Things were bustling at the campsite. It seemed everyone had last minute chores to do. Fiona and Rose were no exception. They spent most of the morning repacking some of the things in the wagon to make more room for a mattress because Clint knew Rose would want to sleep there, not on the ground. With the bed in place, they milked the cow, saved enough for Joey, and shared the rest with their fellow travelers, several of whom had children.
They made plans for a big supper so there would be extra for the next morning. They spent some time with their neighbors, as they began to think of the other wagons. The Watsons had become good friends and so were the Fritzes. Their daughter, Susie, was close to Joey’s and Benny’s ages. Though they played well with the other children it seemed the three of them had formed a bond and were happy to be together.
By late-afternoon Rose looked tired. “Why don’t you rest for a while?” Fiona suggested. “We had a hard time making you a bed in the wagon. I think you should try it out.”
Rose laughed. “It wasn’t an easy job to get things arranged, but I feel like I should help do the cooking.”
“Rose, there’s nothing much left to do. Anyway, I’m here to do the work when you’re tired.”
“I’m so glad you’re here, Fiona.” Rose took her hand. “I don’t know if I could have handled this trip on my own.”
“I think we’re both lucky. I could’ve never made this trip alone, either.”
“You’re right about me needing a nap.” Rose sighed and headed for the wagon. “If I go to sleep, please wake me when Clint gets back.”
After Rose climbed into the wagon, Fiona busied herself fixing supper for the four of them. The stew was simmering in the big black pot hanging over the fire and the coffee was ready when Sarah Hogan ran up. “Hide, Fiona. A man is demanding to look in every wagon in the train for you.”
“Where’s Joey?”
“I sent him to the creek with Benny and Stanley. He knows to stay there until I come to get him.”
Fiona nodded. “I can’t hide in the wagon. Rose is taking a nap there.”
Sarah looked around. “Hide over there in those bushes. They’re thick and he won’t be able to see you. I’ll be here by your camp fire so he won’t be suspicious.”
Fiona darted to the row of bushes growing a couple hundred feet from the wagon. She squatted down and tried to still her pounding heart. “Oh, Lord, please let this end soon. Let us get away from here without Luther finding us.”
Sarah was stirring the stew when Luther Markin walked up to her, leading his horse. “So, you’re here again.”
She stepped back. “Of course I am. This is my family’s wagon. What do you want with me now?”
“I don’t want you, girlie. I want Fiona Webb and the boy.”
“I don’t know any Fiona Webb.”
“The hell you don’t.”
“I don’t care whether you believe me or not, but I sure wish you’d find her so you’d leave my family alone.”
“I’m going to look in your wagon.”
“I’d rather you didn’t. My sister is in there...”
“I don’t believe you.” He stomped toward the wagon, pulled the flap open, and jumped on the tailgate. “Come on out, Fiona!” he roared.
Rose sat up and screamed.
In the confusion, nobody noticed Clint ride up, but before Luther could react to Rose’s scream, a strong hand grabbed his shoulder and jerked him to the ground.
“What the hell are you doing?” Clint demanded.
From his position on the ground, Luther stammered, “I thought...”
“I don’t give a damn what you thought.” Clint pulled his gun and pointed it at Luther. “You’ve bothered my family for the last time. I want you to get out of here and I never want to see your ugly face near this wagon train again.”
Markin scrambled to his feet. “I didn’t mean no harm. I thought...”
“I said I don’t give a damn what you thought. Get out. If I catch you at my wagon again, I’ll put a bullet in you.”
Hate shot from Luther’s eyes. “What have you done with Fiona? I mean to have her and that boy. She deserves to be punished for what she’s done...”
Before he could finish, Clint’s fist connected with his mouth. Luther fell backward onto the ground. Blood spurted from his lip.
A crowd began to gather.
“What’s going on?” Rufus Watson asked.
“This fool keeps looking for a woman named Fiona. If any of you know who the hell he’s talking about, I’d be obliged if you’d tell him so he’d leave my family alone.”
Nobody said anything.
“I’ll give five dollars to anyone who’ll tell me where he’s hiding Fiona Webb.” Luther got up and looked over the crown.
“I don’t know any Fiona Webb,” a woman said.
The group began to shake their heads.
“I’ll give ten.”
Clint was furious. “If you don’t shut your mouth and get out of here, I’m going to use this gun.”
“I’ll leave as soon as I find her,” Luther shouted.
“The woman you’re looking for is not here,” a woman said.
“You fools.” He glared at them. “I’m offering good money. All you have to do is tell me where the bitch is.”
Clint started for the man, but before he could, a deep voice said, “What’s going on here?”
“Who’re you?” Luther demanded.
“I’m the wagon master and I know everyone going to Oregon. Ain’t nobody in this group except families.”
“I think you’re lying.”
Zeke grabbed Luther by the shirt collar and pulled his face close to his. “No man calls me a liar.”
Markin tried to pull away. He looked a little scared of the burley man he’d insulted. “I guess I lost my head, but I can’t help being so damn mad. Nobody will tell me where Fiona and the boy is.”
Zeke shoved him backward. “You come back around here again and you’ll lose more than your head. Somebody will shoot you and nobody in this camp will see a thing. Now get on your horse and get out of here.”
“Are you threatening to kill me?” He spat on the ground.
Clink cocked his gun.
“Are you going to let him shoot me?” Luther glared at Zeke.
“I don’t see nobody doing anything they shouldn’t.”
“You heard him, Markin. You better get out of here while you can.” Clint glared at him. “And don’t forget what I said. If you come around my family again, I’ll kill you.”
