“I am feeling wonderful now, daughter. You and your sister have done us proud. We are all alive because of you girls. Thank you.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head before disappearing. Johanna rubbed the spot he had kissed. Her father was not an affectionate man. It simply wasn’t done to hug your children. She knew he loved them but these rare shows of affection affected her deeply.
“My cooking isn’t that bad you know. You didn’t have to fall asleep to avoid eating.” Eva teased her once more but she could see by the expression in her sister’s eyes, she was worried about her. Johanna made an effort to sit straighter to pretend she felt better.
“I’m sorry, Eva. I will eat later. For now, I just want to have a bath and sleep.”
“I’m coming with you. I wouldn’t put it past you to fall asleep in the stream.”
They met Becky on her way back, her eyes gleaming. Somehow Johanna didn’t think it had anything to do with her dip in the stream.
“I take it the water is nice?”
“Life is wonderful isn’t it.”
Eva and Johanna exchanged a look before bursting into giggles like two school children. Becky sailed past as if she hadn’t heard them.
“I think someone is in love,” Eva commented as they walked toward the stream.
“I think it may be two sided. Why else would Captain Jones stay with us?”
“Well, to be fair, I guess he didn’t have much of a choice. Mr. Price accused him of all sorts of things including being responsible for Harold and his antics. Said it was his fault the wagon train had fallen behind schedule. I was shocked by how many agreed with him. Seems people have short memories.”
“That they do. I am sorry the wagon train split, but I am glad Mr. Price is on the other one. I did not like that man.”
“Not many did.”
Chapter 28
Later that evening, Captain Jones called them all together.
“I think we can all agree we have had a lucky escape thanks in part to some fine nursing by the ladies of our camp. Everyone has pitched in and worked together and for that I am grateful.”
There was a round of applause.
“I have decided to stay in this spot for the next forty-eight hours. Our head nurse, Miss Thompson, has advised me that even though our patients have nearly all recovered, they still need rest. Fresh supplies of clean water are also vital for their survival.”
The crowd murmured but nobody spoke up.
“Does everyone agree with my decision?”
“Captain Jones, both Rebecca and Johanna played a part in saving my girl and Joey’s girl. We will do whatever they want us to do.” Mrs. Freeman’s voice quivered as she spoke.
A lot of people in the crowd nodded.
“You are the boss and we will do as we are told. No whining,” Mrs. Newland added causing many to laugh out loud. Johanna watched as the smile lit up Mrs. Newland’s face too. There was no doubt the stress of the last few days had brought that lady’s true character to the forefront. She had told Johanna she and her husband hoped to find some family members who had gone ahead of them. They hadn’t been heard of since they left Independence, but neither had she seen their names on any graves. Mrs. Newland had only one child, the others having died in infancy. “I know I whined too much earlier on the trail. I was so certain the next grave we would pass would belong to our son or his family. I know now I was wrong. I should have had more faith.”
“We all react to our fears in different ways. You have been wonderful over the last few days. We couldn’t have managed without you.”
“Thank you for the kind words, child, but I think we both know you are the reason our people lived.”
Johanna blushed at the praise. She didn’t like being the center of attention.
“What will you do when you get to Oregon?”
“I would like to become a teacher.”
“That’s a fine choice for a woman like you. You have such a natural way with children. It will keep you busy until your own family come along.”
Johanna smiled back reminding herself Mrs. Newland was a similar age to her ma and, therefore, would hold old fashioned views. Still it rankled that everyone expected her to give up teaching once she became a wife. Why couldn’t she combine both roles? Men did. But she didn’t have the energy to discuss that now.
Chapter 29
“Pa, some of the cattle are sick. What should I do?”
Her pa was still weak after his illness so Becky had taken on the job of looking after their cattle.
“Mix some molasses and vinegar and give it to them. It will help counteract the effect of alkali on their system. Dumb animals should know not to eat that grass.”
Becky thought her father was expecting too much of the animals but she wasn’t about to argue. He wasn’t used to being ill and was in terrible form. He had scolded her for dressing like a man but when he realized how many of his chores she had taken on, he had stopped. Her ma didn’t say a word, something more concerning than if she had yelled at her. Ma being so quiet meant she still wasn’t feeling herself.
“The roads seem a little rough, Becky?”
“Yes, Pa, there are some mud holes. I’ve been trying to avoid them but it’s difficult.”
“You are doing your best, lass, and that’s all that matters.”
Becky glowed, her father rarely gave compliments.
They reduced their pace over the mountains. “Miss Thompson, you need to slow down a little. The passages up ahead are likely to be treacherous. This continuous light rain isn’t helping any.”
Becky couldn’t stop herself wondering if he was telling the men the same thing. But she didn’t question him. She had to stick by her decision to show him she was mature. Only a child would argue with the leader of their train. He waited for a few seconds and she had to restrain herself from smiling at the confusion in his eyes. Clearly, he had expected her to argue. Well, she was going to keep him on his toes by behaving differently to what he expected. He raised his eyebrows as if he could read her thoughts but still she didn’t change her expression. With a sigh, he moved on.
