by Rita Hestand
Every time he kissed her, she kissed him back. She wasn't shy about her feelings and he loved that she didn’t
play games with him. He trusted her, loved her and meant to have her someday. Her kisses gave him the strength he needed, and he felt refueled.
Taken by surprise she wrapped her arms around him and gave him the kiss of a lifetime. She opened her mouth to him and met his tongue with her own, they waltzed to an unsung tune. Hungry for the touch, the taste, and the smells of each other, they clung to one another. She moaned slightly as he continued to taste her. "Oh God, I thought you'd never get out," she whispered as his kisses went all over her face.
When he pulled away, he smiled, "I wish I had the time to show you how much I missed you."
She chuckled, "I'm glad you are out."
"Tell me you missed me." His eyes centered on her now and she wrapped her arms around his neck once more, and boldly kissed him.
"I missed you terribly," she admitted between kisses.
It was all he needed, he picked her up and carried her to the big Cottonwood tree by the creek, he set her down and he pulled her into his lap and reigned kisses all along her face and jaw. His warm lips satiated the hunger inside that melted her heart
She touched his jaw with her fingertips, and he kissed them too.
His hands scanned her small waist and came to rest just under her breasts. She swooned.
"God lady, I want to make you mine, kiss you until your lips are raw, hold you and touch you…."
She gasped and looked up into his sincere face. "I want that too, but we can't, not here, not now!"
"I know that," He stared into her eyes once more, "but it sure as hell doesn't stop the wanting," he sobered, staring into her love drugged face. "I'm not going to touch you like that until I've got my ring on your finger and we've wed. I respect and love you too much to treat you any other way. What we have is good, pure, and will last a lifetime, I'm sure of that. But this war keeps getting in our way… "
"You…you want to marry me?" She gasped, as she waited anxiously for his answer. But before he said a word, she saw it in his expression, in his eyes, and her whole body felt a sudden release of happiness.
"As soon as we can find an end to all of this mess we are in." He chuckled as though he had to suddenly gotten his passion under some control. He kissed her sweetly. He held her chin, as his eyes devoured her. "I don't want to live a day without you, Jenny. Since you've been with me, I've been so much happier. I can talk to you, like no other. I yearn to show you how much I care. You can't possibly know what you mean to me. Your mine, and you have been all along. You never played games with me, and I loved you for your honesty, your sweetness, your caring. From saving Miles, to shooting that gun off and telling the ladies how it was going to be. How could I not love you?"
For once she couldn't say anything. She stood staring at him as though she wanted to devour him. Desire sprang from deep inside her, sending a spark of life through her like she'd never experienced.
"You will marry me, won't you?" He asked with a question on his face, and yet a teasing smile that told her he already knew her answer.
"Of course, I will… " she rasped. "Oh God, yes!"
For that he kissed her once again, this time with sweet abandon. His lips took hers in a kiss that promised marriage and a lifetime of happiness.
His eyes darkened, and his smile widened. "I've got work to do, but I'll see you later. Tell the ladies I'm out of jail and all is well again."
"You heard about the Captain?" she reached for his hand.
He looped his fingers through hers and nodded. "Yeah, I knew when I heard he took off after them it wouldn’t end well. But maybe I can straighten this mess out." Quirt held her close. "At least I'm going to try."
"Be careful," she sighed, her heart pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it.
"Honey, after all of this is over, you and I have a lot to talk about. But for now, keep the faith." He kissed the tip of her nose. "It won't be easy being married to a man like me, but it won't be dull.
"I believe that with all my heart" she whispered.
He stared into her eyes, "Then tell me I have every reason to come back to you."
"You do!" she said breathlessly. "You know you do."
"Yeah, I know I do. With you I don't question it. I just like to hear you say it." His smile widened, "Keep that thought, I'll be back. I love you, Jenny."
And he rode off.
"I love you too…." She whispered as she watched him disappear into the horizon. Her heart was still pounding. God, how she loved him.
She'd never been in love before and it left her feeling more vulnerable than ever. Yet it gave her hope for the future and a will to survive this mess.
She doubted at this point that she'd ever get home again, but that didn't matter any longer. What mattered was Quirt staying alive, and them being together.
She was confident in their love for each other, if they could only stay alive to enjoy it. Still she knew that Quirt was a strong man, determined to take care of all the women that was under his care. She felt proud of his loyalty to them.
She told the ladies he was out of jail, and they were all happy to hear it.
"'Bout time someone sensible was in charge. That Captain could have gotten us all scalped," Victoria said.
Chapter Twenty-Two
While Quirt went to talk to the Indians once more, the women planned a quilting party and in order to have enough material to make the quilts Victoria, Katherine and Essie went with Jennifer to several settler's homes to ask for bits and scraps to make them with. These were settler's that had come to the fort for protection earlier and they had gotten to know them.
The women they talked to were very enthusiastic and wanted to help. They helped them gather more materials and after several days of rounding them up Jennifer And Essie went to pick them up. Margaret Angleton had gathered most the scraps and they were to come to her place to get them.
