Page 56 of Wagon Train Honor
Guitar music reached him. He leaned back on his heels to listen to the group sing and hummed along with the songs he knew. The music stopped. Murmurs of conversation carried on the wind. Wagons creaked as individuals climbed into them.
The sounds of them settling in for the night comforted him. An echo of the song Gabe and his wife always sang, “Home Sweet Home.” Of course, this wasn’t home, but it was most certainly family.
Joe joined him. “Guess you and I will take first watch.” They parted ways, going in opposite directions.
Robert passed the wagons. Keeping a distance from them, he paused to study the camp. The fire burned low. Two people sat near the coals. The flash of moonlight on golden hair convinced him one was Ruby. The second person was too shadowed for him to be certain, but most likely, it would be Angela. The two of them were often together. He watched and waited. Why hadn’t they gone to bed like the others? Then they rose and headed for one of the wagons. Only shifting shadows allowed him to see Ruby take bedding and settle under the wagon. Angela must’ve chosen to sleep under cover of the canvas bonnet.
They were settled. Everyone was safely tucked away. He smiled as he continued his rounds.
Not until he passed Joe and climbed an incline that allowed him to see into the distance did he admit it was lonely out here by himself.
Ruby wakened slowly.She’d hoped Robert would take last watch as he’d done the previous night, and then she’d slip out early to keep him company. But he’d taken first watch. She would not admit she was disappointed. Especially when Angela suggested she was.
Did that girl have nothing to do but analyze every move Ruby made?
Today, she would give neither Angela nor Robert a reason to think she was being anything but friendly.
As soon as she had her bedding stowed in the wagon, she hurried to the fire where Ma was already at work. She joined her sisters in preparing food for both breakfast and the noon meal.
The coffee bubbled, sending out an aroma that always drew the men in. Yup. Here they came. All of them, she noted. And no, she did not look for Robert first. That would be foolish. They were friends and nothing more.
Yet when he filled his cup and moved closer to her, she couldn’t keep back her smile.
For some reason that she wasn’t aware of, breakfast was rushed. Then Gabe got out his guitar, carrying his Bible in his other hand. It was Sunday, and she’d forgotten. Perhaps because she wanted time to slow down, maybe even stand still.
She settled back, prepared to enjoy the short service they always had. It might be that what she enjoyed most was Robert sitting beside her, his voice harmonizing with hers when they sang. She listened intently to the Scripture Gabe read, though she couldn’t have told anyone what it was. After a quick prayer for continued safety, the camp was all too soon packed up, and the horses made ready to move out. Not that hurry was unusual. Nor would she admit perhaps she hoped they’d linger.
Robert rode with the horses, which was fine. She drove the wagon. That was as it should be. No reason to think otherwise. It wasn’t as if she thought he’d ask her to walk with him. Or if she wondered if he’d find some flowers to show her.
No. Not at all.
So what if she repeated those words to herself a number of times until Joe finally called for them to stop for the noon meal.
Of course, someone needed to stay with the animals while they ate, drank, and rested. But why did it have to be Robert? Yes, the horses were his responsibility. But still?—
Having had enough of her mental arguing, she loaded a plate. “I’ll take this to Robert.”
No one said anything, though Angela’s lips quivered as if she was trying to stop a smile.
The grass shushed under Ruby’s feet on her way to where Robert sat by the stream.
“Hi.” Although he spoke, he didn’t turn.
“How’d you know it was me?”
“I’m a Mountie. It’s my job to know. Besides, I heard you leave the camp.” He took the plate from her. “Thanks.” He patted the ground beside him, and she folded her legs to sit.
“Did you see any pretty flowers today?” And no, she didn’t mean, did he think of her?
“Mostly, I ate dust.”
“Of course.” Always leading the horses. It was his job. She knew it. Understood it and yet… “I tried to watch for some as I drove the wagon. Once, I saw a whole mass of yellow flowers to the right, and another time, I saw a smattering of pale blue, like harebells. ’Course I couldn’t stop and look.” She shrugged. “Had to keep driving the wagon.”
“Yup. Duty calls.” He spooned in cold beans and followed with a gulp of water.
“The trouble with duty is it’s always followed by more.” She leaned over her knees to distract him from her morose tone.
It didn’t work, and he chuckled. “Sounds like you’re finding duty offers cold comfort.”
