Camp Camel: The Heart of Texas

by Eaton, Rosemary

  Bryan let him in, “She just went to bed. You want me to wake her?”

  Gage shook his head, “No, let her sleep. I don’t want to upset her. I just need the cribs.”

  Bryan asked, “You’re getting Hope and Cole tonight?”

  Gage nodded, “Sonya and Anna came with me. They’ll be taking care of the children.”

  Bryan’s eyebrow rose, “And Mary Jane Vincent?”

  Gage shrugged his shoulders, “Not sure about that. Dad is pretty settled in his ways. It might be better just to let Sonya handle them than introduce a new woman in the house.”

  Bryan asked, “You should tell Mary Jane. She went to a lot of work to get this place ready for you Gage.”

  Gage said, “I sort of feel bad about that, but I did specifically tell Lacy, I wasn’t committing to anyone until I talked to them personally.”

  Bryan asked, “And if we had moved to Indianola?”

  Gage said, “Well by then, I’d know if I wanted her to be their mother and she’d have a chance to get to know me. Some might say I’m not husband material Travers. Maybe not even a good brother.”

  Bryan pointed to the cribs, “There they are. Jenny put that wooden horse in yours so don’t lose it. It would break her heart if you didn’t get that.”

  Jenny walked out of the bedroom, “Wait. You take these. Woman’s work. You give her back this if you not keep her.” Jenny handed him the quilt, embroidered pillow cases, the little cross stitch pictures off the wall and the empty vase, “Come back there more.”

  Gage winced, “You didn’t need to do this tonight. You could have used these.”

  Jenny said, “No, not mine. House not mine. We only borrow to count, then leave. Take these so she does not have to pack after you gone. Do this for her. She did much for you ungrateful man. She put hard work to make this place nice for you and children and you leave like this in the middle of night like coyote sneaking out of hen house.” Jenny went into the kitchen and started pulling out more things muttering, “Expendable, we all expendable to you. She lucky you leave.”

  Bryan sighed, “You’re timing just couldn’t have been worse. She’s probably not going to sleep at all now.” Bryan looked at the pile, “Well don’t just stand there get that out!” Bryan called out to Jenny, “I’ll be right back, just going to pick up a few things at my office. You remember the Major told us to stay here.” Bryan looked at Gage, “Don’t let her leave.” Bryan left and walked as quick as his ribs would let him over toward his office and gathered up a few essentials, a set of clean dish clothes, blankets and pillows and a bottle of whiskey cussing all the way back.

  Gage was working on loading the stack in the middle of the floor of kitchen towels, table cloth, pillows, and the stack of clothes including the shirt she was wearing before. She had Captain Davidson’s army cape wrapped over her buckskin hiding the torn leather.

  Bryan had a load stacked to his chin and headed for the bedroom and sat it on the stripped clean mattress, took the bottle of whiskey and downed the last gulp or two then put the wildflowers in the bottle and filled it with a little water looking sympathetically at the daisy’s, “Rough night, but if you end on the wrong count, you’ll never see the light of day!”

  Gage looked at Bryan, “Sorry, just didn’t see leaving her minding the twins then telling her after she’d been up with Cole, that I changed my mind.”

  Bryan said, “You are a fool Travis. I thought you’d grown up, but I see you’re still only thinking about yourself. You might not see Jenny again, we’re leaving as soon as we sort through the gems.”

  Gage said, “Not waiting to see if MacLeod out ranks Dallas?”

  Bryan said, “He does, but it won’t matter. He cost us the gold. All that time he spent on Jenny could have gone to let her go down and find those levers. Remember that if they ask you. Dallas might be right too, maybe he’s been planted by the Union to sabotage our missions.” Bryan mentioned, “Jenny hit a real sore spot with him. I think he knew your mother. Maybe you want to go talk to her about him.” Bryan pulled out the land grant, “Here. we’re not coming back. Do with it like you want.”

  Gage asked, “Where?”

  Bryan looked at Gage, “You know I can’t tell you that. I have new orders. I don’t know where he got his information from about us, but it sure makes me think twice about staying any longer. Those Union troops come up here, and I’ll be the first person they blame for letting the word get out.”