But when they got there, there was no one about. Jennifer walked around the place and as she was going to the back door, someone snuck up behind her and holding their hand over her mouth, took her away.
Essie saw the man galloping away on his horse with Jennifer and she rushed back to the fort to tell the Major what she had seen.
"Kidnapped her? For what purpose?" The Major looked at her strangely.
"I don't know. She went around back because no one answered. Margaret was expecting us, so we figured she just didn’t' hear us and Jennifer went around back to see if she might be in the hen house. She was gone a while and then I saw him ride off with her."
"Did you go inside?"
"No, I was scared, I came back here as fast as I could."
"Alright, I'll have a couple of my men go out there and check on things, see if they can get a lead on this. Thank you."
"Please, you gotta help her." Essie pleaded.
"We'll do all we can. You sure you didn’t' recognize the man?"
"No, he was riding a bay horse, he had long stringy hair, kind of brownish. Wore a black hat and that's all I remember about him."
"I see, well, we'll try to track him. Not gonna guarantee but we'll try." The Major assured her.
"Is Quirt Noble here?" Essie asked.
"No, why?"
"Well, they were sort of engaged as of late." Essie told him. "He'd want to know as soon as possible."
The Major nodded, "I'll tell him when he arrives, thank you."
"Yes sir."
Essie left, and all the women were crowded around outside when she came out. "What happened?" Victoria asked.
"It's Jennifer, she's been kidnapped."
"Kidnapped? My God!"
"Why?" Sylvia shrieked.
"Don't know. But I saw a man ride off with her, when she went out back."
"Did you recognize him?"
"No, I didn't."
"What would anyone kidnap her for? It's not like she's got money or anyth
ing."
"Wait a minute," Katherine came forward, her brow furrowed with worry. "Wait a minute. Jennifer is a Senator from New York's daughter."
"Are you serious?" Sylvia shook her head and put her hands on her hips.
"She told me on the train. I'd forgotten it, but you reckon someone got word of it?"
"I don't know, but maybe we should tell the Major."
"Yeah, I think we better," Katherine shook her head. "Lord have mercy, who would have thought."
"Wait!" Cried Victoria. "Wait just a moment. We have to think this through."
"What do you mean?" Katherine insisted.
"Are we together like Jennifer said we should be?" Victoria questioned, looking around her at the other ladies.
"Yes, yes we are!" Sylvia answered, "But what has that to do with anything?"
"Listen, Jennifer is from the North, we all know that. She made no secret among us that she was. She told Katherine on the train she was a Senator's daughter. Now there are two explanations here, and we have to hash this out between us."
"What out? What are you talking about?" Sylvia insisted on knowing.
"Either someone on the train overheard it and gave out this information to one of the Confederates or one of the settlers heard about it and made the decision."
"I still don't understand." Sylvia insisted.
"The Confederates would be capable of kidnapping her for ransom for their cause. I've heard they are money poor. And either someone from our group has told the wrong party, or the settler overheard and decided to take things into their own hands."
"Oh my God, oh my God, you are right!" Sylvia shook her head and tears began to roll down her cheek.
"Why are you crying Sylvia?" Victoria wanted to know.
"Jimmy, I told Jimmy she was from New York."
"And what else?"
Sylvia dropped her head, "I was defending her to him one day, and let it slip, that she was a rich girl from the north. I was trying to impress upon him that she was rich and powerful, and my friend."
Sylvia looked at the others, "I'm sorry. Oh God, I'm so sorry. Do you think he…." She topped, and more tears flooded her eyes. "Do you think he did it?"
"I know Jimmy it wasn't him taking her away," Essie told her. "But he may be in on it."
"I love him…" Sylvia cried. "But I love Jennifer too! I'd never do anything to deliberately hurt her, you must all know that…."
Katherine stepped up to take her into her arms. "We know that Sylvia. It could have been anyone of us. And don't think the worse of Jimmy yet. Maybe he just opened his mouth to the wrong person."
"Oh, dear God!" Sylvia cried. "You think they will hurt her?"
"I don't know. But we can't tell the Major, it could be him for all we know." Then after thinking on it she added, "There is one other possibility."
"What?"
"That Sally girl knew she was from up north. And she didn't like her, she wanted Quirt Noble for herself and her kids."
"That's right," another lady hollered.
"What are we going to do, we don't know who to trust?"
"We'll wait until Quirt gets back. We will let him try to figure this out."
The women went sadly back to their barracks and they talked about it for a long time, always coming back in a circle with ideas.
They saw the men that the Major dispatched to check on the settler's house. They would ask the Major when they got back if there was any news.
All of the women were contrite.
"I never knew she had any money." Essie cried.
"She didn't make a big thing of it. She didn't consider it her money, but her folks. I don't even think she was planning on going home. Especially after she met Quirt." Katherine smiled sadly.
Victoria patted Katherine's hand. "Let's don't think of her in the past tense yet either."
"You are right. What can we do to help her?" Essie asked.
"Sylvia, try to find out if Jimmy said anything to anyone, and who that someone might be."
"Yes," Sylvia jumped up. "I can do that."
She left to see Jimmy. He was mucking out a stall in the horse barn.
