Dorothy Garlock - [Wabash River] (39 page)

Tecumseh untied the blue feathers from his own braids and retied them to the ends of Liberty’s. He did this slowly, as if it were a ceremony. Something in the sad expression on his face made Liberty want to weep. When he looked into her face her eyes were filled with tears and shone like bright stars.

“Do come back,” she whispered.

“Only the Great Spirit knows if we will meet again, for death is but an instant away from us all.” His voice was heavy with regret.

Tecumseh shook hands with Farr and went quickly to his horse. He leaped to its back, turned and raised his hand in farewell. And then, followed by his party, he rode back into the woods.

Later that day Farr and Liberty walked toward the river, and Farr told her about the love affair between Tecumseh and Rebecca Galloway.

“I think you reminded him of Rebecca, Libby. She was blond and blue-eyed like you, or so I’ve been told. Her father was an Ohio farmer. Tecumseh spent time visiting with the family, and they became attached to him and he to them.”

“Her father didn’t mind Tecumseh courting his daughter?”

“Evidently not. He and Rebecca spent a lot of time together. She taught him the Bible, Shakespeare, and world and American history. He learned of Alexander the Great, Caesar, and other empire builders, and certainly during this time he pondered the efforts of Pontiac and King Phillip and the reasons they had failed. Eventually he asked Rebecca to marry him, and she consented on the condition that he abandon his Indian ways. Tecumseh thought it over for a month, then refused and bade her farewell, telling her that he could never leave his people.”

“Oh, how could she? If she loved him and he loved her, couldn’t they have found a compromise?” Liberty slipped her hand in Farr’s and he held it tightly. Without her being aware of it, they had reached the river. Farr turned north toward the place where Fawnella was buried.

“Tecumseh feels strongly that his mission in life is to unite the tribes, and if all the tribes stand together, they will be a force to reckon with. He believes that it’s the only way they can receive a fair share of the land and the say in governing it. He also believes that someday soon there will be a sign, an omen so obvious that all who believe in him and in the future of the Indian nation will take up their weapons and follow him.”

“Oh, why must there be wars? Why can’t they set aside so much land and let the Indians have it?”

“Because the land was theirs in the first place. Why don’t the Indians set aside so much land and let the white people have it?”

Farr saw the worried look on her face, and wishing to make her smile again said, “You look mighty pretty in that white dress, little White Dove of the Wabash.”

“Thank you.” She could feel the rosy flush that covered her cheeks and looked quickly away. “Do you have an Indian name?”

“Tecumseh gave it to me a long time ago when Juicy and I first came here. It’s
Wahbah-comeshi.
”

“Meaning?”

“I don’t know if I should tell you,” he laughed down at her. They had reached the clearing where Fawnella was buried, and now they stood on the bank overlooking the river.

“Why not?”

“Because then I’ll have to tell you how I came to get the name.”

“I promise not to laugh.”

Farr was holding both her hands in his. He brought them up to his chest and held them there. He almost lost himself in the radiance of her smile.

“I’ll hold you to that promise. It happened shortly after we came here to the bend in the river. Juicy and I made a make-shift camp, and one day Juicy wandered away, leaving me here alone. When the Indians came out of the woods, I was sure they were going to scalp me. The only thing I knew to do was to climb the tree. I dropped everything and shimmied up the tree as high as I could get. I thought they hadn’t seen me, but now I know I had left a trail a blind man could follow. The Indians stood under the tree and looked up at me. The big fellow began to laugh, and the others yelled taunts that I didn’t understand, but they made me angry. I thought as long as I was going to die, I’d go down fighting. I started down the tree and when I got to the lower branches, I lost my hold and fell, landing right on my backside. The Indians doubled up laughing, and I jumped up ready to fight. I don’t know what would have happened if Juicy hadn’t come loping into camp.”

“Then what happened?”

“Nothing. Juicy and Tecumseh had been friends for a long while.”

“So what does your Indian name mean?”

“Oak Tree.”

“Oak Tree?” Liberty let out a peal of laughter. “I’m married to . . . Oak Tree! Am I to be called, Mrs. Tree?”

