"That bandit got what he deserved all right. I've got to say, Wilde, I have heard stories about your sisters, but I always chalked it up to exaggeration. But goddamn, if that Lijuan isn't one hell of a fighter. The way she took out this Mexican scum!" he said in admiration and slipped the hammer into his belt.
"Let's hope it is a case of her giving more than what she got," Dutch said as Blue River kneeled, inspecting the ground.
“There is a blood trail here, leading back toward the way we came. That makes no sense, brother,” he said to Dutch. Dutch paled as he saw vultures circling in the distance.
“I don’t know why she would double back instead of heading for the border,” he said worriedly.
“We can speculate all we want, or we can get moving. Let’s get moving,” Vellaneau said. Bright Feather looked to the sky.
“He is right, she may be very close,” she said as Dutch turned to the men following them.
“Alright everyone, fan out, I want this trail covered, and I want it done on both sides. You two men down by the stream. Take each side.”
***
Lijuan could barely keep her eyes open. When she did manage to, she could see the birds getting closer. Slowly she became aware of music. She realized it was the Straus Waltz, the Blue Danube that she danced to the night of the party. She smiled thinking of the dance. Before Dutch's anger with her, she knew it was one of those rare, rare moments in her life when she had been completely happy. Then her smile faded, and she shook her head slowly.
“I guess I am really going to … die out here alone. David will be so angry with himself, that our last time together ended with his angry words towards me. Don’t be angry with yourself, David, it was my fault,” she said as her voice faded. She tried to focus, but the sky had become blurry as had the birds. Suddenly, she became aware of something in her ears that was cutting through the sound of the waltz. Straining she tried to make out the words and finally pieced them together.
“Over here! Over here!” The voice was yelling. She tried to focus, but all she could see was the indistinct image of a man who appeared to have blond hair and blue eyes, kneeling next to her, looking into her face.
“Oh my god, you are here. You came for me, this can’t be real,” she murmured, and with the last of her strength she leaned upward and kissed the man passionately. The next thing she heard was the shout of an angry voice. It caused her to break off the kiss and attempt focus. The man above her morphed into the dark-haired Captain Vellaneau. She blinked in surprise.
“Captain Vellaneau?” she whispered. A split second later the man was swept from her view as Dutch tackled him.
“Are you out of your mind?! What the hell were you doing kissing her?” Dutch raged at a shaken Vellaneau as the two men scrambled to their feet
“It’s not like it looks. I found her lying there, and when I was checking on her, she suddenly kissed me. I think she thought I was someone else,” he told Dutch. Dutch’s eyes flared with anger, and he bolted back to kneel by Lijuan. He shook her gently to get her to open her eyes. By this time, Bright Feather had arrived followed by the five soldiers on foot. She knelt next to Dutch and Lijuan as he was trying to revive her with water from his canteen.
“Honey, she looks so pale,” he said, his voice thin and reedy.
“I know, Dutch, I know, but she is alive,” Bright Feather encouraged him.
"Lijuan, Lijuan, can you hear me?" he called to her. Her eyes fluttered but did not open. Blue River suddenly ran onto the scene carrying the bag of money he had found. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of the injured woman. Then he turned and saw a young soldier craning his neck to look at the half-naked woman. He dropped the bag and shoved the soldier.
“You son of a bitch turn your eyes elsewhere,” he told the young man furiously.
“I don’t take no orders from Injuns,” the man said boldly.
"You do from me, damn it! All of you, turn around. The first person caught looking will spend the next six months on latrine duty," Dutch snarled at the men who turned as ordered. Vellaneau rose to his feet and began stripping off his coat. "Damn straight. We might be from Fort McCallister, but one more word to Anders is all it will take. Show some respect. You know she is these two men's sister!" Vellaneau growled. He passed his garment to Bright Feather, and she helped Dutch get the coat onto Lijuan, so she would be covered up. Dutch once more resumed trying to get her to come to.
