The food was barely blessed when Caro turned to Travis and queried, “Your da says you have something to discuss with us, lad?”
Sitting beside Travis, Star turned pale beneath her tan. He reached under the table and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Well, here goes nothing, he thought. He stood and placed a possessive hand on her shoulder. “It’s like this: I’ve asked Starla to marry me, and she’s agreed.”
The room was silent for a moment. Star closed her eyes; her shoulder grew rigid under his hand.
Caro took a bite of toast, chewing thoughtfully for a minute. “To be sure, you did. But is that the wisest thing to do now, in the middle of a war between her home and yours?”
Star opened one eye. No one seemed terribly taken aback at his announcement.
“We plan on waiting until after the war has ended,” Travis explained. His mother and father glanced at each other, a knowing look in their eyes. “You don’t seem all that surprised,” he said, a hint of accusation in his voice.
“Son, we’re not blind. We suspected as much back when you talked about the stubborn young lady who’d taken care of you. And talked. And talked some more. Frankly, we were beginning to wonder what was taking you so long to ask her,” Sam said, grinning.
“You mean you don’t mind?” Star barely dared hope that she would have their approval. “I thought….”
Caro reached over and patted her hand. “Lass, do you really think we would have kept you here as long as we have had we minded overmuch? If you are willing to wait until the war is over, then you have our blessing.”
“If I may make a suggestion,” Rob put in mildly, “perhaps you should keep this betrothal just among the family for now? No need to get a lot of people interested in who you really are, Miss Star. Were your engagement to become common knowledge, who knows what kind of talk might get bandied about.”
Travis nodded. “That makes sense. Star?”
She managed a tremulous smile before hiding her face in her hands, shoulders shaking. Travis knelt beside her seat, took her hands from her face, held them in his with worried expression.
“Shh, sweetheart. What’s wrong?”
On her other side, Caro was rubbing her back comfortingly. “Now, now a cailín. ‘Tis all right. No need to be crying.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she said, looking up and dashing away a stray tear with the back of her hand. Her lips quivered, but she kept the smile this time. “I’m being a goose, I know. It’s just that I was so worried that you would be against it. I’ve been all in knots since last night, thinking about what today might bring.”
Shaking his head, Travis clambered to his feet and planted a kiss on the top of her head. “You’re turning into a veritable watering pot, Star,” he teased. “You’ll be swooning next.”
But she was too happy to take the bait. Instead, she looked down at her plate with renewed interest. “Well, now that that’s settled, I am ravenous. I just couldn’t stomach the thought of food before.”
On the other side of Travis Rob said, sotto voce, “Two down. One to go. When do you expect Katherine to show up?”
His brother looked pained. “Whenever she does, it will be entirely too soon.”
But Daniel Scott had already planned a family trip to Philadelphia for the first week in April, delaying their departure so they could attend Caro’s birthday dance. Rob had spoken with them in town as they were leaving and carried the news back to Black Forest.
“Reprieved,” Travis had said, holding a hand to his forehead dramatically.
“You cannot escape the final judgment,” Rob had intoned, somber as a minister, but there was a twinkle in his dark eyes.
One sunny afternoon, nearly a fortnight later, Starla was in the bright sitting room, bent over the skirt she was hemming. Travis and Rob had gone up to Chambersburg the day before to get some items for their father, but when she mentioned coming along they had thought it best for her to stay safely at home.
“You’ve been through Chambersburg before, my dear,” Travis had explained, “and you and Iris are rather unforgettable. Someone might recall seeing a remarkably similar girl riding with Jeb Stuart. Besides,” he had added, almost as an afterthought, “it wouldn’t be proper, a young lady and two unmarried men.”
She had snorted in an extremely unladylike manner. How many unmarried men had she ridden around with while with the cavalry? “I always forget about that.”
