Chapter 7 #2
“Here we are.” He helped Pa down first, afraid the man would try jumping over the side of the wagon.
Kat didn’t wait for help, but Amelia did, clinging to his hand as she stepped to the rough ground. She scooped up Poppy and glanced around.
“It’s a lovely spot,” Amelia observed. “So green and cool.”
Kat brought a hand to shield her eyes. “I’ve been here before.”
“With Pa?”
“Nope. On my own. On one of my adventures.” Her airy words did nothing to ease Zach’s shudder. The girl was going to get herself into trouble riding around the country alone, although he’d never worried about it before Sobel’s arrival.
He grunted under his breath. Why was he letting Sobel invade his every thought?
“Let’s explore.” He left the lunch things in the wagon and led the way toward the tiger lilies. It would have been lovely to show them to no one but Amelia, but that wasn’t possible.
He parted the reeds and stepped aside to reveal the flowers.
Amelia gasped. “They’re beautiful. Such a vibrant color.” She rushed forward to bend over the blossoms. “My sister would have loved this.”
Kat, holding Poppy’s hand, crossed to her side. “Ma brought us here.” Awe rounded her words. “Do you remember, Zach?”
“I remember.” Though he’d been numerous times with Pa, he suddenly needed to sniff back tears.
Kat crouched by the flowers as if mesmerized. One finger extended to touch a stem, bobbing the flower. “Do you remember the story she told about them?”
Zach remained silent as Kat answered her own question.
“Ma said the flowers symbolized undying love. There was once a young lady who loved a young man. But war came, and the young man had to leave. She waited for him, praying every day for his safe return. It was not to be. He died in the fight. Only his body returned. Over his grave, she planted a tiger lily. Tenderly, she cared for it. It grew taller and more brilliant than any other. All because, she believed, of his love for her and hers for him.” Kat shuddered.
Her hands clenched. “Better a live love than a dead one.” She backed away.
Amelia swiped at her eyes and glanced around. “Oh!”
He followed the direction of her look, but didn’t see anything but trees.
“Look.” She pointed. “Perfect cobwebs. Like intricate crocheting. And look. The sun is glistening on the moisture. Nature’s diamonds.”
They all turned to consider what she saw. Even Pa. Indeed, if Zach studied at a certain angle, he not only made out the cobwebs hidden in the shadows, as beautifully crafted as Amelia said, but he also saw the shining waterdrops.
Amelia’s soft laughter filled the air. “It goes to prove that all that glitters is not gold.”
“I’m going to look for other treasures.” Kat tromped through the tall grass.
“I come too.” Poppy struggled in her wake.
Pa scooped her up and called to Kat to wait for them.
Amelia moved to dry ground and sat to admire the tiger lilies.
Zach rested nearby watching her, concerned about the way her mouth worked. After waiting a few minutes, he spoke quietly. “Are you thinking of your sister?”
She nodded. “I miss her terribly.”
“It must have been hard to leave her.”
“No, you don’t understand. She was the one to leave.”
He did recall something about her sister going to New York.
“Did something happen?” Would she see his question as concern and not intrusion?
“You might say that.” She brought her gaze to him.
“It’s my fault. She was to be married shortly after Poppy’s birth.
People disapproved when Callie moved in with us.
But when they learned we would shelter a child born of her sin”—she shivered—“they made their disapproval clear. You might say they served us a large dose of rejection. Her fiancé broke off their engagement weeks prior to the planned wedding. He clearly didn’t wish to be part of our foolish choice.
” Her breath shuddered in and out. “Of course, it was primarily my decision. But it greatly affected both my sister and grandmother. It might have seemed selfish to others, but how could I send Poppy to an orphanage?”
Misery glossed her eyes. Her shoulders slumped, and her fingers twisted together.
“Debra couldn’t stay and face the cruel things people were saying.
She got a job as a mother’s helper so far away no one would ever know anything about her.
” Amelia rocked her head back and forth, tears like diamonds clinging to her lashes.
Uncertain what he should do, afraid any touch would offend her, he sat motionless.
“She says she doesn’t blame me. Says I have no choice about the baby. But I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again.” She sat up, her back stiff. “At least she writes.”
“We’re hungry,” Kat called from the wagon.
