joe. He’s almost seven.”
“That’s great. I have a son who is seven, too. His name is Carney and he’s over yonder in the young’uns play area.”
“Becky took Joe over there,” Ulla said.
Charlene looked at Ulla. “You know the Dermotts?”
“Yes.”
“He’s a fine man. I was sure sorry the folks that were going with him backed out. I’ve been trying to help him out a little. In fact, I came to see if he and his children would like to come and have supper with Liam and me. I cooked a big stew. Fact is, I’ve got enough for everybody. Why don’t you come, too?”
“I’m not sure we’ll be here long enough. I only came out with the Nettletons so they could meet Cord and his children. They’ll be traveling along with him.”
“Well, bless my soul. He found somebody to look after them. I sure hope you’ll take better care of them than that Lawson woman did. She didn’t pay them no attention unless Dermott was around. I felt plumb sorry for them.” Charlene chuckled. “But since you have a boy of your own, Ivy, you know how to take care of children.”
“Oh, I’m only going along to help out. Ulla will be the one taking care of Cord’s children.”
Charlene’s eyes got big. “You’re going on the wagon train?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Well, glory be! How’d you wrangle that? Mr. Pruitt don’t usually let pretty single women go on his train. Especially since she’s planning on going with a handsome single man like Cord Dermott.”
“Oh, he wouldn’t have let me go either. That’s why Cord and I are getting married.”
There was no way Ulla could know, but before she and the Nettletons were back in Independence proper, practically everyone on the wagon train knew Cord Dermott was getting married. It gave them an excuse to have a celebration before they pulled out on Friday.
~ * ~
By the time Alton left for the mid-day meal the next day, Ulla had pulled and Wilbur had packed the final supplies needed for the trip in the Dermott and the Nettleton wagons. She’d had the wagon for the Nettleton family sent to the camp outside of town. Before sending Cord’s supplies, as soon as Alton left, Wilbur took the trunk from the attic and added it to the Dermott wagon. While he was upstairs, Ulla had slipped out and buried her money under the bacon slabs and a barrel of potatoes. She would tell Cord about the money later. She learned the evening they had supper at the café that he was a proud man. She offered to pay, but he had insisted on paying for both their meals. She hadn’t argued with him, but she knew from that conversation, he wouldn’t want to accept her money as theirs. She’d have to spring it on him later and hope he’d change his mind. She felt sure she could figure out a way to for him to take it without hurting his pride.
When Alton returned from eating dinner, Ulla said, “Mr. Roberson wants to see you at the bank, Uncle Alton. I think most of the emigrants are through shopping. We aren’t that busy this afternoon, so why don’t you take the money and see what he wants?”
“I guess I might as well do that.” He went behind the counter and put some of the money in the bank bag. As he went out the door, he said, “I shouldn’t be long. He probably only wants to let me know we aren’t making the money we expected to on these wagon trains.”
Wilbur came into the store from the stock room. “I want to thank you again, Miss Ulla.”
“I should be thanking you. You’ve done everything you can to help me get these wagons loaded without letting anyone know I was involved in the trip.”
“I don’t mind that, but I wanted to tell you I went to see Mr. Roberson again when I went to the livery to send the wagons to the camp.”
“You did?” She smiled at him. “What happened?”
“You know, I told you already he hired me right the first day I went to see him. I know it was because of the glowing recommendation you gave him. Today he told me that I could go to work for him next Monday.”
“That’s wonderful, Wilbur. Mr. Roberson has been like a second father to me. He’s a nice man and I know you’ll enjoy working for him.”
“I think I will, too, and now that I have everything done you wanted me to do with the wagons, I’m going to tell Mr. Wingate that I’m quitting. It wouldn’t surprise me if he fires me today.”
“He may do that.” Ulla reached under the counter and took an envelope and held it out to him. “Just in case he does let you go today.”
“Miss Ulla you don’t have…”
“I know that, Wilbur, but you’ve been an asset to this store and you deserve it. My father would approve and as long as I’m part owner of Wingate’s General Store, I have a right to give it to you. Besides, I appreciate you keeping my coming marriage to Cord Dermott a secret.”
Wilbur looked in the envelop
e and his eyes widened. “I can’t believe this. There’s three hundred dollars here.”
