Comes a Hero (Book 17 of Brides of the West Series)

by Rita Hestand

  She was the only woman on the train that wasn't a widow. But her brother had died, and her family needed closure, so she came, to claim his body and have it moved back to New York. Something within her rebelled at the notion of taking him back. From his letters home she knew he loved the wilds of Texas.

  "So, where are you from?" An older lady asked as she stared out the window of the train. Her hands were busy with knitting and she didn't even have to look at what she was doing.

  "New York."

  "Oh my, that's a long way…" The woman glanced at her. Her sharp eagle eye giving her a once over.

  "Yes."

  "Where was your husband killed?"

  "Oh, I'm not married. My brother was killed around Ft. Davis. He's buried there, I'm told."

  "Oh, you aren't a widow then?"

  "No ma'am." Jennifer slanted her a curious glance. "I received permission for this trip from a Texas commander, General Robert E. Lee."

  "My husband, God rest his soul died somewhere near Ft. Belknap. He was fifty-three, a rather rotund man, with a hook nose, but a heart of a poet. He read endlessly and was a wonderful speech maker. He had planned to go into politics later. I am so happy that Washington arranged this for us. Aren't you?"

  Jennifer shot her a strange look, but she wouldn't be getting into any arguments. "You must be very glad to at last see where he's buried." Jennifer added. "Do you live here in Texas?"

  She hadn't answered the woman, and the woman stared at her.

  "Oh no, we're from South Carolina." The woman drawled and wiped her forehead as she was sweating from the overheated furnace. Jennifer noticed the slow way she talked and found it interesting. "Your brother wasn't married?"

  Jennifer flicked a piece of lint from her skirt, "No ma'am, he was just nineteen, when it happened." She watched the woman as her knitting continued whether she talked or not.

  "So young…" the woman exclaimed her hand at her chest now.

  "Yes, Johnny was a head-strong young man. He loved reading about the west and when he was old enough, he left home and came out here. A year later we got word he had enlisted at Ft. Davis."

  "I would think his parents would come to get him, instead of sending you."

  "My mother is ill, and my father must take care of her and my disabled brother. Since I'm of age, they sent me."

  "Well, I hope this won't take long. This heat is already unbearable. Hopefully, we can be on our way soon. I don't think I could stand this weather long. What's wrong with your brother, you said he was disabled."

  "He had scarlet fever when he was little, and it caused other complications. He's in a wheelchair." She told her. "It is stuffy in here." Jennifer conceded. "And quite humid. Here, let me open the window, to get better circulation."

  The woman scooted over so Jennifer could crack the window open. Since it was late January the air was quite cool. The older woman looked at her, "Why don't we switch places, I'm afraid that cold air will give me a chill."

  "Of course," Jennifer was sure this woman was not easily pleased. Still to keep all the windows shut was suffocating.

  "Are you married?" The woman asked as she focused her attention on Jennifer now.

  "No ma'am. My father says I'm too head-strong to marry."

  The woman stared for a bit, "But your beautiful."

  Jennifer glanced at the woman. She'd never considered herself a beauty, she was much too tall, and had strong features. "Beauty has little to do with getting married. I guess I'm like my brother. Most men don't appreciate a head-strong woman. And I've always been a bit of a tom-boy."

  "They say out here, you have to be strong to exist. Perhaps you might find a soldier that appeals to you."

  "I've heard that myself. Maybe I'll fit in better here, who knows Although, I'm not planning on staying nor finding a beau."

  "My name is Katherine Keller." The woman extended her hand to her. "I'm probably the oldest woman to be on this trip. My Henry was a long-time soldier. We were married for twenty-three years come May."

  "Jennifer Weston."

  "I've heard that name. Weston, yes, the Weston's of New York. A Senator, I believe."

  "I didn't know we were well known other than in New York."

  "Oh, your family is quite well known." She glanced at her beautiful silk dress.

  "My parents are, I suppose."

