“I offered you a home in Paris during the war. You chose not to live with me.”
Natalie’s face grew fierce with anger. “I’m not living with the bastard child of my husband.”
“You’re living with me now. And you allowed me to put food on the table and replace all the pieces of furniture you’ve sold over the last couple of years.”
“Get out of my house.” Natalie stamped her foot.
“You’re wrong, Natalie. As of this morning, I’ve assumed the loan you took out against the house. One thing I learned long ago is to be kind to your landlord.”
Natalie clutched her throat. “How can that be? The bank would never deal with the likes of you.” Her eyes raked over Esme with scorn.
Esme smiled. The pleasure she received from besting Natalie was heartwarming. Not that this mouse was much of a challenge, but non-the-less it felt good. “One thing you Southerners have never learned about the North is that the color of money is much more important than the color of skin.”
Natalie paled. “I will not have my home owned by a .... darkie.”
Esme held up a hand. “Careful, Natalie. I would think nothing of turning you out on the street. If not for my father and sisters, you’d be on your backside in the gutter with a snap of my fingers.”
Simone ran into the parlor. “Is it true, Mama? I don’t have to marry him?”
Natalie whirled around, her hands curled into fists, her face twisted with fury. “Leave us. Immediately.”
Esme grabbed her sister’s wrist. “Tomorrow, Simone, I’m going to the bank, and I am setting up funds for you and your sisters to live on. But only under one condition. You will use the money to do what you please with your lives. If you don’t wish to marry a smelly old man, then you will learn to take care of yourselves.”
“Do you mean this?” Simone asked warily, her eyes flashing disbelief.
Esme put a hand over her heart. “Every word.”
“I’ve always wanted to travel and have adventures, and ....” Her voice trailed off
Esme gently touched her sister’s arm. “If you want to travel, I can arrange it. I have friends in China, India, Argentina, and Italy. They would all be delighted to have you as a guest.”
Simone leaned toward Esme, a cautious look in her pretty eyes. “Are you really so wealthy you can help us like this?”
“Terribly rich.” Esme whispered in her sister’s ear. “I’m almost embarrassed by so much wealth.” Wealth she would have been happy to share if she had only known had badly off her father had been.
Simone started toward the hall. “I have to tell Lauren and Josette.” Before she left the room, she turned around and ran toward Esme to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered. She ran off, her footsteps ringing in the hallway as she called for her sisters.
“How dare you try,” Natalie stormed, “to steal my daughters away from me.” Her lips curled into a snarl. “You have my husband. Isn’t that enough?”
Esme shook her head. “You’re never going to understand. I refuse to spend my time here attempting to win your approval.” Natalie didn’t understand that the human heart wasn’t restricted in who, or how many people a person could love. Esme felt sad that Natalie was so narrow-minded. If she could do one thing, she would make it possible for her sisters to know that there was more to life than fulfilling someone else’s dreams.
* * *
Luc stood in the middle of the feed alley watching Callie as she cleaned Liberty’s stall. Liberty, tied to a post in the alley, nibbling at Callie’s pocket where she’d hidden a carrot scrounged from the kitchen. In all the years he’d ridden the horse, Liberty had never liked anyone but Luc and old Silas. Yet the old warhorse had taken to Callie as though she were a lump of sugar to be licked.
The post was buzzing with activity. They were expecting General Hammond who was coming straight from D.C. to hold a conference of all the area commanders regarding the Comanche problem.
Callie swatted Liberty on the nose. “You know the deal. You let me clean out the stall and you then you get your treat.”
Luc smiled. Callie had made herself the darling of the post, willing to do just about anything to show him how important she could be and keep him from sending her back home. Very few people on the post didn’t like her, though they all thought she was just a kid and treated her as though she were their kid brother.
After their kiss, Luc had vowed to keep contact with her to a minimum, but she kept doing little things for him, like cleaning Liberty’s stall and exercising the gelding during long stretches of no activity. She mended harness for Silas. She ran errands for Major Adams, the post commander and even helped drive the enlisted men’s wives into Eagle Pass for groceries.
She swept the floors of Luc’s quarters, and had even done his laundry over his loud objections. Best of all, she knew how to track Indians and when she wasn’t out scouting, she was teaching the kids on the post how to read sign out in the desert. She was like a funny little puppy that had followed him home and everyone loved.
If Luc had made any effort to send her home, he would have been lynched. He didn’t understand how one small woman had managed to twist everyone around her little fingers. The wives on the post babied her and fed her telling her she needed more meat on her bones. The soldier had taught her to play poker. The only person who seemed to take her in active dislike was Reggie. But then Reggie disliked most everyone.
Callie had tried hard to please him, but after awhile just stayed out of his way. Reggie was so unhappy that Luc was thinking of requesting a transfer and sending him back to Washington.
A commotion arose and Luc slipped out of the barn to find a supply train arriving, a contingent of guards flanking it and a separate detachment at the front. Even from the barn, Luc could see that General Hammond had finally arrived and with him was a carriage. The General rode next to the carriage and talked to a woman hidden by a bright yellow parasol.
