Chapter 21: A Rose by Another Name
Jane had Hugh extinguish the fire in order to call her men forward. The wily veteran Indian fighter didn't trust the Kiowa in the least. The tribe had long feared her power and would take an opportunity, such as being alone with only one companion, to attack and eliminate her as a problem.
As the enlightened Italian recalled the Bible said, 'Lead us no into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'
So the cagey Captain was determined to lad the Kiowa from temptation. As her company approach Jane turned to Hugh and said, "Pick five men. Hide the horses in that dry river bed and spread the men in a large 'c'. When the Kiowa enter the mouth of the 'c' close it with the five. Keep them close to the entrance of the trap and have them move in once the first shot is fired.
After several minutes of organization of the troops, the Rangers settled in their positions, while Jane and Hugh sat at reignited fire having coffee and hardtack. The men were at their stations trying not to lose their focus. Several of the men were nibbling at the same hardtack wishing for a cup of that coffee. They knew the coffee was just a prompt to fool the Kiowa into thinking the couple were just camping alone, but the smell was strong and taste of it linger in their memories.
After a couple of hours in their concealed locations the men were getting stiff and sore, but they knew any movement would spoil the carefully laid trap. Any mistake from any man on the perimeter could get the pair of fighters acting as the bait killed. So they hunkered down and waited without even daring to doze.
Finally after almost three hours at their post and over four since Jane had confronted the pair of warriors, some movement gave away the position of a scout. Being Kiowa, there would be other scouts at other locations who had yet to be detected.
One such scout was nearing the location of Johnny Yuma. A native Texan, Yuma was only sixteen but had earned a reputation as an excellent warrior. At the age of twelve, the youngster had smuggled his two younger sisters away from a Apache raiding party that had destroyed the small wagon train in which their parents were taking their family to Arizona.
The adolescent boy took two of the wagon's horses and hid them in a dry gully two miles from the attack, while the older men were fighting off the attack. When the dark haired youngster returned from his mission, he found his father had been wounded, but was still fighting. However, only four men were left to fight, the rest were either dead or severely wounded.
His father shoved a single shot pistol into his hand told him, "Son, we're gonna lose this har fight. Ain't no doubt. I needcha to sneak your mother and sisters out of here and get them to San Antone. Y'all have an aunt thar and she kin take y'all in. It's up to ya to take car of the womenfolk. I hate to leave y'all but thar ain't no other way. Now go."
Tears ran down the boy's face, as he realized that this would be the last time he ever saw his father, but the youngster understood the reality of the situation and saw no other alternative. So, the newly crowned man jumped into his father's arms hugged him and backed away toward his family's wagon where the womenfolk were hiding.
When the somewhat short brunette found them, his mother was lying on her back with an arrow through her leg. It was bleeding dark red and she was looking terribly pale. The young woman could barely speak as she commanded, "Forget me. I'm done for. I don't have long. Take your sisters and run. I'm counting on you Johnny Boy to get them to safety."
With his parents final words ringing in his ears he gathered what food he could fit in a flour sack. Then he took what shot and powder was left in the wagon with two canteens and went back to cover his mother, only to find her dead. The now anxious youngster took his sobbing sisters into the brush near the wagons, he said in hushed tones, "Y'all ere gonna have to stop crying rat now or y'all ere gonna git us kilt. No more crying til we git to San Antone. Y'all hear me."
The two frightened girls shook their heads to indicate their understanding and wiped their eyes and noses with their dress sleeves. The three children crawled on their bellies the two miles to the horses, all while hearing the death cries of their friends and family.
Johnny was relentless in his escape. The dark preteen pushed his sisters forward though both of them were very tired. It took nearly three hours for them to reach the horses. By which time, dark smoke could be seen where they had left the wagons and there was no more gunfire.
As he was putting his sisters on one of the horses, an Apache jumped out of the brush to capture the children. The tough brave had not considered the boy much of a threat much to his demise. The nervy youngster fired his pistol from the hip and drove the chest into his spine with the fifty caliber ball.
Johnny desperately wanted to reload. His father pounded into his head, once you shot your gun reloaded, immediately. However, the wily frontiersman had no idea if the Apache had any friends close. If he did they would have heard the shot. So the savvy youngster had no choice but to mount his horse and run with his sisters' horse in tow.
For four days he circled around the area avoiding any detection from the warring Indians. The band of Apaches had to know that they had escaped when they found the dead brave and their tracks leading away from the scene.
During that time he used every trick his father had taught him. Walking the horses over rocky land, wading upstream and then doubling back down the stream, covering tracks with brush, false trails and covering the horses hooves with pieces of thick fur were all methods he used.
Trying not to use their small stores from the flour sack, they lived off the land. The boy set snares, knocked squirrels from what trees there were, speared fish, while the girls rounded up what nuts, berries, greens and roots they could find.
The next morning the young man circled around to the burned out wagons with a specific purpose in mind. Johnny knew where his father kept their money and he intended on getting it. The scene of death was horrible.
All the men, women and children were butchered and stripped of all their clothing. The bodies were scalped and mutilated as was the custom with Apache. They believed that a mutilated enemy could not harm you in the afterlife.
Johnny wanted to leave his sisters a safe distance away but they wouldn't hear of it. The two girls knew they needed some things that might be found in the burned remains. While their older brother went to find the money, the girls went to search every burned out wagon for anything they might be able to use.
The bright young man went to his incinerated wagon. His father had shown the boy where he hid six double eagles in the seams between the wagon planks under the driver's seat. With his knife the youngster dug out the six coins and put them in his pocket. Then the dark brunette looked through the remains of the wagon and found several discarded coins. Apache took all the metal utensils, cloth and pots, but would find no use for money.
When he sifted through the ashes, he came up a knife blade with no handle and two cans of peaches which had been buried by the collapsing skeleton of their former wagon. The girls came forward with some other minor treasure, which the raiders had missed.
