Savage Freedom: Book #2 Boarding House Brides

28 July 1864 To: Miss Abigail via Mrs. Sheffield c/o St. Louis Boarding House & Orphanage for Lost Souls Dear Abigail, I have safely arrived at my post, Ft. Gibson, in Indian Territory. During my travels, I have thought of you often. Our first meeting was so brief, but I felt a kinship to you. I wonder if you felt the same. As promised, I will share about my adventures. Ft. Gibson has been quiet since my arrival. I am told that the tribe of Indians who live in the area are called the Cherokee. I have learned they are a peaceful people, who only want to be left alone to raise their families on the land that God provides. Although one of the more peaceful tribes, they will not hesitate to protect their families. I had the privilege of meeting the chief and his son, Wohali. Wohali appears to be fierce, but is actually a kind man. He stands almost as tall as me. He is one of the tallest men in his village. He has a strong face and long black hair, that is usually flowing freely down

October 2, 1865 Henry POV As I rode back into the fort from my morning perimeter check, I reflected on the events of the past several months. Every morning, I would ride out and make a large perimeter sweep, the goal being to make sure that none of the area was in danger of being invaded. The Comanche Indians were the angriest of all the tribes in the area, therefore they posed the greatest threat. I had tried many times to reach out and to assist them in any way I could. Officially, I was under orders to make the Indians comply no matter what it took, even if that meant killing each and every one of them. Unofficially, I just wanted peace. I was grateful for the soldiers under my command. They too, had seen enough war and devastation to last two lifetimes. I had a meeting upon my arrival last year and was able to ascertain that none of them really wanted to force the Indian’s out any more than I did. So, it was decided that while the United States government might want us to elimin

November 14, 1865 Abigail POV This morning, over breakfast, Levi informed me that he was confident that we would arrive at Fort Gibson before noon. With the hills and trees, it was difficult to see very far in the distance. I was excited to know that we had finally arrived. I was ready for a good night’s rest in a soft bed. The last ten days had been a challenge. The morning that we left Springfield, I reminded Levi that he had agreed to push the men and the supply wagons as much as possible. The first three days we were able to push and traveled every bit of thirty miles each day. We took very few breaks and moved swiftly. But on the fourth day, the weather turned cold and it began to rain. After two days of solid rain, we were soaked through, tired, cold, and miserable. I was extremely disappointed to discover that we had only managed to travel thirty miles in two days. That put us behind schedule and my spirits

November 20, 1865 Henry POV “You look like death warmed over, Henry,” Matthew told me at breakfast this morning. “Thanks. I couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t for lack of trying. Every time I closed my eyes, I envisioned Abigail in her father’s clutches. The weather is turning colder, Matt. Do we know if she even had coat or shawl?” I whispered, afraid to know the answer. She was most likely in the forest and mountainous area of Arkansas. While that would shelter her from the constant wind it would not provide with much sunlight for warmth. I was worried about frostbite. “After you went to rest yesterday, I went and spoke with Zeke some more. She did have her heavy woolen coat. Don’t know what kind of stockings she was wearing. I would guess, the same as when she traveled here from St. Louis. She should be warm enough. Although, with the weather turning an

Abigail POV Earlier today, when the snow began to fall so heavily that we couldn’t see each other, I began to worry that we would be lost in the blizzard. “We are too far from my village to turn back to seek shelter. I think we should continue to the fort. We must stay grouped together and share the reins of our horses. Abigail, I will take one of yours and you will reach back and take one from Levi. This way we can all stay connected,” Wohali explained reaching for one of my reins. Levi nudged his horse next to me and he handed me a length of his reins, “These three won’t get spooked. They are all trained to follow the command of the rider. I have control of the extra horse; so it will be alright.” Then he paused and said, “here, let’s try to pull the blanket over your head. That might help keep you warm.” He helped me to adjust the blanket so it was partially covering my head while still wrapped around my shoulders. The truth was, I was almost soaked through but I refused to say a