Adventure on the Oregon Trail

Chapter 4

Five days passed and everyone was getting dangerously low on water. The one place they had been able to stop for water was only suitable for them to water their animals. And the days had been much hotter than usual.

Kyle was walking towards the Taylor's wagon when Charity Lennon appeared out of nowhere.

"Sure is hot this afternoon, isn't it Mr. Walker?"

"Uh, yes ma'am." He tried to step around her, but she stepped in front of him as if she had anticipated his next move.

She giggled. "Mr. Walker, you can call me Charity."

"Yes, well if you'll excuse me, Miss Lennon, I have to go scout the area for Indians."

"Oh! Are we near Indians already?" she gasped.

"Well, you never know when they're going to send a raiding party north into these parts." He tipped his hat and slipped between the two nearest wagons, breathing a sigh of relief when she didn't follow. He turned and headed towards the Taylor's wagon again.

He hadn't seen her with her parents when he'd made a beeline towards them earlier, so he guessed Sarah might be outside the ring of wagons anyway. He was right.

"You know, it's safer inside the circle," he said, staying far enough away this time that she couldn't slap him.

"So I've heard." She replied.

"You alright?" he asked.

She looked up at him then. He seemed even better looking than that first day she'd laid eyes on him. Perhaps it was because he seemed more relaxed now. "I'm fine."

"What are you hiding from, Miss Taylor?"

She picked a stem of grass and studied it very closely as she tore it into pieces. "I'm not hiding."

"Really? Because it's been my experience that when people sit out here, all alone, it's usually because they're hiding from someone or something."

"So, who are you hiding from then?" she asked.

"Charity Lennon."

Her eyebrows lifted and her mouth fell open in surprise. "You're hiding from Miss Lennon?"

"Yes, well I find her to be very clingy and overly flirtatious."

She laughed outright. Apparently Jill had been right.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have laughed it's just that....well, I'm surprised her attentions are lost on you."

"Why is that?"

"Because, she's perfect." She murmured.

Kyle looked skeptical. "I guess that would depend on your preference."

"You don't think so?"

"No," he shook his head.

"Oh."

"Who's Alex?"

"Someone I don't want to talk about."

"Okay." He had been afraid of that. "Well, make sure your Ma knows you're here." He started walking away.

"I was going to marry him," she said softly, and he stopped and turned back around.

Maybe he didn't want to know after all.

"We were engaged to be married back in Kansas City," She sighed. "Until I found out that he was a lying, cheating, gambler."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out." He really, truly, deep down, wasn't sorry.