Mail Order Bride: The Gunslinging Bride (#1, Western Reach Western Romance)

Chapter 03

"She's better," Velma said, and the women breathed a collective sigh of relief. Estelle had been so certain Cadence would die during the night that she'd scarcely slept. They had each taken turns watching the woman, even though Velma kept vigil all night long, refusing to take any sort of rest.

"Are you sure?" Tabitha asked nervously.

"Yes. Her fever's broken. Do you hear how she breathes?" They listened and heard the normal sounds of air moving in and out of a person's lungs. Three nights ago, Cadence's breath had sounded... slurpy. As if she were sipping soup out of a bowl. Whatever Velma had done to ease her condition had worked.

Cadence opened her eyes and looked at them. "Where are we?" she asked softly, her voice stronger but still too soft for Estelle's liking.

"Somewhere in Utah Territory, I believe," said Heidi. "Not far from the Sierra Nevada Goldfields. Can you move?"

Cadence nodded and sat up. Estelle handed her water, and she drank it greedily. "Have we stopped for the night?"

The others looked at each other. "We stopped several nights ago," Heidi finally told her.

Henry poked his head into the back. "I thought I heard voices," he said, looking at Cadence. "She looks okay to me. Can we move on now? We'll never catch up to the others, but at least we won't fall farther behind."

Cadence looked confused. "The others?" she asked and tried to peer around Heidi's body to see outside the wagon.

"We had to stop," said Heidi. "You were unwell. The others would not stay with us. They've moved on."

Cadence's eyes widened, and alarm filled her face. "They left us? We're alone?"

"Not completely," Estelle said quickly. "Two of the wagons stayed on with us."

"That's all?" Cadence asked, the corners of her lips turning down in disappointment.

"It's all right," Tabitha said. "The Sparrow sisters are a hoot. That second wagon though..." She shook her head.

Estelle said, "The other wagon carries a... slightly more diverse group of women."

She thought that was a kind way of phrasing it. The second wagon contained five women who seemed to have nothing in common with each other except their bickering, which had not stopped the entire time they'd been pulled over. However, they'd stayed while the others had gone, earning Estelle's gratitude as well as her respect.

Henry cleared his throat, reminding them he was still there and still waiting for an answer.

"The ride may yet be too much for her," said Velma. "She's only just now become alert."

"I'll be fine," said Cadence.

"We'll leave tomorrow," said Heidi. "One more day will not hurt us any more than the last several already have."

"I'll tell the others," said Estelle.

The next day, when Cadence was able to step out of the wagon and stretch, proving her recovery was underway, the wagons started off.

"How many women have died on this trail?" Estelle asked as night began to fall. They had traveled the entire day without pause. She suspected Henry still had it in his head that they might catch up with the other twenty-seven wagons who, by now, must be dozens of miles ahead of them, at least.

Tabitha shrugged. "I boarded the wagon in Missouri, right at the trail's start. Since then, I've counted nine women and children who've perished, though most of those who did so were already sick to begin with."