Morning Sky (14 page)

He nodded and listened intently as Jarena told him about the contents of Carlisle’s letter. When she had completed her account, she leaned forward and rested her hands on the desk. “Do you think you could secure any information?”

Moses took her hands in his own and held them lightly. “I know there have been a number of skirmishes with a band of Indians led by Victorio, an Apache chief. As I recall, companies from both the Ninth and Tenth have been involved, but I’ve not heard many of the details.

And you must remember that the efforts to contain the Indians on reservations have resulted in ongoing difficulty in those territories.”

Jarena stiffened. “Would this Victorio be in New Mexico Territory?” “Yes. However, I believe from the paper I read, he’s attempting to lead his warriors back into Mexico to avoid being returned to the reservation. But that was a number of weeks ago and there’s no telling where he might be now. Furthermore, Jarena, there are many soldiers who will never be involved in a skirmish.”

She slipped her hands from his and leaned back in her chair. “You know that’s not true for the buffalo soldiers, Moses. The army’s keeping them stationed in the territories where most all of the fighting is taking place.”

“Thomas is likely eating a warm meal while you’re fretting.”

Touching her hand to her heart, Jarena gazed into Moses’s eyes. “I have a feeling inside that something terrible has happened, and I need to know.”

He stood and stepped around the desk. “I can go to Ellis later in the week and telegraph Fort Concho. I’ll inquire if they know of Thomas’s whereabouts, if that would help.”

“Oh, thank you, Moses.” She once again checked the clock. “I had best be on my way. I must stop at the general store before returning to the Boyles’.”

“I’ll walk along with you. I need to mail this,” he said, lifting an envelope from atop his desk. “If my friend Spencer doesn’t hear from me soon, he’s going to think I’ve forgotten him.”

Moses took her arm as they walked down the street while excitedly discussing the possible date of Truth’s return. There was little doubt Moses missed the joy and companionship Truth added to his life.

“I know how much you miss Truth, and if there’s anything I can do to assist you while she’s gone—writing an article for the newspaper or helping in any other way—you need only ask.”

“I may take you up on your offer. Seems there’s little time to accomplish everything, and having someone to write a piece or two would help tremendously. Are you certain you wouldn’t find it an inconvenience?”

“Of course not. I’d be delighted to have something more challenging to occupy my mind than washing clothes and tending the flower garden.”

Moses beamed as they stopped outside Walt and Ada Johnson’s mercantile. “Good. In fact, I may bring over an assignment before I depart for Ellis.”

Jarena nodded and moved forward to enter the store. Miscalculating the step, she tripped on her skirt and tumbled forward. Instinctively, she stretched her arms out, hoping to break the fall. Instead, she found herself locked in Moses’s embrace as he jumped forward and caught her. Stunned, Jarena grasped the lapels of his waistcoat, holding tight until she could gain her balance.

“Now isn’t this a lovely picture?”

Jarena whirled about at the sound of Aunt Lilly’s voice. The woman had appeared just inside the open doorway from nowhere. She gave one of her exaggerated winks and stood beaming at them as though she were a proud parent. “Though I do believe the general store is a rather public forum for a display of affection.”

Jarena gasped. “Whatever are you talking about? I tripped on—” “No need to explain to me. I perfectly understand matters of the heart.”

Her aunt was speaking louder than necessary and gaining the attention of several ladies. Jarena grimaced. Aunt Lilly knew that her outlandish comments would draw the interest of Mrs. Johnson’s customers. Two or three ladies edged closer to the doorway and pretended to busy themselves reading the labels on bottles of paregoric and tincture of arnica. Jarena clutched her aunt’s arm and endeavored to move her out the door.

With a firm yank, Lilly adroitly extracted her arm. “I’m not ready to leave just yet, Jarena. I haven’t completed my order. And you and Moses haven’t even begun your shopping, have you?”

Moses withdrew the letter from his pocket. “I’m going to post my letter and be on my way, Jarena. I hope to talk with you before I depart for Ellis. If not, I’ll send word when I return.”