The pair of girls had found fourteen dollars and sixty-four cents in quarters, bits, dimes, half-dimes, pennies and half-pennies. The majority of the coins were bits, which were worth twelve and a half cents. The sisters also found a blackened penknife, six cans with no labels, a sack of rock candy, an old pan with a whole in the bottom and a metal locked box burned black.
Using the handle-less knife blade as a pry bar, the young man forced open the small metal box. Inside the box was some papers belonging to Wilcox Martin, an Englishman from a good family who was going west to make his fortune.
Figuring some day on sending these papers to the gentleman's family, he put them in the flour sack. Then he found some strange looking gold and silver coins, which were probably English. He would have to use this money to keep his family alive and reckoned Willie would understand and approve.
Additionally in the box were several pieces of fine jewelry. After placing the jewelry in the flour sack, the wary youngster covered all the tracks he could find and left the desolate place behind them.
Believing the Apache were going home with their spoils, the children rode East out of Arizona and toward Texas. After fifteen days of wondering around to avoid any trouble the thin siblings rode into Fort Worth.
Using the small change and keeping their gold out of sight, Johnny bought supplies from the fort's sutler. Sutlers were civilian merchants who sold general goods to soldiers through contract with the installation's commanding officer.
The young man reported the Apache raid to the post commander and managed to get the sympathetic officer to sell him a horse, mule, riding saddle, bridle and pack saddle. With a horse for each child and a mule packing their supplies the trio headed south toward San Antonio and their father's sister.
Nearly a month later the siblings rode into San Antonio and found their aunt had a small horse ranch outside of town. When they arrived, the older woman was grieved to hear of her precious brother' death. The woman also explained that she could take in the girls, but didn't have the wear with all to raise a boy.
So the next morning Johnny Yuma took the horses and mules and left to make his way in life. Four years later the young man was a Texas Ranger and known as a brave and resourceful man. He still had most of the money he and his sisters had recovered four years earlier. The paper and documents were sent two years earlier to his family in England.
The Kiowa scout was nearing his position and Johnny knew the brave was headed toward his location. After all it was the best cover in the area and was the spot the young man had chosen for the same reason. Not wanting to make a noisy fuss, the veteran Indian fighter silently unsheathed his Bowie.
As the quiet brave crawled toward the young Ranger's position, the Apache tried to sense the location of anyone other the two at the campfire. When the experience scout was with half an arm length of Johnny, the experience Indian fighter reacted.
The quick Ranger grabbed the Indian by the throat and dragged him into the small gully with him. While wrapping his legs around the struggling brave's abdomen, Johnny placed his left hand over the struggling scout's mouth. Then the experienced killer slit the man's throat with his sharp blade.
So as not to alert any other scouts, the savvy warrior kept the dead brave next to him while he waited for the Kiowa to enter Captain Rizzoli's camp area.
Several minutes later the Kiowa approach Jane as she stood to meet her opponents. Wild Dog was tall for an Kiowa. As a rule the Kiowa were much shorter than the Europeans as their diets were heavy in lean meat and they didn't get the fat necessary to grow to their fullest potential.
However Wild Dog was over 5'8" tall and weighed about 180 pounds, but not an ounce of it was fat. The man had a barrel chest and tree trunk legs. His biceps were large and well-formed. It's been said that Wild Dog lifted a buffalo flank in each arm. By far, the Kiowa chief was the strongest Indian in the Territories.
He rode into camp casually like he was innocent of any deceit. However Jane knew differently. Having spotted the movement of at least three scouts, the careful military woman knew the Kiowa were here to fight. Jane was determined to keep the fight short with as few deaths as possible.
Wild Dog rode forward and announced, "I have come here to end our fear of death. With you dead we will be free of the old fear that you gave our warriors. I came to tell you to sing your death song, Hunter With No Heart."
Jane raised her hand s and over a hundred rifles cocked at the same time and the sound came from every direction. The tall Sicilian asked frankly, "You can start the ball, but every Kiowa brave will lie in his own blood."
The giant Kiowa was frightened. How could they be hidden so well. He knew his scouts should have found one of the hidden men as there were obviously many more men than there are Kiowa. The savvy chief knew when he was beaten and should he choose to continue, he will get each of his men killed.
The large Indian brave lifted his arms and let his large lance drop to the ground. His other braves all follow suit except a young brave to his right, who hesitates. Jane looks at the young brave and sees his father in his face. It is Long Eagle, the son of Wild Dog. The tall Italian shakes her head as she says, "I see it in your eyes Long Eagle. You are thinking you can charge me and kill me before you are killed. I will give you your chance."
The tough Ranger leader shouted to her men, "No one do a thing. This is between him and me. I am going to spank this boy and give him back to his father."
The savvy Texan knew Wild Dog could speak English and she reason his son could as well. The look on the angry youngster's face told her he could. Jane just winked at him with a knowing and very insulting smirk. This made the inexperience warrior so angry he jump from his horse and landed poorly on his foot.
The young fighter hobbled to his feet on a busted ankle and tried desperately to take a fighting pose, only to collapse to the ground. The hardened war veteran walked over the prone boy who slashed at her wildly with his knife. Jane nonchalantly kicked the blade from the wounded braves grip.
Indifferently, the talented fighter walked over the fallen blade and retrieved it. With practiced skill the veteran knife thrower launched the knife at the prone figure. Before the youngster could react the knife embedded by his cheek; grazing it slightly, leaving a long bleeding slice.
Dispassionately, the tall brunette commented, "Nice well balance blade. Where did you get it? It looks like the one of the ones from my trading post. You keep a good edge on it. If I had wanted to it would be sticking between your shoulder blades. You really have to learn to keep your temper when you go into battle.
