Battered Soul: Mail Order Brides of Spring Water Book Three, page 4
He stiffened in clear surprise. “You spied for the Union?” The confusion in his voice was loud and clear.
“I didn’t knowingly spy. My parents told me who to dance with and what questions to ask. They said they were looking for just the right husband for me. It didn’t occur to me at the time that Julie was older and they weren’t looking for a husband for her.” Her shoulders slumped as she turned back to him.
His face looked as hard as stone. Anger flashed in his eyes. “You’re an intelligent woman, and I find it hard to believe you didn’t know. You took part!”
She bowed her head. She’d said the same words to herself and never had an answer. Tears filled her eyes, but she dashed them away with her hand. “I’ll be ready to go whenever you say.” It was hard to walk past him on her way to the house. Ever since she’d heard the soldiers talking about her family, she knew it would come back on her. She hadn’t realized how.
“Iris, wait!” He sounded exasperated.
She stopped, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him.
“I’m not sure what I want to do with the information you told me. It’ll be a few days before I figure out what to do with you.”
A lump formed in her throat as she walked again. She didn’t care he wasn’t escorting her home. Now she needed to get to the bedroom with no one seeing her red eyes. But luck wasn’t with her. Sondra and Walter Green were sitting on the porch swing watching her.
“Willis let you down easily?” Sondra asked in a syrupy tone.
“It’s never easy,” she remarked before she hurried inside. Thankfully, no one else was around so she ran to her room. She’d have to be sure that Sondra didn’t hear her crying. It would have been easy to just say nothing at all to Lex. He was wrong, she wasn’t intelligent at all.
Sleep never came for her. She worried the whole night through. Lex would have no other option than to tell others what he knew about her. Why had she thought herself safe? Waiting for him to decide was agony. She had to get out of there. Waiting around for her execution wasn’t something she was willing to do.
Sondra snored on as Iris packed and stole out of the room. With her shoes in one hand and her bag in another, she tipped-toed down the stairs, afraid the whole time Lex would be waiting outside to catch her. Maybe good fortune would be with her.
Heading for the nearest trees, she walked all night.
Chapter Four
Willis saddled his horse. He wanted to just ride the fences. It would give him time to think although he’d thought plenty last night as he’d tossed and turned. He was at odds with himself, and he didn’t know what to do.
He pulled himself up into the leather saddle and took off. Pepper knew where to go, so Willis let his mind ponder all he’d learned the night before. If he kept Iris’ secret, he’d be complicit in her lies and deceptions that had gotten many men killed. It was a weight he didn’t want to carry. If he told, there would be those who would take the law into their own hands, and she’d be strung up before the Union Army could come to help her.
Those who fought would not have an ounce of sympathy for her. Families who lost loved ones would demand satisfaction. How old was she anyway? He’d first thought her to be about seventeen, but then thought she had to be about twenty. Either way, she had just been a kid when it started. She’d been imprisoned for a year in her cellar. That must have been horrific.
He continued on along the fence. Why would Confederates have taken over the house? The Union Army would have found that suspicious. When the Soldiers in town were giving her a hard time why didn’t she tell them who she was? Was anything she’d told him true? Maybe she hadn’t been in the cellar. He didn’t know what to think anymore.
He thought himself to be a good judge of character, but now he wasn’t so sure. How could he have brought her to the ranch with no questions asked? He’d put everyone in danger. If someone found her out, they’d all become targets. Her best bet would be to go north.
And that was it. He had found his answer. He’d keep it between them, but he’d send her up North. One of her cohorts would give her shelter. She should have done that in the first place unless she was here for other reasons. Was she spying on them? Even with the war over, tensions were still high. Who was she working for?
There were so many unanswered questions, and as his rage dissipated, he felt the pain in his heart. He had thought they might… He had been planning to court her. Seemed the biggest fool in this whole thing was… him.
After turning Pepper around, he headed back, his mind made up. He needed to get her to the North. He wished she’d never told him. But he thought back to her story. How could she have stayed in the house and no one ever found her? He shook his head. He didn’t need to know all the answers. He needed her gone. He would avoid her for the next few days while he figured out a plan for moving her.
* * *
The sun was hot as it beat down on her hatless head. It had to be about noon. Texas must be much bigger and less populated than she’d thought. She had seen no signs of people anywhere. But as long as she kept going north she should be fine. She tried to stay as close to rivers and streams as possible. In the awful heat she needed extra water.
By unburdening herself, she had placed that burden on Lex—and he didn’t want it. She’d made a big mistake trusting him. She was an idiot to be so trusting. For all she knew, a slew of ex- Confederate Soldiers were on their way to string her up. How would she be able to defend herself? There was no possible way they’d entertain anything she’d have to say. In their shoes, she wouldn’t believe her either.
She’d lived with the fact that her family had used her, and it drove her mad. She thought about it every day since they had slaughtered her parents and sister. So many little things had fallen into place. She had hated going to the prison where Union Soldiers were held, but her mother had insisted. Why be concerned about men from the North? Iris had thought sending all the socks they made to the prisons where the Confederates were being held would have made more sense.
