After a few minutes, she tossed the garment toward him. Clay caught it, narrowly missing upending his chair and taking his breakfast plate and coffee with him onto the floor.
“One of the buttons won’t match the others, but otherwise that part of your uniform is restored and ready for use. I will have the trousers done soon. The bullet hole on the leg is proving stubborn to close.”
“I am glad that is only the issue with my trousers and not with my actual leg. It has healed nicely,” he added when she appeared not to have understood the meaning of his jest.
Without a word, she went back to her work, and Clay went back to his breakfast. Finally he’d had enough.
“Look, Ellis. Not speaking to me is childish.”
“No,” she said as she yanked the thread through his trouser leg and then looked up at him with a pointed expression. “Not speaking to you is a good way to keep myself from saying something I will wish later that I had not said.”
He set down his mug and then rested his newly mended jacket on the back of the chair beside him. “Go ahead and say it. There’s no one but you and me here. If you’re lucky, I will forget all about it.”
Though he was being sarcastic, Ellis took his words for a joke. At least that was what he assumed was the cause of her smile.
“All right,” she finally said. “I do not appreciate the fact that you took my grandfather’s side against me last night. Your comment was completely uncalled for. I should be going with you to find Thomas. And I won’t even begin to tell you what we Valmonts think about luck. We don’t believe in it, by the way.”
He met her steely gaze with a smile. “Ellis, my comment was completely true, and I am on your grandfather’s side. I understand your impossible choice is to remain here for all the good reasons you indicated last night. However, knowing who you are and why you are doing it does not make it easy on those of us who care for you. In fact,” he said as he warmed to the topic, “you are a difficult woman to care for. Do you know why?”
She shook her head.
“Because you are stubborn and bullheaded and you do all the wrong things for all the right reasons.”
“I see,” she said softly. “Do elaborate, and please, speak freely. Since, as you said, it is just the two of us here.” She jabbed the needle back into his pants leg, and Clay winced. “I cannot wait to hear your explanation,” was added as she drew the needle through and then looked at him with an expression of pure anger.
“Last night we talked about making the impossible choice,” he said. “What if you were someone’s impossible choice?”
He let that thought settle between them. A movement outside the window behind her caught Clay’s attention. “Ellis, where is your grandfather?”
“He went out.”
“Out the front or the back?”
She dropped the trousers into the mending basket. “I don’t remember. Why?”
He nodded toward the back of the house. “I see two men, maybe three. None of them look like your grandfather.”
Ellis crept over to where he was now standing and then nodded. “I see them too. And they’re wearing uniforms of some kind.”
“Get down so it appears no one is home,” he told her as he moved toward the window to see if he could hear the language they spoke.
Unfortunately, from this distance their words were lost. Only the sound of voices, at least a half dozen now, could be heard.
Because crossing the open dogtrot would alert the intruders to his presence, Clay postponed a trip over to his bedchamber to retrieve the extra weapons stored there. Instead he kept watch over the men as they gathered near the burned-down barn.
Each was dressed the same as the other with trousers of pale brown and jackets dyed blue. Several wore a white cord across the front of their uniform, while the remainder did not. All of them appeared to be on foot.
“The horses,” he said. “That’s what they’re after.” He nodded at Ellis. “Bar the doors and windows and watch for your grandfather. If he hears a disturbance in the back of the property, he may not realize what he is walking into.”
“Where are you going?”
He gave her an even look. “To prove to you which side I am on.”
Ellis spied Grandfather Valmont and Jonah walking up the path toward the house just as Clay slipped out the back door. Hurrying onto the porch, she waved them down and motioned that they should be quiet.
Both men hurried toward her and then slipped inside. “Soldiers,” she told them. “A half dozen at least, all on foot.”
“Where is Clay?” Grandfather Valmont asked.
“He slipped out the back door. He believes they are after the horses.”
“I agree,” Jonah told her. “I’ve seen a few soldiers come through, and not a one of them has a horse. I figured them for deserters and just chased them off with a few warning shots, but if you’ve got more than a couple of them, I’d say that’s trouble. What do you think, Jean Paul?”
Grandfather Valmont went to the window and looked out as carefully as he could manage. “I see six, maybe seven, all standing there trying to figure out what happened to the small barn. It’ll just be a matter of time before they head for the house or the other barn.”
Jonah leaned past her grandfather and then returned to his spot. “Yep, those are Santa Anna’s boys. I heard tell he was concentrating on towns south of here, but you can’t never tell anymore.”
“Are they armed?” Ellis asked, mindful that Clay was out there with the soldiers while the rest of them were safe inside.
“Can’t tell,” her grandfather said. “Wait, I see one with a rifle over his shoulder. So at least one is.”
She spied Clay moving between the summer kitchen and the chicken coop, taking the same route they had traveled when she was forced to leave her basket in the woods. If he continued on that path, he would soon end up behind the soldiers.
“I think I know what he is doing,” she told them. “Look over there past the chicken coop. He is headed for the thicket. I think he will pin them between the river and the house.”