That leap from your horse was spectacular and all, but it left you vulnerable and off balance. I could have killed you while you were sailing through the air helpless or I could have attacked you while you landing on your feet, even without you help in landing so badly. I'm sure your father has told you these things many times, but until you use them in battle you don't know the truth of them.
Wild Dog, take care of your son and see he causes no more trouble. By the way how long do you think you can survive without my trading posts? Year ago the Kiowa didn't need my posts, but now you do. You cannot survive without the steel weapons, needles, thread and cloth I provide you. You know I speak the truth.
Once not too long ago you and the Comanche were allies and still are in East Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. The only reason you war here is because you both claim the buffalo lands. I will make it so you don't need the buffalo lands. You can still hunt the buffalo, but you will only do it because it is your way, not because you need to.
I will trade you meat, cloth, needles, thread and weapons so you will not need the buffalo, except to trade with me. I want hides and fur. I need leather and something you have. I need gold."
The cagey Texan looked at her companion and said, "Hugh, bring me the five muskets from the pack mule."
The wily Ranger said to Wild Dog, "As show of good faith, I gift you these five rifles. You can trade for powder and shot. I only ask that these be used to hunt and to fight the Apache. Should you ever use these against the white man or the Comanche, I will come and take them from your cold dead hand. You know I mean what I say."
Not convinced of the rightness of such an arrangement, the clever Kiowa asked, "How do I know Red Blanket and other white men will keep such a peace?"
Jane smiled. Mentally she noted that the Kiowa chief had not questioned her word. Such a thing would have result and swift and deadly action. So, the sly teenager replied, "I have Red Blanket's word and should he not keep it, I will destroy him as I promised I would destroy you for such a transgression.
As for other white men, I am the law in this part of the country. My Rangers will keep the peace and insure the order. If a white man tries to break this peace, I will hang him."
The veteran fighter was convinced Jane was sincere. The young Italian had always been fair to all the tribes though Red Blanket took her as his granddaughter. The brunette Texan had never favored him over the Kiowa. Additionally the tough warrior could have killed his son easily and did not do so. So the weary killer responded, "We will keep the peace. I will go and speak with Red Blanket in two days. We will smoke the pipes and tell the old stories."
Jane knew that was his way of saying he would make peace with the Comanche. Now that the peace was made, the wary teenager would have to enforce it.
***SE***
Following the chilled wine and appetizers, a pheasant roasted in fragrant orange sauce is placed on the table as well as a bowl of boiled potatoes and another of sweet peas with fresh carrots. Bridgette slices the pheasants and places a generous piece on the plate. Then the saucy maid ladles out the potatoes and peas.
After placing the plate before her mistress, the smiling servant makes a similar plate for her older sister. Once both young women are served, Bridgette gives her sister a long stare and nods in Lady Melody's direction. Suddenly the juicy meat sticks in the older teenager's throat forcing her to take a long drink of the sweet chilled wine.
After the fortifying drink the nervous suitor takes courage and says, "Milady, I am just a common girl. I am no beauty like you. I do not have golden hair or striking blue eyes. I am a plain girl who has learned to dress well and make herself look better than she is.
Before you protest, let me finish. However, I am putting forth my suit. I love you and want to be with you even if it is no more than a comfort for you as my mother was Lady Constance. I know my place and I will keep it. I just want to be with you."
The Lady Martine wiped her lips with her napkin and responded, "I am quite cross with you, Georgie. I told you to call me Melody in private. Please do so. I want you to know I hold you in high esteem.
When I came to England no one was kinder to me than you were. When everyone was busy with that smuggling thing I was forgotten by everyone, save you. You were the sun that lit my mornings and evenings. I came to love you as well.
Now, I am mistress of this barony. I have wealth and power. However it means nothing to me if you are not by my side. That being said I will not have you as a comfort. I will only have you as a lover and a companion. I will cherish you."
Georgina leapt to her feet and rushed around the table and embraced the lovely blonde as she was sitting at the table. Melody wanted to show her affection as well and rose from the chair to face her new lover. In that moment they kissed passionately.
***SE***
Countess Isles was working at her desk desperately trying to keep busy as she awaited news from the small dinner party upstairs. The honey blonde was nervous. Frantically the intelligent noblewoman worried about her ward and her oldest friend.
A discrete knock on the door nearly startled her, as she asked, "Who is at my door?"
The door opened slowly as Bridgette and Maddy entered the room. The two maids curtsied very low as they announced simultaneously, "Your Grace, they are kissing. We left to give them their privacy."
The Countess smiled as Bridgette added, "I want to thank Her Grace on my sister's behalf. I know it was a difficult decision and I admire you for enriching my sister's life at the sake of your own plan. Your Grace I have always loved you like a sister, but now I know I love you for kindness and generosity."
The honey blonde looked at her life-long friend with her hazel eyes and responded, "I would do anything for you and your sister, because you are family to me."
The intelligent teenager thought for a moment before she told her other servant, "Maddy, go chaperone the couple upstairs. I do not think anything other than kissing should happen tonight. Let us let their blood cool before any permanent decision is made. Bridgette you stay. We need to talk about your happiness."
After the other maid left to keep anything from happening upstairs, the insightful noblewoman commanded, "Pour each of us a sherry and have a seat. I want to talk to you about Katelyn."
Bridgette poured the two sherries and handed one to Her Ladyship, while she thumped down angrily into a chair. The disturbed young maid exclaimed, "Your Grace, I asked you not to interfere. I say again I do not need a matchmaker."
The Countess sighed as she took a sip from her glass and replied, "I am not interfering, Bridgette. I do however have an obligation to Katelyn and her mother. Marina has been a loyal servant to the Isles family since she was employed in Bourdeaux.
I had a long talk with both Katelyn and Marina. I know Katelyn had difficulty with my choice of lovers. At one time I suspected she had betrayed me to Her Majesty because of that belief. However I was proven incorrect.
