The money would come in handy. In fact, Rufus was in town now with Candy and Rose, loading up the wagon with everything they needed.
They also split the raiders’ possessions and horses, except for Bastion and three beautiful thoroughbred mares that had also belonged to Maggie’s family.
Maggie was overjoyed to have the horses back, and the horses were clearly happy to be home with her again. They followed her constantly.
Will hoped they would help her get over the terrible battle.
As for him, none of those fine thoroughbreds could hold a candle to his ugly steed.
Clyde had held up under fire like a seasoned warhorse and had even saved Will’s life in the heat of battle, slamming into the raider who’d gotten the drop on Will.
Suddenly, Mama gasped. “Soldiers, Will.”
Will slung the bandolier across his body and grabbed the ten-gauge. “How many, Mama?”
“Five,” she said, leaning close to the window. “Five that I see.”
Will relaxed a little. Five was hardly a war party.
“That officer is with them,” Mama said.
“Captain Culp,” Will said and started for the hallway.
“Wait, son,” Mama said. “They’re riding up now. Maggie’s talking to Captain Culp. She’s a good woman, Will. Let her handle this. We can listen through the window.”
From Will’s angle beside the window, he could not only hear but also see Culp and Maggie as they exchanged pleasantries.
“You want us to search the house for Bentley?” the big sergeant who’d tried to bait Will into a fight asked Culp.
“No, Sergeant Garrity, that won’t be necessary. I’m certain Miss Dunne would tell us if he was inside. Take the other men out to the perimeters and stand watch in case he tries to come back.”
Garrity hurried off.
Turning to Maggie, Captain Culp said, “I was pleased to hear that Mr. Bentley had fled the region, Miss Dunne.”
He spoke loudly, as if he wanted others to hear his message. Folks listening from beside the window, for example.
“Yes,” Captain Culp said, “I’m very pleased that he’s gone off because he’s a renegade now. My superiors in the North want me to apprehend him.”
“Thank you for telling me, sir,” Maggie said.
Culp gave her a little bow. “This is not my doing, of course, ma’am. The way I see it, he has done the Union a service, ridding us of Teal and, if I’m honest, Sully Weatherspoon. But I am a soldier, ma’am, and I will do my duty.”
“I don’t think that would surprise Mr. Bentley,” Maggie said. “He spoke very highly of you, sir.”
“Thank you, ma’am. That is a pleasure to hear. I have never sought the approval of others, but a man like Will Bentley, well, having his respect would mean something to me.”
“You have it, sir. I assure you of that.”
Culp gave another bow. “If Mr. Bentley were here, I would tell him to lie low until this all blows over. I would even suggestthat he leave home for a while. It’s a shame he doesn’t have someplace to go. A cattle drive, perhaps, something like that.”
Will could all but hear Culp wink. He was a good man, the captain, a very good man, even if he did wear the blue. He was exactly the sort of fellow the Union needed to send if they really hoped to set things right in Texas again.
“By the time he returned from a trip like that,” Culp continued, “I might be able to sort things out here. It might take weeks or possibly even months for me to do that, but I think I will be able to make this trouble go away. Until then, I do hope our paths will not cross again, because I believe Will Bentley is a good man, and once this is all over, I would be honored to count him among my friends.”
“Yes, Captain Culp,” Maggie said. “Will Bentley is the best man I’ve ever known. And I am certain he would be honored to call you his friend.”
That’s the truth,Will thought, watching the bluebelly captain ride off to gather his men.
