The sun had climbed high and started its descent before Lark spotted a clutch of trees ahead. Water. And shade.
They pulled into the grove of cottonwoods flanking a bubbling creek. Lark stopped the oxen and drew a long breath. The shade cooled her eyes from the unrelenting prairie sun, and the trees’ heart-shaped leaves rustled and danced overhead.
Lilac came back from checking the creek. “The water is clear and sweet. Thick cover for deer too. Can I go hunting?”
“Sounds fine to me.” Lark glanced back at the doctor, who set the brakes on the Durhams’ wagon and then approached.
“Looks like a good spot.” Dr. Brownsville pushed his hat back and wiped his forehead. “Thinking to stay here a few days?”
“I think so. Forsythia needs the rest—we all do, really.” Weariness suddenly crashed over Lark like a summer storm. Thank you, Lord, for this place.
They unyoked the oxen and hobbled them to graze along with Starbright and Buttercup.
Lark checked on Forsythia again. Still weak but stable. The wet clothes seemed to be keeping her fever at bay also. She managed to get her sister to swallow a little more water and broth.
Dr. Brownsville lifted the canvas flap and peeked into the wagon. “Let me sit with her awhile. You’re exhausted.”
“If you’re sure.” Lark climbed down and surveyed their camp. Livestock peacefully grazing, Del watching the napping children on a blanket. Lilac had taken her rifle and Jesse and set off to see what game they could find.
Maybe Lark could actually lie down herself. She stretched out on the soft grass near the wagon. “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. . . .”
She woke sometime later to Robbie and Sofie’s happy chatter. Yawning, Lark sat up to find the children playing with their wooden animals on the blanket, Del watching them while feeding Mikael nearby.
“Glad you slept. You needed it.” Del smiled.
“Guess so.” Lark stood and stretched. “Shall I check on Sythia?”
“The doctor’s still with her. He doesn’t seem to want to let her out of his sight.”
She had noticed. She didn’t know whether to be worried or hopeful. Dr. Brownsville seemed like a good man—an excellent one, in fact. Her heart would rejoice for Sythia to find marriage and family after losing her love in the war. But he’d lost his wife so recently . . . wasn’t it too soon?
Lord, one more thing to trust you with.
“Look, Sofie. The horsies can eat the grass.” Robbie galloped his carved steed off the blanket and onto the surrounding meadow.
Sofie’s wide-eyed gaze never left Robbie. She lifted the figure in her own tiny hand. “Cow?”
“Sure, cows can eat grass too. Come on.”
Sofie crawled over and joined her cow with Robbie’s horse.
“Munch, munch.” Robbie exaggerated his sound effects, making a face. “Munch-munch-munch.”
A delighted giggle squeaked out of Sofie.
“She adores him.” Del smiled at the children. “Take the baby for me? I could use a break. And a visit to the necessary—or rather, the bushes.”
Lark cradled Mikael’s tiny form, warm and fragile. The baby bobbed his head against her chest. “Looking for more milk, little one? Or trying to see the view?” She lifted him to better see their surroundings. Mikael opened his deep blue eyes wide, gazing at the shifting sunlight and shadow in the dancing leaves overhead. Lark pressed a kiss to his downy head, savoring the sweet baby scent.
“Your sister’s sleeping.” The doctor’s voice surprised her from behind.
Lark turned, her neck prickling. Would he wonder at her bestowing such a womanly kiss on the baby?
He gave her a slightly odd look but continued. “Her hydration seems better, and the diarrhea seems less—hard to tell. But we need to start getting more nourishment in her. She’s terribly weak.”
Robbie ran up and tugged at her trouser leg. “Mr. Clark, I need somethin’ from my wagon.”
She shook her head. “Sorry, Robbie. We can’t let you or Sofie in there right now. Miss Sythia is sick.”
“But it’s my wagon.” His mouth turned down. “I want to show Sofie the top Pa gave me.”
“Sorry, little fellow.” The doctor squatted at Robbie’s level. “You’ll have to wait a few days.”
“But it’s from my pa.” Without warning, Robbie’s lip trembled, and tears threatened. “I want my pa.”
“I know you do, son.” The doctor tried to pull Robbie into his arms, but the little boy resisted.
“I want my ma!” The tears spilled over with a vengeance.
Sofie, still sitting on the blanket, watched with wide eyes, then let out a sympathetic wail.
A hard lump in her own throat, Lark shifted the baby and bent to try to comfort Robbie, but he kicked out, arms flailing, then threw himself on the ground with a howl. Del returned and scooped up the sobbing Sofie.
“What happened?”
“Not sure—both of them went off all of a sudden. I guess grief hits in waves, even for children.”
“Of course it does.” Del pressed a kiss to Sofie’s hair, rubbing the little girl’s back.
Robbie still lay kicking and sobbing on the ground, but his cries gradually lessened. Lark bent to rub his shoulder.
“I know, Robbie. I know it hurts to lose your pa and ma.” She fought tears herself. They all knew loss in this group. Maybe that was one reason God had chosen them to shelter these little ones. Even if sometimes she felt they didn’t know what they were doing.
At a shout from the trees, Lark looked up and nudged Robbie. “Look, Lilac and Jesse are back. What do you think they brought?”
Sniffling, Robbie sat up, then a smile broke through his tears. “Deer?”
“Looks like it.”
He swiped his fist across his eyes, then jumped up and took off running. “Lilac!”
“Hey there, Robbie boy.” She slid off her horse and scooped him up. “Look what we got.” She nodded to the deer slung across Jesse’s saddle.
Jesse’s gentle face split in a grin. “She g-got it with one shot.”
Even Sofie’s tears mellowed at the distraction. By the time the sun set behind
