Juan

by Kathleen Ball

  He waited for her to turn in his direction and then he smiled. “I’m Mike Todd. The man you just tangled with is a mean one. You’ll want to watch to be sure you’re never alone with him.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Todd, for your advice.” She smiled back.

  “No thanks needed, ma’am, and it’s Mike.”

  “I’m Susan Farr. It’s nice to make your acquaintance. You’ll have to excuse my appearance I’m afraid.”

  He stared into her eyes. “There’s nothing wrong with your appearance, Miss Farr.”

  “Please, call me Susan.” She tilted her head a bit. She’d often observed how rich woman acted and it was paying off.

  “Fine, Susan. Now where are your parents? Do they know how much trouble you’re making in town?” His voice grew deeper.

  “My parents passed recently. It’s just me and Sunshine. I was hoping to join one of those wagon trains to the west. I’ve always enjoyed traveling.” She batted her eyelashes at him and felt affronted when he laughed.

  “Listen lady, this is no vacation. You must be able to work and work hard in order for any wagon master to take you on. Since no one takes women traveling alone, you’ll have to rethink your plans.”

  Dang, I overdid the fine southern lady act. “Mike, I’m quite adept at working hard.”

  “Doing what? Needlepoint? I’m sorry but I’ve taken chances with women like you before, and it never ended in a good way. I can’t take the time to look after a helpless female and I refuse to break up fights among the men who will try to catch your eye. No. Like I said you need a new plan.”

  “When are you leaving?”

  “You’re not listening to a word I have to say.” He frowned.

  “Oh, I’m listening. When are you leaving?” She tapped her foot.

  “In the morning. I wish you luck, Miss Farr. Good bye.”

  She watched him until he was swallowed up in the distance. She needed a strategy to get on that wagon train and she needed one now.

  The next morning, Mike and his brothers Jed and Eli were all busy helping the members of their party get ready to leave. There were stubborn oxen that needed to be yoked and hitched. Despite earlier instructions, meals were not all done being cooked and it was past time to pack up. A few of the women looked as though they wanted to cry. Children ran all over the place and most didn’t heed their parents’ calls.

  Then there were those who’d been ready right on time griping about the delay. Mike had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. It was always like this the first few days. He rode Arrow up and down the line of wagons giving advice until he came to a wagon closer to the end. His eyes narrowed when he spotted Susan Farr. Dang it all!

  He guided Arrow to the wagon she was packing. “Miss Farr, I’m surprised to see you here.” He hoped his voice conveyed his annoyance.

  “Oh hello, Mike. Beautiful day isn’t it?” She gave him a quick uncertain smile and went back to loading the wagon.

  “I already told you not to come. Why are you here?”

  Her shoulders tensed as she turned toward him. “I got married yesterday. I’m not a single woman anymore, and my husband was already part of your party. There’s no reason I can’t go now is there?”

  “Where is your husband?” Her news shocked him.

  “Grabbing a few more minutes of sleep.”

  Mike swung down off his horse and stalked over to the wagon. He took one look inside and shook his head. She’d paired up with a real winner. Clancy Willis was a bit of a drinker. He was hungover, no doubt. “Hey, Clancy!” he yelled into the wagon. “Time to go if you don’t want to be left behind.” When he received no reply he took a cup filled it with water and threw it at Clancy’s head.

  Clancy sputtered. “Why’d you have to go and do that?”

  “Get up and help your wife! We’re ready to leave.”

  Clancy held his head in his hands. “You don’t have to yell so loud. Besides I’m sure Sarah has everything done.”

  Mike took a deep breath and willed himself not to beat the man. “Susan, her name is Susan. Get up and help her.” He muttered under his breath and when he turned around he was tempted to swear. Susan’s big blue eyes were filled with panic.

  “You won’t leave us behind will you?”

  “Where’s your horse?”

  “I gave Sunshine to Clancy to pay for my part of the provisions.” Her gaze fell to the ground and her shoulders slumped.