“You promised you’d not laugh,” he growled menacingly, grabbed her and held her close. “I’ll have to punish you.” He held her laughing eyes with his and lowered his lips to hers.

Unembarrassed and unintimidated, she eased her mouth up to his. Her lips parted softly as they touched his chiseled mouth. She felt the hand on her back slide down to her hips and press her upward. She kissed him lingeringly, sweetly, then turned her mouth away and laughed up at him.

“This is punishment?” Her arms encircled his neck and she pressed her mouth to his again.

It was hotly exciting, the familiar sweetness she had only known during the darkness of night. Her mouth opened under his and she sensed his growing hunger. The power of it goaded her to kiss him with a fiery hunger of her own. Her tongue darted through his parted lips to taste him.

It was so maddeningly good to have him hold her in broad daylight. She was riding the crest of the wildest, sweetest abandon, her body moving slowly and sensuously against his, her hair coming loose around her face. His kisses became wetly passionate. The need for air forced her to turn her lips away.

“Oh, God! You sweet woman, you!” His voice was a breath in her ear. She could feel his heart racing against hers. “I haven’t quite figured out what it is about you that draws me to you. I only know I want to be with you all the time. I’m jealous as hell of anything that looks at you or touches you.”

Keep talking, darling, she thought.

“I was proud today.” Farr’s words came now in an agonized whisper. “You were beautiful and gracious. But I saw the way you looked at Tecumseh. And I thought you might have wished . . . you hadn’t been so hasty to marry.”

“No! Oh, no! How could you have thought that, my sweet man, when I love you so? You’re my darling, my love, my life.” Her arms tightened about his neck and his about her until she was lifted off her feet.

“You mean it? Am I your love?” It was a quivering whisper.

“Yes! Oh, yes. I’ve tried to show you . . . without saying it.”

“Say it. Please say it again.”

“I love you, my husband. I love you—”

“And I love you, my sweet White Dove.” His arms loosened until her feet were once again on the ground and he could look into her upturned face. “I was afraid to love you, but I couldn’t help myself. You bewitched me with your beauty, your goodness, your independent spirit. I wanted to tell you here in this place where I buried Fawnella so that you know the ghost of that time in my life is at rest. I love you with the love a man gives to the woman who stands beside him, who is truly his mate. It’s a giving, taking, and a lasting love, sweetheart. The feeling I had for Fawnella was the awakening love a young boy feels for a young girl.”

“I prayed that you’d really love me, the person inside me, and not just . . . want my body in the night.” She raised gold-tipped lashes and immediately became lost in the clear green pools of his eyes.

“Ah, honey . . .” His arms tightened lovingly. “I was loving you with my body and now I know with all my heart. I can’t tell you what a wonderful change you’ve brought to my life.”

“And mine. Oh, Farr, I’ve never had anyone to depend on, but that isn’t why I love you. I love the man that you are: strong, loving, caring. That first night I saw the way you were with Mercy, and I think I fell a little in love right then. I love everything about you.”

He laughed a little huskily and lowered his mouth to hers. His lips were soft and gentle.

“Everything about you pleases me. This little upper lip of yours, this little crease beside your mouth that shows when you’re angry and press your lips together.” He licked it with his tongue. “Open your eyes, Liberty Bell, and look at me.”

Her lids fluttered open and she leaned back to look up at him. Now she was free to express her love for this big frontiersman who was her husband. All the love in her heart was reflected in her eyes.

“Does it please you when I butt into men’s business, refuse to stay in a woman’s place, insist on having my say?” Her eyes sparkled devilishly and there was laughter in her voice.

He smiled down into her radiant face. “It may not please me all the time, and I admit there are times when I want to spank your butt, but I’ll fight for your right to say your piece.” He placed a quick kiss on her nose. “Come and help me pull the weeds from around the flowers you planted around Fawnella’s headboard.”

“You were so busy . . . I had marigold seed—”

“I have been busy, but not much that you do escapes me.”

The twilight was deepening when they walked, arms around each other, down the path toward the homestead.

