The Handsomest Man in the Country (5 page)

But the idea had been planted by Mr. Hayes and like a swiftly blooming desert plant it was beginning to grow and then flower in my mind. It sure would be nice to have a partner take on his share of the work.

I'm 'shamed to say I didn't last long. The tireder I got, the better those men began to look. By the end of my first week I was so exhausted I fell asleep driving, so sound asleep I didn't even know that the mules had stopped and had started to graze.

Mr. Hayes shouted me awake as he rode back to get me. I sat bolt upright, startled silly. If there had been Indians about, I'd have lost my hair plus the wagon. It was time to face the unpleasant facts and Mr. Hayes knew it as well as I.

Like Adam, I needed a help-meet; an answer to my problems. God didn't give Adam any choice at all and Mr. Hayes wasn't giving me much of one either.

"I want your answer tonight, Miss Buchanan. Marriage or else leave this wagon behind and join one of the families. Let me know after supper."

"Yessir." I flipped the reins and put those mules into a fast trot to catch up with the rest who were already about a quarter mile away. It didn't take long to die in this country. I'd been lucky. A wagon alone was fair game.

If I gave up the wagon, I would be penniless again. If I could somehow hang onto it.... But I couldn't, without help.

I could give it away to one of the families in exchange for their helping me get out to Oregon. Most were well supplied and not needing anything of mine, just a few had mighty poor outfits. But those who did have poor outfits were a shiftless lot; careless and mean.

There was a man and his wife and three grown daughters traveling in the train. They were always quarreling among themselves as to who was to do the work. The man expected the womenfolk to do most of it and he a big burly man. One time I saw one of the girls pitch out of their tent headfirst and his booted foot visible in the air behind her.

I couldn't think of anyone I wanted to give the wagon to; anyone I wanted to join. Except for Axel and Hedda. But they were well equipped and needed what food they had for themselves. Not one more mouth to feed.

So I shook my tired mind awake and pondered on those men who had come to pester me each night.

I’d wanted to marry a handsome man, and the smoothest talker and most handsome of the lot was Calvert Smith. He was clean and neat and kept a good outfit. He was twenty-three; old enough to be settled down. But I liked his Tennessee Walker better'n him. Maybe it was the way he could twist words around. Maybe it was the insincerity of his compliments. Maybe it was the sly gleam in his eye he sometimes got. Whatever, he made my skin crawl, like when lightning is dancing on the hilltops. Or was I just imagining it?

Cordell Knast was the same age as Calvert Smith, kind enough, but a slow thinking, heavy, dirty and shiftless man. Gareth Madison was a slow thinker too, about twenty years old. If he ever took a bath so that I didn't instinctively step upwind of him every time he came near, I might give him serious thought. Would I ever be able to get him to clean up? He hadn't thought it necessary when he came a-courtin'.

Elliot Hayes was like his father. Unforgiving and hard. I didn't want to turn out like Hannah. The more I knew of her the less I liked her husband, Burt. And if I married Elliot, I'd be marrying into that family, for Elliot showed no desire to be independent of his father.

That was about it. Barney was too young. Charlie Web too old. Still, maybe Web was the answer.

Uncle Dem had said to go to Web for advice. Web saw the men when they weren't putting on a front for the women-folk. He would know them better'n I did. I'd ask him who to marry.

My mind had been struggling all this time to fight off sleep. When I decided to get Web's advice, it just gave up and lit out. This time the mules kept up for there wasn't any grass and all were traveling slowly because of the rocks. Web woke me as he rode by and I looked up to see the wagons ahead circling for the night.

I moved like a sleep-walker, getting the mules unhitched and unharnessed. My cooked beans would only last another day and I'd be back to eating cornmeal and sorghum again until I could get the bean pot washed and a fresh batch soaked.

I had not been able to gather any fuel, so set my pot in the coals of the handiest fire and waited for it to heat. I was plumb tuckered out, body and mind, and about that time Mr. Hayes stepped up to me and asked me what I was going to do.

"Marriage," I told him, and he nodded.

"Which one?"

"I still got to figure that."

"I want an answer tonight. We've wasted enough time."

