A Dream for Tomorrow (41 page)

But she realized she had done what she had to do. It was not in her to be false. Not to anyone. And especially not to someone she would be bound to spend the rest of her earthly days with. No, if she was going to have to scrape out a new life for herself and her children, working harder than she’d ever done before, she wanted to do it on her own terms. And that would not include a marriage of convenience.

The following day, everyone was up at the crack of dawn, and after a quick breakfast, the three wagons were ready to roll. “We’re a very short wagon train,” Ruth said as the women walked together in the cool of the morning.

“At least we don’t have to wait so much for everyone,” Jess replied. “That was one of the things I disliked most about the wagon train. Waiting, waiting, waiting…and then it was hurry up and ‘wagons ho’ and everyone scrambling.”

“I can hardly believe that tomorrow will be the last day of this long, long journey,” Clara said gratefully. “But I’m so relieved. I suppose if I had to, I could walk the rest of the way.”

“The wagon journey might be over, but it will be the beginning of another kind of journey,” Elizabeth pointed out. “Our work will just be starting.”

“I suppose that’s true.” Clara sighed. “But Asa promised me that he’d set up our tent and that he’d put our bed and my rocker inside it…and that I wouldn’t be expected to leave it for at least a week.”

“Oh, Grandma.” Ruth laughed. “You wouldn’t really stay in your tent for a whole week without coming out, would you?”

“I might.”

“Well, I’m sure Malinda will have some sort of accommodations for us too. At least that’s what she used to say back when James and I were planning to come.”

“I will just be thankful not to keep moving,” Mrs. Taylor said. “Moving and moving and moving. I understand Clara’s sentiments completely. I would like to just sit down in one place and stay put for about a week too.”

“I’ll tell Asa to put two chairs in the tent,” Clara told her. “One for you and one for me.”

Elizabeth did not share their sentiments. Seeing this beautiful land with lush green meadows alongside the curving river and tall trees of all kinds growing abundantly, all she could think was, how soon would they get there so she could ride her horse around and pick the perfect spot to build her house? At the same time, she felt a little uneasy as she wondered how this lovely fertile land could really be claimed for little more than a dollar an acre. Land like this in Kentucky would not only be difficult to find, it would be costly. In some ways it all seemed too good to be true right now.

But then she remembered when land claims had been completely free in Oregon—when she and James originally nurtured this dream together. That had seemed too good to be true too. But they had still believed it…believed in the dream. She wondered if James could see them now. And if so, what was he thinking? Was he pleased and proud of how well they had all handled the trail, of how they’d made it safely all the way out here? Or would he be concerned that Elizabeth had taken on too much? Of course, she would never know these things. But she did remember those winter nights back in Kentucky, those times she’d felt James’ presence urging her, pushing her, exhorting her to pursue the old dream.

On their last day of travel, after stopping for the midday meal, Elizabeth announced that she planned to saddle up Molly and ride the rest of the way. They estimated it was about four miles to Elk Creek, but Elizabeth knew she could get there in a fraction of the time it would take the wagons.

“That way I can warn Malinda that she’ll soon have a small wagon train parked in front of her home,” she told them.

“Can I ride with you, Ma?” JT asked eagerly.

She looked at Brady. “Do you mind driving the rest of the way?”

He smiled wide, revealing that broken tooth. “Not at all, ma’am.”

She pointed to Ruth. “I know Mrs. Taylor wants to rest in the back, but I’ll bet you can ride with Grandma and Grandpa if you like.”

It wasn’t long before both JT and Elizabeth had the horses ready. “I’m going to let Molly stretch her legs a little,” Elizabeth told him. “After she warms up, I’ll let her run. But you go at whatever pace feels comfortable to you.”

“Are you saying you want to race me to Elk Creek?” His eyes twinkled as he swung up into the saddle.

“No, of course, not.” She gave him a sly look and then pressed her heels into Molly’s withers. “Gid-up!” And she took off in a canter. But after a while, she slowed down, and she and JT walked the horses together. She knew there was no need to run the horses too hard. She simply wanted to beat the wagons there and to have Malinda to herself for a spell. So much to say.

“Do you think our land will look like this?” JT asked as they went around a particularly pretty curve in the river.

“I sure hope so. It all seems like good farmland to me. Good grass for raising cattle and horses.” By now they had seen a couple of cabins and were certain they were in Elk Creek, but Elizabeth knew they hadn’t reached Malinda’s yet because she knew Malinda and John had built a barn several years ago. Finally, they came into another sweet meadow where Elizabeth saw a cabin and a barn, and somehow she knew this was it.

“Look, JT,” she said happily. And now they both urged their horses into a gallop. But Elizabeth slowed Molly down, allowing JT be the first one there. She couldn’t wait to see Malinda’s reaction. He was just hopping off Asa’s horse when Malinda and a girl came rushing out of the house.

Elizabeth slid off her horse with a big smile, and running directly to Malinda, she hugged her long and hard. “We’re finally here!” she cried. “We made it!”

“Welcome to Elk Creek!” Malinda spread her arms wide, and after a long hug and a few tears, Malinda and Elizabeth held each other at arm’s length, just staring at each other in wonder. “I know I’ve gotten old,” Malinda said.

“No, you’re even more beautiful,” Elizabeth insisted. Ignoring the lines on her friend’s face, Elizabeth touched a strand of auburn hair. “Not a bit of gray.”