“Beautiful and graceful one, open your eyes. I know you can hear me,” he tried telling her. Ever so slowly Lijuan eyes fluttered a few times before opening.
“Is this real?” she asked hoarsely and softly.
“Yes, I came as soon as Blue River told me. You don’t know how happy I am to see you alive,” he said.
“We all are,” Bright Feather added. Lijuan blinked, and suddenly she welled up with tears. Her exhaustive ordeal overtook her, and she began sobbing in relief and pent-up fear from the long brush with death. Yet in Dutch’s presence, all she could think about was her mistake at the party of nearly spilling the secret they shared along with Cassandra all these years.
“David, oh David, I am so sorry about the party. I wasn’t thinking,” she cried. David cradled her and patted her on the back.
“Shhh, it’s alright, Lijuan, I am the one who is sorry,” he told her. Bright Feather and Blue River exchanged a confused look until Bright Feather touched Dutch’s arm.
"We should get her back to the fort's doctor right away," she told her love, and he agreed, squeezing Bright Feather's hand.
“Yes, my love, right now. Blue River, help me,” he asked, and he did. The two brothers aided the woman to her feet and began to lead her away.
“We are heading back. The rest of you men continue to the way station. Per Miss Caine, there should be some innocent folks in a stagecoach whose bodies need burying. Any of these bandits you see, just leave ’em to rot or feed the vultures. You come across any still living, and I don’t care if we are on foreign soil, make sure being alive is a temporary condition for them. Dismissed,” Vellaneau commanded the men, returning their salutes.
They went back to their horses, and Lijuan was handed up to sit in front of Dutch. Bright Feather mounted her horse, and Blue River took Lijuan’s hand.
“I wish I could have been there for you, sister,” he said sadly, looking at the abuse she had suffered through.
“Miss Caine is safe? They sent two men after you,” she asked in a whisper.
“Miss Caine is safe,” Blue River answered.
“And we passed their two bodies in the next canyon, courtesy of your brother,” Vellaneau said as Lijuan managed a weak smile.
“You’re both safe, that is all I wanted. Good work, little brother,” she said closing her eyes once again.
“Come on, we have to get her to the doctor,” Dutch said. They all rode off then. Bright Feather rode up next to him when Lijuan was asleep.
“She will be okay, Dutch, you have to know that,” she told her lover.
“I don’t know anything right now. I just know I spent a lot of my young life protecting her and to see her like this …” he trailed off.
“What did she mean back there? What was she apologizing for? And what was that about you being sorry?” she asked. Dutch looked at her for a long moment. He loved Bright Feather more than he had ever loved any other woman in the world, but at this moment he just did not have it within him to deal with her questions. Questions there was no way he could ever answer with truth.
“I have no idea, she was delirious. That kiss she gave Vellaneau proved that. She did nothing at the party to apologize for. As for me saying I was the one who was sorry, it just seemed like something she wanted to hear,” He looked away, anguished that he had lied to his lover and gravely concerned for his little sister.
They all rode on in silence.
CHAPTER 30
In Col. Anders’s office, assembled were Blue River, Anders, and Christina Caine. They were all sitting
deep in conversation.
“Your father is a good friend of mine. I’ll see that some of my soldiers get you back to Fort McCallister,” Anders told Christina.
“I thank you for that,” she responded.
“You know I would escort you back, but …” he trailed off.
“I understand, your place is here with your sister,” she said.
“It is time I checked back in with her. Please excuse me, Colonel, Miss Caine,” he said.
“Absolutely. Miss Caine, if you could remain behind a moment I would like to work out the details of getting you back,” Anders said.
"Surely," she said. Blue River nodded to her, and she smiled.
As Blue River exited the office, he heard a familiar laughter. He looked to where the horses were watered and was astonished by what he saw. Honor Elizabeth, Cassandra, and a chuckling Catalina were all watering their horses. A black woman he didn't know sat on the seat of a fancy coach nearby. He sprinted in their direction.
