It was not a proper place to allow his daughter to live, though, and was worse than her staying at the fort, which would be unwise, considering having her there would be too much of a distraction for the infantry men. Therefore, Sam Renton’s plan seemed to be the only way to make sure his daughter was cared for, once she arrived.
Sam, slid down from Broken Feather’s horse, just as they reached the main door of the stone barracks. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the door flew open and suddenly, his daughter was standing there. He couldn’t believe how much she had grown. He barely recognized her… it had been so long since he had seen her.
Sam had to admit she had turned into a beautiful young woman. Her curly, long, honey-brown hair was twisted up around her head, some of the strands straying from its confines, the curls brushing against her forehead. Her startling blue eyes, beneath finely arched eyebrows, were smiling at him as she approached. Her full pouting lips parted, as she called to him. It took him a little off guard because he hadn’t expected her to arrive so soon.
“Papa, I am here!” she said as he stood motionless, staring at her.
Broken Feather was swinging down from his horse, as he eyed Captain Renton’s daughter. He thought he had never seen any woman as beautiful as the lovely sight that stood before them. He watched as his superior officer greeted his daughter.
“Goodness, Nessie, you have turned into a woman,” Sam greeted.
He refrained from hugging her though, because he was dirty and blood-splattered from his earlier ordeal, and she was dressed so primly in a black traveling dress, though she looked a little worn from her journey.
“I don’t understand why you are here, though,” he mumbled. “Why didn’t you remain with Aunt Mildred?”
“Didn’t you receive my letter? She took ill and died. Although she left us the plantation, there was no way I could remain. She had lost so much money on the last crop because of the flood washing out the cane fields, and the place had been struggling ever since the war. She couldn’t pay the workers. Without slaves, it was almost impossible to keep the plantation going the way it had before the war broke out. The workers left, so I shut the plantation up since there was no way to support it. Besides, you are never home. I decided if you couldn’t come to me, I would come to you.”
“This is preposterous, Nessie. An army fort is no place for a young woman, and the closest and only town, is even worse. However, I have made arrangements for you. I need to get cleaned up, though. Broken Feather can entertain you until I am ready to bring you to my lodgings and offer you some food.”
He glanced over at Broken Feather, who was holding his horse’s reins, looking on with astonishment. He wasn’t sure he knew how to conduct himself in front of a white woman.
“Broken Feather, this is my daughter Vanessa. Keep her company while I get cleaned up.” Then he turned and went inside the stone building, leaving Broken Feather to his own devices.
Vanessa now focused her attention on the Black Seminole Indian with some interest. Strangely, he reminded her of Zack, a young black slave that had been her childhood friend until he was sold. She had been so heartbroken when he left that she vowed never to befriend another slave again, and from that moment on, adopted an indifference towards all black slaves. She looked up at him from under her half closed lids, her long, thick lashes shading the blue of her eyes.
“I didn’t know the army had black servants,” she drawled in her southern accent. “Only why are you dressed up like an Indian?”
“I am a Black Seminole Indian,” he informed her. “I am not a servant. I am an army scout. They wanted me to wear their uniform, but I have my own form of dress. Since the army desired my services, they allowed me a few individual choices.” Already, she was rubbing him the wrong way in spite of her beauty.
“Well, at least, you have been working on your dialect. Most blacks on our plantation use that Gullah language, which I can barely understand.”
“Uh know’um dat langwidge. Muh gran’puh wuz Maroon an talk’um dat langwidge. Yo wantuh hab muhself talk’um dat langwidge?” Broken Feather said sarcastically, feeling that she was looking down her nose at him.
Vanessa started laughing. “You are an interesting character,” she smiled, and her smile struck Broken Feather like an arrow to his heart. He was certain he had fallen in love with her already. “I prefer regular English language, if you don’t mind,” she said. “Apparently, you know it well enough.”
“I have to put my horse away,” he said abruptly, fearing that she would suspect by the way he was looking at her that his feelings were in turmoil, half hating her for her superior attitude and feeling his heart weaken at the mere sight of her.
He was finding it too hard to breathe when he looked in to those crystal-blue eyes. He had never been this close to a white woman before. Broken Feather turned abruptly, leading his horse in the direction of the stables. He stopped and looked over his shoulder at her, as she stood with raised eyebrows as though she felt he was being rude.
“Yuz a com’un mis?” he said snidely. “Mu Mass Renton say uh haffuh keeps yo happy.”
“I doubt you could come close to keeping me happy,” Vanessa muttered, as she started to follow behind, “but since I don’t have anything better to do, I’ll suffer with your company until my father is ready for me.”
“Sorry you have to suffer on my account,” he smiled. “It shouldn’t be long, though. Then we can both be done with each other.”
“The feeling is mutual,” Vanessa said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. She wished he did not have such an effect on her, reminding her so much of Zack that it hurt.
Broken Feather had reached the stables and was starting to pull the saddle off of his horse as Vanessa watched on.
“I saved your father’s life today,” he said, wanting her to know that he was an asset to her father, not a servant. “However, he saved my life as well,” he added.
“Oh,” Vanessa squeaked, not expecting the statement. “Then I must thank you for keeping me from becoming an orphan.”
