First things first, Miss Agnes always said. She’d better learn the names of her students and stop thinking of them as strangers.
“I think we should introduce ourselves.” Cady smiled at a little blond girl on her far right. Plump, golden ringlets framed her small face. “Why don’t we start with you?”
“My name is Polly Chase.” Her light-blue eyes lowered shyly.
“How old are you, Polly?”
“Nine.”
“Thank you. Next?”
“I’m Martha Halleck,” replied a little girl with brown eyes and mahogany-colored hair in two neat braids. “I’m eleven.”
“Emily Stanton,” said the third girl, her black hair pulled back with a satin ribbon from her heart-shaped face. She was a beautiful child, with lovely dark blue eyes. “I’m twelve and my pa is the quartermaster.”
“Thank you, Emily. Next?” Cady prompted the boy sitting beside her.
“Bart Grimes.” Straight brown hair fell over his forehead and almost obscured his hazel eyes. “I’m thirteen, and you’re a lot prettier than Sergeant Cramer, ma’am.”
“That’s very kind of you, Bart.”
Cady looked at the last student, sitting apart from
the others. His poker-straight blue-black hair, black-as-coal eyes, and bronze skin identified him immediately as an Indian.
“And you are?” she asked.
“John Eagle.”
So this was the stalwart young man who had caught the snake and earned Reynolds J. Wexler’s undying hostility.
“How old are you, John?”
“Fourteen.”
He was two years older than Reynolds, and polite enough, but Cady sensed that he wouldn’t impart information about himself easily. She hadn’t expected to have an Indian in her class. She wondered if she should be frightened. He was bigger than she was, well on his way to manhood.
She thought about the things she’d read about Indian attacks, but in Jack’s letters he’d said only good things about the ones he’d met.
She studied John’s emotionless face and decided there was nothing to fear from John Eagle. Besides, her job was to teach; age and the color of a person’s skin were of no consequence to her.
She clasped her hands together. “All right, let’s get started. We have a lot to do. Before I can begin teaching you, I need to determine what skills you’ve already mastered.”
“Miss Tanner?” It was Bart Grimes. “John Eagle can camp out in the desert without supplies and live off the land.”
Cady bit her lip to hide her amusement. “Thank you, Bart. That’s wonderful, and perhaps John Eagle can teach us to do the same. But that isn’t exactly the kind of skill I was talking about.”
“I was afraid it wasn’t,” the youngster said.
“Why afraid?”
“You’re gonna put me back in first grade ‘cause my reading’s not so good.”
“I don’t intend to run my school that way. Why did you think I would?”
“‘Cause that’s what they did when I stayed with my ma’s folks back east. Pa moves around a lot with the army. Sometimes I go to school, most times not. I was way bigger’n all those snot-nosed little snobs.”
“I see. Although it isn’t very nice to call other people names.”
Cady sympathized with the boy. Not so very long ago, she’d also run into prejudice from narrow-minded, pretentious people.
“Well, Bart, don’t worry. As you can see, there aren’t enough of you to separate into grades. I just want to see what you already know and we’ll proceed from there. All right?”
“Yes’m.” He smiled.
“I saw more children in the fort. Do you know why they’re not here this morning?” Cady asked.
“Don’t have to be here if our folks don’t make us,” Polly said.
“Did your folks make you come here this morning?”
The little girl looked at her fingers. “Only a little, ma’am.”
Emily raised her hand. “I heard some of ‘em say they didn’t want to waste the time if you were going to get drunk and have to be let go. Like Sergeant Cramer,” she added.
“I see.” Cady glanced at each child in turn. “I’m not a drinking woman, and I have no intention of leaving for any reason. Is that clear?”
Five heads nodded.
“Let’s get to work then.”
The next two hours passed quietly with the children working on the tests she had prepared to gauge their level of education. Cady was just about to announce a break for lunch when there was a disturbance at the door behind her.
“Let me go!” It was a youngster’s voice.
Captain Carrington came striding into the room holding Reynolds J. Wexler by the arm. He sat the boy down beside John Eagle, went around the long table, and stood next to Cady. Kane smelled of dust, leather, and shaving soap. The masculine scents worked their way inside her and stole her breath until she could scarcely think straight. This was all she needed in front of her first class, on her very first day of school.