  Gage said, “Well, I guess I can understand that. Good luck Travers. Maybe after the war ends you’ll think about bringing her home.”

  Bryan said, “Maybe, but maybe not. Dallas was right about one thing. She deserves a chance to be happy.”

  Gage loaded the pile of items Jenny set out into the wagon and drove over to Sergeant Major Vincent’s home. Dallas was coming out with JC in tow and Brianna in his arms as Gage drove up. Dallas called out, “Good luck with that. I’d stay, but I have to think about these two. Past their bedtime.”

  Mary Jane was standing in the door with Hope and Mrs. Vincent was bouncing Cole in her arms. Sergeant Major Vincent stepped out and looked at the wagon, “Captain Travis.”

  Gage said, “Sergeant Major Vincent, this is Sonya and Anna, two of my Dad’s house maids. I came for Cole and Hope. I understand your family has been a great help.”

  Sergeant Major Vincent looked at the two ladies, “Mary Jane, let them have his children.”

  Mary Jane bit her lip, “She likes you to rub her back. Helps her go to sleep.” Mary Jane handed Hope to Anna and took Cole from her mother. Mary Jane looked at Cole and Gage, “Didn’t take after you did he? Stubborn little cuss, but sure had pretty green eyes. We got him where he’ll take goat’s milk and part breast. Still pretty picky and colic hits him in the night.” Mary Jane handed Cole to Gage, “You changed your mind about the live in housekeeper I guess.”

  Gage said, “I’m needed at the ranch. My Dad’s not good with new people and there is a lot of construction needed to make things livable.”

  Mary Jane said, “Cole must take after him. He’s not good with new people either.” Mary Jane looked at the wagon, “You brought my hope chest back?”

  Gage nodded, “I’m truly sorry you spent so much time. It looked nice. It was the least I could do.” Gage turned to the Sergeant Major, “Sir, I’d like your permission to court Mary Jane.”

  Sergeant Major Vincent said, “I’ll give you a chance to get to know each other, but if you even think about playing fast and loose with her like those babies’ mother, I’ll skin your hide with my bowie knife. You understand me Captain?”

  Gage said as he unloaded Mary Jane’s quilts, linens, and pictures, “Yes Sir. She needs a chance to really know me for who I am, not just for who she thinks I am. And I need to get to know whether I’m just going to hurt her before we go any further too. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since we met. Truth is after some of my decisions this week, I’m not sure I’m husband material. I’m certainly not a good brother. Whether I can be a good son, well, that’s yet to be seen.”

  Mary Jane puffed out her chest and told Gage, “You do intend to pay me for the money we spent on bottles, nappies, goat milk, and my time? You didn’t think I did this to trap a husband I hope.”

  Gage swallowed, “Why of course not. You just let me know what I owe you. You think we could have those bottles and stuff they need?”

  Mary Jane frowned, “Stuff, Gage Travis, you don’t even know what they need do you? Well, I’m telling you right now, you better treat these babies right. I don’t want to hear they been crying their eyes out after Mrs. Sanders and I worked so hard trying to get them weaned. You got a wet nurse? Cause I don’t think she’s traveling to give you milk every day. She’s with child you know.”

  Gage frowned, “What? I thought, well shoot. So they’re not weaned yet?” Sonya was speaking in Spanish that she wasn’t staying up with the boy. Gage could do that himself. She was daytime help only. Anna chimed in,
she was not their mother either. Mr. Gage could deal with them at night.

  Gage scratched his head, “I hadn’t thought about that. How often do they get up at night?”

  Mary Jane said, “Twice a night each.”

  Gage asked, “How did you get any sleep?”

  Mrs. Vincent said, “WE TOOK TURNS. Your Dad going to help isn’t he? My husband wasn’t too good to walk that boy.”

  Gage looked at the cradles and the babies were already starting to fuss. “Maybe I didn’t think this through. He’s not going to like hearing them every two hours either.”

  Sonya said, “You live on the porch. I would say barn, but there isn’t one.”

  Mrs. Vincent frowned, “These children won’t be living on a porch for the coyotes to come take away! Captain, you can’t do that. It’s not human to treat children like that.”

  Sergeant Major Vincent replied, “He’s PEEUU what do you expect. They haven’t got a heart. Mary Jane, you look good at his sister tomorrow. You should be glad to be shed of him. He let them do that to her.”

