Page 14 of Mail-Order Bride Runaway
She held back a chuckle knowing he wouldn’t likely appreciate the humor. “Come out of the mud. I’ll find water for you to wash in.”
He slopped from the brown stream. Once he was on dry land, she removed the cooking pots from the wagon and trotted down the stream in search of clean water. A little distance away, she discovered a small pond and was about to fill the pots when she decided the pond—more of a puddle, really—was big enough for a man to stand in and she ran back to the wagon where he continued to rub at his soiled clothes, looking as miserable as a wet kitten.
“Andy, come on. I found a place where you can wash off.”
“Good because this is nasty stuff. Horse manure mixed in mud.” A sound of disgust growled from him.
“Come on.” She led the way back. He walked straight into the puddle, clothes and boots still on. The water came to his knees, but he sat down and splashed water over himself.
She left him to clean up and returned to the wagon to wait. The brittle sun hung in the brass sky. Heat waves danced in the distance. So much space. So much sky. She moved away from the horses and their smell and breathed deeply. The air here seemed purer and lighter. Ma would have enjoyed living in Montana.
But that plan had turned out to be disastrous.
* * *
Andy trompedfrom the water and stood on the grassy verge. Despite the hot sun, he shivered as brown water dripped from him. Miss Epps’s blue dress provided the only spot of color in the parched landscape. Water squishing in his boots, he made his way back to the wagon.
“I need to take care of the horses,” he called to her where she stood a distance away. He unhitched the pair and led them to the pool of water. They drank as he washed the mud from them, feeling each leg. If one of them came up lame, their journey would be seriously delayed. Knots clawed at the back of his neck at the thought. Even without her father to defend her honor, public opinion would demand they marry.
He straightened to study her. The wind blew her skirt against her as she made her way toward him.
“I’ll help.”
He raised his hand to stop her before she stepped into the water. “No need for you to get wet.”
“I don’t mind.”
“Stay there. I’m almost finished.” He led the horses to the grassy shore. “I worried they might have done damage, but they seem fine. I’ll let them rest a bit before we continue.”
To her credit, she didn’t protest even though she must understand that the delay might mean they wouldn’t reach their destination before night fall. Come to think of it, she’d been a good sport for the most part. Not complaining. Telling jokes. Laughing at his.
With a shrug, he turned away and then jerked back to squint in her direction. Where was the axe? Not in her hands.
Good. Now they could both relax.
He sat on the grass to pull off his boots and empty out the water. He’d have to dry them tonight or he’d end up with sore feet. He stretched out his legs in the sunshine.
Miss Epps stopped in front of him. “It’s like the story about young Max.” She didn’t give him a chance to comment but rushed on. “He almost drowned moving a herd of horses across a river. Did you read that one?”
“One of theMen of the Weststories?” At her nod, he continued, “Don’t recall that one. Almost drowned, you say? Is there more to the story?”
She hunkered down a few feet away. “The heroine, Annie, rescued him. Dragged him to the bank and pumped his arms until he spewed water and started to breathe. He sat up, saw it was her and in his gratitude, kissed her soundly.” Pink flooded her cheeks. She plucked a blade of grass and gave it a great deal of attention. “It seemed very romantic at the time,” she mumbled.
“Do you crave romance?”
Her gaze jerked to his, blue eyes burning with emotion. “I crave adventure. I want to see new things, go new places, and meet new people.” Her words came forth in a rush. “My pa said life was a grand adventure and I must follow every opportunity to experience it. He was raised in England and often said he wanted to take me there when I was older.”
He couldn’t break free of the intensity of her words and expression.
“He died before he could fulfill his dream, but he made me promise I would continue to see life as an adventure. I intend to satisfy his desire for me to see his home country.” Her enthusiasm waned and she returned to shredding blades of grass.
He adjusted the legs of his drying trousers. “Seems to me you might have gotten exactly what you want by coming to Montana.”
The air between them shimmered with her exasperated huff. “In what way?”
The question held a challenge. Perhaps a warning as well but seeing she didn’t have the axe in her hands, he plowed on. “See new things, go new places, meet new people…haven’t you done that?”
Her eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth. Closed it and then tipped her head back and laughed. “I guess that’s true though I’m not sure that’s what Pa meant.”