"Hi, busy?" she asked sidling up to him.
"Not too busy for you…"
He took her into his arms and kissed her warm and passionately on the lips.
When she pulled away, she tried not to be nervous. "Jimmy, I was just wondering. You never mentioned the fact that Jennifer was from a rich family, did you?"
He eyed her a moment, then shook his head, but after a second, he stopped. "Wait, I might have said something in a poker game. Why, what does that matter?"
"What did you say about her?"
He stared at her a moment, then as though thinking he walked around the stall for a minute. "I was just joking, I was losing, and I made a comment."
"What did you say?"
"I said something like, if I came from Miss Jennifer's family, I'd have enough to bet a fortune."
"Oh my God! Jimmy, I told you that in confidence."
"So, I doubt anyone remembers it, why is it so important?"
"Jennifer's been kidnapped." Sylvia cried, "and it's our fault."
"Kidnapped? I don't understand?"
"If the wrong people heard you say that, they might think they can get money out of her or her family."
Jimmy's mouth flew open, for a minute he said nothing, then it hit him like a log on his head. "You mean…. but who would do such a thing?"
"Who were you playing poker with?"
"Well, let me think. There was Neil, Kit, Mike, and—the Major."
"Oh my God!"
"But, surely…."
"I'm not thinking he kidnapped her for himself to get rich. I'm thinking he did it for the south, Jimmy."
"You better be sure of what you are thinking Sylvia." Jimmy warned. "This could be very serious."
"I know that. It could have been anyone of them."
"Or maybe they just told the wrong person. I honestly didn't think anything of it when I said it. I’m sorry honey. I didn't mean for this to happen."
Sylvia looked at him. "When Quirt gets back you are going to help him find her, you understand?"
"Yes, I'll help. But don't go accusing anyone until we know for sure." Jimmy told her.
She nodded, "I won't. This is serious Jimmy."
"I know, I don't want anything to happen to her."
They walked back to the barracks and Jimmy told the other ladies what he'd said. Sylvia was proud of him for admitting it and after talking it over with everyone they agreed it was just an unfortunate thing to happen.
Chapter Twenty-Three
When Quirt got back, the Major informed him of Jennifer's circumstances.
"Kidnapped, are you serious?" Quirt paced the room, kneading his hat in his hands, his face almost black with anger.
"Have you found out anything?"
"She was at Margaret Angleton's house. Getting some scraps so the women could make some quilts for the winter. I sent two of my men. Margaret was dead. Gunshot to her head. They found her in the back where Jennifer had gone to look for her. Miss Essie was with Jennifer, but she was around front at the time. She did see the man and a bay horse. There were tracks but they faded out because of the rain. That's all we know."
"Permission to investigate sir?" Quirt said after listening to the Major.
"I can only spare you a couple of days." The Major told him. "Another shipment of supplies will be coming in, and I'm sending a couple of troopers out and I want you with them in case there is any trouble. Even though the Indians might not kill us, they still might try to steal the shipment."
"I'll be back." Quirt promised.
"Good."
Quirt went to talk to the women. Jimmy was there, and he told him everything he said at the poker game. Quirt nodded. "It could be anyone. But I'm glad you didn't go to the Major on this. The supplies haven't been coming in like they had been. And the Major has been worried about that. I don't
want to accuse him unless I have proof."
Jimmy nodded.
"I've got two days. Thanks for all of you sticking together on this. I'm going out to see what I can make of it."
Katherine and Victoria stepped up, "If there is anything we can do, let us know."
Quirt smiled sadly, "Thanks ladies."
"I'd like to go with you sir, I feel responsible."
"Alright, be nice to have someone along."
He rode out that night, his mind full of questions.
He didn't trust the Major completely, but he did trust Jimmy. His instincts told him that Jimmy had told the truth and the fact that he was there to tell him about it, made him surer that Jimmy wasn't in on it.
He got a lantern and looked around the Angleton place that night. They slept there. The next morning after he made some coffee, he went out to check the grounds and any evidence he might find. There was nothing except a piece of shawl hanging on the bush by the back door. It was Jennifer's, he recognized it.
He traveled in the direction of the tracks out back, and directly he found more of that same shawl. Jennifer was leaving clues for him, he knew it. Good girl!
Soon, he realized she was heading him in the direction of an old silver mine shaft abandoned years ago. He kept watching for more clues. Jimmy helped him spot them.
When he got to the silver mine, he knew he'd found her. But it wouldn't be easy getting her out of there, from the voices, he knew there were at least four or five men inside.
"Did the Major contact the Senator?" one of the men asked another.
"Yeah, he telegraphed him, and the Senator is wiring the money today."
"Good, all is going as planned. If Jimmy hadn't spilled the beans in that poker game, we'd have never known about her. What are we going to do about her?"
"Kill her."
"Are you serious?" The other man asked.
"Yeah, what do we care, she's a damned Yankee anyway. Major don't want no loose ends."
"But her boyfriend is that damned scout, and I don't like dealing with him."
"He ain't gonna know. This is gonna be the easiest money we ever got. Major gets the money, and we get rid of her and our men get some uniforms and food."