But they also attended many functions where the Confederate officers would be. To steal whatever secrets they could get. She had believed in her sister. But from the way the soldiers had talked, Julie had ruined her reputation by taking walks with so many men.
There had been no truth in Iris’ life for years. And now her dream of living on a small ranch with no one else around would not happen. How would they treat her up North? Would the people believe once a liar, always a liar? Who was she kidding? She’d never make it that far since she was penniless, and she had no illusions what that meant. She’d just have to bear it somehow. Plenty of women without choices ended up as whores. They weren’t happy, but at least they had a roof over their heads.
Black clouds soon covered the sun. She’d been doing too much wool gathering to take notice and prepare. One fat drop splatted on her and then another. She searched for a place to find cover as the skies opened and it poured. Lightening zig-zagged across the dark sky and suddenly she was flying to the hard ground below.
She opened her eyes and sputtered. Her mouth was full of muddy water. What happened?
* * *
“What do you mean she’s gone?” Willis demanded as a rush of disbelief ran through him.
Parker took a deep breath. “She wasn’t in her bed when Sondra woke this morning, and all of her things are gone. Did she say anything to you last night?”
Willis ran his hand over his face. “She had a lot to say. Most of it was in confidence. Her parents were working for the Union.”
Confusion clouded Parker’s face. “I thought she was from Virginia.”
“She was. It was a shock to her. She came down here to start a new life. I guess I wasn’t too kind to her when she told me. She said she didn’t know, but they told her to ask certain officers questions. It’s a mess, and I blamed her for Confederate deaths.”
Parker’s eyes widened. “Her parents were spies for the Union? That’s a rough one. Neither side trusts anyone who was a spy even if they spied for them. Do you think she’s telling the truth about not knowing?”
Willis nodded. “She feels used by her parents and her sister. I told her I didn’t believe her ignorance of the whole thing.” He sighed. “I drove her away. I’ll go find her.”
“Are you sure you want her back? Can you trust her?”
Willis stared into Parker’s eyes for a moment before he nodded. “I’d stake my life on it.”
“Saddle up and ask Georgie for supplies. I’ll look around for her trail.”
Willis could have kicked himself. He should have shown compassion to Iris. Who knew what danger she’d found by now? Please, Lord look after her.
Georgie gathered up supplies for him, and Parker had Pepper ready to go.
“The woods toward the north, it looks as though she went through them. Willis, I will not break your confidence. Whatever you decide is best for her. If she was a pawn in it all…” He shrugged. “Well, find out before you condemn her.”
“You’re right. I keep thinking of all the men we lost, good men. But she couldn’t have been very old when it started. Thanks, Parker. I’ll be back.” He and Pepper shot off toward the north woods.
It had rained hard the night before, and the grass was slick. Did she find a dry place to sleep? Was she able to keep herself warm? He was fretting like an old woman, but he couldn’t help it. He cared for Iris more than he’d even suspected.
He found an almost washed out a trail and had to duck more than once so not to get hit by a tree branch. So far he hadn’t found a spot where she’d stopped. She must have been walking in the dark. Didn’t she know how dangerous it was?
He kept going. She must have been desperate, and it was his fault. She told him the truth, and he had turned away. Now he knew why she hated lies so much. Her whole life revolved around them. Drawing his coat closed so he could button it, he shivered. Had she dressed warm enough?
If she went north, there would be no guarantee she’d be safe. But she’d trusted him and he had let her down. He supposed he still harbored resentment that something she did could have been what got some of his fellow soldiers killed. If she’d been a man, without a doubt he would have shot him right on the spot.
There weren’t many secrets on the ranch, but the Pale Faces would love to know a way in and out of the ranch property to get to the freedmen. They’d want to hang Parker too for giving the freemen jobs and housing. Their guard routines varied often as an added measure of security. But if someone found out those routines… He wanted to trust her. He hated secrets.
Abruptly he stopped and stared at the ground, confused. There were no more footprints. His gaze darted around the area but he came up with nothing. How had he lost her trail?
He swung down out of the saddle and peered at the ground. A giant root was exposed just above the top of the dirt. There was a drop off just ahead, and he closed his eyes for a second before he went to the edge and peered over.
She was down there all right. It wasn’t steep, so he held Pepper’s reins and went to her.
She had a stunned look about her, and she was filthy from rolling all the way down the hill. Her eyes were open, and she gawked at him. She started at his boots and stopped when her gaze met his eyes.
“So this isn’t a bad dream?”
His lips twitched. “No, you’re not dreaming. You rolled in mud is all.”
“I was traveling north or to the next town, but I couldn’t find a town or ranch or anything.”
“I’m glad I found you. It’s not safe for a woman alone. There are still a few bands of Confederates that loot and kill. They don’t care what side you were on. There are the Pale Faces or what some call the White Hoods around. And there are the wolves—”
“I get your point, Lex.”
“You don’t even have a gun?” He shook his head. “Let me take you home.”
She sat up and shook her head. “I don’t have a home. I’m hoping to find one, though. There will be a job in another town. This time I won’t be as stupid to tell anyone about my past. I won’t lie, but I can be vague.” She turned her head and looked at the hill. “I guess I had quite a tumble.”
