Chapter 19
J – A – R – E – D! cried Winifred, startled by her son’s unexpected presence in her home.
“What are you doing here?”
“Aren’t I welcomed in your home, anymore, mother?”
“Of course, Jared, she said venturing forward with her arms extended. It’s just that we were expecting you at ….
“At my place? Yes, I know, he answered, avoiding his mother’s embrace, I was there.”
It had been a long time since Winifred felt the sting of her son’s rejection. Yanking off her gloves Winifred face hardened as she glowered at her son. She knew her son and she knew he was spoiling for a fight.
“Your father is right behind me, Jared. I suggest we wait until he’s in the room.”
“Why? We both know he wouldn’t have done any of this, Jared yelled at his mother. He wouldn’t have done this to me twice.”
“It wasn’t my idea, Jared.”
“Wasn’t it mother?”
“No! It wasn’t your mother, Jared,” answered Winston from the parlor doorway. It had taken him a good five minutes to walk, under his own power, from the wagon to the doorway. An accomplishment he was relishing in when he’d heard the angry voices coming from his parlor. “But we went along with it to protect you.”
“To protect me? How is forcing me to marry another woman that I don’t love protecting me.”
“Lorelei and Mrs. Skimmerhorn arranged the party. I had nothing to do with it,” interrupted Winifred.
“Who the hell is Mrs. Skimmerhorn?”
“You watch your language in front of your mother. I may be less of a man than I was, but I’m still man enough to defend my wife.”
“I’m sorry sir.”
“Winifred, tell your son, who’s been spending all of his time lately in the mountains, who Mrs. Skimmerhorn is.”
Mrs. Skimmerhorn is the wife of Colonel John C. Skimmerhorn commanding officer of the 1st Colorado Cavalry, Third Colorado Cavalry, and First New Mexico Volunteers, who is also a firm ally of Fort Kearny’s commanding officer.
It seems that Mrs. Skimmerhorn was in residence at Fort Kearny while her husband was out chasing Indians. And she was most impressed with Lorelei and the care she gave her dying father.
Mrs. Skimmerhorn sent word ahead, to the wife of the commanding officer of the 2nd Colorado Infantry at Fort Collins that Lorelei was making her way here, and to make sure that she was well treated, said Winifred, slapping her gloves down on a nearby table.
“And you, my son, are a Confederate deserter who will marry Lorelei or face a hangman’s noose, stated Winston emphatically.
By
Eliza D. Ankum
Author of
Flight 404
Ruby Sanders
STALKED! By Voices
OneTHreeThirteen
Dancing With The Fat Woman
My Stalking Blog
Jared Anderson 