Carlos’ shoulders slumped. “I know. I’ll never have a wife either. What were our folks thinking being on a wagon train full of white people? If it were me, I’d have traveled south toward Mexico. There are bound to be people like us down there.”
“You’re right about that. I think Pa just wanted a place of his own. He and Ma worked for the Stewarts for years and they wanted to be owners instead of servants. I don’t blame them wanting a fresh start. They must have saved every penny they ever made to afford the trip to Oregon. It should have been a fresh start. But, if you remember, no one ever helped them. When they both got sick, no one would come to doctor them. I often wonder if they could have been saved.” A somber feeling clouded over him.
“At least Lynn and Smitty took us into their wagon, even if it was already filled with orphans. It’s funny, those kids never looked at us as different. I do remember a few on the wagon train telling Ma she couldn’t take us in, but she refused to give in. If Sonia doesn’t think of you as different, why not let her be your sweetheart?”
“Did you see how people treated us and looked at us last night? Even her parents gave us dirty looks and then walked off, as though they couldn’t be dancing if we were. I don’t want that for her or for Brent.”
“Did it ever occur to you that maybe it was her they were reacting to? You have to admit she’s had a mixed up life.”
Juan didn’t want to talk about it anymore. “The storm’s passed, and we have a ways to go before we see any horses. Good thing I packed a lot of supplies.”
“I figured you did.”
“What if you couldn’t find me?”
Carlos shrugged. “I would have turned around and gone home.”
Juan shook his head. “Mount up.” What was it like to not have a care in the world? It seemed as though he’d always had others to consider before he made decisions.
They rode for hours until it was almost dark. When they stopped, Juan quickly got a fire going and taught Carlos how to make coffee. They fried up some of the ham Juan had brought. Juan also tried his hand at making biscuits. They were a bit tough to get their teeth through, but if they dipped them in coffee they were edible.
“I thought for sure we’d be eating beans the whole time,” Carlos commented after they cleaned everything up.
“I brought the ham and some bacon. As soon as those are gone we’ll move on to cans of beans.”
Carlos flashed him another grin. “I don’t suppose you have an extra bedroll.”
“No, I don’t, but I do have an extra blanket you can use.” Juan grabbed it from the pile of supplies and threw it at Carlos.
“I don’t think we need to stand guard tonight, but as we get farther out we will.”
Carlos furrowed his brow. “What were you planning to do if I wasn’t here? Not sleep?”
“I wouldn’t have made such a big fire advertising where I was camping.” Juan laid out his bedroll and lay down. He closed his eyes and listened to Carlos settle in for the night. Then all he heard was the chirping of crickets and distant howls of wolves. Some big game passed by close to them, but kept going. He relived having Sonia in his arms again as they’d danced. She had curves in all the right places, and her hair smelled heavenly. It had been so perfect. He turned onto his side. Perfect until he’d ruined it. Even though it was for their own good, it smarted. She’d cried all night, and the guilt over that hit him hard.
He squeezed his eyes tight, willing himself to clear his mind and fall asleep. He had horses to catch and he’d best keep his mind on that. And now that Carlos was there, he had him to look after and teach. Tomorrow they’d head to the canyon he’d used to keep the horses as he caught them. Hopefully the gate he’d made would still be there.
Sonia rocked Brent on the front porch. Smitty had just found Carlos’ note and wasn’t too happy about the way Carlos had gone about leaving. If he’d asked, Smitty said, it would have been fine. All Sonia could think of was the fact that Juan had run as quickly from her as he could. Her heart was in tatters, but for Brent’s sake she smiled.
She’d been on the receiving end of curious glances the whole day. No doubt they’d heard her crying all night. She was embarrassed that she’d become a burden to them all. One thing she knew. She wouldn’t be staying at Juan’s house while he was gone.