“Are you hurt?”
Iris stood. “I seem to be fine, though I think the fall knocked me out for a while.” She glanced about her. “Where are my things? Did you see them at the top?”
“No, but we can go look.” He put his hands on her waist and set her on top of Pepper. Just being near her did something to him, and that didn’t make him happy.
Gripping the reins in one hand, he led the horse and Iris up the hill. When they got back to the top and on the trail, he saw no sign of her belongings. It was as if someone had just picked them up and taken them.
“Here hold the reins. I’ll look at the ground.” He circled out from the root making the circle bigger as he went around. He found the footprints. They were large and deep. The footsteps went on to the edge of the hill a ways down from where Iris had fallen. She would have been visible. Whoever it was didn’t seem to have cared if she was alive or not.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw Iris shiver. He needed to get her back home and wouldn’t be able to pursue the tracks. Oh well, he might find out who it was someday. Rushing back to Iris and Pepper, Willis took the blanket from his bedroll and tried to wrap it around Iris. It wasn’t easy with her on the horse and he on the soggy ground.
The rain had soaked her through, and it was a long walk back to the ranch. Her face was pale and her eyes looked dull.
“I know of a cabin not too far from here. It belongs to a trapper, nice guy, but I haven’t seen him around in a long time.” He got on the horse behind Iris and pulled her body back toward him. “You need to get warmed up.”
She gave him a stiff nod, one as stiff as she kept her body. He smiled at her stubbornness.
“Lean back against me. It’ll warm you up as we ride. I don’t want you getting sick from being cold and wet.”
It took a few minutes, but she relaxed against him. Her body was in a constant shiver. He urged Pepper to go faster. He needed to get her warm fast.
The ride seemed to go on forever, but he spotted what he was looking for. There in the woods, surrounded by big trees was a small cabin.
“Earl? You in there? It’s me, Willis.” He waited and then called out again. “Iris, stay here while I check inside.” He slid off Pepper without waiting for an answer. The front door was ajar, and his breath caught. Cautiously, he drew his gun and eased the door open with his foot.
A thud and movement to his left had him leveling his gun in that direction. From amid a mess of cookware and a dusting of flour from an open bag, a raccoon blinked at him. The breath left Willis’ lungs in a whoosh, and he holstered his gun. Chuckling, he picked up a broom that was lying next to the door and swept the raccoon out of the house. He soon followed it.
Moving faster now he knew everything was safe, he went to Pepper and lifted Iris down. Keeping her in his arms, he put one arm under her legs and brought her into the cabin. “It’s not much, but there’s plenty of wood for a fire.” The chair close to the fireplace was coated with a thick layer of dust, but he sat her there without taking time to wipe it off. Before long, he had a healthy fire going. He stood and gazed at her, noting shiver after shiver wracking her body. “It’ll heat up in here soon. I’ll unsaddle Pepper and bring my things in.” He waited for her to nod and out he went.
He led Pepper to the lean-to, removed her saddle, and brushed her down. There was plenty of grass for the horse and the rain had filled the water trough. She should be fine. Willis grabbed his saddle and saddlebags along with the rest of his bedroll and went inside.
Iris looked none the better. She was still as white as snow. “We must get those damp clothes off you.”
Her eyes widened. “I have no other clothes to put on.”
Willis took a clean shirt from his saddlebag. “You can put this on, and we’ll tuck the blanket in around you.”
She took the offered shirt and gestured for him to turn around and he did without hesitation. His mother raised him to be a gentleman, but hearing the rustling of her clothes coming off would have tried a saint.
“Do you have any idea how long you were out?”
“I know I was keeping track of time by the sun’s movements, but then it stormed, and I don’t know what time it was when I fell. Perhaps an hour at least? My face was in a puddle and it woke me. I moved, but I must have drifted off again.”
“You must have hit your head. I’ll look when you’re finished.”
“I’m dressed. I’m just hanging my clothes to dry.”
He turned, and before him was the loveliest woman, he’d ever seen. Her red hair was cascading down her back, and she had a touch of color in her cheeks. Her blue eyes gleamed for once, and his shirt was big on her but he could picture her curves under it.
After an ineffectual swipe at the dust-laden chair, Iris gave up and sat down again. He grabbed the blanket and laid it over her lap. She smelled like a field of wildflowers. Tucking her in only made him long for her. Quickly, he put some distance between them.
“I have canned beans for us to eat and bread.” He put the opened can into the ashes of the fire to heat and broke the bread in half. “It’ll keep us from going hungry. I’d love to get my hands on whoever took your things and left you there.”
“We’ll probably never know.” She sniffed. “How far am I from the ranch?”
“By horse, not far. You worried me something awful.” He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “Your past doesn’t matter, Iris. I believe you had nothing to do with the spying. I lost so many friends and family that anger impeded my thinking.” He shook his head. “I should have taken you into my arms and given you the comfort you so badly needed, but instead I judged you. I left you with fear hanging over your head, and I think you’ve had enough fear to last a lifetime.”
