Page 43 of Wagon Train Song
“Exactly what I was doing.” Gabe pulled off his boots and lay on top of his bedding.
“Looked to me like you were ogling the ladies.”
His son was teasing, of course. He shouldn’t let it get under his skin. But perhaps it was closer to the truth than he wanted to admit. At least to his son. So, he swallowed his retort and closed his eyes. He rolled away from Cecil, so his son wouldn’t make out Gabe’s smile.
Marnie had been different this afternoon. More relaxed. Enjoying life more. Perhaps his talk with her earlier in the day had something to do with the change.
He wokeup to Walt nudging him.
“Your turn for guard duty.” Walt yawned noisily.
Gabe rolled from his bedding, pulled on his boots, and stood to yawn and stretch. The smoke from the campfire lingered in the air, but no one stirred nearby while he padded from camp to check on the oxen. The peaceful night settled around him as he circled back to a spot allowing him to see the trail leading to camp. He lounged against a tree, his thoughts wandering a different path.
He and Ellen had spent many happy hours with Marnie and Norman. The men were best friends even as the women were. Norman had been outspoken in his praise and appreciation of Marnie, whom he claimed was sweet-natured, hardworking, and fun. “She can be a tease, but in a good way,” Norman once said, chuckling at some memory.
Gabe smiled in the starlit gloom. The four of them and their children had enjoyed being together.
The grass beside him rustled, and his senses sharpened. He lifted his rifle and waited for the sound to come again. A white-tailed buck tiptoed across the trail, head up, steps cautious. Leaves tickled the deer’s back as he vanished into the trees again.
Relaxing, Gabe lowered his gun. Needing to check on the animals again, he slipped past the wagons.
An hour later, he nudged Cecil who awakened with a grunt.
“Shh. Your turn to watch the camp.”
In seconds, Gabe removed his boots and slid under his covers. He yawned, picturing the way Marnie smiled earlier in the evening as she stared at the fire. As if she held a precious secret. Would she let him in on that secret?
That question nudged him awake when the camp stirred in early morning grayness, the sun sending forth pink fingers of promise.
“Not a cloud in sight.” At Cecil’s comment, Gabe tipped his face to the clear sky.
“Sure hope it won’t get as hot as the desert.” Irene stirred the coals and added more wood to the fire.
Marnie emerged from her tent, the canvas catching on her head and pulling out hairpins meant to hold a tidy bun in place. She shook her head. More pins loosened and fell. She tsked and then picked up the fallen pins, teased the rest from her hair, and tucked the lot into her pocket. Golden hair cascaded down her back in ripples.
Gabe’s mouth fell open. Did the Bible say something about a woman’s hair being her crowning glory? Or was he only thinking he remembered that because Marnie’s hair was a golden crown of glory?
She lifted her gaze, caught him watching, and ducked her head.
“Ma, let me braid your hair.” Ruby hurried to her mother’s side.
He had things to do before they moved out, so he forced his attention away. The blankets felt rough as he rolled his bedding and tucked it into the wagon and then, with a cheery whistle, moved on to get the oxen moving.
By concentrating on what might lie ahead on the day’s journey, he corralled his wayward thoughts as he and the others ate breakfast and then headed out. As usual, he brought up the rear, content to do so where he could watch the others and help should any of them need it. As usual, Bertie trotted beside him, his goat and three-legged dog with him. For a short while, the cats followed. When they meowed a protest, Bertie picked them up and carried them.
Gabe listened to the young man’s chatter, but a large portion of his mind was on those ahead of him.
Marnie walked beside Hazel, taking turns carrying the squirming baby. After a few miles, Hazel retreated to her wagon with Petey. Marnie’s steps slowed until she walked beside Ruby. After a bit, her steps slowed even more until she walked beside Bertie.
“It’s a pleasant day for travel.” She lifted her face to the blue sky.
“Could get hot before the day is done.” Gabe’s gaze was on her rather than the sky.
“It’s nice to see trees and grass though, isn’t it?”
Knowing she referred to the contrast between the barrenness of the desert and this lush valley, he nodded. “It is.”
She fell silent.
