sometimes ate grasshoppers.
Though Fortune was exhausted, sleep wouldnât come. As she lay in the narrow wagon beside the snoring Mrs. Watson, a million thoughts were racing through her mind, most of them having to do with Jamie and Aaron.
Mrs. Watson gave a loud snort and rolled over, tossing an arm across Fortuneâs shoulders.
âThat does it!â she muttered. âIâve got to get out of here!â
Scrambling to her feet, she wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, then climbed out of the wagon. When she turned and looked up, she caught her breath in wonder. The huge sky, so much bigger than she was used to back East, was blazing with stars. The vastness of it made her feel tiny, insignificant.
She turned in a slow circle, trying to take it all in. To the west, in the direction they were heading, a bar of darkness covered the stars in the lower quarter of the sky. Distant thunder rumbled, so softly she could barely hear it above the soft thrum of the insects. The wind from the west carried the sweet scent of the prairie in bloom.
I want someone to share this with, she thought desperately. Itâs too beautiful for just one person.
Several wagons away she could hear some of the men hooting and shouting. She frowned. It was a sound she associated with saloons and drinking, and it made her think of her fatherâs death. The raucousness seemed a scar on the serene beauty of the night.
Moving quietly, she walked away from the shouting, heading for where Romeo, Juliet, and the rest of the team were tethered. The horses were grazing in a slow, lazy fashion. Other horses were nearby. Fortune enjoyed the sound they made tearing up the tender spring grass, the musky smell of their bodies.
âHi, Romeo,â she said softly. âHello there, Juliet.â
The gelding raised his head and whickered. Juliet, however, continued to eat, completely ignoring Fortuneâs arrival.
âOh, donât be so uppity,â she said to the mare. At the same time she began scratching Romeo behind the ears. As soon as Juliet noticed the attention Romeo was getting, she crossed to join them.
Thunder rumbled, closer now than when she had left the wagon.
âMust be nice being a horse,â Fortune said to Romeo, pointedly ignoring Juliet. âLess to worry about.â
Juliet blew out a gust of air, causing her lips to flap.
Fortune laughed. âWell, thereâs no need to be rude if you donât agree! I just meant it seems as if it would be easy to have so many of your decisions made for you. You donât have to worry about which way youâre going, or who youâre going with. Thatâs all taken care of.â
âIt does make life easier, doesnât it?â asked a husky voice behind her.
Fortune spun around. âAaron!â
âCouldnât sleep?â he asked. His words were oddly slurred, and Fortuneâs delight at seeing him faded as she found herself trying to fight down the feeling that she heard something menacing in his voice.
âJust sore from walking all day,â she said, forcing a laugh.
âAnd not even a little bit lonely?â
He stepped closer. His breath was rank with the smell of cheap liquor, and Fortune realized that he had been part of the wild group she had heard back at the wagons. âNot lonely at all,â she lied. âI like the solitude.â
ââS funny,â said Aaron. âBeautiful night likes this, youâd think aâ¦a pretty girl standing out here by herself would just be longing for someone to share it with.â
âI was looking at the stars.â
Aaron glanced up. The sky was darkening as the cloud bank moved in from the west, but overhead, and to the east, the stars were still as brilliant as ever. âTheyâre beautiful,â he said, taking another step closer. âJust like you.â
âBut Iâm getting cold now,â said Fortune. âI think Iâll
Though Fortune was exhausted, sleep wouldnât come. As she lay in the narrow wagon beside the snoring Mrs. Watson, a million thoughts were racing through her mind, most of them having to do with Jamie and Aaron.
Mrs. Watson gave a loud snort and rolled over, tossing an arm across Fortuneâs shoulders.
âThat does it!â she muttered. âIâve got to get out of here!â
Scrambling to her feet, she wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, then climbed out of the wagon. When she turned and looked up, she caught her breath in wonder. The huge sky, so much bigger than she was used to back East, was blazing with stars. The vastness of it made her feel tiny, insignificant.
She turned in a slow circle, trying to take it all in. To the west, in the direction they were heading, a bar of darkness covered the stars in the lower quarter of the sky. Distant thunder rumbled, so softly she could barely hear it above the soft thrum of the insects. The wind from the west carried the sweet scent of the prairie in bloom.
I want someone to share this with, she thought desperately. Itâs too beautiful for just one person.
Several wagons away she could hear some of the men hooting and shouting. She frowned. It was a sound she associated with saloons and drinking, and it made her think of her fatherâs death. The raucousness seemed a scar on the serene beauty of the night.
Moving quietly, she walked away from the shouting, heading for where Romeo, Juliet, and the rest of the team were tethered. The horses were grazing in a slow, lazy fashion. Other horses were nearby. Fortune enjoyed the sound they made tearing up the tender spring grass, the musky smell of their bodies.
âHi, Romeo,â she said softly. âHello there, Juliet.â
The gelding raised his head and whickered. Juliet, however, continued to eat, completely ignoring Fortuneâs arrival.
âOh, donât be so uppity,â she said to the mare. At the same time she began scratching Romeo behind the ears. As soon as Juliet noticed the attention Romeo was getting, she crossed to join them.
Thunder rumbled, closer now than when she had left the wagon.
âMust be nice being a horse,â Fortune said to Romeo, pointedly ignoring Juliet. âLess to worry about.â
Juliet blew out a gust of air, causing her lips to flap.
Fortune laughed. âWell, thereâs no need to be rude if you donât agree! I just meant it seems as if it would be easy to have so many of your decisions made for you. You donât have to worry about which way youâre going, or who youâre going with. Thatâs all taken care of.â
âIt does make life easier, doesnât it?â asked a husky voice behind her.
Fortune spun around. âAaron!â
âCouldnât sleep?â he asked. His words were oddly slurred, and Fortuneâs delight at seeing him faded as she found herself trying to fight down the feeling that she heard something menacing in his voice.
âJust sore from walking all day,â she said, forcing a laugh.
âAnd not even a little bit lonely?â
He stepped closer. His breath was rank with the smell of cheap liquor, and Fortune realized that he had been part of the wild group she had heard back at the wagons. âNot lonely at all,â she lied. âI like the solitude.â
ââS funny,â said Aaron. âBeautiful night likes this, youâd think aâ¦a pretty girl standing out here by herself would just be longing for someone to share it with.â
âI was looking at the stars.â
Aaron glanced up. The sky was darkening as the cloud bank moved in from the west, but overhead, and to the east, the stars were still as brilliant as ever. âTheyâre beautiful,â he said, taking another step closer. âJust like you.â
âBut Iâm getting cold now,â said Fortune. âI think Iâll
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