by Danni Roan
“Daliah, I have a great deal of respect for you, and I can’t thank you enough for all of your help both with Chad and with the troubles we’ve seen on this trip. I just wanted you to know that,” Spencer finished.
“That’s very kind of you Mr. Gaines,” Daliah said. “I only do what I can.”
“No, you do more than that,” Spencer said. “You care about people. We need more of that in this world.”
“You and Chad are easy to care about,” Daliah whispered realizing that it was true.
Spencer chuckled taking her hand and placing it on his arm. “Would you mind going for a walk?” he asked.
Daliah nodded rising and following him out and around the wagons. Inside the circle of the wagons the stock grazed quietly or rested, and Daliah realized that soon this journey would end and a new one would start. A journey of finding her place in this world.
“I’m afraid I wasn’t very fair to you when we started this journey,” Spencer said. “You were trying to be kind and help me with Chad, and I was short and surly with you. I didn’t want to be around any woman that reminded me of my wife.”
“I remind you of your wife?” Daliah said looking up in shock, her heart going out to the man.
“Not in appearance, only in determination. My wife was a good woman, and she understood my weaknesses far more than I did. I’m quick to anger, and slow to forgive,” he continued. “I’ve been mighty angry with God for a long time, but I’m starting to see that I’m not the only one who has lost and been left adrift on this earth. I kept running when Chad was little, leaving him for months on end with family or friends. Everything has changed on this trip. I’m starting over in a new home with a new life. I’d like to see if perhaps our starting overs could go hand in hand, if you’re willing.” He finished stopping to look down into her face and waiting for some reply.
Daliah was quiet for several heartbeats, as she explored her heart. She knew she liked Mr. Gaines now that they had gotten better acquainted. At first, he had put her off, but now she understood how his broken heart had needed time to heal, something she could identify with.
“I think I’d like that,” she finally replied delighted when he smiled.
Spencer felt as if some heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders as he faced a new future head-on for the first time. For too long he had been letting the hurt of the past cloud his future. No one was promised tomorrow, something he and the young woman standing next to him knew better than many. Today he would step out in faith and hope that a brighter future waited on the other side.
***
“Daliah, are you gonna marry my pa?” Chad asked a week later as the wagons trundled over the northern border of Texas. They were several days from Dallas but thankfully would reach their new home before that city.
Daliah chuckled, a pink tinge gracing her cheeks. “Your pa and I are just getting to know each other,” Daliah said. The past week had been full of more light and laughter than she could remember in many years.
It was as if once Spencer had decided that he could take the risk, he left the shackles of his past behind and was a different person.
Each evening he took Daliah for a turn around the camp while the Hamptons chatted with Ben and their neighbors about where they were going, while Chad played with other children or followed Trey around like a puppy.
“Well, if you decide you like him good enough, I’d be all right with you marryin’ him.” The boy finished making Daliah laugh.
“Thank you for your permission,” Daliah said ruffling the boy’s hair.
“If you do marry my pa will you make brown sugar dumplings every night and let me eat all of them?”
Daliah’s laughter echoed out over the wagon train as it approached the river Spencer had mentioned earlier. “I don’t think I can make them every night, and if you eat all of them, you’ll get sick, but I could make them sometimes as a treat.”
“If you say so,” Chad replied kicking the dust of the trail with his feet. “I’m gonna go look at the river,” he added trotting off toward the lead wagons that were splashing across the blue trickle.
“Be careful,” Daliah called after him, hefting her skirts and hurrying to catch up. She’d already had to fish him out of a stream once before and didn’t want to have to do it again.
As she approached the bubbling stream, she smiled at Trey who sat on Ben’s horse in the middle of the knee deep stream watching the wagons trundle across the wide bed and up the other side.
“Hey Daliah,” Trey called with a wave.
“Hi Trey,” Chad called walking to the stream and sticking his bare feet into the shallows.
“Be careful Chad,” Trey called back. “It gets deeper in the middle.
Daliah smiled across the gap between the wagons at Spencer who sat on his horse on the other side of the stream. The once stern looking man waved back with a grin just as a loud splash met her ears.
Turning Daliah saw Chad topple into the stream, rolling into the current with the down ward motion of the stream.
“Chad!” she yelled rushing into the stream and grabbing the boy, pushing him to shore as her skirt snagged on a hidden log, and she went under the swift moving waters of the stream.
Trying to un-snag her skirt Daliah felt herself lose her footing and splash into the faster moving water. Taking a deep breath she yanked her hemline free only to be swept downstream her head striking a rock as she moved toward the churning feet of the next team.
Spencer choked as he saw Daliah go under then tumble across the rough streambed toward the wagon then disappear into a deep basin on the edge of the ford before popping up almost under the horse’s feet.
