From Enemies to Lovebirds in Captivity (Preview)

Chapter One

Lila Bennett sighed and tried to stretch her legs to be more comfortable. The private stagecoach was well made and quite luxurious as far as coaches went. It was still a long way to go to meet her father in California and she glanced across at her mother. The older woman’s eyes fluttered, and she made a little moaning sound.

“Are you alright, Mama? Shall I ask the driver to stop, and you can find some fresh air?

Penny Bennett waved a hand in a gesture to say that they should keep going.

“It might be a good idea to stop and rest out of this shaking coach for a little while,” Lila’s Aunt Jane added her voice to Lila’s.

“No, no. I will be better if I just stay where I am,” Penny told her younger sister. She turned and looked out across the wide-open landscape.

Lila knew that her mother was very weak and bit her lip as she worried whether the woman would ever reach California and a new life. She tried to instill a feeling of optimism to cheer up her mother.

“Papa said in his letters that California is a wonderful place to live. He can see the ocean from his house!”

“Oranges grow on trees all over the place,” Aunt Jane added as she saw what Lila was doing.

“And lemons,” Lila added. “A lot of people live there because it helps them to be healthy again.”

“I never recovered from that bad bout of flu,” Penny replied. “My breathing is poor.

“We can only hope that you feel so much better in a lovely climate,” Aunt Jane told her. “The scenery here is not very interesting,” she added as she glanced out of the window. “This is Kansas, I think. You lose track of where you are on a long journey.”

Lila looked out at the landscape as her aunt was doing. The prairie stretched far into the distance, with its slightly sloping dull-brown hills. Gone was the vivid green of the trees and grass that they’d passed earlier in their trip. She could spot just one lone tree in the distance, and even that looked brown and rather sad.

“There’s an old wooden house out there,” Lila pointed as she spoke.

“Amazing that someone thought they could make a life out there. The place is ramshackle now. The door and windows are gone,” Aunt Jane remarked.

“There is a broken-down barn and what must have been fences for corrals,” Lila added. “They must have started with such high hopes for the future. It’s sad to see it all broken when it must have been someone’s home.”

She looked across to see if her mother was listening, but Penny had gone back to sleep and looked very pale. Her breathing was shallow, and Lila felt a shiver of apprehension about the rest of the long journey. She looked out of the window again and clutched at her aunt’s arm.

“Men on horseback out there.”

“Oh Lord,” Jane exclaimed, and they watched the riders come closer.

“They could just be cowboys.” In her heart Lila was clutching at straws because the men had guns in their hands and bandanas over their faces.

“They are coming to rob us,” her aunt cried out and heard the first shots as they galloped in front of the stage and shot to make the driver stop.

Lila felt her heartbeat quicken to a panic and her imagination went wild as she pictured them all lying in pools of blood. She grabbed for her aunt’s arm. The two women held onto each other.

“Get down from there and drop your guns,” the leader of the group shouted to the driver and the guard. The two men threw their guns down and climbed to the ground. The bandit leader told them to open the door of the carriage. He slid from his horse as the other three men held the driver and guard at gunpoint.

“Out you come, ladies,” he said with a mocking attempt at being a gentleman.

Aunt Jane went first, and Lila stuck her head out.

“My mother is ill. I don’t want to move her.”

“If I set the carriage on fire, she will climb out quick enough.” The tone had changed from pretending to be a gentleman to the outlaw that he obviously was.

“Come on, Mama. Hold onto me,” Lila said and stepped to the ground herself. Then she offered both of her arms to hold her mother and gently lift her down to the ground, where she stood, unsteadily.

“You,” the leader shouted at the driver, “get their bags and open them here.”

The bags were thrown down; three of them burst open from the impact. Lila felt her mother tremble in her arms and felt a tremor of hatred for this cruel man run through her system. She straightened her shoulders and looked him in the eye. The other three men were still on horseback, but the boss man told one of them to climb down and see what was worth stealing. He pushed Lila to one side to gain access to the coach and threw out Lila’s carpet bag that she had kept in the carriage because it had her personal things inside.

“There is nothing worth stealing in that. Just paint and paper for artwork.”