She picked up her cup of coffee and drank a bit. The sun was going down, and the beautiful display of orange, yellow and purple soothed her soul a bit. God sure knew what he was doing when he made sunrise and sunset. It was a time she often reflected and prayed.
The door opened and then shut quietly, and Sonia knew without looking it was Lynn. Lynn had a cup of coffee in her hand too. She sat in one of the rocking chairs closest to Sonia and was silent for a while.
It would have been nice, but Sonia’s stomach clenched, wondering what Lynn would have to say about her and Brent.
“Juan and Carlos will probably be gone for about a week. I’m surprised Juan didn’t shoo Carlos back home. Juan likes his alone time.” She sipped her coffee and rocked for a few moments. “It sounds like you wanted more than Juan was willing to give.”
So here it was. “I misread him, I guess. I’ve caught him staring at me, and he was so kind.” Sonia took a deep breath to keep from crying. “When we danced together he held me close, and I was too fanciful. I thought it meant something. But he let me know in no uncertain terms that he didn’t want anything to do with me or Brent.” She lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “I suppose he realized I was a bad person when he saw how others treated me. I don’t blame him, it just hurts so much.”
“I’m sorry it happened. He let Brent call him Papa. I thought he was thinking about marrying you.” Lynn reached out and patted Sonia’s arm.
Sonia shook her head and frowned. “He told me he didn’t want Brent to call him Papa anymore.” Her chin quivered.
Lynn’s sigh was heavy. “I don’t think you misread him. But he has a hard time getting close to people. He thinks no one could possibly love him. He allows my hugs, but he shies away from others. From the time we met, he’s been a loner except for his brother, Carlos. I think perhaps he had the best intentions, but couldn’t follow through and for that I’m sorry.” Lynn gave her a sad smile.
“It was the way I was treated by the guests at the party. I’d been through it so many times. People say hurtful things, and if Juan had any idea that I was a good woman, he learned otherwise.” She drew a shaky breath. “Even my parents made a show of hatred. I’m not sure what to do now. I can’t accept your charity anymore. I do appreciate all you’ve done for me and Brent. I need to earn some money and make a fresh start.”
“Don’t rush and make a bad decision. We enjoy having you here.” Lynn’s voice was warm and sweet.
“Thank you.” It would be so tempting to stay indefinitely. “But I just don’t want to be the reason Juan doesn’t come to see you. I’ll figure something out. I’d best get my little one to bed. Thank you for your kindness, Lynn.”
“Good night.”
Sonia nodded as she stood with a sleeping Brent in her arms and went into the house. The cradles were all upstairs so she climbed the steps. Hunter hurried over and took Brent from her.
“He’s getting heavy.”
“He certainly is. Thank you for your help.” She didn’t like the starry-eyed look he gave her. It wouldn’t do for Hunter to get mixed up with her. She watched him put Brent into the cradle. “Good night.” She quickly went to the door and held it open. Thankfully, Hunter left right away.
She put on her nightgown, considered Hunter’s possible growing feelings, and came to the realization she needed to leave within the next day or two. She didn’t want to be the cause of any other problems.
Juan almost laughed at Carlos’ impatience. Tracking horses and gaining their trust was a long process. The herd he was tracking had a strong black stallion followed by almost twenty mares. The stallion would be a problem if he brought him home. Greg would try to
break him, and that stallion was mean.
It took Juan much longer than usual to become part of the herd. He’d had to leave Journey with Carlos at the canyon and ride one of the mares he brought. It took four days to get the ornery stallion to accept him. Today was the day, and he hoped Carlos would ready with the gate open when he drove the horses toward the canyon.
He tried to rope the lead mare, the stallion’s favorite, and the whole herd started to run in the direction of the canyon. He rode low and chased the horses until they were starting to tire. He hoped his mare had enough stamina. She usually did well.
As he got closer to the canyon, he saw Carlos open the gate and as they rode through he slowed his mare, jumped down and helped Carlos close and secure the gate.
