by Rita Hestand
He kissed her hard for that admission. "Stay safe and out of sight of strangers until I return."
"I will. You be careful."
He smiled, "I will. See ya soon, sweetheart."
She smiled, "See ya soon." She nodded.
He smiled sexily at her and waved them all a goodbye.
Lucy was given a room to herself as the Ferguson's c children had grown and left home. The couple were so cute, they were still in love after all the years they'd been married.
They were both short, and in good shape for their age. They still did a full day's work and Lucy didn't hesitate to help on the farm while she was there.
What she liked most was that Mrs. Ferguson treated her like one of her own.
Chapter Fifteen
Aiden knew he had to make his report to the Major, so he headed to his office. He found the Major in his office. He wasn't looking forward to talking to him, but he knew he had little choice. The anger that festered inside him for the betrayal this man had caused made Aiden want to hit something. But he was about to pull a daring plot and he wanted nothing to mess it up.
The Major stood tall, and well fit, his eyes straying around the room. Maybe that was why Aiden didn't like the Major, he seldom looked him in the eye.
There was also a newborn tension in the air that Aiden couldn't put his finger on. He felt it but couldn't figure out the source.
"I'm her to give a report." Aiden explained.
"The Colonel is still in Washington, they are planning big things Aiden. You'll do your reporting to me."
"Come in, come in, so was your trip successful, Aiden?" The Major asked, as he moved some papers to the other side of his desk and lit a cigar. He leaned back in his chair and gave Aiden a side glance.
"I'll let you be the judge of that" Aiden replied.
The Major eyed him. "I've been informed of some of it. You didn't get the little girl."
"No sir, we did not." Aiden looked a bit sad about that.
"Why not?" The Major's frown said a lot as he firmed his lips.
"We got permission for Mrs. Winters to see her, but they left it up to the child whether she wanted to come with her mother. Had the child been more receptive she would have been with us coming back, but unfortunately she chose the Indian woman."
"Are you seriously telling me that it was totally left up to the child? A child that age can't make a good decision. You were in charge. Why didn't you demand they hand the child over?"
"You don't go into a Sioux camp demanding anything Major. I wasn't invited into their camp. I intruded. I'm a scout, not an officer. I was on their land, I had no rights Major, even their treaty says so. There were a lot more of them, than us. And we were lucky we could walk out of there alive. Especially since we weren't invited there. I didn't have control over the happenings there. They allowed her to see her and the child to make the choice. That was the end of it."
The Major frowned. He seemed to study on what Aiden told him.
"And did Mrs. Winters accept this news?"
"Yes sir, she did." Aiden added. "It wasn't easy, but I dare say their marriage was repaired from it."
"You went all the way up there, found the child and still didn't get her?" The Major's voice raised with anger. He lit a cigar, stuck it in his mouth and went to look out the window. "I'm disappointed in you Aiden, I thought for sure you'd be able to handle this."
"Major, the Indians gave us permission for her to see her child. They could have turned us all away, they could have killed us. Especially since Custer raided their village only two months before, killing women and children, under a white flag I might add. They let her see her. But they made it clear, the child would choose who she wanted to be with. The child chose the Indian woman that had taken care of her all this time. A child that small has no sense of time. All they know is who loves them. The woman had been very good to her. So, she chose her. Gloria had a hard time accepting it, but she has accepted it. She's seen so much bad sense then that she realizes how life is out here now. I daresay they probably won't be staying long."
"I should have had sent one of the Indian scouts, they are not as sentimental as you."
"No, they aren't. But you might have had a war if you'd sent them. And you know it. Look, I wasn't making any of the decisions. Mrs. Winters agreed, if the child didn't want to go with her. And she didn't. It was nothing but a miracle that they let her see her, much less give the child a choice."
"You were in charge!"
"No sir, I wasn't in charge!" Aiden stood up his anger on the edge of exploding. "The Indians were in charge. That's their territory, their land. Even our government says so. I was an intruder. They could have killed us all, just for being there. We were not invited to go sir."