“Show me these papers and things,” the leader shouted and the man who had found nothing else inside the carriage came and handed him the paperwork. He gave Lila a grin that had no humor in it and took her papers in his hand. She gasped with dismay as the bandit deliberately ripped her paintings into shreds and let them blow away in the breeze.

“Three rich women,” he said sarcastically. “Bart,” he shouted to one more man on horseback. Cut the horses loose. We’ll take those. Jake has the money hidden in the bags and I will get the jewelry.” He stepped forward as the remaining man on his horse held the gun at the driver and guard. One of them moved to one side and a shot skimmed past his ear and he stood stock still. Another shot went into the air for good measure.

The leader came toward the women, and they all shrank away from him. He reached out a hand and took the brooch from Jane’s coat. She was wearing a jet bead necklace, and he pulled that from her neck. Lila’s mother said nothing, as Lila was almost holding her up at that point.

The bandit pulled Penny’s coat aside and found a gold chain that he ripped from her neck. Her mother gave a little whimper of distress that tore through Lila’s heart strings. Then she felt the man’s hands pull her away from her mother and he ripped her coat to one side. She tried to pull it back together, but he saw the crystal on a chain around her neck and tore at it with some strength. It snapped and it hurt her neck as it was snatched away.

“Anything under the dress that I can’t see?” he asked with a sneer, and she screamed as his hand went to pull the collar of her dress away. It started to rip.

“Boss… riders coming. Let’s get away.”

The bandit thrust Lila to one side, and she fell against the coach. Her mother had already slid to the ground and Jane was patting her face with her hand.

Several shots rang out as the bandit’s galloped away with each of them leading one of the four horses. The new band of riders were coming at some speed and all three women hoped that it was not another group of thieves. Lila looked up and saw a tall man slide from his horse and come across to them.

“What happened, ladies?” he asked, and Lila breathed with relief that assistance had come in the nick of time.

“Four robbers,” the coach driver told him. They found whatever money was in the bags and took the ladies’ jewelry.”

“They took the four horses,” the guard said.

“My mother is quite poorly and when he pulled me away, she slid to the ground. Can you help me get her up please?” Lila asked the man who seemed to be leading the little band of four men that had ridden to their rescue. He was dark-haired, and the long strands were tied back with a leather thong. His eyes were brown and looked concerned for their safety. She found herself breathing more easily as he seemed to be going to help them. She liked the air of being in charge that he seemed to have—and the other men waited to see what he had decided to do.

“I’m Lila,” she told him. “We were heading for California where my father is. He thinks that my mother will recover there.”

“I’m Rhett,” he replied. “We have a wagon train further down the trail and we had come to the top of the rise to look for game to make the food go further.”

“Thank goodness that you did,” she said, and he took her mother in his arms and picked her up. “If I pass her up to you, Freddie, can you hold her and ride back to the wagons? They will all have to join the wagons until we reach the next town.” The man called Freddie did as Rhett had asked, and they then passed her Aunt Jane up to another man. “Is there anything left that you want to take with you?” he asked Lila, and she nodded. Going through the ransacked bags, she took some clothes for her mother and Jane. She added some of her own and picked up the paints that the bandit has so cruelly thrown away.

“Are the paints important?” he asked her, and she felt a tear start to form in her eye.

“He tore up my paintings deliberately because he could see that I valued them,” she answered and pulled herself up straight. “But I can do them again.”

“Josh and I can walk,” the driver said, so Rhett placed Lila with the clothes in her arms forward in his saddle, then mounted up behind her.

“This will be slow because we need to be careful with your mother. The wagon train is my father’s, and we can find room for you to get to the next town.”

“Thank you,” Lila said with some dignity. “We have some money stitched into our clothes and we can pay you.” She was very aware that his heart was beating behind her and his arm was holding her tightly to keep her safe. They came to the top of the rise and saw the wagons waiting below on the trail. It was good to see that there were wagons and folks that would be protection for them. The people saw the procession coming down the slope and gathered to meet them.

