Before Hannah could answer Gilmore said,
“No, she’s not his squaw. We’ll leave now so
you can get on with your duty. Come along, Hannah; we can’t interfere with justice.” He
tried to drag her from the room. Hannah dug
in her heels, but her strength was no match for
Gilmore’s.
“Trent, no! You’ve got to do something.”
“Go, Hannah!” Ryder’s deep voice cut into the confusion. His head was turned in her direction,
but Hannah knew he couldn’t see her. “They
won’t kill me; they need the information I
hold. Soon they will learn it will do no good
to beat me.”
“You heard him, Hannah. Let’s get out of here.” Gilmore grasped her around the waist and literally dragged her from the cell.
The door banged shut behind her and she
let out a strangled sob. “He can’t survive too
many more beatings, Trent. You said you can do something. For God’s sake, tell me.”
The soft thudding noises and muffled groans
emanating from behind the closed door gave Hannah the kind of desperation she’d never experienced before. She’d do anything, any
thing at all to save Ryder from further beatings.
“Tell me what you want of me.”
Gilmore glanced down the dim corridor and saw that they were alone. Grasping her arms, he pulled her hard against him. “I want
you,
Hannah McLin. I think you know that by now.”
Hannah swallowed convulsively and looked away. She knew what was coming and dreaded
it.
“I’ve asked for a transfer back to Fort
Laramie. Duty with the Colorado militia isn’t
what I thought it would be. I’ll be leaving in
a day or two. I want you to come with me. If you agree, I’ll arrange an escape for your white
Indian.”
“You want me to be your whore?”
Gilmore shook his head. “No, it would never
do. Once we arrive at Fort Laramie we’ll be
married by the chaplain and assigned a house on Officer’s Row. It’s the only way we can live together in assigned quarters without causing a scandal.”
“Marriage?” Hannah’s voice shook. She said she’d do anything to save Ryder, but marriage? She’d thought she was already married, but obviously an Indian ceremony had no standing in the white community. And what about her child? If she told Trent about the baby she was
expecting, he’d no doubt withdraw his offer to
help Ryder. She was caught in a vicious trap.
“I’ve decided marriage is the only way,” Gilmore continued smugly. “The white community at Fort Laramie is small but rigid in its morals. I realize my parents wouldn’t approve of you, but times have changed since the war. The West is a world apart from the South, and I want you enough to forget your past.”
Hannah tried not to think about the baby
now, or what Trent would do when he discovered she was carrying Ryder’s child. By the
time he learned about it Ryder would be free,
in Powder River country, and Trent could take
his vengeance out on her.
“What do you say, Hannah? Will you go with
me?”
“How do I know you aren’t lying about help
ing Ryder? How do I know you won’t go back
on your word once I leave with you?”
“You’ll just have to trust me.”
Hannah was far from convinced. “No. I have to know for certain that Ryder is free before I’ll
go with you/
1
Gilmore’s mind worked furiously. He wasn’t
certain how he intended to set Ryder free, but
somehow he had to convince Hannah of his
sincerity. Once he took her away she’d have
no way of knowing what happened to the
white Injun. He could even arrange to have Wind Rider recaptured and returned to his cell
before his absence was noticed.
“Give me a day to arrange it. You can watch
him walk free yourself if you won’t take my
word for it. Once he walks away a free man
you must agree to come with me immediately,
without speaking or communicating with him
in any way.”
To see Ryder free with her own eyes was all
Hannah wanted. If Trent could arrange that,
she would be forever grateful. “I agree.”
Hannah waited for Zach at the boarding-house. Somehow she had to convince Ryder’s brother-in-law that leaving with Trent was her decision. It wasn’t going to be easy. It was for
tunate that neither he nor Abby knew about the
baby.
It was late afternoon when Zach knocked on Hannah’s door. His mood was jubilant. “I’ve
seen the governor! He listened to my story
and said he’d consider Ryder’s case. I tell you,
Hannah, it’s the most encouragement I’ve had
in days. I even submitted a plan that I’m hoping
Governor Evans will endorse.”
“What kind of plan?”
“I don’t want to get your hopes up, Hannah,
so I think 111 keep it to myself until Ryder
is released. I’m to see the governor tomorrow
for his answer. If amnesty is granted, Ryder
will never have to worry about being a fugitive
again.”
“Tomorrow might be too late.”
Zach searched her face. “What do you mean?”
“I saw Ryder today. He’s been beaten. He could barely speak, his face is unrecognizable,
and I’m sure he has cracked ribs. I was told
the beatings will continue until he reveals the
location of Red Cloud’s camp.”
“Good God! Hell never give them that kind
of information. How in the world did you man
age to get in to see him?”
Hannah flushed. “I went to see Trent. He
obtained a visitor’s pass for me.”
“Hannah, I told you to leave this to me. I
don’t want you begging Gilmore for anything. I’m sure the governor .. .”
Hannah looked away. “You can’t be sure, Zach; that’s the problem. I’ve decided to handle it in my own way. I’ve agreed to accom
pany Trent to Fort Laramie. We’re going to
be married.”
Zach stared at her, stunned. “What in the
hell are you talking about?”
“It’s true. Ryder and I are from different worlds. There is no future for us. You heard
him; he wants to return to the Indian Nation.
He believes it’s what the Great Spirit wants. Ill
not stand in his way.”
