Ulla's Courage

by Agnes Alexander

  “I don’t know, Mama.”

  “Well, let me get you back to bed. I’ll send your father to get the doctor.”

  Claudine nodded.

  ~ * ~

  It soon looked as if the wagons would be moving and Cord walked up behind her. “Ulla, I want you and the children to start out riding in the wagon this morning.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s just a safety thing. I need to drive the team and I don’t want you to have to carry Will and look after Becky at the same time.”

  “All right. If you insist.”

  Cord turned and picked up Will. After helping Ulla climb into the wagon, he handed the little boy to her, then lifted Becky inside.

  Ulla sat on the mattress she’d slept on the night before.

  “I can’t see anything in here,” Becky complained when she dropped to the other mattress.

  “I’m not going to close the opening in the back. You can look out there,” Cord said.

  “But all I can see is Joe’s wagon. It’ll be coming right behind us.”

  Ulla smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Becky. We can make do for the time being. Maybe your daddy will help me move some things around when we stop tonight and then we can open the front. You can see more then.”

  “You ladies work it out. I’ve got to get up there to drive the team. The wagon in front of us is beginning to move.”

  It wasn’t long until their wagon jerked and began to inch forward.

  Becky huffed, stuck out her lip and crossed her arms over her chest. “I still can’t see nothing.”

  “I have a nice book in that bag over there. Why don’t you get it and look at the pictures?”

  “Joe’s walking beside his wagon. Why can’t I do that?”

  “Joe’s walking with his mother.”

  “I could walk with you.”

  “I know you could, honey, but if I walked, I’d have to carry Will and we wouldn’t get far because he’d get heavy and I wouldn’t be able to hold him.”

  “He can walk.”

  “But his legs are too short to walk fast. He couldn’t keep up with you and me.”

  Becky’s mouth twisted and Ulla was sure she was trying to think of a good argument to that last statement. She decided to stop the precocious little girl, because she was sure Becky would think of something to say. The child was smarter than most six-year-olds. “If you’ll settle down and read the book, when your daddy says we can get out of the wagon, I’ll see if Ivy will sit with Will and I’ll walk with you and Joe. How’s that?”

  Becky thought a minute, twisted her mouth and wrinkled her brow. “Well, I guess it’ll do, but I don’t want to ride in this wagon all the way to Oregon.”

  Ulla reached over and hugged her. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You won’t have to.”

  ~ * ~

  Vida wrung her hands and paced the hall while the doctor was with Claudine. She’d made Colton go to the store with Alton because she didn’t want to leave her daughter.

  The door opened and the doctor came out.

  “How is she doctor? Will she be all right?”

  “Don’t worry, Mrs. Wingate. Your daughter is going to be fine.”

  “But she was awfully sick this morning.”

  The doctor chuckled. “That’s normal.”

  Vida grew furious. “Normal? You must be some kind of quack. There’s no way that throwing up the way Claudine was heaving this morning can be normal.”

  “Calm down, Mrs. Wingate. Yes, throwing up the way your daughter was doing is perfectly normal when a woman is with child.”

  “What?”

  “Your daughter is pregnant, Mrs. Wingate. I’d say she’s about two and a half to three months along.”

  “No!” Vida grabbed her face. “You have to be wrong.”

  “I’m not wrong, ma’am.”

  “But she’s not married.”

  “Then, Mrs. Wingate, I suggest you find the man who is responsible and make sure she’s married soon or else your daughter will be marked for life. Unfortunately that happens to women who have a child out of wedlock.”

  “Oh, my lord, this can’t be happening to me.” She turned to the doctor and demanded. “Who is the father?”

  “I have no idea. I think you need to discuss that with your daughter.”

  “But I’ve told my daughter not to be with a man until she’s married. I wanted her to be a virgin, not give her husband used merchandise.”

  “Again, that’s between you and your daughter, ma’am.” He nodded at Vida. “I’ve done all I can here so I’ll show myself out.”

  Vida ignored him and headed into Claudine’s room.