Chapter Two

As the group of riders and walkers reached the wagon train, a man stepped forward to meet them. Rhett always allowed himself a small glimmer of a smile when his father was around. There was no denying that they were father and son and so many folks remarked on it that Rhett and his father Samuel treated it as a joke. He saw the older man who looked so like himself. He felt the subtle change in Lila’s position in front of him as she saw his father. Apart from his gray hair there was very little between them.

“What happened, son?” his father asked and as Rhett lifted Lila down from the house, his father held out his arms and made sure that she was safely on the ground. Lila immediately ran to the man who was holding her mother, and along with another woman who came forward, they took Penny between them and eased her to the ground. Rhett’s father lifted Jane down and asked again what had happened.

“The private coach they were using was being robbed by bandits. We heard the shots and when we reached the top of the rise, we saw them and tried to go and help.”

“I’m Jane,” Aunt Jane said and offered a hand to Samuel. “My sister is the one who is quite poorly, and her daughter is the young woman trying to help her.”

“The robbers took all four horses. Thank goodness these men were on hand to help as it drove the robbers away. My name’s Tom, and I was driving. Josh here was the guard.” The driver offered his hand to Samuel.

Lila stood up and shook his hand as well.

“I’m Lila. I would be very grateful if my mother could travel in a wagon to the next town if that is possible.”

“We would not think of anything else for all of you,” Samuel said, as his son came forward.

“If you don’t mind, Pa, we could have them in our wagon. There’s only you and me and we need to sleep outside and keep an eye out.” He glanced across at Lila to see if she was happy about that, but she looked away. He couldn’t help but think how beautiful she looked even after the horror of the robbery. He wondered if they knew how silly it was for three such well-dressed women to ride out in a lone stagecoach. They were lucky that the wagon train was close by.

He looked at his father who nodded.

“Let’s get your mother into the wagon and onto soft blankets,” Rhett said to Lila, and it crossed his mind that she was being remarkably strong and caring to the two older women.

“You carry her mother,” Samuel said, and Rhett picked up her mother as if she were as light as a feather. He carried her to the wagon and lifted her over the backboard before climbing in and finding some blankets to make her comfortable.

“Thank you so much,” Lila said quietly as she followed him inside. Her aunt was helped inside as well and Samuel told them to make themselves comfortable.

“We’ll find something to eat for you, as almost everyone has already had their meals while we are stopped.” He jumped down and went off to speak to the women from the other wagons.

Lila started to thank Rhett again for saving them and he saw the tears forming in her eyes. He noted that they were a lovely grey blue and when she looked at him, she seemed to see into his head. It felt as if she was only interested in the person that she was talking to. It was as if she were looking at the only person in the world that mattered to her. Rhett gave himself a mental push to stop daydreaming.

“You are more upset than you let on,” he told her and had a sudden urge to hold her hand and comfort her.

“Of course, I am,” she said. He noted the sharpness in her voice. “We were just robbed by a nasty group of bandits.” He stepped back startled and handed her his bandana instead. She wiped her eyes, and he offered her a shot of whiskey. Rhett understood that she had just had a nasty fright and was prepared to admit that she was upset. She gave him a watery smile and accepted the offer. Rhett was glad to be able to do something useful and poured her a shot of the spirit into a tin cup. After a hesitation he poured another for himself, and he raised his glass.

“To a speedy recovery,” he said.

“I’ll drink to that,” she said and threw back the fiery liquid like a seasoned saloon goer. Rhett was glad that she had responded to the drink and seemed to be settled.

He saw his father returning with Sarah and her daughter Belinda. They had bowls of food and handed them up to Rhett and Lila.

“Thanks ladies. These folks need a spell to sit and have something to eat. They’ve had a nasty fright,” Rhett said. His father went to see how the two drivers were faring. He said that he would also be going down the row of wagons to explain that they had five new members. Rhett stepped away to take the saddle off his horse and tethered him to a tree where there was grass to eat. He heard the women talking. Sarah and Belinda were almost like part of the wagon train team, as they were always pitching in and helping.

“Thanks for the food and the help,” he heard Lila’s aunt say to Sarah and Belinda, as they handed food out to all of them, and wanted to know what had happened at the robbery. The food was very welcome.