“It was my pleasure. Your father has been kind to me and is a good leader.”
He took the bridal off his horse, pushed his mount into the stall, and then went to the tack room to put the saddle and bridle away. As he headed in that direction, the saddle blanket slipped from the saddle seat, where he had it flung, and just as he was bending over to reach for it, Vanessa also stopped and started to stoop down to retrieve it. Vanessa found herself face to face with Broken Feather, their noses almost touching.
For a heart-stopping moment, their eyes locked, the depth of his stare seeming to grab Vanessa in a way she had not expected. She grabbed up the blanket, to break the unexpected tie between them, and stood up.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
“It’s the least I could do for someone who saved my father’s life,” she said softly.
He turned and smiled at her, and then entered the tack room to deposit his saddle and bridle. She tossed the blanket at him and he put it away as well.
“Would you like a tour of the fort?” he asked, not knowing what he should do, now that he didn’t have anything to distract him, from those blue pools of hers, which sparked at one moment and then went all soft and appealing the next.
“I suppose. Papa says I can’t stay here, so I might as well see the place before he packs me off someplace. I am wondering what he plans to do with me. I can’t go back to Louisiana. What does he expect me to do?”
“I am sure he knows best,” Broken Feather shrugged, as he led her from the stables and out towards the lake area.
It was a shame that her father intended to send her away, he thought. He would like to get to know her better, yet he couldn’t understand why. She was his commanding officer’s daughter, and on top of that, was a white girl…way off limits for a black man or an Indian alike. Only there was something about the way she looked at him that he needed to understand. He felt something was hi
dden behind her appraising stare, which he hoped to uncover before Captain Renton hustled her away to parts unknown.
When he reached the lake, which also served as a swimming hole for the men, he sat down on a bench, pulling Vanessa down beside him. The pool was already alive with activity of men who had returned from chasing the Comanche, and were trying to cool off and find enjoyable relaxation, even though the water was always exceptionally cold. When they saw Broken Feather with a woman, the activity stopped, and several men swam over to investigate.
“Who do you have there, Broken Feather?” one of the men called.
“She happens to be Captain Renton’s daughter, so you had better keep your eyes to yourself,” Broken Feather replied.
“I didn’t know he had a daughter. Hell, I didn’t even know he was married!”
“My mother died,” Vanessa offered.
“Oh, sorry to hear that, ma’am,” the young man replied. “Welcome to Fort Clark.”
“She won’t be here long. Her father is sending her away. She is just here to visit,” Broken Feather told him.
As they were talking to the men in the pool, they heard someone clear their throat behind them, and the men suddenly swam in the other direction.
“I am sure this is not a suitable scene for you to be witnessing, Nessie. Those men are half dressed! What is the matter with you, Broken Feather? My daughter is a Southern bred young lady. This is one of the reasons it is impossible for her to remain here,” Sam said, causing the two to suddenly turn and face him.
“Sorry, Sir,” Broken Feather mumbled.
“Never mind, I want both of you to come to my quarters. I need to talk to you.”
Broken Feather raised his eyebrows. Why was his presence needed, he wondered? However, he didn’t ask any questions and merely followed beside Captain Renton, as Vanessa pushed her arm through her father’s elbow.
It was then that Sam noticed the haggard look on Broken Feather’s face and realized the young man hadn’t had any time to freshen up yet.
“Why don’t you go and get cleaned up, Broken Feather, while Vanessa and I have our meal. When you are through and had a chance to eat as well, come to my room.
Broken Feather nodded, and turned in another direction down the hall when they reached the barracks, while Sam and Vanessa continued on to his quarters. He opened the door for her and invited her in. The room contained a desk with papers and books scattered on its surface, accompanied by a sturdy chair. A bed was pushed up against one wall, and a table with four chairs was on the other side of the room. She could see the table was set with food, and Sam helped his daughter to be seated.
For a moment, Sam merely stared at Vanessa. All those childhood days of her scampering about the house, flashed before his eyes. He had always thought she was too noisy and underfoot, back then. He was astounded at how much she looked like her mother now, except for her curly hair. Only those piercing blue eyes belonged to her mother, even though Glenda had wavy blond hair, unlike her daughter’s.
Vanessa had often asked where she got her curly hair, because she claimed she hated it. He would merely shrug, and say the angels gave her those curls and she shouldn’t complain. He tried to brush those memories aside. It caused his heart to be touched with guilt, concerning his treatment of her mother, who now rested in a graveyard, not far from his Aunt’s plantation. Only now, Vanessa stood before him and was a young woman, starting out in life and no one to support her, the way she needed to be supported.
He had buried himself in his work as a military man, after his wife had passed away, trying to cure the ache in his heart that her memory always brought to haunt him with, to no avail. Now he had his daughter here conjuring up memories of her mother that he thought he had buried, along with her body. Though he was happy to see his daughter, the very appearance of her, brought back vivid recollections of his past life, which pained him still.
