Still, what did it matter? The fact remained he was a part of Hafer’s dirty deeds and therefore a man she could never even consider calling friend, let alone anything more.
Caleb halted his horse in front of Emily’s cabin. The weather had cleared and what snow they had gotten had melted, giving him the opportunity to ride into town. He intended to continue keeping everything as open and legal as possible with the Council and had come to San Felipe to tell them exactly what he had done about Charles Hafer. Besides that, Wil Handel had stopped by to tell him a meeting of settlers was being held this very afternoon to discuss their desired laws and a constitution. Delegates would be picked to attend a convention in San Antonio de Bexar, where a final constitution would be drawn and some decisions made about their rights and about their problems with Mexico. This would include another plea to Santa Anna to free Stephen Austin. They would show Santa Anna that they won’t tolerate a dictatorship, which was exactly what his rule was becoming.
This time Caleb could not come to town without seeing Emily again. He knocked on the door. “Who is it?” came her voice.
“It’s me—Caleb.”
The door opened seconds later. “Caleb!” Her face brightened and her pale blue eyes shone with delight. “I thought you had forgotten about me.”
“Now how could I do that?” He grinned and stepped inside so she could close the door against the cold. “Howard here?”
She turned away. “No,” she answered. He sensed a defensive ring to the reply. A warm fire crackled in the fireplace of the one-room cabin and the bed was neatly made.
“I … I just thought I’d say hello, Emily—tell you everybody is fine. We’ve had some trouble out at our place—neighbor who has no love for Indians. About a week ago I took the law into my own hands and solved a little dispute over water. Thought I’d talk to the Council about it. I would have brought Sarah with me, but it’s so damned cold.”
She turned to face him, smiling. But her eyes looked troubled. “I understand. The last thing you want to do is expose Sarah to the elements. You’ve got to take good care of that one, Caleb, so you’ll have her a good, long time. She’s a wonderful woman.”
Their eyes held, and he saw a strange sadness there. The first time he had seen her in San Felipe, she radiated joy and happiness at her new marriage. “What’s wrong, Emily?”
She stiffened, talking on the air of the old, hard Emily he’d once known. “Oh, I’m just … thinking how undeserving I am of all this.” Her eyes teared and she quickly looked away.
He frowned. “What the hell is the matter?”
She shrugged. “Nothing really. It’s just me … inside. I was getting ready to walk to town and do a little shopping. I feel so cooped up in this little place when it’s cold.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I … I saw some men riding down the street.” She swallowed. “I recognized them, Caleb. They didn’t seem to notice me close enough to know me, but I remember them.” She shivered. “God, Caleb, they were customers of mine once. I just … ran inside and closed the door.”
She sniffed then and turned. “What if they had recognized me? What if they came back later, when Howard was home, asking me if I’m still in the business of prostitution?” Her voice broke, but she refused to break down. “I thought … here in Texas … I could get away from it. But every day, with all these new men coming in, any time someone who knows me from New Orleans could call out—say something in front of Howard. I just … don’t know what I would do if he found out.”
He sighed, coming over and putting a hand on her shoulder. “That’s not too likely to happen, Emily. But even if it did, I think after he thought about it awhile, Howard wouldn’t even care. He’s a hell of a nice man. He would understand why you were afraid to tell him. You love him and he knows that.”
She reached up, touching the hand on her shoulder. “Do you really think so?”
“I do. It might take him a little time, but you’d never lose him forever. And if he gets ornery about it, you come to me. I’ll have a damned good talk with him.”
She wiped her eyes and looked at him, forcing a smile and tossing her head like the old Emily. “Here I am moaning about my problems, and there are so much more important things going on. Are you here about the meeting?”
He nodded. “Partly. I want to report what’s happening at my place, too.”
“How bad is it?”
“Bad enough. You know well enough how some people think about Indians. I’ve got one of the worst living right next to my land, and have come to find out that he’s a front man for Byron Clawson, who is the real owner of the land.”
