Wagon Train Proposal. Renee Ryan

mumbled response in a high-pitched voice, a voice that was nearly female in nature. Female?

      “Now, now, none of that,” Emma scolded. “You aren’t alone. You have Nathan and me, and you will soon have your...”

      The rest of her words were swallowed up by another crash of thunder.

      One more step closer and Rachel could finally see Clarence’s face. The skin was smooth, nearly poreless, like a young boy’s, or...

      Rachel gasped. “You’re a woman.”

      “Shh, not so loud.” Emma’s panicked gaze swung up to meet hers. “No one must know she’s not a man.”

      “But why?” Rachel searched her mind for a reason, could think of none, at least none that would matter at this late date. “We’re nearly to Oregon City. Surely whatever made it necessary to disguise her gender can’t be an issue anymore.”

      “Please.” The plea came from Clarence as he, or rather, she collapsed against Emma. “You can’t reveal my secret. An unattached woman isn’t allowed on the wagon train.”

      “That’s not precisely true,” Rachel countered, thinking of two other unattached women who’d each hired themselves out to a family on the wagon train. “Mary Connor is unattached, as is Lucy O’Brian.”

      Emma came immediately to her friend’s defense. “It’s not that simple.”

      Frowning at her sister, Rachel lowered to her knees and considered Clarence more closely. No, not Clarence. “What’s your real name?”

      “Clara.”

      Rachel took in the rounded cheeks, bow-shaped lips and pretty brown—albeit poorly cut—hair. “You look like a Clara.” She touched the other woman’s hand in the same manner she might a frightened child. “I still don’t understand the need for all the secrecy.”

      Clara glanced at Emma. Emma patted her friend’s hand.

      Seeming to draw courage from the obvious support, Clara pulled in a shaky breath of air. “My husband and I sold everything we owned to join the wagon train. But Adam fell ill not long after we left Pennsylvania. He died before we reached Missouri. He...”

      She stopped speaking, choked back a sob. The sound was so full of grief Rachel felt the woman’s pain as if were her own. Though she’d never been married, she knew what it was like to lose a loved one. “I’m sorry for your loss.”