Luc smiled. General Hammond had been a rogue. Even during the war, he’d kept his mistress in style wherever he happened to be. The General considered himself a lady’s man. And the ladies certainly seemed to enjoy his company.
An order to assemble sounded and Luc ran toward the parade ground. The men formed into parade rest and saluted as the General came to a stop. Major Adams stepped forward and addressed the General. Hammond nodded, dismounted, and held his hand out and a woman slid a slender foot out to the top step and lightly descended from the carriage to the ground. She turned, her laughter a cloud of merriment that floated over the parade ground. Even some of the men smiled slightly at the sound of her mirth.
Luc knew that laugh anywhere. Esme.
Luc could only stare at his twin sister. He hadn’t seen her in several years and she looked incredibly beautiful in the afternoon sun.
How had she ended up with General Hammond? Acting as if they we’re life-long friends. Perhaps it was safer if he didn’t ask questions he didn’t want to know the answers to. He’d only just received her last letter two days ago stating the problems with their father and his family. Luc had just finished a draft of the return letter telling her to do what she had to do.
What a flirt that woman was. How she managed to attach herself to the most important military man besides Ulysses S. Grant shouldn’t have amazed Luc. Esme always did have a knack for placing herself in the right spot at the right time.
“Is that your sister?” Reggie asked as he joined Luc and they both walked across the parade ground. “She isn’t supposed to arrive for another three weeks.”
“She’s early.” Luc stoked his chin. “How novel.” Esme hadn’t even been born first, she came out almost fourteen hours after Luc.
Despite being twins, their birthdays were a day apart. His mother said because she enjoyed her time alone being the center of attention. Luc speculated that when the time came she wouldn’t arrive on time to her own funeral.
Esme turned and saw him. She winked. Luc grinned
back. He couldn’t help it.
General Hammond turned and waved Luc over to him. “Luc, look who I found in New Orleans.”
Wandering the streets causing trouble, he wanted to ask. Luc approached and saluted. “General Hammond. It’s good to see you again.” He gave a sideways glance at his sister who was smiling at Major Adams. Major Adams turned to his wife and shrugged. His wife was going to have a talk with him later. Luc could see her standing in front of the suttler’s store, frowning.
Esme smooth down her pale blue gown dotted with light yellow daisies to match her parasol. The General held out his hand to her and she curled her fingers lightly around his arm. “Lucien.” She sounded like a cool refreshing brook. She walked up to him, tilted the parasol over his shoulder to hide him from the men on the parade ground and kissed him on the cheek. “You are well, big brother. The wilds of America seem to agree with you.” She tucked her parasol back over her shoulder.
The General patted her fingers. “If I had known your sister was this pretty, I would never have let you leave Washington.”
Esme chuckled and tossed him a flirty little smile. “Oh Monty, you have such a wicked tongue.”
The General blushed. And all Luc could think was that she had him in the palm of her hand already. He couldn’t believe anyone would dare to call the General Monty. He had met the General’s mother once and even she had called her son, the General.
What was it about a woman that could turn a man into pudding with just a smile. “General, how did you find my sister?”
The General glanced fondly at his sister. “She was coming out of the Cathedral in Jackson Square and literally bumped into me.”
Esme twirled her parasol smiling innocently. “I was at confession and this kind gentleman made me forget all about my transgressions.”
Luc almost rolled his eyes. My God, was she laying on the helpless act. Not even Joan of Arc could wield her sword and erase Esme’s many sins. Luc could see Callie hanging at the back of the formation watching Esme with huge eyes. Luc had to admit, Esme was the height of fashion and elegance. “I’m sure he was very helpful, sister dear.”
“Son, you and I have a talk later. Why don’t you take your sister to her quarters and get her settled in while I review the troops.”
Reggie stepped forward. “General, it would be my pleasure to escort the lady. I can see you and Lieutenant Delacroix have a lot to talk about.” He held out his arm.
Esme placed her hand on Reggie’s arm and allowed him to lead her away. She turned once and wriggled her fingers at the General. “Until later.”
While the General reviewed the troops, Luc couldn’t get his mind off of Esme and why she was here so early. Esme didn’t do anything early unless she had something on her mind. Luc cringed. When Esme was on a crusade nothing was safe from her efforts.
* * *
General Hammond offered Luc a fat cigar. They walked along the edge of the parade ground. The troops had dispersed the inspection completed. Fort Duncan received high marks as always. Major Adams was a stickler for detail.
Adams had gone off to see to some errands in regards to the officers’ banquet to be held the next night. Reggie had been sent to see to the General’s quarters.
“Esme is quite charming.” General lit his cigar and puffed on it. He offered Luc a cigar from his pocket case.
Luc puffed on his cigar to light it. “Esme’s stock and trade is charm.”
The General chuckled. “She makes a man young again.”
And young men old. Luc nodded. “General is this conversation leading somewhere?”