Marina is worried about the baby being born a bastard. Since the baby's father has denied the child, I have taken upon myself to give the child a surname. When the child is born I will adopt it. I have an estate in Scotland that needs an heir, so adopting another child is necessary.
Katelyn is quite disillusioned about men. Her experience with the cad of a guard Captain has made her distrustful of their motives. Additionally Katelyn has nothing but warm regards for you and is in fact quite smitten by your acceptance of her condition without any judgment. Therefore, I ask you what are your intentions? I do not think the youngster could take another disappointment."
The confused Frenchwoman asked, "What do you mean by intentions, Your Grace?"
Countess Isles responded, "Bridgette, I love you like a sister, but when it comes to love your record is disturbing. You do have a tendency to love them then leave them. Do you not recall the shepherd's daughter near Swansea and the fuss the shepherd made? I have spoken to the girl and she is smitten badly and I do not want her hurt anymore. So I asked again, 'What are your intentions?'"
The younger sister answered honestly, "Your Grace, I love her. I would never hurt her. This is no dalliance. If it were, I would have sipped the honey by now, which I haven't."
The anxious noblewoman thought on this for a moment before her reply, "I would be all so happy if that is true, but I have to ask once more with this late proviso, 'Wait until after the baby is born before you go any further in your relationship.'"
The suddenly wary teenager responded, "That is six months away. That is a long wait."
The wily Countess smirked, "Let us say we are testing your commitment.. After all if you are in love then there is no problem because you can express love without sex and should it not be love, no harm is done by waiting."
The sharp brunette weighed her response and said, "I agree, but I want it understood I will not waiver in my resolve, because I do love this girl."
The Countess recalled these words from her life-long friend before and each time it was the same after she pick the flower, the fragrance was lost. Countess Maura hoped this wasn't the case this time.
***SE***
The next morning Melody called her carriage in order to go about the county and see how the battle with the fever was going. From the latest reports, the fever in the youthful Baroness's county was finished and other the initial four deaths, only the Miller family didn't survive. The thought of the ignorant doctor's complicity in their deaths only hardened her resolve to see him punished to fullest extent possible.
As the popular Baroness traveled the countryside, the transplanted American was roundly cheered by every peasant, merchant and gentlefolk. Everyone in the Barony knew it was by the gentle blonde's herbal knowledge and toil at personal risk that so many who would have died in any other Barony lived because she was their Baroness.
When her coach arrived in the town square the young noblewoman was greeted by the arrogant physician being released from the stocks by some French soldiers. The angry Baroness Martine called to her captain, "See what is going on and ask those men why they are releasing that man. I gave specific orders, he was not to be released until I said so."
Captain Pierre Garson went directly to the group of soldiers and had a spirited conversation with the leader of squadron. When the dashing guard captain returned he informed his mistress, "Milady these men were ordered by the Constable of this county says this man has not been tried by the local magistrate for his crimes and cannot be punished until he has been tried. So the Constable has released the man until he comes to trial."
The young noblewoman caught the arrogant doctor's eyes and saw him smirk at her defeat. Therefore she knew he would do the same thing again if circumstances presented irritated young woman responded, "I see."
As the enraged teenager descends from her carriage, she draws a LeMat pistol from her hand bag and shots the offending physician in the head. Her guards immediately act by surrounding her before the other shocked French troops can say do anything.
After placing the smoking pistol back in her bag, the satisfied noblewoman announces loudly, "I am the Baroness Martin and this man offended me and disobeyed my commands. I am satisfied with what has been done. If the Constable or the Magistrate has any problem with what I have done, I will be at my Manor. They are welcome to come question my motives at any time. Good day, Gentlemen."
The locals cheered, as they knew of the offenses that this quack doctor had committed. Additionally they respected the strong action their young Baroness had taken. It was decisive and popular. Lastly her guard was bursting with pride for their American leader. Though the teenager was very young she had demonstrated resolve and had not ordered her will, but imposed her will of her own free accord.
These men were hers and hers alone. Before they would have died for her because she was their Baroness, now they would die for the woman who had shown that was worthy of their loyalty. From this day forward none would question her word among her guard.
***SE***
The Constable was furious upon receipt from his soldiers of what the Baroness had done. The dishonest policeman had been paid handsomely by some influential noblemen to see to the release and transportation of the connected doctor to a location where he would have been beyond the reach of the newest Baroness.
However, the impulsive teenager had killed the man and now the corrupt bureaucrat would be forced to return his bribe to his employers. To make matters worse the mendacious civil servant was dependent on the good graces of the young noblewoman in question as she controlled his appointment. Should the new Baroness wish to do she could discharge him and petition the President for a new Constable.
If the young woman was to speak with the magistrate, she would discover the noble judge had not known about the plight of the incompetent doctor. That discovery would call his honesty into question could get him guillotined. So the wily politician decided he must placate the young Baroness.
Ditting at his desk the man retrieved a piece of official paper from his tray and began to pen a letter to the dangerous teenager:
Dear Lady Martine,
I am embarrassed by the incompetence of my soldiers. They were following my orders. However they showed poor judgment in the execution of those orders. The men had been instructed to arrest the man and place him in jail until his trial.
You were totally within your rights to act as you did and I commend you for it. No other noble would have done it better. You have my greatest admiration in that you acted and apologized to no one.
If it would be convenient I would like to invite you to my home for afternoon tea at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow. My wife is an excellent cook and hostess, She has expressed interest in meeting you and I would be honored if you could come.
Again you have my most heartfelt apology.
In your service,
Constable Bernard Benoit
After completing the short missive, the canny policeman place it into a piece of his personal envelop and handed it to his chief guard commanding, "Deliver this to Her Ladyship before you go home for the day. Make sure you wait for an answer.
***SE***
A tired butler answered the front door of Isles Manor. It had been a long day with the late dinner party and cleaning after the affair. Additionally there had been a good bit of excitement about what would happen with the Baroness killing the disgraced butler.