Soon it became obvious he was right as she struggled to maintain control of the wagon. Not that she would admit it to him. She wished her pa and David were feeling better. Her arms ached from trying to control the oxen who must have smelled water ahead as they surged forward. Finally, Captain Jones called on them to make camp. There was good grass for the animals but the mosquitoes were out in force. Becky had been bitten so often, she didn’t think she had a piece of her body not showing the scars of these horrible flies.
“Miss Thompson, you did very well controlling your wagon tonight.”
Becky glowed from the unexpected praise. “Thank you,” she said.
He waited as if he expected her to say something else. She scratched her arm, a particularly nasty mosquito bite was driving her nuts.
“If you take a buffalo chip into your tent or wagon and set it alight, it will keep the mosquitos away. Won’t smell too pleasant but I guess right now, you won’t care.”
She smiled her thanks but again didn’t say anything. She was determined to act the part of a young lady even if she was wearing pants.
“Well, goodnight then, Miss Thompson.”
“Goodnight, Captain Jones.”
She didn’t smile at the perplexed expression on his face until he had walked away. Then she allowed herself to laugh. Maybe playing at being a lady was going to be more fun than she’d thought.
“It’s nice to see you smiling, dear, although I do wish you would give Joey’s clothes back to Mrs. Freeman.”
“She told me to keep them, Ma. They make doing the chores so much easier. I don’t have to worry about catching my skirts in the fire or getting them caught on the wagon axles.”
“Well, don’t get too used to them. Soon we will be in Oregon, and I expect my daughter to return to being a well brought up young lady.”
Becky sighed. The idea of b
eing a lady had once more lost its appeal. She couldn’t bear the thoughts of corsets and petticoats just now. She hated feeling so constricted, especially in the heat. Men certainly had the better deal.
Chapter 30
Johanna had snuck out of the wagon to take a walk. She had seen Rick walking toward the river and hoped to make it look like she had bumped into him. She hadn’t seen him alone for days and was really missing him.
As soon as he saw her, he took her in his arms, kissing her soundly. Waves of heat tingled through her body. She slid her arms around his shoulders. His hands trailed down her back settling at her waist, pulling her closer to his body. She clung to him as he kissed her tenderly at first before the kiss deepened. When he suddenly pushed her behind him, she squeaked in protest.
“There’s someone coming,” he whispered.
Johanna squinted but she couldn’t see anything.
“Who is it?” There was no response to Rick’s question. “You best head back to your wagon,” he whispered to Johanna, pushing her in the right direction.
“It’s Captain Jones,” she whispered back before moving toward the captain.
“Evening, Captain Jones, is everything all right?”
“No, it isn’t. Thank goodness I found you, Miss Thompson, it’s a boy. He’s very ill. Bring some water.”
Johanna ran to the wagon, grabbed a canteen and made her way back carefully to where Captain Jones was crouched beside a small body.
“It’s Almanzo Price. Look at the state of him.” She gave him some water but the majority of it trickled back out of his mouth. He was burning up with fever.
“Can you carry him over to our fire before you go searching for his family? They must be around here somewhere.”
“I will carry him to Miss Thompson’s wagon.” Rick bent down to pick up the small child.
“But why would he leave their campsite?” Johanna asked helplessly.
“Maybe they are sick, too, and he came for help? Goodness knows he shouldn’t be out here alone. Not at his age and not this sick,” Captain Jones said. “I will come back to check him shortly.”
Johanna put some water on to boil before stripping the child of his vermin-laden clothes. They were no better than rags. What had happened to the Price family for Almanzo to end up in this state?
“Rick, you best go back to the girls. They will be upset if more people arrive in this state.”
“Will you be all right?” He touched her cheek tenderly.
“Go, please. I have to concentrate on Almanzo.”
He left and she turned to contemplate the boy in front of her. She examined his body as she sponged him down with mint tea. The brew seemed to cool his skin. He had some marks on his body as if he had been beaten. Johanna pursed her lips. Mr. Price had not been known for his gentle ways but even still, those bruises went too far.
She would have words with Almanzo’s pa when they caught up with him.
“What on earth?”
Eva put a hand to her mouth at the sight of the poor young boy.
“He’s burning up with a fever. Captain Jones found him on the edge of the campsite. We think he may have come for help?”
“Where is his family? The rest of the wagon train?”
Johanna shrugged her shoulders. Almanzo wasn’t in a position to answer any questions at the moment. Until he recovered or Captain Jones found his parents, they would have to wait for answers.
Chapter 31
Captain Jones reappeared the next morning. His face was grim.
“Did you find his family? Are they dead?” Johanna asked hoping against hope he had some good news.
“I found some fresh graves and some wagon tracks. I recognized some of the names as members of our train…” He stopped talking leaving the silence linger a little too long.
“They must have been hit by the sickness too. Was Mr. and Mrs. Price there too?” she prompted, developing goosebumps on her arms despite it not being cold.
Captain Jones was staring at her but it didn’t seem like he saw her.
“Scott? What is it? What’s wrong?”
Johanna took a step back as Becky moved closer to Captain Jones, putting her hand on his elbow. The touch seemed to reach him. He blinked rapidly before speaking. “I found the graves and some wagon tracks.”
