“Most Indians treat women with indifference, why did the chief’s son hate her so much?” asked Sean.
“I can answer that, Sean,” said Ambrose. “As she was being taken captive, she and her friend, Kate, who had been out for a ride, came across some workers who had been slaughtered. There were some tools lying around and Liza tried to fight them off by picking up a spade and hitting Brave Eagle over the head and knocking him out cold. The story of him being downed by a woman is still laughed about around the campfires and his embarrassment has turned to absolute hatred. He feels that she made him lose face amongst many even further than his own tribe, and of course, she did. She paid dearly for it unfortunately, as Brave Eagle all but killed her on the way to the encampment. She had to be nursed back to health by the women of the camp and her friend, Kate. Once it was realised that she would survive, they got rid of Kate, sold her on somewhere and Liza has been looking for her ever since.”
“Whilst we were at the camp today I remembered that at one time we were looking for a captive and her distinguishing marks were remarkable green eyes. Was that Liza?” asked Sean.
“Yes, she is revered amongst the Cherokees as their legend is that someone with those eyes will come and bring them back to the greatness that they once had and rid them of the white man. That’s why they stalked her and finally took her. That’s also why the chief and the medicine man arranged for her freedom when White Wolf died because no matter what they said, Brave Eagle would have killed her and they couldn’t let that happen because she was fulfilling their legend as she was carrying the chief’s grandson. The irony is, Sean, that on at least one occasion, we were seen on patrol in the distance and she tried to reach us but was caught again and beaten. She still has nightmares and sleepwalks when she is troubled. I just hope that she isn’t troubled when I’m not around as nobody else would know how to calm her. Although Zelma would probably be able to cope with her,” said Patrick.
“I may be stating the obvious, Patrick,” said Sean, “but the white Indian is not dead, although from looking at him, he might as well be. I presume he is the chief’s adopted son and therefore Liza’s husband.”
“She doesn’t know that he’s alive, and she mustn’t ever know. I don’t know what she would think her duty was towards him,” said Patrick. “But you’ve seen him, he is dead. He went on a raid on the Pawnee and didn’t come back, which was when the chief and medicine man got her to safety because brother’s wives become the property of the brother and the brother was Brave Eagle. There is talk that it was Brave Eagle who tried to get rid of White Wolf, although there is no proof of that.”
“It seems as though they capture a white woman to keep White Wolf happy for a while. When he realises it isn’t Liza, he treats them quite badly or sometimes he believes she is running away and drags her back to chastise her,” said Ambrose. “It’s very sad really and a shame that he didn’t die those years ago.”
“Where does Zelma fit into this?” asked Sean.
Ambrose answered, “Little Dove, as she was then known, befriended Liza and suffered at the hands of Brave Eagle for it. He took her as yet another of his unfortunate wives but treated her worst of all. Liza sewed her face up when he had cut her from ear to mouth and he also damaged her in so many ways that she was left for dead. I was called in again to get her to safety and I took her to Liza and as they say, ‘the rest is history’.”
“I take it then that you were instrumental in getting Liza to safety,” said Sean to Ambrose, who just nodded.
“Liza doesn’t know that I realise that if the chief doesn’t produce another son then Matthew is next in line for that dubious honour. I believe this was made clear to her when we met up with them on our way back to Benson. They tracked us down and for a short while Liza thought that they were going to take her and Matthew, but they just wanted to see Matthew and make sure all were safe. You see, Brave Eagle has been banished from the tribe, he has taken the life of one of their own and that is most definitely against their most sacred rules, so he will not be the next chief. However, should anything happen to the chief, I’m sure he’ll return and claim his place within the tribe. He still thinks that Liza is dead and that is yet another very long story which I will tell you about one day,” said Patrick.
“I understand why you have kept quiet about some of Liza’s past but when we are going into a potentially dangerous situation it is essential to know everything that could be relevant, and besides that, I am annoyed that you didn’t feel that you could trust me with your personal worries. You know that we have always told one another our secrets, worries and problems and I know that you would never divulge any of them to anyone else and you know that I am the same. We have been like brothers since we met all those years ago on the voyage to America. We have done everything together, we have watched one another’s backs, confided in one another, but your marriage seems to have put a wedge between us. I like and trust Liza, perhaps more now than I do you and I must seriously think about whether we work together again in the future. I need to have confidence in you and at this moment, I don’t feel that,” said Sean, which was a very long speech for him to make.
“Surely you don’t expect me to tell you every intimate detail of my relationship with Liza, that would be insane,” said Patrick, “if White Wolf had not appeared today, or if he was no longer there, then there would have been no need for you to have ever known anything of this and it would have been just another captive release.”
“Patrick, I do expect you to tell me anything that relates to a potentially dangerous situation and all that I have learned this evening I should have known before I rode into that Cherokee camp. I felt suddenly very vulnerable and that I was walking into the lion’s den. The only person to warn me was our half-breed scout and if he hadn’t told me to not be surprised by anything that I heard or saw, I may have done something very wrong, especially as we are talking about someone who is revered by them,” said Sean.