“Clawson! Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. To make matters worse, my son Tom fell in love with this neighbor’s daughter and rode off with her and married her in secret. They’re at our place now. Needless to say, her father is less than happy about the whole thing.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Young passions. They don’t stop to reason much, do they?”
Their eyes held a moment, both remembering the wild sexual encounters they had had as mere children at Fort Dearborn. “No, I guess not,” Caleb answered. “But she’s a nice young woman and they seem to be very much in love. All the fighting has been hard on her, but her loyalty lies with Tom now.”
Emily smiled and wiped some remaining tears. “Well, that’s good. That’s the way it should be. A girl leaves the nest and turns her trust and faith from her father to her husband.” She smiled sarcastically, going to a coffeepot hanging over the fire. “I never had the kind of father I had to worry about hurting. I hated him all my life.” She took up a heavy pad and used it to wrap around the handle of the coffee pot. “Want some of this black stuff? It’s strong.”
“That’s the way I like it. Sounds good. I need to warm up a little. But I can’t stay long. I don’t like being away from the ranch, but I need to find out what’s going on at this meeting.”
She poured two cups and sat down at the table. He took a chair across from her. “Life’s crazy, isn’t it?” she said. “Seems like we’re led more by fate than by our own wills, Caleb.”
“Not completely. You decided to change your life—of your own free will. Fate didn’t do that. You are now a married woman living with one man—living the kind of life you were always meant to live.”
She stared at her coffee. “Perhaps. And it’s true I made an effort to change my life. But fate could take it all away from me, Caleb. Seeing those men today reminded me of how delicate our lives are, how dictated they are by outside factors we can’t control.”
She met his eyes. “I hope it doesn’t happen to you,” she added. “You don’t deserve any more unhappiness. But me …” She shrugged, putting on the old, hard smile. “I deserve everything that happens to me, except Howard and happiness. I don’t deserve that.”
“You have every right to it. Your father stole all your happiness in childhood, and Potawatomies took away any last remnants of pride and dignity. Considering what you went through, I admire what you’ve done. You have risen above it, Emily.”
She laughed lightly. “Have I? Once a whore always a whore, that’s what most men think. And that’s what Howard will think if he ever finds out.” She sighed deeply, rising. “I guess I should have told him right at the beginning. He either would have married me or told me to go to hell. At least I’d have had it over with before I became so emotionally involved. I didn’t really love him at first, you know. I just married him so I could live like other women for once in my life. But he’s so … so damned good to me … so kind and considerate … and so trusting. That’s the part that really bothers me. He’s so trusting.”
Caleb drank more coffee, then got up himself, going over and putting his hands on her shoulders. “Quit worrying about things that haven’t happened and probably never will.”
She smiled. “How about that old injury? You ever have trouble with the paralysis?”
He let go of her. “Not in years. Just some sti
ffness in my legs, especially in this cold weather. But I still live with the fear of it happening all over again and lying helpless.” He walked to the table and sipped some more coffee. “I have Byron Clawson to thank for that.”
She rose and put her hands on her hips. “He still gets to you, doesn’t he?”
He finished his coffee. “I still plan to kill him somehow, if that’s what you mean. He will live to regret what he’s doing now and what he has done in the past.” He set down his cup.
She studied the powerful physique, which seemed to fill the whole room. “He probably will regret it—probably does already. You watch yourself, Caleb.”
“Don’t worry about me. And thanks for the coffee. I’ve got to get going. I just wanted to say hello again.”
She nodded. “Thanks. We have a way of landing in the same places. Considering how big this land is, and how much you’ve roamed it, that seems like quite a miracle.” She sobered. “I can’t help but think there’s a reason for it, Caleb—something that brought me here—something more than wanting to change my life. It’s as though there’s something more I’m supposed to do for you, but I can’t imagine what it could be now.”
