Indigo Sky (16 page)

Chapter 21

Finding a steamer to take them from Boonville to Atchison proved difficult. Webb and his small force remained in Boonville, making forays into the surrounding areas to look for bushwhackers. Jones followed orders and continued back to St. Louis.

Leila and Kate worked with the children of slaves, teaching them until noon. They sank into chairs as the cheerful children filed out.

“How do the children stay so sunny? Most of them don’t even know where their parents are, let alone if they are alive or not.”

“Yes, it breaks my heart. We must get back to the boarding house. Perhaps the men have returned.”

Leila gathered her pelisse and bonnet. “I fear for Rork and Joshua when they go off to find escaped slaves.”

“Me, too, but I detest when they go at night.” Kate’s mouth pulled down. “Unfortunately, that seems to be most often.” They walked along the road to the house they rented.

“It seems a bit quiet on the road today, but the house is just ahead, let’s quicken—”

Leila did not finish her sentence when a child shot out from among buildings, screaming. Her tattered blue dress flapped around her skinny legs, fear etched on her face.

A rotund man followed close behind. With a growl, he lunged at the girl. “Come here, ya brat. I’ll peel yer darkie hide off.”

Eyes wide, Kate and Leila stopped and stared at the altercation.

Squealing, the girl looked over her shoulder and zigzagged to escape the huge hairy hands. “No, masta.” Legs pumping, she raced onto the road straight into Kate. Kate’s hand was over her mouth. The girl knocked Kate off her feet, flat onto her back, and fell on top of her.

The man bore down on the child. “Now see what ye’ve done to the lady, ya miserable little bitch.”

Rising to her knees, Kate wrapped her arms around the child and glared at the man. “Keep your hands off her, you brute.”

His eyes narrowed, and he reached for the child. “The brat is my property. Her mother is my slave.”

Leila brought her hand up and slapped his face. “You despicable slaver.”

Growling, he grabbed her wrist. “I’ll teach ya how to hit someone, woman.” He brought his arm back.

“You don’t scare me.” Trying to free her wrist, Leila stared into his fat face. A day’s growth of stubble sprouted on his jowls. His small, green eyes speared her with rage.

“Leave her alone.” Kate pushed the frightened child behind her and surged to her feet, a rock clutched in her hand. She smashed the rock against his temple.

He released Leila and rounded on Kate. “Bitch.” Blood trickled down his face.

“Stand back, fellow.”

Leila sagged with relief. “Captain Webb. Thank God.”

He kept his eyes on the man. “What’s your name?”

“What’s it to ya?” The man scowled and stepped forward to take the child. “I want my slave back, then I’ll be on my way.”

Webb raised one eyebrow. “I take it you haven’t noticed my uniform, fellow.”

“Yeah, I noticed ye’re a damn Yankee. Now get outta my way.”

“I detest slavers, so best you watch your step, fellow.” Webb shoved him.

The man stumbled back, scowling at Webb. “Ya have no rights here in the south, Yankee.”

Webb bent and took the child’s hand. “Don’t worry, honey. I won’t let this animal take you.”

“He after my mama, suh. She an’ me done gone an’ run away from Masta Sloan. He catch me where my mama hid me in a ol’ empty barn. Said he was gonna use me to get her back.”

Webb picked up the girl and tweaked her short pigtail. “What’s your name, honey?”

“Martha, suh.”

“Well, Martha, this nice lady that you ran into has just the place for you. She and her husband will look after you until we can find your mama.”

Martha put her thumb in her mouth and gazed at Kate with huge pale green eyes. “You gonna find my mama?”

“Yes, I am, little one.” Kate smiled and held out her arms.

Webb handed Martha to her. “I’ll come with you, ladies.”

Eyeing Sloan, Martha wrapped her legs around Kate’s waist and thin arms around her neck. “I’s scared.”

Leila rubbed her bruised wrist. “Thank you for rescuing us, Captain.”

Kate pressed Martha’s head against her shoulder and kissed her brown cheek. “You’re safe now.”

“Ya have no right to take my property.” Sloan roared.

Leila looked from the child to Sloan. The resemblance was uncanny. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “My God, is this little girl your own flesh and blood? How could you abuse your own child?”

Sloan dropped his head, eyes slits of venom. “I don’t sleep with no darkies.”

Webb touched Leila’s arm. “Let’s go, Mrs. Dempsey. This man isn’t worth talking to.”

