Chapter 13 #3
She rose and washed quickly, then dressed in what she hoped would be an appropriate outfit for a ride into wild country—cotton shift, petticoat, and calico dress—and good riding boots.
The sun could be very bright by day, but the nights could be cold, so she brought her hooded wool cloak.
She created a blanket roll with a second dress and underclothing and then hurried down the stairs with a few minutes to spare.
Meggie was at the front door, shaking her head. “Riding off at the crack of the dawn, and not a decent breakfast into a one of you!” she said unhappily.
Hawk walked in from the porch, an empty mug in his hands. Meggie glanced his way, shaking her head. “Ye’ve not even fed the lass, Lord Douglas!”
He arched a brow, looking from Meggie to Skylar.
“I’m not setting out to starve my wife, Meggie.
We’ve just got a busy morning ahead of us.
We’re already leaving hours later than I had intended.
Besides, we’ve had your fine coffee, Meg, and I packed your biscuits in our bags.
” He handed her his empty mug and touched her cheek affectionately.
“I do trust you, of course, to hold down the fort in my absence. We’ll be gone one to two weeks, I believe.
” He winked, looking at Skylar once again.
“Skylar is sending for her sister today, Meggie. I can’t imagine that a lone woman might come all this way west before we return, but then she is Skylar’s sister, so I assume anything is possible, don’t you think, my love? ” he queried Skylar.
She ignored him. “My sister’s name is Sabrina Connor,” she told Meggie. “And I imagine that she can make it out here in a week, assuming she can manage connecting train schedules and a decent stagecoach ride north from the railhead.”
“It took you two weeks,” Hawk commented quietly, for her hearing alone.
“I had a few things to attend to along the way.”
“Really? What things?”
“Personal affairs,” she told him.
“Umm,” he murmured, his dissatisfaction with her reply obvious. “Eventually, Skylar, you will answer my questions.”
“Eventually, I may.”
“At the moment,” he said irritably, “it seems like it’s taking me two weeks to leave my own damned house.”
Meggie, unaware of the tension between them, shook her head with concern. “The stagecoach coming north from the railroad usually stops overnight on the road and then takes the passengers into Gold Town,” she reminded Hawk worriedly.
“She’ll find Henry then. I’ll instruct him to make arrangements for her to stay in town at the Miner’s Well until he can arrange for someone to bring her out here,” Hawk said.
Meggie nodded. “Make sure Henry knows to watch out for a young lady.”
“We will. Well, then, we’ll be on our way.” He smiled at Meggie and led Skylar out the front door. Sloan, dressed in buckskin as well, was mounted on a large bay. Willow was at his side. Ten head of cattle grazed there in front of the elegant Mayfair, waiting to be driven forth with them.
Something cold touched Skylar’s hand. She looked down to see that Wolf had come over to her. She scratched his head.
“The roan gelding, named Nutmeg, is your choice, right?” Hawk said from behind her. “It is the mount you chose to ride into Gold Town behind my back?”
“It wasn’t behind your back,” Skylar said.
“It wasn’t with my permission.”
“I’m rather old to ask permission.”
“That’s debatable, and beside the point out here.”
“The roan gelding is fine.”
“Good morning, Lady Douglas!” Sloan called to her. Willow nodded to her. “I understand you’re taking a side trip into town this morning.”
Hawk nudged her down the steps and toward her horse. He set her up on the roan. She smiled at Sloan. “I hope I’m not inconveniencing you too greatly.”
He shook his head. “I enjoy being in and near the Black Hills. And every brief moment of peace and freedom that is left us!”
She wasn’t quite sure what he meant, but he had moved his horse forward, closer to the house. “Goodbye, Meggie. Thanks for the coffee!” he called.
Poor Meggie still looked so distraught.
“Hawk—Lord Douglas—”
“Yes, Meggie, I’m absolutely certain that I should be taking my wife!
” Hawk told her. “We’ll be back in no time.
” He waved, whistled to Wolf, then trotted his horse along the path, circling around the cattle to get them moving ahead as well.
Willow joined him in the effort, and their small party was quickly moving out of the yard.
Skylar rode behind with Sloan, turning to wave goodbye to Meggie as they departed.
They had ridden some time in silence when Skylar drew her horse closer to Sloan’s to talk. “Sloan, what did you mean by what you said earlier?”
“About what?”
“Peace and freedom.”
He shrugged, then glanced her way. “Not long ago there was nothing here.”
