Savage storm (9 page)

Paul stood aside waiting for the young women to make up their minds. It had not taken him long to realize Iris was never satisfied with anything. Consequently, he had no desire to have her ride beside him. "Ladies, if I may be permitted to interrupt, it is time to leave. Those of you who can ride should do so while I'll take the two who don't know how with me."

As if on signal, Jason's call of "Turn out!" echoed down the line of wagons. The emigrants had had more than enough time to make ready, and when Jason gave the call to set off, the clear ring of authority in his voice let everyone know he expected all the wagons to roll immediately. Knowing he was being paid to drive the team of oxen which stood waiting placidly in their harness, Paul handed the reins of the mounts he'd brought to Gabrielle, then sprang up to the high seat.

"Well, ladies, let's go!" he shouted.

Erica came forward to mount a lively black mare while Barbara and Johanna chose far more gentle horses. That left Iris no choice but to take the bay gelding who'd been saddled with the sidesaddle. She was livid all the same. Marlene and Margaret scrambled up onto the seat beside Paul and considered themselves lucky to have escaped riding for the

morning at least. When Gabrielle saw that the others were as ready as they'd ever be, she put her foot in the stirrup and swung herself up onto Sunny's back. The light of dawn barely lit the sky, but as Jason rode by at a furious gallop he gave her a jaunty salute and she blushed to think she'd finally done something to please him.

Erica watched the young man fly by and shook her head as she yawned sleepily. "He certainly seems to have a lot of energy in the mornings, doesn't he?"

Pretending slight interest, Gabrielle replied nonchalantly. "He'd have to have considerable stamina to take on the job of leading this wagon train and to think he's done it more than once is astonishing."

Jason must spend little time in Oregon City, she realized, what with traveling all spring and into the summer then leaving again the next spring to make his way to Independence to begin the route all over again. It was exhausting just to consider how he'd chosen to spend his life, and she began to dream of the men who were awaiting their arrival. They were all farmers, men tied to the land. She knew she'd like that stability. She wanted a husband who'd be content to remain in one place to live his life and share hers.

"What are you thinking, Gabrielle? You have the most satisfied expression and I'm curious-as to why." Erica had brought her mare up alongside Sunny so they could chat as they rode, leaving Barbara, Johanna, and Iris to trail behind.

Laughing, Gabrielle explained. "I was thinking how pleasant it will be to be married to a farmer who wishes to travel no farther than into town to buy provisions or to attend church."

"We have been traveling for no more than five minutes, Gabrielle, and I thought you loved to ride. Are you bored already?" Erica teased her friend playfully.

"I do love to ride." Gabrielle gave Sunny a fond pat on the neck as she spoke. "I like to race, or to explore. Just following this trail is not nearly as exciting as going riding usually is for me, but that doesn't mean that I'm bored."

But as the sun rose and the day grew warm, Gahrielle heard an increasing number of complaints from her companions. She refused to Hsten, however, until they stopped for the midday meal.

The rest at noon was scheduled from eleven until two each day, and even that first day it was a welcome relief from the tedium of the morning's ride. Hot and tired, those gathered in the shade of their wagons half-dozed while their animals grazed on the lush grass nearby. They would follow the Santa Fe Trail for the first forty miles then proceed north when it turned toward the south. The path was well worn, proving to be no challenge to either man or beast as yet, but Iris had had more than enough exercise.

'Til not ride again this afternoon, I simply won't. I'll sit beside Paul while Margaret and Marlene ride." Iris feared her delicate skin would burn even though she'd worn a bonnet and she didn't dare risk another hour in the sun.

Margaret and Marlene looked beseechingly at Gahrielle, hoping she would help them, but before she could enter the discussion Jason appeared astride his powerfully built stallion. The horse was a buckskin, his light tan color accented by a jet black mane and tail. Lively and quick, the animal was ready to continue the journey and tossed his head impatiently as Jason drew him to a halt beside the wagon. Seizing what she considered to be too good an opportunity to miss. Iris went to him immediately, placing her hands upon his knee as she spoke in an openly flirtatious manner.

