Pete sat high on the wagon seat, and Robbie stood behind me, his hands at my waist.
Pete reached down to me. I looked at Robbie.
"Do you mean for me to ride in this?" I said.
"Indeed I do, Mrs. Stewart!" he said, laughing down at me. "This shall be a new adventure for you! Climb up, now, lass! The morning's a-wastin'!"
I was too stunned to argue. I pulled up my skirt, and planted my boot on the lowest spoke of the wheel, giving Pete my hand. Robbie lifted me up, and in a moment I was standing in the bed of the wagon with barrels and boxes and trunks. The bottom of the wagon was deep with straw. I looked back at the ground; Robbie stood with his hands on the side of the wagon, grinning up at me.
"I shall be crushed!" I said. "Robbie, you cannot mean it!"
"Indeed, you shall be quite safe!" he said. "All is securely fastened." He turned to Rabbit. "Up you go, girl!" and Pete drew her up and she stepped over into the wagon with me.
"Sit down now, Jessie; we shall start moving directly," Robbie said.
I sat down, where I could barely see over the wagon's side. He went back up the steps and I saw him embrace Mrs. Randall, then he came back down where Mr. Randall stood near the steps.
"Sir, I am indebted to you," he said, clasping his uncle's hand.
"My dear boy; I pray that you and Jessie will be safe," Mr. Randall said. "I pray God keep you and protect you."
"Thank you, sir." Robbie released his hand, and turned to mount his horse. Pete spoke to the team that was hitched to the wagon: "Hi-yip!" and the wagon lurched forward, tumbling Rabbit and me against each other.
And so began my life as Robbie Stewart's wife.