Book 3, Chapter 2

Jessica Sampson was twenty-two, and was 'fed up to here, ' as her father was wont to say. Her father's placer mine was kaput. She had stayed at his side for all those years, but finally decided enough was enough. She had saddled Sally early in the morning, and then cooked breakfast. As they ate, Horner could tell something was eating at Jessica. He paused to take a sip of the weak coffee and noticed that Sally was saddled.

"You planning on going somewhere, today?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Ah..." Jessica stalled. She had wanted a more opportune time to broach the subject. Now it was forced on her. "Well, I'm sorry, Daddy. I can't do this anymore. I've decided to take Sally and leave here. I am going to go to Texas and see if'n I can find Cousin George and Cousin Maybelle. Last I heard they was in a place called Mexia near Waco, running a general store with Maybelle's husband Hyrum. I'm tired of mining and think I'll see if I can do better there."

"But you can't leave me alone" Horner started. "I know we'll strike the big one..."

"Oh, Daddy, you've been saying that since before Maw died when I was just eight. I've spent over half my life working that useless piece of land and cookin' and cleanin' for you. I'm going and that's that. I'm taking Sally, and the quilt momma made me for my dowry. I got my guns and a rifle, and I'm taking half the cartridges and food. After all, I was the one that shot that deer, and I processed it and smoked it! So half is mine."

Her Irish was showing as her face turned almost as red as the hair on her head. She stalked out of camp, leapt on Sally's back and forcefully hauled the reins around and urged the horse forward.

She called out, "If you finally get tired of this life, come look me up in Texas. I reckon I'll be able to find me a husband there that won't take me for granted."

She was right on that point. Jessica was a tall woman built with an hourglass figure, and most of the sand in the hourglass was in the top half. Some crude men once said her shirt would enter a room two seconds before the rest of her. They only said it once. She was strong and her muscles were hard from the hard work of the mine. Her abdomen was flat and hard as a board. Her strong legs could hold her on the horse through the roughest terrain, allowing her hands to be free for other things, like shooting at deer. Her aim was steady and she was good with both handgun and rifle. She was a better shot than most men. She wasn't worried about traveling to Waco alone.

Jessica's first week on the trail was uneventful. She met no one, and enjoyed the solitude. She rode easy and stopped early in the evening most days. Jessica hunted as she rode, providing for herself with small game, saving her smoked meat for lean times. She refilled her canteens in the streams she crossed. For the first time in her life she was free, and she was enjoying herself.

It was late in the afternoon about two weeks after she left home when she entered a small town. There wasn't much there. A saloon, of course, plus a couple of stores and a church. Jessica was dressed in her buckskins and decided to get a drink at the bar. She tied Sally up to the hitching post and entered the building. It was dingy and smelled of stale beer and tobacco. Still, she stepped up to the bar and asked for a whiskey. She'd been drinking it since she was twelve, and the stuff found in these small towns was usually watered down. She tossed her two bits on the counter and downed the drink. It just warmed her throat a bit. There was no kick. The barman just shrugged. It was obvious he didn't care one way or the other. He was probably just hired help.

"Any place to get some grub around here" she asked.

Her voice gave away her gender and four rough looking men at a table in the dark took notice. A chair scraped against the rough wooden floor, echoing through the dead still atmosphere of the saloon, as one considerably ugly man rose to his feet. He staggered slightly as he went up to her.

"Well, Missy, I see you came to the party. Guess we kin have some fun now's you had your drink. So, let's you and me go out back, and take care of this itch I got," the ugly one said, with a slur in his speech.

"I don't think I'd care to do that, stranger. So why don't you and your friends just go fuck yourselves, and leave honest travelers alone?"

The man started at her comment, as it caught him off guard. Then he got mad, turning red with rage. He brought his hands up to grab her and met hot lead as she drew her pistol and put one right into the old pump. He dropped like a lead balloon. This had caught the others off guard, but they roused quickly. The gunfight was short, as they all fell flat on the barroom floor. Unfortunately for Jessica, one got a lucky shot off, and hit Jessica. While it was fortunate for her that the bullet did not to hit anything critical, it did pass through her side. Unfortunately for her, that meant she'd be out of commission for quite a while, until the wound in her side healed. The town doctor was solicitous to her position, but his judgment was not to be questioned. Jessica was staying, whether she liked it or not.

She was ensconced in a room at the home of the Widow McGillacuddy. It was located just outside of town. It used to be a working ranch, until Mr. McGillacuddy died. Lucille was friendly enough and insisted on getting Jessica out of bed and out into the fresh air. Jessica spent the days in a comfortable chair on the wide front porch of the McGillacuddy's home. She had been there for a week and was getting restless. She knew she wouldn't be able to ride for quite a while, but she was being driven crazy by the antics of the red-headed widow.

Lucille had gone in to the kitchen to prepare some lunch when a wagon rolled up and stopped. A tall, nice looking man climbed down and walked up to the porch. He removed his hat as he addressed Jessica.

"Ma'am," he said "my name is David Morgan and up there on the wagon is my new bride Angela. We're heading for Texas. I was wondering if it would be all right for me to water my animals at your trough."