"Mr. Royal, don't you think we should take turns riding? It simply isn't fair that some of us have to ride the whole way while others spend their time seated in the wagon."

Jason glanced toward Gahrielle as if he expected some sort of an explanation for Iris' complaint so she stepped forward to offer her own interpretation of the problem. "I think we can work this out for ourselves without bothering Mr. Royal, Iris. No one insists you spend the entire day on horseback so you needn't complain to him." Gahrielle was embarrassed to have

Jason bothered with so trivial a matter, especially one she was certain they could work out amongst themselves.

Jason frowned, uncertain what the problem was, but he agreed with Gabrielle quickly. "That's right, just take turns."

Her eyes bright with triumph, Iris turned toward Margaret and Marlene, "See, he said we have to take turns.'*

"Iris!" Gabrielle had no patience with this selfish young woman who seemed determined to get her own way and who would go to any lengths to do so no matter how childish. That she had both the experience and ability to ride while the two other young women didn't obviously made no difference to her.

Delighted that Jason had backed up her demand, Iris ignored Gabrielle's rebuke and looked up at the young man as she moved to her next point. "The others asked me to speak to you about the sketches. May we please see them again? I thought we should learn the men's names so we may greet them properly."

Since he and Gabrielle had been discussing the sketches that very morning, Jason wondered why she hadn't asked for them then. Apparently, she had only been interested in learning about Joshua, rather than thinking about impressing the rest of the men. Well, the fact that she had some interest in a man no matter how slight offered encouragement to him. Surrounded by the seven young women and with Iris clinging to his leg, he saw only the sunlight striking Gabrielle's beautiful auburn hair and for a moment he forgot what question he'd been asked since she'd not been the one to ask it.

"Clayton has the sketches. You'll have to ask him to lend them to you, but since the other young women will probably have the same idea sooner or later you'll have to return them to him." As he brushed Iris' hands aside, he decided to make their travel arrangements clear since they'd obviously not understood them. "You may all ride or you may all travel in your wagons or any combination of that plan, but if you have any more complaints, address them to Mr. Home as he is

responsible for you, not I." With that command he went to give the order to resume the march, for he wanted to waste no time getting started when they had to make every minute of dayhght count.

"It was my idea to learn the men's names. Iris, not yours," Erica pointed out promptly, clearly livid at the lie the woman had told.

Iris shrugged. She was certain she'd impressed Jason Royal favorably and cared little whose ideas she'd claimed as her own. "What difference does it make? We can have the sketches, that's all that matters. I'll get them from Mr. Home before dinner," With an agile leap, she climbed up onto the seat of the wagon and waited for Paul to join her. "Well, let's

go-

Gabrielle looked at Margaret who was near tears and made

her decision quickly. "Why don't you ride next to Iris? I'll

help Marlene learn to ride this afternoon." She gave Marlene

no time to argue but brought the bay gelding up beside her and

helped her up into the sidesaddle. "He's a nice horse, it will be

like sitting in a rocking chair, you'll see."

Marlene was still apprehensive, but she whispered, "Don't worry, I'll learn rapidly if only to spite Iris!"

"That's the spirit!" Gabrielle responded with a delighted grin, and Marlene began to giggle. She held on to the reins tightly, obviously still frightened, but she rode between Erica and Gabrielle that afternoon, and by the time they stopped for dinner she had lost all fear of riding for they had kept her so amused with their conversation she'd had no time to be afraid.

Keeping her promise. Iris pranced off while Paul was preparing their supper and returned with the sketches in hand. She laid them out upon the grass but made no attempt to organize them in any fashion as Gabrielle had. "Their names are on the back, Thomas and William, this one is Peter, John." She continued to recite the names as the young women gathered around to study the drawings.

"This man looks rather nice." Erica picked up a sketch and

turned it over to read the name. "Lewis Bradley, he seems like a very likable sort, doesn't he?"

Taking the sketch Gabrielle had to agree. "Why yes, he does. Do you suppose he has an adventuresome spirit too?"

