5

I ate my dinner alone. It was actually tasty - boiled rice with finely-chopped wild onion, fried dandelion greens and slices of cattail root on top. I had shown Wu how to eat the cattail brush, similar to the manner of eating corn on the cob, but she tasted it and spat it out.

"For pigs! You try poison Ju!" She continued to spit out any if the remaining plant.

"Actually, pigs like them. They taste a little like corn." I took a bite.

Ju muttered under her breath just loud enough for me to hear. "Pah! Pigs like. Him like. Him smell like pig, eat like pig."

I understood the insult. I knew that it had been two days since I'd bathed and I could smell the sharp tang of my own sweat. But I was only the bodyguard, so to speak, and it gave me some perverse pleasure to know Ju found me unpleasant.

The women ate their dinner inside the wagon. After I ate and cleaned up after myself, I made coffee, poured some whiskey in the tin cup, and sat back against my saddle to enjoy the night. I pulled the collar of my trail coat higher—the front of my hat, lower. It was going to be chilly and I wondered if there would be a late dusting of snow. It often happened.

Ju came out of the wagon, put a pot of water on the fire and once it was hot enough, poured it in a large, dented, tin basin. She washed the utensils and pans she had used, including two sets of chopsticks that may have been of ivory. The steam rose from the hot water. When she finished, she picked up the basin and looking at me as if she wanted to toss the water my way, she smiled and bowed her head. Then, with great show, tossed the water to the side. Then she went into the wagon. A few minutes later, she and Wu Lien, still veiled but only with a piece of thin gauze draped over her head instead of the usual elaborate headgear, walked out into the stand of trees. Wu Lien held on to Ju's arm as she walked, her hips moving in a swaying motion, drawing my attention. I knew they were taking care of "matters of the body" as they had twice earlier, Ju demanding I stop the 'goddamn' wagon – for which she quickly apologized. IT seemed to take them excessively long but I waited, impatiently, for them to return.

While they were gone, I went and looked inside the wagon for my coffee, beans and dried beef; I couldn't count on Ju feeding me every time – or on what she might feed me. Granted, at the moment she needed me, they both did, but that didn't preclude her from tainting my food or slipping in something to give me the trots. If I had to pull-up the wagon to crouch in the bushes every few minutes, I imagine it'd give her quite the chuckle.

Everything was neat and tidy inside the wagon, softly scented like Wu Lien when I had held her, and I easily found my coffee and jerky and two cans of beans to slip into my saddlebags. One thing about the two women – they were clean. So, satisfied, I made up my bedroll and sat with a rifle, hoping that I wouldn't hear a yell for help; it might prove embarrassing at least and danger at most. And right before I was going to go look for them, embarrassing or not, the two women came back and Wu Lien's odd, mincing walk both intrigued and annoyed me.

I knew that in China, it was seen as a symbol of prestige and privilege to have bound feet. Having such, meant a woman was not required to work, that she had servants to fetch for her. And it was a sign of beauty. I could understand that in a woman, small feet would be preferred by any man over large, splayed feet but the small size of Wu Lien's slippers were almost freakish, as if they belonged in a carnival side-show. But I did realize that I had no right to be judgmental of another culture's beliefs and customs. And, I had to admit, there was something exciting and erotic about the fact that a woman with such small feet couldn't get very far and would be at a man's mercy. And if she languorously reclined on a couch all day, unable to move about, well, she would always be ready for the man who owned her. I could see the appeal.

The night passed quickly – I was exhausted and probably would have slept longer except that Ju woke me by calling my name. She was standing over me, her hands on her hips.

I jerked awake. "Is something wrong?' I sat up and ran a hand over my face in an effort to rid myself of drowsiness.

"You wake now! Help Ju with bath!"

"Excuse me?" I had a horrible image of scrubbing Ju's back as she sat in a tub of hot water.

"Wu Lien need wash. Ju need wash. You make bath and fill hot water!'

I stood up. The sun was beginning to warm the air but it was still cool. "There is no bath. Just use that wash tub and wash….whatever needs cleaning. And heat the water yourself. I have to water the horses."

"No," she yelled, stepping in front of me. "You do! You help!" Then she changed her tactic. Ju smiled and coyly tilting her head, she said, "Mistah Adam Cartwright help Ju with bath for Wu Lien. Take care of matters. Her need clean self all over – sit in water and wash. You help poor Ju with such things."

"No." Ju started to protest but I put up my hand and her jaw practically snapped shut. "One, we don't have the time for any leisurely baths or trust me, I'd take one myself. Two, there's no tub and if you're thinking of using one of the water barrels, forget it; we need the water for drinking more. Now, if you two want to wash, after I come back with the horses, I'll show you the pool of water and you can wash there but it's cold. It's snow melt." I bent down and swept up my hat. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Ju went back to the wagon, glowering at me and I put on my coffee, leaving it on the stirred-up flames. I led the horses to the water and let the three animals fill themselves and then relieve themselves. I did the same. When I returned to camp, my coffee pot was laying on the dirt, half the coffee having poured out, and Ju was using the fire to make tea and frying what looked like a cross between little cakes and biscuits.