A loud whinny made the driver look up pulling his team to a stop in the middle of the stream as something tumbled under their prancing feet and out the other side.
Spencer was in the water, his hands grasping the sodden dress and pulling Daliah up from the water. Her dress was soaked, her hair hanging over her bloodied face like the long grasses at the edge of the stream.
“Daliah, Daliah,” he croaked. “Help,” he called as someone reached for him pulling him and his burden toward the far shore.
“Put her down son,” Mr. Hampton said soothingly, coaxing him to lower Daliah to the earth as Olive stroked the hair from their young boarders face.
“Daliah,” Mrs. Hampton called checking the bump on the young woman’s head then leaning in to see if she was breathing.
“Please God, please no,” Spencer groaned as he looked down at the limp form of the woman he was losing his heart to.
“Pa, is Daliah dead?” Chad asked as Trey dropped him from his saddle. “Please don’t let Daliah be dead,” the boy said his eyes filling with tears. “I promise I’ll be good.”
Spencer pulled his boy into his arms clutching him tight. He could have lost them both.
“She’s breathing,” Mrs. Hampton said, and Spencer filled his own lungs with air once more.
“Bring her to the wagon,” the older woman said. “Trey you get the rest of them wagons across and we’ll stop for the night.” She finished as Spencer followed her to the wagon, Daliah resting limp in his arms.
“Don’t worry son,” Mr. Hampton said laying his hand on the man’s shoulders. “God didn’t bring her this far to end it here. She has work to do yet.”
Spencer paced the small patch of dirt next to the wagon for the next fifteen minutes until Olive Hampton climbed from the wagon.
“She wants to see you and the boy,” Olive said with a relieved smile.
Spencer grabbed Chad pulling him into his arms and climbing into the back of the wagon.
“Let me see Chad,” Daliah said her voice raw and scratchy.
“I’m here Daliah,” Chad said placing a kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry I almost got you killed,” the boy added with a sniff.
Daliah struggled to reach for the scamp and Spencer slipped his arms behind her helping her sit up as she pulled Chad in for a hug
.
“You scared us pretty bad,” Spencer said stroking a stray bit of straw colored hair from her eyes. “I’d rather you didn’t do that anymore,” he continued. “I was kinda thinking we might get married when we get to town ya see.”
Daliah smiled, but the action made her head hurt. “So soon?” she asked lying back against the sacks and pillows.
“After what just happened, I don’t want to wait,” Spencer admitted. “I didn’t see it coming Daliah Owens but I’ve fallen in love with you and I’d like to marry you if you’ll have me.”
Daliah looked up into Spencer’s eyes setting her heart free to fly to the man who had become so important to her. She could love him if God allowed, and deep down she knew she already did.
Life was too uncertain to wait when she knew her heart. Closing her eyes, she lifted a prayer of thanks to God, only to pop them open a moment later as Spencer brushed his lips across her lips.
“Yuk!” Chad said. “I don’t want to see that,” the boy chided scooting out of the wagon. “I’m getting changed.”
Daliah and Spencer chuckled as he squeezed her hand. “I’ll let you rest,” he said, kissing her one more time as his heart soared.
“All settled,” Mrs. Hampton asked, Spencer as he climbed out of the wagon, her dark eyes full of a knowing light.
“I guess so,” Spencer said still smiling.
“Good then I’ll help Daliah get into some dry things, and we’ll find a preacher as soon as we get settled,” she finished with a smile.
Chapter 17
The next morning Daliah was still a little light headed as she rose, dressed, and headed out to help get breakfast started. She still couldn’t believe that Spencer had actually come to love her. How it had happened seemed a mystery to her, but she knew that her heart was drawn to him, and for the first time, her life seemed to have the hope of a future of more than working to keep body and soul together.
“How are you this morning?” Olive asked as she motioned Daliah to a seat where she could stir the oatmeal.
“I’m hopeful,” Daliah admitted. “I can’t believe that Mr. Gaines cares for me, but he does.”
“It was only a matter of time dear,” Mrs. Hampton said stopping and placing a hand on Daliah’s face. “You’re a lovely young woman with a big heart, and you deserve some happiness in this world.”
A tear sprang to Daliah’s eyes as she tried to release all of her fear and doubt as she stood and hugged Olive. “I don’t know what I would have ever done without you,” she said.
“You would have found a way,” Olive said with a sniff. “That’s what life does, but Orville and I would have been poorer people without you. Besides we never would have made this journey without you.”
“How are my best girls this morning?” Orville said snapping his suspenders into place. “You feelin’ better Daliah?”
“Yes, thank you,” Daliah said. “I’m sorry for putting you out of your bed last night.”
Orville Hampton chuckled. “Didn’t hurt me to sleep under the stars for a night.”
