(no subject)

[papagena]

The shop bell rang as more emigrants poured into the general mercantile. All types were filling the cramped store, from a dust-covered elderly couple bickering about the price of a pound of sugar; to a man dressed in a dove grey suit thoughtfully selecting preserves at the counter. There was little space to even move, Henrietta found, as she and her brother stood in the corner beside some farming hoes and rakes, just as straight and tall to fit in. 

"There he is..." Charles groused, as one of the emigrants steered towards them. With his lanky stride, black clothing and hat, and lingering smirk, John Smith fairly oozed foreign -- a trait Henrietta did not appreciate. She grew more mystified daily as Charles placed some of the journey's responsibility on him. How could her brother even trust a man who looked like the snake who'd just eaten the rat?

"Where have you been?" Charles continued. "We've placed our order already, and once the wagon arrives they'll load it up. But we've been waiting on news from you if that will even happen."

"My friend, I have procured the finest opportunity for you in this fair city." Smith dangled a long fingered hand in the air to add some flair to his already dramatic tone. "Four reliable and well bred oxen for you, free of charge."

Before Charles could leap out of his boots with joy, Henrietta cut in.  "And just how did you do that?"

"Skeptical as always. An admirable trait, to question everything." Smith smiled at her. He had never made her uncomfortable;  in fact, his mannerisms were generally gentlemanly. They sparred with their wits alone more often than not. "The owner was made to know it was his duty to help a man of the cloth in his mission."

"To be brief, you deceived him by telling him it was God who needed the oxen?" Henrietta raised her eyebrows and looked at her brother. Charles rolled his eyes. 

"Of course! It's true, isn't it?" Smith asked naively. "Of course, his fear of fire and brimstone helped with the procurement ..."

"We've got to go pay them properly." Charles began towards the door, dragging Smith along with him. "And you're going to help me find them. Stay here for the time being, Etta."

Henrietta sighed and folded her arms. Another one of Smith's ideas; how many more would they be subject to on the trail? She would have traded him away in a heartbeat if it meant she could have more space for more of her books on the wagon, but being so heavy, they'd been the first to go. They couldn't walk, talk, or handle oxen, as her brother often said. 

She milled through the crowd, examining the other items dotting the shelves of the store, when she bumped into someone...

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[pearl_smithers]

"Oh goodness--forgive me!" Pearl knelt to retrieve her book, cloak, and the small coins that had scattered over the floor. Straightening up, she found herself face to face with a young woman of about her age, slightly taller, with her neat dark hair, startled expression and bonnet, she looked very much an Eastern lady. But the plain cloth of her simple brown day dress suggested that she might be a tad more hardy than some of the wilted doves Pearl had seen fanning themselves outside the store.

[papagena]

These people, Henrietta thought irritably. So rude. At least the girl had the compunction to apologize.

"It's fine. There's little space in here. Did you get all your pennies -- oh!" She spotted a glint of copper a step away and collected a stray coin, then offered it to the other girl. "All back to normal now?"

[pearl_smithers]

"Yes, thank you." She tucked some of the coins in the beaded leather purse strung at her waist. Then reached back out of habit to check that her rifle was still slung over her shoulder. It would be hard to steal without her noticing, but she didn't feel quite at ease given some of the avaricious looking sorts she'd seen loitering around town.


"Heading out soon?" Pearl inquired. The girl looked nervous, as though all this was new to her. Probably gently raised city folk. Not only unaccustomed to the town, but with no idea of what to expect upon embarking west. "My party--we were supposed to leave today--but we got held up."

[papagena]

"Yes, we are." Henrietta eyed the other woman as she checked her rifle. "Do you really need that around here? Is it that dangerous?"

Henrietta was uncomfortable. Women carrying rifles? Even this small town, on the edge of the grass plains they'd soon be crossing, was a bit too westerly for her comfort, full of all sorts of strange things - militia maidens, Mormons, and madmen (Mr. Smith). "Held up, by what?" That caught her ears. Was there a chance it could happen to them?

[pearl_smithers]

"Not too much here--but you never know." She shifted her weight and looked around the store. Still no sign of Mr Vandenberg, though she spotted Mrs Vandenberg across the street, getting the children fitted for shoes.

"We were delayed because the father of the family, he expected to meet an old friend here, one who would be our guide, but we've been here two days--and he's nowhere to be found. If we don't find him today," her shoulders heaved, "we might have to find another party to join. But--we left him a message, and they said he might come by here, so I'm to wait." She craned her neck to steal another glimpse of the counter.


Turning back to the other girl she offered a smile, "Forgive me, I just realized I've not told you my name. Pearl Smithers, from up north in Wisconsin." She ducked her head and bobbed in a quick curtsy.

[papagena]

"Your guide vanished? How horrible!" Henrietta crinkled her brow. "Where is the rest of your party? Surely someone must be able to contact him, perhaps?"

She wasn't entirely certain about the rifle but at least she was polite. Henrietta had to give her that. "Henrietta Clarke, Chicago." she replied, and dipped her head. "... Wisconsin?" she added, as though a piece of the puzzle had been added.

