was alone, tucked inside
the covers like a baby in a bunting. Randi wiggled her arms,
loosening the tight covers a bit, and glanced around the
empty tent. The faint sounds of hammers filtered into the
space. She sat up with a start.
The men were already working and here she was sleeping
in like a princess in a palace. Her eyes settled on the lamp on
the table before she snatched her dress and underclothes
from the chair and tugged them under the covers. The task
was difficult and took much longer than she wanted, but not
willing to stand beside the bed and dress, she didn't flip the
blankets off until her dress was settled over her head.
100
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
She quickly pulled the skirt down as she stood and then
sat down to tug on her socks and shoes. After making up the
bed and putting the tent in order, she retrieved Howard's red
plaid shirt and exited the area. Crisp, clean morning air met
her, and she buttoned the shirt while making her way to the
cook site.
A glance over her shoulder didn't reveal any workmen,
mainly due to the high walls that had been lifted the day
before. The glistening morning sun, barely peeking over the
horizon, shined on the new boards, reflecting off the feather
swirls of frost still clinging to the structure. Pounding
continued to fill the air, and Randi turned about as Ma Quinter
stepped out of her tent.
"Land sakes, what time did that fool get up and start
poundin'?" the woman asked.
Randi shrugged, used the motion to pull the thick shirt
tighter to her body.
"Well, I'll get the fire goin' if'n you wanna get a pot of
coffee started."
"All right," Randi agreed and moved to the storage tent.
Yesterday, she'd help Ma arrange all of the supplies, more
than she'd ever seen at one place and time, in the extra tent.
Due to the large chunks of ice packed in sawdust,
surrounding the crates of beef Ma had brought, it was colder
inside the tent than outside. Blowing into her hands, she
quickly gathered the coffee pot and the small tin of ground
coffee beans and went back out to break a thin film of ice off
the top of the water in the bucket before filling the pot.
101
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
Snake and Bug moved about, one adding sticks to the
flames taking life in the fire pit, the other hauling an arm load
of larger logs to form a pile near the circle of rocks. Her gaze
went to Howard's tent and embarrassment of what the boys
may have seen the night before blazed into her cheeks.
"Morning, Randi." Bug tipped his hat, a friendly smile
covering his face.
From his crouched position, adding yet another log to the
fire, Snake quickly offered, "Hey, Randi. Morning." He, too,
acted nonchalant, as if nothing had happened the night
before.
"Good morning," she replied with a sigh of relief,
extremely thankful for their behavior. Perhaps they hadn't
seen anything. Perhaps she had dowsed the light before
anyone besides Howard saw her undressing.
"Didn't Hog sleep a'tall?" Bug asked.
"Excuse me?" she asked.
Bug gestured toward the building site with his head, dark
brown eyes squinting with what looked like frustration. "Hog,
didn't he sleep at all last night?"
"I-uh..." she started, but stopped, wondering if Howard
had slept. She had—like a baby. As a matter of fact with the
warmth of his arms cradling her like a newborn, she had
never slept so well—ever. Her brows pulled taut on her
forehead. When had he left the comfort of the bed? She
hadn't awakened all night, not until the pounding had filtered
into her dreams. Hot blood rushed into her cheeks. The
dream had been quite pleasurable and shocking to her now
102
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
awake virginal mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the
late night visions from her mind.
The blush, as well as the increased beat of her heart,
made her gulp for air and rush to the tri-pod to find
something to occupy her. Squeezing her shaking
the covers like a baby in a bunting. Randi wiggled her arms,
loosening the tight covers a bit, and glanced around the
empty tent. The faint sounds of hammers filtered into the
space. She sat up with a start.
The men were already working and here she was sleeping
in like a princess in a palace. Her eyes settled on the lamp on
the table before she snatched her dress and underclothes
from the chair and tugged them under the covers. The task
was difficult and took much longer than she wanted, but not
willing to stand beside the bed and dress, she didn't flip the
blankets off until her dress was settled over her head.
100
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
She quickly pulled the skirt down as she stood and then
sat down to tug on her socks and shoes. After making up the
bed and putting the tent in order, she retrieved Howard's red
plaid shirt and exited the area. Crisp, clean morning air met
her, and she buttoned the shirt while making her way to the
cook site.
A glance over her shoulder didn't reveal any workmen,
mainly due to the high walls that had been lifted the day
before. The glistening morning sun, barely peeking over the
horizon, shined on the new boards, reflecting off the feather
swirls of frost still clinging to the structure. Pounding
continued to fill the air, and Randi turned about as Ma Quinter
stepped out of her tent.
"Land sakes, what time did that fool get up and start
poundin'?" the woman asked.
Randi shrugged, used the motion to pull the thick shirt
tighter to her body.
"Well, I'll get the fire goin' if'n you wanna get a pot of
coffee started."
"All right," Randi agreed and moved to the storage tent.
Yesterday, she'd help Ma arrange all of the supplies, more
than she'd ever seen at one place and time, in the extra tent.
Due to the large chunks of ice packed in sawdust,
surrounding the crates of beef Ma had brought, it was colder
inside the tent than outside. Blowing into her hands, she
quickly gathered the coffee pot and the small tin of ground
coffee beans and went back out to break a thin film of ice off
the top of the water in the bucket before filling the pot.
101
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
Snake and Bug moved about, one adding sticks to the
flames taking life in the fire pit, the other hauling an arm load
of larger logs to form a pile near the circle of rocks. Her gaze
went to Howard's tent and embarrassment of what the boys
may have seen the night before blazed into her cheeks.
"Morning, Randi." Bug tipped his hat, a friendly smile
covering his face.
From his crouched position, adding yet another log to the
fire, Snake quickly offered, "Hey, Randi. Morning." He, too,
acted nonchalant, as if nothing had happened the night
before.
"Good morning," she replied with a sigh of relief,
extremely thankful for their behavior. Perhaps they hadn't
seen anything. Perhaps she had dowsed the light before
anyone besides Howard saw her undressing.
"Didn't Hog sleep a'tall?" Bug asked.
"Excuse me?" she asked.
Bug gestured toward the building site with his head, dark
brown eyes squinting with what looked like frustration. "Hog,
didn't he sleep at all last night?"
"I-uh..." she started, but stopped, wondering if Howard
had slept. She had—like a baby. As a matter of fact with the
warmth of his arms cradling her like a newborn, she had
never slept so well—ever. Her brows pulled taut on her
forehead. When had he left the comfort of the bed? She
hadn't awakened all night, not until the pounding had filtered
into her dreams. Hot blood rushed into her cheeks. The
dream had been quite pleasurable and shocking to her now
102
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
awake virginal mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the
late night visions from her mind.
The blush, as well as the increased beat of her heart,
made her gulp for air and rush to the tri-pod to find
something to occupy her. Squeezing her shaking
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