Oregon Destiny Read online

  Oregon Destiny

  Rachel Wesson

  Contents

  Character List

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Epilogue

  Historical Note

  Almanzo’s story

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Rachel Wesson

  Character List

  The following are a list of the main characters in this book, the majority of whom you met in Oregon Bound - book 1.

  Thompson family:

  Pa - Paddy Thompson

  Ma - Della Thompson

  Eva - now Mrs. David Clarke

  Rebecca and Johanna Thompson - the twins

  Stephen Thompson

  Other characters

  Captain Scott Jones - Wagon Train Leader

  David Clarke - now married to Eva Thompson

  Rick Hughes and his nieces, Sarah and Carrie

  Mrs. Long and her three daughters.

  Freeman family - Pa, Ma, Sheila and her brother Joey

  Bradley family - Pa and his daughter Gracie

  Stan and his pregnant wife, Milly.

  Mr Price and his son Almanzo

  Mr. and Mrs. Newland

  Paco, his wife Winona and their sons.

  Chapter 1

  Becky Thompson watched the leader of their wagon train, Captain Scott Jones, ride out of camp. He was alone for the first time in what seemed like ages. She hurried through the rest of her chores before telling her ma she was going to spend some time with her pregnant friend Milly. Milly was anxiously awaiting the birth of her first baby, and Ma encouraged all of them to spend time with the young mother-to-be, to help keep her spirits up.

  Becky walked in the direction of Milly’s wagon until she was out of sight. Then she turned and ran to where her pa’s horses were hobbled.

  “Come on, Ireland, we have to find Scott.” The horse neighed softly, not loud enough to cause anyone to become alarmed. She rode slowly out of camp, not allowing the horse to canter until they were some distance away. She spotted Scott up ahead, his horse contentedly grazing while he stood staring into the distance. She rode up to him, causing him to turn quickly his gun cocked.

  “Becky! What on earth? I could have shot you.”

  “But you didn’t.” She dismounted.

  “What are you doing out here?” he asked. “Do your parents know where you are?”

  “I told Ma I was going to see Milly. She won’t check. I had to come. I had to see you.”

  “Why?”

  “You seem to be upset. Is there something wrong? Something you are not telling us?”

  “It’s your imagination, Becky. My job means I must stay vigilant.”

  “This is more than that. Does it have something to do with that man, Mitchell, back at Fort Hall?” She knew she had hit a nerve from the look on his face. She wished he could be honest with her. “I am not a damsel in distress nor am I going to swoon. You are worried and I want to know why.”

  “Becky, leave it alone.”

  “But there is history between you and this Mitchell guy. I know you knew each other. Didn’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “So that’s why you got into the fight. It wasn’t to protect mine and Eva’s honor.”

  He looked at her before staring into the distance. She knew he didn’t like to lie so she waited.

  “That was part of it but you are right there were other reasons,” he growled. “I am not willing to talk about them.”

  “I wish you would trust me. I am not a child.”

  He put out his hand and drew her to him. Pushing her hair gently back from her face, he looked in her eyes.

  “I don’t believe you are a child.” He bent his head and kissed her on the lips. As before, the spark between them ignited. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as heavenly sensations overtook her body. She wanted more yet she wasn’t sure what that was. She moved closer to him, only their clothes separating them.

  “Becky, I...” he groaned pushing her gently away. “Go back to your wagon. You aren't safe here.”

  “Yes, I am,” she whispered as she nuzzled his neck, her lips making a track down to the top of his collar bone. Hearing him groan once more turned her limbs to liquid.

  “Becky. Go. Now.” He pushed her away, not too gently this time. She stumbled slightly as he moved away.

  “But...you like me.”

  He stopped walking. His shoulders straightened as he turned back toward her. “That’s the problem. I like you too much. You and I aren’t suited. There is no future in this, and I won’t take your innocence.”

  She opened her mouth to protest but the expression in his eyes stopped her.

  “Please go Becky. There is only so much temptation I can take.”

  She turned and ran, her cheeks flaming, tears running down her face. Not of hurt but of frustration. How could he think they didn’t have a future together? What gave him the right to make that decision for her. Didn’t her opinion count?

  She mounted Ireland as quickly as she could and rode back to their camp. Dismounting, she hobbled the horse before walking slowly back toward their wagon. She saw Johanna and Eva laughing with their ma over by the fire. Desperate to avoid them, she moved silently toward her tent. She didn’t want anyone witnessing her tears. She rarely cried so they would be concerned. Her parents already had reservations about Captain Jones. She wasn’t going to add any fuel to that fire.

