Falcon nodded. “I’ll be there,” he promised.
Rosie relayed the message, then hung up.
“The phone has been busy today,” Zane Grey said.
“Yes,” Falcon agreed. “Sometimes, I think it was better before we had telephones. Telephones, radio, motion pictures, automobiles, flying machines.”
“Aeroplanes,” Rosie said with a little laugh.
“What?”
“You said flying machines. They are called aeroplanes,” Rosie said.
“Well, whatever they are called, they are aggravating,” Falcon replied. He was quiet for a long moment. “It certainly makes one wonder, though, how different things would have been different on Custer’s last scout if there had been such a thing as flying”—he paused and looked at his great-granddaughter—“aeroplanes”—he smiled—“and all the other modern contraptions.”
“Are you tired, Falcon?” Zane Grey asked. “Do you want to pause for a while to maybe take a nap?”
“No, no, I’m fine,” Falcon said. “What about you, Libbie?”
“I’m doing fine,” Libbie said. “As you know, I have written about this story, and lectured about it for years. I must confess that I’m enjoying hearing you tell it from your perspective.”
“Did your brother and sister get back that Christmas?” Grey asked.
Falcon nodded. “They did,” he said.
“What about the lady, Big Grandpa?” Rosie asked.
“What lady?”
“What lady? Big Grandpa, you know what lady,” Rosie said. “The one who came all the way out here to see you. Miss Wood. Did she go back to New York with Uncle Andrew and Aunt Rosanna?”
“No,” Falcon said. “She stayed at Ft. Lincoln.”
“Yes,” Libbie said. “When Autie asked if she would like to stay on as our houseguest, to keep me company until the regiment returned from the field, she agreed. In fact, when we made camp out on the Missouri flats, she came out with us. Do you remember that, Falcon?”
“Oh, yes, I remember,” Falcon said. “And we knew, even before the regiment left, where Miss Wood’s heart was.”
“Where?” Rosie asked.
“Rosie, do you want me to tell this story or not?” Falcon asked.
“Oh, yes!” Rosie replied eagerly.
“Then, don’t get ahead of me child.” Falcon finished his coffee, then went on with his story.
Chapter Twelve
All twelve companies of the Seventh Cavalry had made camp alongside the banks of the Missouri River. A cold rain fell upon the tents, which were laid out in precise military order, creating puddles of water and large expanses of mud to turn the flats into a quagmire.
The largest tent of the encampment belonged to the regimental commander. Libbie and Lorena, who had come to watch the regiment depart, were in the tent, listening to the sound of the rain drumming against the canvas.
“Would you like a cup of tea?” Libbie asked. “I think it has brewed now.”
“Yes, on a cold, damp day like this, I think a cup of tea would be lovely,” Lorena replied.
Libbie picked up the silver teapot.
“Oh, what a beautiful teapot,” Lorenea said.
“Yes, isn’t it? It was given to Autie by General and Mrs. Sherman,” Libbie replied. “We have so many nice things. Some think it out of place to bring such things into the field, but there have been many times when Autie and I had to live in a tent, much like this one, for months on end. And I always felt that if little things, like this teapot, could give those experiences a little more civility, then why not use them?”
“Oh, I agree. Libbie, I thank you very much for inviting me to come out with you to watch the regiment depart,” Lorena said as Libbie poured cups of hot tea for the two of them. “I can’t imagine anything more exciting.”
“The general and I are pleased to have you as our guest,” Libbie replied. She smiled. “But I don’t think anyone is as pleased over it as Tom is.”
“I have been working for the War Department for more than two years,” Lorena said. “Until I came out here, I didn’t realize what the soldiers in the field actually go through. I mean, right now, General Custer is somewhere outside in the cold rain when he could be dry and warm in here with us.”
Libbie smiled. “Oh, don’t you worry about the general, my dear,” she said. “Believe me, he is in absolute heaven. He loves the army.” Libbie got a wistful look about her. “Sometimes, I even think he loves the army more than he loves me.”
