Savage Conquest (35 page)

Each night, Lucas would record the day's events
and store his notes in a leather pouch. He hid the
precious packet under a loosened board beneath the
table. Miranda also started a journal about her own
adventures. She wrote Amanda several long letters
but held them until news arrived saying it was safe to contact her sister.

One morning, Lucas rushed to the cabin to tell
Miranda he was riding out on patrol with a small
troop from the fort. Later, Calamity Jane came by for
a visit. Miranda's chores were done, so she was sitting
at the table, writing another letter to her sister to pass
the time. Jane asked her to go for a ride, but Miranda
was reluctant. When Jane convinced her there was no
danger, for Indians believed her "touched by the evil
spirits" and left her alone, Miranda promptly
accepted and quickly changed into her riding habit.

They rode for a time with Jane pointing out sights
and telling Miranda tales about the area's turbulent
past. When Jane spotted smoke curling up in the
distance, she ordered Miranda to wait while she
checked it out, for the cavalry paid her high prices for
valuable information. Miranda pleaded with her not
to go or to allow her to tag along. Jane blatantly
refused, saying she could escape swiftly if there was
any trouble. She told Miranda to ride hard and fast
for the fort if she fired shots into the air.

Miranda watched Jane gallop off toward the hills.
She tied her reins to a small bush and walked to a
large boulder. She climbed upon it and sat down to
wait, tucking her flowing hems beneath her legs. She
was apprehensive about the possible dangers Jane
might face out there, but she wasn't terrified of being
left alone. Yet as time passed and solitude closed in
on her, Miranda had the strangest feeling she was
being watched. She scanned her surroundings in all
directions, seeing nothing and no one. But the sensation persisted.

She waited about twenty minutes before she saw
Jane coming her way at a steady pace. She sighed in
relief and headed for her horse. As she mounted, she
glanced around, finding and hearing nothing. The
warrior's image flickered before her mind's eye and
she studied the harsh landscape, wondering where he
was at that moment.

At home alone, Miranda reflected on the strange
episode, scolding herself for not checking out the
mystery. She had not felt peril or evil but she had
sensed a sadness and longing. She had actually
warmed and tingled! Was she fantasizing, dreaming,
hoping? Had it actually been the unknown warrior's
powerful gaze on her, his forceful magnetism, his
heady allure? Her heart soared with pleasure and her
mind raced in confusion. Who was he and where?
Recalling her cousin's reaction to her last confession,
Miranda couldn't tell Lucas about this intriguing
event and she couldn't ask anyone about the warrior,
but inwardly she felt elated by this delightful
mystery. Miranda danced around the cabin, then
caressed the white buckskin dress which had belonged to her mother. She had brought it along to
wear the first time she met her grandfather and uncle.
If she braided her hair and dressed in her mother's
Indian garments, she would appear more Indian
than white. Surely that would inspire him to accept
her.

Days passed as the June weather grew warmer. A
letter arrived from Amanda, posted in Washington. When Lucas and Miranda read it together at supper,
he grimaced and she paled. Their gazes met as Lucas
exploded, "Are they crazy! Of all people, Reis should
know a good detective can uncover clues and track us
downl Doesn't he realize Weber will go to any
expense for revenge?"

"Do you think he knows yet?" she asked shakily,
the emphasis on "he" telling to whom she referred.
She panicked at the thought of being thwarted irt her
quest when so close to victory. "Help me, Luke; I
must get to grandfather before it's too late. Find us a
guide," she coaxed, eyes tearing and voice quavering.

"I know how much this means to you, Randy.
You've been patient while I rushed around chasing
my dream. Don't worry; I'll find some way to get you
to Sun Cloud this very week." He checked the
postmark and chuckled, then commented, "This
letter got here quickly. I doubt Weber has discovered
any tracks yet. I'll bet Reis has him arrested and
imprisoned before he can sniff out the right trail. At
least Mandy and Reis are safe and happy."