“What’s the problem, captain?” she asked in her best imitation of Miss Agnes Biddle.
“R. J. forgot about school and went riding instead. He’s sorry about being late.”
“Am not.”
Kane shot him a look. “If you have any trouble with him, let me know.”
“Thank you, captain. I’m certain that won’t be necessary. I can handle Reynolds.”
Kane nodded slightly. He clasped his hands behind him and took a step back. Oh, God, he was staying. Everything she’d ever learned seemed to go straight out of her head. She couldn’t deal with him
and
a hostile truant.
“Don’t let me keep you, captain.”
“You’re not. Forget I’m here.”
It would be a miracle if she could do that, the way her heart was pounding. But she had to try.
Cady looked at the redheaded boy. “I’m glad you could join us.”
He sent the captain a scathing look. “Didn’t have no choice.”
“Any choice,” she automatically corrected.
He rolled his eyes, then for the first time, he glanced at the Indian boy to his left. “I ain’t sittin’ next to no redskin.”
Without looking in the other boy’s direction, John Eagle said, “The color of Indian skin is better than white skin like a woman’s and hair the color of carrots.”
R. J. pounded one fist on the table and stood up. “I ain’t sittin’ near no stinkin’ Indian.”
“
Any
Indian—” Cady broke off. “Sit down, Reynolds.”
John Eagle turned an outwardly calm gaze on the other boy, but his black eyes smoldered. “Anyone who wets himself at the sight of a snake has no business talking about smell.”
“That’s a lie. Take it back!”
John faced R. J. and shook his head. “It’s the truth.”
R. J. made a fist and socked the other boy. John grabbed him and they were locked in combat, each trying to free a hand to get in a punch.
Kane moved forward and she put a hand on his arm. “I’ll take care of this.”
“You?”
“Yes. Me.”
He looked at the wrestling boys. “All right. Handle it.”
She took a step forward and slapped her palms on the table. “That’s quite enough!” Cady said, in her sternest voice.
The two ignored her. She rushed around the table and tried to separate them, but they acted as if she weren’t there.
“Stop this instant!” she cried, trying again to use words. What other weapon did she have? The idea of force was ludicrous; both of them were bigger than she was.
When they continued to fight, she tried again to pull them apart. That didn’t work, so she tried to push herself in between them. Reynolds made a fist and drew his arm back. With the agility of a cat, John Eagle ducked the punch and it hit Cady square in the left eye.
Pain exploded in her cheekbone, and her vision filled with bright yellow and orange spots.
“Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat, ma’am!”
She fought dizziness as she staggered to the bench behind her and sat. Boots scraped on the canvas floor and a big body moved between her and the boys.
“No man ever hits a woman.” Kane’s voice echoed loudly in the mess hall. Then he was on one knee beside her. “Are you all right?”
With a hand to her throbbing cheek, she managed to open her uninjured eye. “Fine.”
There was a sound behind him. Kane jumped to his feet. “If either of you moves a muscle, I’ll throw you both in the guardhouse.” He glared at each boy in tum. “I just might anyhow.”
Amazingly enough they stood quietly, although still breathing hard from the exertion of the fight. Reynolds rubbed a hand under his nose, and his white sleeve came away streaked with blood. Cady rose from the bench and, with her good eye, looked at the rest of her students, who had watched the whole scene with avid interest.
She was so angry her hands shook. She needed to clear the classroom before the rest of her students witnessed another scene, one she was about to start. How dare Kane step in when she’d asked him not to!
“Children, you’re dismissed for lunch. I’ll see you back here at one-thirty.” They stood and raced from the room. John Eagle and R. J. Wexler started to follow.
Kane held up his hand. “Halt.”
They did, instantly. How did he do that, Cady wondered?
Standing tall, with his arms crossed over his chest, the captain speared each of them with a look. “Go wait in my office.”
“Halt, you two.” Cady touched his upper arm. The wide muscle beneath her palm told her how he had managed to pull the boys apart. She envied him his size and strength. “This is my responsibility and I’ll handle it.”
Ignoring her, the two boys continued to march out of the room.
She looked at the empty doorway, then up at Kane, and pulled her hand away. “I can’t believe what just happened.”