Jonah smiled. “Good plan. If we show our force here, maybe they’ll take off down to the river.”
“And then what?” Grandfather Valmont said. “Swim away?” He shook his head. “I doubt that.”
“They may have a boat,” he offered.
“Or they’ve seen ours,” Ellis said.
Jonah nodded. “Likely that’s it. So what do we do?”
“We can’t let them take our boat,” she told her grandfather. “Isn’t there something we can do to stop them?”
“Better the boat than our horses,” he told her. “I do know where we can get another boat,” he said with a gleam in his eye.
A moment later, Ellis spied Clay again. This time he was headed back toward the house.
“Go to the door,” Grandfather Valmont told her. “Open it when I give you the signal.”
She hurried to unbolt the door and then waited for the signal that would let her know to allow Clay inside. At her grandfather’s command, she yanked the doorknob to pull the door open. Clay rolled inside, moving out of the way just in time for Ellis to close the door.
“There are seven men,” he told them. “One is on a litter that is being pulled by the others. My guess is he is the man I shot in the woods.”
“So we’ve got six with weapons,” Jonah said.
“We’ve got six. I didn’t see weapons on all of them. Just on two or three.”
Clay went back to the window and looked out. “These men might be Mexican Republic soldiers, but they’re not acting like it.”
Ellis came to stand beside him. The men appeared to be deep in conversation. It was as if they never saw Clay at all.
He pressed past her, pausing for just a moment to look down into her eyes. “I said I was going to prove what side I am on. I still will, but I don’t think these men mean us harm. We talked about your stubbornness. Understand if you don’t remain h
ere where I can know where you are, you will be risking my life.”
She looked up into his eyes and considered what he said. “Yes,” she managed.
“Then here is how I will show you what side I am on. I am about to walk out there and speak to those men. If I cannot control the situation by knowing you will not come running out with your rifle or making a fuss, then the few who have weapons will likely shoot me.” He paused. “So I trust you.”
Ellis managed a smile. “I will stay put,” she told him. “Besides, you’ve reached your limit of shotgun holes a body can tolerate, haven’t you? I’ve certainly reached my limit of treating them.”
His lips turned up in the beginnings of a smile. Then he leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Then I will be careful to return without more shotgun holes in me.”
“That’s right,” she said, fear rising. “I still have plenty of the sleeping medication. I don’t want to have to use it.”
“Keep your potions to yourself, woman,” he said as he reached for the doorknob. “I plan to stay wide awake around you from now on.” He turned his attention to Grandfather Valmont and Jonah. “I don’t mind having backup, but I’d be much obliged if neither of you looked as if you were about to shoot. Best you stay out of sight until I give my signal.”
“And what signal is that?” Jonah asked.
“I’ll raise my right hand if I need you to come out with your weapons down,” he told them.
“And if you want us to shoot?”
Grandfather Valmont grasped Jonah’s shoulder. “I believe that signal will be when the other side shoots first.”
“That works for me. Or I can just yell for you to shoot,” he said as he went to the door. At Clay’s nod, Jonah opened the door, and Clay stepped outside.
Ellis raced to the window to watch as Clay shouted something to the men. Was he speaking Spanish?
Several pulled their weapons while the rest gathered in close formation. An answer was yelled from one of the men in the group, but Ellis could not understand what he said.
Clay continued moving toward the men at a slow but steady pace, his rifle drawn. When he was within a few yards of the group, he paused.
Now they were too far away for Ellis to hear the conversation, but she could tell from Clay’s stance that he was definitely the one in charge. He gestured back toward the house, using his left hand, then returned to speaking with the men. After a moment, Ellis heard her name being called.
“Come to the door,” he told her.
Grandfather stepped into her path. “Don’t do this,” he told her.
“I have to,” she said.
When she appeared in the open door, the men began to murmur. All but one put their weapons away.
“Where is your basket of herbs and bandages?” he asked her. “A man is hurt.”
“I’ll get it.” Ellis hurried to retrieve the basket that had been retrieved from the woods and then returned to the door.
“You ought not go out there,” Jonah said from behind her.
She turned to look at the two men. “I trust Clay.”
And with those words she stepped out onto the porch and then, at his bidding, crossed the lawn to stand beside him. She reached his side and clasped her hand to his.
Clay looked down with a smile and then returned his attention to the man with the weapon still drawn. He said something in Spanish that caused the man to put away his weapon.
“Ellis,” he said gently. “Please see to the man over there. I have explained that you are a healer. They understand we do not mean them harm as long as they promise they are of the same mind.” Clay turned his attention to the man in charge. “And that they will move along without returning to harm us once you are finished with your work.”
Apparently the man spoke enough English to understand. He nodded and then looked over at Ellis. “Thank you, doctora.”
At Clay’s nod, Ellis moved over to where the man was lying very still on a blanket tied to two sticks. As Clay had assumed, the man was being carried this way due to his condition. When she spoke to him, his eyes remained closed, but his breathing was steady.
