In His Eyes(97)

Understanding lit in his eyes and he turned back to the man on the floor. “The key, sir. You could have simply told me she was here under her own volition.”

The man rolled over and stood, clutching his side. “You will be court marshaled for this.”

Westley barked a humorless laugh. “They can add it to the desertion charges.”

Ella pressed her lips together. Westley had deserted?

The keys rattled and the door swung open on rusty hinges. Westley stepped inside and pulled her to him, and her knees quivered.

He pressed his lips against the top of her head. “I’m here, my love. I have you.”

Love? Did he apply such a word to her? She nuzzled her face into his jacket, letting the warmth of him push some of the chill away. He held her for a moment, then gently eased her back.

“We need to go now. Colonel Larson and I have much to discuss.”

“Indeed, we do,” a voice said from the doorway. “I must say, Major, I am quite surprised to see you here, considering you are supposed to be in Kansas.”

Westley grabbed Ella’s hand and tugged her behind him. “Did you really think I wouldn’t come after I received your telegram?”

“Sargent,” Larson barked. “You are dismissed.”

A bit of shuffling feet, and the other man stumbled from the room. Ella frowned and tried to look around Westley’s back, but he held her firmly behind him.

“That was merely a friendly courtesy,” the colonel continued. “A telegram I sent that had nothing to do with military business, I might add. I did not expect you to defect.”

“I will always come for my wife.”

Ella warmed, and despite the situation, smiled down at Lee’s sweet little face. Westley tugged on her arm, leading her past the sputtering lieutenant colonel.

“Where do you think you are going?”

“She is not under arrest. Therefore, I am taking her home.”

Ella planted her feet, making Westley come to a stop just outside the vault room door. “I cannot be separated from Sibby. Lee won’t drink the goat’s milk.”

Westley stiffened and looked down at her. Then he softened. “I will need to arrange for Sibby’s immediate release as well,” he said, still staring at her even as he spoke to the other man.

“Do you think that is going to happen after you attacked one of my men?”

Westley growled and tugged Ella out into what was once the main part of the bank, where the blessed sunshine devoured the shadows. “If he had answered my questions, it wouldn’t have come to that.”

Larson followed them farther into the lobby and then stopped and straightened his jacket. “Major, I can understand your position, but I’m afraid we can’t release the Negro woman just yet.”

Westley’s jaw clenched, the little muscles under his skin jumping. “I really must insist.”

The colonel spread his feet and clasped his hands behind him. “Tell me what you know of the smuggling operation.”

He glared at the man who outranked him, clearly unconcerned that he continued to trample military protocols. “I know nothing of it.”

Ella pressed up against Westley’s side and watched the other officer narrow his eyes.

“You are certain?”

“Of course I am certain,” Westley snapped. “Do you really think I would allow such a thing to go on if I had any knowledge of it?”

“Your father did.”

Westley stiffened, and Ella could feel the tension rolling off of him like thick fog. “What are you saying?”

“Do you really think that a group of Negroes would have concocted and run such an elaborate smuggling operation on their own?”

Ella’s heart hammered.

“Of course they wouldn’t,” Colonel Larson said, not waiting for a reply. “The operation was organized and run by your father, using the coloreds either to trade or to steal supplies from Memphis and move them back south. Then they would distribute the goods and make a nice profit.”

Ella stepped forward. “But why would they agree to such a thing? Wouldn’t they be the ones taking all the risks?”

The colonel flicked his gaze over to her. “It was a perfect plan. The men in charge could use expendable people who would mostly go unnoticed in the flood of escaping slaves, and the coloreds took the risk for the benefits it provided. You saw the settlement, Mrs. Remington. You can attest that they lived quite well.”

Ella chewed her lip. It explained a lot. The condition of the settlement, the supplies Sibby always had, and even, perhaps, why Belmont had truly maintained its possessions.

“This is all speculation.” Westley growled. “Have you any proof my father was involved?”

“It would seem that your father created an alliance with certain officers stationed in Memphis to trade what was left of his cotton. Those men sold it at a premium, and then began trading other things as well.”

“And yet you still lack proof,” Westley scoffed. “And what officers are you referring to? Federal men, no doubt.”

Larson’s face darkened. “I assure you, Major, we are looking into that. All the men responsible will receive due justice.”

“I will expect to see items of proof rather than mere conjecture.”

The two men glared at one another, and Ella began to fear they might resort to fists. But then Westley seemed to gather himself and gestured to the vault area where Sibby remained, even though they had not locked her back inside. “Regardless of any involvement you claim my father may have had, my parents died months ago. Just because my mother’s maid might have known about what they did, she certainly couldn’t have had any part of it.”