Texas Lily

by Patricia Rice

  Getting inside had been the easy part. The unexpected that lay ahead would be the danger. Perhaps his Indian training hadn't been thorough, but experience had taught Cade how to walk silently and keep to the shadows.

  The lamp in his grandfather's room was still lit. No guard waited in this supposedly inaccessible part of the house. Reassured that Ricardo's arrogance ran true to form, Cade slipped to the hacienda walls and climbed on the timbers jutting through the adobe to look into the upper story.

  His grandfather looked haggard but well as he sat at his desk, painstakingly writing in his journal. The window was too small for Cade to squeeze through, but there was no glass to interfere with speech. Whistling lightly, he made Antonio turn.

  The old man's face lit eagerly as he recognized him. He whispered, "One of the men walks through the gardens at intervals. Beware."

  "I will hear him coming. I have heard that you are held against your will. Do you wish to leave here?"

  Antonio shrugged. "I have nowhere else to go, so I stay."

  The old man's pride needed to be pacified to get an honest answer from him. Cade offered, "I will take you to see my wife if you wish. She worries about you."

  The old man's look was wary. "She is well? Has the baby come?"

  "The child will arrive any day. She stayed with my father for a while after she left here. I think it is safe to say that she is well," Cade answered dryly.

  Antonio's chuckle held a hint of admiration. "You have an extraordinary wife." He hesitated, then continued, "But I suppose she must be if you have chosen her. Your mother was strong like that. There is much of her in you."

  "Will you come?"

  "I think I should like to see my great-grandchild into this world. There is a guard outside my door. What do you suggest?"

  "Wrap anything you would take with you in a sheet and keep it hidden until I come. Be quick."

  He was gone from the window before Antonio could offer any objection.

  Trying to keep from whistling to himself, Cade slipped into the shadows of the lemon tree until the guard walked past on his rounds. Then sliding through the dark, he reached the railed paddock. Ricardo wouldn't have liked his smile.

  Lifting the bars from their racks, Cade opened the paddock fence. A soft whistle to catch the stallion's attention, the crack of a whip to wake the mares, and a shout to send them running was all that it took. Cade stepped out of the way as the stallion ran directly for the path to freedom, his harem not far behind.

  As the horses broke into the yard and screamed and galloped in panic through the gardens, men ran from the house and outbuildings and down from the walls. The air exploded with curses, and cracking whips. Horses whinnied and reared until all hell broke loose within the walled fortress.

  Cade sauntered through the darkness to the rear of the hacienda, opening the back door without interference. Another sharp whistle and the snap of his fingers brought his grandfather's greyhounds racing around the corner of the house. They eagerly entered, racing across tile floors and sliding on cotton rugs in search of someone to play with.

  Cade listened with satisfaction to a woman’s scream and a man’s curse as the dogs yelped down the corridors. A lantern crashed to the ground, darkening one of the rooms. Strolling through familiar halls, he put out other lights on his way to his grandfather's chamber.

  The guard outside was gone, and Cade easily entered the chamber. He held his hand out for the pack his grandfather pulled from under the bed, and they slipped down the darkened corridors to the kitchen garden. Outside the walls, Cade's horse and another waited for them.

  * * *

  "Well, this is a surprise, Mr. Dixon. Won't you please come in?" Lily swung open the door and gestured for the alcalde to enter.

  Bert Dixon twisted his hat nervously and remained where he was. He gave a start when a man stood up in the room behind Lily, but he recited his piece smoothly.

  "I've come here on official business, Mrs. Brown."

  "De Suela," Lily said pleasantly. "Go on."

  "Well, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but questions have been raised about your title to the land. I've done some research, and well, you see, this ain't legally your place. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

  Lily stood out of the way and made a gesture of welcome. "Do come in and have a drink to wet your throat, Mr. Dixon. I'm sure it was a long ride out here, and that sun is downright hot."

  Uncertainly, Dixon stepped into the cool dimness of the cabin. Ralph Langton was still standing by the table, but Dixon turned to Lily. "You did understand what I said, didn't you?"

