Today I’m sharing a tidbit from Book 3 of the Owen Family Saga, Trail of Storms. The Bingham family has fled their home in Mount Jackson, Virginia. Jessie Bingham has been persuaded to ride on a wagon seat with a long-time friend from the Shenandoah Valley, Ned Heizer.
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Old Wagons — Image by © Robert Marien/Corbis
“Hi! Get up there!” Ned called to the horses. Once they were on the road, he turned to Jessie. “Your ma’s walkin’ back there with Robert and Miz Hannah. You can call me Ned now.” He watched a pink glow light her cheeks.
“I haven’t seen you for so long,” Jessie said, ducking her head to one side.
“Yup.” Ned moved his foot onto the brake lever. “I’m sorry I let some years get between us.”
Jessie didn’t reply.
“Do you remember that time I brought you a peck of mulberries, and we climbed the tree behind Miller’s barn and ate the whole thing?”
Jessie smiled but said nothing.
“Our hands got all purple, and my belly ached something fierce, but the company was fine.”
Jessie laughed. “As I recall, you threw up all over my skirt, and I had to hide it from Ma and wash it myself.”
Ned grinned. “I don’t remember that.”
“It happened.”
“Nah, it couldn’t have. I was always a model citizen around you.”
“It did.”
“It didn’t!”
“Did too!”
“Did not!”
Jessie gave Ned’s arm a gentle shove as her laughter filled the road. “The purple stain never did come all the way out of my skirt. I had to cover it with an apron until I outgrew it.”
“It does my heart good to hear you laugh, Jessie. I don’t reckon you’ve had much to laugh about the last few years.”
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Trail of Storms: Book 3 – in print and ebook formats
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