"Love is in the air, all right." Boney locked gazes with Caleb. "But it seems to be avoidin' most of us."

Garrett sighed. He had a feeling something was afoot he should know about, but he didn't have the patience for it now. "I'll leave you all to sort that out for Boney." He waved and walked up the line, looking straight ahead until he reached the Conestoga.

Ian and his mother, Davonna, stood outside talking with Dr. Le Beau and Camille. "Captain." The father of five sighed. "We didn't want to disrupt the meeting."

"Don't worry about that. You certainly weren't the first ones." Garrett smiled.

Ian nodded. "I figure Mr. Beck and the doctor's hurly-burly was enough to make any of us sick." His voice flattened on the last word.

"Any news?" Garrett asked, looking from Ian to Dr. Le Beau.

"I thought perhaps she carried another child, but the doctor doesn't seem to think that's the cause of her pain."

"Does she have a fever like Otto Goben had last week?"

"No." Ian shook his head. "Only sharp pain that started in the mid o' her belly. Mostly lower, on the right side now. She was ne'er sick with any of our bairns."

Garrett was sure the Scotsman hadn't spoken so many words to him the whole time they'd been on the road. He glanced from the doctor to the daughter. "What do you think is wrong?"

Camille translated. "Papa says no, it is not like Monsieur Goben's ailment. He is not sure of the cause. But no one else has made complaints of any such sign. We will keep watch for any others who take ill."

"Good. Thank you." Garrett looked up just as Caroline peeked through the opening in the front of the wagon.

"I thought I heard your voice." Caroline looked through the darkness, toward the clearing. "The meeting is over, then?"

"Thankfully, yes."

She turned her attention to Ian. "Rhoda is asking for you." That said, she stepped over the seat and down the wheel spokes.

Ian nodded, then looked at Davonna. "Mither, could you go see about the children?"

Davonna huffed.

"I'll let you know if anything changes, Mither."

Caroline glanced at the grandmother. "I'll be along in just a few minutes, Davonna."

When the older woman skulked toward the farm wagon, Dr. Le Beau and Camille followed Ian up and into the wagon.

Garrett looked Caroline in the eyes, a mesmerizing green even in the faint light the campfire offered. He swallowed and glanced toward the Conestoga with a nod. "How is she?"

"The pain is easing. Hopefully, it was just a fluke. The children ..." Caroline lowered her voice. "And her mother-in-law can be a handful, at times."

"Yes. I do know a little something about folks bein' a handful." He shook his head. "Under the tree last Sunday, you praised my leadership."

"I remember that."

"Well, I'm certain tonight you were having second thoughts."

"Not at all." She pressed her hand to the lace collar, drawing his attention to the red curl dangling at her neck. "I think it takes strong leadership skills to refrain from knocking heads together when grown men forget how to behave."

"I like the way you think." Garrett rubbed his bearded chin, holding her gaze. "You may think me uncaring for asking, under Mrs. Kamden's circumstances, but-"

She lifted an eyebrow, her mouth tipped in a crooked smile.

"Will you need to help out tomorrow, or can we still plan on taking our horseback ride?"

"I'm still counting on it." Caroline clasped her hands below her waist. "If need be, Lorelei Beck or Hattie can sit with Rhoda or help Davonna with the children."

"That is good news, ma'am. Real good news."

She tilted her head. "I think so too, Captain."

Suddenly, he was all the more anxious to welcome tomorrow.

27.

Anna had mixed feelings about Rutherford Wainwright's prayer of benediction. She wasn't ready to leave the service yet. Not if it meant parting company with Caleb. He stood on one side of her, Grovater on the other. Mutter hadn't joined them.

She and Caleb hadn't had a chance to speak privately since their kiss and Boney's interruption yesterday. She hoped they would have an opportunity this afternoon, but Grovater would expect his supper soon.

Grovater set his hat on his head, her signal that it was time to go back to camp.

Caleb brushed her hand, sending a shiver up her spine, and she met his brown-eyed gaze. "Anna, will I see you later?"

Nodding, she moistened her lips. "You could join us for supper if you'd like."

Boney sauntered up. "You comin' to Sunday supper too?" he asked Caleb.

Anna's mouth dropped open. "You're coming?"

Boney grinned. "Do you have to sound so disappointed?"

"I'm not. Just surprised, is all." Anna looked at Grovater.

Grovater nodded, and she was pretty sure she saw a twinkle in his eyes.

"The more the merrier is how I think." Boney clapped Caleb on the shoulder. "We accept."

Caleb nodded, a grin deepening the dimple in his cheek.