"He must or he'd not want to find a bride in so reckless a fashion as he has," Erica pointed out with logic she thought too obvious to dispute.

"Do you think we're being reckless?" Margaret asked timidly, stricken by such a terrible thought.

"Oh, Margaret, I'm only teasing. Now tell us which man you like," Erica suggested, hoping to distract her from her worries.

By the time Paul called them for supper, each young woman had had an opportunity to select a favorite except Gabrielle who declined to choose one saying she wanted to meet the men first. "Frequently nice-looking men are too conceited. I shouldn't want to pick such a man, dream about him for several months, and then find I disliked him immensely the moment we met. No thank you, I want to learn each man's name, but I'll not choose one now to love."

"That's very sensible of you," Iris agreed. "We need to know so much more than what can be seen in a man's features."

"Like his bank balance, you mean?" Gabrielle responded quickly, sorry to have Iris compliment her on anything, but truly she could not look at the sketches and think of any of the men as a possible husband. After Beau had died she'd not thought she'd ever marry, but when she'd seen the advertisement offering an opportunity to go to Oregon she'd seized the chance. Now, looking at the drawings she felt ashamed of herself. She realized one of the men would be the husband she knew she'd never love. There was still Joshua, of course, but no matter what his appearance might be she knew she would be unable to love him either. That thought was so depressing she said little during dinner. She was glad when everyone was too tired to talk that night and soon fell asleep.

The journey continued to be easy. Taking Marlene's

example, Margaret summoned the courage to ride, although she shook with fright the whole time. She'd lived near town, and her family's one horse had been hitched to a buggy whenever there was someplace to go. She thought the sidesaddle too precarious a perch, while riding astride as men did seemed far too unladylike. She much preferred riding in the wagon, but after a few days she grew resigned to her fate and did not complain for she did not want the others to tease her about her fears or to dislike her for being afraid when they were not.

When Gabrielle found Paul yawning sleepily one morning she wondered if he had slept poorly and inquired as to his health, hoping the journey was not proving to be too great a strain on the man for she found his good humor very appealing.

''Oh, I am fit enough, miss. It is just that having a shift at guard duty makes me a bit weary." With another loud yawn, he went back to preparing breakfast.

"Why must you serve as a guard? Don't you already have more than enough to do without that extra duty as well?" Gabrielle thought it most unfair that Paul would have to assume responsibility for the camp at night when he kept such a close eye upon them all day.

"All the men who own animals take their turns, miss, it is as simple as that. Now I know the oxen and the horses you ladies ride are not truly mine, but they are my responsibility just the same."

"Who sets up the schedule, Paul?"

"Mr. Royal, but don't go telling him I'm falling asleep as I don't want him to come checking on me while I'm on guard or any other time either."

Curious, Gabrielle pursued the questioning. "What would he do if he found you asleep when you were supposed to be guarding the camp?"

Paul gave her a skeptical glance, not really believing she wanted to discuss the subject until he saw her concern was

genuine. "No one is whipped, miss, nothing so dire as that, but a man who falls asleep has to walk the next day. I mean all day, and if he has a horse he usually rides, he has to just lead him. That is not an ordeal any man makes the mistake of suffering twice ril tell you."

'Thank you, Paul. Til keep that information to myself and you needn't worry about my mentioning your name to Mr. Royal, except to pay you a compliment." Taking her breakfast, she sat with the others and ate, but the more she thought about Paul having to stand guard duty the more irate she became. Finally when she could bear it no more she went to find Jason to ask if she might not take their driver's place.

"You want to do what?" Jason asked in astonishment. He'd been saddling his horse when she'd approached and knew he had little time before giving the order to move out.

"I said since I have my own horse, I think it is only fair that I take a turn watching the camp at night. Isn't that the rule, that those owning animals must take turns standing guard to see they're not stolen?"

"Yes," Jason admitted hesitantly. "But each household has a man in charge, and in the case of you ladies, it's your driver. I'll not ask women to take turns at such a task."