by Donna Dalton
He nudged his mount forward. Once he delivered his report, his assignment would be complete. The Seaton House evacuees would become Major Allen’s headache. And his hunger for the intriguing Meredith Talbot would shrivel and die.
Thirty minutes later, he arrived at Fort Dent. Civilians and military personnel swarmed around the garrison like bees in a hive. The fort was smaller than Leavenworth and much cruder. The buildings were made of thin wood planks that held onto the heat in the summer and let in the blustery weather of winter. There were few amenities. But he could handle the coarse conditions. It was the poorly equipped troops that had him discouraged and frustrated.
The rifles were antiquated and barely operational. Many jammed at the least provocation. Requisitions for new arms had been ignored or just plain denied—probably because it wasn’t warranted for such a small fighting force that saw little action. He couldn’t wait for his request for reassignment to be approved. Then he could put his four years of military education and training to better use.
He dismounted in front of Commander Allen’s headquarters and tied his horse to the hitching post. As he pushed through the door, the major’s adjutant rose from behind a desk and snapped to attention. The soldier was lean and leggy, like a yearling colt, with little facial hair. The army appeared to take them straight out of the schoolroom these days.
“Lieutenant Booth, sir. The major has been looking for you. Go right in.”
He removed his hat and crossed to the open doorway on the other side of the room. No sound came from within. A good sign or bad? Major William Allen was known for his mood swings, made worse by an unexplained and painful stomach ailment that hit out of nowhere. He supposed that kind of suffering would make anyone surly. Unfortunately, the report he had to deliver would only toss oil onto any belly fire.
Steeling himself for the worst, he entered the office and stood at attention in front of a desk behind which sat the commander of Fort Dent. The major looked fit enough, no sweating, no grayish pallor that usually accompanied his ailment. His neatly arranged jacket was fully buttoned. Maybe he’d lucked out and had arrived between bouts.
Preston delivered a brisk salute. “Major Allen, sir.”
The major grunted and peered at him over the rims of his spectacles. “Where the hell have you been, Lieutenant? You were expected yesterday evening.”
Definitely not between bouts. “We were delayed by a broken wagon axle, sir. And then the weather turned on us. We had to wait out the night at the orphanage.”
“But they are here now.”
“They are on the way. There was a problem with their belongings.” He explained the situation with the trunks and Miss Talbot’s request for housing.
“Who is this Miss Talbot? I thought Mildred Campbell was the steward.”
“Mrs. Campbell is away on an extended trip. She left her niece, Miss Meredith Talbot, in charge of the orphanage.”
The mention of her name conjured images of flashing violet eyes and beckoning lips. It would take some time to get thoughts of her out of his head. What he needed was a long, bone-tiring patrol to cleanse his mind…the sooner, the better.
The major leaned back in his chair and rubbed his belly. A second later, he grimaced and let go a rumbling belch. His scowl eased. “Pardon me. Stomach is acting up again. So this Miss Talbot wants housing where they can all be together?”
“She insisted on it, sir. It was the only way she would agree to move everyone to the fort.”
“Well, I suppose there’s nothing for it. We’ll have to accommodate the niece’s wishes.”
For all his surliness, Major Allen retained a clear, rational head. Tension rolled out of Preston’s shoulders. He didn’t want Miss Talbot to think he’d spoken in bad faith about attaining quarters where she and the children could stay together. He could hand over their care to the major with a clear conscience.
The adjutant appeared in the doorway. “Excuse me, sir, but Mayor Wood is here. For a tour of the fort.”
“Yes, yes,” Major Allen said with a flick of his hand. “Tell the mayor I’ll be right there.”
As the soldier left the room, Major Allen unhooked his spectacles and set them on top of the desk. He stood and straightened his jacket with a tug on the bottom. “Delicate business these orphans. We don’t want to appear hard-hearted, especially with most of the townsfolk watching.”
In his opinion, the orphans and the townsfolk ought to be grateful for the military’s help in whatever form that came. But then, he wasn’t the commander.
