Prince Charming

Taylor was secretly pleased with Daniel’s behavior. He was obviously feeling safe and comfortable enough to let his guard down. The pretense of being a perfect little gentleman was finally wearing thin, and the real child was emerging. Daniel could be as obnoxious as any other seven-year-old, and she couldn’t have been happier.

After the second day out, Hunter got stuck with Georgie. He didn’t realize it was deliberate until the fourth morning. The little girl would squeeze herself up next to him on the seat, her baby doll in her lap, and talk from the minute the wagon started moving until they stopped for lunch. He was usually considering putting a gag in her mouth by then. Georgie rode with Taylor every afternoon and always took a long nap with her sister.

Victoria and Taylor both loved the evenings, for it meant they were another day closer to their destination. They prepared supper together over the fire Hunter started for them. They were terrible cooks and so they only fixed simple dishes. Taylor made pan biscuits every night. They weren’t too bad if they were loaded with strawberry jam. Victoria fried and burned the fish Hunter caught and deboned for her. It was usually trout and incredibly delicious. They added apples from their store of supplies and whatever else they could think of that was easy to prepare.

Daniel and Georgie would eat anything Taylor put in front of them. Allie was the persnickety one. She wouldn’t eat any food that touched any other food on her plate. If the biscuit were accidentally placed too close to the fish, the two-year-old wouldn’t eat either offering. She was specific about her apples as well. Taylor had to peel it, core it, and then cut the apple into four sections, just like she’d done the first time she’d fixed the fruit for the child. And God help them all if Allie’s fingers got sticky. The usually sweetnatured child would carry on something fierce until her hands were washed and dried.

Each one of them had his or her own peculiarity. Victoria always got a burst of energy as soon as the sun went down. Daniel still insisted on sleeping with his boots in his arms, and Georgie always talked until she fell asleep. The sound of her voice became her own lullaby.

Hunter became cantankerous every evening. He’d feel it was his duty to once again remind them that it still wasn’t too late to turn back. When Taylor and Victoria wouldn’t agree, he’d lose his patience.

Taylor was usually in a good deal of pain by the end of the day. The muscles in her shoulders and back would feel as though they were on fire. She didn’t want to listen to Hunter’s comments about how foolish she was, and on the night before they reached Redemption, her temper exploded. She told him she was pretty certain she had already aged at least twenty years, that she was sure she looked a fright, and that she ached from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. She couldn’t do anything about her appearance or her pains. She could do something about his behavior, however, and if he didn’t stop reminding her she was crazy, she just might have to prove him right.

She was too distraught to think of anything substantial enough to threaten him with. He wouldn’t have believed her anyway. She turned around and walked back to her wagon. She hurt so much she wanted to cry, but she didn’t give into the luxury because it would have required too much energy.

Hunter must have realized he’d been too hard on her, because the next morning, he didn’t shake her awake at the crack of dawn. She and Victoria both slept until after nine o’clock. Georgie’s laughter woke them up.

Victoria stayed behind to wash and dress, but Taylor put on her robe and went looking for the children. They were easy to find. She simply followed the sound of Georgie’s voice.

Hunter had taken the trio to the creek. He sat on the bank, his rifle next to his side, watching over the children. Daniel had just put on his socks and pants and was struggling to put on his boots.

“Always turn your boots upside down and shake them real good before you put them on in the morning,” Hunter advised.

“Why?” the child asked.

“Critters sometimes crawl inside during the night,” Hunter explained.

Taylor ducked under a branch and walked forward. Her eyes widened when she saw the twins. They were both stark naked and soaking wet. Allie was sitting in the stream combing her baby doll’s mop of hair while Georgie jumped up and down so water would splash up around her.

The water was as clear as air. Hunter had chosen a spot deep within a grotto where the water level was only a couple of inches. Further down the line of trees, the creek spilled into a much deeper pool.

Neither twin was shivering. Taylor assumed the water wasn’t too cold for them. She suddenly wished she could join them. She longed to wash her hair and smell like her rose-scented soap instead of horses and old leather.

Allie was the first to spot her by the trees.

“Mama,” she cried out. “I’m washing baby.”

Taylor smiled. She took a step forward. “I can see you are,” she called back.

“Good morning, Mother.”

Taylor turned to her son. “Good morning, Daniel. Did you sleep well?” if

“I’m going to be David today,” he informed her. “I guess I slept well. I didn’t wake up.”

Taylor started walking toward the edge of the stream. Georgie was trying to carry handfuls of water to her. At least she thought it was Georgie. Taylor based her conclusion on the fact that the twin was chattering away about the game she was playing.

Taylor kicked off her shoes. She didn’t stop when she reached the water’s edge. She kept right on going, much to the children’s delight. Hunter was as surprised. He let out a burst of laughter, which Georgie immediately imitated.

When she sat down in the middle of the stream, dressed in her nightgown and robe, even David cracked a smile.

Victoria came strolling around the bend in the trees to find out what all the commotion was about. She took one look at Taylor and burst into laughter.

