Lauraine Snelling (29 page)

Ransom drove, and Micah took the seat beside him. They left the streets of Hill City behind at a trot, and in spite of the jolting ride, Ransom kept them to the pace.

Maybe they should have stayed in Hill City, Cassie thought, as the wheels ate up the miles. Darkness crept in and the wind tugged at the quilts, making them shiver. With their backs propped against the wagon wall behind the seat, Mavis put an arm around Cassie and wrapped them closer. Gretchen snuggled in too, so the heat made them all drowsy.

“I’m sorry I asked to go back to the ranch. All I could think was I needed to be home.”

“That’s all right. If Micah and Ransom felt it was impossible, they would have said so. We’ll be fine.”

“I wish Chief and Runs Like a Deer had come along.” Cassie winced when they hit a bump. “Oh.”

“Bad?”

“Yes.”

But the worst part is that I let you all down.

I
failed.

I failed!

The words tromped through her mind first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. They beat her over the head every time they caught her during the daytime. When she laid down to rest because she was too tired to keep moving, they echoed again. She’d counted on the money from the match to help get them through the winter, and now they had nothing

If her people didn’t get warm clothes for the winter, they might freeze when and if the blizzards came. She had no idea what Chief needed, but according to him, he was going back to the reservation, and she had nothing to send with him.

Runs Like a Deer had come to them with the clothes on her back and that was it. She needed warm clothes too. At least the two dogs were getting along all right, and they had a cabin to live in, but with the wagon gone . . . The load grew heavier.

And then there was the dream thing. Sometimes she couldn’t figure out what were dreams and what had really happened. After the night of the attack, had Lucas said what she thought he’d said, or had he not?

She sat in Mavis’s kitchen three days after the shooting match, paring apples, lost in all these dark and clutching thoughts.

“Mavis? I have a question to ask that’s really been bothering me.” Asking it took every bit of courage she could muster. Cassie wanted to look Mavis in the face, and she could, for Mavis sat near her paring apples as well, preparing pies for Sunday dinner. But instead, she stared at her own hands because that was all her eyes would do.

“Just get it off your chest. It’s much easier that way.” Mavis started quartering, coring, and slicing the peeled apples into a big bowl of water while Cassie kept on peeling.

Cassie had learned that you keep peeled apples in water to save them from turning brown. So many things to learn. “You know that I’m not clear at times between dreams and the reality of that night.”

“Understandably so.”

“Well, it seems I remember when we were at the doctor’s that Lucas made a reference to after we were married. Is that true?”

Mavis hemmed and hawed, took in a deep breath, and finally answered, “Yes, that was not a dream. He said it.”

“Have I said or done something to make him think I want to marry him?”

“No.” She chuckled. “He decided that the first time he saw you, before he even met you. You see, Cassie, he falls in love two or three times a year, on the average. That’s just Lucas. It passes. I figured this time it would pass too, but so far it has not. He’s still smitten.” She picked up another apple. “But he should be having this discussion with you, not me.”

“Well, I can’t ask him. That wouldn’t be proper.”

“True.”

“Besides, I’m not in love with him, and he hasn’t known me long enough to know that he is.”

“Well, I can’t answer to the first part, but I’ve heard of love at first sight, and it can last.”

Water splashed from the bowl when Cassie dropped in another apple. “Everything feels like a mess. And there doesn’t seem to be anything I can do to fix it. When you go to church on Sunday, will you ask Reverend Brandenburg if he will come out here to do a wedding ceremony for Micah and Runs Like a Deer? They don’t dare go to town right now.”

“So they’re getting married? I was beginning to wonder if something was brewing between them. I’ve seen how Micah cares for her. But why don’t you ask Reverend Brandenburg?”

“Because I don’t want to be the cause of any more commotion. Let’s let this all die down first, and then we’ll see.”

“But I thought you enjoyed going to church.”

“I do, but I don’t like feeling that someone wants to stab me in the back.”

“Becky’s sister?”

“Yes. Ever since I came, there has been nothing but commotion.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way. I don’t. I love having you here. We all do.”

Cassie shook her head but didn’t answer. She knew one, several, who didn’t. Glancing out the window, she saw white flakes floating down. Snow. Her last memories of snow, when they were snowed in for three days, were not good. She used to think it was beautiful; now she knew the dangers of it.

“Will Lucas stay in Hill City if it’s snowing?” He had shot an elk yesterday, and today he was taking it in to the Hill City Hotel.

“Depends on how hard it’s coming down. He’ll be careful. Like all of us, he has a healthy respect for winter weather. But it can snow like this for hours and not really stick. We’ll see.”

They worked in silence for a few moments, Cassie’s thoughts darting around. “I feel guilty, taking Gretchen’s bed.”

“I haven’t heard any complaints from her. She and I have had some good talks on our way to sleep. Cassie, please, you have to quit worrying about all these things. Worrying and feeling so guilty. God will take care of you all. He promised, and He never goes back on His promises.”

I wish I could believe that. After all that has happened, the shooting and the wagon burning, if that was an example of God’s protection . . .
She heard boots stomping on the back porch, and Ransom stepped inside.

“The temperature is dropping. I hope Lucas is paying attention.” He hung his sheepskin coat, muffler, and hat on the pegs on the wall by the door. “I just added more wood in the smokehouse. Sure smells good in there.” He laid a string of sausages in the sink. “Thought these would taste good for supper tonight. I sent some home with Micah too.” He realized what they were doing. “Apple pie?”