  "Of course, Mr. Dixon. Have a seat right over there. Ralph, pour the gentleman some of that whiskey Travis keeps on the mantel, if you would, please."

  The puzzled lawyer took a seat where Lily indicated and accepted the glass handed to him. "You all are being mighty kind about this. I was afraid you wouldn't understand. The new owner will be arriving any day now. When can I tell him you will be moving on?"

  "We won't, Mr. Dixon. Can I get you something to eat? Juanita just made a fresh batch of peach pie, first of the season. Would you like a taste?" Lily settled in her rocker and picked up her sewing.

  "No, ma'am, I don't need nothin' else, thank you. Ralph, maybe you ought to explain to her..."

  Iron-gray hair falling over a brow tanned and weathered by years of sun, Ralph Langton merely crossed his arms over his chest and grimly regarded the lawyer. "She understands. We all understand. When were you planning on coming out to my place, Dixon?"

  Dixon took a quick drink of the whiskey before answering. "Soon, I'm afraid. All those deeds are worthless. Everything along the river here belongs to another land grant."

  "Hogwash, Mr. Dixon," Lily said from her seat in the rocker. "You know perfectly well if there were anything wrong with those deeds that Mr. Austin himself would be out here explaining it to us and offering reparations. Now go back and tell Mr. Ricardo that we're quite happy where we are and we have no intentions of moving."

  Dixon stood up. "I'm afraid I'll have to bring the law out here if you refuse to move peaceably, ma'am. I'm sorry it's come to this, but I'm sworn to uphold the law."

  Lily smiled gently. "What law, Mr. Dixon? I'm sure the new constitution makes some provision for elected officials, but we haven't had an election yet. The title of alcalde came from the Mexican law, and we're not part of Mexico any longer. There is no law, Mr. Dixon, and until there is, you're not moving us."

  "You can't do that!" Dixon blustered. "They're liable to come riding in here with hired guns to throw you out if you don't move on. He's got the deed and the title and you've got nothing!"

  Langton took Dixon's elbow and began steering him toward the door. "We've got men and guns, Dixon. Anyone stepping one foot off that public road will be shot on sight. If I were you, I'd lay low for a while. I ought to whip your hide for coming out here to scare an expectant lady when her husband's not at home. You're only getting this one warning. Now get out."

  Dixon tripped over the door frame and stumbled out. Langton slammed the door behind him.

  Turning to Lily, he said, "You and Cade are a pair if I ever saw one, Lily. What in hell were you planning to do if I hadn't been here?"

  "Did you think I was all alone, Ralph?" Lily looked up with the best imitation of sweetness that she could arrange. At his sardonic look, she pointed toward the window. "I think right about now you'll see Travis riding in from the field. That bell you heard clamoring earlier wasn't for dinner. If I'm not mistaken, you'll soon see men galloping in over the prairie, and they're not expecting dinner, either. And you'll have to believe me on the rest because you'll not ever see them, but up in that stand of trees are at least two Indians who would have been down here in seconds if I'd hung that red rag there out the window."

  Lily smiled at Ralph's astonished look. "Cade just doesn't believe I can take care of myself. What do you think, Ralph?"

  Langton picked up his rifle and started
for the door. "I think I'll be going home and making similar arrangements. Maybe we better figure out some smoke signals so we can warn each other."

  "Two puffs of black smoke every minute, and my men will be there, Ralph," Lily replied calmly.

  Slamming his hat on his head, Langton gave her a long look and stalked out.

  Chapter 38

  "Why are you just bringing me this news now?” Sitting on a cotton bale, Ricardo drew deeply on his cigar while his host kept a fearful eye on the ashes. “The old fart has been up at Cade’s cabin for two days already. It's a little late to tell me he's not at the hacienda anymore."

  The man in the sweat-stained checked shirt who had entered just minutes before wiped at his dust-coated brow and eyed the brandy bottle on the table with more than thirst. "We've been looking for him!" the messenger protested. "We didn't think the old man could get far. Nobody went through that gate. Nobody! We made certain of that even when the damned mustangs were stampeding through the bunkhouse."

