Sioux Slave (25 page)

“If he's in love with the chit, it won't do any good. Would your son have listened?” He looked toward the beauty in the painting. “Perhaps Lenore will change her ways.”

“Leopards don't change their spots. My daughter-in-law didn't and I doubt Lenore will either.”

The judge stood up. “I must be going, my dear.”

The puppy in the corner seemed to rouse itself, got up, and came over, wagging its tail. He bent to pet it.

“I should give him to you, Pierce. He keeps digging up flower beds. Just look at him, he's got dirt on his nose.”

“Good dog, huh, Tally Ho?” Pierce stroked the puppy's ears, frowned up at her. “Suppose he digs–?”

“Don't you think that hasn't crossed my mind?” The possible consequences sent a pain coursing through her chest. “Don't worry, I've given strict orders.”

Pierce straightened up, started to leave the music room, turned in the doorway. “I'll keep you posted.”

She nodded, not terribly concerned. Elizabeth Carstairs was a strong personality, even if she were fragile and old. Lenore had better not underestimate her.

 

 

Kimi looked out the window of the carriage as it neared the palatial estate. Fine, blooded horses grazed in beautiful green pastures surrounded by white wood fences. “Oh, Hinzi, does this all belong to your family?”

He nodded, looking preoccupied. “Kimi, it might be better if you would begin to call me Rand; that's what all my family and friends call me.”

She felt even more uneasy as the carriage neared the big house with the pillars and balcony. Everything about it spoke of wealth and power. “I thought everything would be destroyed in this war you spoke of.”

“Seems this area was lucky and didn't get hit hard and now everything's on the mend. Besides Kentucky stayed with the Union, so the fighting was mostly farther south, although probably some of the local men were killed or wounded.”

She looked down at her clothes. She still wore the deerskin dress and moccasins, although Hinzi–Rand–had been given something a little better by one of the trappers at the fort. Having seen what some of the white women wore while coming all these hundreds of miles, Kimi was a little uneasy. “I shouldn't have come,” she said, clutching her medicine object for comfort.

“I could hardly leave you at the fort with Lieutenant Baker still there,” he reminded her.

“I should have gone back to my people.”

“Kimi, stop saying that; you're white.”

“Not in my heart.” She shook her head.

“Well, you may learn to like living among the whites.” He didn't look too sure.

She thought about everything that had happened the last few days since they had left the fort. On the trip south, white people had stared at her in her strange costume. Rand seemed too occupied to even think about clothes, and besides, he had no money except the little the colonel had given him. He had not touched her since that night he had rescued her from the lustful officer. “Hinzi, Rand, does your family know you're bringing someone with you?”

A startled look crossed his handsome face, and she had her answer. Had he simply forgotten or didn't know exactly what to wire his parents? “It'll be all right, Kimi.”

He sounded almost as uncertain as she felt. “I won't stay long,” she assured him. “I'll start looking for my relatives and find myself a job somewhere.”

“Kimi, I want you to understand. I don't mean to hurt you. You're very young; too young. There's some fine boarding schools for young ladies and the Randolphs have money.”

Kimi didn't answer. She'd heard a white man's saying: “out of sight, out of mind.” She hadn't come all this way to be hidden away in some strict boarding school. As a matter of fact, she was no longer sure why she had come at all. “You're worried about what your parents will think, aren't you?”

He looked embarrassed. “I have always had everything that money can buy. I think my mother would see to it that I'm disinherited and I don't know what it is to live without wealth.”

She started to remind him he had managed well enough among her people, then decided not to point that out. “I'll be hard to explain,” she said, “you should have left me at the fort.”

He had dark circles under his eyes as if he'd lost a lot of sleep struggling with this dilemma. “Kimi, I wish . . .”

She waited, but he didn't finish. He was trying to be honorable, she realized that; but his world of money and privilege meant more to him than any woman. Whatever was right for Rand, that's what Kimi would do. She wanted him to be happy. All she had done by accompanying him was create problems for both of them. For the hundredth time she wished she had not come.