“Thought we better use up the ones with spots so they don’t rot the whole barrel. I knew Lucas would be happy.”

“He’s not the only one who likes your apple pie, you know. Gretchen better get a move on. It’s getting dark fast.”

Just then they heard the welcoming bark from the front porch. “Good. She’s here.”

“Could it be Lucas?” Cassie found herself worrying again. She dropped the last pared apple into the water.

“Not likely yet, but soon. Snow like this brings the dark on quicker.”

The dog announced Lucas’s arrival about the time they finished supper. Ransom hurried out to put the team away so that his brother could come in and get warmed up. Lucas stomped the snow off his boots on the porch, came in and shed his coat, and then stood close to the kitchen stove, warming his backside.

Mavis handed him a cup of hot coffee. “I’ll dish you up a plate.”

“Thanks, Mor. It’s starting to come down harder now. I made it just in time. Good thing those horses know the way home.” He cupped both hands around the mug and smiled at Cassie. “Mr. Porter said to tell you he’s heard nothing but raves about the shooting match. It got more of the townsfolk fired up for the show, rodeo, whatever we want to call it this summer. He thinks this will help put Hill City on the map for easterners to come visit.”

“Good.” Cassie realized she was clenching and releasing her fingers. Now it didn’t make her arm hurt, not much anyway. For the first two days after the shoot it had been really painful. Just today it had begun to let up, so she was hoping to go out and practice shooting tomorrow. And ride Wind Dancer up to the cabin to see the others. The doctor and his predictions had been right.

“I almost forgot. Porter sent you a letter. I guess he’s in contact with someone else who is setting up a shooting match, much larger than this one was.” Lucas dug in his pocket and pulled out an envelope. After handing it to her, he plopped down in his chair as his mother set a plate of food before him. “He wondered how your arm was doing. He said he sure admired you for shooting as well as you did.”

Mavis poured coffee all around, filling Gretchen’s half full. “That’s all, Gretchen. Fill it with milk or cream.”

“But then it will be cold.”

“So set your cup on the reservoir to warm up.”

Gretchen rolled her eyes but did as she was told. “I should just pour it in a pan and heat it.”

“You could do that if you want.” Mavis set the coffeepot back on the stove. “Do you have any homework?” When Gretchen nodded, her mother added, “You better get going on it then. The odds of no school tomorrow are pretty slim, if that was what you were banking on.”

Gretchen poured the contents of her coffee mug into a small pan and set it on the stove. “If the snow is too deep, we’ll need the runners put on the wagon.”

Ransom sniffed. “Thanks for your advice. We never would have thought of that. Has Jenna’s brother said anything about picking you up yet?”

“Nope,” Gretchen threw over her shoulder as she went down the hall to get her books.

“Runners?” Cassie asked.

Ransom explained. “Sleigh runners replace the wagon wheels, but they don’t work real well until the snow is deeper and the ground is frozen. We usually just pay into the wanigan.”

“The wanigan?”

“Every year Jenna’s father, one of our neighbors, hauls out an enclosed box that he fits on his sledge tracks. He uses it to haul all the ranch kids into town for school. The box has a small stove and window and door, more like a small room. You can see that we and the other ranchers appreciate it. So we all pay what we can so that the driver gets a bit for the extra work. I was one of the first to ride in it, before he installed the stove. In the dead of winter it was mighty welcome, even without the stove.”

“I see.” This was all new to Cassie, these winter routines. She thought she knew about severe winter, but the more she heard about it, the worse it got. No wonder everyone had woodpiles all over the place.

“If the snow is too deep for the cattle to graze, we’ll start hauling hay out to the fields too. It’s all part of winter life in South Dakota.” Lucas grinned at her. “I brought a newspaper from Hill City too. There’s a big article on the match. Josiah was really pleased with the coverage. I guess the newspaper in Rapid City ran an article too. We’ll have to see if JD has a copy of that.”

Cassie read the article. She was listed as a contender, and the writer mentioned that she’d been shot in the arm in a freak accident. Freak accident? She supposed that was one way to describe it. She zeroed in on the list of prize money paid. If only she could have held up for just a few more rounds.

When she read Mr. Porter’s letter, she caught her breath. Here was the name and address for her to contact if she was interested in taking part in the match Josiah had mentioned. But it was down in Omaha, Nebraska. How would she have the money to get there? She folded the paper and put it back in the envelope. The match wasn’t until spring. She looked up to find Lucas smiling at her. One more thing to deal with. She’d write a letter to be mailed the next time someone went to town. Omaha. It might as well be in Chicago or New York or Atlanta.

In the morning the snow was only three inches deep, so Gretchen rode off into a sparkling white world. Cassie stood looking out the window as the sun turned the world to brilliant, eye-watering glitter. She’d seen pictures of snow-laden trees and land, but this was more like the morning after the blizzard. She’d been too concerned about their journey being stopped then, but right now she could marvel.

“You should see the horses,” Ransom said when he came in from checking on the stock. “They’re running around and rolling in the snow like kids let out of school. George and the other buffalo are out there throwing up snow so they can reach the grass, giving the cattle a lesson in winter living.”

“I saw them do that on the road down here. The snow disappeared so fast, though, that they didn’t have to do it much.”

“This might too, but we’re nowhere near up to freezing yet. It’s down in the twenties. Oh, did you know that the buffalo are all wearing a mantle of white? Their coat is so dense the snow doesn’t melt on it. I remember reading that somewhere. Now I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Really?” If that had happened before, the snow didn’t last long enough to make her aware of it, not that she’d been out with the livestock like the men had.