  ~ * ~

  It was noon when the wagon train came to a stop.

  “I don’t want to stop, Mama,” Becky said. “You and me haven’t been walking beside the wagon long enough.”

  “Your daddy told me that we’ll always stop at noon so the mules and oxen and other livestock could rest and be watered. See, he’s climbing down from the wagon. Let’s go speak to him.”

  “I don’t want to stop yet, Daddy.”

  “Can’t be helped, honey. We’ll be nooning here.”

  She frowned. “What’s nooning?”

  “It’s the middle of the day when we stop to water and rest the animals and get ourselves a bite to eat. We’ll all rest a while, too.”

  “I’m not tired.”

  “If you don’t want to rest, you can play. Now, why don’t you and your mama go fix us a something to eat? I’ve got to take care of the cow and the mules.”

  “Oh, all right.” She stomped away.

  Cord shook his head. “Our first day out and she’s bored already.”

  “Don’t worry. She’ll soon get used to the routine.” She smiled at him. “I’ll get the chairs unfolded and fix the food.”

  “Thank you.” He turned to the team.

  Ulla went to the wagon, climbed in and got the basket of food she’d sent out to the wagon train earlier. There was plenty for the noon meal.

  Ivy came up with Will in her arms. “He just woke up.”

  Ulla handed her the basket. “Do you mind setting this out? I’m sure there’s enough for all of us.”

  “From the looks of what you’ve packed, I’m sure there will be. I’ve got some pickles and some canned peaches we can add if you want to.”

  “That sounds great.”

  “Is Becky…?”

  “Don’t worry. She and Joe are playing with Springer. I told him he had to stay with us during this break. He grumbled a little, but finally said he guessed it wouldn’t be too bad to spend it playing with Becky.”

  Ulla chuckled and put Will on the mattress. “Boy, you’re wet. I hope I can get you trained to go to the weeds soon. I’m going to have a mountain of diapers to wash whenever we get near a river or lake or something.”

  Will giggled.

  “Just like a man, Ulla,” Ivy said. “They mature at their own pace. Of course, some of them never grow up. They just giggle at us and steal our hearts.”

  “So true.” She nuzzled Will’s cheek. “This little fellow sure has stolen mine.”

  “You’re a good mama to the children, Ulla.”

  “I’m trying to be, Ivy. I love them and I want them to love me.”

  “You don’t have to worry. All three of the Dermotts already do.” She turned. “I better get the food ready. I’m sure the men will want to eat as soon as they can.”

  “All we have to do is make them coffee and they’ll be happy.”

  “That’s for sure.”

  Ulla turned her attention back to Will. “Sweetie, you sure have a crazy looking birthmark on your little hiney.”

  He giggled and waved his arms.

  “Yes, my little love. I know you don’t care, but I think it makes you unique.”

  “Ma’ma.” He reached for her.

  “Yes, Will. I’m your mama now and I’m a lucky woman to get a fine son like you.”

  Wi
ll only giggled again.

  ~ * ~

  At two o’clock, it was time to start the wagons moving again. Cord said, “I think we can all walk for a while.”

  “Who’ll guide the team?”

  “I think I can guide them with my whip.”

  “I look forward to being out of the wagon for a while, but I doubt I can carry Will very far without tiring.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll carry him.” He hoisted Will to his shoulders.

  “I’m big, I’ll walk.” Becky looked up at her daddy. “Can I carry the whip?”

  “No, honey. I’ll carry the whip. I’ll walk next to the wagon and you walk on the other side of your mama.”

  “Why can’t I walk beside you?”

  “Because if I have to do something to control the team, I’ll need to hand Will to Ulla in a hurry. She should be beside me just in case.”

  “Hey, Becky,” Joe came running up. “Ma said you and me could play with Springer if we’d stay between her and your folks. Want to?”

  “Sure.” She looked up at Ulla. “Can I, Mama?”

  “You can if your father thinks it’s safe.”

  He nodded. “Go ahead, honey. Just do like Miss Ivy said. Stay where you can be seen.”

