Timecachers

by Glenn R. Petrucci

  He felt Benjamin tug at his arm, leading him aside. “For the moment, they only need each other,” Benjamin said. “We should find Catherine and Alice to let them know you have returned with Rebecca. Catherine can attend to her later.”

  Neither Jimmy nor Rebecca noticed them leaving, oblivious to everything except each other. For the moment, even the pain of their injuries could not penetrate the fortress of love surrounding them, insulating them from all intrusions, shielding them like a suit of armor. They whispered to each other in the voices that lovers use, using words that bypassed the ear and traveled straight to the heart.

  Gradually the relentless tugging of reality, like a child clamoring for the attention of his parents, pulled them from their reverie. Jimmy was aware that Rebecca had been abused; her bruised face made that obvious, though he did not know the extent of her maltreatment. He gently eased his embrace as they both sunk to the ground, keeping her cradled in his arms. Jimmy would not ask her about her ordeal. He held her firmly, caressing her head, knowing she would eventually reveal to him the horrible details. They kept no secrets from each other, and he silently prayed he could endure the horrors she would tell him.

  Rebecca was less patient. She questioned him thoroughly about his injuries, and would not speak of herself before he repeatedly assured her that he was recovering well and would be fine now that he was with her again. She suddenly became silent, and Jimmy knew she would begin telling him things he dreaded to hear. He steeled himself, resolving to listen to her without interruption, wanting to give her the loving response she needed. He did not want his anger at the attackers to deprive her of that. Very soon after she began to speak he knew he was not prepared to keep his resolution.

  She apologized to him. Tearfully, she told him how sorry she was that she had not been able to fight off her attackers. She tried, even managed to injure one of them, but inevitably succumbed to their attack. She hoped he could forgive her for not fighting harder.

  It was too much for Jimmy to bear. His own eyes flooded with tears as he hushed her, shaking his head and placing his fingers on her trembling lips. He could barely speak, but managed to choke out enough words to tell her she had nothing to be sorry for, that he could never put any blame on her for the heinous torment she had suffered.

  “But you must let me finish,” she whispered, her head nestled against his chest.

  Jimmy remained silent, watching their tears mingle as they fell down his body. He felt her hand on his chin, gently guiding his head to look into her eyes. Her fingers brushed the purple-black bruise circling her neck. He saw the rope burn and assumed it was one more outrage she had suffered during her struggle.

  “This is what I am most sorry for,” she continued. “When I believed they would return to attack me again, I lost all hope. I believed I could not go through more, and I tried to use the rope they tied me with to end my suffering—by taking my life. It was not until I began to tighten the rope around my neck that I realized I could not go through with it. Not because I was afraid to die. I longed for that. It was because of you and our unborn child. I realized I had no right to take his life or to take him from you, to leave you alone, deprived of both your wife and child. I am so ashamed of attempting such a selfish and cowardly thing.”

  Jimmy vehemently shook his head and forced himself to speak. “You must not feel any shame for anything that you did or anything that was inflicted upon you. Who could not have felt as you did. What matters most is that now we are together again. Had you not returned, I do not know if I would have wanted to go on…”

  “Jimmy, no! Do not say such things!” she said horrified. Her tears began again.

  Jimmy immediately regretted his words. He struggled to find a way to express himself without causing her more anguish.

  “What I mean to say is that I am the one who must live with shame. Not because of what they did to you,” he added quickly. “I should have found a way to protect you, instead of letting myself be so easily incapacitated, leaving you to be tortured by those animals.”

  “That is just not so, Jimmy. Do you think it would have been better for me if they had killed you? I will return your own words to you—what matters most is that we are together again. Adam also expressed unfounded feelings of guilt…”

  “Adam!” Jimmy interrupted. “I was foolish to trust him! He should have never let them keep you behind. Just another white who only cares for himself!”

  “You are wrong, husband,” she admonished. “Think before you speak. He was as powerless to stop them as we were. What would you have had him do differently? Would I be here now if not for him? He is not beholden to us, yet he risked his own safety to ride back with the captain to confront my attackers. And play a part in the killing of their ringleader.”

  “That should have been my prerogative. But, yes,” he agreed, “they acted honorably, and I am grateful for their efforts to rescue you. I still do not think I can completely trust a white man again.”

  “You cannot condemn an entire race because of the actions of a few.”

  “It is the white government that is inflicting this upon us. They are the representatives of them all, are they not?”

  “Yes, but that does not mean they are all in agreement. You know there have been many whites who have argued in our favor.”

  Jimmy could not understand how she could defend them after what she had been through. He knew she was wise, and perhaps it was his anger shaping his thoughts. He was not ready to concede, but he did not want to argue with her. He grunted noncommittally and pulled her more tightly to him. “You should try to get some rest now,” he told her.

  Chapter forty-two

  Alice and Catherine were relieved by the news of Adam’s safe return. They listened in horror as Adam told them how Captain Martin defended himself against Jeb, and of the horrors Rebecca had suffered. They praised him for his bravery, and thanked him for bringing Rebecca back to Jimmy. Adam insisted that it was Captain Martin who deserved their praise, not him. He still felt guilty for leaving Rebecca behind in the first place.