The Major frowned. "And what of the White Silver Fox?"
Aiden hung his head and sighed aloud. "I'm sorry to report— she's dead!"
"Dead?" the Major whirled around and looked away from him now as though quite shocked at this news.
"Two bushwhackers found us in the hills in a cave and tried to take her. I stopped that. But when we came out of the hills, they were waiting for us and took her at gunpoint."
"What did they want with her?" The Colonel looked unconvinced.
"The fame of raping the White Silver Fox."
"Go on! Then what happened?" The way he said that with no sense of feeling for Lucy, angered Aiden even more.
"I had Angus a trapper that was with us bring Frank and Gloria back to safety and went after them. They raped and killed her. I killed them. But they did get one good shot off, I got hit in the leg."
"You killed both of them?"
"Yes sir, got shot in the leg for it, but they are both dead."
"Did you bring the body in?"
"Whose?" Aiden looked a bit shocked.
"Her's of course." His voice was harsh, his temper flaring.
"No, I buried her. I'm going to buy a stone for her and put it up at her grave."
"A stone, for what purpose?"
"To let the Indians know we buried her proper. When they find out she is dead, they won't be too happy about it, but at least they will see that we honored her death."
"You actually care what they think?" His face snarled at Aiden now.
"As a token of good will. She was as important to them as a chief, sir. She was the Spirit Woman, Major. Respected by both the Sioux and the Cheyenne. We'd have never even gotten in their camp if not for her. She negotiated the meeting for Gloria, Mrs. Winters. If not for her, we'd be dead."
"If not for her, you'd probably have the child." The Major scoffed. "Obviously your feelings for this woman colored your judgement."
"Major you sent me on a task you knew would be darn near impossible in the first place. You were up there, you didn't even find her if I recall. You had a whole troop of men and didn't find her. I'm one man. I found her, but everyone seemed to be after her. And I do mean everyone"
"What do you mean, after her?"
"They wanted her dead."
"You thought a lot of her, huh?"
"I respected the hell out of her. As I would a chief or a Shaman."
"Very well. I suppose there will be no negotiating with the Sioux or the Cheyenne now."
"On the contrary, I have a little good news to report."
"Oh, and what would that be?" The Major's sarcasm was obvious from his tone.
"The son's chief, of the Cheyenne, Long Knife is the one that has stirred the trouble up. He rallies the young in their camp to fight. He's dead!"
"Dead? How?"
"A cougar that was stalking us, got him."
"I see, and he was responsible for the raids?"
"Yes sir, he was. The young people of the tribe followed him. Yellow Deer is aging, and his son would have taken over as chief. The White Silver Fox said now that he was dead her father, the one that raised her, the chief of the Cheyenne, Yellow Deer would seek peace now. That's what she told me before she died. He does
n't want war. It was his son that wanted it. But Custer raiding their women and children may set it off anyway."
"Do you know this for a fact?"
"I didn't know him personally, although I had met him long ago."
"And was he hostile?"
"Yes, very much so. Look, he was simply waiting for his father to die so he could take over the tribe and war with us. He sought vengeance."
The Major dumped his ashes in a tray on his desk and put his hand behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "So, you think we'll automatically have peace now?"
"Well," Aiden sighed heavily. "The Sioux are still stirred up over Custer. If Custer will leave them alone, there's a chance this will be the end of the wars, at least with the Cheyenne. But the bad news is that Sitting Bull is ready to fight."
"And you blame Custer?"
"Sir, if you don't stop Custer, there will be a war. I saw them mourning their dead. I saw them sending smoke signals to other tribes. I think they are gathering for something big. No sir, I don't think there will be peace until there is an end to Custer. They want revenge, and I can't blame them after what he did."
"Custer is on our side, Aiden. Whose side are you on?"