The more the merrier, unless you're interrupting a kiss. Or you were once the intended of the woman who invited another man to supper. Anna sighed, and took the lead to their camp while the men talked about greasing wagon wheels, fording rivers, and trappers named Skins.

She served the food, and soon everyone was happily filling their stomachs.

Caleb took a second bread roll from the basket. "You made these?" he asked Anna.

"I did. And the veal potthast."

"Best I've ever tasted."

Anna moistened her lips. "You like German foods?"

"I do now."

Anna's cheeks warmed.

Boney cleared his throat. "I wouldn't be too flattered, Anna. Caleb's told me he likes my cookin' too."

Anna smiled.

"Him, on the other hand." Boney looked at Caleb, his mouth turned up in a grin. "Well, Caleb's cookin' can leave a wild animal feeling hungry."

Caleb peered at Boney over his forkful of potato.

Boney shrugged. "Just sayin, you're gonna need a woman who can cook."

Grinning, Caleb looked directly into her eyes. Good thing she was seated. "It's the truth."

Grovater lifted his coffee cup. "Which part is the truth?"

"Otto's got a point there, Tennessee," Boney said. "You agreein' your cookin' is too bad for even a wild animal, or you lookin' for a woman who can cook?"

Caleb scooped a generous bite of veal onto his fork. "Yes."

Anna pressed her bottom lip between her teeth but was still having trouble containing a giggle. This was more fun than she would've guessed possible.

"Well, I can see we're gettin' nowhere with Caleb. Not while there's still food here." Boney glanced at the wagon. "Where's your mother? Is she ill?"

Anna drew in a deep breath. "She wasn't feeling her best today and decided to rest before our departure in the morning."

"My daughter is pouting."

"Grovater!" Anna squared her shoulders.

He shrugged. "These young men need to know right here and now that you women pout."

Anna drew in a slow, deep breath, refusing to offer any hint of a pout. Boney's and Caleb's mouths tipped into not-so-subtle grins.

Grovater focused on the young men. "When females don't get their way, that's what they do. At any age. Every age."

Caleb glanced at Anna, mischief brightening his face. "That's good to know, sir."

"My daughter, she wants to stay in Independence."

Boney set his half-eaten bread on his plate, no doubt surprised and concerned. But it was Caleb's reaction, not Boney's, Anna cared most about. She met his pensive gaze.

A frown creased Caleb's sun-kissed brow. "You're not leaving the Company, are you?"

"No," Grovater said. "I told her no."

The smile on Caleb's face added to Anna's joy. In their first meetings, she wouldn't have guessed the two of them could be friends, but now ...

Boney blew out a long breath. "Safe to say we're both thankful you're staying with us."

Caleb looked straight at Anna. "Yes, very grateful."

Anna nodded, her list of reasons not to leave Caleb Reger growing fast. His willingness to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it. The tenor of his voice when he read Scripture. His good humor in Boney's relentless teasing. The way he smiled after every bite of her cooking ...

Caroline stood beside Anna's horse, Molasses. Had horses grown taller, or was she shrinking? When Garrett Cowlishaw suggested a Sunday ride, she'd ignored the fact that it had been nearly six years since she'd ridden a horse.

Yet, here she was in a skirt, with a man who rode a horse every day.

It seemed she had only three choices. One, attempt to climb up by herself, risk falling to the ground, or worse, dangling with her foot caught in the stirrup. Two, tell Garrett the truth, that she felt insecure about her riding skills. Or three, she could suddenly feel ill and cancel the ride.

Talking herself into spending time with any man other than Phillip, much less this particular one, had been no easy task. Steeling herself, Caroline turned to face her companion. Garrett stood beside his black stallion looking every bit a seasoned horseman.

"Mr. Cowlishaw."

"Garrett."

"Garrett." She dropped her hands to her sides. "I'm not a horsewoman."

"You've never ridden?"

"Twice. But it's been a long while."

He smiled. "I didn't consider that being from the city, you may-"

Caroline raised her gloved hand to stop him. "I'm not opposed to riding. I'm just not sure where to begin so as to land on the saddle"-she looked at their feet-"and not on the ground."

His chuckle tender, Garrett stepped toward her. "Not that I'm an expert in the art of landing in a sidesaddle, mind you, but I'm happy to help."

She pressed her lips together, holding back a giggle. "Please."

Garrett held the stirrup for her. When he pointed to her left foot, she took the prompt and raised her leg. Once she had her foot in the stirrup, Garrett moved to her side and placed his hands around her waist. Her breaths quickened. Until now, no one but Phillip had ever touched her in such an intimate way. The blend of amusement and awareness she detected in Garrett's eyes did nothing to calm the flutters in her stomach.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

She was better now than she'd been in a long time.