To Wed In Texas

TWENTY-TWO

GERILYN HADN'T CHANGED IN THE FIFTEEN YEARS since Karlee had seen her. Her hair was still the brown of deep chocolate, her face china white, and her eyes the soulless blue-gray of a winter river.

“Hello, Gerilyn.” Karlee watched her hug each of the girls and give them an air kiss an inch away from their cheeks.

“Aunt Rosy wrote me that you came down to help poor Daniel. He must have had an impossible time finding someone adequate.” She straightened the already perfect pleats in her traveling dress as she continued, “Then I was beside myself when I heard of the fire in town. With only you as help, I knew he must be near panic. I just had to come down and make sure my nieces were all right. Precious angels.”

“They're fine, as you can see.” Karlee followed Gerilyn into the kitchen. “We're all fine.” The last thing she wanted to do was tell Gerilyn anything was wrong.

“And where is my poor dead sister's husband?” Gerilyn dusted a kitchen chair with her gloves before sitting down. “Didn't he get my telegram?”

“We've been busy here.” Karlee didn't even know if there was a telegraph office anymore.

Starlett tried to show her aunt one of the dolls Karlee had made for her. Gerilyn wasn't interested. “Wait until you see what I brought you girls.” She patted Starlett on the cheek.

“Now,” Starlett chimed. “Show us now.”

“No, not now, dear.” Gerilyn smiled at the child's impatience. “Later, when I open my trunk. We'll have plenty of time.”

“You're staying then?” Wolf asked from the doorway as if the end of the world had just been announced.

Gerilyn looked as though she smelled something disgusting. “Who is this man, Karlee?” She totally ignored Wolf's question.

“That's Uncle Wolf,” Starlett answered. “Can we open your trunks now? Good things come in trunks. Karlee did. We want to see what you brought us.”

Gerilyn wasn't listening, only thinking about what needed to be said. “No, child, I told you later.” She realized her words were sharp for she ended her statement with another pat. “And, of course I'm staying. You don't think I traveled all this way to go back tonight. I'm sure Daniel will make room for me. After all, I'm his wife's sister, not some distant cousin.”

“What'd you want me to do, Karlee?” Wolf looked as if Karlee only had to say the word and he'd toss the thin woman over his shoulder and haul her back to the dock.

Karlee lifted her head. “If Gerilyn doesn't mind watching the twins for a few minutes, I'll help you move her luggage up to my room and clean my things out.”

Wolf grunted, but lifted the first of three huge trunks. “It ain't fair,” he mumbled as he followed Karlee upstairs. “You shouldn't have to move anywhere. This is your house. Only, by the amount of traffic that passes through here, you'd think it was a Butterfield Stage Station. Company's a curse on the newly married. I wish they'd scatter and leave us be.”

Karlee fought down a laugh. He obviously considered himself part of the family. He was right though. It was her room. But between Wes and Allie, and now Gerilyn, she didn't seem to be sleeping in it much.

As Wolf stacked the luggage, Karlee moved her few belongings into the twins' room. In truth, there was plenty of space.

“I'm getting out of here as soon as I bring up the last load. If you need me, check with Ida. I'll tell her to look in on you twice a day. All you got to do is tell her to get word to me. One of her boys will be able to find me. She'll be proud I trust her to watch after you all. She's lost three husbands, you know, so she's fond of trying to keep up with people. Probably working on her skills while she looks for number four.”

Karlee giggled. “Thanks, Wolf. I'll be fine. I've been around Gerilyn before.”

“But you didn't even tell that woman you were Daniel's wife.” He hugged her good-bye as if leaving her at the battlefront.

“She didn't ask. She strikes me as a person who only enjoys the sound of her own voice. And my guess is she's not going to be very happy when she finds out about the marriage. I'm the ‘poor relation’ in my family.”

Wolf headed down the stairs mumbling, “Appears to me any relations leave a fellow poorer after they stay a while.”

Gerilyn spent the afternoon resting and unpacking. About four, she came down to complain about the noise the girls were making. “Can't they go somewhere else besides the porch right beneath my window?”

