Mona Hodgson - [Hearts Seeking Home 01] by Prairie Song Page A

forgot to put the box of food away. Left it on the table. I may as well have put a sign on it inviting the bear to supper.”
    “That’s what Faither said.” Lyall kicked a rock. “I heard him.”
    “Never mind that, Mither Kamden.” Her lips pressed together, Rhoda let out a sigh that lifted the wisps of hair on her forehead. “Folks have been so kind to bring our dinner. At least come down to eat and visit.”
    “Mither’s right, Gran.” Duff pushed the canvas cap back on his head. “You can’t stay in the wagon forever. There’s no latrine.”
    Caroline wanted to laugh but didn’t dare. Instead, she pressed her lips together and saw that her friends were doing the same thing.
    “Son, that is not a proper topic to discuss in front of the ladies, let alone at the dinner table.”
    Duff looked up at Rhoda and slid the cap off his head. “Yes ma’am.”
    Sighing as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders, Davonna climbed out onto the seat. “My son only talked about the pretty birds and mountains I would see. He said naught about bears.”
    Duff spread his feet and twirled his right arm. “If I was a real cowboy, I could’ve lassoed that bear.”
    “Or at least the grub box.” Caroline laughed and so did the others. Except for Davonna.
    “Really, Miss Caroline?” Her Scots accent thick, Davonna scowled like ascorned schoolmistress. “You think having a massive animal like that on the other side of the canvas from you—from our children—is a laughing matter? Do you not take anything seriously?”
    Rhoda jerked, her eyes wide. “Mither!”
    “Miss Caroline was only making a funny, Gran,” Duff said.
    Davonna pinned her grandson with a somber gaze. “Well, it isn’t the least bit funny to think about fighting a bear.”
    “But I could protect you if I had a horse and a rifle like the captain. Or like Mr. Caleb. Or Tiny. Or—”
    “Rhoda, it was a bad idea to make this trip. All these coarse men are putting dangerous ideas into the wee bairns’ heads.”
    “Coarse men?” Garrett Cowlishaw stepped into view, his white slouch hat in his hand like a perfect gentleman. “Ladies.”
    “Captain.” Caroline smiled, though all she wanted to do was laugh. For all the trouble the children and Davonna could be, they were also most entertaining.
    Garrett stepped up beside the wagon and held his hand out to Davonna. “Ma’am, it would be my pleasure to assist you. You must be famished by this time.”
    “Well, I suppose I …” She accepted his hand and his assistance to the ground. “Thank you.”
    “Now, you were saying something about coarse men? Is someone giving you trouble?”
    “My grandson.”
    The captain regarded the boy. “Duff?”
    Davonna sighed. “Thanks to you and your trail hands, he is talking about roping a bear like a Wild West cowboy.”
    “I must say, Duff, I agree with your gran. For now, you need to leave the bears to us.”
    Davonna’s fleshy cheeks blushed. “I hope I didn’t offend you, Captain.”
    “Not at all, ma’am.” He set his hat on his head. “I’ve been called worse.”
    Caroline shivered despite the sun’s warmth on her arms. She’d been guilty of at least thinking the worst of him.
    “I’m glad to hear that.” Davonna pulled a tart from the table and took a bite. “Mmm. These are very tasty, Captain, you should try one.”
    Never mind that Mrs. Kamden wasn’t seated with a plate and napkin, and no one else had started eating or even said the blessing.
    The captain rubbed his chin in a failed attempt to hide a grin. He met Caroline’s gaze, the laugh lines on either side of his hazel eyes deepening. She couldn’t help but smile.
    It was official: she liked Garrett Cowlishaw.

13
    A nna dropped the lead rope, grateful for their noon stop. The oxen team snorted and pawed the ground, ready for their portion of grass. She couldn’t say how the oxen’s feet were faring but, on this fourth day of walking better than fifteen