He'd get no answer until I talked to Web. "I ain't ready yet."

"In an hour, then. I'll tell folks there's to be a wedding in an hour."

That was shaving the whiskers off the pig. I'd best get moving. But the beans were hot and Web still out with the mules. They'd be bringing them in soon. Hayes would have to wait. I put my spoon in the pot and shoveled in the food.

The past week had taken its toll and I could barely think of what I was doing; but I knew I must talk to Web. The old scout was the only person who could give me trustworthy advice.

I had an hour before I was to be wed. The reality of it hung somewhere out there, in the vague distance like it was happening to someone else.

Mallory Buchanan. Soon to be Mrs. Somebody. Calvert Smith? Gareth Madison? I had somehow narrowed the list down to those two even in the few seconds after Mr. Hayes left me. Calvert might be the better choice; I had no particular desire to join the Madison family and at least with Calvert there were no in-laws included in the arrangement.

With my stomach full and happy, I set the bean pot aside to cool off and washed my spoon clean. The men were bringing in the stock and I went over to get my mules and Uncle Dem's horse, Comfort, and tie them to the wagon wheels. As I was finishing up, Hedda's ten year old daughter, Anna, came running up to me, all excited.

"Mallory, is it true? You gonna be married?"

"Looks like it."

"Mama was none too pleased to hear what Mr. Hayes told us. She sent me to find you and ask who to and when."

Now Hedda was like a mother hen and if you came under her roof at any time you were treated as one of the family. If she knew how Mr. Hayes was forcing me into this, she'd put her foot down and raise sparks and smoke until the wedding was called off and I was left a burden to her and Axel. I had already decided against that.

"We'll have the wedding in an hour, Anna. Tell your Ma I'll talk to her when I see her."

"Who ya marryin'?"

"I'll tell her then. Now scoot."

"Whatcha gonna wear?"

"I don't know, Anna. Look, I've lots to do and no time to do it in. I'll come over as soon as I can."

"Bye." She ran off, long braids bobbing behind her, and I started searching for Web.

I wandered past one family group after another, casually working my way to where Web usually bedded down, away from the fire and general noise where he could see and hear better. People stopped me, wanting to talk, so I stepped outside the circle of wagons and continued on around.

I walked quietly over to where Web's blankets lay in a hump on the ground, but he spoke first, from behind me.

"Mally?"

He had come up behind so silently I had not heard him, even though I had been attuned to listening to the night and the sounds of the night.

"Yes." I decided to come right to the point. There wasn't time for pleasantries. "Web, I need your help."

"Yes'm." His voice was low and he moved closer so that I caught the strong scent of buckskins and tobacco.

We were sufficiently far from the wagons so that our conversation would not be overheard. I didn't want anyone else to hear what I had to say. "You heard Mr. Hayes?"

"Yes."

"I fell asleep driving today. The mules stopped and by the time Burt Hayes rode back to wake me, I was way back too far for safety. He said I had to get married or leave my wagon behind and join someone else. I'm not about to give up this outfit and become a burden to anybody."

"He just announced that you're to be married. Who's the man?"

"That's the problem. I don't know. He left the choice up to me, but I don't feel I know these fellows well enough. Uncle Dem told me if I had any questions and he wasn't around, I was to ask you. So...I'm asking. Which one should I pick?"

He shifted, uncomfortable for the first time. "That's mighty big of your uncle, but you're the one's got ter live with ‘em."

"Uncle said you were a good judge of men. I thought maybe you could help me decide."

"Huh! Which one of those young pups you want?"

"None of 'em."

He chuckled dryly. "Run though the list, give me your feelings on 'em. I'll tell you if you're off."

"Well, you can leave out those that are married or too young. I guess the choice comes down to four or five—"

"Uh huh."

"Barney's the nicest of the lot, but he's younger than me. I want a man I can depend on and he's still got a lot of growing to do."

"Uh huh."

"Calvert gives me the creeps; I don't know exactly why, but my skin crawls every time he looks at me—"

"He's pizen mean, Mally. Stay clear of him."

"I wondered. I'll remember that." That took care of him and he dropped off my list as if he'd never been. "Elliot's hard on his horse. That's the only thing I got against him, but a man that won't care for an animal his life depends on, would probably be hard on a wife. I don't want to end up like Hannah."

