When Colleen heard Payden’s name, there was no doubt she knew exactly who he was. The look on her face spoke volumes for her. Her eyes grew wide and her cheeks took on a pale pink coloring while the rest of her face seemed to grow pale.

“Payden….was here? With others?”

The people Marshall Kallend described sounded nothing like any of the men he worked with. A young woman and a man with an odd accent? What on earth could have been so compelling that Payden would abandon his fellow railway men and seek refuge….on a strange island?

Of course all of these questions were cast aside when she caught sight of the beaten and bloodied soldier making his way into the center of the town on a tired steed. If her face could have grown any paler, it did when she saw who it was and how he looked. Never had she seen so much blood in all her life. Was it his or others? As the Marshall stepped aside and the soldier could see who she was, and recognized her, Colleen was already walking towards the horse.

“Sergeant Lasekura….yes, yes….we’re all safe. Thanks to you and the others. Please….come down from your steed and let’s get you cleaned up. We need to tend to your wounds.”

When Colleen got next to the horse and looked up at the Sergeant, she reached up her hand to help him from the saddle then spoke to Marshall Kallend.

“Marshall…..make sure the bath house has a hot tub ready for the Sergeant. He will need a good, long soak. When he’s done, could you please have your doctor tend him? If it weren’t for him and the others he fought with, the children and I wouldn’t be alive.”

Marshall Kallend looked at the nearest guard and barked at the young man.

“You heard the lady. Get a move on so we can get this man squared away.”

Lasekura hesitated a moment before he reached down and took Colleen’s hand then dismounted. Colleen was thankful the horse was sturdy and not flighty for there was no way she could have held the Sergeant up by herself. Draping his one arm over her shoulders, she slid her arm firmly around the small of his back to help hold him steady. Marshall Kallend came up to the other side and with his aid, Colleen was able to get Lasekura to the bath house. She could hear the water being poured into one of the large tubs and she turned Lasekura’s care completely over to the Marshall.

It was some time later when the Sergeant was released form the doctor’s office. Once again with Marshall Kallend’s aid, he was escorted back over to the Brackish Bed Inn. Colleen waited anxiously on the plank board porch and met the Marshall and Sergeant half way to help bring Lasekura the rest of the way to the Inn. All of the children were up now and Colleen had given up her room for the Sergeant’s recovery. She could sleep with all the children in the adjoining room. Once Lasekura was settled, Colleen sat on the edge of the bed.

“Rest now, Sergeant. You’ve earned it and then some. I’ve made you some tea with a slight sedative in it. Nothing heavy. I just thought you could use the help to sleep dreamlessly. It’s what they gave me when….”

She looked away for a moment then looked back.

“When I first came to Fort Glory after losing my husband. It will help you rest and that’s what you need right now most of all.”

Colleen was certain the Sergeant was going to refuse the tea. Especially the way his eyes seemed to bore through her, but he nodded slightly and she handed him the cup to take as much or as little as he wanted to.

“Thank you, Mrs. Smith. I’m glad you and the children are safe. At least someone made it out of there alive.”

Colleen didn’t know what to say. She merely stared at the Sergeant as he downed every last drop of the tea then handed the cup back to her. It didn’t take long for the tea to work and when she finally left the room, he was resting peacefully. Colleen could only hope it was for a good while.

Closing the door quietly behind her as she left the room, Colleen made her way back down the stairs. Handing the empty cup to Mrs. Forbes, she checked in one th kids to make sure they weren’t getting under foot . Most of them were out checking out the town and as Colleen walked around, looking for Marshall Kallend, she could see the children from time to time. When she found the Marshall, he was walking with a purpose towards the gates.

“Marshall Kallend. Might I have a word with you?”

“By all means, Mrs. Smith, so long as we can keep walking.”

“Certainly, sir. I was wondering about Payden Raynsford. Did he say why he was headed to an island with those people? And…did I overhear things correctly that the strange man he traveled with somehow fooled the people he bought things form? That doesn’t sound like the company Payden would keep….knowingly.”