Dorothy Garlock - [Wabash River] (48 page)

“I do.”

“Speak up, woman.”

“Her name is Miss Carrathers,” Captain Sinclair said sharply.

Hammond glanced quickly toward the back of the room, then shuffled his papers.

“Is it tree you lived here in Vincennes as the indentured servant of Norman Cooley?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you English?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Were you in Detroit approximately three years ago?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Did Mr. Cooley have to chastise you more than a dozen times for consorting with British militiamen?”

“No!”

“I must remind you that you are under oath. Did you sneak away and meet militiamen a half dozen times?”

“No! I didn’t meet anyone.”

Hammond laughed. “Never mind the number of times. While here in Vincennes, did you not sneak out several times and meet a man who had come downriver and pass to that man information you had learned about activities here at the fort?”

“No!”

“Your former master said that you did. He said his decision to leave Vincennes was because he feared he’d get in trouble because of you.”

“No! He was out of money—”

“Don’t lie!” Hammond shouted and pounded his fist against his palm.

“I’m not lying!” Tears were streaming down Willa’s cheeks.

“I’ll kill that little weasel!” Colby’s voice reached into every corner of the room.

“Another word from you, Mr. Carroll, and you’ll leave the room,” Captain Sinclair said sternly.

“Is Carrathers your
real
name?” Hammond asked.

“Yes.”

“You don’t know a lie from the truth. In your veins runs the blood of the vilest traitor this country has ever known!” Hammond turned and strode to the desk, looked toward the back of the room, then went back to stand looking down on Willa’s bent head. “Look up,” he shouted. “Look up and tell this court that you are
not
the daughter of Benedict Arnold!”

Colby jumped to his feet and was immediately seized by the guard. “Goddamn you, Perry,” he shouted.

“Sit down or you’ll be placed under arrest,” Sinclair said.

Willa’s face was as white as a sheet.

“Answer me,” Hammond shouted.

“I was told that I was.”

“Told by whom?”

“Mrs. Coulter, the lady who paid our passage.”

“You are the acknowledged, bastard daughter of Benedict Arnold?”

“Yes.”

“Does your father live in London?”

“Yes.”

“What message did you bring to the British from your father, Miss Arnold? What message?”

“I didn’t even know him.”

“Ha! Likely story. You have been meeting Quill and passing information to him from the British. You arranged for him to wrest your papers from Mr. George Thompson so it would be more convenient for the two of you to work together.”

Farr got to his feet. He towered over Hammond. “Perry, you can badger me all you want, but I’ll be goddamned if you’re going to badger that poor girl. Sinclair, hasn’t this farce gone on long enough?”

“Sit down, Quill. You haven’t denied any of the charges against you. Prophet was ready for our men when we got to Prophetstown. You could have alerted them through Rain Tallman. You have taken the enemy, Tecumseh, into your home and showed him the supplies sent to protect the settlers in the Wabash Valley. Then you killed the only man that had proof this woman was a spy.”

“Not the only man, Captain Sinclair. I want to question Mr. Norman Cooley, who was this woman’s—”

“Just a moment.” The tall man who had been standing at the back of the room came forward. “I have a question for the young lady before you call your so-called witnesses. Miss, how old were you when you came to America?”

“I was six years old, sir.”

“When did you begin your indenture with Mr. Cooley?”

“When I was eleven.”

“At eleven years you had to work to pay the cost of passage for you and your mother to come to America. It seems unlikely to me that Benedict Arnold would send a six-year-old, or even an eleven-year-old to deliver a message—and not even pay her passage. Arnold may be a traitor to his country, but he’s not a fool.”

“But Major Taylor, I have a witness.” Hammond moved back away from the tall man so he could look up at him.

“I’ll question Mr. Cooley myself. If he’s lying about this child, so help me God I’ll hang him before the day is out!” The major’s voice rose and quivered angrily.

“If you would only let me continue, sir. Mr. Hoffman was present when Quill killed his friend, and his friend confided—” Hammond’s words were cut off when the door slammed shut. “Mr. Cooley?”

“I think your Mr. Cooley flew the coop, Lieutenant. He just high-tailed it out of here so fast his coattail was standing out straight behind him. The rat-faced riverman was having a hell of a time keepin’ up.” A murmur of laughter erupted. Hammond’s face turned a brick red and his chin quivered with anger.

