Holding the Fort

by Regina Jennings

  “But I love who you are.”

  “You don’t know me.”

  The old, questioning look that he’d worn her first week on the fort returned. Daniel was a tactician. He liked to anticipate his opponent’s next move, but he hadn’t seen this coming, and it obviously bothered him.

  “I’m more forgiving than you realize. If there’s something you’ve neglected to tell me . . .”

  The shame was too great. Louisa shook her head.

  “Louisa, I’m telling you the truth. I know something isn’t right. I’ve known that since you arrived, and I’ve waited for you to learn to trust me. If you leave without ever testing me . . .” When she didn’t answer, he stepped back. “I’ve been hasty. When I learned that Bradley was your brother, I assumed my way was clear. I rushed you into a decision, but there’s no hurry. You keep doing lessons with Caroline and Daisy, and we’ll give it some time. Nothing has to change.”

  “Everything has changed,” she said. “I’ve been hiding from God for too long. My conscience . . . I can’t keep going.”

  How forlorn he looked. He flicked the corner of the chess table. The pieces wobbled. “The one opponent I dare not cross,” he said. “How can I compete with God?”

  She had no answer. He was still standing, staring at the chessboard, when she left the room.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  If it weren’t for Ben Clark organizing the hunt, Daniel would have led the generals around in circles, because spinning around and around was all his thoughts could do.

  Hadn’t God brought Louisa to his family? Wasn’t she the perfect answer to his prayers? How could God tell him one thing and Louisa another? Had she been hiding from her calling? He tried to think critically—tried to imagine that she didn’t love him and was using this as an excuse, but he couldn’t believe it. Her regret was genuine. She was sacrificing him in obedience, but why? If God was leading her somewhere else, then where?

  That night, the officers around his table were flushed with good humor. Their hunting stories layered over one another, each growing in volume. Daniel did his best to participate, remembering to share his appreciation for the plate of succulent turkey, but he might as well have been eating sand.

  Louisa fiddled with the ribbons on her sleeve as she smiled gaily at General Sheridan’s jests. Daniel knew her well enough now to recognize the performance. She was just as miserable as he was. Her jewel-tone gown was the most daring one she’d donned at Fort Reno yet. Naturally, she’d never wear the violet bodice and off-the-shoulder sleeves for a normal day of schooling and chores, but tonight was the recital. As Caroline and Daisy demonstrated their skills, she’d be at the piano, breaking his heart.

  “That Frisco Smith,” General Sheridan was saying. “You say you’ve arrested him repeatedly. Is he any danger?”

  Caroline dropped her buttered roll, and it toppled onto the damask tablecloth. “You saw Frisco?”

  Daniel glared at his daughter. “We came upon Mr. Smith but were unable to arrest him as he claimed to be working with the cowboys coming up the trail. As he had no followers with him and the cowboys verified his story, he had a right to be in the territory.”

  “The trail boss isn’t coming this way, is he?” General Miles smoothed the shiny medals that hung in a row on his chest. “They can’t cross the Cheyenne and Arapaho Reservation anymore.”

  “No, they’re going east of here, through the Unassigned Lands, although they aren’t happy about it.”

  “Has Mr. Smith given up his boomer work?” Louisa asked.

  “Apparently not. From listening to the cowboys talk, they’re going to spread word in Texas that the land should be opened for settlement. He’s only trying a new method.” Daniel paused. “You’ll be interested to know that they will be joining us tonight. The cowboys are bedding down the herds nearby, and a few are coming to the musical performance.”

  Caroline’s face went white. “Frisco Smith is coming to watch me sing?”

  Louisa laid her elegant hand on Caroline’s arm. “You’re going to do fine, my dear.”

  “Frisco Smith is coming because he’d rather sit in a lit hall than stare at the darkness for another evening. His decision doesn’t involve you,” Daniel said.

  General Sheridan chuckled. “Fathers are the last ones to see it.”

  “See what?” Daniel asked. Then, remembering his position, he added, “Sir?”

  “To see that their daughters are growing up. Every man here will be charmed by your daughters’ recital. I’m sure they’ll be a credit to you.”