  She reached the tent without being seen. Lying down and pulling the covers over her fully dressed body, she pretended to be asleep when Johanna came in some time later. She waited until she heard her sister's soft snores before she opened her eyes. What did she have to do to convince Scott they were meant to be together? And what part did Mitchell play? Despite what Scott had said, he was worried, and she was convinced the horrible man from Fort Hall was the reason why.

  Chapter 2

  He watched her run, his heart torn in two. He regretted his callous treatment of her but he only had so much self-control, and she felt so good in his arms. Her body melded to his, responding to his caresses instinctively, yet he knew her to be innocent. If only he was in a position to ask to court her. If he could offer her a stable home and a decent future he would, but that wasn’t in his power to provide. He wondered if it ever ha
d been, but any chance was long forgotten now that Mitchell had turned up. His face hardened at the thought of the man who had ruined his life once before. He wasn’t about to let him get away again. But first he had a duty to take these travelers safely to Willamette Valley. Only once that was achieved would he deal with Mitchell.

  He turned his focus to the journey ahead. They should be able to replenish their supplies at Fort Boise even though it was a bit late in the year. They may even be able to replace the two horses he had shot. They had gone lame shortly after Rick was nearly killed crossing the river at Three Island Crossing.

  It was a bit late in the year for the trappers to be hanging around the fort, but he had a feeling his old friend, Alberto, might be there. He would be able to tell him more about Mitchell, particularly how he escaped the hanging.

  He mounted his horse and turned in the direction of the camp. He had to keep his distance from Becky. The chemistry between them was powerful and although he wanted to believe he had the will power to resist her, he wasn’t so certain of his body. No woman had ever fascinated him for so long. Not even Kateri. Although he had loved her, their match had been arranged by the tribe. They had grown up together so it seemed natural to get married. He would have stayed happily married if he had been given the choice. But the passion he shared with Becky had never been there between him and his wife. There was nothing for it but to always insist someone accompany them. A chaperone.

  Chapter 3

  Becky studiously avoided Scott. If he came near their fire to talk to Pa, she wandered off to see Milly or call on someone else.

  “Why do you keep avoiding Captain Jones?” Johanna asked her, a curious look in her eyes.

  “I don’t.”

  “Yes, you do. You have gone from hanging on his every word to ignoring him. What type of game are you playing now?”

  “I am not playing any games, Johanna. Leave me alone.”

  She wasn’t going to cry in front of her twin. She had said enough about her love for Scott. She didn’t want her sister’s pity.

  “The next stream we come to is about six feet deep. We will have to raise the wagons to cross it. We will set up camp now and then tackle it first thing in the morning. Agreed?” Captain Jones surveyed the group but Johanna noticed his gaze lingered on Becky. Her twin was studying the ground. Honestly, she wanted to bang both their heads together.

  Instead, she caught the scared look on Milly’s face. She couldn’t do anything about Becky but she could help Milly. Johanna went over to reassure her. “We will be fine. We are so good at crossing rivers now we can do it in our sleep.”

  Milly looked unconvinced. She kept rubbing her bump and staring at the river.

  “Come on, Milly, let’s get some food. You will feel better after eating.”

  “Rick nearly died at the last river crossing.”

  Johanna didn’t need reminding her fiancé had almost died, but she wasn’t going to tell her friend that. She knew Milly wasn’t thinking straight. She took her hand and led her in the direction of the food. “It’s only a tiny little stream. Don’t lose any sleep over it.”

  They raised the wagons ready for the morning. Johanna caught the look her parents exchanged. Surely, they weren’t worried about the crossing. She watched as her pa gave her ma a quick kiss on the cheek before he went to check his cattle.

  “What’s wrong, Ma? Why are you frowning?”

  “It’s nothing, Johanna.”

  “Ma, tell me. I am not a child.”

  “Sorry, Johanna, of course you aren’t. I am a little worried about our food supplies. I thought we would have more set by. I am sure I am fussing over nothing.”

  Johanna knew her ma wasn’t the sort to get upset unless there was good reason. She must speak to Rick, maybe the men could go hunting.

  The next morning, the crossing went well until the cattle started to move. Johanna watched her pa as he seemed to be pulling one animal. Captain Jones rode back over the river to check. Next thing a shot rang out, the sound reverberating around the valley. The animal slumped to the ground.

