To Wed In Texas

TWENTY-ONE

VALERIE MET KARLEE A BLOCK FROM HOME WITH A twin in each arm. All three girls were crying.

“What is it? What's happened?” Karlee jumped from the wagon.

“Soldiers!” Valerie said between gulps. “They broke in the front door without knocking and told us to get out. They said they had orders to search the place.”

“For what?” Karlee lifted the little girls into the wagon bed with a strong hug for each. “It's going to be all right,” she whispered against their blonde curls. “ Everything will be just fine.”

“I don't know why they're there.” Valerie tried to stop her own tears. “I just grabbed the twins and ran. They were throwing things and breaking things. When I ran out Ida, the old German, was trying to tell them to stop breaking things, but they weren't listening.”

Karlee hugged Valerie. “Things don't matter,” she whispered. “You and the girls do. You did the right thing by leaving.” She thought of asking Valerie to watch the twins longer, but she'd imposed enough. The girls were now her responsibility. “Climb in, and I'll drop you at the bakery.”

“No thanks.” Valerie waved. “I can cut through the houses and be there in half the time. I think I want to see my madre right now.” She tried to smile. “Be careful.”

“Don't worry.” Karlee flicked the reins. “We'll be fine.”

A few minutes later, Karlee left the wagon at the front door and walked into her house with a twin on each side of her. “Now don't worry, girls. These men are just playing hide-and-seek, and they have to learn it's an outside game.”

She moved through the house listening to the racket from above. They must all be on the second floor. From the sound, she'd guess four, maybe five men.

Karlee grabbed a quilt and spread it out in the wide foyer where the sunlight shone in through the open doorway. She sat the twins down and collected all the dolls she'd made. “You and all your friends can watch the men leave,” she tried to sound cheery.

A soldier stepped to the landing above. He was shorter than her by half a head and a few years older in age. His clothes and body were the bagginess of a man who'd worn the uniform too long.

She quickly straightened, blocking the seam in the paneling where the wall slid open. She had no idea what they were looking for, but she didn't want them finding the guns. Daniel had never mentioned his arsenal to her. Until this moment, it had never occurred to her as strange that a man who wore no weapon of any kind would have owned so many guns.

“What are you doing here?” the soldier yelled from the landing. “I thought I told everyone to leave. I'm Sergeant Whiteley, and I've got the authority if you want to see the papers.”

“I'm Mrs. McLain and I live here, sir. I have every right there is to ask what you and your men are doing in my house, paper or not!” Karlee yelled back. “And there's no need to yell, Sergeant Whiteley! I have no problem with my hearing.”

“We've been ordered to search, and search we will.” He stormed down the stairs, his voice still a notch below an all-out scream.

She heard something familiar in his tone. A touch of home twisted in his words. “Then do your duty, but be careful what you break, or you'll answer to me, Sergeant.”

He paid her no mind.

“Or,” she added, “your mother back home in Indiana.”

The stout sergeant turned and stared at her with tired eyes.

“You are from Indiana, aren't you?” Karlee had guessed right.

“Indiana Regular. First to fight, first blood spilled,” he said proudly. “A Volunteer force all through the war, and I'm proud to say I was one of them.”

“Well, I guess your mother would be real tickled to know you're down in Texas tearing up the home of a good preacher who fought with the Indiana Regulars as well.” Karlee was guessing, but after all, Daniel was from Indiana, he must have fought with the state's regiment. “The reverend was wounded a few months before the war ended. He came home to find his father's farm had been raided by Rebs. His parents were both dead. And now he has you and your men as a plague.”

The sergeant's face paled. “McLain fought for the North? I figured him a Reb for sure.”

Karlee tried to remember what she'd heard Aunt Rosy tell of the McLain brothers. “He fought along with his brothers, Captain Wes McLain and Doctor Adam McLain.”

The sergeant's face was starting to look sickly. “He don't favor his brothers, does he?”

“No,” Karlee answered slowly. “Daniel has blond hair, but both his brothers are darker.”

Men stomped down the stairs and into the study throwing things aside as they searched. Their shouldered rifles bumped into walls and tables with no care taken.

“Hey, men!” Whiteley yelled. “Be careful of the preacher's things. There ain't no use in us destroying the place.”

The soldiers looked up in surprise and slowed their pace. They weren't raiders, only enlisted men following orders.

The sergeant leaned against the wall beside Karlee, unaware he was aiding her with her concealment.

He lowered his voice so the men wouldn't hear. “I knew a Captain Wes McLain back in sixty-three. With the chances he took, I never figured he'd make the end of the war. I remember one night a bunch of us was talking about the battle up ahead, and Captain Wes said he had it covered. If he was wounded, he had a brother who would fix him up and if he died, his little brother would preach him into Heaven.”