  And a credit to Miss Bell, but she didn’t understand how much she’d done for his family, or how badly he needed her.

  After dinner, the ladies excused themselves to prepare for the great performance. Daniel led General Sheridan to the parlor, but the general was drawn to his office instead.

  “I always say that you can’t know a man until you see his study. Looks like your office is quite impressive.”

  “Thank you, sir. I appreciate orderliness. It’s an important element of efficiency.”

  Sheridan nodded his approval as he went to the chessboard. “I’ve made a career out of laying waste to our enemies, so I know the advantages of keeping order. And if an outfit has a weakness, your enemies are sure to exploit it. That’s why I insist my officers be flawless, and that applies to their behavior out of uniform as well.”

  Daniel had expected this discussion and was anxious to have it behind him. “My reputation is of the utmost importance to me.”

  “Your daughter claims you’re courting Miss Bell, but you introduced her as your children’s governess.”

  “She’s more than the governess. We have briefly courted, and in the interest of avoiding speculation, I proposed recently.”

  “And she accepted?”

  “Not yet.” Explaining the failure of his love life to the Commander of the U.S. Army? How had Daniel gotten into such a mess?

  “The sooner, the better. A scandal would hurt your career.”

  That was the last thing Daniel wanted.

  From his window, he saw soldiers and troopers filing into the commissary. It must be time, although the enlisted men would be kept waiting until the generals arrived.

  “Do you have any other concerns?” Daniel asked.

  Sheridan turned, the silver in his close-cropped hair catching the light of the setting sun. “I do not. Let’s go enjoy the fruits of Miss Bell’s handiwork.”

  The excited voices and squawks of tuning strings reached them as soon as they left the house. At some point during their walk to the commissary, word reached the performers that the general was coming, for all noise besides the whippoorwills ceased. When Daniel opened the door, a hundred benches scuffed the floor as the men jumped to attention. It didn’t take long to spot the only other colors in the sea of cavalry blue as Louisa, Caroline, and Daisy rose, too. Daniel stood aside to allow Sheridan to pass down the aisle first.

  A banner spanned the stage, nailed to the back of the wall and draped with red, white, and blue bunting. Daniel had seen the same Welcome to Fort Reno, I.T. banner every time a dignitary visited, but the stage decorations were something new.

  A two-handled vase filled with red roses was set atop a pedestal designed like a Greek column. A few petals had fallen off, or perhaps they’d been pulled off and left on the pedestal for dramatic effect. Jack’s round parlor rug covered the new boards of the stage, and even the piano had been polished. Instrument cases of various sizes could be seen behind a black curtain that had been tacked across the corner behind the stage. From the looks of it, Jack had recruited every musician on the base.

  Daniel flashed Louisa a smile as he passed the second row and sat in front of the women with the generals and officers.

  Daisy leaned forward and whispered, “Where’s Frisco and the cowboys? I thought they were going to be here.”

  One look over his shoulder confirmed that Caroline had prompted her little sister to ask. What
was with Caroline’s interest in the boomer? With Sheridan’s warnings against chaos in the home ringing in his ears, he vowed to nip that interest in the bud.

  “It’s already dark, so they probably won’t make it after all.”

  Daisy shrugged at her sister and plopped back against her seat. Caroline seemed to relax. So did Daniel.

  Jack stood and, pulling from his extensive reading, made a very commendable welcome speech in which he superbly expressed his wish that the general would be pleased with their efforts. He then introduced their first entertainers—a group of men from the Sixth Cavalry who performed hymns a cappella every Sunday at chapel. Daniel’s confidence in their abilities was strong, but he couldn’t rest easy—not until Daisy and Caroline had performed. And after that, he had plans of his own.

  His officers had done a thorough job impressing upon the men the importance of observing strict decorum throughout the performances. This wasn’t a Saturday night jamboree, where they could get rowdy and stomp out various dances to the fiddle and piano. The hymns at the beginning set the tone, and a ballad sung by a corporal from Vermont was as fine as Daniel’s mother-in-law would hear at any musical evening in Galveston. If he didn’t know better, he’d think this fort was filled with genteel society men. In fact, if he had to be honest, the music was dragging on. After another melancholy performance, Daniel was relieved to see the Fifth Cavalry’s band take the stage.