  It took firm persuasion from Benjamin to convince Catherine not to immediately seek out Rebecca. “Give them some time together, wife. That is the best medicine for them both right now. Adam has told you her hip has been reset. She will need you more later on.” His orders given, he tempered his strictness with a few words of praise. “You did well seeking out the other children for Billy and Sally. The distraction seems to have lifted their mood,” he said, pointing with his chin to the group of children.

  “They are in much better spirits now,” Catherine agreed. “Alice enlivened them all with one of her funny stories.” Benjamin smiled and nodded his approval at Alice.

  “Some of those children look ill, though,” said Alice. “I hope the stress of being here is not making the little ones sick. Gracious, the conditions here are very unhealthy!”

  “Not very hygienic from what I have seen,” said Adam. “I noticed the toilet facilities are no more than an open pit. This whole place has an ungodly stench.”

  “They are saying we will not have to be here for long,” said Benjamin. “Jesse Weaver told me the plan was for us to be sent to Ross’s Landing, and take a river boat from there to the western territory. I hope that happens soon; the weather is becoming quite warm.”

  Adam and Alice shared a concerned look, remembering from their history how the hot weather devastated the first group sent to the western territory. It was so bad that John Ross convinced the government to delay the removals and let the subsequent groups be led by him in cooler weather. It was a well-meaning but misguided capitulation that resulted in more time spent within the horrible stockades and then dealing with extremely cold weather in a weakened condition. In either case their friends faced a perilous ordeal.

  Their attention was drawn to a ripple of movement through the crowd. Captain Martin had returned to the stockade, the people becoming silent and pulling back from him as he passed. He was ob
livious to the scornful looks he was getting from the incarcerated Cherokees, focusing his attention on his objective, which apparently was Adam.

  “Adam,” he began, after giving a quick tip of his hat to Alice. “How is Mrs. Deerinwater?”

  “About as well as can be expected, I guess. She is with her husband. How about her other two attackers? Locked up, I hope.”

  “As I expected, they did not return to the fort.” Clearly it was not a subject he wanted to discuss inside the stockade. “I spoke with the colonel about you and Alice, and of course he agreed that you are both free to leave.”

  “I don’t think either of us cares to abandon our friends,” he said, getting a nod from Alice. “Besides, we are a long way from home, and really have nowhere locally we can go for now.”

  “I understand your situation. To remedy that, my wife and I would like to extend the hospitality of our home to you both. We have a house close by, outside of the fort boundaries. You are welcome to stay until you can make arrangements for transportation home.”

  “That’s kind of you, but I don’t think we could consider staying with you while our friends are being held here in this place.”

  “Certainly not,” said Alice in agreement. “These people have been very kind to us, and we are not going to desert them.”

  “I encourage you to reconsider,” Captain Martin said sincerely.

  Benjamin interjected before they could reply. “Adam, Alice… if I may suggest… perhaps you should take advantage of this man’s offer. I understand your reluctance, but there is no need to subject yourselves further to this place if there is another option.”

  “Yes,” said Catherine. “It would make sense to go if you can. No one would stay here if they were not forced to,” she said, emphasizing her words with a glare at the captain.

  “You would be free to come and go as you please,” said Captain Martin, not rising to Catherine’s bait. “So there is no need to feel you are abandoning your friends. I must report each morning, and you could return each day with me if you like.”

  Adam and Alice exchanged a tentative look, still not convinced that accepting the captain’s hospitality was entirely proper. As honorable as he may be, he still represented those who had forced their friends from their homes.

  Benjamin sensed their hesitation and offered some additional points for them to consider. “This stockade is becoming quite crowded. If you choose to stay with this man, it will make more room for those who have no choice but to stay. You should also consider that there is likely to be some that hold animosity toward all whites—forcing someone from their home and incarcerating them just because they are Cherokee can cause those types of feelings in people who would normally not have them. Therefore, your safety here, especially at night, may be at risk. That is a difficult thing for me to say, but it is true. You are both always welcome to be with us, and I believe especially beneficial for our children, but staying through the night would only needlessly endanger you. I strongly encourage you to accept this man’s accommodations. Visit us here each day if you wish.”

  Adam noted Alice’s determined look, and was well aware how stubborn she could be once her mind was made up. He recognized the astuteness in what Benjamin said—that there was likely to be animosity toward them. Adam felt obligated to persuade her to accept the relative safety of Captain Martin’s home. He’d seen the outcome of the ruthless attack on Rebecca. The last thing he wanted was for Alice to be subjected to such violence; he still felt responsible for getting her into this dangerous situation. He knew she would not allow herself to be terrorized, but he hoped her stubbornness could be penetrated by a sensible argument.

  “Alice,” he began, “Benjamin has a good point. I don’t think now is the time to stop taking his advice. Maybe we should stay with Captain Martin. There is little we can do here at night, and our presence just might infuriate many of those who are being kept here. It could even bring trouble for the Rogers’ if they are seen to be protecting us. I know you wouldn’t want that any more than I would.”