Daliah smiled her heart full of love and hope. She had suffered much loss but had been given many blessings.
“Hey Daliah,” Chad called racing toward her. “Pa said I could come have breakfast with you if you say it’s okay,” the boy said.
“I’d like that very much,” Daliah said, reaching into a tin and sprinkling a handful of raisins into the oatmeal. “Where is your pa?” she asked, hoping to get a glimpse of Spencer before the day was too far along.
“He’s checkin’ in on Ben, then lookin’ to see if everyone’s in good shape to leave. I sure will be glad when this trip is over, and I can sleep in a real house again,” the boy added.
Daliah began dishing up bowls of the rich creamy oats adding brown sugar and cream from one of the nursing oxen to the mix making it rich and sweet.
The sound of a horse approaching made Daliah look up and she smiled brightly as she saw Spencer riding toward them. She didn’t think she would ever hear a horse on the prairie without thinking of Spencer riding her way.
“Good morning,” he said pulling his mount to a stop and leaning on his saddle horn to gaze at her.
“Good morning,” Daliah replied with a blush.
“Coffee?” Mrs. Hampton said raising a cup with a grin.
Spencer swung down taking the cup from his hostess. “Thank you,” he said sipping from the tin mug, his eyes still on Daliah.
“Daliah get the man a bowl of oats,” the older woman spoke again. “He’ll need something in him for the day ahead,” Olive continued. Now that the two had come to realize that they had a future they seemed as fractious as two tom cats in a granary.
Spencer took the bowl of oatmeal situating himself next to Daliah as Mr. Hampton joined them.
“Looks like a fine day,” the old man said looking at the lightening sky. “Bet we’ll make good time,” he said grinning when he realized that Spencer wasn’t paying any attention at all.
***
The wagons rolled out across the prairie in a familiar train as the sun climbed half way over the low horizon in shades of pink and purple and gray.
Deep shadows filled the valleys but the long grass and sparse wildflowers reached for the sun’s rays waving in reflected golds and greens, like a sea at sunset.
Spencer trotted to the head of the train waving the others forward as he faced a new day. Barring any other catastrophes, they would reach his brother’s town in a few more days. For the first time in years he faced the new day with more in sight than the work of the day.
“God, I’m sorry I’ve been such a stubborn fool,” Spencer said gazing out across the sunbathed land. “I was angry and hurt, but you didn’t let me get away and with your gentle hand you’ve brought me hope. Thank you,” he finished kicking his horse into an easy walk.
By nightfall, the travelers were busy discussing their future plans for when they finally reached the no-name town. Several were continuing on to other locations, but more than half of the travelers had determined to stop in the town and see what they could make of it.
Mrs. Script’s husband had been working for a trader in sales, and she had hopes of establishing a real store where people could get what they needed for their own homesteads.
If rumors of a railroad to Texas were true, in only a few years, the town could be something completely new, and anyone established before then had the potential of making a good living as the town grew.
Several of the single men planned on signing on with cattle outfits, hunting parties, or building groups. Still others had their hearts set on a piece of rich northern Texas soil where they could at the very least eke out a living off of the land.
Farmers, cattlemen, traders, and shopkeepers had all come together to start fresh in a new place. For many it was what they needed most; a new start.
Daliah stepped up to Spencer as they sat around the fire. “What else did your brother tell you about the town?” she asked, as she tried to picture the place.
She knew it was a new place that hadn’t even been named yet but couldn’t picture what the place was like. Would it be like the town they had left in Missouri with buildings lining a dusty street or would it be simple huts and shacks cobbled together from whatever was available.
“He never said much,” Spencer admitted sipping his coffee as others gathered around. “Dan wrote that the land was good and that he had staked out a good piece of land with some friends.” Spencer paused looking at the eager eyes all staring at him.
“Dan said after that a trader moved in on a cross roads and set up a trading post. Things are still rough but a few other businesses are trying to make a go of it?”
“Have they built anything yet?” Mrs. Script asked. “My William is working for the trader but wants to start a proper store.”
“I don’t really know what kind of structures there are,” Spencer admitted. “I told you everything I knew when you signed on.”
People nodded thinking back to his invitation months ago.
“Well whatever it is it’ll be better than living out of our wagons,” one of the single men spoke up.
“And maybe we can get a few head of good riding stock,” another man said.
“I’m hoping Dan Gaines can use another hand,” another man said.
“I don’t really know what I’m hoping for,” old Ben spoke up, “but I think the fact that we can be part of something new is enough for me. In a few more days, we’ll be there, and we’ll see what’s needed. It’s a new start for many of us, and we’ll make of it what we can,” he finished rising and tossing the dregs of his coffee away before heading back to his wagon.