  These troopers were a camp favorite, always called upon to call the stag dances where the men went through the steps, half of them playing the parts of the ladies. Daniel cast a glance at the door in the back of the room. No cowboys yet. That was probably for the best. He didn’t want to count on some cowboys who hadn’t been in civilization for weeks to observe proper decorum.

  As a whiskered corporal drew his bow across the fiddle, a red-headed sergeant began a strong beat on a small barrel with a buffalo hide stretched across the open end. There’d be no lone soloist with this ensemble. Each man on the stage, no matter what his instrument, performed like he was the main attraction.

  The harmonica, the trumpet, and the washboard all fired up and sent the audience into raptures. As much as the men tried, they couldn’t stop their feet from tapping. Soon that was accompanied by hand-clapping. Daniel joined in. Even General Sheridan was having a good time.

  And behind him . . . Giving in to the temptation to turn around, Daniel caught Louisa’s sparkling eyes as she clapped along. Her cheeks were flushed and her chin was down, as if ashamed that she was enjoying the music. Daniel smiled to encourage her. The enthusiasm of the men could be upsetting to a gently raised lady. No doubt there was never such participation in the drawing rooms Louisa was used to, but he wanted her to have a good time. He wanted her to love Indian Territory and never want to leave.

  An encore was called for after the first song. Daniel looked to General Sheridan to make the decision. He gave the signal, and the band kicked into another round, no less boisterous than the first.

  A tap at Daniel’s arm, and he turned to see Sergeant O’Hare kneeling in the aisle.

  “Major Adams, a handful of drovers are approaching the fort. They claim they were invited to the musical event.”

  “Are they sober?”

  “Appear so, sir. Dusty from the trail, but no troublemakers that I recognize. Well, besides . . .”

  “Besides Frisco Smith?” Daniel already knew the boomer was with them. He also knew that Frisco wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to visit the fort. He might even ask to sleep in the guardhouse, since it was his second home.

  Through the pounding music, Daniel gave his consent for their guests to join them—Frisco included. Sheridan might enjoy seeing how Daniel utilized the local resources out in the territory. Despite the trouble Frisco was stirring up for Congress, he often had valuable information for Daniel.

  The Fifth Cavalry band finished their performance. What started as explosive applause quickly died down as the men remembered their honored guest.

  As Jack once again took the stage, Sheridan leaned over to Daniel. “You’ve got more talent here than many professional troupes.”

  If everything went as planned, Sheridan’s assessment would be proved over again.

  “Gentlemen, tonight we have a special performance by the youngest residents here at Fort Reno.”

  Every head turned in Daniel’s direction, or more specifically, to the ladies who were rising from their seats behind him.

  Daisy walked stiffly on account of her new shoes, which Louisa had helped her pick out in Darlington. Caroline hid her hands in the folds of her new skirt, but if Daniel could have seen them, he knew they’d be trembling. Poor girl. Being stuck out here, she hadn’t had the opportunity to gain any confidence in front of crowds, an oversight that Miss Bell with her experience was correcting.

  Miss Bell glided across the room in what was probably the most awe-inspiring performance of the night. Daniel had thought that his appreciation for her beauty had reached its full potential, but he was mistaken. Before the audience, her bearing seemed to refine into something regal. It was as if her allure heightened. His parlor wasn’t big enough for her magnificence. The more room she was given, the brighter she shone.

  Only after she took her seat and the piano hid her mostly from view did the room’s attention move back to Caroline and Daisy. They looked sweet and innocent huddled next to the vase of flowers, which were exactly the virtues every father wanted his daughters to exude. Daisy stuck her nose in the roses, unable to contain her curiosity over whether they smelled as pretty as they looked. Sheridan chuckled beside him, and then the first notes of the piano sounded.