  She skipped off with her friend and his dog.

  “Ulla, I don’t want you to think you always have to ask me when Becky wants to do something. You’re her mama now and you have a say so in what she does.”

  “I didn’t want you to think I was trying to take over your children.”

  “I don’t think that. From what I see, Becky already thinks of you as her mother. Didn’t she just ask you for permission to play with Joe and I was right here? If she thought she should, she’d have asked me.”

  “She did do that.”

  “That’s the way I want it to be. I’ll back you on your decisions about her and I hope you’ll back mine.”

  “Of course, I will, Cord.” She smiled up at him. “I assume you mean the same goes for Will.”

  “Sure,” was all he said.

  Ulla wondered why he didn’t say more, but she didn’t ask.

  “Walk,” Will said, and started patting Cord’s head.

  “No, Will.”

  “Walk.” He looked at Ulla.

  Cord’s voice grew angry. “I said, no, Will.”

  Will sniffed and began to cry.

  Ulla saw Cord bite his lip and wondered what he was going to do, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t see it was her place to tell him how to react to his children.

  The little boy reached out his arms. Through tears he blubbered, “Mama.”

  Cord took him off his shoulders. He turned and handed Will to Ulla. “You take him for a little while. I need to check the team, then I’ll carry him again.”

  Ulla didn’t see that anything had changed with the team, but she took Will without saying anything to Cord. She did look at Will and whisper, “I’ve got you, sweetheart. Now, stop crying if you can.”

  After they walked for a little while, Will patted her chest. “Walk.”

  “If I let you walk a little, you must hold to Mama’s hand.”

  “Hand.”

  She sat him on the ground. “Now take my hand.”

  Will put his chubby little hand in hers and grinned. “Me walk.”

  “Yes, my little love. You’re walking.”

  Cord didn’t return to them and she watched as his long strides kept pace with the mules. She wondered what had happened to make him act the way he had with Will. She hoped it wasn’t something she had done or said.

  It wasn’t long until Becky and Joe passed them. “I told you Will could walk, Mama.”

  “He’s doing a fine job. He’s just a little slow.”

  “I know.” She turned back to Joe and said, “Do you think Springer likes me?”

  “I don’t know. He’s a dog.”

  “Well, if he didn’t like me, he’d bite me, wouldn’t he?”

  Ulla didn’t hear Joe’s answer because they were far enough ahead that the wagons drowned out their conversation.

  Ivy came up beside her. “I see you have a new escort.”

  “I do. Isn’t he handsome?”

  “Very handsome, but I’m afraid he’s going to walk so slow that you’ll be at the back of the line of wagons in a few minutes.”

  “That wouldn’t surprise me at all. I plan to let him walk a little longer, then I’ll carry him a while.”

  “I’ll help you.”

  “Thank you, Ivy.”

  A little later, Ulla said, “I’m getting tired and I know you are, too.”

  “Maybe a little.”

  “I’m going to see if I can catch up with Cord and let him put us in the wagon. Thank you for your help with Will, Ivy.”

  “It was my pleasure. I’ll see you when we stop for the evening. Cord told Pete he thought you might make biscuits for us.”

  Ulla smiled. “I plan to and I hope you’re not disappointed.”

  “Oh, I’m sure none of us will be.”

  “I’ll get Joe to help you.” She called her son.

  He and Becky ran up. “Yea, Ma.”

  “Miss Ulla wants to get in her wagon. Run up ahead and tell Mr. Cord she’s coming and wants him to help her and Will get inside.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He ran off.

  “Are you tired, Mama?”

  “A little bit, Becky.” She looked into the little girl’s eyes. “How about you?”

  “I’m not tired, but if you want me to get in the wagon and help you with Will, I will.”

  “That might be a good idea. I might go to sleep and let him fall out.”

  “If you go to sleep, I won’t let him.” She grinned. “I’ll go tell Daddy.”

  Ulla scooped Will closer and hurried her pace when she saw Cord turn and head toward her. She couldn’t help remembering how short Cord had been with Will earlier. She didn’t want to give him an excuse to snap at the boy again.

