Land of My Heart by Tracie Peterson Read Free Book Online Page B

Susannah said, noting her list again. “I’m glad to see that. I suppose, however, liquor for medicinal purposes is allowed?”
    “Absolutely. I just can’t be having my men drunk when there’s a very real possibility of Indian attack.”
    “Is it truly that dangerous?” Susannah hugged herself to refrain from shuddering.
    “It is indeed. There are a dozen or more tribes between here and Virginia City, and at any given time they can all be on the warpath. Pawnees, Crow, Cheyenne, and Sioux have all been giving us grief from time to time. They resent the whites taking over their hunting lands and killing off the game. They don’t care how many people they have to kill—they just want us gone. Bringing a wagon train full of folks is just the same as insulting them—it wounds their pride.”
    “And causes them to retaliate,” Susannah said, imagining the horror of watching her children die at the hands of such savages.
    “It’s just something to consider, ma’am,” Keefer continued. “With the large number of wagons and families, I’m figuring we’ll be fine. And things bein’ what they are, you’ll probably have more complaints with your fellow travelers than with the Indians. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to have Cole check your wagons and gear. Can you advise him as to where you’ve liveried your animals and wagons?”
    “Of course. We’re just down the road at the Smith Brothers Livery.”
    Cole nodded. “I know where that’s at. I’ll get to it right away.” He nodded to Susannah. “Ma’am.”
    Susannah waited until he’d gone before turning her attention back to the wagon master. “I’m sure he’ll find everything in order, but please send me a message if anything is amiss. I tried to adhere to the book. I didn’t want to make the ox teams work too hard. I mean to get to Virginia City in good condition, Mr. Keefer.” And she did. Never before had she been more determined to accomplish anything.
    He nodded. “I can appreciate that, Mrs. Chadwick. I think you’ll do just fine. I don’t generally allow widowed woman on my trains, but since you have three strapping boys to help, I’m sure you’ll be all right.” He started for the door, then turned abruptly. “I almost forgot. We’ll leave for Independence day after tomorrow.”
    Susannah said nothing about his mistaken idea that three of her sons would accompany them. Let him suppose that was how it would be. Hopefully he’d be too busy to learn the truth of it until they were far enough west that he couldn’t refuse them. She put her hand tenderly to her stomach. Same for this matter. No one needs to know about the baby until it’s too late to do anything else about it .

    Dianne looked at her brothers in sheer disbelief. “You really expect me to milk the cows? I don’t know anything about it.”
    “That’s why we’re taking you down to the livery. You need to learn and quick. Milking is women’s work,” Zane told her with an air of authority.
    Morgan nodded and added, “It’s real simple, Dianne. Otis showed us how. It was kind of hard at first, because we had it all wrong in our minds. We figured you just pumped the teat up and down and the milk came out, but that’s not the case. You have to kind of squeeze and roll your hand down, all at the same time.”
    Dianne frowned. “It doesn’t sound all that simple to me. I’ve never been up close to those beasts—you know that.” She stopped on the boardwalk, refusing to go any farther. “What if they decide to step on me?”
    Morgan shrugged and Zane gazed heavenward as if completely exasperated. “Just come on,” Morgan encouraged. “If I can do it, you can.”
    Dianne wasn’t convinced and as they made their way to the expansive livery stables of the Smith brothers, she felt even less confident that her brothers were right.
    “Our stock is at the far end. We have the milk cows, the oxen, and the horses here. The chickens are kept elsewhere. The cows have