“Of course you are.” Amelia bounced to her feet, and Zach fell in beside her as they made their way back.
While he spread the blanket, Amelia laid out the food—carrots, pickled eggs, chunks of cheese, biscuits, and jam.
After he’d enjoyed the other offerings, Zach layered red raspberry jam on a biscuit. “Ma always said food tasted better outdoors.”
Pa stopped eating, glanced around, and brought his gaze to Zach. “Evelyn made every occasion special.” He chuckled. “Even cleaning up my clothes after I spent an hour in the mud and manure while caring for cows.”
The three adults stared at Pa, enjoying his moment of clarity.
Pa pushed to his feet. “I must find Evelyn.”
Poppy reached for his hand. “I go with you?” She rubbed her eyes, prepared to cry.
“Poppy’s tired. She needs a nap.” Amelia’s words were soft, inviting Pa to think of the little one.
“Me too.” Pa sank down again, his back to the wagon wheel. “Come, Poppy. Let’s rest.”
Poppy curled up on the ground, her head on Pa’s knee. Her breathing deepened as she slept. Pa tipped his hat over his face and soon snored softly.
Amelia gathered up the picnic things, and Zach stowed them in the wagon, then signaled her to follow him. Kat had wandered off. Perhaps not so far as to repeat yesterday’s worry.
They moved a distance away where they could talk without disturbing the sleeping pair.
“Tomorrow, I’ll get some men cutting this for feed.
” He waved to indicate the grass. “We have never had to use this before. But never before have we seen this sort of drought.” His gaze went to the mountains.
“Seems the ranches down here are the only ones in need of rain.”
“It’s hard to watch the grass dry up and be so powerless to prevent it.
” She trailed her fingers along the nearby reeds.
“I remember learning a Bible verse in Sunday school. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ The words are easy to say, but trust is hard.”
“‘He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’” He blinked. “I don’t know why I said that.”
“It’s from the First Psalm. I guess it isn’t our season.”
He waited for the rains. She waited for marriage. He was about to apologize for not being the answer to her season, but she spoke before he did.
“Thanks for showing me the tiger lilies. It meant a lot to Kat, too.”
“You don’t think it upset her?”
“She was touched by the sweet memory of her mother.” Amelia jerked toward him.
“I just realized something. In the past, I’ve tried not to remember my parents, but that only robs me of them twice.
” A smile curved her lips and warmed her eyes.
“Maybe it’s a healthy thing for Kat to recall stories and events of your mother. ”
“I never thought of it that way. It’s a comforting idea.”
“Wrapping ourselves in sweet memories.”
They shared an understanding smile.
“Having you here has been a great help.” It was almost enough—but no.
Already, her presence was keeping him from his work when it should be freeing him.
On the other hand, when he was away, he knew she wouldn’t let Pa wander too far.
Trouble was, he couldn’t lean too much on her watchfulness.
She’d soon enough be hearing from the Dakota farmer, and too soon after that, she’d marry him and bless his home while Zach returned to his own struggles.
If only Gil would quit drinking. Or if Pa’s mind would clear.
Or if Ma hadn’t died. Better still, why not wish for all three?
Pa jerked awake. Poppy sat up and rubbed her eyes. “Mama.”
It was time to go home. He called Kat. She emerged from the trees and jogged to the wagon, and they were on their way. A short time later, they drove into the yard. Zach’s gaze went to the side, and he held back a throaty growl.
Gil sprawled on the bunkhouse steps, so much for staying sober.
Zach left the others at the house, took care of the horses, and then made his way to the bunkhouse.
“Gil.” He nudged him with his toe. As the man stirred, he picked up the bottle and shook it. Empty.
Gil squinted one eye at Zach. “Hi, Boss.” His words came as slurred as runny mud.
“You said you weren’t going to drink while I was gone.”
“Yeah, but it’s a gift.”
“Get cleaned up and go sleep it off.” Or the other way around. It didn’t matter. But one word burned into Zach’s brain. A gift? One from days past or recent? Had someone been there while they were away? Was this part of Sobel’s harassment?
He circled the corrals and went through the barn, but could see no evidence of an intruder.
Still, he couldn’t shake his uneasy feeling.