Treasured Dreams (The Rivers Brothers Book 3, стр. 56
“The hole inside, it never goes away,” he glares at the fire, remembering his wife and her heart breaks for him.
“What do you do with that?”
His eyes so like his brothers meet hers and he thinks of his daughter and grins. “Life goes on despite the anger. God knows what we need. He gave me Violet, and he gave you Harris, or rather he gave Harris you. You learn to live for them. Honor your people by living a full, happy life. Love with every breath and when those moments come that weigh you down,” he reaches down and takes her hand. “Turn and find us, we will help you carry it. Share the memories, write them down if you need too. Laugh, cry and remember. In that way you honor them.”
Vanessa doesn’t realize she is crying until he pulls her into a hug. “Thank you.”
Harris watches from the woods and sends a prayer of thanks for this family he was born into and wipes his own tears before stepping over from the woods.
“Get your hand off my wife!”
“Wife?” Pierce quips as he and Dane return with more wood.
“Not yet, but as soon as Nessa says so,” Harris grins.
“Who’s Nessa?” Dane asks.
Harris glances at her and nods.
“Before my Ahbe’ died, he told me my family name. I was named Vanessa Schmidt.” Harris walks over and drapes a blanket around her shoulders.
“You wish to be called by your family name?” Steele asks.
Vanessa grips the blanket tight around her shoulders and falls quiet. “I do. Kimani died with her people.” Hollow eyes look to Harris. “I’m tired if you’ll excuse me,” she walks away to the bedroll Harris spread out and is asleep within a few breaths.
The men stare silently into the flames. “Son, you scared years off my life when the two of you dove off that cliff,” Dane says.
“Mine too, Pop,” Harris grimaces.
“Do you think they’ll follow us?” Pierce asks.
“I don’t know. We’ll rest a few hours and move again. We should make home in two days,” Harris glances over at her with a worried expression. “How bad was it?” Harris whispers.
The men move silently closer to the fire and sit. No one asks what he’s referring to, they know he means the massacre. “Like a scene from your worst nightmare. I’ve seen enough death,” Pierce’s eyes flash, and he stares at his brothers.
Steele pats his shoulder, and they look at Harris. “We buried them. What we could find of them.”
Harris glances at Vanessa, praying she didn’t hear that. “Steele!” Dane hisses.
“It’s alright, Pop.” Harris turns hard eyes to stare at his brothers. “You should know the things you found, she lived through. Many of them were still alive when the butchery began.”
Harris fills them in on the details and tells them of the soldiers who hunted her. Steele pulls out a second flask of whiskey and passes it around. They all drink as he continues. Pierce stares with wide eyes when he tells them of the wolf and Apache tracker.
Dane glances over at Vanessa and shakes his head slowly. “It’s a miracle that she survived at all.”
Harris nods in agreement. “I love her. I’m going to spend the rest of my life showing her.” Emotion paints his voice, “I was so stupid that I almost lost her. That won’t happen again. We need to get her home to rest and heal. I want to be married as soon as possible.”
Steele grins, “Mom will make sure of that.”
Dane laughs softly, “That she will.”
Chapter 37
Blood Eagle watches from the same spot as before. For nearly a week he camps, watches, listens and observes until, finally, on the sixth day General Barclay arrives by train.
As tempted as he was to sneak in his cabin and slit the man’s throat, something held him back. For one, the wolf has not appeared yet. He isn’t sure where he went or even if he will return to him. With that in mind, he decides to watch and gather as much information as he can before acting.
Night approaches, and he frowns in confusion when General Barclay gives the order to load the train with all but two of the Gatling guns. He watches as the General writes in his little notebook before tucking it inside his coat pocket. “Where are they taking them?” he murmurs.
A crew is being left to work the refinery and guard the Fort, but why bring the guns here to move them again? The crew is working late into the night, using kerosene lanterns to load the train. Obviously, they will move in the morning.
“Time to find out what this is about,” he mounts his horse and rides towards the Fort. “Indian!” Guards yell and greet him with guns pointed as he grows close.
Voices raise, and lanterns are lit, the Fort bustles with activity.
“I work for the General!” Blood Eagle shouts and rides slowly with his hands raised.
A runner scrambles to find the General as they keep all rifles trained on the strange looking Indian dressed in a duster, flannel shirt, hat and jeans.
“What the hell is going on?” Barclay shouts. He stomps behind a soldier and glares at Blood Eagle sitting on a horse with his hands raised. “You better bring good news!” He turns and shouts, “Let him pass. He works for me.”
The men glare but do as ordered. They watch as he enters camp and dismounts. “Take his horse,” General Barclay snaps.
The soldier approaches cautiously, and Blood Eagle watches his eyes widen in recognition. He grins and stops beside him, “Rub her down good and feed her. She’s had a long week.”
“Yes, Sir,” Ben replies and hurries away with his horse.
Barclay stomps inside the small cabin.
“You’re a hard man to