by Caryl McAdoo
Sue could not imagine where Henry had gone off to, and what he planned to do to fix anything. He could have given her a little more information before leaving her alone. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. It really perturbed her that he didn’t discuss things with her.
Another thought struck her. Would he still expect her to pay him for coming along? She didn’t think so. Besides, that way, he wouldn’t have to feel bad about bossing the boss around. She smiled, but only momentarily. Her foot went to tapping faster and harder.
What was he doing, for Heaven’s sake?
Becky had climbed up into her lap and fallen asleep again. And why shouldn’t she? It was well past her bedtime. The girl’s head rested on Sue’s arm and had made her hand go to sleep. It tingled something fierce before Henry finally came sauntering down the street like he had not a care in the world. Was he whistling? Sue resisted the urge to holler at him to hurry.
He walked up onto the porch with saddlebags she hadn’t seen before hanging over his shoulder and smiled his victory smile. As infuriating as he could be, she did love it that he was so even-tempered all the time. She needed even-tempered. But he acted like he couldn’t even tell that she was upset or would ever imagine she might be.
He held out his arms. “Here, let me take her.” He hefted poor Becky over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, then pulled Sue out of the rocking chair. “My, you ladies are smelling very nice.” He opened the front door for her. “Where’s your room?”
How could she stay angry with him? It might not be easy, but she was determined. He carried her baby upstairs, and she opened the room’s door. She pulled the spread and top sheet down, and he laid the sleeping child on the big bed. Becky looked so small. Sue covered her, then turned to him.
She whispered, “Henry Buckmeyer, where have you been? And what in the world have you been up to?”
He smiled, then nodded toward the door. She showed him his room and gave him the key. He walked in and set the saddlebags on the bed. She stopped at the door.
He turned around. “Would you be more comfortable talking on the porch?”
“This is fine. I wouldn’t want to get that far away from Becky.”
“Want a chair?”
“No, I’ve been sitting all day.” She interlocked her fingers just beneath her bosom. “Are you going to tell me or not? I’ve been here all afternoon—and evening—waiting and wondering.” She looked into his eyes. “If we get married, then I—”
“If? It isn’t settled?” He took off his hat and slung it back onto the bed, grinning at her.
“Well, I’ve been wanting to talk to you. There’s my father’s blessing, but—”
“That is not going to be a problem.” He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head.
“You don’t know my daddy.” She put her hands on her hips. “Quit getting me off the topic. I was saying, when we’re married, I—”
“I like that much better.”
She glared at him. “Sir! Will you please let me get a full sentence out?”
“Sure. Go ahead. I promise not to interrupt.”
“As I was saying.” She stood there silent a minute, looking at him, and then dropped her shoulders and gazed at the ceiling. “What was I saying?” She shook her head. “Now see what you made me do?”
“You were saying, ‘When we get married.’ ”
“Oh yes, now I remember. When we do, I want you to talk to me and tell me your plans and perhaps even let me in on making a few together with you. Then I was going to ask, where have you been? And what have you been doing? But there’s a whole other topic I’ve been needing to discuss.”
“You sure are a sassy little thing, aren’t you?” He smiled his crooked, little-boy playful smile. “And always full of questions. First off, I found a drummer heading to St. Louis and sold him my seed.” He gestured toward the only chair in the room.
“Thank you, no. I’m plenty comfortable standing.”
He stepped in closer. “So, next I found a crew that will take our cotton to New Orleans. If you’re agreeable, we can leave midmorning tomorrow.”
What? Had she heard what she thought she’d heard? Maybe she had misjudged the man after all. Then again, she couldn’t believe he would propose just to get his hands on her cotton. “Did you just call it our cotton?”
“Well, I did say our, but I was referring to your cotton that we brought up the trace, and the eight bales I bought this evening.”
“Henry Buckmeyer! If you wanted some lint, why didn’t you get mine? Lord knows, I probably owe most of it to you anyway. Who did you buy from?”