“If the men from the wagons here hadn’t come, it would have been much worse,” Lila said to the two women. She touched the collar of her dress. “He was starting to rip my dress when the men rode to the rescue.

Rhett felt a shudder pass through him at the thought of what might have happened if he and the others hadn’t heard the shots in time. The danger had been too close, too real.

“Oh my Lord,” Sarah exclaimed. “I have needle and thread. We can fix it.”

“And we will help around the wagons in any way we can,” Jane added.

“I feel safer in this wagon than I did in that awful coach,” Penny chimed in.

Rhett nodded, appreciating the remark. He and his father did run a good wagon train, and they all helped one another. It was true—out there, folks had to stick together.

Belinda turned to Lila. “Come with us if you want to meet some of the others. We must be about the same age. There are two other girls as well.”

Lila hesitated, glancing at her mother and aunt, but when they nodded their approval, she jumped down and followed Belinda and Sarah. Rhett’s gaze lingered on her for a moment. He was glad she felt comfortable enough to talk with the other travelers. Maybe it would help her settle in, shake off the fear from the robbery.

Rhett saw that the wagons had already started up their small cooking fires, their usual routine when the men went off hunting. Progress was slower than usual, as everyone wanted to stop and ask Lila about the holdup. She handled the attention well, answering their questions as they made their way to Sarah’s wagon. Sarah found her needle and thread and began stitching up the collar of Lila’s dress. Meanwhile, two more girls—Mel and Jenny—joined them, quickly drawing Lila into their own conversation.

Rhett moved past on the other side of the wagon, not meaning to eavesdrop, but their voices carried.

“The wagon train will take you there if you stay with us. That would be safer,” Jenny said. Then she added, with a teasing grin, “It’s not every day that the handsome Rhett rides in to save you from a nasty robber.”

“He sure is handsome,” Belinda agreed.

Rhett felt his mouth twitch in amusement. He was used to women making such comments, though he never let it go to his head.

But then Lila’s voice cut through.

“Not my sort of man,” she said. “I don’t see the attraction.”

Rhett froze mid-step, his amusement vanishing.

He had just saved this woman from a dangerous situation, risked his own neck in the process—and she dismissed him like that? It was downright insulting. Women usually had plenty to say about his looks, and he never thought much of it, but to hear Lila speak with such certainty, as if he wasn’t worth a second thought, was a shock. More than that, it stung. He knew full well that she felt something for him—he’d seen it in her eyes—but she was pushing it away, acting like he didn’t matter.

He clenched his jaw and kept walking, shaking off the Irritation. She could think what she wanted. It wasn’t his concern.

Then a commotion behind him made him spin around. There was a lot of shouting.

Rhett’s eyes locked onto Lila, who was frantically patting at her dress—flames licking up the fabric.

Without hesitation, he grabbed a blanket from a nearby wagon and ran. He wrapped it tightly around her, dropping down to smother the fire against her legs. The flames died, but he kept his hold firm, making sure she wasn’t burned.

Belinda rushed over.

“Are you alright?”

“What happened?” Rhett demanded.

Lila’s face was flushed, whether from the fire or embarrassment, he wasn’t sure.

“I—I’m sorry. I tried to help build up the fire and didn’t do it properly.”

Rhett let out a breath, shaking his head.

“Good Lord above,” he muttered. He pulled the blanket away, giving her a once-over. “You’re not on fire anymore, but you really will have to be careful.”

Frustration simmered beneath his skin. First, she dismissed him like he was nothing, and now she was nearly setting herself ablaze. He strode away, muttering under his breath about women from the East who didn’t know the first thing about survival.

“It was an accident,” Sarah reassured Lila. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I feel like such a fool,” Lila admitted.

Sarah wrapped an arm around her.

“You’ve had an awful day—you lost money, jewelry, clothes. You’re bound to be upset.”

Rhett didn’t turn back, but he heard Lila sigh.

“Thank you, Sarah. I’ll watch what the rest of you do and try to help.”