A French soldier jumped to attention as the butler asked, "May I help you?"
The proper soldier replied, "I have a message for Lady Martine from the Constable Benoit and have to await a response."
The tidy gentleman had heard that the Lady might be having trouble for her attacking that horrible doctor against the Constable's directs. So the efficient doorkeeper for the Manor feared it may contain an order for his mistress's transgression.
Therefore the cautious better responded, "Please come in and await her ladyship in the parlor. Would you like a wine, brandy or maybe some nice hot tea?"
The soldier was about to refuse, when it occurred to him that he had not had a nice cup of tea in many years. Tea was very expensive with wine and brandy being more readily available. Besides it might make a good impression with Her Ladyship if seemed a fine and sober soldier. So the calculating veteran replied, "Tea would be wonderful, thank you."
The aging butler went to inform his mistress of her guest and to inform the kitchen to serve the soldier some tea. The older manservant encountered Maddy and ordered, "Go to the kitchen and fetch a service of tea for the messenger in the study, while I find Her Grace. See if you can keep him distracted long enough for Her Grace to develop a strategy."
The pert younger woman dashed off to the kitchens, while the distinguished manservant strode toward Her Grace's lounge. The faithful butler rapped upon the lounge door and heard Her Grace grant his entrance.
Once inside the chamber, the illustrious manservant announced, "A messenger has arrived from the Constable with a messenger for Her Ladyship. He is in the study drinking tea and Maddy is keeping him distracted."
The clever noblewoman smiled as she understood her faithful butler was buying her time to think and determine a course of action. Her first decision was the easiest as she commanded, "Find Her Ladyship and bring her here, immediately. Then go downstairs and see if our guest is getting impatient that will tell many things."
The older gentleman bowed deeply and retreated from the room to accomplish his assigned task. Once in the hallway the faithful manservant went to the next room and knocked on it. When no one answered, he thought for a moment and then dashed to the servant's quarters.
***SE***
The blonde Countess started to make a mental list of the circumstances in order to make some deductions:
If the Constable were going to arrest Melody, then he would have sent more men as well as attending to the matter personally.
If the Constable wanted to confront Melody and establish his dominance then again he would have done so personally.
The message is written and therefore, it was not something that the Constable would want to keep secret.
The soldier was not nervous.
He is drinking tea calmly and says he must await a reply.
The Constable is a very ambitious man.
There is only one logical explanation. The Constable is making a peace jester in an attempt to mend fences. The Constable wants to court Lady Martine's influence. He knows his position is weak and wants to ensure the Baroness is angry at him. The best deduction is the letter is some kind of invitation to some small function.
A plan was forming in Her Grace's head as she smiled at the thought of its conclusion, when a light rap came from her lounge's main door. After ordering whomever it was to enter, Countess Isles finished developing her plan of action. The shy butler opened the door and bowed, allowing Lady Martine to enter the room.
***SE***
The slow-footed butler made his way toward Georgina and Bridgette's room, where he knocked. There was a wait a minute answer followed by the noise of two people scrambling and not willing to get caught.
Georgina answered the knock through the door by asking, "How can I help you?"
The chuckling butler answered, "Georgina, I must find the mistress. Her Grace is waiting for Her Ladyship in the Countess's lounge. I can't seem to find her. If you see her give her my message, I'm going to go and see if she might be in the greenhouse."
The amused manservant walked away from the door and around the corner of the long hallway so he was hidden from view. The engaged butler wanted to play a bit, so he waited and watched. First Georgina looked out of the door and down the corridor in both directions. Then the sly maid waved her partner into the passageway.
After the waving, Melody emerged from the servant's room dress immaculately. There was no doubt nothing but some polite conversation… maybe some kissing and caressing. Seeing how unruffled the dress was,
Melody walked briskly down the hall and ran right into the elderly manservant, knocking him to floor. The surprised and slightly bruised butler sat on his butt while scowling at his mistress, who said, "I am so sorry. I am late for an engagement with Her Grace. Here let me help you up."
The young noblewoman held out her hand to her faithful servant which he grateful accepted. As the healthy Baroness pulled the sprawled butler to his feet, she realized the stunned manservant had seen her come from Georgina's room.
Though the two women hadn't done anything more than kiss and talk of love, the servants would think more happened than it did. The suddenly wary noblewoman demanded, "Jennings, what is it you think you saw?"
The faithful manservant replied, "I saw my mistress coming from her servant's room, who has been recovering from wounds obtained in her Lady's service. Naturally, Her Ladyship would be concerned about her faithful servant's well being. Additionally, what I see is only my mistress's business and no one else's."
Satisfied with the answer, the pleased Lady responded, "Thank you for your honest answer. Now, I must go Her Grace. Do you have any idea what this is about?"
The loyal servant answered, "There is a messenger downstairs with a message from the constable for you and he is waiting for you and an answer. Her Grace wishes to discuss what your response will be."
The smiling golden blonde commanded, "Get Georgina and Bridgette and tell them to meet me in the Countess's lounge. Come as well. We may need you to help distract our guest."
The devoted manservant left to accomplish his new task. As the older man headed toward the servant's quarter, he passed Georgina, who had been listening to their conversation. The pert maid said, "Bridgette is in the kitchen talking with Katlyn. I will go with our Lady to Her Grace's lounge."
As the steadfast butler hustled off to the kitchen, the lovely maid whispered to him, "Thank you for your discretion."
***SE***
When the young couple arrived at Her Grace's private quarters, Georgina knocked on the large mahogany door. The regal noblewoman called from her lounge, "You may enter."
The new Baroness and her new suitor entered the spacious room and said, "I am here, Your Grace. Have you deduced the contents of the letter? I have faith in you ability to deduce things with very little information."
Not wanting to be distracted from questioning the young noblewoman on her reasoning in bringing Georgina, the lovely honey blonde queried, "Were you found together?"
