Excerpt Wednesday – Trail of Redemption, A First Look
It’s Wednesday! And that means it’s time to take a look into what’s next on my publishing plate. Here’s a great snippet from the sixth Hot on the Trail book that will give you a good idea of what awaits on the trail for the folks going West with Pete Evans as trail boss on the Oregon Trail. Especially Estelle and Graham in Trail of Redemption….
Once she was settled, Estelle checked over her shoulder on Graham. Pete was helping him guide his oxen into place behind Estelle’s supply wagon. In fact, Pete was doing most of the work from atop his horse while Graham limped and struggled to keep up with the slow pace. Estelle bit her lip, wondering if there was anything she could do to make the journey easier for Graham. Of all people, he should be riding in his wagon. But instead, he was doing his best to walk just like everyone else. It was a huge effort, and she found herself smiling with pride in him.
Graham looked up at just that moment and caught her smile. He stumbled slightly, but focused and kept on going, returning her smile with one that lasted for only a heartbeat before flickering back to concentration.
“Why is he trying to walk on his own?”
Estelle blinked and turned to find the black man walking on the other side of the oxen. He was tall enough to be seen over the oxen’s backs.
He must have noticed Estelle’s wary expression. He smiled and said, “The name’s Isaiah Jones. Pete didn’t have a chance to introduce us, since I was held up and only just got here.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Jones,” Estelle greeted him cautiously.
“A wounded soldier has no business walking like that,” Isaiah went on. “He should drive. Or better still, have someone else drive him. The train would be much more suitable.”
“He’s taking a wagon of his sister’s thing to her in Denver.” Estelle felt the need to explain, to defend Graham. “He didn’t want to take the train because it doesn’t go all the way.”
Isaiah shook his head. “Seems a might foolish to me. Could be an inconvenience for us in the crew if he needs help.” He spoke loud enough for Graham to hear, if he was paying attention.
“I don’t mind helping,” Estelle said, also loud enough to be heard.
“Oh! Oh, look out!”
A half-naked child who couldn’t have been more than three zipped toward Estelle, Olivia and the woman she’d heard introduce herself as Lucy Haskell chasing after him. Lucy reached for him, but it was Olivia who caught him and snatched him up. The boy giggled and squirmed, but Olivia held him fast. The brief chase left Olivia and Lucy walking beside Estelle and the supply wagon. Isaiah sped up to keep Lucy’s wagon in like. She hardly seemed to notice.
“That was a good catch,” Lucy said, laughing. “You’re an angel for helping to take care of those children, Olivia. I’ve had my eye on them since we arrived here yesterday, and they’re a great big handful.”
The squirming boy threw his arms around Olivia’s neck and squeezed.
“They’re not so bad,” Olivia said. She looked past Lucy to Estelle. “I’m Olivia Walters.”
“Oh, and I’m Lucy Haskell,” Lucy added. She extended a hand. “My father is Howard Haskell, of Wyoming.”
Estelle was so startled that she was slow to react. “I’m Estelle Ripley,” she managed at last, with a smile for Lucy and a nod for Olivia. “I’m part of the wagon train’s crew.”
“How lovely,” Olivia smiled, kissing the naked boy’s head.
“You ladies might want to move out of the way,” a harried voice called from behind them.
Estelle and the others turned in time to see Josephine Lewis drawing closer to them, her wagon out of line and her oxen wide-eyed. They were as close as oxen came to running. Lucy squealed. The boy in Olivia’s arms managed to wriggle free, jump down, and run ahead. Olivia would have followed him, but Josephine’s wagon came rushing up, blocking her.
“Where are the brakes on these things?” Josephine shouted.
“Whoa. Whoa there.” Estelle broke away from her own, sedate oxen to reach out for Josephine’s. She managed to come up beside the pair, holding the goad in front of them and slowing them with soft words and an easy touch, as Pete’s assistants had showed her. “It’s all right.”
The oxen responded to her by huffing and slowing to their usual plod, only now, Josephine’s wagon rolled on to the side of Estelle’s and Lucy’s.
Josephine laughed. “Not ten minutes out of Independence, and already I’m having an adventure. My family would say that’s typical, I’m sure.”
“You have adventures?” Lucy piped up, skipping across from the front of Estelle’s wagon to walk beside Josephine’s. “You’ll have to tell me all about them. I’m Lucy Haskell, by the way. My father is Howard Haskell, of Wyoming. I’m going home. I hope we have a whole bushel of adventures on this journey.”
Estelle’s lips twitched into a grin as Lucy found a new target for her enthusiasm.
“I’m going home,” Lucy went on. “I was born out West, if you can believe it, but I haven’t been home for years. I can’t wait. I haven’t asked yet where Estelle and Olivia are going, but I’d like to know. Where is the trail taking you, Miss Josephine? Why are you here?”
“Gracious, child,” Josephine exclaimed, shaking her head. “You’ve got enough words in there for three young women, don’t you?”
Lucy laughed. “Papa always said I talk too much, but I can’t help it. I’ve got things to say, and besides that, there are so many questions to ask.”
“Well.” Josephine arched a brow. “If you must know, I’m heading out to live with my niece in Denver. She came through this year and married some fellow on the trail after my nephew, her brother, and his family died.”
“Oh dear,” Lucy gasped. “What happened? Did they get sick? Was it Indians? I certainly hope we don’t die.”
Estelle chuckled, but her patience was beginning to rub a little thin. “Mr. Tremaine back there is heading to Denver too,” she said, turning back and waiting for the other wagons to catch up.
“Oh?” Josephine twisted in her driver’s seat to get a glimpse of Graham behind them. “The soldier?”
Graham looked up at that minute. His glance flickered between the ladies—all of whom were now staring at him—before settling on Estelle with a smile. At least he was smiling. She shouldn’t have brought all the attention on him.
Oh yeah, you can pre-order Trail of Redemption at iBooks and Barnes & Noble right now! Click on over to reserve your copy today!
