T'on Ma (26 page)

"Oh, I didn't mind." Becca became embarrassed. "I'd do anything for Master Liam. He's always been my favorite."

"Mine, too." Lana giggled and then, in a spontaneous gesture, kissed both of Becca's hands. "Thank you so much for this. You are wonderful."

Becca pulled her hands back and nodded once. "Welcome." She turned to leave the room so that Lana wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. No one - no one white - had ever thanked her for anything in her life. And no one, white or black, had
ever
called her wonderful.

With the trunk unpacked and the china put wherever Lana could find a place, Becca walked to the front door. "I'll be right back to start lunch."

"Lunch? I was going to fix lunch."

"Oh, no'm." Becca shook her head at that. "The Missus has food brought in that I'm to fix. I'll get it and be right back."

"All right." Lana certainly didn't want to get in an argument over what to eat for lunch.

Within fifteen minutes, Becca came in, carrying a few items, with Jason right behind her, carrying a large, overflowing box.

"My goodness!" Lana exclaimed. "Are we going to feed the whole fort lunch?"

Jason burst out laughing as he set the box on the kitchen counter.

"Jason!" Becca shushed him. It didn't do to be too familiar with the owners. The young man shot a nervous look at Becca and then quickly left the room.

"What all have you brought?" Lana asked as she peeked into the box.

"Now, Miss Lana, you go on. I'll take care of this."

"Can I at least sit at the table and watch?"

"Yes'm. Cain't keep you from your own house, now can I?"

"I'm not so sure," Lana muttered. There were a whole lot of unwritten rules she seemed to keep tripping over around the O'Connells and their servants.

When Becca pulled out a pound of yellow squash, Lana stood up. "At least let me do the slicing and chopping," she volunteered. "I can do it so much faster. Plus, I'm getting bored just sitting here."

Becca studied her for a moment, considering her request. This girl was different than any she had met back home. This one knew how to work and wasn't afraid of it. More than that, she was genuinely kind. Finally nodding, Becca handed the vegetables to Lana, telling her how she needed them cut.

Between the two of them, they made short work out of preparing the meal.

"Should we use the china for lunch?" Lana asked. "I don't have enough plates for everyone, otherwise."

"I think the Missus would like to see that," Becca nodded.

"All right, then." Lana brought the dishes over while Becca set the table. Lana didn't know where everything went and watched Becca carefully.

When Liam walked through the door for lunch, he stopped abruptly when he saw the table. The Irish lace lay beneath beautiful, delicate china and crystal wine goblets. The table almost groaned under the weight of smoked ham, fried squash and onions, smoked salmon, hot rolls, sliced tomatoes, fresh cantaloupe, and boiled sweet potatoes. Two pecan pies sat on the kitchen counter, cooling.

"My, oh, my!" Liam exclaimed as he kissed Lana.

"You
need
to kiss Becca," Lana teased. "She did all of this."

"Oh, go on!" Becca ducked her head and slapped the air at Lana. When she looked up, she told them, "I'll go get your folks and tell them lunch is ready."

When Becca was gone, Liam turned to Lana. "You mean my parents haven't been by all morning? Or Mary, either?"

"No. They sent Becca to unpack this huge trunk full of things they want you to have."

"Oh. I see." Liam scowled at that, but he let it go, preferring to wait and see how things went at lunch.

"Hello, dear," Maeve greeted her son with a kiss on his cheek. Looking beside him at Lana, she smiled. "Hello. I see you got the things we sent. I hope you like them."

"It is all so wonderful, so beautiful. Thank you very much."

Maeve nodded and then walked over to the table, inspecting Becca's work. "Hmmm. The tomatoes are sliced thicker than I like."

Lana was appalled. All of that delicious food on all of that beautiful china, and all Maeve could say was that the tomatoes were sliced too thick!

"I'm sorry," Lana said. "I sliced those. I didn't realize you liked them thinner."

"You
sliced them? Not Becca?" Maeve frowned at Lana.

"No. I was bored just sitting there watching her, so I made her let me."

"I see. Well, no matter. They'll taste just the same anyway."