  It was a few simple chords—Miss Bell had never claimed to be an accomplished pianist—but that was enough to get the girls going. Daisy started with a low verse in what sounded like Italian. Daniel’s heart swelled with pride. His girls could sing in Italian. He couldn’t wait to write Edna with the boast.

  After a few beats of Daisy’s measured verse, Caroline joined her. Instead of singing the same melody, Caroline’s voice swung up to hold sustained notes in a surprisingly clear soprano. Together their voices blended, Daisy keeping the base of the song while Caroline’s line trilled, sounding much more sure than she looked.

  When their voices joined for the last measure, Daniel leapt to his feet to applaud their success. Finally, her ordeal over, Caroline smiled happily as the rest of the men followed her father’s lead. Daniel could tell that she would want to do this again, and every time she would improve. Daisy curtsied and braved a small wave to Bradley Willis. Well, nothing wrong with that. If it weren’t for Willis, Daisy might not be alive to sing anything at all.

  As the girls left the stage, Daniel waved them over to himself. Dropping to his knee, he took Daisy by the elbow.

  “I am so proud of you. You did wonderful,” he said. Daisy threw her arms around his neck.

  Caroline tried to pass, but Daniel wasn’t letting her get away with that, no matter how grown-up she thought she was. He stood and wrapped an arm around her.

  “You are so talented, darling. I had no idea,” he said. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get you a real teacher.”

  Caroline laughed. “I don’t know about a real teacher, but at least you got the right one.”

  He narrowed his eyes at his daughter. None of that talk in front of Sheridan. Then Jack stood to continue the program. Would the rest of the performance go as he and Jack had conspired?

  Daniel was taking a gamble. Ever since hearing Louisa sing back at the Red Fork Ranch, he’d known that she possessed uncommon talent. The ease with which she taught Caroline and Daisy revealed that she’d had extensive musical training herself. The way she commanded the respect of the audience by merely walking across the stage showed a woman who was confident of her abilities and had no fear in front of a crowd. Added together—her talent, her training, and her presence—there’d be no reason Miss Bell should be opposed to taking the stage. No reason besides f
alse modesty and her humble desire not to outshine her pupils.

  If she truly were leaving, he wanted to give her this one chance to sing before an audience. Her talent shouldn’t be hidden away forever.

  Daniel stopped Caroline and Daisy from leaving. He wanted them to hear what Jack was saying from the stage.

  “Before anyone leaves, we have a surprise performance planned for tonight. I say surprise, because the planning was all done between myself and Major Adams. The performer is the one who will be surprised. So if Miss Bell will kindly remain on stage . . .”

  Louisa had paused by the piano so as not to pass in front of Jack when he started talking. Or maybe she’d lingered hoping for such an invitation. Daniel hoped so. He only wanted to honor her.

  Jack’s arm was extended toward her, offering her the stage. She looked at Daniel, uncertainty in her eyes. How well he knew that look, and how well he loved encouraging her to take the risk. But then she looked somewhere else. Her brother. What was wrong with Private Willis? He looked as nervous as she did.

  “Sing pretty, Miss Bell!” Daisy cheered.

  The men all laughed as they took their seats. With a flick of his hand, General Sheridan shooed two of his aides down the row, making room for Caroline and Daisy next to their father. Daniel leaned forward, ready to absorb every note.

  Positioning herself by the vase of flowers, Louisa made a striking picture. It was as if the lettered banner behind her had disappeared and she were standing in a windswept olive grove, draped in some quaint garb from centuries past. The pianist from the Fifth started to make his way to the piano, but Louisa waved him back as unnecessary.

  Absolute stillness fell over the room. Everyone waited breathlessly for her to begin. She rested a perfect hand on the pedestal, as much of a decoration as the vase of flowers. Bowing her head, she stood as still as the post, but then she opened her mouth and filled the room.

  From the first note, it was clear that Louisa Bell had been gifted with a talent not commonly found among mortals. Daniel felt foolish that he’d had an artist of this caliber wasting her time going over spelling words and botany texts in his home, but he didn’t have time for regrets. Not when he could be transported by her heavenly voice.