To Dream Anew (5 page)

“Well, it’s too late,” Trenton answered in anger. “Ned is gone. You can’t make that right.”

Portia broke into sobs and buried her face in her gloved hands.

Dianne felt compassion for her. “Trenton, that was rather harsh. You mustn’t say such things just because you’re hurting in your loss. The important thing now is that we need to find out the truth of what’s happening with the army.”

“Better still,” Cole said, his voice bearing his concern, “what’s happening with the Sioux and Cheyenne?”

The centennial celebration of America’s freedom from the English was a muted affair. People were afraid. Custer was dead—the very man whom many had hoped to elect that year to the presidency.

Rumors ran unchecked and Dianne had to admit her fears were bordering on silent hysteria. Inside she felt herself coming undone, like a knitting project unraveling before her eyes. Luke had struggled against sleep because of her unrest. He’d finally settled down for the night, but try as she might, Dianne couldn’t seem to do likewise. Nor could she find any solace in her husband’s words.

She kept thinking back to her dream, knowing it had been a forewarning of things to come. Perhaps the Sioux and Cheyenne would cross the mountains and wipe out white settlements as they went. They had tasted the blood of victory and were no Doubt driven to continue their rampage.

“You need to rest,” Cole whispered. They’d made their bed inside the wagon at Dianne’s insistence, but the shelter gave her no more comfort than if they’d been outside.

“I can’t sleep. I keep thinking of what’s happened. You read that paper. It talked of the battleground looking like a slaughterhouse. That the dead were mutilated.”

“Stop. It won’t do you any good to keep rehashing the details,” Cole admonished. “We have to trust that God is watching over Zane and keeping guard over the remaining soldiers.”

“But God didn’t keep Custer and his men from harm. Maybe He won’t keep Zane safe either.”

Cole tried to pull Dianne into his arms, but she resisted. “I can’t simply forget that, Cole.”

He sighed. “Then stay awake all night.”

The baby slept peacefully at the head of their makeshift bed. Dianne knew Cole was only trying to calm her fears, but she couldn’t lie to him. She had no desire to be in his arms when the rest of the world had gone completely mad.

“I’m so afraid,” she whispered.

Cole reached out again and this time she let him pull her close. “I know you’re afraid,” he replied. “I wish I could make it all seem right again.”

She buried her head against his shoulder. “I wish you could too.”

CHAPTER
4

T
HE NEXT MORNING
D
IANNE AND
C
OLE SAT IN SILENCE
with Faith and Malachi. Mercy and Daniel played beside Faith, while Dianne felt the need to cradle Luke in her arms.

“What are we to do?” Dianne finally asked.

Cole shook his head, hard pressed to know the answer. He knew he couldn’t share all the news he’d been told; it would be enough to send them all into a panic, and Dianne had a tenuous hold on her composure already. Rumors were overtaking common sense, with terrible tales of Sioux and Cheyenne being sighted in the pass just east of town.

“I’d feel a sight better iffin’ the army was back at da fort,” Malachi said in his deep, soft voice.

Cole felt the same but hesitated to comment. Dianne was already fearful of the situation. Especially how it might affect her brother Zane.

“Well, it seems the threat is real enough to take precautions,” Cole said, trying his best to sound nonchalant.

Trenton rode up about that time. He tied off his horse in a hurry and came to join the others. Cole tried to warn Dianne’s brother with his eyes to use discretion in what he shared.

Trenton caught his look. “Stores are open. I’d say if we’re going to get supplies, we should do so right away. People seem to be stocking up.”

“Probably wise,” Faith said softly.

“No doubt it’s for the best,” Dianne agreed.

“Army isn’t due back for some time,” Trenton added. “We might as well head home and wait it out there. It might be a month or more.”

“Those were my thoughts as well,” Cole said. “Let’s go ahead with our shopping and then head back to the ranch.” He hoped Dianne wouldn’t question his decision. It seemed of late she had no confidence in his choices. He wasn’t sure why she continued to second-guess him; sometimes she went so far as to actually change his decisions and directions—right in front of the men. It put the ranch hands in a precarious position, uncertain to whom they owed their loyalty, and Cole’s leadership suffered.

“Do you think we’ll be in danger on the trip home?” Dianne asked. She stared down at their baby, and Cole knew her biggest concern was for Luke.

“I think we should be fine. The only sightings of Indians have been to the east of the pass.”

Her head snapped up. “There’ve been sightings?”

Cole felt like kicking himself. “Well, there have been
rumors
of sightings. You know how folks are around here. Their imaginations are running wild. They’re scared and jump at every noise.”

“My imagination is working plenty hard,” Dianne admitted, her eyes wide with fear.

He reached out to gently stroke her cheek. “I know. That’s why we’ll head home as soon as we have what we came for. We’ll all feel better in the comfort of what’s familiar.”

“I’ll go with Malachi and get the work materials we need,” Trenton suggested.

“I’ll stay here with the children,” Faith offered. “That way you and Cole can go together.”

“But you were looking forward to shopping every bit as much as I was,” Dianne protested.

Faith rubbed her stomach and shook her head. “I’m thinking it best for me to stay here and take it easy.”

“Well, give me your list, then,” Dianne said, returning her gaze to Cole. “Will you help me?”

“Of course. We can go arrange for everything, then take the wagon into town and load it on our way out.”

“Stay away from the east end,” Trenton warned. “It’s pretty seedy down that way—a lot of brothels and saloons.”