Karlee was ironing. “Where would you have them go, Gerilyn?”

“I don't really care,” Gerilyn whined. “The moon seems far enough. I must spend some time telling you how to discipline those two or their voices will have calluses before they're half grown. And you really must do something about their hair. I can show you how to braid it properly in a style that becomes any little girl.”

“I didn't know you knew such things, not having children of your own,” Karlee ventured.

“One doesn't have to be a fish to know how to swim. Observation and a sharp mind are far more valuable than carrying a calf like some cow for nine months.”

Karlee didn't comment. Talking to Gerilyn was a waste of time.

“Dear,” Gerilyn said sweetly as if she'd forgotten Karlee's name. “Would you mind pressing a few of my dresses? Traveling does wrinkle them so. And use a cloth over the silk. I'll not have it looking too shiny.”

“If I have time. I need to start supper soon. Would you like to help?”

Gerilyn gave a practiced laugh. “Oh, heavens no. I would like to talk to that brother-in-law of mine, however. I guess since he's got you here slaving away with the house and children, he's out running free. Lord knows he's had these twin burdens tied around his neck long enough.”

“No, he's not running free.” Karlee smiled. “He's at the stockade helping with a dying prisoner.” She figured that was close enough to the truth for Gerilyn.

A few minutes later, Ida tapped on the back door. Gerilyn took one look at the little German dressed in a menagerie of rags and excused herself without an introduction.

Ida tiptoed into the kitchen as shy as ever. “I brought you some soup for your supper and bread made fresh from the bakery.”

“Oh, you shouldn't have.” Karlee accepted the gift. “You are too good to us.”

“No, no child, you are a blessing to all of us. I have a job because of you, and both my older boys are working at a full man's wage thanks to you. And that hairy giant who comes here brings me more vegetables and meat than I can cook. He says he finds them, but I see him in the market. His heart is big, that one… as is yours.”

“I'm glad we could help.” Karlee was a little embarrassed at the praise. All her life she'd wanted to aid others but usually she had nothing to give.

“Mr. Wolf came by the bakery and told me a witch is living in your house.” The widow leaned closer. “You want me to get rid of her? My boys could bury her where not even the wind will find her.”

“No, Ida. She'll be gone in a few days. But the offer is tempting.” Karlee wasn't entirely sure the old German was teasing.

“Wolf said this lady is blessed with the knowledge of knowing everything of no importance and the curse of constantly telling others. He says she tries endlessly to give everyone this knowledge, but no one will listen.”

Karlee couldn't argue.

Ida raised one slightly bushy eyebrow. “They say the bone dust of such a woman will make a willow sapling grow into an oak.”

“You don't really believe that, do you, Ida?”

The old woman's rounded shoulders rolled. “I don't know. We had such a woman in our village once. Not long after she died I started noticing a great many more oaks in the woods.”

The twins ran into the kitchen, breaking the stillness that hung in the air like a ghost.

“Look, Karlee. Look what Aunt Gerry gave us. Dolls with china faces and lace and hands that look real.”

Ida waved good-bye and winked with both eyes, making her eyebrows seesaw. She was doing it again, Karlee thought, she was brightening the day in her odd little way. Ida had been a blessing since she moved into the barn.

Kneeling, Karlee gave her attention to the girls and the fine dolls they carried. “They're beautiful,” she said. “The most beautiful dolls I've ever seen.”

“They're from Paris,” Gerilyn announced from the doorway. “Now my nieces won't have to play with rag dolls. And, twin,” She pointed toward Starlett. “don't ever call me Aunt Gerry. If you can't say my name correctly, don't say it at all.”

“I'm Starlett,” the girl answered.

“Whatever.” Gerilyn occupied herself in checking to see how the ironing was coming along. “Just go play with your dolls somewhere other than under my feet. And Karlee, the lace won't droop if you put a towel in the sleeve when ironing.”

All evening Karlee ironed and cleaned while Gerilyn gave advice and complained. After dinner, Karlee was thankful Gerilyn hadn't offered to help put the girls to bed.