While Taylor played with her daughters, Victoria went back to the wagons to fetch soap and towels. She washed Allie’s hair and Taylor washed Georgie. David promised he’d already washed his own. He was thoroughly engrossed in the task of cleaning his boots.

After the twins had been scrubbed clean, Taylor put the pair on a blanket next to Hunter, and then went around the curve in the stream to the deeper water. She took off her gown and robe and then took her bath. Victoria stood on the bank with Taylor’s gun in her hand, and it was only after her friend had washed her hair and finally started getting dressed that she admitted she didn’t know how to shoot the weapon. Taylor promised to teach her as soon as they were settled in their new home.

Victoria took her turn next. David came to check on the women. Hunter had sent him to find out how much longer they were going to dally. Victoria sent back the message in a shout Hunter was sure to hear that she wasn’t going to be rushed.

Taylor sat down on a blanket, put her gun in her lap, and started to dry her hair. Her gaze settled on the far bank, for she’d noticed a movement in the brush but couldn’t see what was causing it. Victoria was oblivious to her surroundings. She was thoroughly enjoying herself. She’d lathered her hair up and was now rinsing the soap out. David grew bored and went back to play with his sisters.

Another movement caught Taylor’s attention. She squinted against the sunlight but still couldn’t see anything beyond. She made up her mind it was just the wind causing the leaves to sway. Then she saw the eyes. They were yellow. The outline of the body appeared next. It was a cat of some sort and without a doubt the biggest thing she’d ever seen.

She’d read in one of her novels that cats didn’t go into water. They were afraid to get wet. This cat didn’t know he was supposed to be afraid. Taylor slowly stood up and took aim. The animal was edging forward again. He looked ready to jump. She started to call a warning to Victoria. A hand clamped down over her mouth, effectively stopping her.

“Don’t make a sound and don’t move.”

Hunter gave the command in a low whisper next to her ear. Taylor froze. S

he didn’t even nod to let him know she’d heard. She guessed his worry. If Victoria stood up in the water, she would put herself between the cat and Hunter’s rifle.

Neither Taylor nor Hunter was watching Victoria now. Their attention was riveted on the monstrous cat.

Victoria was having the time of her life. She made another lazy dive, rolled onto her back under the water so her hair wouldn’t cover her face when she surfaced, and then stood up. She faced Taylor. She started to smile, but then she spotted Hunter and let out a gasp instead. Her hands covered her breasts under the water.

She suddenly realized they were watching the bank behind her. Hunter had his rifle ready. He was squinting through the sight. She was afraid to turn around. Her gaze frantically turned to Taylor again. Her friend silently mouthed the words “Get down.” Victoria’s knees went weak and she slowly sank down into the water.

The cat sprang into a high arch. Hunter fired twice in rapid succession, though he was certain he killed the mountain cat with his first shot. The animal landed with a splash just a few feet away from Victoria.

Victoria shot out of the water and stared at the animal as it sank to the bottom. Then she let out a piercing scream and collapsed backward into a dead faint. Hunter fished her out. Victoria was sputtering and crying. As soon as Hunter lifted her into his arms, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. Taylor tucked a blanket around her friend for modesty’s sake.

The children came running to find out what had happened. Taylor took them back to the wagons. Victoria was sobbing now, and Taylor thought she could use a little privacy until she got control of her emotions. It had been a frightful experience. Taylor noticed her hands were shaking when she put her gun away in her apron. The twins were wide-eyed and silent while they listened to her explain what had happened. Georgie wanted to go and see the cat. Taylor wouldn’t let her. She dressed the little girls, combed their hair, and had just finished tying their shoes when Allie let out a piercing scream. She had only just noticed her baby doll was missing.

Taylor’s nerves were already frayed, but she held onto her patience. She put the twins side by side up on the seat, told them not to move, and then started to go back to the stream. Her son offered to go for her.

“You stay here, Daniel,” she ordered. “I’ll be right back. Allie, stop that screeching. I’m going to get your baby.”

“I’m David today,” her son reminded her. “Did you forget?”

This name business was getting out of hand. Taylor turned around. “Why don’t I call you Daniel David until you make up your mind?” she suggested. “It would be easier for me to remember.”

“Two names?” He smiled over the possibility.

“Yes,” she agreed. “Two names.”

“But what if I want to be David Daniel instead of Daniel David?”

Here we go again, Taylor thought. She left the boy to mull over his choices and muttered her way back to the creek. The doll was on one of the rocks near the water’s edge. She didn’t reach down to pick up the toy, however, but took a hasty step back instead. A snake with brown speckles all over it was coiled on the rock next to the baby doll. It was making a rattling sound and watching her. Taylor froze and started to call out to Hunter. She could hear Allie wailing in the background, and all that suddenly mattered to her was getting the doll so the child would stop screaming. Hunter wasn’t always going to be around to take care of her and Victoria and the children. Lucas wouldn’t be around either, she realized. She was going to have to stand on her own two feet, even when she didn’t want to.

She took the gun out of her apron. She wished the snake would just slither away so she wouldn’t have to kill it, and then another thought changed her mind. What if she had sent Daniel to fetch the doll?

Taylor took aim and killed the snake with one clean shot. The force of the bullet lifted the snake up and backward into the water.