  Gage replied, “Orders. I was just following orders and Jenny understood. This was important. More important than me or her or my Dad or all the men with us Sergeant Major. It could help turn the tide.”

  Sergeant Major Vincent retorted, “Maybe if you got all of it, but odds are any ship we put it on is getting boarded and then we just gave them more to use against us. That gold is cursed. Your sister told you that, her kids told you that. If for nothing but what happened to her this week it should have proved it was cursed when the whole ravine blew up by itself and turned into a lake of boiling water.”

  Mrs. Vincent asked, “Comanche Sands is a lake? So that’s what we felt.”

  Captain Travis said, “Mam, that’s not general knowledge. Please don’t gossip about it.”

  Mary Jane asked, “And what happened at your ranch? She said the barn was gone. I heard people were hurt, and what did my Dad mean by if you got it all?”

  Sergeant Major Vincent said, “Spanish gold. It’s buried under their house in a ton of mud, rock, and lumber. That’s why he is assigned to his father’s ranch. They’re going to try to dig it up.”

  Mary Jane frowned, “You’re not taking those babies Gage Travis! What if the house goes? That land can’t be solid if your barn collapsed. I’ll keep them here.”

  Sergeant Major Vincent said, “Oh no. I need my sleep too.”

  Mrs. Vincent said, “You could keep them in that cottage Mary Jane. Maybe his sister and Captain Travers would help if he begs her husband nicely to forgive how he treated her. He helped with the Major’s kids, surely he’d help with his nephews?”

  Anna said, “They make sense. I not sleep in house, why you want your son and daughter in house. He going to bitch every time they scream like last time Cole was there.”

  Sonya said, “Mr. Gage, either we go back or we stay, but they do not need to be in big house until you know what else end up in pit.”

  Gage looked back at the cottage, “They’re asleep. It’s too late to talk to Travers tonight. Besides she can’t hold them. She got shot and her finger is messed up on the other hand. His ribs are hurt. I can’t ask them.” Gage couldn’t tell them Bryan was leaving. That was PIU business. What ever his orders were, he wouldn’t compromise their chance to leave and the cover that was arranged for them.

  Gage went to a knee, “Mary Jane, you’re a good woman. I’m not a good man, I’m a smuck and some days I’m a prick, but I want to be a good man. My sister and her husband told me I was a fool for not taking a chance you’d learn to love me. Anyone who could put up with some other woman’s twins and one with colic, well that speaks to your fortitude and character, and the capacity to love and forgive me some day. Your father’s right. I let them use my sister to remember things I didn’t and things my Dad could have told them but wouldn’t because he’s a stubborn old man who taught me to be a prick just like him.”

  Mary Jane looked at Gage, “What exactly are you asking Gage? I pretty much knew that before I said I’d be your housekeeper.”

  Gage swallowed, “You did? That’s good. That makes this a little easier.” Gage said, “I want, well I want to, that is if you’ll have me.”

  Mary Jane asked, “Something stuck in your craw? You need a drink of something stiff?”

  Gage said, “Well that would be nice, but no. I mean yes, but maybe not in front of your Mother and Dad.”

  Sergeant Major Vincent shook his head, “Shit, he’s trying to propose. Of course it’s stuck in his craw.”

  Mary Jane poked her Dad, “Ssh. Let’s see if he can get it out.” Mary Jane looked expectantly at Gage.

  Gage cleared his throat, “Dusty road tonight that’s all. Mary Jane, will you marry me?”

  Mary Jane answered, “No. I won’t. We don’t know each other well enough. You’re not going to treat me like you treated their mother Gage Travis, and I have a mind of my own. You understand that? No drugging me with that cactus juice. No drugging these children either. We’re going to have separate quarters like your father’s help has but mine are right here with my family close at hand. It’s clear your family has no idea how to treat children right. I don’t need you in my business or waking these children up or me up while they nap. You can visit and come for meals when you can. Those nights, I expect you to help so I can sleep. I expect you to pay for my time and my sister’s time when she helps out. And if I decide you’re not husband material, then you get them back. You’re not dumping your bastards like you dumped your sister.”

