full of her own self-worth.
“Tom, you go ahead and inspect the axles while I check the oxen.” John made a wide berth around Mr. Harvey and his daughter. He ensured the yokes on the animals were secure, correcting a loose cinch around the traces.
“You cannot avoid me for the entire trip, you know.”
John didn’t hear Veronica’s approach, and her voice startled him, which in turn startled the oxen he had his hands on. The oxen snorted loudly and began to shift nervously.
“Whoa, boy, whoa, boy,” said John soothingly as he patted the beast. “Slow down there.” The oxen relaxed under John’s gentle touch.
“Well, you have quite a way with savage animals,” said Veronica. “What else is lurking beneath that rugged exterior?”
She reached for his hands and caught one in her own, pulling it toward her chest. He snatched it back before it came near her breasts. Ain’t no way he wanted that kind of trouble. Veronica pooched out her lower lip. “My heart was beating wildly for fear that oxen would start a stampede or something,”
“You have a lot to learn about stampedes, Miss Harvey,” he said as he turned his attention back to the oxen. “They usually don’t start that easily and oxen aren’t known for being party to them, particularly when they’re yoked.”
“Well, of course you can teach me all about it on the way to Oregon. After all, four months is quite a long time to get to know somebody.” She grinned. “I find you very handsome, Mr. Malloy. Why aren’t you married?”
John almost swallowed his tongue. He kept his face impassive while his gut churned. “Miss Harvey, I really have a lot of work to do, so if you don’t mind, I’d best get to it.”
Veronica’s smile widened, her teeth shining in the bright sunshine. Before he could stop her, she leaned over and kissed him squarely on the mouth.
“I’ll see you later, John,” said Veronica as she turned to walk toward the back of the wagon. “Quite a long time indeed.”
John rubbed at his mouth, trying to rid himself of that kiss. Damn, he hadn’t expected her to be that forward. He glanced around, hoping like hell no one had seen that. Veronica’s younger brother, Arthur, stood at the back of the wagon, watching him. The eleven-year-old was quiet and not at all like his father and sister. He must have his mother’s coloring, with the dark brown hair and dark eyes.
Mrs. Harvey was in the back of the wagon, no doubt trying to stay out of the sun. The woman barely left it, and today was no exception. He heard her murmuring to someone behind the canvas and he was pretty sure it wasn’t the lonely young boy watching John.
“Hey, Arthur, come here.”
The boy obeyed, albeit slowly. He wore high-quality clothes—store-bought, of course—but they had tatters on the cuffs and a few smudge marks. John was glad to see at least one Harvey acted his age.
“I have a job for you. I’m thinking you’re old enough to have a job.” John folded his arms and watched the boy’s reaction.
Arthur puffed up his chest and nodded sagely. “I’m old enough for a job. I fetch all the water, build the fire and clean up around the camp already.”
“Good to know you’re a hard-working man.” John gestured to the oxen. “I need you to keep an eye on these animals for me.”
“Their names are Magellan, Hudson, Lewis, Clark, Davy and Crockett.”
John smothered a smile. “If that’s what you call them. The yokes can hurt them if they aren’t situated just right.”
“If you show me what to do, I can do it, Mr. Malloy.” Arthur looked so serious John almost reconsidered. If the boy failed at the task, he’d take it twice as hard. However, considering his family, it might be the first time anyone had given the boy a true responsibility. He seemed like the only good apple in the Harvey barrel.
“All right, then let me show you.” John pulled the boy over to the oxen and spent the next fifteen minutes
“Tom, you go ahead and inspect the axles while I check the oxen.” John made a wide berth around Mr. Harvey and his daughter. He ensured the yokes on the animals were secure, correcting a loose cinch around the traces.
“You cannot avoid me for the entire trip, you know.”
John didn’t hear Veronica’s approach, and her voice startled him, which in turn startled the oxen he had his hands on. The oxen snorted loudly and began to shift nervously.
“Whoa, boy, whoa, boy,” said John soothingly as he patted the beast. “Slow down there.” The oxen relaxed under John’s gentle touch.
“Well, you have quite a way with savage animals,” said Veronica. “What else is lurking beneath that rugged exterior?”
She reached for his hands and caught one in her own, pulling it toward her chest. He snatched it back before it came near her breasts. Ain’t no way he wanted that kind of trouble. Veronica pooched out her lower lip. “My heart was beating wildly for fear that oxen would start a stampede or something,”
“You have a lot to learn about stampedes, Miss Harvey,” he said as he turned his attention back to the oxen. “They usually don’t start that easily and oxen aren’t known for being party to them, particularly when they’re yoked.”
“Well, of course you can teach me all about it on the way to Oregon. After all, four months is quite a long time to get to know somebody.” She grinned. “I find you very handsome, Mr. Malloy. Why aren’t you married?”
John almost swallowed his tongue. He kept his face impassive while his gut churned. “Miss Harvey, I really have a lot of work to do, so if you don’t mind, I’d best get to it.”
Veronica’s smile widened, her teeth shining in the bright sunshine. Before he could stop her, she leaned over and kissed him squarely on the mouth.
“I’ll see you later, John,” said Veronica as she turned to walk toward the back of the wagon. “Quite a long time indeed.”
John rubbed at his mouth, trying to rid himself of that kiss. Damn, he hadn’t expected her to be that forward. He glanced around, hoping like hell no one had seen that. Veronica’s younger brother, Arthur, stood at the back of the wagon, watching him. The eleven-year-old was quiet and not at all like his father and sister. He must have his mother’s coloring, with the dark brown hair and dark eyes.
Mrs. Harvey was in the back of the wagon, no doubt trying to stay out of the sun. The woman barely left it, and today was no exception. He heard her murmuring to someone behind the canvas and he was pretty sure it wasn’t the lonely young boy watching John.
“Hey, Arthur, come here.”
The boy obeyed, albeit slowly. He wore high-quality clothes—store-bought, of course—but they had tatters on the cuffs and a few smudge marks. John was glad to see at least one Harvey acted his age.
“I have a job for you. I’m thinking you’re old enough to have a job.” John folded his arms and watched the boy’s reaction.
Arthur puffed up his chest and nodded sagely. “I’m old enough for a job. I fetch all the water, build the fire and clean up around the camp already.”
“Good to know you’re a hard-working man.” John gestured to the oxen. “I need you to keep an eye on these animals for me.”
“Their names are Magellan, Hudson, Lewis, Clark, Davy and Crockett.”
John smothered a smile. “If that’s what you call them. The yokes can hurt them if they aren’t situated just right.”
“If you show me what to do, I can do it, Mr. Malloy.” Arthur looked so serious John almost reconsidered. If the boy failed at the task, he’d take it twice as hard. However, considering his family, it might be the first time anyone had given the boy a true responsibility. He seemed like the only good apple in the Harvey barrel.
“All right, then let me show you.” John pulled the boy over to the oxen and spent the next fifteen minutes
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