Page 18 of Wagon Train Redemption
“Pa knew you wouldn’t make it back to see him before he passed.” Her words were soft, her smile sweet. “He said to all of us on more than one occasion, ‘Tell Carson I’m proud of him for being a Mountie.’ Or he’d say to be sure to tell you he understood why you couldn’t come.”
“Ma said very little about his passing. Was it hard?” He rushed on before she could answer. “I was concerned how Ma would handle it.”
Angela touched his arm again. “It was hard for her. Hard for all of us.” Her fingers dug into his flesh. “He suffered at the end.”
He covered her hand with his own, relieved when she didn’t jerk away.
Her eyes faded to the color of shallow water. Her throat worked. Her lips pulled in and puffed out several times. “I think in the end, it was a relief to let him go.” Each word shivered from her mouth. “Is that awful to say?”
“I don’t think so.” His chest tightened. “If only I could have been there.”
Shifting so she faced him full-on, she looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry you had to deal with this on your own while we were able to comfort each other.”
He’d never acknowledged how lonely and difficult that time had been. And now those feelings flooded him. Moaning, needing the comfort of another person, he pressed his palm to her upper arm and breathed in the knowledge of their shared loss.
She stiffened but didn’t shrink away.
He stepped back. “I shouldn’t have done that. I don’t know whether to say sorry or thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Her answer brought a chuckle. The buckets of water stood nearby. Forgotten.
“I’d better get those back to camp.”
Her dark-blue skirt caught around her legs as she turned to follow him. She lifted the fabric to free her feet. “Ma is awfully glad to see you. So is Bertie.”
“And you?” Why had he said that? He already knew the answer. His unkind words in the past had left an indelible stain.
“Carson, I am pleased I got a chance to let you know how what you said when I first came affected me. I’ve accepted your apology. I’m happy to start over with a clean slate between us.”
“Thanks.” Except hadn’t they already begun to write on that clean slate? He clamped down the question for fear she’d pull back. “I look forward to tomorrow and hearing more about the last four years.”
Others milled around the campfire, making it impossible to continue their conversation. But when Gabe brought out his guitar and everyone found a stool, she chose one next to him. Her smile nestled into his heart.
The Woods family had always enjoyed singing. Apparently, his parents had shared this pastime with the Millers twenty years ago before Mrs. Miller died and Gabe moved his family away.
Bertie shuffled over to sit on the ground next to Carson.
Before Bertie’s future had been changed by the fever.
Carson patted Bertie’s shoulder, and his big brother smiled up at him.
Angela touched Carson’s arm and gave him a look full of sympathy and maybe understanding.
Ma and Gabe had finished singing “Home Sweet Home,” and Carson joined the others as they raised their voices in song.
After a bit, Gabe put away his guitar, and people drifted off to their beds. Joe guided Hazel to their tent, carrying little Petey. Louise and Cecil held Dobie’s hands between them as they went toward their spot. Ruby paused before Angela, looked about ready to say something, then shook her head, and continued on.
“I’m on first watch.” Carson pushed to his feet. “Have a good night.” He hurried on his way.
Alone in the quiet as he circled the camp, he reviewed the day. It had been nice. Healing even. He chuckled. Thankfully, no one could read his mind and ask him what he meant by that. Maybe he didn’t know himself. It was good to clear away the hard feelings about his careless remarks, but more than that, her acknowledgment of how difficult it had been for him to be so far away during his father’s death was a balm to his heart.
In the distance, coyotes sang. Many found the sound unnerving, but he enjoyed it. Music from nature.
Moonlight glittered on the water like silver metal carried on ripples. Too bad he couldn’t point it out to Angela.
His quiet laugh disturbed a pair of ducks who lifted from the stream, their wings beating the air.