From the blush in their faces, the observant Countess received her answer, so she implored, "Please tell me you were at least discrete."
Georgina defended her beautiful girlfriend, "No one saw us. Besides we didn't do anything but talk and maybe we kissed a little bit."
Melody interjected, "We had dinner and talked mostly. We were kissing when Jennings came to the door. I asked him what he saw and he said he saw me taking care of a servant injured in my service and that what I did was my business and nothing for him to repeat."
Countess Isles shook her head in understanding and in acceptance of what had happen. Jennings was total loyal to his employer and would never reveal a single secret, though he knew them all. The old butler was completely safe with this information and though the Countess was happy for her ward and her life-long friend, she knew that the young Baroness needed to allow all the eligible young noblemen to think they had a chance of winning the feisty honey-blonde's hand in marriage. Therefore Her Grace responded, "Okay, but you and Georgie must be careful and not let passion get in the way of reason. Remember, we have to let every eligible man think he has a chance to win your hand in marriage. If you cannot cool your augur then you two must separate. We have a mission here. Remember that."
Melody and Georgie looked at one another and shook their heads in acknowledgment of the Countess's orders, all the while thinking there was nothing that would make them separate. Countess Isles knew from her own experience that was the couple was just agreeing with her to avoid any further conflict. So, the canny honey-blonde changed subjects, "Now I best as I can deduce the Constable is sending some sort of peace offering. He will want to court your good will as you are now the power in the area and he is an ambitious man. In all likelihood it is some sort of invitation. You will of course accept any peace offering he offers. We need to put your impulsiveness behind us."
The stubborn Texan retorted, "I will not apologize for what I did. It needed to be done. I couldn't let my authority be thwarted nor could I let that man get away with murder."
The patient Englishwoman smiled as she responded, "You misunderstand me, Melody. I am berating you. You can never apologize for any action you take, after all you are the Baroness and the Baroness is always right. However, you do need to think things through before you act.
Now I propose you go downstairs with three of your soldiers, just in case the messenger is indeed here to arrest you. In which case, you are not to let that happen. You will have your men kill the messenger and then we will have to eliminate the very stupid constable. Remember what I tell you, it is always easier to get forgiveness than permission.
However, I am fairly confident the messenger is here to extend you some sort of invitation or maybe a petition for a bribe to let the matter go away. So you will write to two letters. The first accepts his gracious invitation. You need to be very vague about the event. Your second letter is to laugh at any bribe attempt.
If the man is so stupid as to suggest a bribe, then you will send your guards to gather some more men then you will have to have the constable and his men killed. We cannot afford to look weak and paying a blackmailer is weak. So, do you have any questions?"
The intelligent young American queried, "Why don't I just kill this messenger and his employer and be done with it? Surely this greedy little man will cause us heartache in the future?"
The lovely Countess instructed her young pupil, "You are quite right. The man will eventually be more trouble than he is worth at which time we will be forced to eliminate him. However at the moment we can use his greed to our advantage. We are not yet strong enough to do as we please and having a government official in our employ will prove to be quite useful."
Curiosity invaded the Baroness's thinking as she asked, "How do we use him to our advantage? Surely, he will suspect me of using him to my benefit. So, how will we be able to use effectively?"
The sly honey-blonde noblewoman replied, "I have no idea at the moment. However I do know at some time in the future we will use him and will be glad we did not kill him prematurely."
***SE***
Accompanied by three soldiers and Georgina, Lady Melody entered the study where the veteran soldier was sipping tea and wallowing in the flirtations of a young Maddy. When the Baroness and her entourage entered the room the soldier jumped to attention dropping his cup and spilling his tea.
Maddy dove to floor to clean the mess in order to prevent the solution from staining the valuable Persian rug. The terrified messenger came to a salute and stammered, "I am sorry, Milady. I was clumsy."\
The rug was quite valuable. It was tenth century Byzantine Empire and had been brought back from the Crusades by some Martine ancestor. The rug meant less than nothing to the adopted Texan as she ordered, "Maddy, go to the kitchen and fetch a new pot of tea. Captain, please have a seat."
Melody knew quite well the messenger was not a Captain, but judging by the hidden smile on the man's face the flattery had quite disarmed the possible enemy. The polite soldier waited until the Lady had seated herself before he too sat down. As the veteran did so, he corrected his host by stating, "Milady, I am not a Captain. I am only a corporal."
The young noblewoman gifted the underling with a lovely smile as she replied, "I do apologize. How may I help you?"
Rising again, the soldier snapped to attention and announced, "I have a message from the Constable and await your reply."
The nervous Corporal pulled a letter from his breast pocket and handed it to the grinning Baroness. As the golden beauty opened the letter, she read the contents. Her Grace had been correct. It was an invitation to evening tea tomorrow. The regal aristocrat held out her hand and asked Georgina, "May I have my written acceptance?"
From there agreed responses, this meant, 'Hand me the acceptance letter.'
The proud lover handed her girlfriend the proper letter and smiled her pride. The graceful American took the envelope and held it out to the stunned soldier and said, "Here is my written acceptance. Please tell the Constable I will be there promptly at 4 pm."
The impressed veteran warrior took the letter from the long tapering fingers and bowed deeply to the gorgeous noble. The stately golden blonde smiled as she stated, "You are dismissed. Please hurry with my response."
After the messenger had completely left the house, Lady Melody commanded her maid, "Tell Her Grace she was correct and ask her if she could come to the study to discuss tomorrow's affair."
The pert servant rushed from the room to complete his assigned task, leaving her Lady alone. The Baroness dismissed her men and sat to drink some tea before the Countess arrived to discuss how to handle their troublesome constable.
***SE***
Yuma rode hard up to Jane as headed the company of Rangers to the outlying farms and ranches bringing word of the peace she had forged between the Comanche, Kiowa and Texans. The first couple of ranches had received the news well, but now she was going to the Stockwell Ranch and Stockwell was a firebrand and hot head. He would not welcome such a peace and would do all he could to destroy it.
