“My sheep!” Beti ran toward the road.
Zeke was never so thankful for a dog in his life. He’d have to find a bit of something good for her later. Surely he had a savory piece of beef she would relish.
He followed behind Beti. Mose stepped in behind him.
Zeke cursed his slow-moving, stiff leg. The terrain woven with roots and strewn with twigs, straw and other debris hindered his progress with every step. Soon, it would be better. Soon he would be normal again. Unless he wasn’t, but Doc Jones told him it could take a year. It hadn’t been that long. Not yet.
“I know I am supposed to be upset about Miss Beti getting captured and all,” Mose said to his back, “but this is the first time I felt like normal in months.”
Zeke took note of the lightness in his own heart. He’d attributed it to the miraculous wonder of holding Beti in his arms, but Mose might be on to something. “Yer right, it’s the first time I felt normal since we got home.”
“Ye suppose it is gonna go away?”
“It must. Folks don’t live their lives at war all the time.”
“Aye. That’s true. Shame though.”
Zeke turned to face him when they reached the road. “Surely ye don’t wish to go back to war?”
“Not exactly. I don’t miss the killing part.” Mose scuffed his boot and rubbed his neck.
Zeke’s perspective came back down to the dirt he was standing on. “How about the part where we wait around for hours or days with nothing to do but sit until some higher-up decides what they want us to do today?”
Mose snorted, his blue eyes sparkling under the overlong blonde reeds hanging near to his cheeks. “No. The adventure part. Ready in a few minutes to hare off to do what some General needs us to do. Traveling everywhere and anywhere at the click of a rifle. No ties. Just freedom.” He swiped the air above him.
“It sounds romantic enough when ye say it like that, Mose. But ye forget, I lived it, and I am glad not to be going back.”
“Ye wouldn’t say that if ye didn’t have a bum leg.”
Anger flared red hot. “Mose.”
“I don’t mean nothing by that. I just mean that yer not as free as ye once was.”
Zeke’s hope deflated. “Ye’re right.”
“That don’t mean ye cannot have a great time and all…” Mose let the words trail off as he drifted back to his horse. Zeke forgave him for his openness. What had Mose said that was wrong? Zeke wasn’t as free as he once was, and it was just as well that Mose pointed it out. He had no business holding Beti in his arms, or worse, wishing she could be there always.
Not that she would be if she kept making stupid choices like walking into an unknown swamp by herself.
He found Beti with her sheep surrounded by their fellow travelers.
“Even my Timmy knows better than to wander off into the woods alone.”
“How dumb was that?”
“Ye put us all in danger.”
Beti stood back up against the transom of her wagon arms wrapped around herself shaking. Did they not see her distress?
Outrage pushed him forward.
“That’s enough.” Toby said. “I agree with what ye’ve said, but I think Miss Beti’s been through enough for one day, don’t ye?”
“She has no right to put us in danger—” Mistress Baggage snapped.
“She deserves to hear what we think—” Mistress Hardbottle added pointing her finger at him.
Zeke moved to the center of the cluster and raised his hands for quiet. “And she has heard what ye think. We will be starting up soon. I expect ye’ll be needed by yer families.”
And with that they dispersed grumbling as they went.
“Once again I find myself indebted to ye, Mr. Smith.”
The longing to take her in his arms again until the trembling stopped startled him by its strength. “Well, now, I think Nellie is deserving of a large piece of that thank ye. Truth is I came to tell ye the same things as those ladies, but it looks as if it’s been taken care of for me.”
“Aye. Well, I should see to Silas.” The sheep were under Nellie’s care on the opposite side of the road.
She moved away as stiff-legged at he was. He followed unwilling to leave her just yet. The pain in his leg was unyielding. “How do ye fair?”
She kept her distance arms still wrapped around her waist. “Oh, I am well enough, Mr. Smith. Thank ye again for all ye did for me today.”
“That’s the best trained dog I ever saw.”
“Started training when she was still a pup. She knows to come when I call her.”
“But she heard ye.”
