Never Look Back by Lesley Pearse

Author:Lesley Pearse [Pearse, Lesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Historical
ISBN: 9780141046037
Google: 5Y4IMJwWiwUC
Amazon: 0141046031
Publisher: Penguin UK
Published: 2000-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

A few days after parting company with the people who had gone to Whitman’s Mission they made camp for the night in a beautiful spot. It was a wide, flower-filled mountain meadow, surrounded by huge fir trees, with a small stream running through the centre. The animals had been let loose to graze and the children were making the most of the late afternoon sun, playing leap-frog and chase as their mothers prepared the evening meal.

Matilda made a rabbit stew with dumplings flavoured with wild sage on her camp stove. She had shot the jack rabbit herself the previous day and its skin was pegged out to dry, ready to join the many others she’d shot during the trip, to be sewn together later for a bedcover. While the stew was simmering she hauled out the mattress from the wagon to give it a good shake and an airing. Tabitha was off with the other children, and Treacle lying down under the wagon for a snooze.

Captain Russell came striding along a little later. He had clearly been for a dip in the stream as his fair hair was wet and he was wearing a clean shirt. ‘That smells good,’ he said, bending to sniff the stew pot appreciatively.

‘Stay and have some with us,’ she said, prodding the dumplings. One of the German women had taught her to make these and they were Tabitha’s favourite. ‘It’s almost ready and there’s more than enough for three.’

He smiled, his blue eyes crinkling up with pleasure. ‘That would be real nice,’ he said. ‘But I didn’t come by looking for food, I came to say that when we reach The Dalles, I’ve got it fixed so you can go down river on the first canoe with Carl, we’ll get your wagon on a raft after you’ve gone.’

‘Thank you, Captain,’ she said softly, looking up at him through her lashes. The scout Carl had an Indian wife who belonged to one of the tribes who lived along the Columbia river. She guessed the Captain had arranged this for her knowing Carl could get help for her if the baby should come suddenly. Touched as she was by his concern for her, she didn’t think he should be singling her out for such preferential treatment. But before she could voice this, Tabitha came running up and the Captain opened his arms to catch her, spinning her round in his arms and making her squeal with laughter.

‘More, Captain,’ she shouted gleefully as he put her down.

‘If you can manage to call me James,’ he said.

Tabitha was dizzy and she reeled around trying to look at him straight. ‘Matty said I mustn’t be familiar,’ she said.

The Captain burst out laughing. ‘Letting someone whizz you around seems pretty familiar to me,’ he said.

Matilda laughed with them. She felt happy tonight. The weather was good, there was good grazing and plenty of water, and the rabbit stew was the best she’d made yet. She couldn’t see how she could object to Tabitha calling a man by his Christian name when he’d proved himself to be such a good friend.

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.