  Johanna pushed Carrie’s head into her skirt, her instincts to protect the young girl.

  “It was the best thing to do, Carrie. It got stuck in quicksand. He would have died anyway but it would have been a slow death,” Rick said. “Jones had no choice.”

  Johanna looked up at Rick who was still astride his horse. He knew how she felt about animals suffering. She smiled at him showing she understood Jones had done the right thing, but all the while inside she was cursing this journey. Just how many more people or animals would die before they reached Oregon.

  “Come on children, let’s see if we can find any choke berries. I read they grow in this area.” Johanna looked up at Rick.

  Rick flashed her a smile, which lit her up inside, before he blew her a kiss and headed back to help move the other cattle. He’d gone before she remembered she had meant to ask him about going hunting. It would be an excuse to seek him out alone. She missed his kisses.

  That evening, they camped at the foot of a large hill. The grass was reasonable. Scott pushed his hair out of his eyes. The river crossing had gone well apart from the death of the animal. Tomorrow would be difficult not just because of the height of the climb but because the road was poor. He knew people were worried about the lack of provisions.

  He stroked his stubble, watching Becky. She refused to acknowledge him and although he couldn’t blame her, it stung. He wished more than anything he hadn’t bumped into Mitchell. A couple of days earlier or later and Mitchell might not have been at Fort Hall. He could have gone to Becky’s parents, told them his plans to set up a horse ranch, the number of horses he already had and… Cursing silently, he picked up his blade and headed to the river. Unlike most wagon captains he hated whiskers, preferring to keep his face stubble free. It wasn’t always practical but when the chance came to shave, he took it.

  Becky watched as he headed to the river. She knew he would be alone. It took all her self control not to follow him. She had seen him looking at her earlier when she was pretending to ignore him, the pained expression in his eyes making her heart twist. Why was he insisting they had no future when he felt the same way she did?

  Chapter 4

  Becky yawned as she got up and ready for the day ahead. Captain Jones had warned everyone it would be a difficult day. She was driving the wagon today. Her heart beat faster as Scott came closer as if to talk to her but she purposefully turned her head. Unless he was ready to ask for her hand, she was going to continue ignoring him.

  They ascended the hill carefully as the roads were very steep and rocky. The oxen were struggling. Becky tried to coax them to go faster but no matter what she did they wouldn’t move. She couldn’t see in front of her as the dust was too thick. She put on the brake, thankful she was the last wagon. There was no one behind her to plow into the back of them.

  “What’s wrong, Becky?”

  “I can’t get the oxen to move, Ma. Stay where you are. It’s hard to see.”

  The good thing about the dust was it seemed to keep the mosquitoes at bay. When the wind blew and the dust cleared, they came back in force so any break was welcome. She inched her way to the oxen, feeling her way with her hands. She couldn’t tell what was wrong. Maybe one of them was lame or something. Where was Pa when she needed him? He’d gone hunting with Rick. Johanna was driving Rick’s wagon. She had no option but to wait until someone missed them. She groped her way back to the wagon.

  “What is it?” Ma asked.

  “I don’t know. I don’t think they are just being ornery. Nothing will make them move and—believe me—I tried force and sweet words.”

  “Poor creatures are exhausted. They have pulled our wagon faithfully for more miles than I care to think about,” Ma sighed. “We will just have to wait a while until the others come back.”

  “Ma, can I ask you something?”

  “What?”

  “Are you glad you
came? I know you didn’t want to leave Virgil.,” Becky hesitated. “What do you think now?”

  Her ma stayed quiet for a few minutes. Becky waited, sensing her mother was trying to put her thoughts into words.

  “If I am honest, I would say I wish we were still in Virgil. But, and this will probably sound a little funny given what we have gone through, it has been an adventure. I have learned a lot about myself, Paddy, and of course, you children during this trip. I think in many ways our family has grown closer. So, I guess, I can’t say I am sorry we left.”

  Becky sat in silence pondering her ma’s words.

  “What about you, darling? Do you wish you were back home in Virgil?”

  “No, Ma. I was a silly girl when we lived there. I have grown up a lot. I needed to.”

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Becky.”

  “But it’s true. Eva was always the sensible one and Johanna the caring one. I was the wild one, chasing boys and what not.”

  “Don’t remind your pa about the chasing boys bit, Becky. He likes to think his girls are still innocent little angels.”