“You . . . you frightened off my witnesses, Major Taylor.”

“It was my intention. If they had been honest, they would have had nothing to fear. Rats usually desert a sinking ship, Perry. Remember that.” Zachary Taylor grabbed up the papers the court recorder had been writing on. “Untie Farr,” he commanded gruffly.

When Farr was free, Liberty rushed to him. “Is it over, darling?” She wrapped her arms about him and buried her face against his chest. “Oh, I hope it’s over.”

Zachary Taylor turned and faced the men in the room who were enjoying Hammond’s discomfort so much they could scarcely keep the grins off their faces.

“If one word of what has happened here today is spread in town, I’ll see to it that each of you is transferred to Fort Dearborn immediately. Do you understand? Now get out of here. I want a private word with my officers.”

The men filed out quickly and quietly. The threat of being sent to
Eschicagau,
the Lonely Station, was enough to subdue the rowdiest among them.

Colby was on his knees beside Willa, drying her tears. She was crying softly and trying to keep her face turned away from him.

“It’s over. It’s going to be all right now, sweetheart.”

“It’ll never be all right.”

“Of course it will. Now we can go home. But before we go we’re going to pay a call on the preacher here in town.”

“No. I couldn’t—”

“You will be my wife before this day is over,” Colby said firmly.

Zachary Taylor stood looking at the four officers. “What have you got to do with this?” he asked the lieutenant who was acting as court recorder.

“Captain Sinclair asked me to sit in, sir.”

“And you?”

“The same, sir,” the other lieutenant said.

“I believe you. You have my permission to leave. What I said to the men goes for you. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

When the door closed behind them, Zachary Taylor turned to Hammond and CaptainSinclair.

“I want to know what the goddamn hell you’re trying to pull off here! This is undoubtedly the worst example of ethics I’ve ever heard of. Did you think to conduct this trial without my knowledge or that of the governor, and have Farrway Quill shot before we knew about it? What was in it for you, Sinclair? Did you hope to make major? No,” he said sharply and held up his hand when Captain Sinclair would have spoken. “Farrway Quill has the complete trust and support of both Governor Harrison and myself. He turned down a commission to be commander of this fort. He’s worth
ten
of you!” the major shouted. “It’s due to his efforts that there have been no uprisings to speak of in the Northwest Territories for the last several years.”

“But sir, Tecumseh—” Hammond’s face was rigid, his back ramrod straight.

“Quill is a friend of Tecumseh, and of John Spotted Elk. That friendship is what makes him a valuable messenger for the governor of this territory.”

“I did not know, sir.”

“I’m disappointed in you, Captain Sinclair,” the major said. “How could you allow an upstart lieutenant to talk you into doing something so stupid?”

“But—the murder—” Hammond’s voice had suddenly dried up.

“Yes, the murder. What about that, Farr?”

“Stith Lenning had Willa tied and gagged, and was carrying her off into the woods. I grabbed her away from him and he came at me with a knife. I killed him.”

“Was he wanting a woman, or this one in particular?”

“He wanted Willa, but I don’t know why.”

“Do you know, young lady?”

“No, sir. Unless it had something to do with Mr. Cooley.”

“What do you know about this, Perry?”

“Nothing, sir.” Hammond looked straight ahead, his eyes focused on the wall.

“Was it Cooley who told you the young lady was the daughter of Benedict Arnold?”

“Yes, he did. He was convinced that she was a spy.”

“After you crossed his palm with a shilling or two, eh, Perry?”

“Sir!”

“I have my spies, too. It was a mean and cruel thing he did to you, young lady, blurting out that your father was a traitor.”

“I didn’t know it for a long time, sir. Even when I learned of it, I didn’t think much about it. But when I got to know who he was,” Willa’s voice trembled, but she was determined to continue. “Mum worked for Mr. Arnold’s wife, then she and Mr. Arnold—Mum said Mr. Arnold sent her to his friend, but Mrs. Arnold took the passage money.”

“We don’t care about any of that, Willa,” Liberty said before turning on Hammond. “Hammond Perry, your mother was as crazy as a loon, and you’ve got a mean streak up your back a mile wide. I don’t care if Willa’s father was the devil himself. She is a sweet, good, kind girl, and I’m proud that she’s my friend.”