“With that in mind,” Major Allen continued. “I’m assigning you to look after them from the moment they arrive until they leave. Anything they or their caretakers need, housing, clothing, or food, you will do your best to provide. I don’t want any complications, is that understood?”
Damn. Damn. Damn. Overseeing latrine maintenance couldn’t be a worse assignment. “Yes, sir. I understand perfectly.”
“And one other thing, Lieutenant.”
Of course there was more. How could there not be?
“I have requisitioned the officers’ barracks for the arriving civilians. You will need to make other arrangements for your quartering. For convenience sake, I suggest you have your striker pitch a tent near the orphan’s quarters. That will facilitate the administering of their needs.”
Wonderful. Now he’d be living near the noisy, unruly urchins day and night—not to mention their bewitching guardian.
****
“I don’t like it here. There’s too many people, and the fence is too big. I wanna go back to Seaton House.”
Meredith contained a grumble of agreement. The ten-foot tall stockade walls were intimidating, as were the dozens of soldiers and civilians swarming around the gaping maw at the gate. As much as she wanted to tell the driver to take them back to the orphanage, they had to stay until the threat from the Indians was allayed.
“It will be all right, Anna. The big fence and all these soldiers are here to protect us. Besides, once we settle into our new quarters, you won’t even notice them.” She hoped.
“Those people are staring,” Lily whispered. “And they have black auras. I don’t like this, Miss Talbot. Not one bit.”
A group of civilians gathered near the gate watched as the wagon rolled past. There were no smiles, no gestures of welcome, just cold, disapproving stares. A chill scuttled down her spine. This did not bode well for their stay. Yet, however unnerved it made her feel, she couldn’t let the children see her misgivings.
“They are merely curious,” she offered in a positive tone. “Considering all the folks that live outside the fort, we are probably just the latest in a long string of arrivals.”
“Do you think they know about us? About what we can do?”
“I sincerely doubt it. Mrs. Campbell has worked hard to keep Seaton House sheltered from the outside world.”
Lily’s face remained pinched with uncertainty. Meredith supplied her with an encouraging smile. “Everything will be just fine, Lily. You’ll see.”
“They don’t look happy to see us,” Anna said. “They have tilted down lips.”
Out of the mouths of babes. “The situation doesn’t lend itself to happiness. They are probably just as unhappy as we are about leaving their homes.”
In a large clearing ahead, troopers rode in formation while putting their horses through a series of exercises. Perhaps shifting the children’s attention to something more fascinating would take their minds off the frosty reception.
“Look, children. The troopers are practicing their riding skills.”
“Just like we practice ours,” Anna chimed in.
“Well, somewhat. And look over there.” She pointed to a large building where troopers were leading horses into and out of a pair of wide doors. “That must be the stables.”
Robbie bounced in the straw, his eyes dancing with excitement. “Can we go visit the horses? Please, Miss Talbot? I bet they have lots to say about the goings-on
at the fort.”
“No, Robbie. The stables are off limits. We need to keep to ourselves, remember?”
The boy’s face and shoulders fell. Meredith’s heart went out to him. She didn’t want to dampen his spirits, but they had to keep the danger of their talents being discovered in the forefront of their thoughts.
A bugle blared, and Mrs. Clement jerked her head upright, eyelids springing open and mouth snapping closed, putting an abrupt end to the snoring that had serenaded them for the past half hour. The housekeeper had somehow found the discipline to nap. How she managed with the noise and the jolting was unfathomable.
“Have we arrived then?”
Meredith nodded. “About five minutes ago.”
The housekeeper grimaced and rolled her shoulders, working out the kinks like a magician escaping from a small locked box. “Ach. It feels as if I’ve been riding in this wagon for a week. Quite exhausting, you ken. ’Tis a relief to finally be here.”
The entire ordeal had been exhausting. Mr. Hoggard had the right of it. He’d decided to stay behind and watch after the animals. Rogue Indians or not, she had half a mind to join him.