Leila nodded, took off her pelisse, and wrapped it around Martha. “The child is shaking like jelly.”

They turned and walked away.

A gunshot exploded.

Webb threw his arms around the women and flung them to the ground.

The breath left Leila’s lungs, pain jarring her as she hit the hard ground.

Webb rolled onto his back and drew his pistol. “Desist, Sloan!”

“Go to hell, Yankee.” A shot exploded, and Sloan crumpled.

Rising to his feet, Webb walked to the slaver and rolled him onto his back. “I would’ve preferred to take him into custody. I’ll wager he’s a bushwhacker.” He took Sloan’s weapon and stuffed it into his belt. “Ladies, get to your residence. I’ll get the body removed. I’m sure your husband and Mr. Millburn will find the child’s mother.” Webb strode off.

Leila rose and glanced at Sloan. His inert body seeped blood from a chest wound, soaking into the ground. She shuddered as she helped Kate and the child up. “Let’s get home. Perhaps the men will be back. We can ask them to look for Martha’s mother.”

“That was frightening.” Kate picked Martha up. The little girl wept. “Hush, sweet girl. You’re safe. My husband will find your mama.”

The returning men greeted them on their way to the boarding house. Joshua put his hands on his hips and looked at the girl, grinning. “Have you adopted a child?”

Rork’s eyes swept over Leila’s stained dress, his lips twisted to one side. “What happened?”

Sighing, Leila collapsed against him and explained what happened between hiccups. “I can’t believe what horrid people live in this world.” They walked arm in arm. She glanced up at him, savoring the warmth and strength of his arms.

“Perhaps little Martha’s mother is one of the women we found and took to the safe house earlier today.”

Leila looked up at Rork. “There’s a safe house in Boonville?”

“There is indeed. A woman has been operating it for months, right under Reb noses.”

Kate’s eyes sparkled. “Then let’s go to the safe house. It’s not far, just on the other side of the boarding house.”

“Let me carry her.” Joshua took Martha from Kate.

The child’s eyes went from Kate to Joshua. “Who he be?”

Kate smiled. “My husband.”

“You a free slave, missus?”

Kate chuckled. “I’m not a slave, little one.” She stroked Martha’s cheek. “Soon, there will be no more slaves.”

Martha stuck her thumb in her mouth and nodded.

Rork held onto Leila. “Are you up to joining them?”

“To the safe house? Of course.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead. “You aren’t accustomed to this sort of life.”

She slapped his chest lightly. “I have news for you, mister. I’m no spoilt miss.”

His eyes danced. “Oh, aren’t you, now? I recall a certain lady who couldn’t wait to get to Tiffany’s to shop with a vengeance.”

Her mouth quirked up in a smile. “That was then.”

“Alas, your innocence lost in the haze of war.”

Leila nodded. “I like to think I’m the better for it.”

“My love, if you improve anymore, you will surpass perfection.”

Heat crept into her cheeks. “You forget I’m still married.”

He released a breath of exasperation. “Leila, that’s ridiculous. You’re trying to divorce the man.”

“I know.” She twisted a button on his jacket and gave him a sheepish smile. “I’m probably being silly, but I can’t bring myself to think beyond getting that divorce,” she whispered.

Joshua looked back. “Are you two coming?”

Mouth set in a hard line, Rork nodded. “Yes.” He guided Leila down the road.

A thrill ran through her as his hand rode her hip. At the gate, she turned to face him, putting a hand on his chest. “Rork, be patient with me. I’ll not deny that I am attracted to you, but the timing is wrong.”

A grin lit up his face, and he brought her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers. “Hope at last. That will suffice. For now.”

Leila’s heart set up a clamor, and it seemed every nerve in her body was alive to his touch. “Thank you.”

“Let’s get to the safe house.” With a jaunty step, he took her hand and followed Joshua and Kate.

Leila smiled. “It doesn’t take much to make you happy.”

He looked down at her, his eyes dancing. “Even one crumb to a starving man is a banquet.”

Her skirt raised dust as she walked. She turned to Rork, and in a voice stripped of passion said, “You make me mean.”

“Good.” He grinned. “Perhaps it will encourage you to give me a slice of bread. Although, I’d prefer the whole loaf.”

“Stop baiting me, Rork Millburn.”

“If you bestow one of your heart-stopping smiles on me, I’ll stop . . . momentarily.” He poked her in the ribs. “Come on, one smile can’t hurt.”

