corral. When the gate chain clinked behind her, she settled between the sorrels, one rope in each hand.
“Mrs. Milburn?”
Caroline looked into the friendly face of the young man she recognized from the wagon train meeting. “Good day, Mr. Hughes.”
“Please. Call me Boney. Any friend of Anna’s is—”
“Is a friend of yours.” She smiled. “Thank you. Boney.” There, she’d used his nickname. But she didn’t expect to ever grow accustomed to the relaxed comportment on this side of the Mississippi.
“Mr. Cowlishaw told me of your intention to provision a wagon and go west with the company.”
“It’s true.” Polite airs obviously didn’t concern Boney Hughes. “Did your boss also tell you what he said?”
“Yes ma’am, he did.”
“Well, I’m a woman who takes no to simply mean not now .” She squared her shoulders. “I still intend to go west, Mr. uh … Boney.”
He scrubbed the shadow of a beard. “I see.”
She swallowed a giggle. “You needn’t trouble yourself though. I won’t be making the trip this spring with your wagon train. I’ve already made other plans.”
“No hard feelings, then?”
She smiled. “No hard feelings.” Except when she grew frustrated with her living conditions. Still needed to work on that. Soon, she’d have a place of her own, which would help immensely.
The young man’s marriage proposal to Anna nipped at her curiosity, tempting her to ask him about it. Unfortunately, her eastern proprieties were still intact and forbade inquiry.
Boney dug the toe of his boot into the wet ground, then looked up at her. “I called on Miss Anna and her family this past week.”
“Oh?”
He nodded, bobbing his hat forward as if it were too big for his head. “She hasn’t answered my question.”
“About your question, Mr. Boney … it didn’t seem hasty to you?” If he wasn’t willing to entertain her curiosity, he shouldn’t have brought up the subject.
“Anna did look a bit flabbergasted, didn’t she?” He chuckled. “Her jaw dropped so suddenly that I feared she might bruise her chin.”
“I hadn’t thought on it long, but it ain’t my nature to stew. Just don’t take me long to make up my mind about somethin’.”
Yes, well, she’d tried throwing caution to the wind last week. Had to hope doing so turned out better for this likable fellow. And for Anna.
Less than an hour later, Caroline and Jewell had the horses harnessed to the wagon and were on their way to Mrs. Brantenberg’s farm. Mary squirmed on the front seat beside her mother while Caroline sat in the back with Anna.
Anna leaned forward, her shawl fluttering in the light breeze. “Did you tell your sister?”
Turning slightly, Jewell glanced over her shoulder. “Tell me what?”
“I didn’t say anything.” Caroline looked at Jewell. “Didn’t feel it was my place.”
“Do you remember the boy named Robert Hughes … Boney?” Anna asked.
Jewell nodded. “He lived with his aunt and uncle over the old cobbler’s shop.”
“Yes.” Anna leaned forward. “He’s back in town. I saw him at the Boone’s Lick Wagon Train Company meeting last week. And … he up and asked me to marry him.”
“He what ?” Jewell’s voice rose an octave, causing them all to giggle.
“After the meeting, Boney proposed marriage.”
“He had a reputation for being a tease. You’re sure he wasn’t pulling your leg?”
“I was there. He seemed plenty serious to me.” Caroline looked at Anna. “As a matter of fact, I saw him this morning at the livery. Mentioned he had called on you last week but had yet to receive your answer.”
“He’s very sweet. Said I deserved to be taken care of. I told him I’d think about it.”
“And have you?” Jewell faced the road in front of them.
“It’s all I’ve thought about. Ruined about a dozen candles in the distraction.” Anna wrung her hands. “What would you do?”
Caroline shook her head. “You won’t hear me
“Mrs. Milburn?”
Caroline looked into the friendly face of the young man she recognized from the wagon train meeting. “Good day, Mr. Hughes.”
“Please. Call me Boney. Any friend of Anna’s is—”
“Is a friend of yours.” She smiled. “Thank you. Boney.” There, she’d used his nickname. But she didn’t expect to ever grow accustomed to the relaxed comportment on this side of the Mississippi.
“Mr. Cowlishaw told me of your intention to provision a wagon and go west with the company.”
“It’s true.” Polite airs obviously didn’t concern Boney Hughes. “Did your boss also tell you what he said?”
“Yes ma’am, he did.”
“Well, I’m a woman who takes no to simply mean not now .” She squared her shoulders. “I still intend to go west, Mr. uh … Boney.”
He scrubbed the shadow of a beard. “I see.”
She swallowed a giggle. “You needn’t trouble yourself though. I won’t be making the trip this spring with your wagon train. I’ve already made other plans.”
“No hard feelings, then?”
She smiled. “No hard feelings.” Except when she grew frustrated with her living conditions. Still needed to work on that. Soon, she’d have a place of her own, which would help immensely.
The young man’s marriage proposal to Anna nipped at her curiosity, tempting her to ask him about it. Unfortunately, her eastern proprieties were still intact and forbade inquiry.
Boney dug the toe of his boot into the wet ground, then looked up at her. “I called on Miss Anna and her family this past week.”
“Oh?”
He nodded, bobbing his hat forward as if it were too big for his head. “She hasn’t answered my question.”
“About your question, Mr. Boney … it didn’t seem hasty to you?” If he wasn’t willing to entertain her curiosity, he shouldn’t have brought up the subject.
“Anna did look a bit flabbergasted, didn’t she?” He chuckled. “Her jaw dropped so suddenly that I feared she might bruise her chin.”
“I hadn’t thought on it long, but it ain’t my nature to stew. Just don’t take me long to make up my mind about somethin’.”
Yes, well, she’d tried throwing caution to the wind last week. Had to hope doing so turned out better for this likable fellow. And for Anna.
Less than an hour later, Caroline and Jewell had the horses harnessed to the wagon and were on their way to Mrs. Brantenberg’s farm. Mary squirmed on the front seat beside her mother while Caroline sat in the back with Anna.
Anna leaned forward, her shawl fluttering in the light breeze. “Did you tell your sister?”
Turning slightly, Jewell glanced over her shoulder. “Tell me what?”
“I didn’t say anything.” Caroline looked at Jewell. “Didn’t feel it was my place.”
“Do you remember the boy named Robert Hughes … Boney?” Anna asked.
Jewell nodded. “He lived with his aunt and uncle over the old cobbler’s shop.”
“Yes.” Anna leaned forward. “He’s back in town. I saw him at the Boone’s Lick Wagon Train Company meeting last week. And … he up and asked me to marry him.”
“He what ?” Jewell’s voice rose an octave, causing them all to giggle.
“After the meeting, Boney proposed marriage.”
“He had a reputation for being a tease. You’re sure he wasn’t pulling your leg?”
“I was there. He seemed plenty serious to me.” Caroline looked at Anna. “As a matter of fact, I saw him this morning at the livery. Mentioned he had called on you last week but had yet to receive your answer.”
“He’s very sweet. Said I deserved to be taken care of. I told him I’d think about it.”
“And have you?” Jewell faced the road in front of them.
“It’s all I’ve thought about. Ruined about a dozen candles in the distraction.” Anna wrung her hands. “What would you do?”
Caroline shook her head. “You won’t hear me
Similar Books