  When they met, Cord said, “Joe said you and Will wanted to ride in the wagon.”

  “I want to ride, too, Daddy.”

  He nodded and took Will. He put the boy on his shoulders. “Now, let me pick you up, Becky. I’m going to sit you in the wagon, but we have to hurry. I don’t want Pete’s team to run over us.”

  She reached up her arms to him. “All right, Daddy.”

  “Ulla, you stay from behind the wagon until I get the children in, then I’ll help you.”

  She nodded and watched as he swung Becky over the tailgate. “Scoot back, honey. I’m going to put Will in and you tell him to crawl to you.”

  She heard Becky say, “I will, Daddy.”

  “Daddy,” Will said and giggled.

  Cord ignored him and sat him over the tailgate.

  Ulla heard Becky say, “Come here, Will. Come to Becky.”

  Cord turned to Ulla. “You ready?”

  “If you’ll help me step up on the tailgate, I think I can get in by myself.”

  He nodded, but when he took her by the waist, he simply lifted her over the barrier and winked. “Didn’t want you to fall.”

  She blushed. “I’m glad you didn’t let me fall. It would have been embarrassing.”

  “As well as dangerous. I don’t want you to get hurt. If you did, I’d miss out on the biscuits you’re going to make tonight.” He winked at her again and walked off before she could say anything more.

  Chapter Eight

  Vida met Alton and Colton at the door when they came in from the store shortly after six-thirty. “We didn’t have much business today,” Alton explained. “That wagon train pulled out this morning. I was hungry and I didn’t see any reason to stay open until seven as usual.”

  Vida didn’t say anything about him closing the store early or about anything to eat. “Both of you have a seat. We have something to talk about.”

  “What is it, Vida? Can’t we talk over the supper table?”

  “I said come in the parlor
and set down. Now do it and don’t argue with me.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  She glared at him. “I said, don’t argue.”

  Come on, Alton, let’s get this over with,” Colton said”

  They entered the parlor behind Vida and saw Claudine sitting on the divan. She looked drawn and pensive and anyone could tell she’d been crying. Colton joined her and whispered, “Are you all right?”

  Claudine didn’t answer and Alton took the chair facing them without speaking. Vida sat in the chair beside him.

  Alton broke the silence. “Well, it looks like you have something serious to discuss, Vida. What in the world is going on?”

  “It’s not only serious, Alton, but it’s something we have to take care of immediately.” Vida glared at Colton when she added, “That sorry-good-for-nothing distant cousin of mine has gone and made our sweet innocent daughter pregnant with his child.”

  Alton looked stunned. “No. It can’t be true. You have to be mistaken.”

  “No, I’m not mistaken. The doctor said the sickness she had this morning was because of her condition.”

  “I don’t believe it.”

  “Well, husband…”

  Colton’s voice broke in. “Is she right, Claudine? Are you going to have a baby?”

  “Yes, Colton.” She looked at him and gave him a weak smile. “I’m going to have your baby.”

  He looked scared. “How can I be sure it’s my child?”

  “Of course it’s your child. You’re the only man I’ve ever been with.”

  “I don’t know if I believe you.” He stood. “Cousin Vida says I’m going to marry Ulla and get her money and…”

  Vida stood. Her eyes peered into his and she pointed a finger at him. “Sit down, Colton. Things have changed. You’re not marrying Ulla. You’re marrying Claudine and you’re marrying her tonight.”

  “Now wait a minute….”

  Alton stood and shoved him back on the divan. “You scum. If Vida says you’ve gotten our daughter in a family way, you did. Furthermore, you will marry her. I’ll not have her disgraced.”

  “Colton,” Claudine almost screamed. “You said you loved me.”

  “I…I…”

  Alton glared at him. “Shut-up, Colton. You have no say in this matter.”

  “But what about Ulla’s money.”

  “I’ll think of another way to get Ulla’s money and I don’t need your help to do it.” Vida sneered at him.