Her heart beat faster as she looked out the window at the big house and the people running from all directions. The carriage stopped and the driver got down to open the door, even as two white women and several servants came out of the house, all rushing toward the carriage.

Rand took a deep breath, as if to steel himself, and stepped out. As Kimi watched, the two white women threw their arms around him with glad cries.

“Rand, dear,” the older exclaimed, “you're early! We weren't expecting you for hours!”

Kimi watched him embrace the two awkwardly. “Sorry, mother, I was trying to avoid some huge ‘Welcome home' gathering. How are you, Vanessa?”

The young, pretty one looked like Rand. Now she pouted. “Mercy me! I declare you've ruined our big greeting! Lenore will be upset that she wasn't here....” Kimi realized that the girl's eyes widened and her voice trailed off as she caught sight of Kimi in the carriage. “Who is that?”

Kimi saw the sudden hostility in his sister's blue eyes, the sheer curiosity in his mother's.

Rand turned. “Oh, this is Kimi.” He extended his hand to help her from the carriage.

She felt Mrs. Erikson's cold stare. “We didn't realize anyone would be coming with Rand. How do you do, my dear?”

“Very well, thank you,” Kimi tried to remember what little she'd been told about proper white behavior. Both Mrs. Erikson and Rand's sister were looking at her almost open-mouthed. She glanced down, realized they were staring at her doeskin dress and moccasins. She felt suddenly as if she'd just walked into a gathering of enemy Crow or Pawnee.

“Kimi has spent most of her life among the Sioux,” Rand explained, “and when we were both found by that army patrol, she didn't have any place to go, so I invited her to come with me.”

“How nice,” Vanessa said coolly, but her expression said she didn't think it was so nice.

By now Rand had turned away and was shaking hands and greeting the black servants who were still running from every direction.

She saw Mrs. Erikson and Vanessa exchange looks.

“Kimi,” Mother said and while her mouth smiled, her eyes didn't, “I don't believe I caught your last name.”

She would not be bullied by this rich woman. She looked her straight in the eye. “Kimi will do.”

“Well, Kimi, will you be staying long?” Her tone said she certainly hoped not.

Kimi looked toward Rand, but he was busy shaking hands with the help and didn't seem to hear what was being said. “No, as soon as I make some plans, I'll be going on. Your son was kind enough to offer me the hospitality of Randolph Hall for a few days.”

Rose Erikson visibly relaxed, but his sister didn't. “Oh, what a shame you won't be staying. You know my brother and his fiancee will probably be getting married right away, and you'll miss the biggest wedding this county ever saw.”

“Yes, I know. He told me.” Kimi forced herself to smile, determined not to make trouble for him.

Rand came back from the servants. “Let's not stand out here all day, let's go inside.” They went into the entry hall of the mansion.

Kimi stared. Even the hall was big enough for a family to live in. Evidently Rand's family had much wealth and many ponies. In spite of her brave front, she felt very ill-at-ease in her primitive clothing in comparison with the two richly dressed women.

She was only thankful that Rand had helped her for hours every day to learn the English words and grammar on the trip back to Kentucky. Now she wished there had been more time for him to tutor her in proper manners, dress, and other small things these white women would take for granted.

Rand looked around. “Where's Father?”

“Out in the east fields,” Mrs. Erikson said, “we weren't expecting you for hours.”

“Rand,” his sister said, “of course you'll be wanting to go over to Carstairs Oaks immediately.”

“I have a better idea,” his mother said brightly, “why don't I send someone to let Lenore know you've arrived? That will give you a chance to rest and clean up and we can all have dinner here.”

He looked a little relieved. “That sounds fine; I am tired from the trip. Sister, I hear from the servants that you haven't married Shelby yet.”

“Mercy me!” Vanessa said, looking at Kimi, “We decided to wait until you came home. In fact, Lenore and I have sort of planned a double wedding.”