"Oh, this isn't my place, Mr. Morgan. I'm just recuperating from a little spat with a couple of very rude men. However, I'm sure it would be all right with Mrs. McGillacuddy." Jessica was shamelessly flirting with the tall, handsome stranger. She got that twinge in her stomach as they talked. She slowly got up from the chair to show him to that water trough. She was still weak from her gunfight and had to lean against him for support ... but she wasn't that weak

Jessica's hand ran across his back and she felt his muscles through the shirt. It just caused the twinge to get stronger. In the meantime, her touch was having an effect on him too. Little Davie responded without thought to the beautiful bride on the wagon. Angela noticed the byplay and dismounted the wagon. She came over to David and Jessica and discovered that the young invalid was very pretty. When Jessica stumbled walking over a rough patch of ground, it was Angela that caught her. As it was, Jessica's hand just happened to capture one of the large swellings of Angela's breasts as Angela's arm brushed over Jessica's chest. She could feel Jessica's erect nipples attempting to protrude through the fabric of her loose dress. She pinched one and heard the girl let out a soft moan.

The livestock got watered, and Lucille had discovered the visitors. She invited them to have lunch. The newcomers helped Jessica back to her chair, and graciously accepted Lucille's hospitality. They talked all afternoon. As the sun was dipping on the horizon, Lucille invited the Morgan's to stay the night. Angela spoke for both of them when she accepted. They were given the room next to Jessica. Angela retrieved nightclothes from the wagon, as David put the stock in the corral and Lucille showed him where he could get feed for them. Jessica and Angela were becoming fast friends. They talked while David was tending to the chores. Lucille even convinced him to milk the cow, Daisy, and to feed the other livestock as well. He finished just as the big orange full moon lifted its head above the horizon to the east.

Once she broached the subject of joining into the relationship with David and herself, Angela became more certain that it was right. Jessica was questioning the wisdom of that decision, but confidentially it caused her cunt to contract just thinking about the tall, handsome fellow outside.

The next morning Lucille was up early to milk the cow. She was just coming in when Angela met her at the door.

"Just going out to use the necessary," Angela said. "Soon as I'm done, I'll get on helping you with the kitchen work. I have some meat in the wagon that we could cook for breakfast."

"Don't you worry your pretty little head about that," Lucille replied. "I haven't had this much company in a long time, and you and your husband are welcome to stay over if you want. I have plenty and the animals help provide more food for me than I need. I was glad to take in Jessica for the company. And it was fun having you join us here. I couldn't help grinning hearing you sing out last night! It reminds me of the good old days."

Angela turned red at the mention of her sexual vocalizations from last night. The flush passed as she hurried to take care of business and returned to the kitchen. Lucille had the stove going and was in the process of cooking up grits to go with the eggs and bacon she already had cooked.

"Do you suppose David would like a breakfast steak to go with this?" Lucille asked. "I have a couple of salted steaks. They're soaking to pull some of the salt out, in the cooler. It wouldn't take anything to fry up one for him. I put them to soak last night when y'all decided to stay."

"Yes," Angela replied, "I think that would be nice. Thank you so much."

"It's not a problem. You three make me feel twenty years younger. If only..."

A tear came to Lucille's eye as she recalled fond memories of her dearly departed husband. She wiped the tear away and went back to her cooking. She sent Angela to get the other two out of bed.

As Angela entered the bedroom, she was greeted with a beautiful sight. Her husband David was lying on his back. The red blanket had fallen off the bed and was lying on the floor. Angela sat on the edge of the bed and leaned in and softly kissed David on his lips. Then she bent slightly more and kissed just below his earlobe. Her tongue snaked out the lick the man's ear. He stirred. David stretched and Angela's hand traced down his torso.

"Good morning" Angela said to her husband. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Well, yes, I am" David said.

"Out, lazybones! You need to get out of bed. Lucille has breakfast almost ready and it would be rude to keep her waiting. Now out, out with you, right now!"

A bit reluctantly, David swung his legs over the edge of the bed after Angela rolled off him. David took his wife in his arms and their lips met. They kissed each other with a passion akin to their first night together as husband and wife.

"You are excited," Angela whispered in his ear.

"As you so well know," he replied.

Twenty minutes later, David and Angela exited the bedroom and made their way to the kitchen. Jessica and Lucille were there sipping on fresh coffee while Lucille tended the grits. They were almost ready, and Angela noted that a couple of steaks had joined the bacon and eggs and toast on the warming section of the stove. Lucille checked the grits and pronounced them ready. Jessica had set the table and helped Lucille serve. Angela noticed that Jessica was still a little weak so she told the woman to sit, as she took over. In no time at all the food was placed on the table.

"If you don't mind, will you please bless the food, David?" Lucille asked.

"I would be honored, Mrs. McGillacuddy" he replied.

The blessing was short and to the point. The food was then passed around and there was more than enough for the four of them to fill up. They chatted amiably as they ate, getting to know each other. During the course of the discussion it was revealed that the fences around the pasture hadn't been checked is quite some time and Lucille feared a break might cause her to lose some of her livestock. David volunteered to ride the fences and mend them as needed.