Free Mona Hodgson - [Hearts Seeking Home 01] by Prairie Song Page A

pallid this evening. And now that Caroline thought about it, the mother of five had gotten a late start on supper because she’d been lying down. Hopefully, she wasn’t coming down with something. Caroline sighed, easing the brush through Maisie’s hair since Rhoda already had her hands full preparing the meal.
    When his mother returned her attention to the skillet, Lyall set the tin plates out on the table. Duff wound his rope and put it in the wagon box while Davonna scooped butter into a small bowl. Caroline drew in a deep breath. Resting one hand on the top of Maisie’s head, she gently pulled the brush through the child’s hair with the other.
    “Miss Caroline.” It was a man’s voice, not Lyall’s. Caroline turned to face the captain of this traveling circus. Garrett Cowlishaw stood with his weight on his left leg, one hand behind his back and one eyebrow lifted. His smile was too genteel for her vinegary disposition. “About that poultice I mentioned for the children’s legs.”
    “You brought me some?”
    He met her teary gaze then showed his hand.
    She was surprised to feel herself smiling. “It’s a bouquet of mint.”
    He nodded, bouncing a tuft of light brown hair on his collar.
    “I may have to change my mind about you, Captain Cowlishaw.”
    “Is that good for me, ma’am?”
    Her lips pressed together, Caroline nodded.
    The captain smiled at the children. “I may just have to bring Miss Caroline a mint bouquet every day. What do you think?”
    All three of them nodded.
    Was it possible she’d been terribly wrong about Garrett Cowlishaw, after all?

9
    T uesday evening, Caleb dragged the wooden spoon through the dutch oven one more time, then pulled the wrought-iron triangle from the grub box and sounded the dinner bell. He watched Tiny, Boney, Isaac, Garrett, and Frank emerge from various places in the camp. Their two wagons sat in the clearing, facing the road. A comfortable setup, considering they’d been on the road a full day and brought half of the town with them.
    Frank set two buckets of water at the back of the chuck wagon, then tugged the misshapen hat from his blond head and slapped it on his thigh, adding more dust to the air. “Been far too long since the noon stop. Good thing you rang that bell when you did.”
    Using a leather scrap to protect his hand, Caleb gripped the handle of the cast-iron skillet and shoved a flat spatula blade under the biscuits, working them until they loosened. He set the pan on a rock beside the firepit. “Grub’s ready.”
    Whether they were ready for his cooking or not. He’d studied to be a preacher, not a cook.
    When Garrett nodded toward the front of the line, Isaac stepped up to the pot.
    Caleb scooped a ladle full of soup into a bowl, then pulled a biscuit from the pan. If he’d set the hot morsel on the plate any faster, it would have bounced to the ground.
    “Thank you.” A smile lit Isaac’s eyes. He always took his meals like he’d never been served before.
    Caleb repeated the action four times before serving himself. When he joined the others on logs around the campfire, Garrett looked up from his plate.
    “I thought we’d have a little meeting over our meal. Catch up on any news from the day.” Garrett looked at Caleb. “Any problems while me and Isaac were out scoutin’ this morning?”
    Caleb set his plate on one knee, wondering if he should tell him about the two young women who hung back in town too long. No sense in stirring that pot. “
Le Doc
’s horses all look good.”
    The fellows laughed.
    “
Le Doc
. I like it.” Garrett reached for his coffee mug. “If the horses are gonna give us trouble, it’ll be after we hit prairie.”
    Caleb spooned a bite of potato. The minute it reached his tongue, his nose curled. He shook his head.
    “What’s wrong?” Tiny snapped a suspender. “You not fond of your cookin’ either?”
    Caleb shook his head.
    Boney’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t taste it before you served