Forever by Your Side (Willamette Brides #3) - Tracie Peterson Page 0,93
would make sense.
She started for the open yard, but someone grabbed her from behind and dragged her backward.
“I’m so glad you’re home.” Mercy wrapped her arms around her husband and sniffed back tears. She had prayed so long and hard that he would be set free, and now that he was here, it was all she could do to keep from sobbing.
“I’m all right, sweetheart. Don’t cry. They took good care of me once they realized I probably wasn’t guilty.”
She pulled back and smiled. “Lance has worked hard to get you set free. He wouldn’t rest, and neither would Connie.”
Adam glanced around. “Speaking of Connie, where is she?”
Mercy glanced at the others, then turned back to Adam. “She’s gone to Grand Ronde.”
“What? With all that’s happening? Mr. Carter said they mean to attack—that Clint is the one in charge. That even his father is a part of this.”
Mercy nodded. “I know, and when Connie found out some of the details, she left to get to Tom. I’ve been very worried.”
“When did she leave?”
“Earlier today. She left me a note—a very brief one, but she told me that she loved Tom and meant to ensure his safety.”
Adam shook his head and looked at Lance. “What can we do?”
“It’s already been done. We let Major Wells know, and he’s going to telegraph Colonel Bedford in the morning. Bedford is in charge down there. Of course, it’s always possible that the telegram could be intercepted.”
A heavy sigh escaped Adam, and Mercy put her arm around him. “What else can we do? It’s not only Connie, but also Isaac and Tom. They’re all at risk.”
“There’s nothing we can do. Major Wells has asked us to stay put,” Seth said. He stood not far from Lance. “We need to honor his request. There are enough people running around Grand Ronde now as it is. Hopefully his men will find Connie before she even reaches the reservation, and they know that Tom and Isaac stayed behind. They should have already moved them to a safe place.”
“I feel such a sense of defeat.”
“Nonsense.” Mercy understood her husband’s feelings but was determined they focus on the positive at hand. “You’re home now. That’s a good thing.”
Adam touched her cheek. “Connie being gone isn’t our only trouble. Do you know what they said about us in the newspaper?”
Mercy looked at the others. She could see by their expressions that they were hiding something. Nancy wouldn’t even meet her gaze, and Faith’s eyes welled up with tears. Faith’s husband, Captain Gratton, put his arm around her as Hope came to stand beside Mercy.
It was clear that whatever the news was—it wasn’t good. “Someone better speak up and tell me what’s going on.”
Adam shook his head. “It was reported that I’m half Cherokee and that our marriage is illegal.”
Mercy had never expected even the remotest possibility of this. Her knees gave way, and Adam caught her and helped her to a chair.
“It isn’t true,” she murmured, shaking her head. “It isn’t true.”
“We know the truth, darling, but the facts are what they are. I’m part Indian, and you are white. Oregon state laws make our marriage null and void.”
“But the law only applies to someone who is half Indian.” Mercy still couldn’t believe this was happening.
“You know it would be next to impossible to prove that I’m not, and besides that, what about the movements to push for the amount of Indian blood to be lowered to one-quarter, as it is with other races?”
“This isn’t right.”
“No, it’s not,” Faith agreed.
Mercy still shook her head. “Just when I thought this nightmare might actually be over.”
Tom woke up with a fierce headache and the memory of Clint Singleton standing nearby. It was pitch black, and Tom felt around and found only thick brush. His thoughts were rather jumbled by the pain, but he knew he had to reach Colonel Bedford. The minute the solders started eating whatever meal Clint had poisoned, it would be too late to save them.
He stood, holding fast to a small sapling. The darkness was good cover, but just as it aided him, it would also aid Singleton and the Indians. Tom hesitated.
Then something he hadn’t expected happened. A bugler was blowing formation. Was it possible the army had received word about Singleton? He maneuvered on shaky legs toward the sound. If he could just reach the camp, the doctor there could treat his wounds, and he could make certain they knew what was going on.