She took a roll. “That sounds reasonable. Mama and I are eager to get on the way.”
Peyton scanned the surroundings. “I believe we have too many spectators here. Don’t anyone turn around. Former acquaintances have appeared across the road.”
Sarge grumbled under his breath. “Should have taken them to the sheriff.”
Peyton shook his head. “You can’t go to jail for following someone on a public street or for making insulting comments.”
Abigail gestured with her roll. “They were saying terrible things they would do to Judith. That should be against the law.”
Peyton put his arm around her. “I’m on your side, Mama, but we have to consider what the sheriff would say. The men didn’t know either of you could understand them. There is no law against conversing privately.”
With a look close to a pout Sarge dumped the remains of the beverage. “I get the feeling my brew wasn’t well received. Next time someone else can make the coffee.”
Even though his coffee was truly horrid, Judith didn’t want his feelings to be hurt. “You were kind to think of us so early in the day. I appreciate your thoughtfulness but I am too nervous to concentrate on food and drink. Even though apparently I finished my roll, I don’t even recall doing so.”
Abigail handed Sarge her empty cup, the contents of which she’d dumped when he wasn’t looking. “Thank you for a most welcome drink to get our day started, Mr. Dickinson. You have enough other duties. I will make the coffee and cook for us. My Judith will help me.”
Now smiling again, he tucked the cups and coffeepot into a box inside one wagon. “Ladies, both of you please call me Sarge. Sure glad someone else will be doing the cooking.”
Judith said, “Men, I have a token to give you for safety. You should carry this Saint Christopher medal in your pocket. He is the patron saint of travelers. I don’t know your religion, but I think each of us can use divine help.”
Jeff smiled and slid the medal into his pocket. “That’s kind of you.”
Sarge appeared perplexed but touched. “No one ever gave me anything like this. Thank you.”
Ozzie practically beamed. “I’m sure pleased you thought of me.”
Gratified by their reaction, Judith said, “All right, let’s get on our way.”
Peyton helped Judith climb into one wagon. “If you don’t like the way we have things set up we’ll change at our first stop. Right now, we want to get moving.” He climbed up beside her.
She leaned to the side to look for Abigail. “Where is Mama?”
Peyton released the brake and snapped the reins. “Jeff is helping her into the other wagon and will drive for her. Sarge and Ozzie will bring the spare horses and keep up with us.”
“You have planned well, I’m sure, but please go on. Perhaps knowing more details will quiet my stomach. My muscles are clenching so badly, I’m afraid I’ll retch.”
He leaned toward her in concern. “Aw, that’s probably Sarge’s coffee at work.”
After he’d driven the wagon from the yard and onto the street, he glanced at her. “We made sure to mention the words Kansas several times when we were arranging the goods in the wagons. Doesn’t hurt if people think we’re headed that way.”
“Is there a road the direction we’re going?”
“Because of the mountain passes, there are only a couple of roads out of Santa Fe and only one is a major route. The fastest we can travel will be twenty miles a day. Uphill and across rivers, we’ll be lucky to do a third that.”
“Thank you. I studied a sketch Josiah drew in one of his early notes. Then you saw the one of how to reach the ranch in his last letter. I memorized that one but nothing was to scale. I can’t visualize the paper into landscape.”
“Being eager to see your brother will make the trip seem endless. I expect us to reach Los Perdidos in four days, three if we’re lucky, five if we have bad weather or other hazards.”
The band around her chest tightened until she could barely speak, “Other hazards?”
“Relax, Red. I won’t insult your intelligence by pretending there’s no potential for problems. But, we’ve tried to prepare for everything. We have a spare wheel for each wagon, tools to make repairs, medicines for the animals and us, extra food, and probably a lot of things we’ll never use. Better to have extra than not enough. I figure your brother can use what we don’t.”
She took a deep breath. “Thank you. As angry as it makes me when you call me Red, saying he can use what we don’t has made me feel better. That sounds hopeful.”
“Of course we’re hopeful or there would be no point to what we’re doing. He needs us as reinforcements and we’re racing to his aid.”
“Racing being very loosely defined as two lumbering covered wagons,” she said with a hopeful smile.
His grin boosted her mood even more. “Yeah, that’s what I meant.”
Chapter Nine
Peyton caught Sarge’s glance. The former Army man held up two fingers and gestured behind them. He nodded that he understood and Sarge dropped back with the horses.
Judith grabbed his arm. “I saw that. Those two men from yesterday are following us, aren’t they?”
“You are too durn smart for my own good. They followed us from the Santa Fe wagon yard. I don’t know their intentions, other than trying to abduct you.”
“Easy for men on horseback to get ahead of us and lay a trap. If it were me, I’d choose a place like those hills up ahead. How far away do you think those are?”
“Couple of