Giggling, she scooted sideways. “Stop, I’m ticklish.”

“Mmm, are you now?”

She glanced at him, unable to keep a smile off her lips. “Don’t you dare.”

“Ha, there’s that smile. Thank you. Was that so difficult?”

She laughed. “You’re incorrigible.”

His hot gaze settled on her, and heat coursed through her veins. She fixed her eyes on his wide mouth, a mouth that had claimed her with a passion she now yearned for.

“Keep looking at me like that and I shall have to kiss you,” he whispered.

Hastily averting her gaze, she concentrated on following Joshua and Kate.

The small, nondescript house tucked between other buildings was in desperate need of paint. Broken green shutters hung from grimy windows. Weeds pushed through the paving, leading to a sagging porch. In contrast, a red door gleamed with fresh paint.

“Don’t be deceived by outward appearances,” Rork said, as though reading her mind. “The door is painted for identification purposes. Escaped slaves know to come to the derelict house with a red door.”

Leila nodded. “That makes sense.”

Joshua opened the door without knocking and greeted a plump woman. “Hello, Anya. We have a child looking for her mother.” He rapidly explained the circumstances.

“I’m glad the bastard died.” She ushered them to rooms at the back of the house. Putting her hand on a doorknob, she looked at Leila and Kate. “Don’t ya be gettin’ a shock now. Some of these poor souls are in a bad way.” Her eyes danced, and her fat, pink cheeks lifted as she chuckled merrily. “They don’t need sympathy, mind. They need to be treated with respect as equal human beings. Ya ain’t ever seen a braver, nor prouder lot than these poor slaves. Their journey to this safe house has been long and hard.”

Kate smiled grimly. “I had a father who was one of those cruel slavers.” She took Joshua’s arm and laid her cheek on his shoulder. “If he knew I’d married one of his slaves, he would likely kill me.”

Anya’s eyes went from Joshua to Kate. “Good on ya, lady, for standing up to what ya believe in. I also married a colored fella. Wonderful man he was, too.”

A mulatto child raced down the passage, screaming with laughter as she chased a Negro lad. Her auburn curls flew behind her. She touched his shoulder. “Tag.” She spun and ran back.

“Oi, Jenny. What did I say about runnin’ in the house?”

The children stopped, and Jenny hung her head. “We just havin’ fun, Mama.”

“Well, ya can have just as much fun in the backyard.”

Joshua smiled. “Well, hello there. I’m Joshua. This is Rork, and the ladies are Kate and Leila.”

Anya tapped the skinny child’s backside. “Say hello to our guests, the both of ya, then take yerselves outside to play.”

The boy smiled and bowed. “I’m Joe Junior and pleased to meet y’all.” Jenny followed suit, bobbing a curtsey.

“Now off with ya,” Anya said with a grin. “They’re as wild as their papa, God rest his soul.”

Leila blinked. “Your husband is dead?”

Tears gleamed in Anya’s eyes. “Aye, slavers caught and hanged him last year.”

Putting a hand to her mouth, Leila swallowed her own tears. “I’m so sorry.”

“I was pregnant with our third child, and they beat me, leaving me for dead. I lost the baby.” She swiped at moisture on her cheeks. “My Joe was a free slave, had been for years. He was a fierce abolitionist and died for the cause he believed in.” She swept out a plump arm. “That’s why I do this, to honor his memory and fulfill his dream to see all men and women treated equal.” She opened the door. “Come and meet our latest escapees.” She pushed a stray red curl into a frilly mobcap. “Maybe little Martha’s mama is amongst them.”

Eight iron beds were crammed into the room. A woman in a crisp white apron attended the needs of those in the beds. Some bore wounds; others were emaciated from starvation and illness. A stench of unwashed bodies and despair permeated the atmosphere.

Leila clamped her lips to stop a gasp. Rork put an arm around her and squeezed her shoulders. She leaned against him, drawing strength from him.

Anya glanced at her with gentle eyes. “It’s a shock the first time one sees the cruelty of man. Food in the South is real scarce. Some of these folk have been on the run for over a year.” She pointed at a man lying on his stomach, his torso wrapped in bandages. “The man who owned him whipped him with a cat o’ nine tails, took almost all the flesh off his back. He was also left for dead.” She smiled at Leila. “Poor fella was lucid enough to tell his story. Reb soldiers found him and put him near the river. Guess they’re human after all. Your husband found him.”