had said, made Indy realize just how serious the situation here at Bowie was. She took a deep breath. "Does everyone think my father incapable of dealing with the Apaches?" she asked, almost afraid to know the answer.
"I'm afraid so, Indy," Prudence said in earnest. "The problem is he's convinced that his way—by that book—is the right way. The only way. He just doesn't seem to realize that things need to be done differently here. He refuses to listen to the men with experience."
Indy bowed her head. "You don't like him, do you?"
"The colonel's a hard man. But I don't have to tell you that, do I? I was there when you came in last night. I saw your expression when he rebuked you. I saw how much he hurt you." Prudence looked suddenly weary. "I know I've spoken out of turn, and you can hate me if you want. I wouldn't blame you a bit, but you're going to be living here and you'll soon be meeting the women of Bowie—the wife of the soldier who was killed yesterday and others."
Indy felt suddenly sick inside. "No doubt they blame my father for their losses."
"They won't openly admit it, but yes."
Indy nodded, resigned. "I know Father is a hard man, but he wasn't always that way. You have to believe that. He used to be . . . different. He was kind, patient even loving."
"Come on now," said Prudence. "I've prepared a bath for you. The water was practically boiling when I left to get you. It should be just about right now. After your bath you need to get into bed before Doc sounds a charge. And while you're resting, I'll get working on this . . . mess."
"Oh, no, Pru. It's too much. I can't ask you to clean this up. I can't ask anyone to clean it up. I—"
"Oh, pshaw! There's nothing here I haven't seen before. No, I insist!"
Unlike the parlor, the diminutive sleeping room Prudence had prepared for her was neat and clean. There was a bed, a chip-sided washstand, and a chair with a rawhide seat. The fragrance of fresh straw from the bed sack beneath an invitingly thick goose-down mattress filled her nostrils and made her think of long-ago afternoons when she and Justice used to play in the stable behind their house.
"All right, if you insist." Indy gave in.
"I'll leave you now. Enjoy your bath, then get into bed!"
Indy swung around and took Prudence's hands into her own. "You've been awfully kind. Thank you."
Prudence smiled and squeezed Indy's hands. "We're all sisters out here. We need to help each other. And you're welcome." She turned and left, closing the front door gently behind her.
Indy stood staring at the door moments after Prudence had left. It had been so long since she'd had any female friends that she had almost forgotten what it was like. Friends laughed together, cried together, and shared secrets. It would be nice to have a friend again. "Sisters," Prudence had said. She smiled and gave a little laugh. Sisters would be even nicer.
Indy was about to return to her room when she looked out the window and saw the patrol ride two by two into the parade ground, her father in the lead.
"Prepare to dismount," Colonel Charles Taylor called out. "Dismount." He dismissed his men, tossed his reins to a waiting orderly, and started across the parade ground to his quarters.
Indy opened the door and waited for him, her fingers tightly gripped around the door handle. With a cheeriness she was far from feeling, she smiled. "Hello, Father. I was told you probably wouldn't be back until tomorrow. What a nice surprise."
He continued toward her, his gray eyes appearing as hard and cold as gunmetal. "You're the only surprise around here, miss, and it isn't one that pleases me."
The bath Prudence had prepared would have to wait.
Chapter 4
Indy backed into the parlor to allow her father to pass, then closed the door, leaned against it, and watched him survey the room. By rights, he should be embarrassed knowing that one of the laundresses had come in and cleaned up part of his deplorable mess. He should also be
"I'm afraid so, Indy," Prudence said in earnest. "The problem is he's convinced that his way—by that book—is the right way. The only way. He just doesn't seem to realize that things need to be done differently here. He refuses to listen to the men with experience."
Indy bowed her head. "You don't like him, do you?"
"The colonel's a hard man. But I don't have to tell you that, do I? I was there when you came in last night. I saw your expression when he rebuked you. I saw how much he hurt you." Prudence looked suddenly weary. "I know I've spoken out of turn, and you can hate me if you want. I wouldn't blame you a bit, but you're going to be living here and you'll soon be meeting the women of Bowie—the wife of the soldier who was killed yesterday and others."
Indy felt suddenly sick inside. "No doubt they blame my father for their losses."
"They won't openly admit it, but yes."
Indy nodded, resigned. "I know Father is a hard man, but he wasn't always that way. You have to believe that. He used to be . . . different. He was kind, patient even loving."
"Come on now," said Prudence. "I've prepared a bath for you. The water was practically boiling when I left to get you. It should be just about right now. After your bath you need to get into bed before Doc sounds a charge. And while you're resting, I'll get working on this . . . mess."
"Oh, no, Pru. It's too much. I can't ask you to clean this up. I can't ask anyone to clean it up. I—"
"Oh, pshaw! There's nothing here I haven't seen before. No, I insist!"
Unlike the parlor, the diminutive sleeping room Prudence had prepared for her was neat and clean. There was a bed, a chip-sided washstand, and a chair with a rawhide seat. The fragrance of fresh straw from the bed sack beneath an invitingly thick goose-down mattress filled her nostrils and made her think of long-ago afternoons when she and Justice used to play in the stable behind their house.
"All right, if you insist." Indy gave in.
"I'll leave you now. Enjoy your bath, then get into bed!"
Indy swung around and took Prudence's hands into her own. "You've been awfully kind. Thank you."
Prudence smiled and squeezed Indy's hands. "We're all sisters out here. We need to help each other. And you're welcome." She turned and left, closing the front door gently behind her.
Indy stood staring at the door moments after Prudence had left. It had been so long since she'd had any female friends that she had almost forgotten what it was like. Friends laughed together, cried together, and shared secrets. It would be nice to have a friend again. "Sisters," Prudence had said. She smiled and gave a little laugh. Sisters would be even nicer.
Indy was about to return to her room when she looked out the window and saw the patrol ride two by two into the parade ground, her father in the lead.
"Prepare to dismount," Colonel Charles Taylor called out. "Dismount." He dismissed his men, tossed his reins to a waiting orderly, and started across the parade ground to his quarters.
Indy opened the door and waited for him, her fingers tightly gripped around the door handle. With a cheeriness she was far from feeling, she smiled. "Hello, Father. I was told you probably wouldn't be back until tomorrow. What a nice surprise."
He continued toward her, his gray eyes appearing as hard and cold as gunmetal. "You're the only surprise around here, miss, and it isn't one that pleases me."
The bath Prudence had prepared would have to wait.
Chapter 4
Indy backed into the parlor to allow her father to pass, then closed the door, leaned against it, and watched him survey the room. By rights, he should be embarrassed knowing that one of the laundresses had come in and cleaned up part of his deplorable mess. He should also be
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