While this conversation took place, Mary and her father said hello to Liam. Soon, they all took their seats around the table, eating lunch and being very civil.

"So, Liam, how long before you get new orders?" Patrick asked.

"I'm not sure. I expect by this fall, I'll know something."

"Do you think you'll get assigned back east?"

"Probably. Once you do a stint west of the Mississippi, they let you come back." His family laughed at that.

"You know, I've had the most marvelous idea," Maeve said a little too brightly as she smiled at Lana. "When you find out when you'll be transferred, why doesn't Lana come ahead of you and stay with us for a while? You know, until you get settled at your new post? We could show her where you were brought up - take her to the theater - maybe do some shopping. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Lana reached for Liam's knee under the table, squeezing it in her panic, while she lamely smiled at her mother-in-law.

"That sounds wonderful," Mary chimed in. "We could even have a ball to introduce her to all of Liam's friends."

"Of course! What a great idea," Maeve turned to Liam. "So, what do you think?"

"I think we need to wait and see where I'm assigned before we make those kind of plans. If I'm not going back east, there's no point in sending her there. But those are good ideas. All of them." He smiled back at his mother and then deliberately changed the subject. "By the way, this food is delicious. Where did you get the fresh vegetables?"

The conversation turned again to safer waters. When Liam asked what they had done that morning, Patrick told him that he and Maeve had gone for a ride with the colonel several miles away from the fort. Mary shyly told them of her walk along the river with the young officer she had flirted with the night before.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves," Liam nodded. "There's not a whole lot to keep you entertained out here."

Lunch passed without incident, and Liam excused himself to go back to work. Maeve announced that she needed a nap after such a large meal, so she and her husband went back to their quarters. When they had gone, Lana began clearing the table.

"What are you doing?" Mary asked. "Becca will do that."

Lana set the two plates back down and faced Mary. "This is my house, Mary. I'll do whatever I want in it. And that includes clearing the table."

"I'm sorry," Mary stood up, offended. "I didn't mean that you couldn't if you wanted to. Just that you didn't
have
to."

"Actually, Mary, I do 'have' to. Becca is an old woman whose every step is painful, every move of her hands hurts. To watch her work while I'm just sitting there being waited on is more than I can live with. It's too shameful!" Picking up the plates again, she carried them to the counter.

"Are you saying that I should be ashamed?" Mary sounded defensive.

"No. I'm not saying anything about you. This is about me, about how I was raised. I do for myself and for those that can't do for themselves. It's just that simple. I'd go crazy being waited on hand and foot. I'm not used to it. I doubt I ever will be. If we're ever going to get along, you're going to have to let me jump up and do things, and I'm going to have to let you sit there and watch."

"Well, aren't you the little spitfire," Mary laughed to hide her discomfort.

"More than you know, Mary." Lana carried more dishes over to the counter, wondering how Mary would take the news that Lana had killed Apaches. When she got to the food, Lana asked, "Will you want to take some of this back with you?"

"What? Oh, no. Just throw it out if you don't want it."

"Throw it out? Wouldn't Becca and Toby and Jason like this?"

Mary looked surprised, like that thought had never crossed her mind.

"Am I not allowed to give it to them?" Lana asked. Again, Mary looked surprised. She had no idea. It just was never done.

Sighing in frustration, Lana kept back enough food for Liam's supper and then put the rest aside. "If Becca doesn't want this, I know the Army cook will. But I'm not throwing out perfectly good food."

"I suppose things
are
different out here in no-man's land," Mary suggested.

"Very different," Lana agreed. "We can't afford to waste anything, not food, not water, nothing."

The O'Connell's visit lasted a week. After than, Liam's observation that there was little to keep them entertained turned out to be too true. Bored, restless, and already tired of her new officer, Mary pouted and whimpered and made life miserable because she wanted to go home
now.

While things seemed fine on the surface, Lana was ready to help them pack. The uneasy truce between her and her in-laws had been held together only by Liam's firm hand on the situation.

"I hoped to be here when your furniture arrived," Maeve complained. "But I'll just have to be disappointed."

"It will be lovely, Mother. You were very thoughtful to send it. I'll write to let you know when we get it." Liam kissed her cheek and then helped her onto the wagon.

