Deceived Mail-Order Bride by Tanner Margaret

Author:Tanner, Margaret [Tanner, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2019-12-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

They left the road and drove along a rutted track, finally pulling up in the middle of a circle of trees. She could hear the tinkle of water running over rocks. “This looks nice,” she said.

“It’s a good place to stop, plenty of shade and grass for the horses. I’ll attend to them first then get a fire going.”

She glanced at the stone fireplace. “I can light a fire. Looks like there’s plenty of wood lying around. Max can help me.”

Connor lifted her down before turning to Max who was climbing down by himself. “Good boy.”

Max grinned at Connor’s approval. In the short time the boy had been with her in New Orleans she had seen a change in him, but now with a man around the change was much greater. The fear and uncertainty had disappeared as his confidence built. She hoped it wouldn’t be too long before he forgot the fear of being hungry and homeless.

“We need to find a few twigs.” She held one up to show him. “We also need small branches that we can break.”

They gathered an armful of twigs which she laid over a pile of dead leaves. Once the fire was lit, she gently blew on the flickering flame until it burst into life. Standing on a thin branch she snapped it in two and gradually fed it to the flames.

Max watched with interest. Between the two of them they dragged over a log someone else must have left behind, as it had been charred at one end.

By the time Connor returned from seeing to the horses that were each tethered by a long rope so they could graze, the fire burned brightly. Through the bushes she glimpsed a path leading down to the creek.

“I’ve got a couple of buckets I’ll fill for coffee, and if you and Max want to wash up.”

“Thanks, I feel filthy and travel worn, so is Max.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are, we left New Orleans just after dawn and have been traveling ever since. Every bone in my body aches.”

“I’m sorry, maybe we should have stayed with Carl and Gudrun like they wanted.” He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m not used to thinking of anyone other than myself.”

“They were lovely people, but to be honest, I’m anxious to get to your place. I only hope you have a comfortable bed.”

“Yes, it’s comfortable.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have a bath there?” she asked hopefully.

“I’ve got a hip bath, only an old tin thing, it does the job, though.” He limped over to the wagon and fossicked around in the back and withdrew a wooden box which he brought over to them. When he opened it, she saw a couple of tin plates, a mug, cutlery, coffee pot and a pan. There was also a towel and a few essential supplies, obviously he was a well-organized man.

As he returned to the wagon to get the buckets, she checked his supplies, coffee, three tins of beans, a couple of sticks of jerky and a few potatoes.

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