The next town wasn’t far. Maybe a day or two. Rhett hoped Lila would find her footing by then—because whether she admitted it or not, she had a lot to learn about life on the trail.

“I think we are only one more day or maybe two from the next town. We can stock up on supplies.” Sarah told her. With that thought in her head, Lila went back to see how her mother was feeling. Rhett heard the end of the conversation and hoped all would work out for the best.

 

Rhett was at the wagon but looked away when he saw her coming. He stayed where he was but made no move toward Lila. Although he really wanted to check that she was not burned.

“Rhett is not himself,” Samuel said.

“My fault,” Lila told him. “I caught my dress on fire, and he found a blanket to put it out. I’m sorry that I’m not used to camping.”

“He knows that we have to all help each other. I’ll speak to him. These things happen on the trail,” Samuel said. Rhett allowed himself a smile as he heard the conversation.

“Sarah says that we might be able to buy a wagon at the next town and stay with the wagon train,” Lila told him. “We have some money hidden in our clothes if you think it’s possible.”

“That sounds like the best idea to me,” her aunt agreed, and they both looked at Samuel.

“I can find you a wagon and I can keep it for future trains. We’ll ask about horses.” The wagon train leader climbed down to the ground and headed toward his son. Rhett was pretending to be looking at the wheel of the wagon and saw his father approach.

“Son, the three women are suggesting staying with the wagon train and finding a wagon and horses when we reach Greystone. What do you think?”

“That would be the safest thing for them to do. What on earth were three women from back east doing in a luxury stagecoach? They were a target from the start.”

Samuel put a hand on Rhett’s arm.

“They need help in that regard, and we can offer it to them. The only way folk succeed out in the wilderness is by helping each other.”

“I know that, Pa. That’s why you run such good trains and people appreciate it.”

“Let’s move on to find a campsite for the night and we might reach Greystone tomorrow.”

They started to walk back to their own wagon and Rhett saw Lila helping her mother down to the ground. A rush of concern for both Lila and her mother swept over him and when he came alongside, he apologized for being grumpy.

“My fault,” she answered, “and not yours. If you would rather that we left the wagon train at Greystone, I understand.” He shook his head, as her mother walked away to speak to another woman who had come to see how she was.

Rhett put a hand on her arm.

“No. My bad temper was not necessary. I am sorry.” She looked directly into his eyes, and he felt that same feeling that her eyes gave him. The look was piercing and yet caring. Before she could reply, a shout went up down the line to get ready to move. He ran to jump onto the driving seat of the wagon and his father mounted up a horse to ride alongside.

Lila’s mother returned and climbed aboard without assistance and Jane helped her inside. Lila hitched her skirts and climbed inside as well.

Chapter Three

It was the first time that she had really taken notice of how a wagoner lived and what they carried with them. Lila glanced at her mother who was looking considerably better than she had in the stagecoach. She had already climbed inside before the call went up that they were moving.

“Are you feeling better, Mama?” she asked and saw her mother smile for the first time in many days.

“You do look better, Penny,” Jane added.

“I think it is because I feel safer. I know things can still be dangerous, but this wagon train is really well organized.”

Lila looked around.

“Where shall we sleep” she asked and looked at the inside of the covered and sturdy cart that seemed to be home for the time being. Samuel and Rhett were tidy men, and the place was comfortable. There was a pile of blankets and pillows in one corner and Lila went to take some of them. “Would you like to be further inside?” she asked her mother. “That way if Rhett or Samuel come inside there will be space for them to lie or sit, and have a drink of something.”

“I am happy to move further up beside the driving seat. I seem to be moving more like my old self.” She demonstrated by standing up and taking the blankets that she already had along with her.

“I will go up there as well,” Jane added and moved some blankets.

“I will take the next space down toward the back opening.” Lila pointed to where she meant and put blankets down. She sat on the blankets and looked around. “There are cooking things,” she observed. “I should offer to make breakfast.

“No thanks,” Rhett’s voice said from outside and he asked if they were decently dressed for him to come in.

“Yes. We are fine,” Jane answered. He came inside and looked at Lila.