Patrick was saddened by the fact that he and Sean may not work together in the future, he had come to rely on him and he had thought vice versa, but loyalty to his wife had to come first and if that meant keeping secrets from Sean then so be it; he hoped that he could smooth over their differences when they returned to Benson.
Sean left Patrick and Ambrose alone and went to see if he could do anything for any of the captives. “I know how he feels, Patrick,” said Ambrose. “You know I felt that way when I first met you and we went to the Cherokee camp. I know that Brave Eagle was on the scene then, but going into an Indian camp is quite a dangerous experience. This time even I hadn’t realised that you had been honoured by them and had been given a Cherokee name. It would have been useful to know that. You may have felt easy going there, but both Sean and I had no idea that it was going to be quite safe. It would have done no harm to at least have told us that. I think you are being over protective of Liza, especially to those of us who would never do her or her son any harm. I recognise that Sean would give up his life for you and for Liza and your family, as would I. You must believe that there are people who are on your side; please don’t fight against us. If you think you can mend your fences with Sean then I believe you may be wrong. I do, however, believe that Liza will be able to put things right between you, she understands Sean better than you think she does. But that is just my opinion.”
Ambrose also walked off to see if the captives needed reassurance of anything because he knew that they would not get it from Patrick. He was left sitting and realising the wisdom of what both Ambrose and Sean had said and he knew that Liza would have said the same. He had to trust those he had trusted in the past, they weren’t enemies, they were friends who would do anything for him and he must somehow let them know that he also would do anything for them.
He got up and went to the captives and gave them all a pep talk saying that all their troubles were over and they would realise that the next day when they arrived at Fort Butler and there were people waiting t
here to receive them and help them with any problems they may have. He looked at the girl that they had just taken from the Cherokee camp and went towards her. She shied away from him and this saddened him so he sat beside her and apologised for his attitude but he wanted to get her away from the camp with as little fuss as possible for her sake. He hoped she wasn’t in too much pain, but all will be relieved the next day at the fort and that he knew some who had been through the same as she had and they were now leading very happy and normal lives. He realised that it would take a while for her to get over her traumas but she had to stick with it and all would work out well, that he promised.
They arrived at Fort Butler late the following day and all the captives were whisked away to be seen by the doctor and washed, clothed and rested. Patrick, Sean and Ambrose went to see the colonel who congratulated them on a job well done and told them to get some rest and finalise their reports to him the next day. Patrick and Sean were bunked in the same room; Ambrose preferred to sleep under the open sky.
In their room, Patrick looked at Sean for a minute or two and then said, “I’m so sorry. Liza will be so mad at me if we lose our friendship through my pig headed stupidity and I will be lost without our working relationship. I sometimes don’t think too clearly when anything to do with Liza and her difficult past are concerned. It is a time that she prefers to forget and so do I, but it always seems to come back and bite us and I knew that this would be one of those occasions which was why I put the visit to the Cherokee camp off as long as possible.”
“I understand that, Patrick, but you should have at least warned me,” said Sean.
“You know that she must never find out that White Wolf is still alive. Running Bear and the medicine man also want her to be kept in the dark about that. Zelma has never referred to it either and I know that she knows. I just hope that she never meets up with their latest captive,” said Patrick.
“Don’t worry, Patrick, I would never tell her, that I promise. Does it mean that she is still married to him and not you? If that is the case, there is a great deal of irony in what you went through last year,” said Sean.
“She’s definitely married to me, Sean; a Cherokee marriage ceremony is not recognised in a Christian society. But you are right, I could see the similarities in our situation,” said Patrick.
The next day Sean and Patrick began submitting their reports to the colonel and by lunchtime they were still bogged down with paperwork. Sean told Patrick that he would finish the reports and make sure that all the captives were safely on their way and why didn’t he start his journey back to Benson. He’d arrive a few days early and he was sure that Liza and the boys would be overjoyed to see him. It was getting colder and if the snow came early then he would be stuck away from home at Christmas time.
“Thank you, Sean. I appreciate that; I’ll pack up my belongings and grab a ride with the wagons going to the town. I’ll wait there until I pick up the stage for home. I’ll see Ambrose and thank him for all his help and I will go and see the girl again and try and reassure her again that all will be well. Perhaps when you get back to Benson we’ll be able to lay our ghosts to rest,” said Patrick.
“I’m sure we can, Patrick, we’ve been friends for too long to ever dislike one another. I’ve cooled down, but we must build up our trust again. I’m sure we will. Goodbye, Patrick, I’ll see you in Benson. Give my love to Liza and the boys,” said Sean.
Patrick got permission from the colonel to go on his way home, he saw Ambrose who also wanted to be remembered to Liza and the girl seemed better that day. He reassured her again that all her nightmares would eventually pass; he had seen it happen. This was a lie as he knew that what she had been through would never really leave her.
“I have heard that your wife’s name is Liza. Liza was the name that White Wolf called out frequently in English. Most of the time he believed I was her, but when he realised I wasn’t, he screamed, cried and hit me. Your Liza was who he wanted, wasn’t she? That’s why you’ve been so aggressive, isn’t it?”