"That's what is between you and I, isn't it? You think I'm siding with the Indians. Well, when it comes to Custer, maybe I am. I saw their burial ground, it was full, and those weren't warriors Major, they were women and children."
"No doubt Custer has some renegade ways but he fights for us. And Washington is in the processes of heading three different attacks at Sitting Bull as we speak. The Colonel will be back this week to explain all the tactics." He studied Aiden for a moment. "But you are in great danger, Aiden of being hung yourself for siding with an Indian!"
Aiden stood up now and leaned over the desk at him. "When women and children are killed on either side, holding a white flag, that's murder not war!"
"What are you talking about?" The Major insisted, moving his cigar to the other side of his mouth.
"Custer raided the Sioux village several months ago, killing, women, children and old men. He could see very well that there were no warriors in camp. But he charged them anyway. They aren't too happy with him. There will be some kind of retaliation for that sir. And I fear it won't be anything small. And in case you don't realize it, I live here at the fort too, so my life is in as great a danger as yours."
"War is inevitable with the Indians, Aiden. You know that as well as I."
"I know when two sides are both prideful, and their opinions don't match war will often follow, yes. But in the Indians defense treaties are never honored by us."
"Aiden be careful how you speak. One might think you guilty of sedition."
Aiden began sizing the Major up for what he was, a greedy, promotion hungry leader who might just lead them into the bloodiest war of all time with the Indians. "I've done my job. I've done what you asked. What more do you want?"
"I wanted the White Silver Fox, now it's too late, thanks to your bumbling attempt to save her. And even the child, you didn't get her either. Your trip was a waste of time."
"For your information everyone wanted the White Silver Fox. Well, it's over now. And I'm resigning. She's dead, and I'm resigning." Aiden said and turned to leave.
"I don't believe you Aiden."
"What?" Aiden turned at the door to see the Colonel grit his teeth.
"She might be dead, that much I could believe. But your attitude, and the things you've just said, tell me I have reason to doubt your loyalty. Guards!" he shouted. Two soldiers came in.
"Arrest this man."
Immediately they took Aiden to the stockade.
Angus saw him and saw the soldiers take him to the stockade. He followed. "What are you doin'?"
"He's under arrest, sir." One of the soldiers told Angus.
"For what?"
"Treason!" Aiden shouted.
"Treason, are you crazy?"
"Just doing our duty, sir." The soldiers glanced at Angus and walked off.
"What happened?" Angus asked him in a whisper.
Aiden waited until the two soldiers locked him up and walked off before he told him.
"I told them Lucy is dead?" Aiden whispered.
"Is she?"
"No, but they don't know that. He's not going to do anything about Custer. And the Sioux will. There is gonna be a big skirmish over this, and he's biding his time to be a hero."
"Is she alright?" Angus whispered.
"Yes, for now, she's at the Ferguson farm. I want you to do me a favor."
"Name it."
"I want a stone for Lucy."
"A stone, I thought she wasn't… "
"She isn't, but if they see I'm having it made they'll begin to believe me."
"Alright, I will. Say, I know that farm you are talking about. The Fergusons. They are good people."
"Lucy is with them. If they hang me, take care of her, will ya? For me!"
"Did you ever tell her how you feel?"
"I did, and if I ever get out of this place, I intend to marry her."
"Hold on boy, I'm gonna get you out of there." Angus told him very quietly. "I won't let them hang you."
"Angus I can't stop what's coming. Sitting Bull will not let this lie. Those smoke signals haven't been going up for nothing. He's building his army, a big one. I'd advise you and the Winters to get out of here."
"Don't you fret none, everything is gonna work out." Angus told him.
"I'd appreciate it, but be careful, don't want them to hang you too." Aiden smiled.
"Don't you fret, we'll get you out." Angus nodded, "See ya later. And I'll get that stone made."
"I'd appreciate it."
"Did you dig a grave?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Where?"
