Wed On The Wagon Train. Tracy Blalock

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       Chapter Two

      “It’s not too late to change your mind, Mattie.”

      Adela’s words echoed Mattie’s inner doubts as she surveyed the wagons and oxen teams lined up at the Missouri River’s ferry crossing.

      Was she making a mistake?

      She hadn’t thought so a short time ago when their covered wagon had arrived at the boardinghouse as promised. While Mattie stayed out of sight, Adela had overseen the loading of their trunks without incident, and they were quickly under way.

      Now, however, Mattie’s earlier confidence was suffering a decided downturn.

      She shifted her gaze to focus on her sister. Adela certainly didn’t look like a girl about to embark on an arduous four or five month journey. She was decked out in a fancy costume complete with frilly parasol, as if going for a casual jaunt around the park.

      Before his passing, their father had purchased practical garments suitable for travel for himself and his daughters. Mattie, seeing little sense in hanging on to remnants of the past, had gotten rid of anything she wouldn’t need in her new life. But Adela had flatly refused to part with so much as a lacy hankie from her wardrobe, despite the fact that wagon space was limited and expensive fabrics had no place on the trail.

      It wasn’t surprising she’d dug in her heels over the issue, however, since she’d been against this trip from the start. She hadn’t wanted to give up their life in Saint Louis.

      And Mattie felt personally responsible for her unhappiness. The family’s financial decline was a direct result of choices Mattie had made.

      But neither her guilt nor Adela’s objections could restore what they’d lost. That life was gone, whether they returned to the city or not. Adela would have to come to terms with their changed circumstances.

      Their best hope for a bright and joyous future lay ahead in Oregon Country.

      Taking a deep breath, Mattie stiffened her own flagging resolve. “We can’t go back. And remember to call me ‘Matt.’ No one can know the truth.” She didn’t want to consider what might happen if Adela accidentally called her Mattie in front of anyone.

      “I’m sorry. It just slipped out. But I’ll be more careful. I promise.”

      Mattie steered the oxen toward the end of the line and drew them to a halt behind the last wagon. The lowing of cattle and whiny of horses mixed with the sound of people shouting and whips cracking, creating a cacophony of noise.

      Several minutes passed without any movement forward.

      Adela fanned herself with one lace-gloved hand and huffed out an impatient sigh. “How long will we have to wait for our turn to cross the river?”

      Scanning the dozen or so covered wagons waiting ahead of them, Mattie shook her head in answer. “I don’t know.”

      “Hours, most like,” a male voice interjected.

      Mattie turned toward the speaker and recognized the bearded man who had pointed out Miles Carpenter to her the previous day. Of medium height and build, he looked to be in his forties or fifties.

      He nudged the brim of his hat up to scratch his temple. “It’ll take the better part of the day to get all twenty-five wagons across the river. But it gives folks a chance to get to know each other. The name’s Jed Smith.”

      Mattie hesitated to reply. Each encounter with other travelers held the potential for disaster if her ruse was exposed. But living in such close quarters over the next few months looked to make any attempts at completely dodging conversation an impossibility.

      Grudgingly, she accepted Jed’s outstretched hand and again introduced herself as Matt Prescott, knowing she would be called on to do tasks so many times over the next several days.

      The deception was already wearing on her, and it had only just begun. Would it get any easier in time? Probably not. But she couldn’t let СКАЧАТЬ