“Our neighbors. I offered to let them go with us to New Orleans on the flatboat, or sell me their lint. They wanted the money and to get back home.” He smiled.
“Oh.” The tightness in her neck released. When was she going to stop jumping to conclusions, especially when they regarded him? “Flatboat? We’re going on some little flatboat all the way to New Orleans?”
“It isn’t too little. It’ll carry both of your wagons, the sixteen bales of cotton, and your mules. Would have fit my team, too, if I still owned them. The crew’s loading twenty beeves of their own, and there’s still room.”
Would this man ever stop amazing her? Praise God she hadn’t said more. “Well, I can certainly see that you had a busy day. What’d you pay for the cotton?”
He smiled. “I gave them a nickel a pound, half of what I heard it’s bringing in New Orleans.”
“Half? They’re paying ten cents now?”
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Heard it more than once. Big run on lint; seems the mills back east and in England can’t get enough.”
“Ten cents!” What wonderful news. She should never think for one minute that God would let her down. He always came through! She started the calculations in her head, but Henry interrupted her mental math.
“Now if you’re a mind, I’ve got a buyer for any or all of your wagons and mules.”
Her head spun. He was going too fast. “I can’t sell my mules. I’ve had them too long, I named them; they’re like family.”
“I know, that’s what Levi said. But think about it. We’re going to have to go to Tennessee from the port. I suppose we could stall them here and pick ’em up on the way back, but it’d be a far piece out of the way. How about the wagons?”
She shook her head. “Well, one of them is rightfully Levi’s. His daddy owned one and Andy the other. What do you think? Are we going to need it?”
After a brief discussion and her promising to think on it, Henry grabbed the door’s knob, then stepped closer. “We best get some rest. Tomorrow’s shaping up to be a busy day.”
She nodded, but didn’t want to leave. She’d spent most of the day and all evening away from him, and now he was sending her to her room. “It does at that.” She backed into the hall. She still needed to bring up his salvation, too, but it never seemed like the right time. And she had practiced what to say, how to broach the subject all afternoon, too. She had to be careful, especially remembering what he’d said that first day she’d gone and asked him to come with her.
She couldn’t find the words. What had she decided to start with? “Did you check on Blue? Or see Levi?” Well, that sure wasn’t it.
“Levi said he was going to stay at the livery. Blue Dog’s with him.”
“Do you think that’s all right? I guess he’s old enough.”
“He is, and I do.” He eased the door half closed. “He’s a good kid. Best get some rest.”
He needed to know—and better sooner than later—that his lack of faith would keep her from marrying him even though she loved him with her whole heart. She had learned her lesson the hard way. She sighed and wished she knew when and how would be the best way to tell him. “Henry?”
“Yes?”
“There’s that thing I need to discuss with you. Remember when I said if we get married?”
“Of course, you just said it, Sue
. What’s the matter? Is there something wrong?”
She sighed and looked up into his endlessly blue eyes. “You probably know how scripture says not to unequally yoke yourself.”
“Seems like I read that. In one of Paul’s letters to the churches, wasn’t it?”
“I’m not sure where, but that’s not important. It’s in there.” She took his hand and studied the scars and calluses a minute. “Henry, I have to tell you that I said yes to your proposal too quick.” She looked up again. “Please know there’s nothing I want more in the whole world, but I can’t go against my Heavenly Father any more than I can go against my earthly one. I cannot marry a nonbeliever.”
“But I told you. I don’t have a problem with God. I do believe.”
“But you’re not a Christian. You haven’t asked Jesus to be your Lord or been baptized into the faith.”