Gabe rose up on his knees. “There’s the lieutenant over by that little white building. And he don’t look none too happy to see us either.”
“He doesn’t look happy,” she corrected.
“Nope. But he ain’t ever happy, so it’s all the same.”
Private Greene, his head still swathed in bandages, gave a strangled cough and slowed the mules. The trooper had insisted on driving. Said he wasn’t going to let a little bump on the head keep him from his duties. Hopefully that dedication wouldn’t cause any permanent damage.
The wagon stopped in front of a wood-planked building that had been slathered with whitewash. A small window flanked a plain wooden door, over which hung a sign that read, Headquarters. An American flag fluttered atop a tall pole stuck in the ground. If their assigned housing was half this quaint, their stay would be bearable.
Lieutenant Booth stepped off the stoop and crossed toward them. Whatever Gabe had seen on the officer’s face had been wiped clean. Stubble darkened his jaw, making him appear rakish and unrestrained—a pirate of the prairie. Her pulse stuttered just as it always seemed to do at the sight of him. If she wasn’t careful, he might find her easy plunder.
He climbed aboard the wagon and sat next to Private Greene. He twisted around and tipped his hat. “Mrs. Clement. Miss Talbot. I’m glad to see you made it to the fort without incident.”
Meredith returned his greeting. “As are we. The only attack we suffered was from an irritable wasp. Unfortunately, Sally’s arm took the brunt of the assault.”
“I can have Doctor Troutman have a look at the child if you’d like. His temporary office is not far from here.”
The less contact they had with others, the better. “That won’t be necessary. Mrs. Clement applied a plaster of mud and grass. The swelling has gone down, and Sally is feeling much better. Aren’t you, sweetling?”
Sally smiled and nodded. A piece of peppermint also went a long way to helping a whimpering child get over her pains.
“Very well. I have two possible locations for your quartering. I’ll show you each of them, and you can decide which will suit.” He spoke to Private Greene who bobbed his head and then slapped leather to the mules.
As the wagon rattled forward, the lieutenant faced her again. “Is this your first visit inside Fort Dent, Miss Talbot?”
She had only caught a glimpse of the garrison when she arrived on the stagecoach. Ever since then, she’d remained secluded behind the walls of Seaton House—by choice. “This is the first I’ve seen of it. The orphanage keeps me quite busy. I have little time for seeing the sights.”
He pointed to the whitewashed building. “That is the headquarters of Major William Allen, commander of the garrison. He assigned me to look after you and the children during your stay. Whatever you need, I am to do my best to provide it.”
Having someone at hand who was familiar with the fort and its operation would make their stay easier. But that meant she’d be seeing more of him—a lot more. She’d have to redouble her efforts to keep a firm hand on her body’s fascination with him.
The wagon approached a long rectangular building with a wide veranda stretching across its length. The open porch would be an ideal spot to socialize and to catch an evening breeze during the hot summer months. Doors of the same height and width paraded from one end to the other. The walls appeared to be constructed of wood planks, unpainted and wafer thin. No doubt sounds and chilly weather would find easy entry into the apartments.
“This is the officers’ barracks,” the lieutenant said as the wagon rattled to a stop. “It’s one of the places where we’re currently housing civilians.”
“And what of the officers?”
“We’ve been ordered to find other accommodations.”
That was a relief. While she didn’t wish any hardship on him, having him living within earshot and eyeshot would only add to her strain.
“This is one of the options for you to consider,” he continued. “Unfortunately, most of the units have been taken. There’s only one left. It has a bedroom and a larger living space which includes a cooking and eating section. With ten of you, it will be cramped.”
A door opened and then another. Two women and several children surged onto the veranda. The ladies eyed them warily, while the children stared with open curiosity. One boy started for the wagon but was pulled back by a stern-faced woman. Meredith’s stomach bunched. Cramped conditions she could handle. Being under the scrutiny of so many eyes she could not. It would be a calamity waiting to happen.
“Would you like to have a look at the unit, Miss Talbot?”
