Once, after eating at one of these inns, Victoria and Bodine had contracted food poisoning, causing them to lose a whole week. From that time on, Bodine insisted that they eat nothing but fresh vegetables, eggs, cheese, and milk. As a result, Victoria swore she would never drink milk or eat eggs again when they reached their destination.
After they reached Mississippi, Bodine would often allow them to rest three days out of the week. He was concerned that the horses could not keep up the pace for much longer, he told Victoria, but she knew it was as much for her sake as for that of the animals.
One night, in a small inn on the outskirts of Jackson, Mississippi, they had just retired for the night, after a long day in the saddle, when they heard a commotion coming from the barn. They could hear Rebel as he raged and kicked at the stall where he had been placed. On investigating, Bodine found two men trying to put a rope around the stallion's neck. When the two would-be thieves saw Bodine's size, they fled into the night. After that, Bodine began sleeping with the horses. He told Victoria that horses were at a premium; with the railroad destroyed and the gulf blockaded, they were the only means of transportation. She was concerned for Bodine's safety, but he assured her that he could take care of himself as well as the horses.
It was late March before the two weary travelers crossed the border into Louisiana. Spring was in evidence along the road they traveled. The grass was turning green and the trees were budding. The weather was mild, and they were able to shed their heavy coats.
April found them in Shreveport. They entered the city late in the afternoon and rode down the main street, which was bustling with activity. There were many Union soldiers mixing with the local populace. By now Victoria felt no need to fear them. She felt only an overwhelming hatred for anyone bearing the blue uniform of the Union Army.
Bodine found a small hotel in the heart of the city and registered them at the front desk. The desk clerk looked at them suspiciously and insisted that they pay for the rooms in advance, and not in Confederate bills. His attitude changed abruptly, however, when Bodine paid him the price he had asked for the rooms.
Though it was a small hotel, it was an elegant one. Bodine and Victoria made their way up the staircase, conscious of the looks they were receiving from the other, well-dressed patrons. Victoria was made to feel aware of her shabby appearance. She wondered why Bodine had chosen such a plush hotel instead of one of the usual out-of-the-way rustic inns to which she had become accustomed. She said nothing, however, and as always relied on Bodine to make the decisions.
Bodine took the key, opened the door to her room, and placed her pack on the floor. Then he left her to go to his room next door. Victoria looked about her. How nice it was going to be just to relax and enjoy the luxurious surroundings. She went over to the bed and sat down on it. She sank into the soft mattress. How heavenly to sleep in a bed without lumps, she thought. She lay her tired body across the bed and soon fell asleep.
She was awakened some time later by a knock on the door. She got up sleepily and opened the door. Two maids stood in the hallway. Their gray pinstriped uniforms were covered with crisp white aprons.
"We have orders to prepare you a tub bath," one of them told her.
Victoria could hardly contain her joy as they brought in a galvanized tub and filled it with hot water. As they had traveled across country, she had been forced to wash herself as best she could from a pan of water—or sometimes from an icy stream. Her last tub bath had been before she left Farraday Plantation.
Bodine came in just as the two maids were leaving. He smiled at her over an armload of packages.
"What have you there?" Victoria asked him, puzzled.
He set the packages on her bed and turned to her. "Well, why don't you see for yourself, Imp," he said, smiling down at her.
Victoria walked over to the packages and picked up the card that was lying on top. She opened it and read:
"Happy eighteenth birthday, love Bodine"
"It is my birthday," she said softly. She could hardly credit that it was her birthday and she had not even been aware of it. A smile brightened her face as she ran to Bodine and threw herself into his arms. "You did not forget," she said, tears shining in her eyes.
"No, Imp, I could not forget something as important as your eighteenth birthday."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, Bodine. It is the best birthday I have ever had."
He dislodged her arms from around his waist. "Why not save your thanks until you open them. Besides, as I recall, every year on your birthday, you say it is the best one."
"May I open them now?" Victoria asked eagerly.
"Of course," he told her. "But I will leave and let you open them in privacy. See if you can be bathed and dressed in two hours," he said. "I am going to buy you the best birthday dinner this town has to offer." He smiled at her and went out the door.
Victoria rushed over to the packages and tore into them. She found a blue cotton gown. She held it in front of her and ran her fingers over the soft texture of the material. Then she laid it gently across the foot of the bed, and opened the other packages. She found undergarments and a stiff white petticoat. She smiled at the thought of Bodine shopping for the intimate garments.
The last package contained a box of lilac soap, her favorite. She held a scented bar to her nose and breathed in its sweet fragrance. "Bodine," she said aloud, "you are the dearest man in the whole world."
She quickly undressed and stepped into the tub of water. She lathered her hair and body with a bar of the lilac soap. The weariness of the long months in the saddle washed away from her in the luxury of the bath.
After she had finished bathing, Victoria stood before the mirror of the small dressing table. She was slimmer now, and her body was firm from long hours in the saddle. She looked at her face and noticed with horror how dark it was. She had been so proud of her creamy white complexion. How was she ever going to get rid of this horrible tan?
She hurriedly dressed herself in her new clothes, then stood before the mirror again and studied her reflection. The blue dress was simple and unadorned, but she treasured it more than if it had been the latest Paris original.