“And look at you.” Malinda just shook her head. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

Elizabeth looked down at her worn and dusty riding outfit and the boots that were now being held together with rawhide strips. “I’m afraid I’m a mess.”

“A beautiful mess,” Malinda assured her, and they both burst out laughing.

Just then another girl and a boy came out and shyly joined them, and Malinda, after exclaiming over how much JT had grown, introduced everyone. “This is Emily,” she started with the older girl. “She’ll be fourteen soon. And this is Bart, he’s just a little older than JT. And this is Susannah. She’s nine.”

“And Todd’s the oldest,” Emily told them, “but he’s working out in the field.”

“The rest of my family will be here in a couple of hours,” Elizabeth explained. “But I was so excited to see you, I couldn’t wait.”

“Bart, why don’t you help tend the horses and then show JT around?” Malinda said. “And girls, how about if you go put on some water for tea?”

“Can we make the cake now?” Emily asked eagerly.

Malinda chuckled. “Yes, dear, you can make the cake now.” She winked at Elizabeth as the two girls dashed back into the cabin. “They’ve had it all ready for several days now. I told them they couldn’t start it until we saw the whites of your eyes.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I can hardly believe we’re really here.” And now she remembered something…something sobering. “Oh, Malinda, I’m so sorry about John. I didn’t get your letter until it was too late. I suppose if I had received it back in Kentucky…well, I reckon I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

Malinda put her arm around Elizabeth’s shoulders as they strolled through the yard. “I’m so glad it missed you. And I couldn’t be happier that you’re here. Oh my—I have missed you so much! So I take it that you did get my letter then—the one where I warned you not to come?”

Elizabeth nodded. “But we were well on our way.”

“I wrote that letter in such a frenzy, Elizabeth.” She sighed. “I can’t even remember what I said.”

“You sounded very distraught. There were Indian uprisings…and you hadn’t been without John for very long.”

“Let’s take a walk around the place so we can talk.”

“I’d love that.”

Malinda showed her the improvements she and John had made over the past eight years. And truly, it was impressive. But Malinda explained how the pioneers helped each other. “And as you can see, there is no shortage of timber.”

“And there’s a lumber mill at Empire City.”

“Yes, things are changing fast.” She looked toward the south. “Do you want to see the parcel of land that John had picked out for you and James?”

“No one’s claimed it yet?”

“It’s still waiting for you.”

As they walked, Malinda explained about how the past few years had been frightening with a number of Indian battles. “But I’m sure I made it out to be worse than it is. And now it’s been very quiet these past nine months. I’ve been assured that since the military stepped in, the worst of our troubles are over.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I hadn’t really intended to hide the truth from you,” Malinda confessed. “But you wrote to me of how my letters cheered you and the children…after James passed on.”

“Yes, we loved your letters. It helped us pass many a winter evening. And we would reread them again and again.”

“That’s why I shied away from serious topics. And after you lost James, well, I never dreamed you’d do this.” Malinda shook her head. “I was so shocked when I got your first letter. I couldn’t believe you would take on something so difficult. But then I realized you didn’t know how hard the Oregon Trail truly was. And I had painted such pretty and romanticized pictures of the West. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. Every word you said about the West is true.” Elizabeth waved her hand. “Look at this land. It’s beautiful!”

They were standing on a small hill now, looking out on the river and the meadows that seemed to stretch for miles. “See that rise over there to the west?” Malinda used her finger to draw a line. “Across there and to the edge of the river and then on up to the grove of trees?”

“Yes.” Elizabeth nodded. “It’s all very lovely.”

“It can be yours.” She waved her hand. “Well, unless you don’t want to claim a whole unit. John had walked it out back when James was alive, back when we thought you were coming…he felt you’d want a full unit. Now that you’re not married you may only want a half. Perhaps that’s all you’ll qualify for. To be honest, I’m not sure how the laws work now. The land was free when we came. But already so much has changed.” She sighed. “Even we have changed.”

“Not so very much.” Elizabeth smiled happily.

“But you and I are both widows now. Isn’t it hard to believe?”

Suddenly Elizabeth felt the desperate need to speak to a confidante. And so without really thinking, almost like she used to do when they were girls, her story poured out. She told Malinda all about Will and his attempts at romance and his hopes for marriage. “But just a few days ago, I made my position clear to him.”

“Your position?”

“That I cannot marry him.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t love him, Malinda. I just don’t have those feelings…like I had for James. Like you had for John. I felt sure you would understand.”

“I’m not so certain I do.” Malinda frowned. “Let me see if I understand this correctly. You have a widower lawyer, and you enjoyed his company, and he and his family have followed you out here—and he wanted to marry you?”

“Yes,” Elizabeth answered meekly.

Malinda looked stunned. “And you told him no?”

Elizabeth merely nodded.

“Oh, Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie.” Malinda shook her head in a dismal way. “I hope you won’t regret this.”

“I suppose you agree with my mother on this…and you think I’m very foolish.”

“No. You are not foolish. You are a strong woman with good judgment. I have all faith that you know what you’re doing, my dear friend. And to think you made it all the way out here. And, my goodness, how many people did you entice to come along with you?”

Elizabeth chuckled. “I did not entice them. We simply spoke fondly of this Promised Land that you had written to us about, and well, it seemed that people were listening.” Now she began to tell Malinda about the Bostonians. “Lavinia and Hugh plan to open a mercantile.”