The living quarters could be grand as the Taj Mahal, and she wouldn’t accept it. “This other place you have in mind, is there more room?”
“It is larger and a bit more isolated than the barracks, but…”
Uncertainty scampered across his face. Whatever reservations he had about the other housing, it couldn’t be nearly as bad as living in a fish bowl.
She nodded. “It sounds perfect. Take us there.”
After wending around the stables and passing a building the lieutenant called the Sutler’s Store, Private Greene stopped the wagon in front of a one-story structure made of hewn logs chinked with mud. It was indeed set off from the rest of the fort. However, instead of glass panes, vertical bars adorned the windows. There was only one reason for such trimmings.
“You want us to live in a jailhouse?” She couldn’t keep incredulity from staining her voice.
“It’s either here or the barracks.”
Neither was particularly appealing. “Surely there is some other place we could stay.”
“All of the larger accommodations have already been commandeered. What I’ve shown you are the only choices where you can all stay together.”
She didn’t think this misadventure could get any worse, yet it had. Meredith climbed out of the wagon and crossed to the jailhouse. A thin layer of moss coated the logs near the ground. Holes pocked the mud chinking. Worst of all were the cobwebs. They hung in the windows like macabre curtains. A shudder bucked through her. Moss and mud she could deal with. Spiders made her skin crawl. They creeped about on spindly, stealthy legs, and their bites itched for days. The beasts would have to go before she called this place home.
“What about the prisoners?”
“We moved the only detainee to a secure room at the stables.” He pushed the door open amidst a squeal of hinges. “The place is all yours.”
She hefted her skirts and went inside. A rank, sour smell that would offend even a skunk nearly bowled her over. Dirt and grime covered every surface. The filth didn’t deter the bugs. Ants marched in perfect formation across the floor. Flies buzzed near the window. She’d bet her last dollar there were spiders lurking in the shadows.
“How could you allow your prisoners to li
ve in such wretched conditions?”
“They’re not incarcerated for their enjoyment.”
“Nor their health, it appears.”
She went up on tiptoe and crept toward the opening on the far side of the room. Beyond the archway, jail cells lined either side of a narrow aisle. The smaller space smelled much worse than the main chamber, if that was even possible. The odor scorched her nostrils and settled in a curdling hollow in her stomach. She sucked air through her mouth to avoid losing her lunch.
Two places to stay—both of them ghastly. Yet of the two, this reeking hovel seemed the lesser evil.
She sailed for the front door, and once outside, drew in several deep gulps of clean air. It would take weeks to get the noxious stench out of her lungs.
“Well, Miss Talbot,” the lieutenant said as he joined her. “What do you say? This jailhouse or the barracks?”
Eight pairs of eyes latched onto her. If they all pitched in, they could make this place work. They had to. The children’s safety trumped a little dirt and odor.
“The jailhouse will have to do, though it will take a lot of work and supplies to make it livable.”
He pulled a small notepad and pencil from his pocket. “I can have some buckets and mops sent over. Just write down a list of items you need, and I’ll make sure you get them.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant. That will help tremendously.”
“Meals are served twice a day at the fort mess hall or dining hall as you would call it. I’ll have Private Greene show you where that is and explain the various bugle calls which announce the meals and other activities.” He gestured to a large tree about fifty yards from the jailhouse. “If you need anything, I’ll be billeting in a tent over there for the duration of your stay.”
Just her luck. Not only would she be living in a house for criminals, she would have a neighbor—a handsome officer who had her imagining all sorts of sinful misconduct.
****
Meredith squeezed the sponge and dribbled water over her bare legs. Soapy lather rolled off and gathered on top of the bathwater. The wood tub Lieutenant Booth sent with the rest of the supplies wasn’t nearly as large or luxurious as her copper bath at Hickory Hills, but it would do. After two days of sweeping and scrubbing and hauling water from the community well, she reeked. Her stepmother would be beside herself with horror. But then Cordelia always found outrage at the least little transgression. According to the fractious woman, instead of Meredith, her name should be Disgrace.