Daliah by Danni Roan

Author:Danni Roan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Western Romance, Christian Western Historical Romance, Sweet Clean and Wholesome Western Romance, Romance Fiction Historical, Victorian Western Romance
Publisher: Danni Roan
Published: 2020-08-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Daliah lifted her head; her mouth and nose covered with a damp bandana, and gazed out across the blackened prairie. In the distance, the canvas covers of the abandoned wagons rippled in the wind giving her heart hope.

The closer they came the more they could see of the damage the wild fire had caused. Charred wheels and fire black wagon tongues blended with the stark bareness of the earth, filling them all with a mixture of hope and trepidation.

“It don’t look too bad,” Trey said, as he drove his nervous team of oxen back toward the wagons. “We might not have no real trouble,” the young man’s optimism was contagious and others quickened there steps.

“Don’t look like any of the rigs is burned up,” Mr. Jostens said. “The wood’s a mite blackened but not burnt. The wind must have took the fire across too fast to get a bite,” he added with a grin, squeezing his wife’s hand.

“I hear some folks blacken wood on their wagons and homes to make ‘em more water proof anyhow,” another of the single drivers called taking a turn around his own rig.

“Check your trees and collars carefully,” Spencer called handing Chad down to Daliah without even asking. “If it’s in good knick get hitched up and we’ll head out to a good spot to let the stock graze.”

Men, women, and boys all scrabbled to get the nervy stock hooked up and test the soundness of their wagons. It was a miracle in itself that none of the precious animals had been lost, if the wagons were sound, this would be a day to thank the good Lord for His mercies.

“Ma, you go check the canvas and our supplies,” Trey called as he led the four oxen to the wagon and set them into the long tree with their yokes. The boy had somehow had the presence of mind to raise his wagon tongue saving it from the worst of the flame.

“I think everything is all right,” Mrs. Script called. “I’ll be glad to be away from this blasted earth though,” she added. “It gives me the shakes, even if it is a miracle that all of our earthly possessions were spared.”

“Can I ride in the wagon with you?” Chad asked Daliah as he walked along with her once the wagons were moving again.

“You can ride with the Hamptons,” Daliah replied. “I’ll walk and look after Mr. Ben.”

“You’re gonna walk through this?” the boy asked his bright eyes wide.

“I am,” Daliah replied. “The wagon is already heavy enough and the horses are tired.”

Chad scratched at his ear for a moment thinking. “Maybe I’ll walk a bit too,” he finally said, making Daliah smile. Perhaps the boy was learning something in all of this.

Everyone was nervous as the snorting and stomping oxen leaned into their yokes and started the damaged wagons along the trail. Each creak of wood, each roll of an iron ringed wheel was watched with bated breath as the travelers set out on the trail.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.