  The dapper Spaniard with the cigar looked weary and lifted the glass of brandy to his lips before replying. "I don't suppose it occurred to any of you that every good fort has more than one exit, did it?" At the look on the man's face, Ricardo spit his brandy at the messenger. "Of course not! You have to be told everything. Am I the only one who can think around here?"

  Bert Dixon poured a glass and handed it to the checked-shirt messenger, but his words were for Ricardo. "I say we give the game up. Do what you want in Bexar, that's your territory, but I'll never get elected if I try to throw those people out. I know of a couple of plats that no one's come back to claim. We can sell those off with no one the wiser and look around for a few others. Land's going to be cheap for a while yet, what with the war and the Indians and all. But I hear there's boatloads of settlers looking to find prime land already. We can scrape up enough to make a fortune."

  "Prime land means river land. You give up too easy, idiota. We have Indians around here, do we not? I heard the Comanches are not too happy that white men are returning. It is just a matter of time before the Indians come this way, and those outlying farms are perfect targets."

  A man in the corner twisted nervously on his barrel seat. "Cade's an Indian. Don't Indians stick together? Why would they burn him out?"

  "He's Apache, you fool." Ricardo threw his cigar on the floor and ground it out with the heel of his Spanish boot. "And we're not waiting around for the real ones to come down and do our work for us. A little nut juice on the skin, a few arrows, and we burn them out. It will all be over in a few hours. With any luck, everyone out there will suddenly be interested in moving back to town and we won't have to do anything else."

  Ollie stared at him. "There's women and children out there!"

  Ricardo sighed with a great show of patience. "We're not planning on scalping them. There will be time enough for them to get out." His black eyes glittered with a sudden thought. "But I think I'll offer a bonus to the man who brings down that damned Indian. Comanches have rifles, don't they?"

  * * *

  Back aching, unable to sleep, Lily heard the "thump" of the first arrow in the cabin wall. Thinking it was a wolf after the salted ham in the dogtrot, she dragged herself from the bed and reached for her wrapper.

  The shriek of an Indian war cry and the first whiff of smoke shot panic down her spine. Before she could lean over to wake Cade, he was on his feet and reaching for his trousers.

  "Get the children and mi abuelo into the big cabin. I'll call the others."

  It wasn't necessary to call anyone. The sound of racing hooves and war cries and the stench of flaming arrows had men stumbling out of the bunkhouse. Seeing Roy hurrying from one loft and Antonio from the other, Lily checked the kitchen where Juanita slept. Its roof was already in flames, but before she could scream, she saw Travis racing from his cabin with a nearly-naked Juanita in his arms.

  Breathing a sigh of relief for more reasons than one, Lily hurried in to comfort a crying Serena and yell orders at the boy and old man who entered behind her.

  "Grab the rifles. One of you aim out the front window, the other take the back." As Travis burst into the room, she ordered, "Throw the bar on that front door. Juanita, if anyone gets near it, chop his damned toes off."

  From the front window Roy exclaimed, "There's men riding from Langton's! I think the Indians are running!"

  There was an exchange of gunfire from the rear, and Lily heard Antonio swear in Spanish as he aimed the rifle. A man's scream followed the rifle's report, and she hurried to hand him another loaded one.

  A deathly silence followed, and then there were shouts and running footsteps. Antonio limped hurriedly toward the door. Lily couldn't believe it was over so quickly, but the smell of burning wood warned that it wasn't over entirely. Racing to the window, she watched as the kitchen roof went up in sheets of flame.

  Her gaze swung over the yard, searching for the one figure she knew best. He was there, bending over a fallen man on the ground, and she breathed a sigh of relief even as she started for the door.

  "Lily, don't go out there yet," Travis warned. "Stay here with the children and let me see what's happening."

  Ignoring him, Lily walked out. Her back hurt like the devil, and she was quite certain the baby weighed as much as she did. Anybody's back would ache with that kind of weight to carry around.