But things had gone awry in Virginia, perilously
awry. The night before the climactic raid, Reis had
overheard something which he couldn't share with
his wife. The accident involving her parents had
been ordered by none other than Weber Richardson.
As Weber spouted off to Daniel McVane, neither was
aware of the man who hid outside McVane's office
door, listening to Weber smugly discuss his many
schemes. But Weber made one statement about Joe
and Marie which sent surges of hope through Reis; he would hire a search party in the morning then
pray with all his might.

That following evening, Reis and George made
their rounds, collecting all the books and letters
relating to the case. Not far out of town, the men
assigned by Grant converged on the meeting of the
Ku-Klux-Klan and arrested all present. Because a
business meeting between all partners was to have
been held afterward, every man involved was present
and apprehended with the exception of Weber
Richardson.

A tense week passed as Reis failed to locate and
arrest the leader of this menacing group. A friend of
Reis arrived to manage Amanda's shipping firm and
to appropriate Weber's property for the American
government.

Reis fretted over Weber's disappearance and his
inability to find his enemy. Grant had already
decided on Reis's next assignment, but they couldn't
discuss it until Weber was apprehended and this case
was closed. Reis had turned the evidence over to
Grant, who locked it in his safe until the trials could
commence. The case was in limbo as long as Weber
remained free. Reis was infuriated by the man's
actions; it seemed as if the Devil himself was
guarding his servant!

Amanda cried in fear and tension, speculating that
Weber was probably on his way west to harm Lucas
and Miranda or lurking nearby with the hope of
slaying Reis. To ease her worries, Reis sent Lucas a
telegram to warn him of Weber's disappearance and the results of the case so far. Reis told them to be
careful and alert, to notify him if Weber appeared
there, and to have the Army arrest and hold Weber for
the U.S. government and President Grant.

It wasn't Weber's cunning or a warning from
anyone which had kept him from that meeting; it
was lust for Miranda and for vengeance, and a quirk
of fate. His escape had nothing to do with a
premonition of danger or capture. Word had arrived
that afternoon that Miranda had been located and
was being held prisoner by his detective. Weber had
placed McVane in charge of both meetings to rush to
Charleston by train. But, ironically, McVane had
been robbed and killed by a common thief as he left
his office that evening, preventing him from canceling the pernicious meetings, exposing Weber's
location, or contacting and warning Weber after the
raid.

Upon arriving in Charleston, Weber went wild
with rage and frustration, for it was the wrong girl
again. He was in such a frenzy by then that he yanked
his gun, a small knuckle-duster .32, from its belt
holster and shot the innocent female in the heart. It
happened so swiftly and unexpectedly that the girl
never had time to suspect her fate. Petrified, the
queasy and frantic detective fled the scene when
Weber laughed satanically and hysterically as he
watched the blood saturate the front of her yellow
gown.

When he was settled, Weber calmly strolled over to
the girl. He seized her auburn hair and jerked her head backward. She did favor Miranda greatly. As his
wintry gaze eased over her body, he decided he had
slain her too quickly, for pleasure should always
precede pain. He left her as she was, laughing
sardonically as he mused on the authorities puzzling
over this brutal and mysterious crime.

Before Weber could catch the next train home, one
of his men met him with the dire news from
Alexandria. His fury was limitless; his hunger for
revenge boundless. He sent his man back to Alexandria to spy for him, and each following report
increased his hatred and madness. Miranda had
better pray to every known god that he wouldn't find
her. If he did, he vowed he would do unspeakable
things to her before mutilating her lovely body and
face! As for Amanda and Reis, their punishments and
deaths would be far worse, for he had heard the
announcement of their secret marriage. Clearly he
had been duped, and they would pay in blood!