They had argued, the last time he had seen Glenda, and he regretted it, hating the whole, stupid situation, and then taking off, back to his regiment without even telling her he loved her. He wondered if he had loved Glenda. Even now, he found it hard to forgive her for betraying him. He knew Glenda had never forgiven him for his last parting words, and it weighed heavy on his conscience. Yet the grievance between them had begun long before he returned from the war, and then left again. It had been one of the reasons that had pushed him away in the end, and Glenda knew it.
“Well, now,” he smiled as he started to cut his steak. “You have caught me off guard here, by showing up so unexpectedly. I am sorry to say, I never received your letter. It must have gotten lost in the mail. The Comanche and Apache are constantly raiding stagecoaches and travelers alike. Even any trains in the area, within their reach, are not safe if they can manage to board them. However, when I received your wire that you were coming, I made arrangements for you.” He looked at his daughter, giving her a weak smile, dreading what he was about to say next.
Vanessa was looking up at him expectantly, appearing so innocent and trusting. He swallowed hard and then continued. “I happen to have a friend, who owns a ranch farther north of here in Texas. He is in the need of a wife, and you are in the need of a protector who will take good care of you. I trust Jason Mills and know he will make you a good husband. I have contacted him, and he has agreed to take you on as his wife. Therefore, I am sending you to his ranch, where he will take you under his wing and give you a good life.”
Vanessa dropped her fork to the plate, causing a clatter, as her mouth fell open in total surprise.
“You have chosen me a husband?” she croaked. “I can’t marry a total stranger!”
“He is not a stranger to me. He is nice looking, and a well-bred southerner who has a successful cattle ranch here in Texas. I have known him for years, which is why I knew he was in the market for a wife. Women are hard to come by out here, and a man needs a wife to give him children to leave his estate to when he dies. You have lived on a plantation, and should have enough knowledge of how to help run a ranch, so I am sure the two of you will get along famously.”
“You can’t do this to me,” Vanessa wailed, jumping up from the table and starting to pace the room.
“I am your father. Of course, I can find you a worthy husband and Jason is as worthy as I can think of. You have no place to go. You can’t stay here. You can’t return to Louisiana. You have no other choice. Tonight, I will have Broken Feather escort you to the hotel in Brackettville, where you will stay the night. In the morning, he will escort you to Jason’s ranch, which is about a week’s journey from here. He is the best scout I have and will make sure you arrive there safely.”
“What? You expect me to travel with that Black Indian? How can you trust him? He is no better than a darky slave!”
“He has been under army command for five years now, and is trustworthy. He saved my life today, and will protect you with his own life, if necessary. I assure you, Broken Feather is not just some darky slave. He is a person with honor, bred into him by the Seminole Indians.”
“I will never forgive you for this, Papa,” Vanessa cried. “You abandoned Mother, and now you are as much as abandoning me!”
The words stung. They had been similar to the last words her mother had spoken to him before he departed, with her swearing she would never forgive him for leaving her to go back to the military regardless of their differences. Earlier, the Civil war had been raging, and he had to serve his country. Later, military life became a part of him, and he did not want to give it up. It was a way to try and distract himself from what he believed to have become a failed marriage.
While he supported his wife, he knew he had failed her emotionally, because he had not been there for her at the beginning of their marriage. It had been a marriage of convenience and he had resented having to marry her. As a result of his indifference towards her, she had betrayed him early on in their marriage when he threw himself into the working the plantation, to distract himself from the
unwanted marriage. He never discovered who the man was, but he had never forgiven her for it, and seeing his daughter, only brought it back so fresh in his mind.
Now his daughter looked at him with that same anger in her eyes his wife had thrown at him. It was like history repeating itself all over again, he thought sadly.
Only he hardened his heart. He felt he had no other choice, and he trusted Jason. It was the only alternative he had, and Vanessa would just have to get over it. She would thank him in the end, he believed. Only a twinge of guilt still tried to push through, as he realized he was doing to Vanessa what his father had done to him by insisting he marry Vanessa’s mother.
At that moment, there was a tap on the door, and Sam stepped forward and opened the door to Broken Feather. The moment Broken Feather stepped into the room, he knew something was not right. The angry look on Vanessa’s face and the stern look on Captain Renton’s face alerted him to stormy waters.
“Sit down and finish your meal,” Sam said to his daughter as he let Broken Feather into the room.
Vanessa stomped over to the table and plopped down on the chair, stabbing her meat with the knife and fork, grunting under her breath.
“I have an assignment for you, Broken Feather,” Sam said, ignoring his daughter’s outrage. “I need you to escort my daughter across Texas to the ranch of my friend, Jason Mills. I will give you a map to follow and expect you to deposit Vanessa safely there. You are to remain until she is securely married to my friend, so you can return and assure me that she followed my orders. Tonight, you will take her to the hotel in Brackettville, and remain with her there, making sure no harm comes to her from the riffraff that frequent the place, remaining stationed outside her door, to make sure she is safe.”
Broken Feather’s eyes widened. He could not believe what he was hearing. Although he was attracted to Captain Renton’s daughter, he knew she was not fond of him, and clearly showed that she felt he was beneath her. Spending however much time it took to deposit her safely at some ranch, would be like pulling teeth. He had already gotten off on the wrong foot with her, and the very idea of being with her alone made him nervous.
Broken Feather Page 2