[pearl_smithers]

"They're off getting supplies. But if he doesn't show, we'll just have to go on without him, you see that lady over there--across the street--with the red skirt--and the children, that's Mrs Vandenberg, her husband's probably out after the oxen."


"Yup, Wisconsin--over near Eau Claire, a bit west of there really." Pearl's eyes widened, "Chicago? Really--is it as big as they say?" She thought of the elaborate engravings of the city she'd seen in her books.

[papagena]

"We're with a Mister Boyd. He's been in town for the past week; we met him just yesterday. Perhaps if your guide doesn't show, you can join in our company." Henrietta offered.

The bell of the door rang again as her brother and Mr. Smith returned.

"... So, see? There was no problem." Smith was saying as they weasled their way back to Henrietta. He tipped his hat to Henrietta. "Miss Clarke."

She pointedly ignored him. "Charles, do you happen to know Mr. Boyd's lodging address?" Looking to Pearl, she added, "I can get it for you if you wish. This is Miss Pearl Smithers."

[pearl_smithers]

Pearl managed a quick curtsy as the girl's brother a very tiding looking young man introduced himself, along with his not so prepossessing friend.

"Mr Clarke, your sister tells me you're headed out soon--and with a guide? May I ask how many are in your party, and when you intend to set out?"

[papagena]

"I think from the last count, about 9 or -- was it 10?" Charles looked from Mr. Smith to Henrietta. "We intend to leave tomorrow morning, at 7 o'clock. I'm afraid that we won't be waiting for any stragglers either, as any later in the calendar and we'll be caught in the snows."

"Miss Smithers, do you already possess a wagon? Oxen or other animal to pull it?" Mr. Smith inquired.

[pearl_smithers]

Pearl sighed, trying to remember what Mr Vandenberg had said that morning, "The party I am with, the Vandenbergs,hoped they could set out tomorrow. We've got the wagon, and Mr Vandenberg ought to be seeing to the oxen right now. His wife has purchased most of the supplies we need--There are eight in our party sir, a man and his wife, their children, and of course myself." She tilted her head back to study Clarke. "Mr Vandenberg hoped to meet an old friend here, a guide, but we've seen nothing of him, he ought to be here in an an hour or two--if you would like to meet him?"

[papagena]

"Certainly, Miss Smithers." Charles smiled a bit. "By then hopefully our wagon will be loaded with our supplies and we'll be set, now that we have some oxen." He shot a look at Mr. Smith.

Henrietta, beside him, examined Pearl once again. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. It wouldn't be so bad to have a companion on the trail. They looked about equal age, even. Her eyes snagged on the book that Pearl was holding. "What are you reading, may I ask?"

[pearl_smithers]

"Oh, this is The Pickwick Papers, it's English." She turned the book over in her hands, "It's very amusing--I might lend it to you later if you like."


At that moment the shop door rang and Pearl spotted a familiar battered hat above the crowd. "It's Mr Vandenberg's! Mr. Vandenberg sir! Over here!"

[papagena]

"Oh - sounds intriguing." Henrietta attempted a smile despite her nerves about the journey.

She glanced over at the man walking towards them - the Mr Vandenberg - and waited to hear what he had to say.

[pearl_smithers]

As Pearl made the introductions, the two men studied each other. Mr Vandenberg was just shy of 40, with features and clothes were both creased and worn, bearing the dust of the road.


"Mr Clarke, if you're still forming a party--we wouldn't mind joining you--and I've met a few others who might be interested as well."

[papagena]

"Regrettably, I'm not the man you should be speaking to, sir. Although I would certainly welcome any of those to make our scant party bigger..." Charles examined the man. "Are you the guardian of Miss Smithers? We were about to give her the lodging address of Mr. Boyd. He's the captain of our train, and the one you'd probably benefit the most from talking to."

[pearl_smithers]

"No Mr Clarke, I am well over one and twenty, Mr Vandenberg is not my guardian or kinsman, simply and old family friend." Pearl's fingers dug into her cloak as she forced herself to keep calm and bite back a flow of sharp words.

Mr Vandenberg nodded, "Thank you, might I ask sir, how many are in your party? Any with you, aside from the Mr Boyd you spoke of, who've traveled this way before?"

[papagena]

Charles blinked at Pearl and wrinkled his brow. "Well, I do apologize for the misunderstanding." He wondered if it was a sensitive subject for the woman, judging from her quick reaction.

After glancing at her again, he turned to Mr. Vandenberg. "There's but three in our party, all new to the trail. This is my sister, Miss Henrietta Clarke, and our friend Mr. John Smith. The others in our party include Mr. and Mrs. Walton, three men of fortune who want to travel the trail, and a family by the name of Pruitt."

He took out a paper from his vest and scribbled something on it with a pencil also produced from within his coat. "Mr. Boyd's address," he said, handing the other fellow the note. "We leave tomorrow morning. Talk to him and I'm sure he'll be able to accommodate you."