While Lucas was trying to figure out how to get
into the Sioux camp without arousing suspicion, an
eye-catching officer arrived at Fort Sully from
Custer's Seventh Cavalry Regiment. He was there to
escort ten recruits to Fort Lincoln, as Custer liked a
full report on his new men before they arrived in
camp. Major Brody Sheen was Custer's most trusted
off icer.

Although cavalrymen rarely wore their sabers
except for ceremonies, Brody Sheen was in full dress
upon arrival. He cut a most impressive figure in his
dark blue and sunny yellow uniform, an outfit which
looked custom tailored for his well-muscled body.
His brown hair was shorter than most men's and very
curly. He had hazel eyes which concealed his
thoughts and feelings, unless he chose to expose
them, and he wore a neat mustache. Six feet tall and
twenty-nine years old, Brody was well toned and darkly tanned from his active, outdoor lifestyle. He
was dashing in looks and immaculate in dress.
Among such rough men who gave little care to their
appearance and to amenities, Brody's conduct and
charm shone. But while outwardly he was considered
handsome and virile, Miranda Lawrence was to find
him less than perfect.

Once he learned that Brody was Custer's right arm,
Lucas promptly made his acquaintance, thinking
that when they eventually headed to Fort Lincoln,
Brody's friendship would be a valuable asset. Brody
seemed to take an instant liking to Lucas, who was as
jovial and bright as he was and of similar breeding
and education. Brody was from a wealthy and
prestigious Northern family, and he had served
loyally with Custer during the Civil War. For that
reason, Custer had personally requested him as an
officer in his regiment. A hard man to admire and
like, Custer needed someone with him who held him
in high esteem and affection.

Major Sheen introduced Lucas to the officers at
Fort Sully, strengthening the writer's position there.
While waiting for the recruits to arrive by keelboat,
Brody had time to spend with Lucas and Miranda.
The second evening of their meeting, Lucas brought
him to their cabin for supper. Brody made no effort to
hide his strong attraction to Miranda, entertaining
her with tales of bravery and daring, pleasing her
with his wit and charm. At first, Miranda found him
appealing and stimulating company, a delightful
conversationalist. If Miranda's mind and heart had not been already claimed by a mysterious warrior, she
might have fallen under the disarming spell of this
dashing soldier. And, after that night, Brody spent as
much time with Miranda as with Lucas.

They would take walks together, alone, or with
Lucas. They went riding and shared several meals,
including a picnic on a pond near the river. One
night, there was a dance in the yard around the
flagpole. Hardly three songs had been played before
the men there realized Brody had staked a claim on
this beautiful stranger. Knowing of Major Brody
Sheen's reputed prowess with the ladies, no one
dared challenge him.

If Miranda and Lucas had not been present to
occupy his time and attention, Brody would have
been furious with the delay in the recruits' arrival.
The June rains had failed to come as yet, and the
Missouri River was treacherously low. The recruits
had been compelled to leave their stranded craft
before Yankton and come overland to Fort Randall
to take a keelboat, requiring ten days more than
anticipated. The men were fortunate that Major
Sheen was too busy with a delightful and enchanting
Miranda Lawrence to notice the lost time.

The day before Brody was to leave Fort Sully, he
made a terrible error in judgment. Feeling Miranda
was as enamored of him as he was of her, he
showered his romantic attention on her. He tricked
her into a private stroll, then attempted to kiss and
embrace her. When she tried to reject him without
embarrassing either of them, he didn't realize she was serious. When he playfully tripped her, then caught
her and rolled upon the grass with her in his tight
grasp, she was angered by his boldness and persistence. Still, the arrogant Brody believed her to be
coy and timid. He couldn't imagine any female
would spurn him. After all, he had given her plenty
of time, more than any other woman who had caught
his eye. He continued his roguish siege, until she
frostily scolded him and made her refusal very clear.
Although Brody apologized for his misconception
and behavior, Miranda noticed a glow of insincerity
and impatience in his eyes. Clearly, Brody found her
desirable and was resolved to have her!