She smiled. “I know something about history. Not long ago, the Sioux weren’t here. They were farther east.”
“Ah, but they were forced out quickly by the whites, and even more quickly, they became some of the best bow and pony Indians ever.”
“You’re part of the cavalry,” she reminded him.
Once again, he glanced wryly her way. “Hawk and I have often led parallel lives. But my circumstances were different from his. My grandfather’s name was Granger Tremayne.
He was a full general, a hero of the Mexican War.
When the army moved west, his family moved west. My mother was with a small army escort moving from fort to fort when an Oglala war party happened upon them.
She was sixteen years old when she was taken.
My father was the brave who took her. He was young himself at the time, and when I was a boy, I remember that they had a very close relationship.
My mother remained a feisty and opinionated soul, but my father had his image and his pride to maintain, so sparks frequently flew. Like Hawk, I was Sioux as I grew up.”
“Sioux then, cavalry later.”
“My grandfather was a full general, remember?” he said, smiling.
He shrugged. “My father was killed in a skirmish with the Crow. He had asked Tall Man, an important warrior of our society, to see that my mother and I were returned to her people in the event that something happened to him. Tall Man returned us to the whites at the fort. I was ten. I was sent to school. I grew up with other army children. I traveled back east. I was sent to West Point. That’s what happens to the grandson of a general, regardless of if he is a product of an Indian attack. ”
“It still seems that you are more Sioux,” she said.
He smiled. “Because I look Indian.”
“Because of the things you say.”
“Maybe I am more Sioux.”
“Why do you stay with the cavalry?”
“Ah, well, that way I know what is going on. And I can do my very best to relay it to my Indian brothers. Agency Sioux have gone out to try to talk Crazy Horse into coming to one of the agencies to discuss the sale of the Black Hills. I’m the cavalry’s messenger, bringing the same request.”
“Can you convince Crazy Horse?”
He shook his head. “I know Crazy Horse. He will not come. But he won’t resent me for asking.”
“What happens if you’re with troops that are attacked?”
“When I’m attacked, I fight.”
“Even if you’re with the Sioux when the cavalry attacks?”
“Lady Douglas, you ask very personal questions.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“Now, what about you? What are you doing out here?”
She stared at him, her mouth half open. Then she started to laugh.
She glanced up and realized that Hawk had reined in just ahead of her and was staring. To her surprise, he said something to Sloan in the Sioux language. Sloan nodded.
“Skylar, come this way,” Hawk commanded.
She narrowed her eyes, not liking the tone of his voice. Sloan, at her side, lowered his. “You’re heading into Gold Town. We’re moving on through with the cattle.”
She rode around to catch up with Hawk. He didn’t speak to her, but nudged Tor into a hard canter. She followed behind him.
The entire ride into town was kept at a hard, brisk pace. She was weary when they arrived, stiff when he lifted her down. He barely set her upon the ground before heading for the office of Henry Pierpont, attorney-at-law.
Inside, Hawk spoke to the law clerk and ushered her past the young man. Henry greeted them both with surprise and pleasure, asking what he could do for them.
“I need to send a wire to my bank in Maryland with instructions to pass another wire through to a young lady in that city. Wire first to Harley Gander at my bank, and please see to it that a hundred dollars is sent as soon as possible to…” He glanced at Skylar, one brow arched.
“To a Miss Sabrina Connor. My wife will give you the address.”
Skylar shook her head, addressing Henry. “Any correspondence, from the service here and from the Maryland bank, should address Miss Sabrina Connor through Jim Pike, Pike’s Inn, Baltimore.”
“As you wish,” Henry said. “I’ll get my assistant busy on the papers immediately. I’ll need your signature, Hawk. It’ll just be a minute.”
He left the room.
“Why can’t you send this money straight to your sister?” Hawk demanded.
“Mr. Pike will be certain that Sabrina gets the money.”
“Pike’s Inn—it’s where my father died, right?”
“Yes.”
“Where we were—married?”
“Yes.”
“I should remember it well!” he mocked.
“I’m really sorry that all of this has so inconvenienced you!” she hissed. “You’ve got to remember, I didn’t even know that you existed!”
“And I didn’t know about you. What an amazing marriage!”
“Again, I’m sorry,” Skylar grated. His temper this morning was such that she might have imagined the few moments of gentleness he had offered her last night. She wasn’t going to lose her own temper, though.
He was right. She was coming to know her husband very well, and though she knew he definitely had his honor, she didn’t want to light a match to his very volatile temper until this transaction was completed.