Their Frontier Family. Lyn Cote

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СКАЧАТЬ didn’t know what to say to this. Was the woman suggesting that she and Noah hadn’t been married long enough to already have a child?

      “Where you from?” Mrs. Fitzhugh asked politely.

      The woman’s voice remained honest, not accusing or insinuating. Sunny managed to take a breath. “Pennsylvania. My husband came here earlier this year to find us a homestead while I stayed back with my family.” That was true—the Gabriels had told her to consider them her family.

      “I’m from eastern Wisconsin. Met Charles there.”

      Sunny knew that the woman wasn’t asking her anything out of the way, but each question tightened a belt around her lungs. She looked toward the men and saw Noah send a momentary glance her way, his expression brooding.

      “I’m...we’re very grateful for your offer of help.”

      Mrs. Fitzhugh waved her hand, dismissing Sunny’s thanks. “It’s too early to plant and Charles isn’t sure he will put in a crop this year. Kansas is calling him.”

      “Kansas?” Sunny gazed at the woman with genuine dismay. All the way to Kansas? Sunny thought of all the miles she’d traveled from Idaho to Pennsylvania and then here. “I’m not much of a traveler,” she admitted.

      Before Mrs. Fitzhugh could reply, another voice hailed, “Hello, the house!”

      “Nancy! Is that you?” Mrs. Fitzhugh called out with obvious pleasure.

      Soon another woman sauntered into the clearing—a big blonde woman obviously expecting a child, with a toddler beside her. While Caroline Fitzhugh dressed as neat as could be, this woman appeared disheveled but jolly.

      “I was coming over to visit you, Caroline. And then I heard the axes and once in a while, on the breeze, a word that sounded feminine. I hope you don’t mind me stoppin’ in.” She looked to Sunny.

      “No. No. You’re very welcome,” Sunny rushed to assure the newcomer though she wasn’t sure she meant it. “Please join us.” She waved the woman to one of the large rocks around the campfire and quickly offered her coffee.

      Two women to talk to—a blessing and a trial.

      “I’m Nan Osbourne. My man and me live over yonder.” She waved southward. “Glad to see another family come to settle.”

      “Mrs. Whitmore and her husband are nearly newlyweds,” Mrs. Fitzhugh said.

      “Well, none of us are much more than that.” Mrs. Osbourne gave a broad wink. “You got any family hereabouts, Miz Whitmore?”

      “No. No. I have no family...near,” she corrected quickly. She’d just told Caroline that she had stayed with her family. “And Noah’s family is all in Pennsylvania...too.” Picking her words with such care quickened her pulse.

      “That’s hard, leaving family,” Mrs. Osbourne said, looking mournful. “I cried and cried to leave my ma.”

      “My mother has already passed,” Sunny said, her words prompting a sudden unexpected twinge of grief. Or was it recalling she was all alone in the world? Why would she mourn Mother’s death now, almost seven years after it? Was it because so much was changing? I’m not alone now. I’ve got Dawn and Noah. Gratitude rushed through her. Could this be proof that God was forgiving her? There was so much she didn’t understand about God and sin.

      “I got news.” Nan Osbourne grinned. “We got a preacher in town now.”

      “Really?” Caroline Fitzhugh brightened with excitement.

      Sunny tried to keep her face from falling. A preacher? In the past more than one had shouted Bible verses at her, calling her a harlot and predicting her damnation. The fires of hell licked around her again. She touched Dawn, her treasure, smoothing back her baby fine hair, and the action calmed her.

      “The preacher’s goin’ to preach this Sunday right in town. He says around ten o’clock,” Nan announced.

      “That’s wonderful. I’ve been missing church.” Caroline sighed.

      Sunny tried to appear happy as her peace caved in.

      “I think it’s wonderful that he’s goin’ to preach out in the open like a camp meetin’. Then even them who don’t want to hear the gospel will.”

      Sunny posed with a stiff, polite smile on her face. Was the woman talking about the people who’d be just waking upstairs at the saloon? Of course she was. Once more Sunny wished so much that she could help another woman get free of that life.

      But I can’t. I’ve got to make this new start work for Dawn.

      “You’ll be comin’, won’t you, Miz Whitmore? You and your man?” Nan asked.

      Crosscurrents slashed through Sunny. I want to go. I want You to know, God, how thankful I am for this second chance. But would the preacher see right through her? Would Noah want to go? Let her go?

      A thought came. Should she mention that Noah had been raised Quaker? He’d almost stopped using “thee.” Did that mean he didn’t want to be considered a Quaker anymore?

      Both women were gazing at her expectantly.

      Sunny breathed in deeply. “I’ll discuss it with him. I know I want to attend. Do you know what kind of preacher he is?”

      “I didn’t ask,” Nan said. “Out here on the frontier, preachers are so rare we can’t be choosy about them. He struck me as a good man.”

      Sunny nodded, hoping she hadn’t asked the wrong thing. “I’ll speak to Noah. But unless he forbids me, I’ll be there.”

      Both women looked startled at this announcement.

      Sunny cringed. She’d said the wrong thing, hinting that Noah might not be a Christian. And she couldn’t let that simmer and turn into gossip. She leaned forward to give some explanation. “Noah was raised Quaker. I wasn’t. So I don’t know if he’ll...” Words failed her.

      Caroline patted her hand. “I understand.”

      “Quakers were against slavery,” Nan said stoutly. “They did a lot of good with helpin’ slaves get free.”

      Sunny gave a fleeting smile, tension bubbling inside.

      “Nan and I will pray that you get to come to the meeting,” Caroline said in a low voice. Nan nodded vigorously. And Sunny knew she’d made progress on making friends this morning. Her mood lifted—for a moment.

      What would Noah say about going to the Sunday meeting? And her telling these friendly strangers that he’d been raised Quaker?

      * * *

      In the last rays of twilight Noah sat by the fire, his stomach comfortably full. Sunny didn’t know how to cook many things but what she did cook tasted good. Exhausted from felling trees all day, Noah realized he’d discovered a few muscles he hadn’t known about—and they were not happy with him.

      He held a narrow block of wood СКАЧАТЬ