"It's under an oak tree, out in the middle of nowhere, a few miles out of Bozeman I wanted the soldiers to see it and carry word to the Colonel about it. If anything happens to me, will you take care of it?"
"Rest easy boy. Nothing is going to happen to you. But if it did, I would."
"Thanks Angus, doing this is going to solve several problems" He grinned.
"Oh, what problems?" Angus asked.
"First it will eventually convince the Major that she's dead. Second the Indians will be satisfied that she was properly taken care of. Third, and best of all, it will give Lucy the chance to be the woman I know she is. Whether that is white or Indian."
"And you love both sides of her, don't you?"
"I love her more than anything in my life."
"I think you are right about that. I really do, and it's danged clever of you to think of burying her for good. As at the rate she was going, someone was bound to kill her."
"I love her Angus, and I want us to have a life together. And I'll tell you right now, I don't care if she wants to remain Indian or be a white woman, it doesn't matter to me. I've loved her since she was ten, that's never changed, and it never will."
"I'm glad to hear to you say that boy. Especially that she can choose what kind of woman she wants to be."
"It doesn't matter, she's Lucy to me."
Angus smiled, "Tomorrow I'm getting you out of here."
"Tomorrow?"
Aiden grinned, "Sounds like a plan."
"Not yet, but it's gonna be. I got to get things rolling, they plan on hanging you day after tomorrow."
"Why wait so long?" Aiden chuckled.
"They gotta build the damn scaffold."
Angus winked and left.
Chapter Sixteen
Aiden fretted about the situation. Then it dawned on him that if someone didn't get word to Lucy, she might come storming in demanding to know where he was. He needed to talk to Angus again.
Angus in the meantime, went to talk to Frank and Gloria. They needed to know what was going on.
Frank opened the door to him, "Come on in, what's up Angus?"
"Nothing good I'm afraid." Angus shook his head as he entered their
small accommodations.
Gloria saw him and came to greet him with a hug.
"Sit down, I'll make you some coffee, Angus." Gloria told him.
There was a small table and four chairs and Angus took a seat opposite Frank so he could look at him and talk.
"Thank you, ma'am."
"Now, tell us, what is going on?" Frank insisted.
Angus looked at them both. "Aiden's back."
"And?" Frank leaned toward him eager to hear the news. "Did he find her?"
"Yeah, he found her. And he killed the men. But that's not the worst of it. That damn Major arrested him for treason."
"Treason?" Gloria and Frank both shouted the look on their faces told Angus they couldn't believe it.
"Yeah. They plan on hanging him. Day after tomorrow."
"Have you seen him?"
"Yeah, he's sittin' over there at the stockade. But there's more I gotta tell you."
"Go on, please." Frank encouraged.
"He told them that Lucy was dead."
"Dead!" Gloria nearly dropped the cup she was carrying. She brought it to the table and sat down for a moment to listen. "Is she?"
"She ain't, ma'am. That's what he told them."
"Why?" Gloria looked totally confused.
"Because those bushwhackers that had her, let it slip that the Major fully intended to make an example of her when Aiden got back and hang her. Not only that, he was going to hang Aiden with her. Well, he got one, not two."
"My God, she's a woman. He'd do such a thing?"
"Yes, he would. And if they ever did, the Cheyenne would come down out of those hills and massacre this place. With the Sioux right behind them."
"I can't believe anyone would even contemplate hanging a woman."
"They don't consider her a woman, they think of her only as an Indian. You see that's what Aiden was trying to explain about bringing her to the fort in the first place. He trusted Major Marsh, but there's more brewin'. First, I gotta tell you, the Major never liked Aiden to begin with because Aiden saw the Indian side of the story. I'm not even sure he believes that Lucy is dead. But if he does, then she is safe, for now."
"Is Pumpkin in danger here too?"
"Not as long as I'm with her. The scouts all know she's my wife. They'll protect her. But I'm gonna bust Aiden out of there. I'll have to go with him, because they'll hang me for doing it."