Hunter was kissing Victoria and liking it entirely too much when the sound of gunfire pulled him back to reality. He put Victoria down, grabbed his rifle, and started toward the sound.

“Taylor,” he roared.

“It was just a damned snake, Mr. Hunter,” she called back.

Victoria had also started to go to her friend. Hunter stopped her by grabbing hold of her arm. He was going to tell her to stay put until he found out what had happened, but once Taylor shouted her explanation, he should have let go of Victoria. He didn’t. She was adjusting the blanket to cover her breasts, her head bowed.

“She killed a snake,” she whispered and then peeped up to look at Hunter.

“No, she killed a damned snake,” he corrected.

Victoria nodded. “I would have gotten hysterical. Taylor got mad. Why did you kiss me?”

It didn’t take him anytime at all to come up with a suitable lie. “To get you to stop crying.”

“Oh,” she sighed.

He couldn’t make himself stop staring at her. God, she was lovely. Her eyes were the prettiest shade of green he’d ever seen, and her hair looked like bronzed fire to him. She had a splattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. He resisted the urge to kiss them.

He was out of his mind to think about such things. For a moment, he’d forgotten who she was and what he was. A lady and a half-breed. It was an impossible combination. “You going to stand here all day?”

The anger in his voice stung her pride and pricked her temper. “Only until you let go of me.”

He immediately pulled away from her and went back to camp. She followed him at what she considered was a respectable distance.

They were finally ready to leave a half hour later. Allie was still upset. She barely touched her breakfast. She didn’t want a wet baby doll. She wanted a dry one. Taylor couldn’t reason with the child. She finally took the doll and pinned it to the top of the canvas covering the wagon and explained to the teary-eyed twin that the sun would dry the doll in no time at all. When that promise didn’t soothe Allie, Taylor declared the baby doll was having a nap.

Georgie wasn’t helping matters. She was tormenting her sister with her own doll. It wasn’t even noon yet and Taylor felt as though she’d already put in a full day.

They would reach Redemption by late afternoon, and that was the root of her worries. She was anxious about meeting the people who lived there and even more concerned about finding suitable lodgings.

Hunter added another worry by casually mentioning that Lucas could very well be in the town by now, waiting for them. She didn’t believe it would be possible until Hunter convinced her. If his business in Chicago hadn’t taken long, he could have taken the train from Cincinnati to Sioux City, then jumped on one of the many riverboats constantly traveling up and down the Missouri.

“That would still put him days behind us,” she reasoned.

Hunter shook his head. “He won’t be riding in a wagon,” he pointed out. “Or spending time buying supplies like you did in Sioux City. He’ll be riding a horse, Taylor, and taking all the direct routes a wagon couldn’t get through. He could be there all right.”

Taylor prayed Lucas hadn’t gotten there ahead of her. She wanted to be settled in first. Then she’d deal with him. She knew he was going to be furious, and she couldn’t help but become nervous over the prospect of facing his wrath.

Hunter was smiling while he hitched up the horses. Taylor concluded he wanted her to worry. She decided to get even with him. She waited until he’d taken up the reins of the second wagon and then carried Georgie over to him. He gave her a look that told her he knew why he was being saddled with the chatterbox. She shrugged back at him. Then she handed him Allie.

Georgie was squeezed up on his left side and Allie sat on his right. She was still wailing like a wounded animal.

Hunter looked down at the child. “You going to cry much longer?” he asked.

She nodded. Hunter laughed. The sound filled the woods around them. It proved contagious as well. Taylor found herself smiling,

and when she looked at Victoria, she caught her smile as well.

Everyone waited on Daniel David now. He stood between the two wagons, trying to make up his mind which one he wanted to ride in. He didn’t particularly want to be separated from his sisters, he explained when Taylor asked him why he was taking so long, but he didn’t think the two women should ride all by themselves.

Hunter made up his mind for him. He told the boy to get into his wagon and be quick about it. Daniel David didn’t hesitate. Taylor concluded he liked having the decision made for him.

Hunter took the lead down the last hill into the valley. Daniel David sat in the back of the wagon watching Taylor for almost an hour. He’d wave every five minutes or so and then smile when she waved back to him. The child finally grew bored with his vigilance and climbed up on the seat next to Allie.

They reached the last gentle slope a little after two in the afternoon. They could see the town clearly now. It was nestled between snow-capped mountains and rolling hills. Mother Nature’s glory was all around them. Taylor imagined she’d used her paintbrush to splatter the hillside with every color in the rainbow.

She’d run out of paint when she reached Redemption. Taylor’s first impression of the town was one of disappointment. Victoria looked appalled by the sight. Lucas had been right when he told her the town wasn’t more than twelve or fourteen buildings. She’d been prepared for that reality. She had to brace herself against the ugliness. Every single building was brown and dirty.

Hunter led them into the center of the town. There were wooden walkways on both sides of the dirt roadway. Everything had been constructed out of wood, and Taylor tried to imagine how pretty the town would be if the buildings were painted.

“Look, there’s a general store,” Taylor pointed out to her friend.