He didn’t confirm or deny what she had said but just smiled and apologised for his behaviour and told her to believe that all would be well in the fullness of time. He wished her good luck and left.
He climbed up onto one of the wagons and with great relief, began his journey home to Benson. There had been three letters waiting for him from Liza; she had written to him every day and bundled seven of them up in a package and sent them every week. He had read part of the first package and realised that several packages must be missing, but he didn’t care as he didn’t need to know what she said, it was good enough that she had written so much and three out of who knows how many told him all he needed to know. They were going to make good reading for his journey home.
***
Back in Benson, Liza had recovered from her morning sickness and was beginning to blossom. She was happy knowing that Patrick would be back within the next couple of weeks. He had managed to write to her a couple of times telling her that the mission was going well and he had encountered little trouble. He made the usual enquires about her and the boys and told her how much he missed her and how much he was looking forward to returning home.
A party was being organised by Ada and Bea. It was going to be purely for army personnel and their wives and was in honour of the colonel’s thirty years in the army. A Christmas party for the whole town was going to take place ten days later and Patrick would be back in time for that. Liza was having two dresses altered to accommodate her expanding waistline. She had initially refused the invitation to the first party as she would be the only person going from the town and she didn’t want to drive back alone at night even though it was a short distance.
On one of her visits to the fort, Ben called her in to see the colonel. “You must come to my surprise party, Liza. I’m sorry that Patrick won’t be here, but I shall be most upset if you are missing. I hear that you really don’t want to make the journey by yourself, so young Lieutenant Kendal has been assigned to the job of escorting you, although he took no persuasion. He’ll make arrangements with you to drive you here and take you back home at the end of evening. I hope that meets with your approval?”
“Well, colonel, you’ve taken away my only obstacle and I’ll be delighted to attend your ‘surprise’ party. I only hope that Lieutenant Kendal is happy to be on duty looking after my transport,” said Liza.
“He has no lady friend to escort, although I think that it won’t be long before he finds his feet where that is concerned,” said the colonel.
She left to see Dr Steele and then was going to visit Brigeta, but would also just call in on Ada to see if there was anything that she could do to help with the party.
The doctor was pleased with how her pregnancy was going; she was now four months gone and she was carrying well in front, so she was quite noticeable. Brigeta and Ben’s little girl was a happy child and was a pleasure for Liza to hold. “I’m going to have to get used to holding babies again. Matthew and John are quite excited about having a new brother or sister. I think they believe they are going to be able to treat it as a pet or toy. I think that Si is also looking forward to having a new small next door neighbour to play with.”
“When will Patrick be back?” asked Brigeta.
“He’ll be back before Christmas, unless the weather closes in. But all being well, he should be here in about a week, so he’ll be here for the big party. He’s going to be surprised when he sees me,” said Liza rubbing her hand over her large stomach.
“Yes, Ben has made sure that any correspondence mentions nothing about the baby. Not that army letters would have that sort of content, but you never know what people write about,” said Brigeta.
“Your English is excellent now, Brigeta. You would hardly know that you weren’t born here,” said Liza.
“I’m going to make sure that little Deborah knows both languages,” said Brigeta.
“Wonderful idea,” said Liza and they carried on disc
ussing babies, their food and clothes and sleeping habits and from there she went to see if Ada needed any help for the colonel’s ‘surprise’ party and let them know that she would be coming after all as young Lieutenant Kendal had offered to pick her up and take her home.
“You lucky thing,” said Bea. “He’s so handsome; you’re going to have all the young girls jealous.”
“I doubt it, Bea; nobody’s going to be jealous of someone with a stomach the size of mine. I hope it doesn’t embarrass the lieutenant, but he only has to bring me and take me home; the rest of the time he can spend with all the young ladies.”
Liza left and made her way to her buggy and found Lieutenant Kendal waiting for her. He made arrangements to collect her for the party and suggested that he leaves his horse in her stable for the evening for his ride back to the fort when he had made sure she was home safely. She thanked him and said that would be a good idea.
On her way home she called in at the dressmakers and saw Caroline and Greg Long’s mother who were altering her dresses. She chose the one she wanted for the colonel’s party and they said it would be finished by the next day.
During that night Liza had a dream that Patrick had already started his journey home and when she mentioned it to Ada the next day, she was told that he would not be starting out for at least another couple of days and it would take him at least a week to get here.
“I know,” she said, “I suppose it’s just wishful thinking.”
The day of the party arrived and Liza still had the feeling that Patrick was nearby, but she had been told by everybody concerned that he was still some days away. The boys came home from school and as always, Si joined them for their evening meal and whilst they were eating, Liza went to the bedroom to start getting ready for the evening. One of her cream dresses with green trimmings had been altered to accommodate an extra green panel in the front and when she put it on, she had to admit that it did look very elegant for a pregnant woman. She had green ribbons in her hair and thought that Patrick would be pleased with the way she looked.
Against All Odds Page 24