His ranch was manned by over thirty hardnosed cowhands, who relished a fight over riding herd. It was rumored that Stockwell had made his fortune selling Indian scalps to Easterners. Indian scalps were a popular decoration in Europe and the Northeast.
His once good looks were marred by the long scar from his forehead to his chin, a gift from Red Blanket when he had tried to raid a Kiowa village. His hatred was Red Blanket was only exceeded by his jealousy and by extension hatred of anyone named Rizzoli. Her father had once horsewhipped the man for being too free with his branding iron and the vengeful rancher had never forgiven him, well had never forgiven anyone for that matter.
The young Ranger exclaimed, "Tare's bout twenty or so men hidden among the rocks leading to the Stockwell Ranch. Old man Stockwell has posted the trail leading into his place and told me plain to tell you that iffin y'all come within shooting range of his place, he'll post y'all's hide to the post too."
So here it was. Either the Rangers backed down and their treaty meant nothing or they were going to have to kill every rider on Stockwell range. This didn't make any sense. Stockwell had to know I wouldn't back down and I would run over his men with my superior numbers. Something wasn't right. There had to be a trap of some kind. Quickly the veteran warrior asked her scout, "Tell about the terrain in the area where they are waiting. I need every detail you can remember."
The youngster thought for a moment before he answered, "Thar's six… no seven… hills about ten to twelve feet tall. That's war the men be hiding. The north and east about twenty yards back ere an arroyo. The north and west ere bout two hundred of cattle grazing on brush and grass. The land is tall grass and shrub. Bout a mile due north ere a line of trees."
The savvy Italian didn't know how she knew it, but she knew that there were more men in that arroyo waiting for the fighting to start and for the Rangers to be engaged before they attacked their flank. Therefore Jane's mind leaped to another plan. As the cagey Ranger captain called her officers to a quick consul.
***SE***
Jack Hays and Rip Ford lead twenty men around the eastern flank. The small band of Rangers led their horses silently through the tall grass. They had just one hour to get into position and were anxious to complete their assignment. However stealth was as important as timing. Jack had ten men and was slicking his way to the south side of the arroyo, while Rip and his ten men were inching their way to the northern face.
Jane's plan was very simple. The wily tactician had the bulk of men with her for a frontal assault. Twenty was the maximum number they felt could taken from the company and not be noticeable. The main force's number would be further disguised by the fact it would be divided into three groups. To the casual observer their numbers would look reduced because of that division.
The small detachment was to scout the arroyo for a group of horsemen. If they were in the arroyo, the detachment was to open fire and eliminate the threat when the main force attacked. Jane hated to kill so many men, but if the Old Man didn't relent then she had no choice.
Johnny Yuma carried a flag of truce along with Hugh and Jane as the trio approached the Stockwell position. The confident young man shouted, "Mr. Stockwell, we don't wont to keel y'all, but iffin y'all don't listen we'uns ere gonna haveta come and git ya."
Confident in his plan the arrogant older man responded, "Y'all com and git us."
The three Rangers road back to the rest of men and soon the large command was divided into its three divisions. Jane checked her watch and waited for the detachment to get into position. To stall for a couple more minutes, the cunning Italian sent Yuma forward with a message.
The young scout road forward and announced, "You have ten minutes to surrender or we are coming in to get you."
When the young Ranger returned to his position, Captain Rizzoli made a show of opening her watch, giving anyone watching the impression she was timing their response to her ultimatum.
***SE***
Rip and Jack counted forty well concealed riders in the shallow gorge. They were outnumbered two to one. However they had the high ground and superior weapons. The riders in the dry creek bed had no more than single shot pistols, muzzle-loading rifles or muskets.
Once in position the tough Ranger lieutenants waited for the appointed time. By their watches the fighting would commence in seven minutes. Jack Hays was not happy. The man didn't like killing innocent people however these men were attempting to thwart the law in West Texas and he hated that more than anything else.
***SE***
After ten minutes by her watch, the cunning Captain closed the watch and raised her hand to signal what was happening. When the dangerous brunette lowered her arm, quickly, the three units start their horse forward. First at a trot, then a gallop and lastly she yelled at the top of her lungs and the three groups race to encounter the entrenched cowhands.
Jane held a LeMat in each hand as she road hardest into the fray. Each time a target presented itself the lethal brunette hit it with deadly accuracy. Around the front running rider other Rangers were firing with nearly equal precision.
In the distance, gunfire was echoing through the tight gully left by a dried creek or river. While his men were being eliminate, Old Man Stockwell was wondering what had happened to Charlie Hoyt's raiders. The two villainous men had conspired to trap the Ranger force once and for all.
The evil cattle baron had sent word through a mutual acquaintance his plan to rid Texas of the civilizing influence of Jane Rizzoli and her Texas Rangers. The plan had called for he and his men to engage the company and for Hoyt's raiders to attack from the rear.
Only there was no sign of Hoyt or his raiders. The only thing coming from the arroyo was the sound of constant gunfire. The only answer was the raiders were being attacked by the Rangers. How did that BITCH know about Hoyt's men?
As shots ricocheted around the frightened cowman's concealed position, Old Man Stockwell was considering what to do. The cantankerous old cattleman was reloading his muzzle-loading Sharps 70 caliber rifle when one of those ricochets buried itself in the fleshy part of his right arm and another found a home in his left calf. The elderly ranch owner fell to the ground in agony.
Jane saw the devastation as she continued to fire on concealed cowhands. The returning gunfire had become sporadic and poorly aimed. Not wanting any further unnecessary deaths, the compassionate commander pulled up her mount and called for a retreat in order to give their quarry a chance to surrender without a further loss of life.