  Gage took a breath like he’d just escaped with his life, “So you want to be my housekeeper. You’ll keep them here while I’m at the ranch.”

  Mary Jane said, “No different than if you were on the coast and had to travel back and forth. I would have been alone with them, except for Jenny’s help. Well she can’t help, but Hazel can. She’s old enough and Mrs. Sanders has been helping some. We can manage, just waiting for you to approve what we proposed like you said.” Mary Jane said, “If we can’t use that cottage, Mrs. Sanders will find some place else.”

  Gage said, “Alright. We had the cottage first. Let me have that stuff back. I’ll explain it to the Major. Captain Travers does have his office and a bed there that they could use. Sonya and Anna could sleep in the other bedroom tonight. I’ll take the floor or the rocking chair. You mind helping keep the twins?”

  Mary Jane reminded Gage, “You’re here. Your night to keep them. My night to sleep.”

  Gage asked, “Milk?”

  Mary Jane replied, “See Mrs. Sanders or your sister. Didn’t she have milk?”

  Gage said under his breath, “You’re not making this easy are you?”

  Mary Jane replied, “I don’t have to work for you. I’m a free white woman and there are men who would be glad to have the help I’m offering you.”

  Gage smiled and flashed his teeth and eyes at Mary Jane, “You’re absolutely right. I’m still a smuck, but one that needs help tonight. Could you see your way to help me learn how to take care of them for extra pay?”

  Mary Jane sighed, “Just this once, but you owe me Gage.”

  Gage smiled, “Yes, Mam, so let’s see. I need to clear this with the Major first.”

  Sergeant Major Vincent looked over at the cottage, “Well I sure hope he doesn’t expect me to tell Travers.” Gage called back, “No, Sir, just let me make sure the Major approves first. Travers had orders to stay put. I don’t want to get them in trouble.”

  Gage knocked on Dallas’ door, “Dallas you still up?”

  Dallas came to the door with Brianna in his arms and a bottle, “What? I thought you’d be gone by now.”

  Gage whispered to Dallas trying to explain what had happened then blurted out, “I need that cottage.”

  Dallas said, “Well where do you expect me to put her? I’m not leaving her in there with all those knives. She could kill him before morning. You left her in a tizzy didn’t you?”

  Gage
said, “How about the camel pen. It’s secure. Not too many sharp objects. Big, private, good place to count and lots of sunshine so he can see them better and closer to the guard house. You wouldn’t even have to traipse across the yard with them.”

  Dallas looked at Gage, “You’re coming with me.”

  Dallas burped Brianna and put her back to bed and they left headed for the cottage. Dallas past the wagon, “Boy, you are a first rate ass hole Gage. You couldn’t even leave them a cover for their bed?”

  Gage swallowed, “I wasn’t going to take those, she insisted.”

  Dallas asked, “Mary Jane?”

  Gage said, “NO Jenny. She said I had to take it back tonight.”

  Dallas winced, “Maybe she doesn’t want her seeing how she looks. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned her hair.”

  Gage asked, “You made her feel bad about how I cut her hair? Sheeze, no wonder she was pissed.”

  Dallas looked at the porch and said, “You hide. I’ve got this.”

  Dallas knocked on the door, “Bryan? It’s Dallas.”

  Bryan rose and put his pants back on, “Now what.”

  He opened the door, “You forget something? Maybe the soap or you want the water bucket too?”

  Dallas looked down avoiding his eyes, “Not sure what you mean by that Bryan, I just need a favor.”

  Bryan said, “It’s late. Can’t it wait?”

  Dallas said, “No, not really. You see, I spoke with Lacy and I don’t think getting the ladies to help is such a good idea now. Too much gossip. But the good news is there’s room in the camel pen. Plenty of fresh air, soft bedding, and sunlight. You need sunlight to see the gems don’t you?”

  Bryan replied, “Well yes it helps. So now you want us in the camel pen. Alright, in the morning we’ll move. I want a table and chairs, a jeweler’s loop, and soft velvet pouches like women use for purses to put the stones in.”

  Dallas said, “Well I was thinking tonight. We could move the items tonight while it’s dark and everyone’s not in our business.”

  Bryan said, “By we, you mean the guards move it. I’m not lifting another bag and neither is she.”