Chapter 27
Lamplight flickered across the Schramms’ oil-cloth-covered table.
Devon had come to clarify Morning Fawn’s role in the mission and to later rendezvous with the recruits from the German League.
From his perch next to the flower-print curtains, Devon wrapped his fingers around a steaming mug of coffee.
Frieda sat at the end, as far from Devon as she could while still being at the table.
A frown, deeper than he’d imagined her capable of, furrowed her brow, adding years to her face.
She seemed to have the ability to see through every valid reason he’d come up with for why he’d allowed Morning Fawn a part, and she’d taken it personally.
But there was nothing he could say, short of a lie, that would fix matters between him and Frieda.
He hadn’t intended to hurt her. The first day he’d visited this house, he’d had Morning Fawn at his side, and he’d reminded Frieda on several occasions that the courtship was only pretense.
Thank goodness, he’d had sense enough to make Morning Fawn stay at home today, under threat he’d send her off with Captain Jeremy Carson three days from now if she didn’t prove her ability to listen and obey orders. Her presence here would have been like a matchstick to kindling.
Across from him, Dr. Schramm laced his worn fingers across his paunch. “You have feelings for this captive girl.”
Devon startled, splashing a wave of coffee out of the cup and onto his finger. He winced at the sting. “Sir?” He flashed a glance at Frieda, who’d stiffened like a statue of some martyr.
Dr. Schramm held up his hand. “My daughter must hear this too. It is all of our lives at stake.” A sigh rattled through him.
“It’s a statement, not a question. There is no need to expound upon the fact.
I see it in your face and in your actions.
Even in the reticule I had to go looking for last time you vere here. ”
“I apologize for that. As I explained before, I didn’t willingly bring Morn—Miss Logan in. She followed me—”
“I understand the situation, Lieutenant Reynolds.” The doctor returned his hands to his belly.
“I vould have no problem with the girl if she came to my house for dinner or called as a patient, but as far as the mission goes, ve must acknowledge that she is a volatile element. After all, she is the girl who stole the Thoroughbred in the middle of a church service. She does not possess the calm, thoughtful, practical demeanor of my daughter.”
Devon settled back in his chair. A seepage of breath eked out between his teeth.
The man’s assessment was too close to the facts to dispute.
“I won’t argue with you. Frieda is an exceptional assistant, and her character is above reproach.
” He glanced away from the end of the table where she fluttered at his words.
“I have greatly appreciated her help and would welcome her continued assistance. However, Miss Logan is now part of this mission, and if it wasn’t for her quick thinking in planting suspicion in Moyer’s mind regarding his superiors and agents, I might be in danger of arrest at any moment. ”
Dr. Schramm pushed his glasses back upon his nose. “It vill only be a matter of time before the danger returns.”
“Yes, but I don’t plan to wait around for it.
” Devon leaned forward, elbows on the table.
“But precious time that Morning Fawn bought gives us a window of opportunity to strike. I’m moving up the date to Christmas night.
I’ve instructed Miss Logan to accept Moyer’s invitation to the Christmas Ball at Robson’s Castle.
She’ll keep him away from the warehouse.
I believe the quartermaster will be attending the ball, as well.
For the soldiers on guard, we’ll see if we can get them some liquor as a Christmas present. ”
“I…I could do that.” Frieda shifted forward in her seat.
Devon jerked his head toward her, eyebrows raised. “I don’t want you anywhere near the warehouse or depot on Christmas.”
She clasped her hands on the table, no trace of a dimple on her smooth, pale skin.
“I’d be out of there hours before anything happens.
I’ll go after the changing of the guard.
Some of the fellows come to my father seeking remedies they’ve heard about from snake oil salesmen, basically alcohol.
I’ll tell them my father got in a special batch for Christmas. ”
“I don’t like it.” Dr. Schramm ran a hand over his untamed tuft of gray hair.
“I’ll not allow you to go alone amongst the men after dark.” Devon firmed his voice.
“You could go with me, Lieutenant.” She flattened her lips.
He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.
It could work, but he still didn’t like it.
He shoved his coffee aside. “If you do something such as that, your father and you would need to leave town immediately afterward.” He glanced around at the morning-glory-print wallpaper, the hand-painted porcelain cups, the beautifully carved cupboard. “You’d have to leave it all behind.”
“Frieda and I have discussed it.” Dr. Schramm heaved a sigh.
“Considering all of the developments, ve do not feel safe staying. Even if the only connection to Frieda was her pretend courtship vith you, it vould be a risk. Ve are Germans. Ve’re not well-liked.
Too many of our people have already been hunted down as Unionists.
I’ve told you of the young men vho sought to leave Texas in order to join the Union and vere slaughtered.
Ve cannot count on reasonable treatment.
I’ll allow Frieda to go vith you to deliver the gifts of remedy to the guards, then she and I vill head out of town.
Hours before the explosion. We’ll pack a few things and send them off ahead of time. ”
“I’m villing to sacrifice the comforts of home for a cause I believe in.
” Frieda tilted her chin. “There are men dying on the battlefields, giving their all. I only seek to do my little part. For me, this isn’t some grand, flirtatious adventure.
It’s a commitment.” A self-satisfied smile lifted her lips, revealing the tarnish on her halo.
Devon stared at her for a moment. “Morning Fawn is willing to risk her life, and if I’d allowed her, she’d have been right here with me tonight.”
“Vith you. If she took a fancy to some Reb, vould she be vith him and their cause?” Frieda pressed her lips together and stood, dismissing the subject. “You’ve hardly touched your coffee. I’ll pour a little more and varm it up before you and papa head to the meeting.”