Rand looked at Kimi, seemed about to say something, bit his lip instead. “I think I'll go find Father. Vanessa, do you reckon you could find Kimi something to change into?”

“Certainly. I'm sure one of the servants–”

“I meant one of
your
lovely dresses,” he said with a slight edge to his voice. “As I remember, you always had wardrobes full of clothes.”

“Of course, dear boy.” His mother's hands fluttered nervously and she wheezed when she talked as if she wore a tight corset to squeeze her generous flesh. “I'm sure Vanessa has something she's not wearing anymore.”

Kimi said, “I don't want to be any trouble. I'm awfully tired. If I could just rest awhile–”

“You're probably exhausted,” Rand said. “Vanessa will find you a nice guest room, too.”

“And we'll have a chance to get to know each other,” Vanessa said with a big smile, but like her mother, her pale eyes didn't smile. “Come along with me, Kimi.”

She didn't really want to go with Vanessa, but she didn't want to seem impolite. They went up the big, circular stairway together.

They walked down the upstairs hall. Vanessa glanced at her curiously. “Your name was Kimi? Rather unusual, isn't it?”

Kimi started to explain that it was really Kimimila, decided not to bother. “It's Lakota for butterfly.”

“How very quaint!” Vanessa said. “Were you a captive of the savages, too?”

“They aren't savages, they're Sioux,” Kimi said, “I was raised by them.”

“So what happened to your relatives?”

Kimi tried to remember. “It's been so long. I really don't recall anything about my family.”

Vanessa paused with her hand on a doorknob. “Mercy me! How sad. You know, in this part of the country, family is very important. My brother is engaged to my best friend. The Carstairs are an old,
quality
family.” Her tone left no doubt what she thought about Kimi's family background.

“Yes, I know about Miss Carstairs.” Although she was seething at the implied insult, Kimi decided she must not make trouble for Rand.

“There's to be a family dinner here tonight and you'll get to meet my fiancee and Rand's. When you see her, you'll know why Rand is so madly in love with her. Lenore Carstairs is considered a great beauty and a reigning belle.”

“How very nice for her,” Kimi said, wondering just what response Vanessa expected. Perhaps she suspected that there was more to the relationship between Rand and Kimi than met the eye and was probing for more information.

Vanessa led her into a bedroom that was large and beautiful by anyone's standards. “You can have this room. I'll see if I can find you a dress and send Millie to help you with your hair and bath.”

“I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself,” Kimi said.

Vanessa's nose wrinkled in distaste. “Ladies of quality have maids.” She smiled sweetly, “but of course, I don't suppose you'd know much about that, would you?”

Kimi smiled back just as sweetly. “I've been told ladies of quality are also polite and well-mannered. But I suppose you don't know much about that, do you?”

Pretty Vanessa's mouth opened and closed a couple of times. Then without saying anything else, she turned and flounced out.

Kimi's pluck abandoned her, and she sat down morosely on the big bed. Any hope she might have had that Rand's family would be warm, wonderful people, who would be kind and friendly to a white waif with no relatives or any place to go, vanished. Where would she go and what would she do? One thing was certain, she wouldn't go whining to Rand about his sister's hostility.

A black girl stuck her head in the door. “I's Millie with clothes and things; bathwater on de way up.”

Kimi gestured her in.

The girl entered with her arms full of hoops and lace petticoats. “It be a big dinner, ma‘am. Miss Lenore is comin' and Miss Vanessa's intended, Marse Shelby Merson.”

She pictured the gaiety and Lenore hanging on Rand's arm. Kimi couldn't bear to see that. “I don't think I feel like going down to dinner. Perhaps I could just have a tray sent up here to my room.”

The girl looked at her a long moment. “I's got orders, ma'am, to get you ready for dinner. Miz Vanessa said.”

Kimi had a sudden feeling that even though they'd been freed, the blacks here were not treated very well by Rand's sister. “Millie, I–I won't know what to do. I've never been to a fancy dinner before.”