Her hair was almost dry. It hung below her shoulders, and curled about her face in ringlets. She noticed it was a much lighter color now, bleached by the sun.
She turned around in a circle. The skirt of her gown billowed out about her. She felt the softness of it caress her body. It was not going to be as hard as she had suspected to return to being a woman.
There was a knock on the door and she rushed to admit Bodine. He had also bathed and shaved. His hair was neatly combed, and he wore a new shirt and pants. Victoria gave him a mock curtsy. "La, sir, are we not grand?" she teased.
He looked her over. "Very pretty, Miss Farraday," he said soberly, the twinkle in his eyes giving the lie to his formal words. "Shall we dine?" He offered her his arm.
Victoria linked her arm through his. "I do declare, sir, you do know how to please a lady." Then she said seriously, "Thank you for a wonderful birthday, Bodine." She kissed his cheek.
"You deserve much more," he told her. "You have been so brave and have not complained when the going was rough."
"That is because I knew you would take care of me," Victoria told him simply.
"Come," he said, "I am hungry." Bodine pulled her toward the door.
"Wait," she cried, "I have no shoes."
He looked down at her. "It seems I forgot your footwear. How could I have been so remiss?"
"It does not matter," Victoria told him, as she sat on the side of the bed and pulled on her scuffed brown boots. She raised her skirt and looked down at the boots that had been Paul O'Brian's as a child. Then she grinned up at Bodine, "Do you think anyone will notice?"
"I doubt it. When they see the beautiful lady that you are, they will not think to check out your feet." They both laughed and made their way down the stairs and to the dining room.
Bodine had been corr
ect. No one looked at her shabby boots. They stared in open admiration at the beautiful girl on the arm of the giant man who escorted her. Victoria was totally unaware of the sensation she was causing. She had always known she was pretty, but had not given it a great deal of thought. She did not realize that she had grown into a breathtakingly beautiful woman.
The food was delicious as Bodine had promised. Victoria had steak and potatoes dripping with butter, and for dessert she had pecan pie. "This is heavenly," she told Bodine. "I had forgotten that well-prepared food could taste so good."
"You sure ate your fair share tonight, Imp. Are you not afraid that you will bust the seams of your new gown?"
"Not in the least," she told him laughingly. She put her hand over his. "Thank you for a wonderful day, Bodine."
"You have already thanked me, Imp. Now how would you like to go for a stroll?"
Victoria's face brightened. How wonderful it would be to walk leisurely down the street and act like normal people. She nodded her head eagerly. "I would like that very much," she told Bodine.
The streets were far from deserted. There were many people walking about. The street lamps gave off a friendly glow. They saw two men in Yankee uniforms approach them. Victoria drew in her breath as they came near. She felt Bodine put pressure on her hand, as though he knew what she was feeling and was giving her courage. One of the men stepped aside to let them pass, but his companion stood in front of them. His eyes met Victoria's and he smiled at her. She gave him an icy stare. She knew one of them would have to give way to the other, and was determined it was not going to be her. The man spoke:
"I believe you are blocking my path."
"The way I see it," Victoria said coldly, "you are impeding our progress."
"I am sick and tired of you Southern ladies with your mightier-than-thou attitude. You think of us as dirt beneath your dainty feet," he said hotly.
"I can assure you, sir, that I do not think of you at all."
"Come on, Carl," the other soldier said, "leave them alone."
"No, damn it, I will not," he said. "We have the right of the conqueror to be here. Let them walk around me." For the first time his eyes went to the giant man who stood in his path. The cool gray eyes held a threat in them. He knew as surely as if the man had told him, that he was looking death in the face. Without a word, he stepped into the street where his friend waited and let them pass. But the mood of the evening was spoiled so Bodine decided they would return to the hotel.
Bodine took Victoria to her room and saw her inside. "I have been wondering," she told him as he was about to leave, "can we really afford these rooms, Bodine? They must have cost a great deal of money."
He came back and stood before her. "You are not to worry about finances, Victoria."
"But I do."
"Yes, I can see that you do," he said gently. He pulled up a chair and sat down. "Maybe I should tell you how things are. I had no idea you were worried about money."
"It is strange. I do not even remember a time when I gave any thought to finances," Victoria told him.
"There is no reason you should have in the past," Bodine said, "but now, in view of all that has happened, you should know." She waited anxiously for him to tell her, fearing the worst. "The last time your father was home on leave from his unit, he decided it would be safer if we hid the gold bullion in the swamps. He and I sneaked out of the house and buried it one night while everyone else was asleep. He was afraid something would happen to him and he wanted to be certain your future would be assured."
"How like Father to think of me," Victoria said softly.
Bodine nodded in agreement. "He did not put all his gold into Confederate currency for just that reason. He was willing to give his own life for what he believed in, but he would not gamble on your future."
"Is it a great deal of money?"
"No," Bodine told her, "but it will enable you to rebuild Farraday Plantation one day."
"Oh, Bodine, that is good news." Her eyes sparkled with new life. Then she remembered that she could not return to Georgia and probably never would be able to.