But really, she hadn’t minded staying behind. Recently it seemed that very little disturbed her fairy tale world. She sewed in contented silence until the drumming of hooves told her the men had returned. Smiling to herself, she waited until she heard their laughing voices and heavy boots on the porch before rising to meet them. There was a pause at the front door; Sam’s voice could be heard calling from the barn.
“I’ll go,” Rob said. “You’re fair frothing at the bit to see your girl again. Patience, man! What are you going to do when you don’t see her for months on end?”
“That’s why I’m getting my fill now,” Travis replied, voice just a little more serious.
Seeing Star waiting in the hallway, Travis drew her back into the sitting room. “Amazing how long one night seems when I’m away from you,” he commented before pulling her onto his lap and kissing her soundly. “Rob’s right. What am I going to do when I have to go back?”
She said nothing, just laid a finger on his lips to silence him, and curled into his encircling arms. They sat there quietly, each lost in their own thoughts and in the pleasure of being together.
All too soon she noticed someone driving up to the front of the house. “That’s the Scotts’ carriage, isn’t it?”
He glanced out the window. “Oh, joy. I am not looking forward to this at all.”
“No rest for the wicked,” she said with little sympathy. “I’m for the stable. I’ll leave you two to sort out your differences.” She patted him on the head, then darted down the hallway. Travis heard the kitchen door slam shut in back of her.
“I came as soon as I could, Travis. Oh, I was so happy to see you the other night. And here for another fortnight still! What fun we shall have!” she exclaimed, flinging her arms about him. He carefully detached her arms from about his neck and bowed her into Star’s vacated seat.
“Why, Travis, whatever is wrong? Have I offended you in some way?” Her hazel eyes were liquid bright, as if she might cry at any moment.
“Not at all, Kitty. It’s just come to my attention that we need to have a bit of a talk.”
“But of course! What do we need to talk about?” She leaned towards him as she said it, a tiny smile hovering about her rosebud mouth.
My, but she is beautiful. How do I let her down gracefully? “We’ve known each other for years, Kitty, and I quite think of you as the sister I never had—”
Her distraught cry cut him off. “Sister? But Travis, darling, how can you say that? Surely I mean more to you than that?”
He sighed, removed her hand from his knee, and placed it back in her lap. “You’ll always be special, Kitty, but there is nothing more between us.”
He was taken aback as sudden fury turned her face even paler, two crimson spots high on her cheeks. “It’s that Rebel witch, Estella, isn’t it? She told you to say that to me.” Her tiny hands clenched into claws, as if she wanted to scratch out her rival’s eyes.
Travis frowned. “She did no such thing. And I won’t have you calling her names like that, Kitty.”
But Kitty’s anger blinded her to the ominous note in his voice. “Why not? We were practically promised before she wormed her way into your life. I should have exposed her for what she was a long time ago. I only held my tongue because you had said she saved your life. But now I can see that she’s thoroughly poisoned your mi—”
She broke off with a gasp as a gag of Air filled her mouth. Travis came to his feet, looming over her, eyes dark and stormy.
“Silence, Katherine Scott,” he growled; th
e gag dissipated with an angry gesture. “I will not allow you to speak so of Star, nor put her at risk.”
She burst into real tears at that. He continued, coldly, though not quite truthfully. “Even if I had never met Star, there would be nothing between us. I have always viewed you as a sister; anything between us would seem almost incestuous. And I swear, if you try to make trouble for her, I will denounce you as a lunatic. Who will the community believe, do you think? Me the war hero, or you, with your well known jealous temper?”
“You wouldn’t,” she said, weeping shocked into ceasing.
“Try me.”
Kitty’s eyes widened at some memory. “She said she would disable my tongue if I put your family at risk,” she murmured. “She’s the crazy one, not I.”
He smiled grimly. “If Star promised something like that, I would take her seriously. She has the ability, you know.” Then his visage softened and he took her hand in his. “Kitty, don’t let’s end this way. We’ve been good friends, you and I, and I still want you for a sister, but sister is all I can offer. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less.”
