Chapter 16

St. Joseph, Missouri - 1867

St. Joseph bustled with life as Camille and William showed Siobhan around. They explored the markets, browsed quaint shops, and discovered hidden corners of the city. But it was their excursions to the countryside that truly awakened something in Siobhan.

They picnicked by a waterfall, its rush drowning out thoughts of Philadelphia. On horseback, they raced across rolling hills, the wind in their hair stirring memories of childhood adventures. One afternoon, Camille led Siobhan to a secluded meadow bursting with wildflowers. As Siobhan knelt, running her fingers through soft petals, a sense of belonging washed over her.

"Can I ask you something personal?" Siobhan ventured.

Camille nodded. "Of course."

"I'm surprised you and Billy don't have children yet."

Camille's smile faltered. "We did. Two. But they..." She sighed. "They didn't make it past a few days."

"Oh, Camille. I'm so sorry."

"We're not giving up," Camille said, forcing a smile.

Siobhan hugged her friend tightly. "You'll be a wonderful mother."

They lay back in the grass, gazing at the sky. For a moment, they were children again, free from the weight of the world.

"Look, a bear!" Camille pointed at a shapeless cloud.

Siobhan squinted. "A bear? Looks more like a raccoon to me."

Their laughter echoed across the meadow. As they continued their game, Siobhan felt a part of herself awakening, a lightness she'd thought lost forever.

"There!" Siobhan pointed. "A buffalo herd, stampeding across the prairie!"

Camille's smile wavered. The word "buffalo" hung heavy between them, stirring memories she'd tried to bury. Fragments flashed through her mind – the Kiowa village, the terror of hunters, then... nothing.

Siobhan squeezed her hand. "Hey. You okay?"

Camille blinked. "Just... lost in thought for a moment."

Siobhan hesitated, then asked softly, "Why didn't you marry Running Buck?"

Camille's eyes clouded. She took a deep breath before answering. "After... after the buffalo hunters came, everything changed. They..." She trailed off, her voice catching. "They did terrible things, Siobhan. Things I can't bring myself to speak of..."

Siobhan reached for her friend's hand, offering silent support.

"Eventually, they took me to Fort Laramie," Camille continued. "That's where I met Billy."

"Tell me about him," Siobhan urged gently, sensing Camille needed the distraction.

A small smile touched Camille's lips. "He was so kind. Patient. He'd bring me little gifts - wildflowers, a ribbon for my hair. We'd take walks along the fort walls, talking for hours. When he proposed, I didn't hesitate."

Siobhan squeezed her hand. "He sounds wonderful."

Camille's expression grew somber. "I did see Running Buck again, years later. He was working at the Pony Express station in Rock Creek."

"How was he?" Siobhan asked, her heart quickening.

Camille paused, weighing her words. "Different," she said quietly. "There was a... restlessness about him. He never really the same after you left. Even all those years later, I could see the hurt lingering in his eyes. It was like... like a part of him was stuck in the past, unable to move forward."

She reached out, squeezing Siobhan's hand. "Seeing him like that... it just confirmed that I'd made the right choice. We weren't meant for each other, not really. But you..." Camille trailed off, leaving the thought unfinished.

A heavy silence fell between them. Siobhan felt an ache in her chest, mourning for the boy she'd known and the man he'd become

After a moment, Camille turned to her. "What about you? Any special men in your life?"

Siobhan shook her head. "No one serious." She shrugged. "The war took so much. It didn't leave much time for romance."

Camille nodded, understanding in her eyes. "Sometimes life takes us down unexpected paths."

As they sat in the meadow, surrounded by wildflowers, both women felt the weight of their shared past and the paths that had led them to this moment. The afternoon sun began to dip, casting long shadows across the grass, a bittersweet reminder of the passage of time and the choices that shape their lives.

As Siobhan recounted her adventures at the academy in Missouri, Camille found her attention drifting. A small white lie sat heavy on her conscience – the claim of having no contact with Buck. The truth was, he was closer than Siobhan realized, just a couple of days' ride away. In fact, Camille and Billy had already hatched a secret plan. They'd surprise Siobhan with a visit to Buck's place, a reunion for the three of them after a decade.

The prospect of seeing Siobhan's face light up with joy was a thrill in itself, but Camille couldn't deny a flicker of excitement for Buck's reaction as well. The years had passed, and she held onto the innocent affections of their childhood, hoping this surprise would possibly rekindle a spark.