  The woman stared at her a moment. "I hope we'll simply trade trains in Ft. Worth." Katherine sighed.

  "I was under the impression we'd have to go by wagon from Ft. Worth. There is no through train to Ft. Davis. You see, trains out here don't stretch as far as up north."

  "Oh dear, I had no idea. That could be quite a trip."

  "The west is a lot more primitive but also very beautiful too." Jennifer smiled at her and pushed back a wayward strand of her ash blonde hair, that had tumbled down from the side.

  "How can you possibly see beauty where there is so much not to like about this land?" The woman eyed her with precision now.

  Jennifer took in the woman's perfectly coiled dark brown hair, and her crinkling brown eyes. She was quite a handsome woman, probably in her mid-fifties, Jennifer surmised. From the looks of her delicate hands to her pale but glowing face, Jennifer wondered what kind of pampered life this woman must have had.

  Although, the woman probably thought the same of her.

  "I think we have to look for beauty no matter where we are. I mean you've got to admit Texas has a lot of trees, and wide-open spaces. It looks so open, so free. It looks as though you could ride forever without running into a person."

  "I guess coming from the north, you would notice things like that. All those buildings and things."

  "Oh yes, we don't have this kind of open land unless you live in the country, and then it's only a certain amount of acreage." Jennifer told her. "Nothing like what I've seen from the windows here."

  "And you lived in the city?"

  "Yes, unfortunately after I was six, I lived in the city."

  "You didn't like it?"

  "No ma'am, I liked running in the country, barefoot."

  "Barefoot? Why, you sound like you were quite the little tom-boy girl."?

  "Yes ma'am, I was." Jennifer smiled.

  "Then you might enjoy Texas with its wide-open spaces." Katherine smiled. "I suppose I could understand that, but the city offers so much. The museums, theater, libraries."

  "I think no matter where you are from, you take a lot for granted that others might find very appealing. I think I might enjoy it here." Jennifer added.

  As she sat listening to the sounds the train made against the tracks, she contemplated this strange journey she had volunteered for. Since only women would be allowed by the government on this trip, she knew she was the only one that could carry through the task in her family. Still, there was something about uprooting a body and reburial that bothered her. The government said he died a hero, that he was buried with full military honors. But her parents insisted he needed to come home and be buried in the family cemetery. Jennifer had mixed feelings on the subject, but finally agreed to do it for her mother's sake.

  She had no idea what to expect. She heard a lot of the women talking about where their husbands had been killed and how they weren't even sure there were bodies left to bury. It made her doubt this trip being wise.

  Looking out over the hills and valleys, Jennifer was impressed at the number of trees and vegetation. She saw many streams and a couple of rivers that glistened in the sun. The land was fertile, and she could almost feel her barefeet running across a wooded area. It was so vast here, nothing like New York. You had to go out in the country to find this kind of life and even then, nothing was as big, and wide open as she found Texas to be. She sighed, she would like it here, she just knew it.

  When they were close to arriving at Ft. Worth, she changed into more appropriate clothes in the room at the back of the car they were riding in, a suede riding skirt and vest, with a white blouse, she'd even bought a hat a
t one of the small towns they stopped at. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. "That's more me than my folks would ever see."

  Most of the other women didn't change. She wondered how they'd fair in their silk dresses with all the frills, and hats and feathers. She wondered why, but she said nothing. Since she was an avid horsewoman, she donned this kind of clothing often.

  Ft Worth was a loud, and boisterous town, with gambling, gun play and rowdy cowboys coming or going from cattle drives disrupting businesses along the way. People were loud here, and many were drunk, waving their bottles in the air, in the streets. The train had barely stopped as the women stared out the windows.

  There was a man standing on the platform of the station waiting, and Jennifer was sure he must be the one with the wagons. He carried himself well, he was clean, very attractive and yet oozed with authority too. He was tall, with well-cut dark hair, and piercing blue eyes she noticed as they got closer to the platform. Although he was lean, he looked tough enough to handle almost anything, Jennifer surmised. She had to admit, there was an instant attraction. It startled her, as most men didn't measure up to her standards.