“I will do breakfast tomorrow. When you see how we manage, you can take a turn,” he told her. He did manage a smile as he said it and her heart softened toward him. She could admit, at least to herself, that he was a handsome man.

“Tell me in the morning if there is anything that I can do.”

Rhett nodded.

“We have moved ourselves forward in the wagon so that there’s free space if you or your father need to be inside,” she added.

“Tell me what you need to have outside while you’re on watch,” Aunt Jane said.

“We use the saddles as pillows, but we do need a couple of blankets each. We are both on the list of men who are on watch and when one of us is on guard, the other one rolls under the wagon and sleeps.”

“We can put them at the back for you to just lift out.” Lila took the blankets that he asked for and put them at the rear.

“Ready to go?” he asked. “I’m driving. Pa is riding ahead. We’ll find a campsite that we’ve used many times before. The movement is slow because we’re using oxen to move the bigger carts. They might be slower but they’re steady.” He climbed through to the driving seat, and they all heard his father calling out to move ahead. The wagon jerked as it began to move, and they were rolling onward.

“This is better than the stagecoach,” Lila remarked. She stood up out of curiosity and opened the canvas to where Rhett was sitting.

“You okay?” he asked without turning his head.

“Oh yes. I’m curious to see the oxen. I do like animals.”

“They’re gentle beasts and very strong,” he said. “There is room to sit if you want to watch them for a while.”

“Thanks. I’d like that.” She stepped over the seat and sat next to him. The rhythmical movement of the oxen was almost mesmerizing. She observed in silence and watched how he handled the reins. It was a slightly different way than driving horses and she found it interesting. The light was fading, and she pointed to the sky.

“That’s so beautiful.”

“You need some more paper for your painting,” he observed. “This area is flat and not interesting but as we move nearer to California, it becomes very pretty and dramatic.”

“I’ll get some in town,” she said. “I might draw the oxen pulling the wagon.”

“It’s not far to the campsite, now,” he observed, so she stayed where she was until they turned off onto a flat area beside a smooth river, and he began to circle the wagons. The others followed where he led.

Lila thanked him for letting her sit up front, and went back beside her mother.

“This is the campsite,” Lila told them. “The drive was quite smooth.”

“Much better,” her mother added.

“We were lucky to meet up with this wagon train,” Aunt Jane remarked. “They are kind and helpful and if we can find a cart and horses to join the train, it will be much safer and more comfortable.”

“I don’t think these folks going west think that it’s comfortable,” Lila answered with a grin. “You are right though. It’s much better than the stagecoach.” She looked outside, and saw that Rhett was behind the wagon and making a small fire. He looked up as he felt her gaze.

“Thought we should have a warm drink and maybe something to eat before sleeping. There’s still light but it’s fading.”

“Can I come and help, or should I stay away?” she asked with a slight attempt at humor.

“Bring the cups and the coffee pot and I’ll let you help,” he answered in the same tone, and she went back inside to find what he needed. Aunt Jane took the coffee and the coffeepot for the fire, and Lila followed with the cups and some bread she had found in a box.

“There’s cheese and fruitcake as well,” he told her with a grin, so she went back to find them. There were logs all around the site that folks must have used many times to sit around their fires, and Rhett brought some more. Samuel came back carrying two of the logs and accepted a coffee from Jane.

“This is a well-used campsite,” he told her. “The river gives us water for ourselves but for the animals as well. We have supplies to last until we reach the town tomorrow.”

“The oxen don’t wander away?” Lila asked as they all settled in with something to eat and drink.

“We tether them with a long lead so that they can find enough grass and reach the edge of the water,” Rhett replied.

“If you would really like to join us, I can find a wagon. I know where to get one, as I like to have them to rent out to folks who haven’t got one of their own, but you’ll need horses,” Samuel said. Lila looked at her mother and aunt.

“How much is the rent?” she asked. Samuel tossed out a figure, and Rhett said that they could ask about horses when they were in town. He paused.

“You know my father and I like to stay in the hotel there, for a soft bed and some food… meals that are cooked for us.”

