Indigo Sky (24 page)

Her eyes widened. “You did it for the ransom?”

“Well, I ain’t gonna do it for nuthin.’”

“Clearly.” She walked behind him, repulsed by the stench emanating from the bag.

Tom walked into Colonel Tappan’s office without knocking. “Howdy, Colonel.”

“Ah, Tom. I believe you dumped my men.”

“They’re a noisy bunch.”

“How did the trip go?”

“So-so.” Tom opened the bag and tipped it, sending the heads rolling across the floor.

“Well, I’ll be damned. You got ‘em all.”

“Told ya I would.”

Tappan rose, beamed, and shook Tom’s hand. “Great job, thank you. The army is indebted to you.” He opened a drawer and drew out a bag. It jingled as he handed it to Tom. “I’ll send my aid to instruct the purser to give you the rest of the ransom.” He walked to a gun cabinet and took out a rifle. “Please accept this Henry rifle as a token of our appreciation.”

Tom took the rifle and ran his gnarled fingers reverently along the barrel. “Much obliged. This is a fine weapon.” He tipped his hat and strode out. “C’mon, lad.”

Leila bowed to Tappan and skirted around the blackened, decomposing heads and ran after Tom.

He swung onto his horse and galloped off without a backward glance.

Leila mounted her horse and caught up with him. “What about the rest of your money?”

“The rifle is payment enough.” He slowed the pace and made to toss her the bag of coins.

“I don’t need the money. Keep it.”

“Fine by me.” He shoved the bag into his jacket pocket. “We’re headed out to find Rork.”

“At last,” Leila mumbled.

Chapter 32

Rork stared at Cornelia, his heart faltering. “She was here? Dressed as a boy and with a trapper?”

She wrung her hands. “Yes, but it gets worse. This Tobin is after Espinosa—a Mexican and his brother who killed thirty English people in cold blood.”

“And she’s with him, chasing after these killers?” Rork turned and rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “What the hell was she thinking?”

“The right to just take off isn’t yours alone. She came looking for you.”

“I must find her immediately.”

“Of course you must, but it’s too late to go now. It’ll be dark in a couple of hours.”

“I don’t care. At least I can make it part of the way.”

Joshua put a hand on Rork’s shoulder. “Kate and I will come with you.”

“Then we’ll also go,” Michael said, his face set with determination.

Veins throbbed in Rork’s temples.
Now I’ll really be delayed and probably have to take a wagon for Michael and the women since Kate is pregnant.

Michael scowled at him. “I suppose you think because I’m a cripple I’ll be a burden?”

“Ah, no, not at all.” Rork clenched his jaw. But that was exactly what the problem was. At least part of it.

“I’ve been learning to ride again, and I’m doing well. So, don’t be concerned on my account. I’ll manage just fine.” He spun on his crutches. “I’ll go organize our baggage.”

Rork blew out his cheeks and headed for his quarters.

Kate’s voice rang out. “Not so fast!”

Rork stopped and turned. “What?”

She tapped her foot and shook a finger at him. “Not only do you assume Michael will be a burden, but you think pregnant women add to the problem, right?”

Rork’s temper surfaced. “In a nutshell? Yes!”

Kate flapped her hand. “You go on ahead, and we’ll catch up when you cripple your horse by finding a burrow in the dark or get attacked by the hundreds of deserters and bushwhackers roaming the countryside looking for fools like you!”

His breath exploded. “Fine. I’ll wait until first light, and we’ll all go.”

Cornelia grabbed his arm. ”While you were away, Michael and I found out that we are having baby, too.”

“You are? You’ve all been busy, haven’t you?” Rork gave her a kiss on her cheek and said, “I’m so happy for you. When’s the wedding?”

“Well, we don’t have a wedding date yet. Does that make me a fallen woman?” Her eyes narrowed. “You didn’t bother to marry Leila before taking her virginity. So, I guess she also classifies as a fallen woman.” She folded her arms and tapped one foot. “Perhaps you don’t really intend to marry her at all.”

Heat flooded Rork’s cheeks. “How do you know our intimate life?”

“Hardly a life since you deflowered her then ran. And it doesn’t matter that I know, Rork Millburn. So, do you intend to do the honorable thing?”

Joshua and Kate also fixed him with hard eyes. “Well?” Joshua rasped.

Escape became rather urgent. “Of course I want to marry her. But I’ll first have to damned well find her, won’t I?”

Cornelia smiled. “You are right, Rork. There’s a lifetime between who you thought you could be and who you really are.” She glanced at Joshua. “Would you mind telling the pastor there’s been a change of plans and ask him to come early tomorrow morning to marry Michael and me?”

“Of course.”

Grinding his teeth, Rork stalked off.