  All the women got off the train and nearly emptied a whole car of seats.

  Katherine came straight up to the man on the platform. "Are you the man that will take us to the fort?" She asked.

  The man eyed her, for a moment. "Yes ma'am." He glanced over the crowd of women. "If you'll all follow me."

  "Excuse me, but it was a long ride and some of us are rather parched, can we stop somewhere and get something to drink." One of the women sashayed up to him in all her finery.

  "Sorry, there's a water barrel over against the building. Get yourself a drink and let's go." He instructed. He sounded a bit abrupt, but Jennifer realized that they were complaining of their train ride, of their thirst and asking questions he obviously couldn't answer.

  "We can't go to a café?" one lady asked with a sweet voice.

  "No ma'am, I've got to get you there and settled as quickly as possible, there aren't many men at the fort, and we are shorthanded. You see there are Indians about, that raid, and we need to be there. Sorry ma'am but this won't be a pleasure trip, ladies."

  "Indians?" The woman yelped. "Not many men? But it's a fort, I would think it would be manned by a good number of men."

  "Yes ma'am, normally it would. But in case you haven't heard, the war between the states is taking top priority now. They must prepare and enlist men. They are calling the men born from the north to evacuate. So, our fort is left with only a skeleton crew." He frowned at the woman.

  War! It had to be close now!

  Jennifer stared at the man, he was uncommonly handsome and clean shaven, but he sure had a sour-pus attitude. The women lined up for a drink of water then followed him to the wagons with benches built to hold them, and a canopy to shade them from the elements of weather. It was homemade, and Jennifer could tell someone went to a lot of trouble to see they were cared for.

  "We have to ride this to the fort?" Another woman asked as she stared at the long benches in each wagon.

  "Yes ma'am, it's a long ride. We've got three wagons for you the other is for supplies and luggage," He told her. "I realize it isn't comfortable, but considering how many women there are, it is the best we could do on such short notice."

  "Short notice, you didn't know we were coming?" Another woman shouted from the back of the crowd.

  "Not until a few days ago, no ma'am."

  "What's your name young man?" the older woman asked him.

  "Quirt Noble, ma'am."

  "Quirt, what a strange name." She huffed.

  He helped them all in the wagons and they were all crammed into them like pickles in a barrel. Three of the soldiers from the fort were driving the other wagons. But the last wagon was strictly for their luggage and supplies for the trip itself. They also talked among themselves and shot him some rather unfriendly faces too.

  The ride was bumpy, chilly, and the benches were hard. Jennifer was sure she'd have a few bruises on her backside, all the women were uncomfortable, but there was no other sensible way of getting there all together. For this many woman, they could not afford buggies for everyone.

  ~~***~~

  That night Quirt made a fire, got out the pots and pans, and offered them all beans and salt pork. The women helped him and delighted at the chance to show him their culinary accomplishments. They turned a mundane beans and cornbread meal into a feast, as the men caught a few rabbits and found some wild onions to add.

  Quirt was thankful that they dug right in and helped. At least these women seemed to be helpers. Maybe, it wouldn't be so bad having them around. Especially if he could talk them into cooking for the men at the fort. They hadn't had a good meal in a long time.

  As they gathered around the fire later, Quirt stayed a distance away from them, allowing them every privacy, but he felt he had to warn them. So later that evening before they bedded down, he gathered them together.

  He cleared his throat and came into the big circle they made. He stood up on one of the wagons, so he could better see the ladies. "Ladies, I feel I need to warn you all of what to expect. This is no ordinary trip for you, I can tell you. It wasn't expected by us either. But it seems we can make the best of it in many ways. You see, the decision to bring you out here was made before the tensions of the war were so evident. Now, war is almost assuredly going to happen. I don't relish the idea of having to tell you this won't be a journey like you all figured on. Had the war not been so imminent, it would be different."