“Yes, and…” Johanna couldn’t help feeling she was missing something. Of course the wagon train would have moved out, but then why was Almanzo on his own?
“I think Almanzo was left behind.”
“What? Why? Who would do something like that to their own child?” Johanna threw the questions at him but he was looking at Becky. She watched her sister reach up to his face and push his hair out of his eyes before she stroked his cheek. Embarrassed at witnessing such an intimate moment, Johanna pulled back. She turned her attention to nursing her patient. She felt rather than saw the couple walk away.
Sometime later, Becky reappeared. “How is the boy?”
“He hasn’t woken yet. I think his fever may have broken but you know what it’s like. As soon as we think we have won, the fever returns more aggressively than before.”
“Johanna, can we walk for a bit?”
Johanna was about to decline but her sister said, “Please.”
She moved a bit away from Almanzo but was reluctant to go too far.
“I don’t want him to hear what I have to say,” Becky explained.
“He’s unconscious.”
“Yes, but he could still hear us. What I have to say isn’t for his ears.”
“What? Has this something to do with Captain Jones? Where is he by the way? I saw him and some of the other men ride out earlier.”
“They went back to the other campsite.”
“But why? I thought everyone had left.”
“He said he saw the tracks of wagons. What he didn’t tell you was some of the people who were left behind hadn’t been buried.”
Johanna’s stomach heaved.
“You mean they left their dead unburied. Who would do such a thing?”
There was no answer. Becky just stared at her.
“What?”
“I think it might be worse than that.”
“What could be worse?”
“Scott, I mean Captain Jones has reason to believe some of those left behind weren’t dead. At least not when the wagons left.”
“You mean... No. Nobody would do that. He must have got it wrong.”
“He didn’t.”
“Oh, Becky, how could they? Those poor people.”
“They were going to do it to Ma. Remember?”
“That was different, they were going to leave us with her. Not alone to fend by herself. Is that what he thinks happened to Almanzo’s family? Are there any of them left alive?”
Becky shook her head.
“Oh my God. What will I tell him when he wakes up? A ten-year-old boy left alone in the world. How cruel.”
“He might not be alone. Oh, Jo, Scott didn’t find Almanzo’s parents. They weren’t with the others.”
“Maybe they’d been buried?”
“There were names on all the graves.”
Johanna couldn’t speak. The thoughts going through her mind were too horrible to put into words. Wordlessly, she turned back.
“What will you tell him?” Becky asked softly.
“Nothing.” She looked back at her sister. ”I will wait to see what he can tell me. Captain Jones must be mistaken.”
The look in Becky’s eyes showed Johanna her sister didn’t agree but she didn’t say anything.
“Jo, don’t wear yourself out. You are already tried from nursing Ma and the others. Let us help.”
Johanna nodded, too weary and sad to answer. She made her way back to Almanzo. Thankfully his fever wasn’t any higher, and he was still asleep. She stayed with him for the rest of the night, refusing Becky and her ma’s offers of help. “He knows me best. I want to be by his side when he wakes up.”
&
nbsp; “Jo, he is very ill. We don’t know how long he was left alone. He may not recover.”
“He will, Ma. He has to.”
Captain Jones came by early the next morning to check on the patient but also to tell Johanna they had to pull out. “I’m sorry as I know it’s not what you want to hear but we lost so much time already.”
“Yes, of course. We can mind him in our wagon. Stephen can stay with Eva.”
“I’m sorry about...well, the things I shared with Becky. I gather she told you.”
“Yes, she did but until Almanzo can speak, I think it’s best not to jump to conclusions.” She saw the pain in his eyes the minute she spoke. She was sorry as it hadn’t been her intention to hurt the captain but the reality of a child being abandoned by his own parents was just too awful for her to contemplate. At least not without proof.
“Good day, Miss Thompson.” His tone was as cold as the ice in his eyes.
“Captain Jones, please don’t misunderstand me. I am very grateful for everything you did for those people. I just prefer to hear what happened from Almanzo.”
He tipped his hat and strode away.
Chapter 32
They travelled for hours that day at a strong pace. They were climbing the steep hills and the traveling was taxing on everyone but particularly the animals whose hooves were cut on stones and other obstacles on the road. Someone suggested making rawhide booties for the oxen so the women started sewing these.
“I don’t know how the Indian women can make clothes out of these skins. I can barely get the needle through it,” Eva complained.
“Sewing was never your strong point, sister dear,” Johanna couldn’t resist teasing Eva even when her sister stuck her tongue out at her in reply.
“Captain Jones is intent on having us catch up on the time we missed. I just hope he is not pushing himself too hard. He barely took a rest when everyone was sick.”
Johanna knew Becky was concerned and while part of her understood, she was more worried about the boy in the back of their wagon. He still hadn’t regained consciousness. When they made camp, everyone was busy with their chores. Eva cooked, David brought fuel and Stephen brought some water with Becky’s help. Johanna stayed with Almanzo, bathing him again and again. But still he wouldn’t wake up. Her ma insisted she take a walk. She hadn’t taken but a couple of steps when she saw Rick. He moved to take her in his arms but she shook her head.
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