“I’ve never seen the likes before,” Carlos said, his voice full of excitement. His eyes twinkled as he smiled.
“It’s like riding faster than the wind. Nothing comes close to the feeling of running with the horses.” Juan watched the stallion. He’d notice soon enough he was trapped. There was a small pool of water at the very back of the canyon. “Could you take care of the mare while I watch the stallion?”
Carlos nodded. “Why do you have to watch him?”
“As soon as he comes to the conclusion he’s fenced in, he’ll make some attempt to escape. I’ll discourage him with the whip.”
“You’d whip a horse?”
“No I whip the gate and it keeps the horses back. The first time I made the gate too low and the stallion easily jumped it and bit my shoulder. He then whistled for the rest of his herd to follow. So not only was I bleeding badly, I had nothing to show for it.”
Carlos’ eyes widened. “How come you never told me?”
Juan shrugged. “I didn’t want you worrying every time I left to gather more horses.”
The stallion stared at the gate and charged toward it, veering off before he slammed into it. He then walked alongside the gate, examining it for an exit. He whistled angrily and reared up three times. Finally he came back to the gate and pushed on it with its barrel chest. It moved but not enough.
Juan got out the whip and began hitting the wooden structure. He walked up and down a few times using the whip. The horses stayed back.
“Wow, those horses sure don’t like that,” Carlos said.
“I’ll have to use the sorrel I brought to cut the horses I want from the herd and get going.”
“So soon? The horses are tired,” Carlos protested.
“It’s the best time. We won’t go fast but we need to put some distance between us and that stallion.” Keeping a careful eye on the stallion, Juan cut ten horses from the herd. He put them on two strings, one for Carlos to handle and the other one for him. He then saddled Journey and waited for Carlos to mount his own horse.
“You’re not going to leave the horses in the canyon are you?”
Juan shook his head. “I have a much smaller canyon I use not too far from here. I usually drive the horses I cut into it and let them rest for the day. I come back to this canyon right away and let the other horses go.”
They rode for a little over an hour and secured the horses in the smaller canyon. Juan then rode back and released the other horses. The stallion made a move to come after him but Juan swung the whip and hit the ground a few times and finally the stallion drove the herd away in the direction they had originally come from.
Juan admired the stallion. He was well muscled and big. He’d make fine horses when bred, but it wasn’t worth Greg getting hurt again. Mercy would horsewhip him if he brought such a powerful animal back with him. He turned Journey and went to join Carlos.
He smiled when he saw that Carlos had set up camp and was heating up the beans. Having a partner sure was easier than going it alone. For a moment, he thought of Sonia. She would have made a good partner but it wasn’t meant to be. It would be hard to see her on the ranch, but at least she’d be safe.
The moon was full and it lit her way. Sonia had been very careful to be quiet when she left the Settlers’ house. She did the same thing Carlos had done. She left a note. It was a lie about how she’d found a job and would be fine. She thanked them too. The only place she had to go was the shack she had lived in with her husband. She hoped and prayed that her father-in-law wasn’t still there.
If she stayed at the shack, no one would look for her. No one would be able to mention seeing her. She jostled Brent to the other shoulder. He was getting heavy. It was the bounty of food the Settlers had shared with them.
She decided to stay on the road even though it was longer. Going through the woods would be too nerve racking. She doubted she’d meet anyone on her way. The only thing she had was the blanket Juan had given her for Brent. She’d left the clothes they let her borrow behind and left wearing the tattered gray dress she had arrived in. She’d had time to mend it, but it still looked like a rag.
She walked for a long time before she stopped. She didn’t remember the walk to be so far. Finding a big flat rock near the side of the road, she sat on it. But sitting led to thinking. It wasn’t a good idea to go to the shack, she knew that. But it was the only idea open to her. The Settlers needed their son in their lives, and he wouldn’t come around if she was there. It was that simple.