  “Yes, you’re right, I most certainly wouldn’t want that.” She gave a hard stare to Captain Martin as she considered. “Alright, I will agree as long as staying with them isn’t going to offend Benjamin and Catherine.”

  Both Benjamin and Catherine shook their head adamantly.

  “But first,” Alice insisted, “I have to talk to Sally and Billy to let them know, and reassure them that I’ll be back to see them in the morning.”

  “Sure,” said Adam. “And I’ll tell Jimmy and Rebecca.”

  Captain Martin was visibly relieved that they had finally agreed. He was hoping he would not have to tell them that they had no choice. Colonel Lindsay had made it clear to him that because they were not Cherokee they were to be released immediately and would not be allowed to spend nights in the stockade. It would certainly be asking for trouble; all civilians who were not incarcerated or in the employ of the military must leave at sunset.

  “That will be fine,” the captain said. “I have some additional duties to perform, so talk to your friends and I will meet you at the gate in thirty minutes.” He politely excused himself, turned smartly, and left the stockade.

  Alice spent the next thirty minutes with the children. Both Sally and Billy easily accepted that she would be spending the night elsewhere. To them, it seemed completely practical, and they were delighted to hear she would be back to spend time with them again tomorrow.

  Catherine insisted on going with Adam to attend to Rebecca. Benjamin did not complain—he had done his part by giving them some time alone. Rebecca’s injuries should also be looked after, and he believed it would be beneficial for her to have another woman to talk to.

  Rebecca was genuinely pleased to know that the captain offered his home to Adam and Alice. She expressed her gratitude to Adam once again for him coming to her rescue. Adam replied to her with more words of outrage of what had been done to her. He began to tell her he hoped she would soon be feeling better, but Catherine shooed him away so she could examine Rebecca’s injuries.

  Jimmy reacted coolly, not speaking much or seeming to care what Adam had to say. Adam assumed he was preoccupied with concern for his wife, and the anger at what had happened to her. He would have liked to say something to console Jimmy, but his better judgment told him it was probably best to remain silent. If it were his wife who had been attacked, he could not imagine anything that anyone could say that would make him feel better. He told Jimmy he would see him tomorrow, but received only a grumble in reply.

  When Adam and Alice arrived at the gate, they found Captain Martin waiting. “It has been a long day for all of us,” he said to them, “and I will be glad to put it behind me. My home is within walking distance, so if you are ready…”

  “Lead the way,” said Adam.

  Alice waved goodbye to Sally and Billy through the closing gates, following despondently behind the two men.

  Chapter forty-three

  The hand that clamped forcefully over Sal’s mouth smelled of fish and damp dirt.

  Drowsy from the huge meal Henri Acres brought them, Sal and Yonah fell asleep quickly and soundly. Yonah had prepared a sleeping mat for Sal next to the unlit fireplace, and then retired to his own sleeping area in the cabin loft. The last thing Sal remembered was lying down on the mat. He slept soundly until the rude awakening.

  He was staring into the rheumy eyes of some middle-aged hooligan, breathing the stench of his clammy, foul smelling hand. He had the feeling this was not going to be one of his better days.

  The rube crouched closer, putting his face next to Sal’s ear and muttered, “Don’t ya dare move, princess!”

  The stink of the man’s hand was overwhelmed by his putrid breath. Sal realized there were a lot of twenty-first century amenities that one could do without, but oral hygiene wasn’t one of them. The only thing that kept him from attempting to respond to the “princess” remark was the thought of opening his mouth and gettin
g a taste of the rancid smelling hand. That and the fact that in the man’s other hand was an enormous, bone-handled hunting knife.

  Sal worked to clear the sleep from his mind and evaluate his situation. There were bright rays of sunlight streaming through the cabin window indicating it was already early morning. He heard the footsteps of at least one other person inside the cabin. He glanced up at the loft. It was empty. Yonah was nowhere in sight.

  Sal’s thoughts were interrupted by more foul-smelling invectives. “Now lookee here, princess. I’m a gonna take my hand away so you can answer a few questions. If’n ya holler, I’ll gut ya with this here knife.” The rube flashed the knife in Sal’s face. “You understand?” he asked as he slid his hand down from Sal’s mouth and took a grip around his neck.

  “Up yours, fish-breath,” said Sal fiercely. “Get your stinking hands off of me!” Following directions wasn’t one of Sal’s strong suits.

  The man tightened his grip on Sal’s neck, throttling him before he could speak again. He flipped the hunting knife in his other hand, grabbing the blade and sharply flicking the heavy haft down on Sal’s forehead with a sickening thump. It struck Sal right between the eyes, the pain so intense it blurred his vision. He tasted that stomach-turning metallic tang caused by a sharp blow to the nose. Sal was blinded by a dazzling starburst, as if someone had set off a camera flash in his eyes, and felt a warm stinging in his right eye as the blood from his forehead trickled into it. He choked on the blood from his bleeding nose running down the back of his throat.

  “You smart-mouth me again, princess, and I’ll drive this knife right into your brainpan. Now, first thing I wanna know is, are you the only one here?”

  The grip of the man’s hand around his neck prevented him from speaking, but it loosened enough that he could nod affirmatively. Better, he thought, not to tell them about Yonah.