I
t had been easy to find out the information that Hammond Perry believed would discredit Farrway Quill. The barmaid at the tavern was a wench looking for the main chance, and for a few shillings she had told him every word that had passed Norman Cooley’s lips within her hearing. Most of it made little sense to her, but not to Hammond, who, by putting bits of information together, pieced out the story of Willa Carrathers’ life and that of her former master. He began to form a plan, using the information the Thompsons gave him of how Quill had wrested the indentured woman from their control.

Captain Heald had written a report on his return to Vincennes stating that perhaps Lieutenant Hammond Perry was not the right person to be in charge of the defense of the southern half of the Illinois Territory. He had filed it with Major Taylor, the fort commander, and Hammond had been called to task. During the questioning he had conducted himself in a professional yet humble manner. He apologized for any mistakes he may have made and convinced the major of his sincerity to do his job to the best of his ability for God and country. There were no specific charges made against him, and due to the shortage of officers, Captain Heald’s report had been filed away without Governor Harrison’s having been made aware of it.

A month after his fight with Farr and a few weeks after Hammond had sent inquiries to Cairo and to Saint Louis trying to locate Norman Cooley, Stith arrived in Vincennes. At a back table in the tavern, over tankards of ale, Hammood swore Stith to secrecy and told him what he had learned about Willa Carrathers and how they could use the information against Farrway Quill.

Stith’s usually flat eyes lit up. “Treason?”

“Treason.” Hammond wiped the foam from his lips and smiled smugly.

“I can add fuel to that fire. I’ve been letting a half-wit Indian hang round my place, giving him a tot or two of rum now and then. He’s good at sneaking around and seeing what’s going on at Quill’s. He told me Tecumseh paid a visit to Quill’s Station. Quill showed him the barracks building he built for the patrols. Tecumseh looked it over, then he and Quill had a long talk.”

Stith waited to see what effect this news had on Hammond. He was pleased to see a shine appear in his eyes and a smug, satisfied look settle on his dish-shaped face.

“Good, good,” Hammond chortled, rubbing his hands with glee.

“If that Indian sucker is planning a war, what’s he doing at Quill’s? Is Quill going to open the gates and let those red devils in to massacre soldiers in their beds?” Stith lowered his voice to make his words more menacing.

“Tecumseh is out stirring up as much trouble as he can, and his brother Prophet is running amuck up on the Tippecanoe, talking about his crazy prophecies. It’s a point we can add to the list against Quill. He was consorting with the enemy. If Harrison doesn’t have him shot on the spot, he’ll run him out of the territory. If that happens, he’s as good as dead. I’ll be waiting for him.”

“You’ll have to fight me for your chance at him.” Stith took a large sip of the bitter ale. “When this is over, I’m taking over that station. I’m going to build a town around it and call it Lenningtown. I’ll be the most important man in the southern territory. The settlers will trade with me or starve. That blond bitch will come crawling to me when her belly’s empty. When she does, I’ll spit in her face and take that sister of hers right before her eyes. I always did like that young stuff that ain’t been busted. That old man hasn’t had her. He’s too damned old.”

Hammond wasn’t interested in Stith’s plans for Quill’s Station. But he listened and pretended he did.

“After I settle with Quill, I’ll concentrate on the bitch.” Hammond’s eyes swung around the empty barroom to be sure they were not being overheard by the nosy barmaid. “I figure it’ll take about a month or six weeks for Cooley to get here. I offered him money, enough to bring the bastard running. As greedy as he is, he’ll fight his way through the whole goddamn Indian nation to get here. I’ll present my evidence at the right time and with luck we can try that bastard and have him shot before Taylor and Harrison know it.”

“How’ll you do that?”

“Because the officers sitting in judgment will be so goddamn worked up about Prophetstown, they’ll believe anything I tell them about a traitor.”

“What if the servant girl won’t admit who she is?”

“I know ways to make that slut tell anything I want her to tell. It’s your job to get her before Quill learns that we know about her.”

Stith looked at the small man coolly. He didn’t like him. He hated to admit it, but Liberty Carroll was right. He was a weasel and a piddly, low-caliber crook. In his opinion Hammond Perry was not fit to command a herd of cows, much less a platoon of men. But that was not his concern. He would use him.

“I said I’d have her here.”