“Quit thinking you owe me for Fort Dearborn. You paid that back many times over when you got me walking again. Fort Dearborn was a century ago, and we were kids.” He patted her scarred cheek. “You’ve got to learn to relax and enjoy your new happiness, Emily Cox. I think you should put on a coat and go into town like you planned. You can’t hibernate in here forever for fear of seeing someone you know.”
She smiled sadly. “Yeah, maybe I’ll go after all.”
“Good. And I’ll try to see you the next time I come again. Maybe Sarah will be with me.” He walked to the door and turned. “Go on into town. That’s an order.”
He left and she stared at the doorway. “Sure,” she said quietly, a lump coming into her throat at the thought of Howard’s total love and trust.
Lynda looked out the window at the sound of approaching horses. To her surprise, her heart quickened at the sight of Jess Purnell, accompanied by Sax men. What on earth was he doing here? She turned and looked at Sarah and Bess, who stood at the table kneading bread dough.
“It’s that Jess Purnell,” she told them.
Bess paled. “Maybe something has happened to my father.”
Lynda frowned. “I just wish Tom or Father were here. Did Tom say how far he was going this morning?”
“He’s down at the south end seeing about a sick colt. One of the men came and told him about it this morning. He said he’d be home for supper, though.”
“And Father won’t be back till day after tomorrow. He’s got so much business in town, he won’t get any farther home than the Handel place before dark tomorrow.” Lynda looked around the room. “Don’t tell this man Father is that far away.”
Purnell was at the door by then with Jake Highwater. Lynda opened the door and her eyes met Jess Purnell’s, an unnerving attraction moving through her, something she hoped went undetected. His eyes moved over her appreciatively. “Hello, ma’am.”
Lynda refused to smile. She looked at Jake. “What is this man doing here?” she asked him. “He’s a Hafer man!”
“Yes, but he insisted on coming here. We took his weapons. He’s alone. He wants to talk to Caleb. I told him Caleb was in San Felipe, so he said he’d talk to you, and you could tell your pa what he wants—then he’ll be back.”
Lynda’s irritation was evident in her eyes. “You shouldn’t have told him that, Jake,” she snapped. She felt a pang of guilt at the hurt pride in Jake’s eyes then and was even angrier with Purnell, who made her so nervous she had taken it out on Jake.
She moved her eyes to Jess. “What do you want?” she demanded sternly.
“Lynda, let the man in,” Sarah spoke up. “It’s so cold.”
Lynda stepped back. “You come in, too, please,” she indicated to Jake. “Tom is someplace south of here and we are alone.”
“You don’t need to tell me that. I look out for your best interest, Lynda. You know that.” The proud Cherokee still looked disturbed as he came inside behind Purnell, removing his hat.
Jess followed suit, and John came bounding in behind them, taking off his own hat and gloves and staring at the Hafer man. Lynda refused to offer Jess a chair. Jess’s blue eyes moved to Bess and he nodded. “Miss Hafer? You all right?”
Bess bristled. “The name is Mrs. Sax. Yes, I’m just fine—very happy. You tell my father that. You tell him I love him in spite of what he’s done, and he’s welcome to come and see me here any time he wants.”
Purnell sighed. “He’d like you to come home, Miss … I mean, Mrs. Sax. I’m supposed to tell you—” He sighed and looked at Lynda. “Look, my name is Jess Purnell, in case you don’t remember.” He looked around at all of them. “Look, I’m not supposed to be here at all. I came on my own. I know Hafer is planning something, and I wanted to warn you. I don’t know just what it is because he has only let a certain few of his men in on it.”
“How sad,” Lynda said sarcastically. “You can go back and tell your boss to give up. He’ll not get Bess away from here.”
Purnell sighed, fingering his hat in his hand. His blue eyes drilled into Lynda’s. “Look, I came here to warn you, and to tell you I don’t go along with what the man is doing. I really don’t. You’ve got to believe that.”
“Why?” Lynda asked coldly.