Rork ran his hand through his hair and constantly looked out the windows like an expectant father. The sun hadn’t made an appearance yet. And the pastor took an eternity to read the marriage vows uniting Michael and Cornelia.

Michael drew Cornelia into his arms and kissed her. “Not exactly the grand wedding we’d planned.”

“Michael, that’s the last thing I care about. This is the most wonderful day of my life. A miracle. I thought I’d lost you forever.”

Rork flipped open his pocket watch. “Could we please get a move on? The sun will be up soon.”

Joshua scowled at him. “Since when did you become so insensitive?”

“Since no one could keep Leila here until my return.”

“Now you’re apportioning blame? You didn’t tell us where you were going or for how long.” Joshua poked his shoulder. “The blame for this lack of communication lies squarely on your shoulders, my friend.”

Rork waved a hand. “We need to get going—sooner rather than later.”

“Hell, Rork, give them a moment to enjoy their nuptials.” Joshua slapped his back. “Let’s wish the couple well.”

“All right.” Rork joined Joshua and Kate in offering felicitations.

Cornelia glowed with happiness. Standing on tiptoes, she kissed Rork on the cheek. “We’ll find her. Stop fretting.” She looked at Kate. “Let’s change so we can be on our way.”

The girls walked off arm-in-arm, while the men went out to check the horses and luggage.

Rork surveyed two pack mules and raised one eyebrow. “I expected the women to have more baggage.”

Michael laughed. “We have practical wives.”

The women returned, and Rork raised a brow, “You’re dressed in men’s clothing.”

“More comfortable, don’t you think?” Cornelia said and swung up onto her mount, her eyes dancing. “Close your mouth, Rork Millburn, or you’ll catch flies.” Her laughter bubbled up, wheeling her mount.

Leaving Atchison behind, they watched the sunrise slide over the horizon.

Fatigued and covered in dust, Rork and his party rode through Fort Laramie’s gates.

An old soldier greeted them. “Ya came just in time. An hour later and the gates would’ve been shut.”

Rork hawked up dust and spat. “He swallowed. We’d like to speak with your commander.”

“Our commander is away, but Colonel Chivington is here. We’ve had problems with red skins attackin’ wagon trains. The Cheyenne Dog Soldiers are a bloodthirsty lot.”

They dismounted and followed the soldier across the parade ground. Rork got his attention. “I read a peace treaty was made. No more attacks. I don’t understand. When did this happen?”

“Ah, hell, this goes back to ’58 when the Pike’s Peak gold rush started. The red skins objected to the whites invadin’ their land. A peace treaty was signed, but it didn’t stop the Dog Soldiers. No siree.”

“And this Colonel Chivington is here to stop them?”

“Well, he’s a pastor, not a commissioned officer. Governor Evans promoted him to Colonel of the Colorado Volunteer army. Has seven hundred men under him.” The soldier chewed a stick that he moved from one side of his mouth to the other. “Hard man, Chivington. Them red skins had better watch out.”

Rork’s heart contracted.
Is Leila in the middle of all this?
The soldier ushered them into an office.

A broad man with a trim beard and receding hairline rose from his desk, hard brown eyes piercing Rork. He extended his hand. “Colonel Chivington. What can I do for you, sir?”

Rork shook his hand. “I’m Millburn. Did a woman with a trapper by the name of Tobin stop here? Has there been any news of them?”

Chivington’s disapproving eyes shifted to the women. He nodded. “Ladies.” He ignored Joshua and returned to his seat behind the desk. “Thomas Tobin is half Indian. Good trapper, though, and he wasn’t in the company of a woman. I heard, via army reports, that he killed the Espinosa gang, and a boy helped him.”

Rork’s mouth fell open. “A boy helped him?”

“Yes. They apparently intend to head west.”

Rork’s belly somersaulted. “Headed west?”

Chivington scowled. “You hard of hearing, son?”

“Where did they kill the Espinosa gang?” Rork sagged onto a chair, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Near Pike’s Peak, I think.”

“It wasn’t a boy. That was my betrothed.”

“And you allowed her to go alone in the company of a man? Dear God, what is the world coming to.”

Rork glared at him. “You must have heard that a gang of dangerous Indian Dog Soldiers is roaming the area. Seems they’re on the warpath to protect their land that’s being taken from them.”

Chivington steepled his fingers. “I do track the Indians. Damn any man who sympathizes with them. Kill and scalp all, big and little, I say.”

“You advocate killing women and children?”

“Nits make lice.” The colonel busied himself with papers.

Rork shook his head at the barbarism of the man. “I’ll bid you good day, sir.”

Chivington looked up. “Good day.”

Red faced, Kate exploded. “What a horrible, bigoted swine!”

They headed for their horses.