  “Just get ready to go. I’ll send Jed down to give you a hand but this is a onetime thing. I have to check on the rest of the group. Good day, Susan.” He mounted Arrow, tipped his hat and rode off. The money from selling Susan’s horse was probably long gone, and Mike had no doubt it had not been spent on provisions. Except for more whiskey, of course. But with fifty wagons and over a hundred people to look out for, that wasn’t his problem unless it endangered the wagon train. Susan had made a poor choice, and he was sorry for her.

  He sent Jed to help her. She was going to have a hell of a time with a man like Clancy, but it wasn’t his business unless it endangered the wagon train. It really was a shame; she was such a pretty little lady with a whole lot of gumption.

  Finally both Jed and Eli joined him at the front of the train. It was time to go. “Wagons ho!” Mike yelled, his heart filled with pride as one wagon after another rolled by. The crunch of the wheels on the earth and the plodding sounds of the oxen as they went by lent to a sense of excitement. He could feel it in the air. Most heeded his advice about keeping the wagons light and having everyone but the driver walk. The exception was the Willis wagon. Susan struggled to drive it, but she looked to be giving it her all. Dang, she didn’t have a pair of work gloves. The traces were going to make a mess out of her pretty hands. He jolted upright with a little start pretty hands? He’d best stay away from Susan her being a married woman. Plus he never became involved with other women. He wasn’t in the market, and he didn’t trifle with their feelings. One thing he could say about himself, he wasn’t a cad.

  “Jed, I need you to ride near the back for a while before you go and scout out where to camp. Eli, you take the middle. Remember we have a mixture of greenhorns and farmers. There’s bound to be plenty of frustrations until the greenhorns learn the way of things.”

  “How far did you want to go today?” Jed asked. Of his two brothers, Jed was the most serious of them. “Let’s go for ten miles so we can make sure they have plenty of time to figure out a routine for taking care of the livestock, cooking meals and the like.”

  “Sounds good, I’ll go eat some dust at the back of the line for a while.” Jed turned his horse and rode to the back part of the train.

  “Eli, let me know if any trouble arises.”

  Eli grinned. “You can count on me, Mike.” He too turned his horse and rode away.

  Mike reached into his saddle bag and grabbed out two worn bandannas. He rode to the Willis wagon and slowed until he was riding at Susan’s side. He reached over and handed her the bandannas. “Wrap these around your hands; they’ll help a bit to keep them from being ripped to shreds. Where’s Clancy? Never mind, I already know. How many wagons have you driven?”

  She tried to put on the cloths without relinquishing her hold on the lines. “I’ve driven small farm wagons. Nothing this big before, but I’ll get the hang of it. You won’t have a reason to send us packing.”

  He stared into her determined eyes. “That was the furthest thing from my mind. I’ll check on you later.” He tipped his hat to her before he rode off.

  Susan’s shoulders felt as though they were being pulled right out of her. Her back ached, and she was hungry and thirsty. She called into the wagon a few times to ask for water and leftover biscuits but her husband never answered. He was sleeping, and with each turn of the wheel, she grew more and more angry. She’d been a fool to marry him. She’d been so desperate to leave Missouri, she hadn’t thought it all through. He promised to never touch her but now what was to stop him? He was her husband a
nd had his right. She’d thought she’d paid her way by allowing him to sell her beloved horse, Sunshine but, that wasn’t true.

  Sleep had been in short supply last night. As part of their bargain, Clancy was to sleep under the wagon. It hadn’t happened that way. Clancy left her to fend for herself while he and a few friends drank most of the night. He’d come crawling into the wagon and scared her. Luckily, he’d passed out, but she had lain in fear he’d wake up at any time and try to consummate the marriage. Perhaps getting drunk was just a way for Clancy to celebrate leaving. He had acted decent enough when he heard of her plight, stepped right up and offered to help her. A marriage of convenience was what they agreed to.

  She shrugged her shoulders and planned to make the best of the situation. If only she’d had more time and hadn’t had to flee…

  “We there yet?” Clancy’s gravelly voice wasn’t pleasant sounding and it began to grate on her nerves. “I assume we have many more miles to go. Could you hand me some water and a biscuit?”