Karlee finally had time alone with her little charges. Cinnamon hugged her goodnight while Starlett asked how long the aunt planned to stay. The newness of having an aunt had worn off fast.

Karlee stayed in the twins' room as long as she dared hoping to avoid more lectures. When she finally tiptoed onto the landing, Gerilyn had already gone to her room. Karlee blew out all the candles and slid the hidden panel open in the foyer. By touch she began taking the weapons out one at a time and moving them to the kitchen table.

There, by moonlight, she wrapped each gun carefully and packed them away in the largest of Gerilyn's new trunks. Karlee had planned to use her own huge trunk, but it was now packed and in a corner of the girls' room. Gerilyn had insisted on removing all the empty luggage from the small bedroom so there would be walking room. Now, the shiny new trunk just seemed to be waiting for Karlee. With the Germans living in the barn, she could think of no where else to hide the guns.

When the last weapon was packed, Karlee scooted the load onto the porch and shoved it back in the corner. With a tablecloth as a cover, no one would even notice it was there.

Midnight had long passed when she crawled into Daniel's bed in the parlor and tried to sleep. She'd have to be careful in the house with Gerilyn here. The woman must think everything was normal. She should suspect nothing. But Karlee wasn't sure how long she'd believe Daniel was only visiting the stockade.

As Karlee fell asleep she whispered, “Daniel, I love you.”

A mile away, he thought he heard her words as he stood in the shadows with Sergeant Whiteley.

“We can't pretend Altus is dead.” Daniel's words were low, meant only for the Sergeant. “If Logan gets wind of it, he's likely to pump the body full of lead. We're not doing the man any favor by getting him killed the day before he's due to hang.”

“Well, I did some checking. Altus Blair ain't done nothing wrong in his life. He stayed here during the fighting, worked as best he could building houses even when he was sick and took care of his mother while his brother went to war. There isn't a person in this town who has a bad word to say about the man. They even say his best friend was that preacher who got killed just before you came.”

Daniel agreed. “I have to help him. Logan must be wrong in his charges. Altus doesn't sound like the kind of man who would hook up with Baker and raid.”

Whiteley shook his head. “Baker's men are mostly soldiers, trained to kill, not carpenters.” After a moment, he brightened. “I got some good news. I heard word an hour ago that you'll be released come dawn. Seems several of the men are on sick call. Logan was ordered to cut the number of prisoners and delay any hangings until we have the men. He can't come up with a reason to hold you so you'll be walking come daylight.”

“Thanks.” Daniel smiled. “I figured I'd have to break out. Maybe I can do Altus more good on the other side of this fence. I don't seem to be helping him much in here.”

“I'll keep an eye on him,” Whiteley promised. “Don't worry. I'll make my rounds and then be back tomorrow.”

Daniel nodded his good-bye and watched the stout little man head toward the gate. His shift was almost over. There was nothing left for Daniel to do but find a dark corner where he could try to get a few hours sleep. He'd talk to the sergeant again tomorrow, hopefully as a free man.

Just before dawn, the barrel of a rifle jabbed into Daniel's side. He was ordered in a harsh whisper to march to the gate. Several other prisoners waited with their few belongings tucked beneath their arms. One by one, they were checked through the guard station and told to be out of sight before the camp woke.

First light brushed the horizon when Daniel reached the check-out point. Just outside the entrance lay a line of stretchers holding those who left only after death claimed them. They now waited for someone from town to come for their bodies.

Daniel stepped through the gate and walked slowly past the bodies. No one had even bothered to close their eyes or cover them as they rested in eternal sleep.

Next to the last lay one small, withered man, his thick glasses still perched on his nose.

Daniel knelt. “Altus,” he whispered as he removed the glasses and closed the man's eyes.

He ignored the pain in his leg as he walked home. Blair's brother was dead. Daniel had done nothing to help a man who had taken no side in the war. Now, if Daniel was going to stop more bloodshed, he'd have to act fast.