us a job or turn to a life of crime. Don’t believe either one of
us would really relish the latter, huh?” Luke pulled a set of hobbles from the
bottom of the bags.
“You look like you could use a
bit of time off there, old friend.” Unsaddling the horse, he placed the hobbles
on his front feet and turned him loose to graze upon the rich prairie. Standing
the saddle upright so as to protect the tree, he stretched himself out on the
soft green grass and was soon sleeping deeply.
Chapter five
“Jolene, sit still! It’s hard
enough to get these shoes buttoned without you squirming all over the place.”
Exasperated with her small daughter and the chaotic preparations for the trip
to Fallis, Kate finally managed to finish the buttons on Jo’s high black shoes.
Laying the buttonhook aside, she stood and looked at Jo critically. “Okay,
you’ll do. Now scoot.”
Jo jumped up, wiggling her toes
in her dress-up shoes, “These shoes feel too tight!” she complained. “Oh,
momma, you look so pretty! And won’t Jonathan like my dress? Where’s Candy?
Candy, Candy, here girl.”
Kate smiled as she watched Jo run
off in search of the pup. She was indeed a vision in her deep blue calico
jumper and white lawn blouse, her dancing red curls tamed into a matching blue
ribbon. She sighed at the darned black stockings, and too-tight shoes, but they
would have to do until she knew what the future held.
Kate took a last look at herself
in the small dressing table mirror. The image reflected there was at least
fresh and clean. The dark green dress she had chosen seemed utterly feminine to
her after spending so long in men’s clothes. Her skin, normally pale and creamy
had tanned to a deep bronze accented by naturally pink cheeks and lips. Deep
amber colored eyes fringed by dark lashes gazed at her from the mirror, and her
thick brown hair, now shimmering with golden highlights from the sun, was
pulled back softly from her heart shaped face.
She shifted her attention from
the mirror to a small tin type in an ornate frame. She and Will had looked so
young on their wedding day. Even in the severe mourning dress she had chosen to
wear, Will had made her feel special and pretty. He was smiling at her from the
image, just as he always had in life, with a look that told her she was the
most beautiful creature in the world to him. Her eyes misted briefly as she
lightly caressed the picture, “I miss you, Will.”
***
Jake had the team hitched to the
wagon. Nana, Jonathan and Jo were already tucked securely into their places.
Kate carried out the basket that contained the roast chicken, fresh bread, pies
and relishes that she and Nana had spent the better part of Saturday preparing.
Handing the basket to Jake, Kate couldn’t help smiling as she noticed the
gleaming golden coats and brushed white manes and tails of the mares. The
harness had been freshly oiled as well, and Jonathan had obviously spent a lot
of elbow grease on getting the buckboard in top condition. Jake secured the
basket into the wagon, then handed Kate up to the front seat. She thought they
must make an awfully pretty picture as they headed off down the road to Fallis
for the Sunday meeting.
Though the trip to Fallis was
only a little over four miles, it would take them more than an hour to make the
trip by wagon as the road was a rough one, where it even existed, but the sun
was up and beginning to warm the air around them. Even little Jolene was silent
for a moment as they all drank in the beauty around them.
“Are you going to see Mr. Johnson
there, momma?” came the innocent question.
Kate paused a moment, “He said he
would be there today, so I expect we’ll probably see him.”
“Well, I’m not sitting by him. I
don’t like him!”
“Jo, why would you say such a
thing?”
“Because he’s mean. He tried to
cheat you. And I saw our horse, I think he hurt him.”
“Jo, you mustn’t talk like that. You
should respect your elders!” Kate
us would really relish the latter, huh?” Luke pulled a set of hobbles from the
bottom of the bags.
“You look like you could use a
bit of time off there, old friend.” Unsaddling the horse, he placed the hobbles
on his front feet and turned him loose to graze upon the rich prairie. Standing
the saddle upright so as to protect the tree, he stretched himself out on the
soft green grass and was soon sleeping deeply.
Chapter five
“Jolene, sit still! It’s hard
enough to get these shoes buttoned without you squirming all over the place.”
Exasperated with her small daughter and the chaotic preparations for the trip
to Fallis, Kate finally managed to finish the buttons on Jo’s high black shoes.
Laying the buttonhook aside, she stood and looked at Jo critically. “Okay,
you’ll do. Now scoot.”
Jo jumped up, wiggling her toes
in her dress-up shoes, “These shoes feel too tight!” she complained. “Oh,
momma, you look so pretty! And won’t Jonathan like my dress? Where’s Candy?
Candy, Candy, here girl.”
Kate smiled as she watched Jo run
off in search of the pup. She was indeed a vision in her deep blue calico
jumper and white lawn blouse, her dancing red curls tamed into a matching blue
ribbon. She sighed at the darned black stockings, and too-tight shoes, but they
would have to do until she knew what the future held.
Kate took a last look at herself
in the small dressing table mirror. The image reflected there was at least
fresh and clean. The dark green dress she had chosen seemed utterly feminine to
her after spending so long in men’s clothes. Her skin, normally pale and creamy
had tanned to a deep bronze accented by naturally pink cheeks and lips. Deep
amber colored eyes fringed by dark lashes gazed at her from the mirror, and her
thick brown hair, now shimmering with golden highlights from the sun, was
pulled back softly from her heart shaped face.
She shifted her attention from
the mirror to a small tin type in an ornate frame. She and Will had looked so
young on their wedding day. Even in the severe mourning dress she had chosen to
wear, Will had made her feel special and pretty. He was smiling at her from the
image, just as he always had in life, with a look that told her she was the
most beautiful creature in the world to him. Her eyes misted briefly as she
lightly caressed the picture, “I miss you, Will.”
***
Jake had the team hitched to the
wagon. Nana, Jonathan and Jo were already tucked securely into their places.
Kate carried out the basket that contained the roast chicken, fresh bread, pies
and relishes that she and Nana had spent the better part of Saturday preparing.
Handing the basket to Jake, Kate couldn’t help smiling as she noticed the
gleaming golden coats and brushed white manes and tails of the mares. The
harness had been freshly oiled as well, and Jonathan had obviously spent a lot
of elbow grease on getting the buckboard in top condition. Jake secured the
basket into the wagon, then handed Kate up to the front seat. She thought they
must make an awfully pretty picture as they headed off down the road to Fallis
for the Sunday meeting.
Though the trip to Fallis was
only a little over four miles, it would take them more than an hour to make the
trip by wagon as the road was a rough one, where it even existed, but the sun
was up and beginning to warm the air around them. Even little Jolene was silent
for a moment as they all drank in the beauty around them.
“Are you going to see Mr. Johnson
there, momma?” came the innocent question.
Kate paused a moment, “He said he
would be there today, so I expect we’ll probably see him.”
“Well, I’m not sitting by him. I
don’t like him!”
“Jo, why would you say such a
thing?”
“Because he’s mean. He tried to
cheat you. And I saw our horse, I think he hurt him.”
“Jo, you mustn’t talk like that. You
should respect your elders!” Kate
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