  Everyone's head reared at that. His commanding voice seemed to boom on the prairie. It got very quiet.

  "The fort is in Indian territory. I don't know if they explained the dangers beforehand, but Indians in Texas are our biggest concern. The war between the states will take some time to reach us. The Indians are rather hostile with us at the moment. And the war between the states has already caused us problems, as you probably have already heard me say. You were sent here with the best of intentions, but our situation has changed so drastically that I'm afraid you won't be happy with it."

  The women all remarked to each other for a moment, until he cleared his throat again. His eyes scanned the crowd, trying to find something to reassure himself that this wouldn't panic the women.

  "My name is Quirt Noble, for those of you that didn't hear earlier. I'm a scout for the army. I've been given temporary rank by the commanding officer to actually command the fort until Confederate troops take over." He explained. "If they take over at all. Right now, everything is up in arms as this war was not part of our plans here in the west. There is a great upheaval in all the forts in Texas right now. No one knows for sure what's going to happen yet."

  "When will the Confederate army take over?" One woman asked.

  "I don't know when they will pick up command, I'm sorry. I suppose when the war starts. Most of the men at our fort have evacuated, including the commander. The reason for that is because most of them were from the north, stationed out here to protect the settlers from Indians. Now that this war has escalated into heated arguments, things will change. And I won't be aware of all the changes before you are. Confederate soldiers may occupy the fort at times. At other times we'll be down to a skeleton crew again. Indians are our main concern right now, later we might even have to fight the Yankees, if they come this far southwest. Although, I don't look for that to happen for a while.

  "You ladies were sent out here to see to the proper burial of your loved ones. The intentions of Washington were extremely generous about letting you leave to the forts where your husbands were killed. Unfortunately, I must tell you now," He paused waiting until he had their full attention. "I doubt any of you will be happy with what I'm about to say to you. But I think we should get it out in the open now, so there are no misunderstandings." He paused to look out over the crowd of women who already looked a bit shocked. "You will not, I repeat not, leave Ft. Davis. I can't be responsib
le for your lives if you leave. So, for now, you will all remain at the fort and until further notice."

  "But sir, my husband wasn't killed at Ft. Davis." One woman hollered through the crowd.

  "I'm aware that many of your husbands weren't. But things have changed drastically from the time you left Washington and now. Now our nation is divided, and the Indians are at war too. The Indians will know in a few days if not already that we will have another war we must attend to. It will be to their advantage. I must inform you that because of the war between the states, some of the southern forts will be abandoned, and impossible for you to proceed to. I don't know for sure at this time, which ones will be abandoned. I only know that some will. I realize this is not what you expected. None of us expected. We didn't know in time to stop you from coming."

  "You mean, after all of this, all this long trip which has been harrowing to say the least, that we still won't be able to see or retrieve our loved ones?"

  "No ma'am, you won't. Except for the ones buried at Ft. Davis. And I am truly sorry for this. Unless the Confederate commander has other ideas, you will have to stay at Ft. Davis. And I do realize what an imposition this is on your plans. The Butterfield Overland Mail does carry mail out twice a week, so you can contact your loved ones and tell them what is happening here. However, due to the war, it cannot be helped. Because the Indians are warring, and the states will be warring there is no way we can permit travel from one fort to another. It is strictly for your own safety. And I happen to be in charge of your safety."

  "But…that's preposterous! The federal government promised us." A beautiful young woman came right up to him, with her hands on her hips and her face contorted into a huge frown. Her dark curls framed her face, but her brown eyes nailed him.

  Quirt was taken with her beauty but the disdain on her face was what he focused on.

  "Yes ma'am, I agree. If we could have stopped your train and redirected you back to your homeland, we would have. But that was an impossibility, too. You all come from all over the country. It would have been an impossible task to send you home. So, what this means to both of us is that for now, you are all subjects of Fort Davis until further notice."