The sergeant smiled. “I ain't thought of that night in years. I was so scared I couldn't think of nothing but cleaning my rifle. I must have cleaned the thing a hundred times before daybreak. I got where I could put it back together in no light at all.”

Karlee watched the others as she listened to the sergeant. They had no skill at searching a place. She could have hidden the horse in this house and they'd never have found it. One soldier was playing with a half-finished doll. Another read the book titles slowly, mouthing the words as though he'd find the answer to a puzzle in them. A third had gotten on his knees trying to answer Starlett's questions as fast as she fired them at him.

The sergeant straightened to his military stance. “What's this youngest McLain done that landed him in the stockade?”

“I don't think he's done anything,” Karlee lied. “I couldn't love a man who was rotten. He's only a small town preacher.”

“Did he tell Lieutenant Logan he was in the Regulars? Logan's looking for men who helped that thieving troublemaker, Cullen Baker. An Indiana man would never do that.”

“He won't talk to Logan. Daniel thinks all men, Northern or Southern, have a right to be treated fairly. The war's over.”

“But all he's got to do is open his mouth and Logan will know. He wouldn't dare hold a McLain without a darn good reason. There's bound to be several men among us who knows the family name.”

“If Daniel talks, he'll be treated differently? The injustice lies with Logan, not my husband.”

The sergeant saw her point. He'd spent most of his life in the Army following orders and it had got him nowhere. The Union Army had been sent down here to prevent trouble. Chasing after a ghost like Baker was just stirring more up. He'd seen Logan step out of line more than once trying to catch the man.

“Would your husband talk to me? I figure I owe him that much, being from the same state and all.”

“He might.” Karlee turned around and pulled the already loose ribbon from her camisole. “If you gave him this, at least he'll listen.”

“I'm not promising anything, ma'am.” He stuffed the ribbon in his pocket. “But I'll do what I can.”

Whiteley turned toward the men. “All right, empty your pockets. We ain't taking souvenirs with us. Let's get out of here and leave this mother and children in peace.”

Karlee watched them file out. She still stood in front of the hidden latch. They'd found nothing.

Several of the day-shift guards reported in sick the next morning to the stockade known as Sandtown. They complained of something they ate.

Daniel watched replacements come in reluctantly for duty. They didn't want to be here any more than the prisoners did. They probably wanted to be home with their families, not on duty in Texas.

He'd found Jesse's brother, Altus Blair, and the reports had been right. He was near death. Even if they found a way to break him out, he might not live through the rescue.

“You the preacher?” A stocky sergeant stopped in front of Daniel.

Daniel didn't answer as he turned and walked toward the far wall of the stockade. He wanted no trouble. He knew Logan was just looking for a reason to keep him here longer. Daniel figured, if he stayed out of trouble, the Lieutenant would have to let him go. He might think Daniel was involved in something, but he had no proof.

“I said, you the preacher named McLain?” the sergeant asked again.

Daniel tried to turn and walk away, not wanting to talk to anyone in this place.

The sergeant fell into step. “You are Daniel McLain, Wes McLain's brother.”

Daniel stopped and faced the man but didn't speak.

“I was ordered to search your house yesterday. Your wife chewed me out right and proper for bothering you and her. Course, we didn't find anything-just like she said. But she threatened to tell my ma how I was behaving.” The sergeant smiled. “No one's done that in years.”

Daniel could almost see Karlee letting him have a piece of her mind. He smiled to himself. Better that than a slice of her pie.

“I told her I'd talk to you.” He reached in his pocket. “She gave me this little snip of ribbon to let you know I was on the up and up, and this ain't no trick.”

The sergeant handed Daniel the pink ribbon.

Daniel took the ribbon but still didn't speak. He wasn't as trusting as his wife. The man could be playing him, hoping to help Logan.

“I fought with your brother in sixty-three. A braver soldier I never met, and that's a fact. My name's Whiteley. Been called Sergeant Whiteley for so long I plum' forgot my first name. Tell your brother Whiteley, and he'll remember me.”

“Whiteley.” Daniel nodded.

“Reverend.” Whiteley nodded back as if they'd just been formally introduced.

Daniel straightened and tucked the ribbon in his pocket. “So, you knew my brother in sixty-three. You ever see that terrible scar on his left leg?”

Whiteley looked confused. “I don't think I ever did. I never got past that one on his face. He told me he got it in the first battle of the war, and before that day, he'd been the handsomest man in Indiana.”

“That sounds like Wes.” Daniel relaxed a little. The man was telling the truth. Karlee might have mentioned the scar, but he felt sure she didn't know when Wes got it.

“Are they treating you all right, Reverend? Getting plenty of food? Did you get issued a blanket? I can help you if you weren't.”

Daniel decided he had nothing to lose by trying. “Whiteley, there's a man in here who didn't even fight in the war. He's been ill since he was a boy. He's about to die.”

The sergeant shook his head. “I'm no doctor, McLain. And if I was guessing, I'd say there's more than one in this place who fits that description.”