She didn’t answer, but sniffled into a scrap of lace, not quite meeting his gaze. “I think I will go now. Please give your parents my regards.”
She swept out the sitting room with head held high, Travis trailing her. He handed her up into her carriage, but she did not look at him as she directed Charley to return home.
The Scotts’ carriage sped from the yard in a cloud of dust, which was remarkable, Star thought, considering it was being drawn by a Belgian twice the size of Iris. Travis stood on the front porch with his hands in his pockets, watching it leave, before sauntering over to where Star sat waiting.
“So how’d it go?”
He let out an exaggerated sigh and leaned up against the paddock fence. “What is the expression? ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.’ Good grief, Star. I had no clue Kitty was so deluded as to our relationship. If I had had an inkling of how confused she was, I would have said something long ago.”
“Would you have?” she asked softly, not looking at him.
He had the grace to blush. “Fine, so maybe I wouldn’t have, if I hadn’t met you. She is very beautiful, and we have been friends for years. But I think I would have regretted marrying her. Very quickly. That temper of hers is a sight to behold.”
“Unlike yourself, I suppose.”
“Are you perhaps suggesting that I have a temper? I assure you, I am the most placid of men.” He paused. “Though one such as Kitty does beg for a good beating.”
On her top rail perch Star stiffened. “Don’t you dare ever try that with me. If you do, I swear….”
He came up in back of her, wrapped his arms about her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. “You know me better than that, Star. I could never raise my hand to any woman, and most especially not you. I wouldn’t dare, not knowing how handy you are with chloroform and an amputating saw, amongst other assorted talents. By the way, Miss Star, did you know that your lovely mare was in season?”
She twisted in his arms to face him, confused by this non sequitur. “No, I didn’t. She didn’t mention anything the last time I talked with her, but I’ve been very bad about getting down here to talk to her recently. How do you know?”
“Well, actually, Dakota discovered it before the rest of us. I saw them together yesterday morning, a bit too late to do anything about it. So I hope you weren’t planning on breeding her to anyone else this season.”
“I hadn’t planned on breeding her at all until this mess was over, but if she does catch I shan’t complain.”
She jumped down, whistling for Iris, and went out to meet the dancing mare. She ran her hands lightly over the silky sides, then looked over at the tall, spotted stallion grazing in the adjoining paddock.
“Dakota is unique, that is certain. What did your father call him?”
“A Palouse horse. Rob picked him up out West. From what the trapper told him, all the Palouseys are spotted, some with a white blanket like Dakota there, some all over. He doesn’t have the pedigree Iris has, but I’ll wager he could hold his own against her for speed and endurance and sense.”
“Not to mention he’s very handsome and tells the most marvelous stories,” Iris added, butting Star with her head. “Besides, why should you be the only one having a wonderful romance?”
Star smiled. “No reason at all, my dear. And he does have many fine qualities. I can see that for myself. That’s why I’m not complaining. Though I am a little surprised that Sam has managed to keep him hidden through all the raiding. I can see how the Scotts held on to big Henry; draft horses aren’t much good for cavalry operations. And Kitty’s little mare is next to useless for any real riding. But I am sure any number of cavalrymen would covet a horse as good as Dakota.”
Travis laughed, heading out of the paddock and back towards the house. “You wouldn’t believe where Da had him. The truth of the matter is we’ve been very lucky and haven’t had anybody come through here raiding. That’s why we still have all our stock. But if we had, I am quite certain you would be right. So I’m not sure I should tell you our best hiding places, lest you pass the information on to your friend the general.”
Grabbing her hand, he pulled her down beside himself on the front steps. “Your bedroom.”
Turning from her study of the sun painted sky, she looked at him as if she had misheard him. “Pardon?”
“They hid Dakota in your bedroom.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“I’m not. Da just led him right up the stairs and told him to keep quiet. And he did. I guess he had little desire to become a Secesh stallion.”
