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Authors: Marsha Ward
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families.”
“You’re meddlin’ where it isn’t wanted, Rod,” Julia finally managed to say. “You know James is heart-broke that the Binghams aren’t coming with us.”
“Nonsense, Julie. I’m sorry I can’t accommodate his yearning. He’ll get over the Bingham girl.”
“I fear you’re going to live to regret such thoughts. This will stir up more trouble than a bear putting its paw into a bee tree.”
Rod laughed softly. “I’m not wrong, dear wife. The more I think on it, the better it sounds. I know Rand is anxious to marry Ida off, and I’ll give Chester that wagon I picked up the other day in exchange for his word on his daughter’s hand.”
“Oh, I never heard the like. That’s just—I don’t know what to say about such conniving, Roderick Owen.”
“Come on, Julie. You want them boys settled into their lives now that the war’s over, and those are good girls. Well, that Ida is a mite flighty, but Carl can handle her fine. James is a tad distracted right now, but he and Ellen will get on very well, I wager. I’ll talk to their fathers later this week.” He idly rubbed the sunburned flesh below his Adam’s apple.
Julia sucked in her breath. She held it a long time, then let it go in a rush of sound, bowing her head. “I’m near speechless at your meddling, Rod, but I know you’re bound to try to work your will. I hope it don’t return to bite you like a water moccasin.”
Chapter 5
The next days sped by. Rod was here and there, at one farm or another, directing the preparations for departure. At last night fell, with only one day left to complete the work before they left the Shenandoah Valley forever.
Rod sighed deeply and settled into the tick that lay on the floor of the bedroom. “It’s all set, Julie. Tomorrow, late in the afternoon, we will gather at Hilbrands’ store to check the final details and see that everyone has their instructions. I’ve arranged for Reverend Halsey to come and speak the marriage words for Carl and James. I can trust Halsey not to say anything. The young people will have their wedding nights together before we all leave the next morning.”
Julia slowly brushed the surface of the quilt with her hand three times, then said softly, “Wouldn’t it be a good idea to tell the boys?”
“I don’t want to spook them, especially James. You know he is still half ready to stay here.”
“Rod, you’re going to have to pay the piper some day.”
He laughed and nuzzled her neck. “A man needs a wife, Julie. With good luck, they’ll have love, too. No, I’m sure of it. Love will come along for both those boys.”
Julia sighed. “I pray that will happen. I can hardly stand to look at James’s long face. I hope he don’t end up hating you, Rod.”
He chuckled. “I’m right in this. He’ll come to see it.”
~~~
Rod paced the floor of the Hilbrands’ store, then turned to glare toward the two couples standing uneasily at the counter in the back of the room. All the members of the company were present except for Clay, who Rod had dispatched to find out what had happened to the Reverend Halsey. They stood around in family groupings, talking quietly.
“Damnation! Where is the man?” Rod fumed, ignoring the furrowed brow that Julia turned toward him. “He’s late. I paid him good money, and he’s not here.”
“What time did you say—?”
“He’s two hours late, Julie. If he doesn’t come soon, the whole plan will be ruined.”
Chester Bates approached Rod. “Not ruined, surely. Just put off for a while. We can find someone farther down the road to marry the young people.”
Rod pressed his lips together, his beard bristling. He grunted.
Chester went on, his voice pitched lower. “Mayhap it’s a good thing they don’t wed yet. We’ll need to build houses and get crops in the ground. If those boys are working hard to build homes for their brides, they may not take it into their heads to go somewhere
“You’re meddlin’ where it isn’t wanted, Rod,” Julia finally managed to say. “You know James is heart-broke that the Binghams aren’t coming with us.”
“Nonsense, Julie. I’m sorry I can’t accommodate his yearning. He’ll get over the Bingham girl.”
“I fear you’re going to live to regret such thoughts. This will stir up more trouble than a bear putting its paw into a bee tree.”
Rod laughed softly. “I’m not wrong, dear wife. The more I think on it, the better it sounds. I know Rand is anxious to marry Ida off, and I’ll give Chester that wagon I picked up the other day in exchange for his word on his daughter’s hand.”
“Oh, I never heard the like. That’s just—I don’t know what to say about such conniving, Roderick Owen.”
“Come on, Julie. You want them boys settled into their lives now that the war’s over, and those are good girls. Well, that Ida is a mite flighty, but Carl can handle her fine. James is a tad distracted right now, but he and Ellen will get on very well, I wager. I’ll talk to their fathers later this week.” He idly rubbed the sunburned flesh below his Adam’s apple.
Julia sucked in her breath. She held it a long time, then let it go in a rush of sound, bowing her head. “I’m near speechless at your meddling, Rod, but I know you’re bound to try to work your will. I hope it don’t return to bite you like a water moccasin.”
Chapter 5
The next days sped by. Rod was here and there, at one farm or another, directing the preparations for departure. At last night fell, with only one day left to complete the work before they left the Shenandoah Valley forever.
Rod sighed deeply and settled into the tick that lay on the floor of the bedroom. “It’s all set, Julie. Tomorrow, late in the afternoon, we will gather at Hilbrands’ store to check the final details and see that everyone has their instructions. I’ve arranged for Reverend Halsey to come and speak the marriage words for Carl and James. I can trust Halsey not to say anything. The young people will have their wedding nights together before we all leave the next morning.”
Julia slowly brushed the surface of the quilt with her hand three times, then said softly, “Wouldn’t it be a good idea to tell the boys?”
“I don’t want to spook them, especially James. You know he is still half ready to stay here.”
“Rod, you’re going to have to pay the piper some day.”
He laughed and nuzzled her neck. “A man needs a wife, Julie. With good luck, they’ll have love, too. No, I’m sure of it. Love will come along for both those boys.”
Julia sighed. “I pray that will happen. I can hardly stand to look at James’s long face. I hope he don’t end up hating you, Rod.”
He chuckled. “I’m right in this. He’ll come to see it.”
~~~
Rod paced the floor of the Hilbrands’ store, then turned to glare toward the two couples standing uneasily at the counter in the back of the room. All the members of the company were present except for Clay, who Rod had dispatched to find out what had happened to the Reverend Halsey. They stood around in family groupings, talking quietly.
“Damnation! Where is the man?” Rod fumed, ignoring the furrowed brow that Julia turned toward him. “He’s late. I paid him good money, and he’s not here.”
“What time did you say—?”
“He’s two hours late, Julie. If he doesn’t come soon, the whole plan will be ruined.”
Chester Bates approached Rod. “Not ruined, surely. Just put off for a while. We can find someone farther down the road to marry the young people.”
Rod pressed his lips together, his beard bristling. He grunted.
Chester went on, his voice pitched lower. “Mayhap it’s a good thing they don’t wed yet. We’ll need to build houses and get crops in the ground. If those boys are working hard to build homes for their brides, they may not take it into their heads to go somewhere
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