Judy Christenberry - Randall Renegade

“Well, I think you should get back under the covers. I have a new book for you to read. I have to go talk to Joseph, but you will be safer in here.”

“A new book?” Tommy asked with excitement.

Patience was glad Tommy focused on the book. “Listen, baby, when I tell you to do something, I need you to do it at once. I can explain later, but…the bad man could hurt you if you don’t do what I say.”

Tommy nodded mutely.

She leaned over and kissed him. “Okay. Here’s your book. Stay in here and read it until I come back.”

Patience pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt over her long underwear. Then she added a big coat, actually her father’s old sheepskin-lined leather coat, and gloves.

“I’ll see you in a little while, Tommy.”

When she emerged, the men were no longer target-shooting. Instead, the soldiers were donning all the outer clothes they had. She watched them, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Patience! Where’s the boy?” Kane yelled. He was standing outside his tent.

“He’s staying warm in the tent.”

“Dammit! Get him dressed. We’re taking a training hike.”

“He wouldn’t be able to keep up!” Patience was determined to keep her small nephew from going with the troops.

Jim stepped over to Kane and said something she couldn’t hear.

“Never mind,” Kane called after his consultation with Jim. “We’ll train him later.”

“Over my dead body,” Patience muttered. She watched as the general called his men together. It appeared they were leaving behind four soldiers to prepare lunch, Roger among them. But Jim and all three lieutenants were being included in the hike.

Patience breathed a sigh of relief. In spite of her hatred for Kane, she knew she’d be safe from the soldiers he’d left behind because his men feared him too much to hurt her. Which made her wonder not for the first time why any of them followed him.

When the men filed out of camp, she wandered over to the big campfire. Roger and the other three soldiers were trying to figure out what to cook for lunch.

“But we gotta chop more firewood, too,” one man said.

“I’ll be glad to help cook while two of you chop wood,” she offered.

“Oh, no, ma’am,” Roger protested. “The general wouldn’t like that.”

“I don’t think the general would care. And I’ll tell him I insisted on it.”

She organized the men and suggested they cook stew, which could be heated up whenever the men returned. After they chopped the meat and cut up what vegetables they had, Patience began mixing up the ingredients for biscuits.

“Ma’am, I can see you know how to cook,” Roger said. “Too bad the general doesn’t put you in charge of the meals.”

“It’s easy today, Roger. When we run out of vegetables, it won’t be so good,” she pointed out. “What does the general provide for your food when winter really takes hold?”

“I don’t know, ma’am. We’ve only been here a couple of months.”

Patience studied the man for a few minutes. “And do you agree with what the general wants to do?”

Roger looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“Why have you formed an army?”

“The general said we could be hired to protect people and make lots of money.”

The three other soldiers nodded in agreement.

“I see. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll check on my boy.”

She hurried back to her tent. Tommy was asleep, with his book on top of him. The past few days had taken a lot out of him.

When she thought the stew must be done, she returned to the campfire, filled two bowls and took them, along with some hot biscuits, to her tent. She gently roused Tommy to eat his hot meal. Then she allowed him to leave the tent so he could get some exercise.

With the general not around, life in camp was almost pleasant. Roger even indulged in a snowball fight with Tommy, letting him try to hit him with his little snowballs.

When Patience heard the others returning, she insisted Tommy go back with her to their tent.

After a while Roger called from outside, “Miz Anderson? I told the general about all your help and he was pleased.”

“That was kind of you, Roger, but not necessary.” She preferred that neither she, nor Tommy, be mentioned to the general. To her surprise, she didn’t hear from the general the rest of the afternoon. She caught glimpses of him and Jim, but they seemed to be involved in either intense discussions or in training the troops. Judging by the grumbling of the men, she gathered they hadn’t been trained until now.

She wasn’t sure what Jim’s purpose was, but he seemed quite happy to order the men about and keep them moving. He made no attempt to contact her. Even though that was best, she couldn’t help being a little miffed.

How was he going to save them if he never spoke to her? Maybe she should’ve left this morning while they were out of the camp. She didn’t think Roger or the other three cooks would stop her.

When Roger informed her she was invited to the general’s tent for dinner, Patience asked him to feed Tommy again. She had no qualms about leaving Tommy with Roger.

The three lieutenants and Jim were again present for the meal. Good. She was anxious to see Jim again.

Kane greeted her with a big smile. “Good evening, Patience.”

She immediately became more cautious. “Good evening,” she muttered, not making eye contact with anyone.

“I understand I owe the delicious lunch to you,” Kane continued.

She frowned and quickly looked up, wondering if the man was being sarcastic. She shrugged. “It gave me something to do.” She paused, then decided now was as good a time as any. She would even placate him by using his title. “General, I need to return to Rawhide to care for my mother. I’ve been gone too long as it is.”

There was a change of demeanor in the general. “I’ve said you can leave whenever you wish. I’m not holding you.”

“But you know I can’t go without Tommy.”

“My son must remain here with me.” His words were cold.

She fell silent and no one spoke again till halfway through the dinner. The general looked at her and said, “This meal isn’t as good as our lunch. You make a much better cook than my men.”

“Thank you,” she muttered, not sure where he was going with this. She began to regret she’d made the stew. She would do well to keep to her tent tomorrow.

There was more silence.

When the meal was over, she rose to escape for the evening, but the general stopped her.

“Wait, my dear. I have made a decision.”

She braced herself for what he might say.

“I think we shall marry.”

She stared at him, completely taken aback.

“But, General,” one of the lieutenants began. The general silenced him with a hand motion. “If you are to remain here, anyway, because of the boy, you must accept my protection. After all, you are an attractive woman. The men might think you were here for their, uh, entertainment. Instead of just mine.”

Patience felt her cheeks flush, but she spoke clearly. “I am here for no one’s entertainment. I am here for my son.”

“Ah, but he’s my son. Not yours. However, with our marriage, I can give you more children.”

Patience stared at him. “No! Never!”

“Mind your manners, my dear. You have no choice. Either you leave my camp or you marry me. Tomorrow would be the perfect day, don’t you think, Jim?”

Patience looked at Jim for the first time. He hadn’t shaved since he’d come to camp. He didn’t look like her Jim. He met her gaze with a steady look. Then he said, “As good as any other day, if you intend to keep her in camp.”

“You heard her. She refuses to leave. And it will be a long winter without a woman.”