Bodine knew what she was thinking and patted her hand. "Do not lose heart," he told her. "Someday you will be able to return home."
She looked into his eyes and knew he did not believe that any more than she did. "Anyway," Bodine continued, "I want to tell you where we hid the bullion in case anything happens to me." Victoria looked at him fearfully. He raised his hand to silence her. "Let me finish. Do you remember the big willow tree you climbed when you were about ten and you could not get down?"
"Yes," she said. "I remember it as though it were yesterday. I had run into the swamps after Bess had scolded me. I do not even remember now what she punished me for, but I was so upset, I thought it would make her feel bad if she were to think I was lost in the swamp. I climbed up high into the branches and found that I could not get down."
"Yes, and when you did not return Bess alerted the whole plantation to search for you," Bodine said.
"I remember crying as it started getting dark, and how frightened I was. Then I saw all the torches and everyone was calling my name."
Bodine smiled at her. "I had to climb up and bring you down."
"Every time in my life that I have been in trouble, you have been there, Bodine," Victoria said with feeling.
He rose to his feet and walked to the door. "The bullion is hidden at the base of the tree. Good night, Imp," he said and left her.
The next day Victoria was stricken with a fever so they had to spend two more weeks in Shreveport. It was while she was recuperating that Bodine told her the news of Gen. Lee's surrender to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at a small Virginia town called Appomattox.
The war was over. The South had been defeated. Victoria cried so hard that Bodine feared she would have a relapse, but she continued to improve and was soon dressed in her britches and boots so that they might continue their journey.
The first of May they crossed the border into Texas. The first sight she had of Texas was a disappointment to Victoria. It was so dry and barren compared to Georgia. Victoria wished she could see the beauty of it as Bodine did. She missed the lush valleys of Georgia, and wondered if this land, which seemed so foreign, would ever be home to her.
She stood beside Bodine and looked about her at the vast land with the never-ending sky. What was ahead for her? Victoria tried to picture what her grandmother would look like, and failed. The only face that came to her was Paul's, and if he was alive, he was a long way from her now. Victoria knew that if Paul was able, he would come to her in Texas, but if he did, she could not return to Georgia with him.
As always when she was troubled, she turned her face to Bodine. And as always, he read her thoughts. "It will be all right," he said simply.
4
After days of riding and only occasionally seeing another human being, Victoria felt they would never reach their destination. They camped out every night now, but it was a kind of adventure. They cooked their food over an open campfire. Victoria slept as unafraid as a child, knowing that Bodine was nearby. What she did not know was that he slept with one eye open and his loaded gun close at hand.
That morning, as they were saddling their horses, Bodine told Victoria they would be at her grandmother's house before dark. They rode until noon without stopping. When they finally halted, Victoria was exhausted. She leaned against a big cottonwood tree and looked around her. Besides cottonwoods, there were cedar trees in profusion. They gave out a pungent odor that was not unpleasant. The blue sky stretched overhead like a giant umbrella. Wild flowers were growing in little clumps.
"What are those funny-looking trees, Bodine?" Victoria asked, pointing to a nearby thicket.
"They are mesquite trees," he told her. "You will find them all over Texas."
"Bodine, who does all this land belong to?" Victoria asked.
He was tightening the stirrup on his horse, and paused to look around. "You are on Hanover la
nd right now. The Hanovers are a rule unto themselves. They have more land than some countries, and rule this part of Texas as though they were royalty. I knew Michael Hanover and his wife, Mariana. They had one son, Edward. I guess Edward is somewhere around thirty now."
"What can they want with all this land?" she asked.
"Cattle, for one thing."
"Surely they do not need all this land to raise a few cattle."
Bodine laughed. "Rio del Lobo has more than a few cattle, maybe around twenty thousand head."
"Rio del Lobo, that is the ranch you told me of when we spent the night in the Martins' barn. Is the name Spanish?"
Bodine nodded. "Named for the Wolf River that runs through it."
"Rio del Lobo. River of the Wolf. How much land does it actually consist of?"
"To break it down so you can understand it, one hundred and fifty miles in every direction, unless they have acquired more land in the last twenty years."
Victoria shook her head. "I still do not understand why they would want so much land."
"You are in Texas now, honey. You have to think big," Bodine told her. She could hear the excitement in his voice. He is glad to be home, she thought.
"Your grandmother's ranch is considered small for Texas," Bodine told her. "Yet it is about four times larger than Farraday Plantation."
"Tell me more about Texas," Victoria encouraged him, in no hurry to return to the saddle, and feeling a little uneasy at the thought of meeting her grandmother.
"I have been gone twenty years," he told her. "A lot can change in that amount of time."
"Are there any towns nearby?"
"Well, Cedarville is the nearest. Not much of a town, at least it wasn't when I left, but San Antonio is only a good day's ride."
"Tell me about San Antonio."
"You will hear all you want to and more about San Antonio. There is a little mission there, called the Alamo, where the Texans boast they turned defeat into victory against the Mexicans in 1836. Now that is enough talk, Victoria. If we linger here much longer, it will be dark when we get to your grandmother's."
Ecstasy's Promise (Historical Romance) Page 5