“And I’ll be proud to make her my wife,” Colby said as he pulled Willa to her feet.

“I want to apologize, ma’am, for the insensitivity of my officers.” Zachary Taylor took Willa’s hand. “Your father made a terrible mistake in judgment, and no doubt he will pay for it the rest of his life. Let that in no way affect you and your happiness with young Colby Carroll.” He raised Willa’s hand to his lips.

“Farr, I owe you an apology. Heald brought back your report and your recommendation to put someone other than Perry in charge of the patrols. With the shortage of officers, I put your suggestion aside to consider another time. I’m sorry now that I did.”

“I’m thankful you got back, Zack. My patience was getting pretty thin, and I was worried about my wife. I never know what she’ll do. If this thing had gone on much longer she might have gotten a gun and stormed the fort.” Farr hugged Liberty close to his side.

Captain Sinclair stood at attention. “Is that all, sir?”

“No, it is not all. You and Perry stay here while I see my friends out. I have several more things to say to you.”

As soon as the door closed behind the major, Captain Sinclair turned on Hammond with such fury Hammond was sure he was going to strike him.

“Goddamn you, Perry! You blithering idiot! You’ve fixed things now. What happened to your star witness? And that fool, Hoffman? Taylor won’t stop until he has our hides tacked to the wall.”

“How the hell was I to know they’d run or that Taylor would be back a week early? Don’t put all the blame on me. You wanted to be a hero,” Hammond sneered.

“You said it was all worked out. You said Lenning would testify. Why did you go through with it after he was killed?”

“Because it had gone too far to back down.”

“We’ll be sent to Dearborn, damn you!”

Hammond walked to the window, looked out, then turned to face Captain Sinclair with such a look of hatred on his face he reminded the captain of a small poisonous viper.

“I’m not through with Quill or that bitch. Someday, somewhere, sometime, they’ll pay. I’ll settle the score if it takes me the rest of my life. If I can’t get him, I’ll get that goddamn white Indian kid he thinks so much of, or that sister of hers, or those damn kids they took in.”

“All you’re concerned with is revenge. I’ll think of that later. Good God, man! Do you realize we could be demoted? If that happens—” Sinclair’s mouth clamped shut on the words.

Hammond’s chin began to tremble. His head jerked back several times before he turned his neck stiffly to glare up at Sinclair. Spit trickled down from the corner of his mouth and his eyes took on a glassy stare.

“Someday, somewhere, sometime. . . .”

*  *  *

In the outer room Zachary Taylor ordered an aide to bring a wagon to take the ladies back to town.

“I came as soon as I got Anna’s message, Farr. My God! I don’t want to think about what would have happened if I hadn’t received it. And by the way, before I left the mansion Anna told me to invite you and Mrs. Quill, Colby Carroll and his young lady to come to dinner and spend the night. She was taken with your wife and would like to get to know her better.”

“I’m
taken
with her too, Zack.” Farr’s arm tightened across Liberty’s shoulders. His green eyes were alight with love as he smiled down at her. “We’ll be happy to accept Anna’s invitation.”

“And before I forget, Nathan Heald also sent a message. Hull Dexter, the man you’re looking for, is at Rock Island.”

“That means he’s out of my reach for now. But he’ll be back.” Farr held out his hand. “Thank you, Major. If you get down the Wabash, pay us a visit.”

“I’ll be busy for a while seeing to some transfers to Fort Dearborn. But who knows? Maybe in the spring.”

*  *  *

“Farr, isn’t this a grand bed? Wasn’t it nice of Mrs. Harrison to ask us to spend the night?” Liberty wedged her nose beneath his chin and nipped his neck with her teeth.

“Grand,” he agreed. They had just come languidly out of nowhere into a reality where thought was again possible. He had not left her body. Her arms encircled him to hold him there.

“I wonder how Willa and Colby are doing?”

“I notice you didn’t say
what
they were doing.”

“I know what they’re doing, you silly, sweet, wonderful man. This is their wedding night and they’re loving each other like we’re doing.”

“We didn’t on our wedding night.”

“Didn’t you want to?”

“Hell, yes!”

“Why didn’t you then?”

“I was afraid you’d . . . not want me to.”