Sarah watched from the table, seeing under all Lynda’s challenging and hardness that her daughter was attracted to the handsome Jess Purnell.
Purnell reddened some and shrugged. “Well, because … because it’s just wrong, that’s all.”
“Then why do you work for him?” Lynda asked pointedly.
He held her eyes. Yes, she was strong, and smart, and not easily conquered. It only made him want her more. “Because all my life I’ve done ranch work and this was a good job. I did not know all the things the man had planned.” His eyes hardened slightly. “What I do is really none of your business, ma’am. But now I have come here to warn you to be careful, and to ask if I could work here, for your father. It might pay less, but I’ve had it with Hafer!”
Lynda’s eyebrows arched, and she suddenly smiled, but it was more of a sneer than a genuine smile. “You? Work here! That’s ridiculous! Do you really think I believe you’ve suddenly changed sides? You’re spying!”
“Lynda!” Sarah spoke up then. “Let the man have his say.”
Lynda turned. “Mother, he’s lying, can’t you see? He’s a Hafer man. That’s all we have to remember. Father would never hire him on here! At the least, we can’t do it without his say.”
“Well, what about your brother? Will he be back soon?”
“Yes. He’ll be back by supper,” Lynda answered.
“What about your father?” Jess asked the questions.
“Jake already told you—” She stopped and bristled. Why was he asking? “I suggest you leave, Mister Purnell. And don’t come back. Hafer men are not wanted around here.”
“I wish you’d believe me. I’d really rather work for your father, if he’d have me.”
“Well, he won’t. You get off our property.”
Their eyes held.
“I’ll be back to talk to your father. You tell him I was here—and that I warned you about Hafer,” Jess said firmly.
“We’ll tell him,” Sarah spoke then. “And thank you for telling us, Mister Purnell. We realize you didn’t have to, and Caleb wasn’t expecting Hafer to do anything more until spring.”
“Mother—” Lynda started to object, but Cale began to cry. She quickly looked over to where he lay in a cradle in the corner of the room.
“Yours?” Jess asked.
She looked back at him, her eyes softening just a little. “Yes. I had a son.”
He grinned. “Good. That’s good. I’m glad for you.”
Lynda blinked, caught off guard by his seemingly genuine concern.
“Thank you,” she managed to say, before turning away.
“Would you like a hot cup of coffee before you go, Mister Purnell?” Sarah spoke up. There was something in the man’s eyes that made her believe him, and she already knew Caleb liked the man. He had mentioned him once or twice.
“That’s all right, Mrs. Sax,” Jess returned. “I’ll get going. I’ll come back another time.”
“And where will you go, Mister Purnell?” Lynda asked sarcastically. “Back to Hafer?”
“For the time being. It’s too cold to be riding alone looking for other work.” He nodded to her. “Good-bye, ma’am.”
She folded her arms and said nothing.
“Good-bye, Mister Purnell,” Sarah answered for her.
Jess gave her a smile and left, totally unaware that Hafer men were headed for Sax land that very day—to take back Elizabeth Hafer and get rid of her husband.
* * *
Hafer’s men came in the night. Many of them were newly hired volunteers who had come to Texas to fight a war that had not yet started. So they had turned their energies to help fight this smaller battle instead.
Their goal was simple. Strike quickly while everyone slept. Take the girl. Kill Caleb Sax, and the son who had “violated” Bess Hafer. There would be guards at the Sax place. A man always kept guards in Comanche country. But Comanche seldom struck at night, and enemies would not be expected.
They rode in a circle around the northeast rim of Sax land, coming in through the more mountainous country, a route Caleb’s men would never expect to see Hafer men use. The regular trail was well guarded, but this route was not. Scouts moved ahead before nightfall, seeing only two lookouts, who were killed with knives to keep things quiet. Then the forty men rode in slowly and quietly, to a point from which they could see the houses—the main adobe house, a smaller cabin and another cabin only partially built.
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