  “I’m going back to sleep. Besides I ate all the biscuits.”

  Her stomach rumbled, and her mouth felt drier at the refusal of water. Her face heated. She’d been treated shabbily before but not like this. It was her own fault. She should have brought a canteen and some biscuits up front. Her sigh was loud but she didn’t care. Her day just became much harder.

  “Mrs. Willis, you look a bit peaked. Can I do anything for you?” Eli asked as he rode up next to her wagon.

  “A sip from your canteen would be wonderful. I didn’t think to put one up here with me.” She smiled as brightly as she could due to the circumstances.

  “Sure thing, ma’am.” He handed her his canteen and she took a healthy swig.

  It felt glorious wetting her parched mouth and flowing down her raspy throat. Mindful not to take too much more, she put the top on and handed it back. “Thank you.”

  “Any time, ma’am.”

  “Call me Susan please.”

  “Take care, Susan.” He rode to the next wagon to check on the occupants.

  All three brothers favored each other. They all had dark hair, blue eyes and very strong jaws. She bet when Jed and Eli were full grown they too would be well over six feet like their brother Mike. She continued on, her shoulders aching, her arms burning, and her back knotted so hard, she had to grit her teeth against the pain. Soon enough she’d be stronger and the pain wouldn’t be so bad.

  She did manage a smile for the children who ran and played tag while walking. Some of the women walked in groups, others walked behind their wagons. They all seemed to be a pleasant lot. She couldn’t wait to get to know them. The party was certainly made up of many people. More than she’d imagined. She was bound to find a friend or two.

  The day went on, and Clancy never stirred. Hunger pains ate at her and once again she needed some water. The sun overhead became glaring, although there was a cool breeze. Surely they’d be stopping soon, wouldn’t they? She’d noticed that Jed had left and rode on ahead of the party a while ago. Mike and Eli rode from the front of the train to the back and back again. Eli always smiled. Mike, however, barely glanced at her. Had she done something to anger him?

  She shrugged to dislodge that thought. Right now he was the least of her problems. What was she going to do about Clancy? She didn’t trust him to keep his word, not one bit.

  She’d made a decision in haste, and now she was sorry, but it couldn’t be undone, at least not until they reached Oregon. The plan included an annulment and a cash settlement from the sale of Sunshine. Foolishly, she put herself at that man’s mercy.

  “Be ready to stop soon,” Eli called out to each driver. They were the most joyous words she’d heard all day.

  They were shown how to circle the wagons and once she set the break and tied off the lines her shoulders drooped. She wasn’t certain she’d be able to climb down off the wagon. Not that she had a choice. She flexed her pained hands a bit. They were still cut up despite the bandannas but it could have been worse. She stood, and a groan escaped her lips. The distance from the wagon seat to the ground seemed much longer than she’d thought. Hitching up her skirts in one hand, she carefully climbed down and walked straight for the water barrel that hung on the side of the wagon. She drank the cool water right from the dipper, swayed and sat down on the ground.

  After she gulped down the remaining water she closed her eyes. She needed to get up and unhitch and unyoke the oxen. They needed to be tended to. Then maybe she’d be able to make something to eat. She’d made so many biscuits that morning so they’d have them throughout the day. What had Clancy expected her to eat? She shook her head. She’d best learn how to do everything; she couldn’t count on him.

  Gingerly, she got to her feet and put the dipper back into the barrel. She put her hands on the small of her back and stretched. First, she unhitched the oxen, trying her hardest not to get caught in the leather traces. The front two were the lead pair for a reason. They were trained and were easily unyoked. It was the next two that gave her problems. It took so much energy but she succeeded. Food was next on the agenda. She’d have to disturb her husband. It was about time he got up anyway, the lazy sot. The back side of the wagon dropped down so she could use it to get the food ready. Once she had that unlatched she hesitated before climbing in. The cast iron pot was in ready reach, and she pulled it out. The food was under the false floor in the wagon. Fortunately, she’d put what she needed where she could easily grab it.

