Crimson Palace by Maralee Lowder Read Free Book Online Page A

would a shopkeeper’s black suit.
    Soon she noticed an all too familiar animal scent in the air, reminding her suddenly of the stable and corral she had left so far behind. She quickened the pace of her mount, anxious to reach the campsite. Her blood raced with excitement when she heard the lowing of the cattle, the barking of dogs, babies crying.
    The homey sounds reached out to her, beckoning her to come and join the adventure.
    As she approached the huge open fields where the wagons had been gathered, a sense of awe overcame her. Even her active imagination had not prepared her for the scene which appeared before her.
    The camp of waiting travelers, stretching for miles, was a city in itself. Every type of wagon imaginable could be seen, although the most common was the huge Conistoga. For families traveling with all of their belongings for thousands of miles, the Conistoga would seem to be far and above the most practical choice. They were sturdy, and large enough to carry most of a family’s possessions, while also offering them shelter from the elements.
    No curious eyes turned her way as she threaded through the mass of people, camp sites and animals.
    With all the excitement in the air, who could be bothered with just one more young pilgrim?
    Women toiled over fires, preparing the evening meal. Children either helped their mothers or amused themselves around the wagons. Men tinkered with wagon wheels, horse trappings or the massive yokes the oxen would wear as they struggled to pull the heavy load of wagons filled to the brim with family treasures.
    A rag tag town stood near the center of the huge encampment. Tent stores had been set up to handle the needs of the waiting travelers. Among the ragged structures, Shinonn noted several hastily built saloons.
    Leaving the tent village behind, she continued, looking for a likely place to set up her own camp. She felt exposed among so many people. If she could just find a spot with at least a couple of bushes for a bit of privacy!
    Finally, settling for less than perfection, she pulled her mount to a halt and began unburdening the animals. Her camp was next to a small, muddy creak. A scrawny, stunted willow offered shade and the illusion of privacy, if not the fact.
    Taking off her sturdy boots, Shinonn stood in the muddy stream as she curried the sweaty horses. They drank gratefully from the water as it swirled past. The cool water felt wonderful after the long days of traveling. And it felt good to be caring for her horses, she realized, as she stretched her aching shoulder muscles with each sweep of the brush across the horses sweaty hides.
    As she worked, her eyes scanned the scene around her and she began to form a plan. She wasn’t exactly certain how she would arrange to join a train heading west, but she was determined that within the next few days she would be on her way west.
    She managed to set up camp, start a small cooking fire and prepare a simple meal while her mind was totally occupied with the problem of how she was going to go about getting herself attached to a wagon train. Although she still had most of the money she had gotten from Grady, she was smart enough to hold on to all she could.
    She wasn’t about to just walk up to one of the wagon masters and offer to buy a spot. For one thing, there was a fair to middling chance that she wouldn’t be accepted. After all, she was just a boy, traveling alone, with nothing more than a couple of horses and what she carried in her saddle bags. Most wagon masters would consider her just one more problem waiting to happen.
    But she was certain she could come up with an angle, some way to get herself hired onto a train. With that thought in mind, she spent the next couple of days wandering about the camp, listening to talk, watching the action.
    She soon learned that several trains would emerge from the hodgepodge of wagons that were scattered as far as the eye could see. As she wandered, seemingly aimlessly