"Uh huh." Was he agreeing with me or not? Those were the most non-committal grunts I'd ever heard.

"That leaves Gareth Madison and Cordell Knast. They seem kind, but mentally they're slow...and I don't think they've ever taken a bath. Out where there's no water, I don't care, but when there's plenty of it around...." I shuddered, for there's a difference between a man who gets dirty doing his work and one who just stays filthy. "Do you think I'm being too choosy?"

"No, lass. If you married either of them you'd end up whackin’ ‘em with a flat iron before the week was out."

"The only other available man is you."

"Not me. I already got me a wife."

"You do?"

"Yes'm. She's with her people right now. She's Shoshone. I’m goin’ home to her."

I looked blankly at him, trying to keep the tears of tiredness and defeat from welling forth. "What'll I do then, Web? Mr. Hayes ain’t gonna wait."

"You'd take the man I pick?"

"That's what I'm here for."

"Your momma raised you right, girl. All right, don't take none of ‘em. You tell Mr. Hayes you'll marry Trahern."

"Trahern?" My voice probably sounded as confused as I felt. I'd never heard the name before.

"Uh huh."

"Who's that?"

Web looked beyond me to where the bundle of blankets lay. "You hearing all this, Trey?"

A man's deep voice, quiet, came from the pile, "Loud and clear."

"You willing to help the lady out?"

"If she wants me. She ain't gettin’ much."

"You're the best of the lot. Not much choice around here."

"You make a lousy matchmaker, you old buzzard...!" His identity suddenly penetrated my tired brain. The injured man! The one they had brought in two days ago. I hadn't even seen him and with my own problems had forgotten all about him.

He had been in Cordell Knast's wagon...but was out here now, with Web...and had heard all I'd said. I felt my face heat up.

"You want my advice, you hitch up with old Trahern here," Web told me. "And then you hang onto him. He ain't much for looks, but he'll do to ride the river with."

Now that was praise, coming from Web. Yet what manner of man would marry a woman he didn't know? He couldn't know much more about me than I did about him.

"Mr. Trahern? You'd do that? You'd marry me?"

"Don't worry; I'd have the best part of the deal. You stack up a real lady, ma'am. And if you're willin' to take me, on just Web's say-so, then I guess I can, too. Although if any of those gents want to argue the case, I can't do nothin' 'bout it, the shape I'm in right now."

"I've no one else; no other choice." As soon as I said it I realized it wasn't very complementary to him, but he didn't seem to pay it no mind.

"Maybe I could hire on to help you till we reach Fort Kearney, then you could figure out what you wanted to do without being forced into anything."

"I've no money."

"I'd do it in exchange for your uncle's clothes."

"Those are yours, anyway; whatever happens. Along with all my uncle's personal gear." I didn't want him to feel he had to marry me to get those things, or even to work for them. It was good that someone could use them. "I'd find some way to pay you later, when I could."

"I'll help you out, but you'll have to give me a couple of days first. I can hardly lift myself, just now."

Time. A couple of days. Then Trahern could help me. "I think Mr. Hayes is pushing hard ‘cause he wants me to choose his son."

"Try stalling. Give me a chance to get on my feet."

"And if he won't give me any time?"

"Well, then, I guess I'm it. Someone's coming," he added, although I'd heard no one. Web turned to meet the man—Calvert it was—and I stepped quickly around the nearest wagon and back into the circle.

But Calvert must have been looking for me, for he brushed Web off and caught up with me; and me wanting nothing else but to be shut of him so as I could go back to talk a little longer with Trahern.

"What's going on? Folks are saying you're getting married."

"Maybe. You'll have to wait and see like everyone else." I wasn't mentioning Trahern to him. Trahern was probably as weak as a newborn pup and as he had said, in no shape to settle any disputes.

"I've got a good rig. If you ain't spoke for, I'm asking." His tone was confident, almost belligerent.

"You're too late. I'm spoken for." Even as I said the words I could see the flash of intense anger, quickly covered, that revealed the true nature of the man. If Web was right, he wasn't to be trusted.