“Sisters!” he shouted. The three were startled to see Blue River running towards them.
"Blue River?" Cassandra mouthed, her eyes narrowing in surprise.
“I sent no word to Cedar Ledge. How did you know to come here? But no, it’s impossible! You could not have learned or be here so quickly!” he stammered as he ran up to them.
“Slow down there a might! Your words are tumblin’ outta that mouth of yours faster than that Grand Western train Dutch and Lijuan used to save Stanton’s Gap!” Catalina told him humorously.
“Truly, we did not understand a word you just said other than Cedar Ledge. Well, I suppose that is two.” Honor corrected herself reasonably. Cassandra noticed the somber look on her brother’s face though.
“Quiet, you two. What is it? Where is Lijuan? You were to travel with her to Mexico,” she asked as she realized he was at the fort—alone.
“She, we …” he struggled to find the right words.
“Spit it out now, you’re scarin’ me,” Catalina demanded.
“Yes, what?” Honor chimed in worriedly.
“Shut up, girls, and let him talk!” Cassandra admonished the others as she fanned her hands out in front of her. Blue River chose the simple route and pointed to the doctor’s door.
“The doctor’s quarters, that way,” he told them, and the three sisters were already running past him towards the door. He turned to join them.
“I be sorry about your sister,” The black woman sitting on the coach said.
“Thank you, Miss …” He trailed off to let her know he didn’t know who she was.
"Dodge, Katie Dodge," she told him, and he nodded. The name was familiar.
“Yes, of course. Quillan’s sister. I’ve heard your name mentioned a time or two over the years when your brother would be courting Honor at the ranch,” he told her.
“Again, I am sorry to hear about Lijuan. She helped save my life when we first met some years ago. Whatever has happened to her, I be wishing you all the best for her recovery.”
“Thank you. Please excuse me. I must be with my family,” he said and moved to join his sisters. She watched him go with a rising interest in her eyes.
In the doctor’s office, they were all gathered around their sleeping sister. Dutch had his arm around Cattie’s shoulder. Cassandra was squeezing Honor’s hand in support, and Bright Feather stood on the other side of the bed.
“My word, I have never seen her so pale,” Honor said in a shaky voice.
“She lost a lot of blood,” Bright Feather said as Blue River entered then and came to stand next to her.
“She’s going to be alright though, right, Dutch?” Cassandra asked.
"Why are you even askin' that?" Catalina exclaimed. "Of course, she will be. She's Lijuan! The toughest one of us all, and we're a family that has a cavalry officer, a brave, and an ex-Pinkerton." She trailed off, and a sad look came over her face. "She is gonna to be okay, right?" she asked softly.
“The doctor believes that she will be fine. The bullet she took did little damage. She got lucky there, but it is the blood loss. Lijuan is going to be off her feet for a while.
"Of course, Lannie will be thinking only she can run Cedar Ledge," Honor said, trying to add some levity to the situation. Everyone tried to smile at her words, but then they all just sighed and remained silent for a time.
“We should say a prayer to the Great Spirit to guide Lijuan back to us and return her good health,” Bright Feather suggested.
"I'll pray to whoever you want me to in order to get that little hellcat back on her feet," Cassandra said. She was still holding Honor's hand and reached for Cattie's. Soon the family was all holding hands around the bed as Bright Feather spoke.
“Great Spirit, please hear us, we ask that …”
CHAPTER 31
CEDAR LEDGE RANCH
Alamieda, Arizona Territory
June 1873
Lijuan stuffed one of her pillows behind her and hitched herself up in her bed until she was leaning against the backboard. It was then that she accepted the offering that was held out in front of the smiling Captain Reginald Vellaneau. Grasping it by the handle and then turning it about inspecting it, Lijuan reveled in the familiar feel of her hammer once again in her hand.
“Captain Vellaneau, it looks brand new!” she said, nodding her head in satisfaction as she looked up at the dashing cavalry officer stationed near her bed.