“I do have one other thing I want you to do for me, if you will.”
“Anything, Miss Ulla.”
“We’re getting married tomorrow at four. Will you come to the church and drive my husband and me out to the wagon camp, then bring the buggy back to the livery? The Nettletons rented it for me and will use it to come to the wedding. I want to make sure it gets back to the owners before I leave town.”
“I’d be honored, Miss Ulla. I’m sure you and Mr. Dermott are going to be happy. When he has come in to check on his supplies I’ve enjoyed getting to know him. He’s a nice man.”
“I think so, too.”
The bell rang and Ulla looked up. Alton came through the door. He had a confused look on his face and she braced herself for his outburst.
He didn’t waste time coming toward her waving a piece of paper. “Ulla, what the world do you mean by this?”
Wilbur butted in. “Mr. Wingate, I need to tell you something.”
“Not now, Wilbur. I need to talk to my niece.”
“I think you should listen to Wilbur, Uncle Alton. He told me what he plans to tell you. It’s important.”
“Oh, all right, he better be quick about it. What do you want, Wilbur?”
“I just wanted to tell you that I will be leaving your employ at the end of the week.”
Alton frowned. “What?”
“You heard me, Mr. Wingate. I’m quitting. I’ll finish up this week, then I won’t be back.”
“Why are you doing this? Don’t you think I pay you enough for what little you do?”
“You’re right, you don’t pay me near enough for what I do, Mr. Wingate, but that’s not the reason I’m leaving.”
“So, why are you quitting?”
“I’ve found another job.”
“So, just like that, you’re walking out when we have the wagon train people coming in for supplies.”
“I said I’d work until Saturday. The wagon train is leaving day after tomorrow.”
Alton leered at Wilbur. “You’ll be sorry. Nobody is going to put up with the way you slack off on the job like I’ve done.”
Ulla could tell her uncle was going to become unreasonable, so she interrupted. “Why don’t you go back to the stock room, Wilbur? I think my uncle wants to talk to me.”
Wilbur turned to go and Alton yelled, “Yeah, and while you’re back there, gather your things. Since the train is leaving Friday, I won’t need you for the rest of the week. Ulla and me can handle it and if we can’t, Vida has been itching to come in and help out.”
Ulla was impressed when Wilbur turned around and walked up to Alton. “Then, sir, if you’re making me quit today, pay me the money I’m owed for the days I’ve worked this week.”
Alton looked shocked. “Who says I have to pay you?”
“I’m sure if I went for the sheriff, he’d say so. You can’t work a man without paying him what he’s owed.”
“I think you should pay him, Uncle Alton. You don’t want the sheriff coming in making trouble for us.”
He took a deep breath. “I guess you’re right.” He moved to the money box and took out some cash and handed it to Wilbur. “You worked Monday and Tuesday, but only half a day today. You make a dollar a day, so here’s two dollars and fifty cents.”
“Actually I worked more than half a day today, but I’ll let that go since you refuse to be a fair man.” Wilbur took the money, stuffed it in his pocket, turned, winked at Ulla and left the room.
She had to bite her lip to keep from smiling. She knew the two dollars and fifty cents weren’t important to Wilbur, but he had at last been able to say what he thought to his boss—former boss.
“Now, Ulla.” Alton turned to her. “You need to explain things to me. I don’t understand why you…””
The door opened and a mother and three children came in. “I want some candy,” one child yelled.
“Me first,” came from another.
“What about me. Mama, you promised me I could be first.”
Alton sighed. “Oh, my. What next?”
“Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll wait on them. I also see one of the emigrants coming in. I bet they’ve forgotten something. You need to wait on them and we’ll talk after we close.”
~ * ~
It was almost seven-thirty when Alton locked the door and pulled down the shades. “Can you believe we had to stay open half an hour after closing time? Why couldn’t those people come in earlier to get the things they forgot?” When Ulla said nothing, he continued to rant. “Do they expect me to stay open all the time? My sign plainly says we close at seven o’clock.”
“Aunt Vida would be wondering where you were if Claudine hadn’t come to see what was going on,” she mumbled, just to have something to say.
“I know. I hope she told Vida there was no way we could leave.” He shook his head. “Did you see some of those crazy people standing around and waving their money? They were sure anxious to give it to us.”
“It was good for business.”