  Dang, she’d forgotten about making a fire first. Her heart started to beat faster as she became overwhelmed. A moment to herself was what she craved. She stepped to the outer side of the wagon and tried to collect her thoughts. It had been a hard day, and she expected many more of them. Determined to stand on her own two feet, though, she took a deep breath and vowed not to show an ounce of weakness. She rounded the wagon to make the fire, and there was Clancy standing with a jug of whiskey in his hand.

  “Where’s my supper? What have you been doing with your time? It figures I up and married a lazy one.” His eyes were wide and glassy.

  She shuddered. He was probably capable of violence. How was it he had been sober when they married and sober when they packed the wagon? Then he took Sunshine to sell. Dear Lord, did he spend the money on whiskey? Dare she ask?

  “Do we have wood for a fire?” she asked calmly.

  “That’s your job. Now go get some and be quick about it. Those biscuits didn’t last long.” He sneered at her and pulled a crate out to sit on.

  Her lips formed a straight line as she tried to keep from saying something she might regret. Instead, she walked alone toward the wooded area. She had to walk a while before she found any wood on the ground. It looked as though the forest had been picked over by other travelers. It surprised her that she didn’t encounter anyone else looking for wood. They’d probably loaded some in their wagons while they were in Independence. She had all she could carry and was relieved when she found her way back out.

  She scurried to make the fire and cut up chunks of beef. She added them to the cast iron pot and placed it over the fire. Next she chopped vegetables and added them along with water into the pot. She needed to figure out a routine to make everything quicker and easier.

  She sat on the ground near the fire while Clancy drank and laughed to himself. Glancing around, she saw many families, tired but happy, all sitting around their fire eating. Clancy must have noticed too.

  “How come everyone else is eatin’ and you’re just sitting doing nothing? We’ll need more wood for breakfast, or didn’t you think of that?”

  “It’s almost dark.”

  “That’s no excuse, go and get more wood. I can stir whatever is in that pot. It sure doesn’t smell all that good.” He narrowed his eyes as he stared at her.

  She stood, gave the stew a quick stir and left. Clancy’s voice had obviously carried given the many expressions of surprise and pity on other peoples’ faces. If she hadn’t had to leave Miss
ouri, she might have just walked back to where they started. Things could be worse, and tired as she was, she’d get the wood, finish dinner and go to bed.

  “I thought I saw you come in here,” Mike said, causing her to jump.

  “I need some more wood. You didn’t need to check on me.” Her face heated at his expression of concern.

  “You drove the whole way?”

  She nodded and kept picking up wood. He took the wood from her and carried it as she added more pieces to the pile.

  “Where’s your husband been this whole time?”

  Her heart dropped. “Why ask? You already know he was in the wagon.”

  Mike stopped and dropped the wood. He reached out and took her hand in his. Gently he unwrapped the blood soaked bandanna. “I’ll find some gloves for you. You’ll need to keep these wounds clean. Wash the bandannas tonight and hang them. They’ll be ready for you to use tomorrow. Clancy plans to drive tomorrow, doesn’t he?”

  His gentleness was almost too much for her. It took everything inside her not to weep. “I really should get back.”

  Mike nodded and picked up the pile of wood. They walked in silence, and when they got back to her wagon, Mike dropped the wood at Clancy’s feet and then stared him down. “If you need anything else, Mrs. Willis, let me know.” He looked to be barely containing his anger. With a quick nod, he spun on his heel and left.

  “What did you tell him?” Clancy demanded. He stood and grabbed her arm hurting her.

  “I didn’t tell him a thing. My life is my business.” She pulled her arm out of his grasp and went to gather the bowls and spoons. She ladled out the hearty stew and handed a bowl to Clancy. “Where’s the coffee?”

  “We have water.” She told him softly.

  “I want coffee.”

  She groaned and grabbed the coffee pot and got the coffee ready to put on the fire. Clancy helped himself to another big portion of the stew and her stomach rumbled. There probably wasn’t much left. She took her bowl, dismayed to discover she was right, he hadn’t left her a full serving. She would have to make due. By the way it stuck to the bottom of the pot, she knew he hadn’t stirred it once.