Judy Christenberry - Randall Renegade

“Your men will feel the same urges, General,” Jim said, meeting Kane’s gaze. “If they see you enjoying such things, it will make their longing for female company more acute.”

“He’s right, General,” one of the lieutenants said. “Send her and the boy back to town. They’ll only cause problems.”

The general banged his hand on the makeshift table. “I am the man in charge! As such, I deserve special benefits.” He turned to Patience, still standing. “Tomorrow, my dear, we will marry. And tomorrow night, you will warm my bed.” He leered at her, and Patience couldn’t hold back a shudder.

“You may go now,” he said with a smile that made her ill.

JIM WATCHED HER leave the tent, his mind working furiously to come up with a plan to get them out of here safely.

One of the lieutenants said, “General, you’re making a mistake. The men will either leave or riot at your having a woman.”

Again the general slammed his hand on the table. “Silence! I have made a decision. The woman might try to escape. Put double guards on her tent.”

“But you said she could go,” Jim reminded him.

“Neither of them are going anywhere.”

“We could go into town, find some willing women,” one of the lieutenants suggested.

Jim could tell the man was thinking of his own enjoyment, as well as his leader’s.

“I will certainly let you go to town on occasion, but I need a woman close by. Patience chooses to remain with the boy. She will have to suffer the consequences. Plus, she’ll help with the cooking. Quite an ideal arrangement,” he said, smiling.

“Shall I do a guard rotation?” Jim had tried to work his way into the general’s favor by training the men today. It also served another purpose by tiring the men out so they’d sleep soundly.

“Not a bad idea,” Kane said. “Why don’t you take the midnight-to-four shift?”

“Fine.” That was perfect. He didn’t bother to listen as the general assigned two of his other men. The third he gave the night off. They would each be supervising four men, double the usual two.

But Jim knew he had no choice about their departure. It had to be tonight. The general roused him from his thoughts with a question about the schedule for tomorrow’s training.

The general loved the training they’d done that day. It made him feel powerful to have well-trained soldiers at his command. Of course, the men were not well-trained, Jim knew. In fact, they were rather weak and unskilled.

The general’s encouragement came in the form of screams and threats. The men would soon rebel at such treatment. In Jim’s opinion, this “army” had no chance to survive the winter. Inactivity or, worse, training at the general’s hand, would discourage them. Finally, lack of entertainment, women and good food would push them over the edge. He still wondered how the general had held them together for so long.

“Your men were willing workers today, General. I commend you for motivating them so well. Do they all hold your political views?”

The general laughed. “No! I’ve told them we will be hired by people needing protection and we’ll be highly paid. They think they’re going to get rich.”

“Do you pay them now?”

“Yes, with these.”

He tossed a coin to Jim. Jim realized it matched the four he had with him. Frowning, he said, “I’ve never seen this kind of coin before.”

“Of course you haven’t. I had them made. I’ve told the men they will be able to exchange their coins for gold in the spring.”

“What does the ‘30 p’ stand for?”

The general laughed again. “It stands for the thirty pieces of silver Judas received for betraying his God. I was betrayed when God took my wife. Until he rewards me, he owes me. I use those coins to buy anything I want.”

Steal, not buy, Jim thought.

“Unfortunately,” the general went on, “the store owners don’t seem to appreciate my coins. We have to spread our patronage around.”

Jim nodded. “Will you be able to feed your men all winter?”

“Yes. I’m using my savings. It’s not much, but enough to finance me for a year or two. By then, I will have gotten established.”

Inwardly Jim marveled at the man’s naive arrogance. He also doubted the “soldiers” intelligence for believing the man.

Jim brought the subject back to tomorrow’s training, wanting to give the impression he intended to be there. He kept all thought of the escape out of his head—for the moment.

When they ended their discussion, Jim asked the first man on guard to wake him at midnight. Then he unrolled his bedroll and lay down. Now he had the time to plan their escape. He had to consider all the details because of the boy. And because the general would kill him if he caught them. Maybe Patience, too. And if he didn’t kill the boy then, he would do so with his harsh treatment of him later.

With three lives at stake, he had to be prepared.

PATIENCE FOUND Roger still with Tommy when she got to the tent. “Thank you, Roger, for taking care of Tommy.”

“I enjoyed myself.” He paused and then asked, “Are you really going to take Tommy back home?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“That’s what everyone is saying.”

“I have to, Roger. Otherwise that madman will kill him. You do realize he’s crazy, don’t you?”

Roger looked uncertain.

“It’s all right. You don’t have to answer, but you should try to get away, Roger. You’ll end up in jail or dead if you keep following him.”

“But he killed the last man who tried to get away.”

“Either wait till he’s asleep and you have guard duty to run away, or do it when he next leaves camp. But do it.”

“You’re right. I will. I’ve been kind of drifting.” Roger shook her hand and left the tent. Patience watched him go, hoping she hadn’t made a mistake by being frank with him. But she hated the thought that gentle Roger could die at Kane’s hands.

She hoped she and Tommy wouldn’t die at his hands, either. But they probably would if she didn’t escape tonight. And Kane wanted her to marry him. She shuddered at the thought. Surely she could elude her guards tonight and get herself and Tommy away. Certainly Jim would realize they had to leave tonight. After all, he’d been present when she’d received her “proposal.”

In preparation, she repacked their things, leaving anything not necessary to their safety. She’d brought her father’s old coat because it was the warmest she owned. But also because it was big enough that she could button it up with Tommy inside.

She quietly worked while Tommy slept. But as the time drew closer to midnight, she despaired of Jim coming.

She crawled to the front of the tent and pushed back the flap only a couple of inches. The peaceful scene didn’t please her. Then, just as she was about to withdraw, four men approached the area of her tent. Four? Kane had doubled the guard? Where would they station themselves? What was she to do now?

She watched again as the new guards poured themselves cups of coffee before taking their places. Suddenly she realized that one of the new guards was Jim. That explained why he hadn’t contacted her. It would be safer for him to do so while he was playing guard.

She let the tent flap fall and reviewed her packing, wanting to be completely ready when he did come. Then she sat down, wrapping her arms around her knees and waited.

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