***SE***
Jack Hays knew one thing the men in the arroyo were not cowhands. Their horses and weapons were too good and too expensive to be those of cowboys. These men had to be outlaws and only one man commanded this number of outlaws … Charlie Hoyt.
Jack wished he could send a runner to Jane to go more men, but he couldn't lose the element of surprise and sending a runner risked just that. However the experienced warrior knew he didn't have enough men to keep the band of outlaws from escaping once they got over the initial shock of the Ranger's attack. The only thing they could do was insure only a few made it out of that dry bed alive.
Jack listened carefully for the signal of gunfire. Suddenly he heard the beating hooves of horses galloping then running across the prairie as Jane was obviously attacking the entrenched Stockwell cowmen. Knowing the main group of Rangers would soon be firing their guns and not wanting to lose his advantage, the veteran Ranger took it upon his personal responsibility to open fire on the unsuspecting desperados.
The opening shot was a signal for the other Rangers to open fire as well. With their superior rifles, the Pattern 1851 Minié rifle, and revolvers, the twenty Rangers seemed like twice that number and Charlie Hoyt was terrified of being trapped. Seeing an opening at the end of the arroyo, he yelled, "Follow me, Boys!"
The frightened brigand spurred his horse toward the opening. Bullets sailed everywhere and ricochets bounced off every rock. The outlaw leader felt a thud and his horse collapsed from under him. One of his men came riding toward him with his hand extended for the horseless leader to grab hold.
Hoyt did and yanked the startled man from his mount and leapt onto the panting nag. The cowardly gunman spurred the borrowed horse toward the opening and freedom. One he had escaped the well laid trap, he turned the black steed north away from the two battles. Several of his men followed. The rest remained behind.
***SE***
As Jane broke away from the battle in order to give the beaten cowhands a chance to surrender, a wounded cowhand rose from a concealed position and shot wildly hitting her in the left hip toward the rear. The shooter hadn't put enough powder into his musket, so the small caliber bullet barely penetrated her leather pants before burying itself in her left cheek.
The tough Texan felt the wound being made, but couldn't afford the time to have it treated, The Rangers grabbed their wounded and rode back to their staging point. The wounded warrior carefully dismounted her horse and called for two people, Hugh and Yuma.
Johnny Yuma was the first to arrive and asked, "What do you need Captain?"
The injured combatant responded, "Go demand their surrender. They have five minutes and then we will end this. You can tell them anyway you want. I don't care. I just want the killing to stop."
Yuma rode off to complete his assignment. As the young Ranger rode off, Hugh arrived in answer to his Lady's summons. The giant Welshman asked, "What do you need, Milady?"
The wounded warrior shifted her weight to relieve some of the pain in her buttock. As the brunette teenager did so, she said, "Don't be alarm, but I'm wounded. The men cannot know where I was shot or I will never hear the end of it. I need you to take the ball out, but I need you to do where we won't be seen."
The amused Welshman knew the answer to this question, but he asked just for the fun of it anyway, "Where were you shot, Milady?"
Jane expression turned to ice as she replied, "You know where and if you value your hide you won't say another word. I will drag you back to England where I can have you horse whipped and beheaded."
The huge bodyguard responded, "Milady, that's not what I'm afraid of. I have to tell the Countess and she is going to do far worse to me. I was supposed to protect you. You know how she is, I am doomed. So, I might as well have some fun. I'll put up your camp tent and tell everyone you were wounded and needed a place to recover. They don't have to know where."
Jane smiled her Rizzoli smile and queried, "Good, but do you have to tell Maura, she is going to have kittens and I'm going to have to listen to 'I told you so' a million times."
The big guy had guy little sympathy for the rambunctious teenager, as he answered, "Milady, maybe you won't be so eager to race ahead next time. Besides you don't scare me as much as the Countess does. She will have her own way or else and I don't want to be on the 'or else' end."
As the large man was leaving to make her tent ready, he heard, "Hugh, you might want to think about how much I learned about torture from the Comanche."
***SE***
Old Man Stockwell was sitting in Jane's tent awaiting the angry Ranger captain's pleasure on his involvement with the shooting as the big Welshman put it. His wounds still hurt and he wanted to just lay down. However, he surrendered and one of the terms was that he would abide by any decision the good Captain made in his case.
The tall brunette limped into the tent. It was obvious that she had been wounded in the battle and that didn't make the terrified human feel any better. If the dynamic teenager had been wounded then she was in no mood for excuses. The elderly rancher had heard she had hung men before who raided one of her trading post and killed one of her men.
Today fourteen of his men died and another twenty-two of the raiders. Luckily for the man on the hot seat no Rangers died, though he heard two would probably not make it. The irritated Italian looked sternly at the beaten man before her and asked, "Are you satisfied? Thirty-seven dead and forty-two men wounded. So I ask again is your pride satisfied?"
The trouble rancher answered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for his to happen. When Hoyt came to me and said you were forcing peace on the territory and taking away open range. I got mad. I didn't want to lose what I had. So when Hoyt told me we had to band together to fight for Texas. I listened. Now I hear the coward ran away."
The tired teenager shook her head in disgust as she responded, "Hoyt and eight others got away. He pulled one of his own men from his horse so he could use it to run away. I'm putting a thousand dollars on his head. I'll have the poster made up and posted by the end of the month. My immediate problem is what to do with you.
My first inclination is hang you and leave your carcass for the buzzards. However that's not in the best interest of the State of Texas. We need all the producers we can get. So here's what we're going to do. You will continue ranching and if you so much as look mean at anyone. I will come back here with an old flexible rope that will strangle you, but won't break your neck
Secondly, you will give every wounded man five head of cattle as reparation for your stupidity, except me of course. I don't need any more cows. Additionally you will give the State of Texas five hundred head of cattle in order to recover all damages you have done. Lastly I want your word that you will make peace with the Kiowa and Comanche. Do you accept my terms?"
The old man just shook his head in acceptance.