Lilly moved to his side. “I’m sure Jarena would prefer to have you deliver your message personally—especially if the news is unwelcome.”

Jarena offered Moses her thanks, glared at her aunt, and began to gather items from the store shelves with Lilly close on her heels. The woman was an absolute enigma—one minute acting kind and compassionate, the next creating chaos in others’ lives.

Lilly gathered up the basket of purchases and slowly sauntered toward home. She didn’t want to return to the house, where she would be greeted by noisy children and tedious housework. Even going to the general store was preferable to keeping the Nelson children in tow. But there was little choice this day. Mrs. Nelson planned to attend her temperance meeting at the church, a gathering Lilly figured was no more than a gossip session with a respectable title.

The street churned with dust as a colorfully decorated drummer’s wagon drawn by a sleek dappled mare raced into town. The driver yanked back on the reins and brought the conveyance to a rocking halt in front of the general store. Lilly shaded her eyes to watch a well-dressed man step out of the buggy and sprint up the two steps and into the mercantile. She longed to know who the man might be—obviously a salesman passing through, but nonetheless, he might prove to be a diversion. If only she had time. She weighed the consequences but grudgingly turned and walked toward the Nelson home. For the time being, she needed her job.

Mrs. Nelson was pacing on the front porch when Lilly returned. “I was beginning to think something had happened to you. If you hadn’t returned within another five minutes, I was planning to send Georgie to check on your whereabouts.”

Lilly breezed past her employer, down the hallway, and into the kitchen. Mrs. Nelson was close on her heels as she placed the basket of groceries on the sturdy wood table.

“As your employer, I’d like to know the reason you were detained, Mrs. Verdue.”

Surprised by Mrs. Nelson’s brusque behavior, Lilly lifted her gaze from the basket. Every so often, the woman mustered a courage that caught Lilly off guard. And every time, Lilly was required to quickly regroup and change tactics. Assessing the situation, she played on Mrs. Nelson’s sympathies by explaining she’d taken time to console poor Jarena, whose intended had likely been killed in an Indian skirmish in the southwest territories. It was obvious her tale had the desired impact.

Mrs. Nelson’s eyes grew wide, and she clasped a hand to her bodice as she offered several apologies, each more humble than the last. And then, joy of all joys, the woman asked if there wasn’t something she could do to help. Lilly nearly danced with delight. She’d gained an advantage with barely any effort or planning. Though Lilly declined the woman’s assistance, she did mention it would bolster Jarena’s spirits if she could visit the girl more frequently.

“Yes, of course. And I’ll ask the ladies of the church to pray for the young man. What is his name?”

“Thomas. Thomas Grayson. He’s serving with the Tenth Cavalry.”

Mrs. Nelson rubbed her forehead. “Dear me! Isn’t that Captain Boyle’s group of men?”

Lilly quickly explained about Captain Boyle’s reassignment as she continued to unpack the basket. “I don’t think Captain Boyle should find himself in too much danger at his new military post.”

“We’ll pray for him anyway. He’s hard at work trying to save the souls of those soldiers. He’s got his work cut out for him. From what I hear, those men are more interested in alcohol and immoral women than the Word of God.”

“Hard to imagine, isn’t it?” Lilly asked with a wry grin.

Mrs. Nelson picked up her reticule. “Indeed. You would think that when a man is in the midst of flying bullets and arrows, he’d be anxious to hear about the afterlife. You know, seeking God and eternal salvation rather than a bottle of whiskey and . . . and . . .”

“A woman’s embrace?”

Mrs. Nelson’s cheeks flushed. “Yes. Now, I had best be on my way or I’m going to be late. Do make sure Georgie doesn’t escape out the upstairs window again.”

Lilly nodded and finished her kitchen chores before going upstairs. It had been quiet far too long, and though Alma would still be napping, the boys were likely engaged in their usual mischief. If only Joey didn’t have his older brother to lead him astray, he’d be easily managed. However, Georgie was a problem that needed solving.

