Fevre Dream Page 0,84

Simon, and Raymond, and Cara. They follow me now."

"Damon is different," Valerie insisted. "It is not the same!"

Joshua York made an impatient gesture. "It makes no difference. I will control him."

Abner Marsh had watched them argue in thoughtful silence, but now he spoke up. "Joshua's right," he said to Valerie. "Hell, I looked in his eyes once or twice myself, and he nearly busted every bone in my hand the first time we shook. Besides, what was it you called him? A king?"

"Yes," Valerie admitted. "The pale king."

"Well, if he's this pale king of yours, it stands to reason that he's got to win, don't it?"

Valerie glanced from Marsh to York and back again. Then she trembled. "You haven't seen him, either of you." She hesitated a moment, tossed her dark hair back with a pale slender hand, and faced Abner Marsh squarely. "Perhaps I was wrong about you, Captain Marsh. I do not have Joshua's strength, nor his trust. I have been ruled by the red thirst for half a century. Your people were my prey. You cannot befriend your prey. You cannot. You cannot trust them either. That was why I urged Joshua to kill you. You cannot just cast aside the cautions of a lifetime. Do you understand?"

Abner Marsh nodded warily.

"I am still uncertain," Valerie continued, "but Joshua has been showing us many new things, and I am willing to admit that perhaps you can be trusted. Perhaps." She scowled fiercely. "But whether or not I was wrong about you, I am right about Damon Julian!"

Abner Marsh frowned, not knowing what to say. Joshua reached out and took Valerie's hand in his own. "I think you are wrong to be so fearful," he said. "But for your sake, I will move with all caution. Abner, do as you wish, tell Mister Jeffers and Mister Dunne. It will be good to have their help if Valerie is right. Choose the men for a special watch, and let the rest ashore. When the Fevre Dream steams up the bayou, I want her manned only by our best and most reliable, the bare minimum needed to run her. No religious fanatics, no one who is easily frightened, no one prone to rashness."

"Hairy Mike and I will do the pickin'," Marsh said.

"I will meet Julian on my own steamer, in my own time, with you and the best of your men behind me. Be careful how you tell Jeffers and Dunne. It must be done correctly." He looked at Valerie. "Satisfied?"

"No," she said.

Joshua smiled. "I can do no more." He looked back at Abner Marsh. "Abner, I am glad you are not my enemy. I am close now, my dreams at hand. In beating the red thirst, I had my first great triumph. I would like to think that here, tonight, you and I have fashioned a second, the beginning of friendship and trust between our races. The Fevre Dream will steam on the razor edge between night and day, banishing the specter of old fear wherever she goes. We will achieve great things together, friend."

Marsh didn't care over much for flowery talk, but Joshua's passion reached him nonetheless and he gave a grudging smile. "Got a lot of work to do before we achieve any goddamned thing at all," Marsh said, gathering up his walking stick and getting to his feet. "I'll be goin', then."

"Fine," Joshua said, smiling. "I will take my rest, and see you once again at twilight. Make certain the boat is ready to depart. Well get this done with as quickly as we can."

"I'll have our steam up," Marsh said as he took his leave.

Outside, day had come.

It looked to be about nine, Abner Marsh thought as he stood blinking outside the captain's cabin, after Joshua had locked the door behind him. The morning was dismal; hot and muggy, with a heavy gray overcast that hid the sun. Soot and smoke from steamers on the river hung in the air. There's going to be a storm, Abner Marsh thought, and the prospect was one he found disheartening. He was suddenly aware of how little sleep he'd gotten, and felt inutterably tired, but there was so much to do that he dared not even consider a nap.

He descended to the main saloon, figuring that breakfast would give him some spirit. He drank a gallon of hot black coffee while Toby cooked him up some boiled beefcakes and waffles, with blueberries on the side. As he was eating,