“I concur,” Rork said.

A stagecoach raced through the gates and stopped amid a cloud of dust. A cage on the roof, crammed with chickens, tilted precariously.

The stout driver leapt down, clasped a rolled whip in his hand, strode to the soldier, shook his hand, and grinned. “Tarnation! Thought we wasn’t goin’ to make it afore ya closed the gates.”

The soldier chortled. “Trust ya to make it by the skin o’ yer teeth, Charley.”

Charley took off his wide-brimmed hat and slapped the dust off his buckskin-clad thighs. “Well, ya need to be fast in this business, an’ Butterfield has a reputation to uphold.”

Four travel-worn passengers alighted with groans. A portly man brushed his jacket. “I ain’t going another mile in this bone-rattler.”

Charley shrugged. “Suit yerself.”

The passenger crossed his arms. “I’ll be asking for a part refund, mind.”

“Sure.” Charley took a pouch from his pocket and counted out coins. “Here ya go.” He handed the money to the passenger. “Don’t know how ya think y’all gonna get to California.”

The passenger herded his skinny wife and two plump daughters to the fort office. “I’ll find a way.”

Rork looked at Michael and Joshua. “Why don’t we put Cornelia and Kate on the stagecoach? We’ll take the horses and ride alongside.”

“Wonderful idea.” Michael put an arm around Cornelia. He brushed off strands of hair stuck to her sweaty brow. “I’m not sure it’ll be a comfortable ride.”

Cornelia leaned against him. “No matter. I’ll just be happy to relax in a coach.”

“Me as well,” Kate said.

Joshua laughed. “It won’t be relaxing.”

“Then it’s settled.” Rork approached the driver. “Could we buy two fares?”

“Sure. Need to fill the space anyway. Cost ya seventy-five dollars apiece, plus $1 for ye meals.” With his one eye, he studied the women. “It ain’t a comfy ride, if that’s what yer after.”

“It has to be better than riding.” Rork counted out the money to the driver. “Here you go.”

“Ya cen call me Charley. Nope, an’ we don’t make overnight stops. Stop for forty-five minutes twice a day, and ya have to walk when the terrain is bad. Victuals are extra and provided twice a day. We also stop at various way stations to change the team o’ mustangs. Butterfield don’t supply ya with arms. Ya need to carry that yerself for possible Injun attacks.”

Rork blinked. “Do you expect Indian attacks?”

Charley spat a stream of tobacco juice. “Butterfields has a sign at the start o’ the journey.” He stuffed another wad of tobacco in his mouth and chewed vigorously. “Ye’ll be travelin’ through Injun country an’ the safety o’ yer person cain’t be vouchsafed by anyone but God,” he rattled off. “So now ya know Butterfield’s conditions.” He pulled a stained handkerchief from his pocket and wiped sweat and dust from his sun-browned face.

“Right. So when do you leave?”

“Soon as we change the team. The ladies can board while we harness fresh mustangs.”

Rork nodded and turned to the women. “Don’t worry. We’ll be right alongside.”

Joshua and Michael handed them into the coach. Cornelia nodded and smiled at passengers sitting with their backs to the driver. She sat next to a family on one of two opposite seats. Cornelia smiled. “Goodness, four people disembarked and there doesn’t seem enough room for just two of us.” She stared at mailbags crammed into the foot space and looked at Charley. “Do we put our feet on those mailbags?”

He spat out another stream of tobacco-stained spittle. “Sure do, li’l lady. Make yerself comfy.” Then he strode away.

Cornelia sighed. “I’d hoped we could rest here for the night.

Rork patted Cornelia’s hand as she sat. “I’m hoping with the speed of the coach and taking the usual route we can catch up with Leila. Once we have her, we can decide how we want to travel.”

Charley returned with a groom and four mustangs. The spent horses were quickly unhitched.

“I’m getting the girls out of there,” Michael murmured. “These animals are feisty.”

“I agree.” Joshua opened the coach door. “Ladies, please,” he extended his hand. “You can get back in when they’re done harnessing them.”

The girls clambered out and withdrew to a safe distance.

Charley and the groom backed the horses into the traces, harnessing the back two. As they maneuvered the two lead horses into position, one of them reared and plunged, slamming his hooves onto the hard earth. The other horse panicked and lunged sideways, breaking the pole chain. It fell, and pandemonium broke out. Charley and the groom tried to control the bucking animals. Passengers screeched and tumbled from the coach. The fallen horse scrambled to rise and got jammed between the two harnessed horses, kicking out wildly. Charley ripped off his coat and threw it over the distressed animal’s face, calming it.

The groom unhitched the rear horses and led them a short distance away. “Ya cain’t travel today, Charley. That pole chain is broke good. We’ll have to fix it.”