She ignored his jibe, but smiled. Shaking her head, she murmured, “The bedroom,” as if she still thought he was fooling her, and pulled her shawl tighter about her shoulders.
The sun sank lower and lower, pulling ribbons of salmon and bronze across the horizon. Dark gray clouds built up in the west, promising rain to come. Star watched as the sky went from flame to ashes in the space of a heartbeat, the smell of smoke and death suddenly washing over her. She shivered, shifting closer to Travis.
“What’s the matter, a chroi?” he asked. “Cold? We can go in if you prefer.”
She shook her head. “No, it isn’t the cold. It was almost … a premonition, I guess. Though I’ve never had one while awake….”
“‘By the pricking of my thumbs….’”
“‘Something wicked this way comes,’” she finished. “But I haven’t the faintest clue what it might be.”
“Maybe your general’s invading Pennsylvania again. You’ll have to share your room with Dakota if he does.” He avoided her somewhat serious slap. “Which reminds me somehow. I have a letter for you that came through the lines. Don’t know why I forgot all about it. Must have been my mind was on other things,” he said, claiming a quick kiss before scrambling to his feet.
Starla’s heart skipped several beats when she saw the handwriting on the wrinkled and torn paper. “It’s from Aunt Eliza,” she whispered, old anxieties awakening. The color fled her face as she read through the faded note.
“Starla? What’s wrong?” Travis’ voice sounded very distant.
“Danica’s ill. Very ill. Aunt Eliza wouldn’t have written save she fears the worst and she knew I’d never forgive myself if Dani—” Her voice broke off as fears threatened to choke her. “I have to get to Petersburg, Travis.”
“Petersburg? What is she doing down there?”
She began to pace like a caged animal. “They left Woodhaven in November. Said there were too many Yankees about.”
He nodded. The Army of the Potomac had set up headquarters around Brandy Station then, but he had not had the opportunity to call on her sister.
“They think she took sick on the trip to Stonewood, down south of Petersburg. That’s where Aunt Eliza and Will and Mother grew up. I suppose it belongs to Eliza now. But that’s where they are now, or
were as of January, when this was written.”
Travis got to his feet, his calm manner an anchor for the tumult in her mind. “Then let’s go talk with the others. I’m sure between our five brains we can hammer out a plan of attack.”
Three short days later they were back again on the front steps, Starla’s words falling too fast from her tongue. She’s not usually this high strung, Travis thought as he sat there holding her hand. Then he realized her hand was trembling—she wasn’t just nervous, she was downright scared. Dark fears began to seep up inside him.
“I’ve gotten my things together, and since your father plans to go with me to Washington City, and then to General Grant, to see if he can help get me through the lines, he thought we could leave Friday when you go, and we could meet up again outside—”
“Star, please,” he interrupted the flood of words. “What if this is a trap, just to put you in that devil’s clutches? They know that you’d move Heaven and earth to get back to your sister. What’s to stop him from carrying out his threats and forcing himself on you? You’ve said you’re still too weak to defend yourself properly.” And I can’t be there to protect you….
She hung her head, refusing to look at him, staring instead at their intertwined fingers. “Do you think that thought has not crossed my mind? The letter was in Aunt Eliza’s hand, but she is terrified of her son, would write anything he told her to write. But what can I do? I daren’t take the chance that Dani’s not ill after all. As it is I may be too late, seeing how that letter is over three months old. If only Woodhaven were out of his reach, I might be safe.”
She stopped, looked down the hill and across the fields towards the west. Her face became pensive, thoughtful. “There might be a way, if you agree.”
“How? You know I’ll do anything I can.”
“Marry me now,” she whispered, voice so soft he wasn’t sure he had heard her correctly. Lifting her head, cheeks flaming at his thunderstruck look, she explained. “According to Papa’s will, I am of age. Woodhaven is mine. If I were married, even Jake wouldn’t touch me. And were anything to happen to me, the house, the lands, everything would go to my husband, not Danica. She too would be safe.”
An Uncivilized Yankee Page 31