  She watched with surprise as men who were not from the ranch began a chain from the water pump to the roof, handing pots and pails of water hand over hand to splash on the tinder-dry wood. She recognized Ralph Langton and, to her double surprise, Ollie Clark.

  Not taking the time to wonder about this oddity, Lily hurried to Cade. To her dismay, she noted that his shirtsleeve was torn and bloody, but Cade didn't seem to be aware of it as he crouched beside the fallen man, questioning him angrily.

  Curious, Lily crept closer. She had to conceal her gasp when she realized the man on the ground was not a savage Comanche but a half-naked white man. She didn't recognize him, but Cade obviously did.

  As the fire was brought under control, Langton and Clark hurried to join Cade and the others gathered around the fallen "Indian." Cade's gaze focused on Ollie, but Ollie turned defensively to Langton.

  "Clark tried to warn us, Cade," Ralph said reassuringly. "He reached my place first. We came as soon as we could, but your enemies work quickly. Do you know that one?"

  "I know that one. He tried to take a shot at me, but my grandfather brought him down." Cade turned to Travis. "See if you can fix him up. I think I've got a witness who can tie him to another incident. He has a fondness for playing Indian." Cade looked up to Lily, but she didn't seem to have any understanding of what he was talking about. That was the way he wanted it.

  "Let Travis see to your arm first," Lily said quietly.

  Cade glared at Ollie as he rose from his kneeling position. "It's just a flesh wound. I'm fine. I think there's a little meeting I need to attend right now. Right, Clark?"

  "There won't be time. Word will already be on the way back."

  "I don't think so." Grimly, Cade nodded to the distance where mounted figures were emerging from the darkness, some leading riderless ponies. "If the bastards knew what they were doing, they gave themselves up the instant they were spotted. We'll find the bodies of the ones who didn't when we come back in the morning."

  "How many men have you got out here?" Clark whispered with incredulity.

  "They're not all mine. I had a little help from some friends." He glanced once more to the distance, making certain two of the riders were the slim young figures of his brothers. Then, catching Lily by the waist, Cade kissed her hair. "Are the children all right?"

  "Everyone's fine. Cade, where are you going?"

  "To town for a showdown." Releasing her, he nodded toward the barn and the horses. Taking his cue, the men around them began gathering up their mounts and checking their rifles.

  Alarmed, Lily caught Cade's arm. "Cade, you're hurt. You can't go ou
t now. Why can't this wait until morning?"

  "Because the time has come now." Looking to his grandfather, Cade acknowledged the older man's fears that his stepson was involved. "Stay here and look after my family, por favor. It is better that you not see this."

  "It is better that you not do this, my son," Antonio said sadly. "Let the law see justice done."

  Not deeming that worthy of a reply, Cade swung on his heel and went for his horse.

  As Lily watched the procession of men ride out, she cursed at the obstinacy of men and wished she were in a position to follow. Instead, the pain in her back struck sharply, traveling around to her middle, and she gasped and held her side until it passed. Then with a look of determination, she turned back to the house and its frightened occupants, clinging to the arm of the tired old man just for the knowledge of his support.

  When she entered, she murmured quietly to Roy, "Fetch Dove Woman for me, will you? I don't know that anyone is watching us any longer after this."

  Roy looked alarmed, but with a reassuring look from Juanita, he raced for the door.

  * * *

  The dozen men who started for town became two dozen and growing as they rode toward town and word spread.

  The general store, with the light still burning in the back room was easily surrounded, but Cade took little note of the preparation. He was a man who abhorred violence, but Ricardo had finally gone too far. Unfastening his rifle from the saddle, he swung down and strode toward the back door alone.

  Kicking it open, Cade stood back out of the way of bullets. When only one shot came through, he waited for the lone rifleman to come to the door. Then with a quick motion that the men behind him couldn't see. Cade kneed the rifleman in the groin. When the man doubled up in pain, he brought his rifle stock down over his nape, and tossed him out of the way.

  Stepping into the narrow back room, Cade met a trio of loaded rifles and a familiar figure sprawled across the cotton bales.