Her arms ached as she stood back up and continued walking. She’d taken a hunting knife from Smitty before she left. She’d have to replace it as soon as she could. But for now, it would give her some protection in case Wendell was still living in the shack.
Noises came from the woods as if she was being tracked by an animal. Feeling uneasy, she walked faster. Once again, she shifted Brent to the other shoulder. It couldn’t be much farther. Grateful for the moonlight, she kept going. By the time the shack came into sight she was beyond exhausted.
The shack was completely dark. Hopefully, the lack of light was a good sign. Fear filled her as she reluctantly stood at the door. Fatigue crowded out the little voice in the back of her mind telling her to turn and run.
Slowly, she opened the wooden door and then quickly looked around. It smelled like rotting food, but there was no sign of Wendell. She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding in. A rat scurried across the floor and luckily raced out the front door, which she promptly shut. She laid Brent down on the bed, found the lamp and lit it. Next, she laid a fire in the fireplace. There wasn’t a cook stove. She had always cooked over the fire. She lit the fire and grabbed an empty pail. Giving Brent a long look she then hurried out the door to the water pump.
They’d have somewhere to lay their heads that night, and she was grateful. After going back into the house, she immediately locked the door. She poured the water into an iron pot and placed it on a hook that was attached to the crane and swung the arm of the crane over the fire. She’d have warm water soon.
In the light she could see just how filthy the cabin was, but it wasn’t anything lye soap and hard work wouldn’t fix. For the first time, she was glad the shack was tucked away in the trees and away from other homes.
Before, when Roger had hit her, she’d wished that someone was close enough to hear her cries. But now she was hoping that it would take a while before anyone even knew she was there. She’d set some traps tomorrow and hopefully she’d catch a rabbit for dinner. She had planted a garden before Roger died and hopefully some of the vegetables were still there.
She looked in a small tin box she’d stashed behind the other items on the shelf. It was actually a crate nailed to the wall but it was functional. She smiled when she opened the box. Her precious tea was still in it. She made herself some tea and then poured some of the water in a chipped basin. The soap was still there. Wendell obviously didn’t like to be clean.
A clean towel was on one of the other shelves and she used it to wash her face. She unbuttoned the top of her dress and quickly washed up. She’d sleep in her clothes. Someone might see the smoke coming from the chimney and try to come in. By right it was her cabin and land, small as
it was. Roger never claimed the maximum acreage he was entitled to under the Oregon land grant. He had no ambition to better himself.
It was just as well now. She had no livestock to care for, though a couple of chickens would have been nice. It was something she could work toward. In the next few days, she’d trap for raccoons. The coonskin hat was still popular, and she could trade them for food. Not in town of course but there was a trading post about six miles away toward the north. Meanwhile, she’d make due.
She sat in an uncomfortable chair in front of the fire and fell asleep.
When morning came around, she washed the floors first so Brent could crawl around. She also put the chairs in front of the fire blocking it from Brent’s explorations. Next, she scrubbed every surface in the cabin. She took the two tick mattresses and put them outside to air. She would need to wash them down with the strong soap too.
Next, she made a big fire outside and set the laundry tub on top of it. After hauling water, she set Brent on his blanket under a tree. He fell asleep instantly. Grabbing all the bed linens and anything else that had been used in the shack, she dumped it all into the hot water. After adding the soap, she stirred the laundry around with a big paddle then allowed the water to boil. She wanted all vermin dead and removed from the sheets.
It took a good portion of the day, but she got it done, and soon the wash was hanging on a fraying rope drying in the breeze. They only thing waiting was the garden and to check the traps. Brent looked like he was in a deep sleep, so she slipped away to the nearby traps. The first three yielded nothing but she got lucky on the last one.
She was able to skin the rabbit before Brent woke. She’d cure the skin, it might be made into something she could trade.
Brent woke and yelled “Mama.” He smiled in delight when he saw her. Her heart filled as she picked him up and kissed him.
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