“It should, ma’am. I had it cleaned and polished up for you. I would have gotten it back to you sooner, but your brother said you needed your rest, so I waited these past couple weeks before coming out here with it,” he said, his squared shoulders evidence that he was pleased she had liked his gesture.
The sound of someone shifting their position prompted her to crane her neck and look around the officer to where Dutch stood leaning against the wall with his arms folded.
“That was very considerate of him,” she said happily, eager for a chance for Dutch to know his actions meant a great deal to her as well.
“I didn’t even remember Reginald had it. Given everything that happened that terrible day in the canyon it didn’t even register.”
“It did to me. I knew you would want it back. That was a hell of a job you did on that bandito with it,” Vellaneau boasted. Setting the hammer down on the bed stand, she looked at him with a smile.
"He earned it," she laughed even as she stretched her arms out, and a yawn escaped her lips. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I still tire easily. They say I lost a lot of blood."
Dutch cleared his throat. "In that case, I think it's time Captain Vellaneau here got back to the fort, and we let you get some rest."
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t wish to do anything that stands in the way of your recovery, Miss Lijuan.”
“Captain … Reginald,” she began as she held out her hand, and he slowly took a step that brought him to the very edge of her bed. Taking her hand, she surprised him when she pulled him in for a kiss on the cheek. Vellaneau, it seemed, was not the only one to be caught by surprise as Dutch reacted by pushing himself away from the wall.
“Thank you, not just for the hammer, but I know you were right there with my family to find me when I was lost.” A warm silence hung between them before he spoke again.
“It was my pleasure, Mi-Lijuan.” Drawing out the moment he was slow to let go of her hand, but when he finally did, she nodded towards the hammer resting on the stand.
“Really, the hammer looks great. I might even have to hesitate the next time I need to smash some desperado’s head to jelly.”
As Vellaneau's lips parted in surprise, Lijuan dropped the mask of a serious face she had put on, and a hearty laugh burst up from within her. It felt so good to laugh again. "Just kidding." And for her amusement, she once again put on the serious look before piping out, "I would never hesitate!" and for a final time, she returned to a look of mirthfulness on her face.
Vellaneau returned her playful joking with a hearty laugh of his own. �
��You really are the hellcat they say you are, aren’t you?”
“And damn proud of it! Take care, Reginald,” she said sincerely as he donned his hat he had been holding under one arm and tipped it towards her.
“Ma’am.”
The warm air in the room was chilled by the frosty voice of Dutch saying he would show Vellaneau out. “And you get some rest, okay? I’ll check on you in a bit, and maybe later we can have a talk.”
Lijuan didn’t answer Dutch, wondering if the talk would be an official apology for the ugliness that had gone down between them at her father’s party that seemed like a lifetime ago now. She only smiled and nodded as they left the room. Turning over on her side she looked at her hammer as her eyelids grew heavy. She thought she would never see it again, but now having it back, things just felt so … right.
Out in the hallway, the pair of officers were clomping down the stairs that led from the second story living quarters of the grand ranch house.
“What are you doing, Reginald?”
“I don’t follow you.”
“What are your intentions towards my sister?”
“I won’t lie to you, Wilde. As old as I am, my daddy would still tan my hide at the notion me of courting a Chinese woman. But I am seriously considering it with Lijuan.”
Stepping off the bottom stair into the Great Room, Dutch seized his fellow officer by his bicep bringing him to a halt. The smoldering look in Vellaneau’s eyes did nothing to deter him.
“Vellaneau, she’s still fragile from Mexico. That’s the last thing that she needs right now.”
As he shook himself free of Dutch’s grip, Vellaneau huffed, “Well, why don’t we let her be the judge of that. She’s a grown woman. You’re always flaunting your love for your squaw in everyone’s face. Is there some law other people can’t find happiness with each other? You’d think you would want that for your sister.”
The Boot Hill Express: Special Edition HBH Version (Half Breed Haven Book 12) Page 21