"Goodbye, Lana," Patrick smiled. "I am so glad we got to meet you. You make my son very happy."

"Thank you," Lana said. "That is very kind of you to say so." He smiled once before he turned to shake Liam's hand.

"Be careful out there. Come back home as soon as you can. Your family will be waiting."

"Yes, sir. We will."

Lana walked around the wagon to Mary. Looking up, she said, "I hope you have a safe trip back. Goodbye."

"Yes. Goodbye." Mary nodded briefly and then turned to face straight ahead.

Lana shrugged and walked to the back of the wagon. "I think I'm going to miss you most of all," she whispered to Becca.

"Me, too." Becca patted Lana's hand. "You're a good child. Take care of my boy for me."

"I will." Just as Lana said that, the wagon jerked forward and the O'Connells' trip home began.

Lana stood next to Liam and they waved goodbye until the wagon rolled out of sight. Then Liam put his arm around Lana's shoulders. They walked back to their quarters, shut the door, sat down at the table, and gave a collective sign of relief.

"Peace at last," Liam said as he surveyed their place. "I don't know what Mother was thinking of, bringing us that china. It will break the first time we move."

"She was just trying to help," Lana smiled. "She really loves you, you know."

"Yes, I know. It's just that, sometimes, I wish she didn't love me so much." Liam took her hand and turned to face her.

"Now that they're gone, I need to tell you something."

"Oh, really? What?"

"I'll be on scouting detail starting day after tomorrow."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Two weeks at least. Probably longer. You know how far I have to travel."

"Will you be going by my parents' place?"

"I don't know. Maybe. It just depends on what we find out there."

"Find? What are you looking for?"

"Trouble. The Kiowa are raiding all up and down the Brazos again. Horses, mainly. But that can change quickly."

"I know you'll be careful, but I'll still worry."

"I know."

"I'll write a letter to my folks just in case you do see them. I'll write it tonight."

"No. Not tonight. Tonight, I have plans for you."

"Oh, you do?" she asked coyly. "Whatever could they be?"

"I have to thank you for putting up with my family. And I want to apologize for my family."

"Honey, you don't have to thank me
or
apologize."

"Are you sure?" he said with a wicked gleam in his eye. "Because I had planned on thanking you at least twice."

"Twice?" She grinned. "Then you'd better get busy, soldier boy."

"Yes, ma'am." He stood up and took her hand. "But before I get to that, there's something I need your opinion about."

"My opinion? About what?"

"Come here." He led her to the living room and sat her down on the sofa. Going into the bedroom, he returned a moment later, holding something in his hand. He sat beside her and picked up her left hand.

"I need to know which you like better." He kissed her hand and then held it up for her inspection. "Do you like your hand this way?" Opening his hand, he put a diamond wedding ring on her finger. "Or this way?"

"Oh, Liam! It's beautiful! Where did you get it?"

"I had it sent in from St. Louis. It came in the day after my folks arrived, but I wanted to wait until it was just us before I gave it to you." He looked at the ring for a moment and then looked up at her. "The diamond is circled by sapphires and rubies. Sapphires for my birth month and rubies for yours. Do you like it? If not, I can get something else."

"I love it! Don't you dare get me anything else." Leaning over, she kissed him provocatively. "Now, who needs to thank who?" she whispered.

Liam had been gone for several days, Lana's letter to her parents tucked in his saddlebag. The setting sun found Lana in a weird, unsettled frame of mind. She had been all day. Not hungry for supper, instead, she sat outside on the porch by her front door and watched the fort settle down for the night. Sentries changed; horses were brought into the stable and corral. Cooking smells from the officer's quarters and the mess hall wafted across the compound.

This was the first time that Lana had ever been alone - really alone. She had always lived at home or with Liam. Loneliness was new to her, and she didn't like it. Perhaps that's why she felt so unsettled.

Her thoughts went back to her first day there at the fort with her family. Nathan's and Christina's wedding had been a happy time for the Cooper family. But, even through all the festivities, Lana had felt a sadness from telling Two Hawks goodbye.