“I know. I need your help getting this one out of here so he can die at home with his family.”

Whiteley shook his head. “I haven't got that kind of power. If Logan wants a man in here, there ain't no way to get him out but maybe feet first.”

“Then tonight we take him out feet first. Meet me at this spot at sunset.” Without another word, Daniel turned away from the sergeant, wondering if he'd show up at dark.

Slowly, he walked back to the only building in the stockade. If he could call it a building. It served as a jail for the more troublesome prisoners.

As he neared the gate, he saw Karlee. She was dressed very properly as a minister's wife should be. She entered with a pie in each hand. He heard her say, “Now you'll make sure my husband gets at least one of these?”

The replacement guards nodded, their mouths already watering as they stared at the pies.

Daniel couldn't help but smile. He knew he'd never see a slice of pie, and the guards would pay for their theft.

“McLain? You want to see your wife?” As Daniel stepped to the door, Sergeant Whiteley moved in beside him. “They'll be listening,” he whispered as he cuffed Daniel.

Whiteley had just proved his loyalty.

“I know. Thanks.” The sergeant didn't close the cuffs uncomfortably tight around his wrist as the guard had yesterday.

Daniel walked into the small room and raised his arms to his wife.

Karlee moved into his hug. “They almost didn't allow me to see you today,” she whispered.

He smelled of her hair and just hugged her, realizing he needed her near.

She finally broke the silence. “I brought you a change of clothes.”

“Thanks.”

“How much longer, Daniel?”

“I don't know. A day. A week. A month.” He felt her tremble with his words. “At least I know the twins are safe with you.”

Karlee buried her head on his shoulder. “Daniel, I forgot to tell you. I'm not brave. I never have been. I'm more the run-and-hide type than the stand-and-fight.”

He couldn't hold back the laughter. “I doubt that. From what I've seen, I'd say you're about as brave as a wife could be.”

“No, you got a lousy deal in this marriage. I can't cook. I'll never be a beauty. I head off on some plan and later wonder why. And to top it all off, I'm sure I'm a coward.”

Daniel had never seen her like this. He wished his hands were free so he could hold her tighter. She was frightened, truly frightened. And to his surprise, he realized what scared her most was the fear that she might let him down.

“Honey, listen, you are brave.” He leaned close, kissing the tear on her cheek. “I want you to pack the house, everything except the furniture and the kitchen, and of course what's upstairs. Understand?”

She nodded. There was nothing left except the secret compartment in the hallway.

He raised his voice a little. “Since my church burned, we may have to move. I guess the house belongs to the church and now there's no church it will probably be sold.” His voice lowered against her ear. “Search carefully, pack everything.”

“I will,” she promised.

He kissed her lightly. “I'll be home sooner than you think. Logan's a hard man but I don't think he'll step to drumming up false charges.”

He pulled away as he heard the door unlock. “Take care of the twins.”

“I'll be back tomorrow,” she promised as the guard signaled her out.

The weight of her problems settled over Karlee like an unwanted summer cold. She lingered longer at the bakery, talking to Valerie and her mother, than she'd planned. But going home without Daniel there didn't appeal to her. Valerie's mother had given Ida a job. The tiny German woman was like a worker ant. She seemed to carry ten times her weight and walked in almost a run from place to place. Each time she passed, the little woman smiled, proud of her job.

Valerie asked about John. She needed assurance that he wasn't being mistreated. Karlee promised to let her know the minute she got a letter from Allie and Wes. “John's all right,” she hugged the girl. “He's with his sister. She'll see that no harm comes to him.”

With the twins loaded in the wagon, Karlee finally started for home. She'd stalled long enough, there was much to be done. She'd understood what Daniel had been trying to tell her. She had to get the weapons, hidden behind the sliding door, out of the house.

She pulled to the back porch, noticing a stack of trunks beside the door. Fine, leather, hand-tooled luggage. Wolf leaned against the house looking like a hunting dog who'd been ordered outside.

“What is it?” Karlee asked, helping the twins down from the wagon.

Wolf shook his head. “About the time you think trouble is full and plenty, another scoop gets added to the batter.”

“Wolf?”

Just as he opened his mouth to explain, a tall woman in white swept from the house as though she'd been taking another curtain call.

The woman glared at Karlee for a full minute, her plastered-on smile as wide as a medicine man's banner. “Why, Karlee Whitworth, don't you remember your cousin, Gerilyn? It has been years and years and years.”

Karlee realized her time trying to forget her cousin hadn't worked. She'd recognize those cold blue-gray eyes anywhere.

“You ask me,” Wolf mumbled for Karlee's ears only. “I should pack her up and take her back until she can add a few more years onto that greeting.”

Gerilyn must have thought Karlee's sudden smile was because of her visit. She swayed gracefully down the steps and gave Karlee an almost hug and an almost kiss.