He glanced off and shook his head. “I’m fine with the man upstairs. We’re on plenty good terms. Trust me, it isn’t a problem.” He lifted her chin. “Better go and get some rest; got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”
“You’re right.” She tried to smile, peering into his eyes. “Henry, I love you, and I do trust you. But, dear man, you must understand that I cannot unequally yoke myself. I refuse to put your life in any jeopardy.” She placed her hand on his chest. “You know what I’ve been through with Andy. If it isn’t a problem for you, why don’t you make it official for me? Confess Him before men. Get baptized in a church, for my sake. Will you think about it?”
He closed his eyes and nodded slightly.
“Thank you.” She turned toward her room, leaving him standing in his doorway.
* * *
HENRY WATCHED until she reached her room, then eased his door shut and exhaled. What a woman; what a day. He hated it that the condition of his soul concerned her so. He set the bags under the bed, kicked his boots off, flopped down, and tried to find sleep.
The evening’s events churned in his mind. He didn’t know exactly what bothered him, but at least he knew now what had been troubling Sue, what she always seemed to have on the tip of her tongue that she couldn’t spit out. He shook that off and thought again how everything had fallen into place that afternoon. He loved trading.
He’d found the drummer and made that deal, then overheard the flatboat captain and made that deal. His neighbors were still at the wharf, though why they were hanging around was a mystery, but he was grateful that they’d wanted the money now. He tried to count how many of his coins he had spent and how much profit lay ahead. The numbers ran together in his head, then melted into Sue’s beautiful face.
The deal making had been exciting, but it paled when compared to making her his own, her saying yes. Had that been only yesterday? He didn’t understand why his getting baptized was so important to her when he’d told her he believed. Maybe she was still worrying about her father’s blessing. While he tried to count the days until he could have them in Tennessee, he drifted off.
His eyes popped open. He jumped up and walked to the window. Nothing stirred that he could make out in the bit of moonlight that cast an eerie glow on the street below. He retrieved his saddlebags and then hurried out. A ways off, a rooster crowed. A closer one answered. The kid in him wanted to join the competition, but he resisted the urge and hurried to the livery.
A growl greeted him as he slid the barn door open enough to slip in. “Blue.”
The dog hushed, then padded softly to him and nudged his hand with his nose. “What is it, boy?”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT
HENRY FOLLOWED HIS DOG toward the wagons. Blue whimpered a couple of times. It wasn’t like him to whine. He trotted up to the sleeping Levi and licked him, looked at Henry, and whined again.
“What is it?” Henry kneeled beside Levi and saw the bottle still in his hand. A pint of whiskey with not much more than a swallow left. He slipped it from the boy’s grasp and poured it out. “Get up, you rowdy.” Henry grinned. “Jig’s up.”
Levi moaned and rolled away from him.
Henry stood and pushed the boy’s hip with his boot. “Come on.”
“Leave me alone. Sick. Head hurts something awful.”
“I don’t doubt that. Let’s find some coffee and get you cleaned up before your aunt sees you.” Henry rocked him harder with his boot. “Get up. I’m not leaving.”
The stench of alcohol preceded Levi as he crawled out from under the wagon with his head hanging. “I tell you I’m sick.”
“No, you’re hungover.”
Henry helped the boy stand, then leaned him against the wagon. He grabbed Levi’s new shirt lying near, then pulled out a big chunk of jerky and tossed it to the dog. Blue caught it midair. “Stay.”
He draped an arm around Levi and helped him out of the barn. False dawn draped Jefferson in hues of gray. He eased the boy down the street a block, then cut over on a side street where he’d noticed a barbershop last evening. “Good, they’re open.”
Half an hour and half a pot of coffee later, he and the boy emerged. Henry looked to Levi. “You better?”
“Yes, sir. I could have stood a lot longer in that hot bath. It was great. But I’m ready for whatever.”
“Let’s get the wagons and pick up the ladies.” Henry headed toward the livery. “We’ve got a busy morning ahead.”
Levi caught up. “You going to tell her?”
Henry rubbed his smooth chin. He never should have told the boy about him having those beers when he was fifteen. At least the boy hadn’t got into a fight and killed someone, just sowed some wild oats and, Henry hoped, learned a lesson.