I picked up my coffee pot and lifting the lid, saw it was over half empty.

"Why did you do this?" I asked. "I was making my morning coffee and now, it's basically still water and grounds. You didn't let it boil."

Ju looked innocently up at me. "Oh, that belong Mistah Adam Cartwright? Ju not know. Need fire for cook and make tea. Mistah Adam Cartwright want tea? Ju and Wu Lien share with you."

"No. Mister Adam Cartwright does not want tea. He wants his morning coffee."

"A thousand apologies. Ju not know customs of America. Ju woefully ignorant such matters." She smiled at me. And I said nothing more. Just started to the wagon to get the hardtack. I planned on dunking some in my coffee to soften it and making it breakfast.

But Ju was quickly on me, chattering behind me. She even grabbed my arm; Ju was surprisingly strong.

"Where you go? Where you go?"

"To get my breakfast, the hardtack inside the wagon."

"No! Wu Lien, she wash. You not go! You not see!" Ju pulled at my arm. "You eat food I fix. Come! Come this way!"

If Wu Lien was washing, she was using the drinking water. I'd have to make Ju understand that we needed that water to drink – not to wash themselves except their faces and hands and privates. But now wasn't the time as I was feeling short-tempered. So, I ate the simple cakes fried in lard. They weren't bad tasting, slightly sweet, but I still made myself a pot of coffee and drank three cups while watching Ju wash the utensils and pack up. We didn't start out until almost 10:00, according to my pocket watch. We needed to make better time and I just wanted to get home. Branding calves or pulling drag on a cattle drive was preferable to this.

About two hours out, Ju stuck her head out one of the windows and called to me. "Hey, you—Mistah Adam Cartwright! Need stop for 'matters'." That was the term Ju used to indicate they needed to relieve themselves.

I wanted to say that if they didn't drink so much tea, they wouldn't have to piss so much, but I was reminded of the pot of coffee I drank and suddenly felt the urgency myself. I pulled-up the horses and stepped on the brake.

It was a clear day. I thought of Lake Tahoe and how sometimes the sky and the water were the exact same shade of blue and it looked as if the two bodies had switched places. It was that kind of day and I felt a tug of homesickness. But I didn't have time for that. I jumped down and pulled out the folding steps of the wagon. Ju stepped out first and behind her came Wu Lien, heavily veiled as usual and swathed in multiple embroidered pieces of silk clothing. She had difficulty maneuvering the steps as usual and whether it was my impatience or anger, I wasn't sure but instead of allowing her to take the steps, I again swept her up and deposited he on the ground, not releasing her until she was steady on her small feet. She looked up at me. I could see the vague shape of her features as the veils fell against her face. Then, in a moment, she had lowered her head and she and Ju stepped into the surrounding area. I watched for a few moments, my heart thudding with the closeness of Wu Lien; her feminine lure was stronger than I had expected. And for the first time, I envied Fang Zhen. And disliked him as well. But I had my own "matters" to tend to.

I wasn't needed to help Wu Lien back into the wagon. Ju was quick to assist her and stepped between me and her charge in case I had other ideas. But I held onto Ju, stopping her from climbing in.

"What you want?" She looked angry – or worried. They looked the same on her broad, flat features.

"Why does she wear the veil? There's no one to see her but us?"

"Keep skin from sun. Her not ever been in sun. Make brown spots on face, lines, like on Ju. Only skin like milk is desired. Why you ask?"

"I just wondered. So, at night, once it's dark, she wouldn't have to wear the veil."

Ju shrugged and then stepped up into the wagon. Before I closed the door all the way, she put out her arm and stopped it.

"Mistah Adam Cartwright, Wu Lien is great beauty. Beauty is gift from the gods. Must be protected, cherished. Wu Lien never play in sun as child, never go place in day without covering all body. Her never run like other children—must have feet bound, toes broken. Her suffer much pain, much tears. Very sad life for Wu Lien but her bring much pleasure to others who look at her, who see her beauty."

I just nodded and started to close the door again but Ju wouldn't let me; she had one more thing to say. "Mistah Adam Cartwright need bath. Him stink." Then she pulled the door shut herself.

We traveled for another four hours that day until Ju stuck her head out the window again. "Mistah Adam Cartwright! You get chicken! Make soup and food for many days. You get chicken!"

"All right," I called back. "I'll get a chicken. I'll get you two chickens!" I'm sure I sounded annoyed but it was lost on Ju; she was not a woman of subtlety.

I thought of what towns might be near our path. And then I remembered that I had never wired my father. I felt silly letting my father know my whereabouts and that I was safe but then, I wasn't a father. Perhaps, if I were in his place, I would be the same way. But I had promised him and I always kept my promises – if I could. My father knew that. So if I didn't wire him I was safe, he would think it was because I was unable.

Jawbone. It had a telegrapher's office and I could probably buy a chicken or two and a slab of cured bacon. My mouth began to water in anticipation of the taste of crispy, fried bacon.

The next stop was Jawbone.