“I guess you’re right. Now, quit trying to change the subject and tell me why you have decided to turn the store over to your aunt and me? You have never mentioned such a thing before.”
Ulla knew she hadn’t changed the subject enough that he would wait for her to explain things to him when they got to the house. She’d simply have to tell him why she gave him the store and get it over with. She opened her mouth to speak, but a loud banging on the door stopped her.
“We’re closed,” her uncle yelled.
Vida’s voice came from the other side. “Open this door this minute, Alton Wingate.”
He fumbled with the door and almost dropped the key. “I’m unlocking it, Vida.” He pulled the door open and she stomped inside. If they weren’t indoors, Ulla would have almost sworn her aunt had brought storm clouds with her.
“How long have you been closed?” Vida didn’t lower her voice.
“I’d just took the key out of the lock. We finally got rid of the customers and were getting ready to start home. I wasn’t going to take a chance on somebody else walking in and stopping us from leaving.”
She glared at Ulla. “Is he telling the truth?”
“Yes, ma’am. Several emigrants came in to get forgotten items. I guess they were afraid to wait until tomorrow since they’ll be preparing to pull out early on the morning after.”
“It was a mad house, Vida.” He glanced at his wife. “On top of everything, Wilbur quit today. Ulla and I had to handle it all by ourselves.”
Vida frowned. “Wilbur quit?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Why’d he quit?”
“He said he got another job.”
“I told you that he probably would, since you cut his salary.”
Ulla knew for a fact that Vida was the one who demanded Alton cut Wilbur’s salary, but she decided to stay out of this conversation unless one of them spoke directly to her.
“But, Vida, he didn’t do enough to earn what I was paying him. He thought he could hang out in the stock room and waste time.”
“So you and Ulla were here alone?”
It suddenly dawned on Ulla that her aunt was jealous and she almost laughed out loud. How could the older woman suspect her husband would be interested in his niece? In spite of herself, the thought almost made her laugh at the ridiculous idea of such a thing. Things were beginning to become clearer. It wasn’t her uncle who was trying to get rid of her. It was her aunt. She now knew the woman had not only brought Colton there to marry her off so she could get her hands on the money Ulla's father had left her, but Aunt Vida wanted her married because she was jealous. Ulla couldn’t help smiling inside when she realized how shocked her aunt was going to be when she realized what was really about to happen.
She plastered on a smile and said, “Aunt Vida, Uncle Alton was just about to ask me why I’d signed the store over
to you and him today. I’m glad you’re here so I can tell you both.”
Vida looked surprised. “You did what?”
“It’s true, Vida,” Alton said. “I went to the bank because Mr. Roberson sent for me. When I got there he told me he had papers Ulla had signed giving me full control of Wingate’s General Store.”
Vida glared at Ulla. “Why in the world would you do that?”
Ulla was glad she’d already practiced what she planned to tell them. She only hoped she could make them believe her. “I thought about it for a while, and I felt it was the only thing I could do.”
“That don’t tell me a damn thing.”
She was surprised at her aunt’s cursing, but she didn’t react. “Well, I got the idea from you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Do you remember when you told me how important it is for a wife to be at her husband’s side?”
“That sounds like something I’d say.”
“I’ve been thinking about your words and I realized you were right. A wife should concentrate on her husband and not be worried about how things at a store are running. I decided that after I was married, I didn’t want to be working in the store every day, and I knew Uncle Alton would continue to run it as my father wanted. Of course, I knew Claudine was already doing the stock orders and I’m sure Colton will help out if he’s needed.”
Vida’s face softened and she looked as if she swallowed what Ulla said. “I can hardly believe you’ve thought this through so thoroughly, Ulla. I’m proud of you for wanting to be a good wife, and I feel you’re exactly right. Why, I’ll even be glad to come in and help Alton with the store. I’ve been thinking that maybe I should anyway. I think running a store might be fun.”
“I’d like to have you here, Vida,” Alton said.
Vida might believe his words, but Ulla didn’t. She could see the lie in his eyes, but she wasn’t about to enlighten her aunt. “I’m glad you like the fact that I’ve given the store to you and Uncle Alton, Aunt Vida. I know you’re honest people and you will keep putting aside my share. That way we’ll all be happy and after all, all I want to do is please my family.”
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