Luther Markin mounted his horse. “You’re a bunch of fools. I’ll find her yet,” he yelled as he rode off.
Clint turned to the wagon and saw Rose was sticking her head through the flap. He went to her and held out his hand. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” She smiled at him. She took his hand and let him help her down. “He’s an awful man, Clint. He really wants to get Fiona and Joey.”
“I don’t think he’ll be back now.” He put his arm around her shoulder. “Where is Fiona?”
“She’s hiding over there in the bushes,” Sarah said. “She’ll be here as soon as he’s out of sight.”
He let out a sigh of relief. “Good.”
Rose smiled at him again, but he didn’t notice the strange look in her eyes.
* * * *
It was dawn. The emigrants had eaten a breakfast of cold biscuits and whatever was left over from the night before. They didn’t want to build fires and cook a big meal because they’d cook on the trail. The wagons were lined up ready to pull out. Clint’s wagon was between the Watson and the Fritz families. Everyone was anxious to leave and were only waiting for the wagon master’s signal.
“Why do Joey and I have to hide back here?” Fiona demanded as she watched Clint tie the cow and his horse to the back of the wagon.
“Because I’m sure Markin is around somewhere. I want him to see me driving the wagon away with Rose at my side. Sarah and her boy will be walking along beside us. When we’re sure he doesn’t follow, you can get out of the wagon. I’ll let you know when.”
“I’ll never be able to repay you and Rose for all you’ve done for us.”
“You’ve helped us a lot, too, Fiona.” He finished securing the animals. “Now you and Joey stay out of sight. We’ll be leaving shortly.” He gave her a smile and headed toward the front of the wagon.
Fiona sighed. Lord what Clint’s smile did to her.
“What’s the matter, Ma?”
She grinned at her nephew. “I’m fine, Joey. I think I’m excited about leaving.” She hugged him to her. “Do you realize we’re actually getting ready to leave for Oregon?”
“I can’t wait to be a cowboy.”
She smiled at him. “Yes, Joey. You’re going to be a cowboy.”
His eyes sparkled.
A few minutes later Zeke Marshall’s voice was heard as he galloped up and down the line of wagons. “Wagons Ho!”
There were ten wagons in front of them, so it was still several minutes before their mules began to move. Finally, there was a jerk, then a creak, and eventually the wagon wheels began to slowly turn.
“We’re going, Aunt... Ma! We’re really going.”
“Yes, Joey. We’re on our way.” Fiona could hardly believe it herself. They had actually gotten away. There was no way Luther would follow them any further. At least she hoped not. The man couldn’t be crazy enough to come after the wagon train. Of course she didn’t think he’d follow them from Kentucky to Independence. It was no telling what a man as crazy as Luther Markin would do. Clint was right. She and Joey had to stay hidden.
* * * *
Luther Markin sat atop his horse on the edge of the camp as the forty-four wagons pulled away. When the Larson wagon went by, he wondered if he could possibly be wrong. There was no sign of Fiona or the boy. Yellow-haired Sarah was walking along and there was a boy with her. Maybe he did make a mistake. But where did he make it?
When his family had come to the deserted Webb farm on Saturday, he knew Fiona had pulled a fast one. She had no intention of letting him have the boy or letting him be around her. He knew she’d figured out he wanted her as well as the boy. She’d outsmarted him and this made him furious. Not only did she deny him the child, a child he’d already killed for, but she’d also made a fool of him. He knew his crazy Jesse wouldn’t keep her mouth shut. He had to do something about it. Nobody made a fool of Luther Markin and got away with it. He’d make the beautiful, but deceitful Fiona pay for what she’d done if it took a year to find her. Hell, with the money he’d taken from her brother, he could follow her for months no matter where she was going.
As soon as they discovered Fiona and the boy were gone, he’d sent Jessie and the brats back to the farm with enough money and instructions to run the place until his return. He didn’t tell her that he might not return. After they got settled at home, he saddled his horse, and rode out. After two days of hard riding, he knew he was on the right trail. Fiona and Joey had stopped in some of the settlements along the way and bought supplies. When he finally got to Missouri, he knew their intent was to join the wagon train. It had to be. Her trail ended in Independence and there was nowhere else for her to go. She was on the train and his intent was to stop them from getting away.
Now he watched the wagon train pull out and she and the boy were nowhere in sight. Of course, he knew they could be hiding in one of the wagons, but which one? Nobody seemed to care if she was a single woman with a boy she didn’t need. A boy he was going to have even if he decided not to go back to Kentucky and his brood of cackling girls. He’d figure a way to make money with the kid. A lot of hard-up farmers would pay a good amount for a kid they could train to do a man’s work. But more than that, he wanted to get his hands on Fiona Webb. She was one bitch he intended to train himself.
He knew he’d shot his mouth off about taking her to one of the mining camps, but he realized he wouldn’t do that. Not for a while, anyway. Hell, he thought. Jessie has let herself go and she sure ain’t much to look at anymore. That’s why I’ve been frequenting the women in Kentucky who don’t mind doing what a man likes. Now, I figure, it’ll be fun to try my hand at a pretty young thing like Fiona Webb. I bet no man’s ever had her before. He grinned his evil grin. I’ll be her first and no matter what happens, if they live long enough, a woman always remember the first man to take her.
Luther spit tobacco to the ground and jerked his horse around. “Might as well go to town and get something to eat. They’ll be crossing the river tomorrow,” he mumbled. ”I’m sure they won’t stay hidden in a wagon that long.”