relaxing soak in a tub. If she were home . . . but Missie quickly put that thought away from her. Her folks' big white house with its homey kitchen and wide stairway was no longer her home. The upstairs room with its cheerful rugs and frilly curtains was no longer her room. She was totally Willie's responsibility now, and Willie was hers. She prayed a short prayer that she would be worthy of such a man as her Willie--that God would help her to make a home for him that was filled with happiness and love. And then her eyes still closed, she felt the achiness weighing her whole body down on the blanket.
Ignore it, she commanded herself. Ignore it, and it will go away.
19
Chapter 2
Day's End
When Missie opened her eyes again she was surprised at the changes that had taken place around her. It was much cooler now and the sun that had shone down with such intense heat during the day was now hanging, friendly and placid, low in the western sky.
The smell of woodsmoke was heavy in the air--a sharp, pleasant smell; and the odors of cooking food and boiling coffee made her insides twinge with hunger. Now fully awake, she looked around in embarrassment at the supper preparations. Surely every woman in the whole train had been busy and about while she slept. What must they think of her? Willie would soon be back from caring for the animals--and not even find a fire started!
Missie hurried toward her wagons, swishing out her skirts and smoothing back her hair.
It took a moment for her to realize that the fire that burned directly in front of their wagons was her fire, and that the delicious smell of stew and coffee came from her own cooking pots.
20
She was trying to sort it all out when Willie poked his head out the wagon. His face still showed concern when he looked at her, but changed quickly to a look of relief. "Yer lookin' better. How ya feelin'?"
Missie stammered some, "I'm fine--truly, just fine." Then she added in a lowered voice, "But shamed nigh to death.",
"Shamed?" Willie's voice sounded unnecessarily loud to Missie. " 'Bout what?"
"Well--me sittin' there a-sleepin' in the middle of the day, an' you--you makin' the fire, an' the coffee an'--my goodness--what must they all think of me--that my husband has to do his work an' mine too?"
"Iffen thet's all thet's troublin' ya," Willie responded, "I reckon we can learn to live with it. 'Sides, I didn't make the fire. Henry did. He was mighty anxious fer his supper. Boy, can thet fella eat! We're liable to have to butcher both of those cows jest to feed 'im, long before we reach where we're goin'."
"Henry's eaten?"
"Sure has. I think he even left us a little bit. Seemed in a big hurry to be off. There jest happens to be a couple of young girls travelin' with this train. Think maybe Henry went to aorta get acquainted-like." Willie winked.
"Aren't ya comin' out?" Misie asked when Willie made no move to leave the wagon.
"I'm lookin' fer the bread. Can't find a thing in all these crocks, cans an' boxes. Where'd ya put it, anyway? Henry wolfed down his food without it, but I'd sorta like a bit of bread to go with my supper."
Missie laughed. "Really!" she said, shaking her head, "bet ya near took a bite of it. It's right there, practically under your nose." She clambered into the wagon. "Here, let me get it. Mama sent some of her special tarts for our first night out, too."
As Missie lifted the bread and the butter tarts from the crock in which they had been stored, another tug pulled at her somewhere deep inside. She could envision Marty's flushed face as she bent over her oven, removing the special baking for the young couple that she loved so dearly.
Willie seemed to sense Missie's mood; his arms went round
21
her and he pulled her close.
"She'll be missin' you too, long 'bout now," he said softly against her hair.
Missie swallowed hard. "I reckon she will," she whispered.
"Missie?" Willie hesitated. "Are ya sure? It's still not too late to turn back, ya know.
Ignore it, she commanded herself. Ignore it, and it will go away.
19
Chapter 2
Day's End
When Missie opened her eyes again she was surprised at the changes that had taken place around her. It was much cooler now and the sun that had shone down with such intense heat during the day was now hanging, friendly and placid, low in the western sky.
The smell of woodsmoke was heavy in the air--a sharp, pleasant smell; and the odors of cooking food and boiling coffee made her insides twinge with hunger. Now fully awake, she looked around in embarrassment at the supper preparations. Surely every woman in the whole train had been busy and about while she slept. What must they think of her? Willie would soon be back from caring for the animals--and not even find a fire started!
Missie hurried toward her wagons, swishing out her skirts and smoothing back her hair.
It took a moment for her to realize that the fire that burned directly in front of their wagons was her fire, and that the delicious smell of stew and coffee came from her own cooking pots.
20
She was trying to sort it all out when Willie poked his head out the wagon. His face still showed concern when he looked at her, but changed quickly to a look of relief. "Yer lookin' better. How ya feelin'?"
Missie stammered some, "I'm fine--truly, just fine." Then she added in a lowered voice, "But shamed nigh to death.",
"Shamed?" Willie's voice sounded unnecessarily loud to Missie. " 'Bout what?"
"Well--me sittin' there a-sleepin' in the middle of the day, an' you--you makin' the fire, an' the coffee an'--my goodness--what must they all think of me--that my husband has to do his work an' mine too?"
"Iffen thet's all thet's troublin' ya," Willie responded, "I reckon we can learn to live with it. 'Sides, I didn't make the fire. Henry did. He was mighty anxious fer his supper. Boy, can thet fella eat! We're liable to have to butcher both of those cows jest to feed 'im, long before we reach where we're goin'."
"Henry's eaten?"
"Sure has. I think he even left us a little bit. Seemed in a big hurry to be off. There jest happens to be a couple of young girls travelin' with this train. Think maybe Henry went to aorta get acquainted-like." Willie winked.
"Aren't ya comin' out?" Misie asked when Willie made no move to leave the wagon.
"I'm lookin' fer the bread. Can't find a thing in all these crocks, cans an' boxes. Where'd ya put it, anyway? Henry wolfed down his food without it, but I'd sorta like a bit of bread to go with my supper."
Missie laughed. "Really!" she said, shaking her head, "bet ya near took a bite of it. It's right there, practically under your nose." She clambered into the wagon. "Here, let me get it. Mama sent some of her special tarts for our first night out, too."
As Missie lifted the bread and the butter tarts from the crock in which they had been stored, another tug pulled at her somewhere deep inside. She could envision Marty's flushed face as she bent over her oven, removing the special baking for the young couple that she loved so dearly.
Willie seemed to sense Missie's mood; his arms went round
21
her and he pulled her close.
"She'll be missin' you too, long 'bout now," he said softly against her hair.
Missie swallowed hard. "I reckon she will," she whispered.
"Missie?" Willie hesitated. "Are ya sure? It's still not too late to turn back, ya know.
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