He glared at her. She was jealous. A wise man would ignore the barbs. “My coffee is fine.” He covered his cup with his hand.
“Very vell.” She clanked the pot back down on the stove. “It is you Papa and I are most concerned about. I just hate to see…” She held up her hands. “Never mind. I need to go milk the cow.”
He shifted in his seat. The cow? Was it a ploy to get him to speak to her alone? Should he go try to explain things more?
“I might need help carrying the bucket.” She glared at him with bloodshot eyes.
He shook himself. She wanted to talk privately. The gentlemanly thing to do would be to accompany her outside and apologize. But he’d already said everything he could. He exhaled and stayed in his seat. They needed distance, not privacy.
She yanked off her apron and shouldered her way out the door like a steam engine ready to run over anything in her path.
Devon sank down in his chair a notch.
Dr. Schramm tapped his coffee cup. “Ve should go soon. I told the league eight p.m.”
“All right. I want to finalize the details of the attack. I assume tonight it’ll only be those who have volunteered to help?”
“Frederic, Gunter, Jarvis and his brothers.”
“Good men. I spoke with them during my initial meeting with the league.” Devon nodded.
“Tomorrow night, I’m rendezvousing with Captain Carson and digging up the supply of guns I buried when I first arrived in the area.
My recommendation is that you and Frieda don’t leave town on Christmas.
We can ask the league if someone could volunteer to hide you for a few weeks until everything settles down.
The Rebs will scour the roads after the attack.
I don’t have confidence you could outrun them. ”
“Sound plan.” Schramm leaned forward. “I have a request. I know it’s a lot to ask. But I’ll ask it, anyvay, because my daughter is all I have left in this vorld except for my practice and my faith, and I’m getting ready to give up my practice, at least for now.”
Devon braced himself.
Schramm fingered the rim of his coffee cup. “If anything happens to me, or if for some reason Frieda is in danger, I’m asking you to look after her and do vhat you can to protect her.”
Devon’s lungs deflated in a stream that emptied out his stamina in addition to the air. Just how long of a commitment was her father asking him for?
Morning Fawn pressed her sweaty palms to her skirt as she stood in front of her uncle’s desk.
Cigar odor stung her nose. Nick had called on her uncle earlier in the day without a word to her.
She’d been relieved to have not spent the afternoon acting, but why had he come?
Did it have something to do with Devon? Her uncle’s summons had jolted her further.
“Have a seat.” LeBeau motioned to the high-back, cushioned chair on her left. His crimson cravat covered his neck in a flourish all the way to the pointed beard on his chin.
A fire crackled in the fireplace. The weather had taken a turn.
She settled on the edge and clasped her hands in her lap. “You asked to see me?”
“I’ve been pleased with recent developments.” He pushed his ledgers with their pages of pencil scratches and numbers aside. “Especially your courtship with Nick. Wise decision. That man may end up owning a tenth of the state someday.”
Suited her just fine if the Yankees put Nick in his place someday. Confiscated all his property. “It’s only a courtship, an opportunity to become better acquainted.”
His ice-blue eyes glistened. “It’s much more than that, my dear. You’ve succeeded beyond my dreams. Nick made you an offer of marriage today.”
“He what?” She teetered on the edge of her seat.
“Proposed marriage. We plan to announce the engagement at the Christmas Ball.”
“He…he never said a word to me. I mean…not an outright proposal. Not since we started courting.”
Her uncle leaned back in his padded leather chair. “He showed me the particulars of his holdings, even provided references—not that I would have asked for them. It’s a matter best decided between men.”
“I’m the one he wants to marry. It’s my life. My decision.”
Her uncle glowered. “There can only be one possible answer when a staunchly loyal Confederate of means and character with a brilliant future proposes to my niece.” He shifted forward, elbows on his desk. “Any other answer would be completely unacceptable and risk my wrath.”
“I can’t—“
Her uncle stood, his brow as contorted as a bull preparing to charge.
“We’ve only officially courted for three days.”
“What were you doing when he gave you the horse? You’ve been courting for weeks.
I’m not about to give you a month or two to disillusion the man.
He’s ready to marry you. All I have to do is name the time and place.
” LeBeau slapped his palms onto the desk surface.
“The first few weeks of marriage will be a perfect time to get to know each other better.” A sliver of his slicked hair dared inch toward his forehead.
He swept it back with a force that could have laid a regiment low.
“As for Reynolds, put him out of your head. I have questions about that man’s character and his means.
You’ll never have my permission to court him, let alone be his wife.
I’m dismissing him from my services by the end of the month. ”
She pressed her lips together. If she said much more, she’d get herself locked in the attic until further notice.
The proposal, the engagement,—none of it mattered.
She’d be leaving here Christmas night. With such a fate hanging over her head, Devon would surely take her away with him the night of the attack. They’d rendezvous somewhere—
“Beth.” LeBeau puffed out his chest. “I expect your full cooperation with this, and since I’m a man of my word, I’ll sign the deed to the land in Parker County over to you on your wedding day.”
She glanced up at the portrait of her mother hanging over his head. Is this what they’d done to her? Found some suited planter with a load of acres, a wad of cash, and a wooden heart to be her future husband? No wonder her mother had run, forsaking wealth and everything she’d known. So would she.
Only, her parents’ lack of means had eventually led them to the wagon trail across the Texas frontier and their deaths. She would not follow their fate. “I will comply with the engagement.”