“I figure to give those two a lecture they won’t soon forget. Sit down and let me have a look at that eye.” He tried to lead her to the bench, but she pulled her arm from his grasp.
“How dare—”
“Simmer down. I’ll take care of it. How’s the eye?”
“Forget the eye. Why did you interfere in my classroom?”
“Why did I—?” He stopped, stunned, and stared at her for a moment. “Those two were trying to kill each other.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Besides, from nine-thirty to twelve and one-thirty to three-thirty, this is my schoolroom. If my students are trying to kill each other, I will deal with it.”
He pointed to her eye. “What if they kill you?”
Without hesitation she replied, “Then feel free to step in and restore order.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t stand by and watch someone hit a woman.”
“I’m not a woman.” Heat blossomed in her cheeks as his brows lifted. “I mean to
them
. I’m their teacher. Besides, Reynolds didn’t mean to hit me.”
“That’s no excuse. You’re a woman, no mistake about that. And in about thirty minutes, you’re gonna have one hell of a black eye. I plan to make those two sorry for what they did so it never happens again.”
“It’s up to me to discipline them. Don’t you see? When you stepped in, you undermined my authority. If I can’t maintain order, no one can learn.”
“Looked to me like you were learning a thing or two about a right hook.”
“This isn’t a joking matter.” She tried to glare at him, but it wasn’t easy with only one good eye.
“I’m not laughing.”
“I want to be the best teacher I can be. If you step in every time there’s a problem, the children will not learn to respect me.” She laced her fingers together in front of her. “If you hadn’t been here, I would have had to handle it, wouldn’t I?”
“I suppose. But I
was
here. I couldn’t let them hurt you—or each other.”
She touched her cheek. “It’s nothing.”
“I think the post surgeon should take a look.”
“That’s not necessary. I’ll just put some water on it.”
“Are you sure you don’t want the doctor?”
“I’m sure.”
“All right.” He started to walk away, then turned back to her. “One thing: Never try to stop a fight until it’s over.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, captain, in case you don’t happen to be here the next time,” she said wryly.
“I nearly forgot. The reason I happened to be here this time was because I had something to tell you.”
“What?”
“There’s going to be a reception in your honor given by the officers’ wives.”
“How lovely.” She smiled and winced at the stab of pain in her cheekbone. “When is it?”
“Saturday.”
“Day after tomorrow. That soon?” She cupped her cheek with her hand and wondered if she dared hope there would be no swelling or discoloration.
“Out here, folks are always looking for a reason to have a party. There’s not much else to do.” His gaze intensified as he studied her. “You might want to wear purple to match the color your eye will be by then.”
“Emily Stanton said some of the children are waiting to see if I’ll get drunk and have to be let go the way Sergeant Cramer was. You don’t suppose this reception could wait until I’ve convinced everyone that I’m staying?”
“Those ladies want to have a party. Do you want me to tell them it’s postponed?”
And start off on the wrong foot with everyone? Cady shook her head. “Wouldn’t be neighborly. I’ll be there. And I’ll look forward to it.”
“All right, then. I’ll stop by for you at seven.”
“That’s not necessary. I can see myself there. You must have more important things to do.”
“It’s my duty.”
“More orders?” she asked.
“Mrs. Wexler asked me to escort you.”
“Ah,” she said. “Do you always follow orders?”
“That’s what a good soldier does.”
“And you’re a good soldier?”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “The army’s been good to me.”
“I see. Well, then, I’ll be ready at seven. I wouldn’t want you to disobey orders on my account.”
“Cady, it’s not like that.”
“Never mind, captain, it’s not important. But there is the matter of those two boys in your office who need to have a good talking to.”
He nodded. “There is that. I’ll go speak to them now.” She started to say something, and he held up his hand. “You can have your turn when I’m finished.”
“That’s not what I was going to say. I get the feeling you have a special interest in Master Wexler.”
“R. J.’s father is away from the fort a lot, dealing with the Indian agent. His mother can’t seem to handle him, and I’ve gotten in the habit of filling in.” Kane’s eyes narrowed for a moment and the muscle in his cheek contracted. “I’m in charge when the commanding officer is gone. Keeping order here is my responsibility. The soldiers are my concern, their dependents are my concern, and you’re my concern.”