After a cursory examination, Ellis turned her attention back to Clay. “Please tell them that the patient may complain of pain as I treat him. The bullet has gone straight through, but I will need to be certain there is nothing in the wound that will cause infection. This process can be painful.”
Clay translated and the men murmured among themselves. One said something to the leader, who nodded.
“He has offered assistance.”
Ellis managed a smile. “Gracias. Please tell him I gratefully accept his help.”
Under the watchful eyes of the soldier’s companions, Ellis examined the wound. As expected, the patient objected loudly and with so much strength that two more of the soldiers were pressed into service to keep him still.
Finally she completed her work and tied the last knot on the bandage. Nodding a thanks to her assistants, she rose and dusted off her skirt.
“He will live?” the man in charge asked.
“I believe he will,” she said. “Someone must clean the wound and administer the herbs to keep the infection away. If that is done, he should make a full recovery.”
Clay translated and the men all nodded. Ellis handed a roll of cotton cloth and a leather pouch of herbs to the man who first volunteered to help. With Clay providing the proper words, Ellis explained to him what to do and what to watch for.
The helper repeated the words back to Clay, who nodded. Then the man said something else. Clay looked over at Ellis but said nothing.
“What did he say?” she asked, but still he remained silent.
The man in charge smiled. “He asked why he had not made the doctora his wife yet.”
Ellis grinned. “Tell him the doctora is perfectly happy without being his wife.”
When he translated to his men, they all fell into gales of laughter. Only Clay remained stoic. Finally he shrugged and joined in.
A thought occurred, and Ellis spoke up before she could convince herself not to. “Are you hungry?”
The men fell silent. Apparently the word hungry needed no translation.
She looked up at Clay and then over at their leader. “I will bring you what we have.” Then she walked away with the full knowledge that every man there was watching her leave.
As she stepped into the house, Grandfather Valmont grasped her arm. “What happened out there?”
She told him as she gathered what provisions she could find into a wooden trunk and then went out to the summer kitchen, followed by the two men. There she added enough salted meat and other dry goods to a bag to feed the men for a week or two.
Long enough to get them home to their families, she hoped.
With Grandfather Valmont and Jonah trailing behind, Ellis stepped back out onto the porch. At the sight of the armed men flanking Ellis, the company of soldiers scrambled together.
Clay must have said something, for the men set their weapons aside. Grandfather Valmont stepped forward.
“The doctora’s abuelo,” he told them.
One by one, the men lined up to shake the older man’s hand and to offer appreciation. Ellis remained behind, happy to have someone else be the center of attention.
“I pledge a promise to you,” their leader said once the greetings and words of thanks were finished. “We will leave you and your neighbors in peace and tell our comrades of your kindness.”
“Thank you,” Grandfather Valmont said. “And we will tell our neighbors that you have left us in peace.”
“There is just one thing.” The soldier moved around Grandfather Valmont to stand in front of Ellis. Instinctively, Clay blocked his path.
He looked up at Clay. “I wish to offer her a gift of gratitude and nothing more.”
With a curt nod, Clay stepped aside. Still, he remained at Ellis’s elbow.
From around his neck, he removed a wooden cross on a length of leather
and placed it in her hand. “Doctora, with deepest gratitude for saving my brother’s life.”
“He is your brother?”
The soldier nodded.
Smiling, Ellis clasped the necklace in her palm. “I will cherish this,” she said as she placed the necklace around her neck.
One by one the Mexican soldiers filed past to offer their thanks. Finally the leader pressed something into Clay’s palm. He attempted to argue, but the man would hear nothing of it. Then they packed their cask of food onto the pallet along with the wounded soldier and disappeared into the woods.
Ellis tucked the cross into the bodice of her dress and then picked up her basket to follow Grandfather Valmont and Jonah to the house.
Clay moved into her path to turn and offer a smile. “Great work, doctora.”
“About that,” she said, looking up at Clay. “I had no idea you spoke Spanish.”
Clay shook his head. “I don’t.”
Ellis laughed. “Yes,” she said. “You did. How do you think those men understood what you were saying?”
He seemed to consider her statement for a minute. “He told me he shot me,” Clay finally said. “I stole their boat, the boat they took from your neighbor, and so he shot me.”
She froze. “You mean the man who tried to kill you is the brother of the man we just saved?”
Clay let out a long breath. “You had to save him because I shot him.” He paused. “So whatever language I was speaking, I think we all understood that we are all very much alike.”
The next day, there was no more talk of Ellis being returned to New Orleans to join her family. Unfortunately, neither her grandfather nor Clay would discuss the possibility of her making the trip to San Antonio de Béxar.
The day after, when a rainstorm kept them inside and away from chores, Grandfather Valmont announced he was returning to Velasco tomorrow to make arrangements for Clay’s search, and his granddaughter would be joining him.
“But that was not the plan,” Ellis protested.
“The more I think of what could have happened with the Mexican soldiers, the more convinced I am that we cannot help Thomas until we help ourselves. And that means we move to a more secure location first,” he said in that offhanded way he had of making a declaration sound like something far less than final.
The Alamo Bride Page 16