The General stopped to lean against a fence. The horses inside the corral milled restlessly. On the other side of the corral, Luc could see Callie talking to Esme. Even at a distance, he saw the hero-worship in Callie’s eyes. He hoped Callie kept a hold of her senses and not get to friendly with his sister. For all her frivolity, Esme was an astute woman and no one ferreted out a mystery with such ease.
The General leaned a foot on the bottom rail. “Your sister is perfectly safe with me. A pretty woman makes an excellent cover.”
Luc was startled. “Cover for what?”
“For why I’m here. The word is I’m just doing an inspection, an old General’s last hurrah, but I’m here because I need to talk to you and you’re the only person I trust.”
“Sir.” Luc couldn’t even begin to understand why the General would put so much faith in him.
“The United States Army is the most powerful army on this continent and we cannot stop a group of heathens who have barely left the Stone Age behind.”
“They aren’t a bunch of savages, sir.”
“You are correct.” The General took a puff of his cigar. “They are smart enough to get information from one of our own men.”
“A traitor?”
The General nodded. “I believe someone on this post is passing confidential information to the Indians.”
“I don’t believe it.” Though his mind raced. He wanted to deny the General’s allegations, but a niggling little thought kept surfacing. How else did the Comanche know when the supply train was due and what route it would take?
The General stared out over the post. “Every man can be bought with either money, women, or power.”
Luc ran a hand over his face. “I’m every man.”
“Lucien Delacroix, you’re rich, you can have any woman you want, and if you wanted power you would have taken it. Don’t you think I know you could have stayed in Washington, or been assigned to the embassy in London. But you volunteered to head this company of black men because you wanted excitement and adventure. I could have given you a desk and life filled with parties and beautiful women throwing themselves at you, but you chose this instead. Your price is loyalty to the cause and that’s not corruptible. As I say, you’re the only man I can trust with this information.”
Luc glanced around at the post settling in for the evening. The smell of cooking wafted from the mess hall. Officers Row was filled with bustle as the wives set about grabbing children and getting ready for their own dinners. A laundress removed dry clothes on a line behind the barracks. Normal activity for a normal post in the middle of nowhere. “And you want me to do what?”
“Run this traitor to ground and hang him out to dry.” A cloud of cigar smoke surrounded the General’s head. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.
“Any suggestions on where I should start my search?” Luc couldn’t even begin to believe that someone on this post was a traitor. He knew them all from the lowliest new recruit to the Major and their families. He trusted them with his life when he was on patrol. Major Adams was the most loyal man Luc ever knew. He loved the Army. Even his wife loved the Army despite the rough life and the loneliness.
“The closest rock, my old friend, is always the best place to start.”
Luc reeled with the shock of the information. On the other side of the corral, Callie struggled to drag Esme’s trunk up to the front door of Luc’s quarters. He should have assigned a man to help his sister unload her luggage, but had forgotten to tell Reggie.
“Now you know the truth.” General Hammond rubbed his eyes. “I don’t want to retire with this stain on my record.”
“I still can’t believe you of all people are thinking of retiring.”
The General chuckled. “I think its about high time I find myself a wealthy young wife and start having myself a passel of kids before I get too old to enjoy them. Know anyone who might be interested in a old codger like me.”
“You’re forty-eight, sir. Hardly an old man.” And Luc was only thirty-two, yet he saw his life stretching out in front of him with the same loneliness as the General. He hadn’t given much thought to marriage simply because the type of woman he liked would never tolerate life on a remote army post. Somewhere down the path, he’d vowed not to marry.
The General clapped him on the back. “Spoken like a true soldier. Later on tonight, when the camp settles dow
n, you stop by my quarters and I’ll give you what I have. Once you read the dispatches, you’ll know as much as I do and you’ll probably arrive at the same conclusion. There’s a traitor here at Fort Duncan and I want him bad.”
Chapter Eight
Callie found her hand straying toward Miss Delacroix’s silk underwear. The white mounds of silk and lace were a magnet. Callie had never seen anything so fine in her whole life. Not even her mama’s best Sunday dress came close to such perfection.
A wonderful scent rose from the open trunk and Callie sniffed trying to identify it. She’s never known a woman to perfume her underclothes before. Miss Delacroix’s perfumed everything right down to the scalloped lace on her drawers. Callie thought that heaven must be like this, all pretty scents and beautiful clothes.
Miss Delacroix’s gloves lay on the edge of the bed and Callie touched the buttery soft leather dyed to match the woman’s traveling suit. She had gloves to match a dozen suits. Callie wanted to try them on, but comparing her hand to Miss Delacroix’s already showed her that hers were roughened with calluses and wider in the palm. But what she wouldn’t give to have such wonderful gloves.
Callie had never seen so many women’s clothes before. Dresses and petticoats, matching shoes and hose, hats with silk flowers and long scarves that flowed like water over her fingers in a rainbow of colors. Callie hadn’t known so many colors existed in the world.
Callie couldn’t stop the pool of envy developing inside her. Back home in her village, she had two brown skirts and two white cotton blouses which she seldom had worn preferring her brother’s trousers and cotton shirts. Frilly clothes didn’t do her any good when she was on the trail.
After The Lies Page 11