The carpeted hallway muffled her footsteps as she peeked inside the boys’ bedroom. They were nowhere to been seen, and the window was closed tight. Yet she could hear their hushed voices, and it sounded as though they were coming from
her
bedroom. Lilly marched down the hallway, her anger mounting with each footstep. She pushed open her bedroom door, and the boys jumped up from their crouched position and watched her with wide-eyed attention.

Moving across the floor with the speed of a warrior after his prey, Lilly grasped Georgie by one ear. “What are you doing going through my belongings?”

The boy turned pale and attempted to wrest his ear from her pinching fingers. “We were going to clean your room for you.”

“And you need to get inside my closet and go through my drawers to clean? Is that right?”

“N-n-no, but—” “Quit your fibbing, Georgie. What is it you thought you’d find in here?”

The boy shrugged and then flinched when the movement caused Lilly’s hold to tighten on his ear. Joey rushed forward and tugged on Lilly’s skirt, obviously hoping to come to his brother’s aid.

“We was stealing this.” The child dug into his pants pocket and pulled out one of Lilly’s handkerchiefs. He turned back the lace edging that surrounded the linen cloth and revealed a rabbit’s foot and a glass ball.

“Is that an eye in there?” Joey asked. “Georgie said it was.”

Lilly took the handkerchief and its contents from the younger boy.

She released Georgie from her grasp. “Sit down. Both of you.”

They both dropped obediently to the floor. One end of the rabbit’s foot was crusted with dried blood, and Lilly held it in front of the boys. “Some folks think a rabbit’s foot brings them luck, but it doesn’t.”

Joey tilted his head to the side, and his eyes widened with surprise. “It doesn’t?”

“Wasn’t lucky for the rabbit, was it?”

The boys shook their heads. “No. But folks say having one is good luck for
people
,” Georgie pointed out.

“If it wasn’t good luck for the rabbit, it won’t be good luck for you, either. Besides, I found you in my room. Did the rabbit’s foot bring you good luck?”

Georgie shook his head. “No, but how come you got it?”

“Someone gave it to me as a gift, believing that it brought good luck.”

“What’s that?” Joey placed a plump finger on the glass ball.

“An evil eye.” Lilly made her voice low and ominous. “I had hoped I wouldn’t be forced to use it when I came here to live. I thought I would be living in a house with well-behaved children.”

Joey inched away from her. “You are.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s true, Joey. I believe you
could
be a good little boy. Instead, you allow Georgie to lead you into trouble, don’t you?”

Georgie elbowed his brother, but Joey ignored the jab. “Uh-huh. But I won’t do it no more. I promise.”

“Good. Then you go to your room and stay there until I come and fetch you.”

Joey ran from the room as though his knee pants were on fire, and

Lilly turned her attention back to his brother. “You remember when I told you to behave or I’d place a hex on you?”

Georgie slumped and stared at the floor. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Then why do you keep on with your mischievous ways?”

The boy peeked up at her. “I wanted to see if Mama was right about you.”

Lilly’s mind reeled. “Right about what?”

“I heard her tell Papa she thought you were hiding something. I was trying to find it.”

Lilly gave a nod, remembering the day she’d found Mrs. Nelson snooping through her belongings. Though Mrs. Nelson had pretended to be delivering linens, Lilly suspected the woman had been spying.

She squatted down and took hold of Georgie’s trembling hands. “If you tell me the truth, you don’t need to fear me, Georgie. What else did you hear?”

“Papa asked her why she didn’t trust you.”

“And?” Lilly urged, dropping the boy’s hands.

“She said she saw things in your room she didn’t like, but when Mama saw me listening, she stopped talking.” He touched the rabbit’s foot. “I figure she saw these things.”

“Did you ever hear them discuss anything else about me?”

He wagged his head from side to side. “Can I go now?”

“No. We must reach an agreement, Georgie.” Lilly removed the glass ball from the handkerchief and held it between her fingers with the eye pointed directly at him. “Do you see the evil eye staring at you?”