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With Davis’s help, she sat, and then stood. Sarah’s husband Buck had joined the group. Feeling rather silly by this time, Emma assured everyone she was just fine and they could go back to their wagons. Everyone left except Davis.
“How long are you going to keep this up?”
“I’m fine, really, I’m fine. I just need a few minutes, and maybe while we take a break, I’ll get some of the breakfast I missed and sit for a while.” She attempted a smile, not sure she quite made it.
“All right, I’ll let you be.” Davis started back, then turned. “Oh, just one more thing, darlin’.”
“What?” Emma said, suspicious of the grin on his face.
“You might want to wipe the mud off your face.” He tipped his hat and walked away.
Chapter Seven
Davis did the best he could over the next few days to help Emma, but Ezra remained adamant that Davis could not spend time at her wagon.
“Boy, I told you to stay away from the Thorpe wagon. If that unreasonable woman wants to do everything herself, t
hen so be it.” Ezra spat out a wad of tobacco from the side of his mouth.
Hands fisted at his hips, Davis glared at the wagon master. “This can’t continue. That woman is worn out.”
“That woman is stubborn, is what she is.” Ezra’s face took on a red hue.
“So what are we going to do, let her kill herself trying to do it all?” Davis leaned in, his jaw clenching.
“She’s the one who decided she could do it all by herself. Let her stew a bit,” Ezra shouted back.
“Stewing is one thing, this is inhuman.”
“Why are you so all fired up about her? It’s you she’s refused to marry.”
“Did you ever think it was too soon after her husband’s death? Maybe she just needs a breather.”
“When we’re out here on the trail, there’s no time for breathers. She needs a man to help her with that wagon, and until it sinks in, you stay away from her.”
Davis smacked his hat against his thigh and stomped away before he hit someone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezra called a meeting of the emigrants to discuss the crossing of the river the next day. Emma trudged to the meeting place, taking a seat next to Sarah and Buck. Jeb, Elizabeth and Abigail sat closer to the wagon master in the circle surrounding him.
Before the meeting started, Davis left Ezra’s side and came over to sit beside Emma. She was glad for his company, but still felt a little unsettled when he was near her. She smiled at him, then returning her gaze to her lap, picked at a loose thread in her apron. Davis put his warm hand over hers to stop the movement. Once she stopped, however, he kept his hand there.
“Well, folks, this is an important meeting for y’all.” Ezra began. “Tomorrow we’ll be crossing our first river on this journey. This is a small river, and although there’s always a chance it would be shallow enough to just walk across, due to recent rains it appears we have to do a full crossing. I need y’all to make a wax paste to smear on the outside of your wagon to help it float. We’ll let the animals walk across and float the wagons behind them.
“I’ll give you plenty of time to get ready in the morning. Y’all need to be up at first light to get started. If we move along we should all be able to cross in one day. Then we’ll rest on the other side of the river for a day. Since that will be Sunday, Jeb Preston has agreed to hold a service, and allow the women to do laundry and bathe. Anyone have questions?”
“Ezra.” Emma raised her hand. “Exactly how deep is the river?” Small licks of fear rose up as she recalled almost drowning as a child. “And, is there a swift current?”
“No, Miz Thorpe, it’s not too deep. In fact your wagon may not even float; we’re just taking these precautions. The water is moving, but I wouldn’t say there’ll be swift-moving currents.”
A few other questions kept the group there until dark. When all the doubts and uncertainties had been laid to rest, Ezra called an end to the meeting and the group broke up. Emma walked back to her wagon with Elizabeth and Abigail.
“Emma, I’m concerned about you crossing that river by yourself.” Elizabeth linked arms with her as they walked.
“Frankly, Elizabeth, so am I, but if it’s not too deep, and too swift, I think I’ll be all right.”
Silence descended on the trio as they continued on their way, each absorbed in her own thoughts about the river crossing the next day. They soon parted ways as they headed to their own wagons.