“No, not this time.”
* * *
THE SOUNDS OF TRACE CHAINS clanging and leather popping opened Sue’s eyes. Were they leaving without her? She lay there a minute adjusting to the unfamiliar surroundings. It suddenly dawned on her where she was, and she sat straight up in bed. Sunshine peeked through the lace curtains, casting tiny rays to the far wall, which it studded with points of light.
Oh, dear. She had thought she slept late yesterday. She couldn’t remember the last time the sun had beat her up. She ran to the window. Both teams stood harnessed and hitched to the wagons below. Levi smiled up at her and waved. A knock on her door pulled her from the window.
“Sue, you up?”
“I am now.” She frantically shook Becky. “Wake up! Wake up, little girl, we’ve got to hurry!” She scurried around the room in her chemise and pantalets, rounding up her and Becky’s clothes. “Give me a minute, we’ll be right down.”
“Sure. I’ve got coffee.”
Lord, bless that man! Sue dressed her daughter and then herself in record time. Thank goodness she’d braided Becky’s hair last night. She picked at hers, unpinned it, letting the braid fall down her back, and grabbed her hat. She threw their dirty clothes into her bag, searched the room for anything she might be leaving, then tied the girl’s bonnet under her chin. “All right! Let’s go!”
Henry waited in the lead wagon. Becky waved at him. “Good morning! I’ll ride back here with Levi so you and Mama can talk.” She scampered out of sight. He smiled and leaned over, offering his hand.
Sue grasped it, climbed aboard, and accepted a cup of steaming coffee. “Thank you, my dear.” Sitting back admiring him, she rubbed his smooth cheek. “My, don’t you look nice.”
“Thank you. You look better than nice.” He patted her hand.
“So what’s our first order of business this morning?”
“We’re heading to the wharf to show our neighbors where to off-load my lint.” He snapped the reins, and the team came to life. “What have you decided about your wagon and mules?”
“I can’t part with them. I know it’s silly. How much would it cost to stable them?”
“I thought you might say that. I asked Doug Howlett if he would mind driving them back for you. He said he’d be pleased to if he could have the use of them. Wants to haul extra goods home and work them in
the fields once he gets there. Shannan can drive one, and her son, Samuel, the other.”
“Sounds great, everyone wins.”
The parade passed the turnaround basin on the Big Cypress Bayou before the sun topped the lacy cypress trees. Four wagons in all. The flatboat and its crew were waiting. Cattle in a wooden pen nearby bellowed like they thought it was time to eat. Henry set the brake, jumped down, and then turned to help Sue. He caught her at her waist, and she floated to the ground.
He was so strong, and she could hardly believe she might soon be his wife. He only had to profess faith in Christ. Was that really so hard? And then her daddy better give his blessing. He had to this time.
Pulling her aside as Levi drove the first of her wagons onto the flatboat, Henry stepped away and hollered orders at one of the men working on the boat.
What compelled him to boss everyone he came around? And was it some kind of air about him that made people duty bound to obey him? Lord knew she’d have saved a heap of time and grief letting him run things from the start. But she never got past those blue eyes of his to detect any airs. She smiled.
The oldest and best dressed of the boatmen joined them. “Once we get your other wagon unloaded and those beeves onboard, you want to shove off or try to find more cargo?”
“I want to leave as soon as possible.”
“Yes, sir.” The man saluted, then went back to supervising the cotton’s loading.
Sue couldn’t believe what she’d just seen and heard. “Henry, why did he do that? Who exactly are you that men let you boss them around the way you do?”
He laughed. “That guy there? He’s the captain of this flatboat. Seeing as I’m the owner and his new boss, and him wanting to keep his job, he’s doing the smart thing.”
“Your boat? You bought this boat?”
He nodded and turned her around. “See that man over there leaning on the corral post?”