“I don’t know where in the hell you’re coming from, Hannah, but I don’t buy it. Why are
you really doing this? What did Gilmore prom
ise you? Did he offer to release Ryder if you went with him? Surely you don’t trust him, do
you?”
Hannah refused to meet his eyes. “No, it’s nothing like that. It’s just that I see no future
for Ryder and me.” God, please let Zach believe
me, she silently prayed.
“Dammit, Hannah, you’re being foolish.
Promise me you won’t do anything rash
until I see the governor tomorrow. I’m sure
he’ll order Ryder’s release once he understands the situation.”
“I wish Ryder the best, but it no longer con
cerns me.” Each word was like a knife wound
to her heart.
Zach stared at Hannah as if he were seeing her for the first time. Hotheaded as ever, he jumped to the wrong conclusion. “Why, you coldhearted little bitch! I thought you loved Ryder, but I see now I was mistaken. Go, then.
Ryder will be better off without you. But rest
assured that neither Abby nor I will desert him. I’ll see him free if it’s the last thing I do.” Spin
ning on his heel, he stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.
Hannah sank down on the bed, too upset to
cry. She hoped that Ryder and his relatives
would understand and forgive her one day, but all that mattered now was freeing Ryder before
he was beaten to death. If Trent could do that,
then it was well-worth her sacrifice.
Trent Gilmore had little difficulty arranging
Rider s release once he offered Sergeant Collins sufficient monetary reward to win his compli
ance. Since Ryder’s release was to be tempo
rary, Collins agreed to the deception, though he
understood none of it. According to Gilmore’s
plans, Collins was to set Ryder free, have a horse waiting for him, and allow him to ride away. Then he and Private Holmes were to
follow and recapture him after Hannah saw
him ride away a free man. Gilmore suspected
the savage would offer little resistance. Since
his arrest three days ago he’d been ruthlessly
beaten and could scarcely stand on his own
two feet.
What mattered was that Hannah would think
him responsible for the savage’s release and be most appropriately grateful. Marrying Hannah hadn’t been part of his original plan, but he’d
come late to the realization that marriage was
the only way he could have her. She would
make him a suitable frontier wife. He admired the way she had traveled alone from Ireland,
indentured herself to pay for her passage, and
survived numerous hardships. She had spunk,
he’d give her that much, and he’d do anything to
have her in his bed. Once she was his wife he’d
make her forget the white savage she fancied
herself in love with.
On the morning Trent had arranged for
Ryder’s “escape” he arrived bright and early at
Hannah’s boardinghouse. Zach had already left
for the governor’s office. Today Governor Evans
was to decide if amnesty was to be granted in
Ryder’s case, but Hannah held out little hope
for help from that quarter. She met Gilmore in
the formal parlor of the boardinghouse.
Gilmore took Hannah’s hands in his and
stared earnestly into her eyes. “It’s all arranged, Hannah.”
Hannah’s green eyes, lusterless from lack of sleep and constant worry, lit up. “Ryder will
be set free? How in the world did you man
age it?”
“Anything is possible with enough money.
I’ve saved my pay. There’s little to spend it on out here.”
Hannah was so grateful to Trent that she threw her arms around him and hugged him
tightly. “Thank you, Trent. You don’t know how
grateful I am.”
“You’ll have your chance to prove it soon enough. I’ve arranged for Wind Rider to be released at noon today. If you don’t trust me,
you can watch him ride away yourself from
a window on the upper floor of the building
where he’s being held. Does that meet with
your approval?”
Hannah nodded eagerly.
“Pack your clothes. I’ll come back for you
shortly before noon. After Wind Rider
is
released we’ll meet the patrol that will escort us
to Fort Laramie. We’ll be happy there, Hannah;
you’ll see.”
Hannah lowered her eyes, unable to meet his
gaze. She was unaccustomed to lying and she
feared Trent would know. But she could never
marry him, no matter that he had arranged
Ryder’s freedom. She was carrying Ryder’s child and someday, somehow, they would be together
again.
“I’ll be ready, Trent.”
Ryder had no idea how long he’d been impris
oned in the dark, dank room. If the frequency of his beatings, which were administered regular
ly by the meaty-fisted sergeant and his cohort,
were any indication, he assumed that at least
four days had passed since he’d been tossed
in jail. Always the questions were the same. Where was Red Cloud’s camp located? How
many Indians were living in the Badlands? What were Red Cloud’s plans for taking up arms against the whites? And always Ryder
met their questions with silence.
Then came the beatings. When he passed out
he was doused with water, revived, and beaten
again. The two sadistic soldiers were masters at their craft, Ryder thought bitterly, for they
knew just when to stop. Evidently, Chivington
didn’t want him dead. Not until he’d divulged
the information the army wanted, anyway.
Ryder tried to sit up and groaned as raw pain surged through him. He had no idea how many
of his ribs were cracked, but judging by the
violent pain, it had to be more than one. His lips were so swollen, he could barely speak, and his eyes and face felt like raw meat. Ryder knew he couldn’t last much longer under these conditions, but that no longer mattered. Seeing
Hannah had made him realize that he had no
business loving her. She deserved much better than what he could offer. He didn’t even know
who he was or where he belonged. And further
more, his blindness made him totally useless as
a husband. Besides, he was likely to die from
the constant beatings if they continued.