Dianne lifted Luke to her shoulder, patting him gently. “Why does someone always have to come and spoil a place with such things.”

“Seems like they’re always on the east side of town too,” Faith added.

“My daddy always said that was because it was where folks entered a town and the first place they stopped for refreshment,” Cole threw in. He tossed back the last of his coffee and got to his feet.

“Why couldn’t folks come in the westward way?” Dianne asked.

“You have to remember that until the continental railroad went through, most folks were traveling from the east to the west. Not a lot of traffic going in the opposite direction. Guess that’s why they got established that way. It was probably just too much trouble to move them afterward.”

“I suppose so,” Dianne mused. “Too bad, just the same. I’d love to have a town where there weren’t any shady dealings going on at all.”

Faith gave a laugh. “Well, if I remember right, we’re supposed to see Jesus return in the east. That’ll put them that need Him most that much closer.”

Dianne laughed. “I suppose you’re right.”

Cole felt encouraged by his wife’s amusement. It seemed she’d done nothing but cry and worry since learning about the battle yesterday. Cole hated seeing her so tense, so troubled. He would have given almost anything—even wasted time shopping for female doodads—to see her happier.

“We’d best get a move on,” Cole said, dusting off his pants.

Malachi, a barrel-chested man who had to weigh at least two-hundred fifty pounds, jumped up from the ground with the agility of a wild cat. He reached out his hand to pull Faith to her feet, prompting Cole to do likewise for Dianne.

She clutched the baby close as Cole pulled her into his arms. “I know you’re worried, but we’ll have a nice time together. You’ll see.” He leaned close and kissed Dianne on the forehead. She stiffened, looking up at him as if he’d lost all reasonable thought.

“I won’t have a nice time until I know about Zane,” she said sadly.

Cole shook his head. Only moments ago she’d actually laughed, and now she had returned to her morose outlook.

“Now that’s no way to be,” Faith insisted as she reached out to take Luke from Dianne’s arms. “The good Lord didn’t climb down from His throne last night. He’s still sitting there watching over all. He’ll still be sitting there tomorrow as well. You need to give Zane over to His care.”

“I did that a long time ago. Just as I’m sure other mothers, wives, and sisters gave over Custer’s Seventh Cavalry. But I’m afraid He might not have any better answer for me than He did for them. And sometimes that’s very hard to understand.”

“I know Faith would enjoy this material,” Dianne said, trying hard to get in the spirit of shopping. She held out a length of the twilight blue wool. It reminded her of the sky moments before night overtook the last bits of light. “It’s very soft.”

“Why don’t you go ahead and get it,” Cole said. “Winter’s coming on and it would probably be good to have. It’s not particularly feminine, so if you ladies decide against it, you can still use it for making shirts for the men.”

She nodded. One thing was true: Cole had never begrudged her the right to spend money as she saw fit.
Of course,
she thought,
I could argue that it’s my money to begin with
. The thought tightened itself around her heart.
Uncle Bram left it all to me, with the provision that I would see to his family. That will always come first.
Cole must understand that
.

But there was no reason for her to doubt that he did. Dianne shook her head. Why was she having such doubts about her husband? He’d never shown Koko and her children anything but the highest regard. He’d even taken Uncle Bram’s only son, Jamie, under his supervision to teach and train. Watching Cole with Jamie always gave Dianne an image of how he would be with Luke.

“I think I’ll get the entire bolt. Koko would like this material as well.”

“Good idea. Did you find boots and shoes for the kids?”

Dianne smiled. “Yes. I gave footprint drawings for Mercy and Daniel, as well as Suzy and Jamie, to the clerk. He found everything we needed.”

“Are we nearly finished, then?”

“I think so. I’d like to pick up a few baubles for the kids. You know, some little presents to take back.”

They finished shopping and headed back to the wagons down the busy walkway. Dianne clung tightly to Cole’s arm. The town no longer seemed quite so friendly. Dianne constantly glanced to the mountain range east of Bozeman. She’d heard talk in the stores that the townsfolk believed the mountains would act as a deterrent to attack. She could only pray that their thoughts would hold true.

“I had hoped to introduce myself,” a man declared, standing directly in their path.

Dianne looked up to the owner of the voice. The man’s expression seemed void of emotion. He swept Dianne with a look that went from the top of her head to the toe of her boot, then settled on her face. “I’m Chester Lawrence.”

He said the name as though it should mean something to her. Dianne looked to Cole, then back to the older man. He scowled. “I know you’re the Selbys from the Diamond V.”

Cole revived from his momentary surprise. “Yes. We are.” He extended his hand. “You’ll have to forgive my lack of manners. We didn’t get much rest last night.”

“Worried about Indians?” The older man’s tone seemed mocking.

“I suppose any time such a massacre takes place, it gives a fellow cause for concern,” Cole replied. “By the way, the name’s Cole. And this is my wife, Dianne.”

“Heard tell you inherited the ranch from your uncle,” Lawrence said without any apparent concern for overstepping the bounds of propriety.

“Yes,” Dianne said softly. “I did.”

“Well, if you’re looking to sell, I’d be happy to give you a fair price. I’d buy the cattle and all.”

Dianne looked at him oddly. “Why would you ever think we’d be interested in selling?”

“Well, everyone has their price. My missus and me, along with our children, plan to make this territory our home. We intend to have the biggest spread in these parts, and since we aren’t all that far from your boundaries, I figured we’d see about buying you out.”