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He couldn't kill any big animals to eat as they'd have to spend a day cleaning and cooking it. There was time for that luxury. He wanted to get his business taken care of and get back for that long-awaited vacation the Major promised him. Just thinking about it made him relax a little.
He had protective clothes on, he hated wearing but, in this weather, he knew it was not something he had a choice in. He'd told the Winters to dress reasonable for freezing weather. At least about that, they took his advice.
He took his saddle and sleeping gear and laid it on a slope. He watered his horse and noticed how Smoky, his horse was growing a thicker coat of beautiful hair. He patted him on the rump. "Gonna be a cold winter boy."
The horse neighed. He saw the Winter's horses too, as they acted as though he were to do everything for them. Why couldn't they have remained back at the fort, they would only hinder him in his job.
His campfire was warming him as he made the coffee and on his way to the stream he glanced through the trees. It was quiet up here and he usually enjoyed his trips to this area. But this trip was laden with something he didn't think wise. Taking a woman in to face who knew what at the fort. Despite anything Lucy might have done, he couldn't imagine making her go to the fort, the one place she didn’t want to be.
He should have turned the Major down flat, especially about Lucy. This wasn't his kind of work. Still, if Lucy was causing troubles, catching her would stop the problems before they got any worse. And he knew better how to handle her than anyone, he figured. What he couldn't live with was taking her into the fort with all the other white women staring and gossiping about her. She didn't deserve that kind of treatment, but he knew that's what she'd get at the fort. He'd have to hog tie her to get her to go in the first place.
Major Marsh was rather a strictly by the book officer and Aiden was sure he meant to do more than talk to her, and that rankled him. He'd never been sure how far he could trust the man, although his men called him fair, this was something that would earn him some recognition. And he wondered if Colonel Gibbon knew about this.
He cooked the fish for them and prepared to sleep. His blanket was made with his rain slicker on bottom to seal in the heat from his body, and keep the moisture out, his blankets were wool and cotton and thicker than his summer gear. He had a couple of changes of clothes and he wore his long oil skin duster to keep out the dampness and warm him. His clothes were layered for warmth and comfort.
The woman had so many clothes on, she could hardly get about. She wore a heavy wool skirt and jacket she had a woolen scarf around her neck and good long boots. The man didn't have enough. But one thing about the man, he didn't complain like his wife.
Aiden always brought a supply of tobacco, although he never smoked. He found it was one way to make friends easily. He didn't wear chaps often as they were bulky and made it harder to draw his gun. He always carried a Colt, and a rifle, and a knife.
Part of his success was learning through his twenty-seven-years to dress right and carry the right equipment for any job. Being prepared kept him alive.
The first night out he heard some wolves farther up the mountain, a lonely old owl kept him alert to any moving around.
Mrs. Winters got up in the middle of the night when Aiden woke to a far-off mountain lion.
"I suggest you try to get some sleep ma'am." He told her.
"Is that cat close?"
"No ma'am. Nor the wolves."
"I'm just so worried about Peggy, she's so little." She wrung her hands together. "Are you married Mr. McCoy?"
"No, never had the pleasure."
"I was so proud to be a mother. So happy when she was born. Then my husband died and fear for the first time in my life took me over. Everything scared me. Have you ever been afraid Mr. McCoy?"
"I think everyone is afraid of something."
"Now this fear of losing my child forever scares me witless."
"You said your husband died?"
"Yes, my first husband. He had the cholera."
"I'm sorry. Look, we'll do everything we can to find her. The Sioux have no doubt taken her as their own, and will treat her with love,
I can tell you that much."
"Love?"
"Yes ma'am, they love their children."
"But she's mine!"
He looked at her, and shook his head, "Not right now, she isn't."
Aiden frowned, "Can you tell me how it happened, ma'am?"
