The Promised Land (Destiny's Dreamers Book 2) Read Online Free

Stuart.’’ Chandler scratched his head. “Not sure I approve of your methods, though.’’
    Johnny stood up straight and made one of the bows he’d always saved for his book sales~lithe and elegant, suggesting amused subservience.
    “John Stuart, at your service. Please accept my buffalo . . . and my apologies for a somewhat unusual hunting style. I’ll make every effort not to let it happen again.’’
    Chandler spat and smiled. “Guess I don’t really care how you bagged ‘em. If’n you can keep yourself alive in the process you got my blessing to take on the chore for all of us next hunt. We’ll jest save ourselves the ride out an’ back.’’
    To the roar of the other men, the cleaning began.
    Buffalo ribs were propped up before a crackling blaze. Maggie was stuffing cleaned intestines with prime tidbits of tenderloin mixed with fat, chopped liver, and spices. Earlier sausages spluttered enthusiastically on sticks within the fire. Irish, no longer able to wait, pulled his out and bit into it. He sighed with pleasure.
    “My hat is off to you Maggie. If this be haggis, and your Johnny a reborn Highlander, there’s something to be said for Scotland that my Irish parents never passed on to me.’’
    Maggie smiled, but she was troubled. The men had been regaling her with tales of the hunt. Johnny was once more the hero of the day. But at what cost? What cost, indeed. Jamie interrupted her thoughts.
    “Tell me again about my Pa’s tricks, Uncle Irish. Why couldn’t I have been there to see them? I would’ve traded nearly anything for it.’’
    Irish threw a bite to the coyote at his feet. “You would’ve traded off Bacon here for the pleasure?’’
    That almost stumped Jamie, but he slowly nodded his head. “Yup. I would have!’’
    “Don’t go putting ideas into the boy’s head, Irish,’’ Johnny spoke up. “He’d never part with that animal.’’
    “I would too. Well, for a few minutes, at least. That’s ‘cause I know Bacon wouldn’t stay with anyone else. He’d come running right back home to me.’’
    They had to laugh at the boy’s satisfied logic.
    “It was the nearest thing I ever seen to a circus,’’ threw in Sam. “Mighty impressive acrobatics. Had my heart in my mouth.’’
    “Not too far in,’’ commented Johnny dryly. “You had enough room to spit out a warning that saved both Dickens and I.’’
    Gwen beamed at Sam proudly. Instead of blushing, Sam took her hand and clasped it in his big paw. She did not trouble to remove it.
    “The main thing was the quick thinking,’’ from Irish between bites. “I never saw anybody react that way. It made me think I’d follow Johnny into battle without a doubt.’’
    Maggie watched her husband as a cloud crossed his face. It was the fighting business again, this new realization of his hidden strengths, his manhood . Hadn’t he realized his own true self yet, as he had tried to make her aware of her own hidden nature? Had he not come to the understanding that violence did not make the man? She was constantly intrigued by his new ways. Occasionally she was excited by them. Yet she longed passionately for the sound stability of their past together. Maggie wouldn’t hamper him, but she was going to Oregon for him. She wanted him there with her when she arrived.
    Johnny bent down, hiding the look in his eyes as he prodded the ribs. “I pronounce these ready to consume.’’
    “If that means eat, pass ‘em out, afore I pass out from starvation!’’
    Gwen smiled fondly at Sam’s words. “An event unlikely to happen anytime soon. Not while your bones hold on to that brawn!’’
    Sam flexed his biceps for his sweetheart’s benefit. They all laughed and dug in.
    More meat had been caught than the entire train could eat in one night of frenzied gorging. The following day had to be set aside for the preserving of what was left. Campfires smoked strongly next to almost every wagon. The travellers began to learn and