“That sounds like heaven,” her mother joined, in then proceeded to turn up the hem of her dress. The two men both looked at her and Lila smiled, knowing her mother was feeling much better and was going to offer money for the wagon. Her mother produced a gold coin that was stitched into the hem of her dress and handed it to Samuel. “Is that enough?” Lila watched as both men laughed at the production of a gold coin from her clothing. It was a bit like a magic trick. Samuel took the coin and told her that she had paid the rent for the journey. Lila saw Rhett look her way, still smiling from the production of the gold coin. His smile caused a twist in her chest that she couldn’t explain. She quickly looked away and went to stand at the side of the wagon, looking over at the horses the men kept tethered.

“The oxen are further away,” Rhett said, having come up beside her.

“It’s getting too dark to look at them now. I need to remember to get paper when we get to town.” She turned to him. “I want to thank you and your father for letting us join the train. Mama is already much better now that she feels safe.”

“People have joined us before along the trail. Sometimes they start with one expedition, are left behind for some reason and wait to join the next group that comes along.”

“It’s a whole new way of life as far as I am concerned.” She smiled at him properly, “And I will help with the breakfast. I’m pretty good with bacon and eggs.”

“That’ll be fine,” he said, and they turned together to go back to the fire, but Samuel had kicked it out, and her mother and aunt had already retired to the wagon.

“Goodnight, and thank you both again,” Lila said as she turned to do the same.

“Our pleasure,” Samuel answered. “I’ll go on watch first. Rhett will relieve me later.”

“I’ll just get my blankets,” Rhett said as he reached out to grab his blankets. Lila then climbed aboard and closed the canvas. She slipped out of her dress and laid it flat over the driving seat. Then she wrapped herself in blankets and tried to sleep. Rhett’s face, though, seemed to be in her mind for a very long time. Eventually, the long day and the fright of the robbery took their toll and the next thing she knew Aunt Jane was shaking her shoulder.

“I think the men want the breakfast things.” Lila sat up quickly, and then scrambled to find her dress and pull it on.

 

“I needed that sleep,” she said to Rhett as she handed the skillet out to him and went back for the food—bacon and eggs. “I need a sharp knife for the bacon,” she added. Rhett produced a very slender knife with a serrated edge from his belt and took the bacon.

“Oh no, I’ll slice it up for you. This knife is very sharp.” Lila laughed.

“Okay. I suppose I’ll let you do the dangerous stuff,” he said with a grin. She put the skillet on the fire that he had started, set the coffee brewing, and began cooking the bacon.

Lila was proud of her cooking. The school for young ladies that she had attended taught them how to be good housekeepers, cooks and seamstresses. They had also given her a passion for art and taught her how to create watercolor paintings.

She cracked the eggs expertly and handed both men a plate with bacon, two eggs and beans.

“This is delicious,” Samuel told her.

“Sure is,” Rhett added between bites. She served her aunt and her mother, and then made eggs for herself. She was not a great lover of bacon. The men went off with coffee cups in hand to check that everyone was ready to ride the last leg to the town.

When they returned, Rhett saddled a horse to ride as his father was on driving duty. She watched as he put the oxen in the shafts and got them ready to move.

“I’m fascinated by the oxen,” she told him.

“Ride up front with me if you want to watch them,” Samuel invited, and she accepted the offer. They had collected the cooking things, washed dishes at the river and put water in their bottles to last the next leg of the journey. Rhett came alongside and laughed.

“You back to watching the oxen?” he asked. She nodded.

“Are we ready to go?” she replied. He raised a hand and called out that they were ready to move. She scrambled up to a sitting position and the wagon made the first rumbling noise as the wooden wheels started to turn. The heavy structure creaked its way onto the main trail again. She watched as Rhett rode ahead.

“He’s checking the trail for us,” Samuel told her.

“To the town, and stores,” she added with a smile. She made herself comfortable beside Samuel. Rhett galloped back toward them, and went down the line of wagons to tell them all was clear ahead. They had four other men from the train who also acted as scouts and guards when needed. Lila noticed that each time Rhett appeared, she felt her heart beat a little faster. She pushed it aside and told herself to grow up.

After some time, the sight of the town buildings coming into view gave her something else to think about.