[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
135
NANN DUNNE
Good Lord, no. She was married before and has a son.
That doesn t mean anything, Lindsay said. I have this cousin
who was married for fifteen years before she admitted her own
feelings.
Sarah s sister-in-law proceeded to give her an earful of
information about another woman who discovered she loved women.
When she heard the story, Sarah searched through the time she had
spent with the Pruitts, looking for clues to Faith s feelings for her.
The only time she remembered thinking that Faith might have been
attracted to her was the morning the Union troops had entered
Cranston. But that was the same day Faith betrayed her. Sarah gave
up her quest in disgust.
Later, Lindsay wrote a letter to Scott, sharing the news about
Sarah s condition. She told him of her plan that they would take on
the responsibility of raising Sarah s child as their own, and she asked
for his agreement. Scott s answer came back quickly. He wrote a long
letter to Sarah and another to Lindsay, each including an
unconditional yes to the plan.
The time of Sarah s pregnancy passed slowly for her. Being
heavy with the baby during the Virginia spring was the easy part. Her
enforced inaction was what tried her patience. She kept up with the
news of the war, all the while resenting that her part in it had been
curtailed. By the beginning of 1865, as she had already supposed,
severe shortages of food and supplies had Confederate soldiers
deserting in droves. General Grant pursued General Lee relentlessly,
and after Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, fell in early
April, the decimated Rebel forces soon surrendered.
At last, the baby came on May 10.
To the family s delight, the child was a girl, and Lindsay and
Scott had already picked a name. They called her Jessica, after
Lindsay s mother. Upon the birth of the new daughter, the whole
household became one big nursery, lightening some of the gloom
brought on by Sarah s ill fortunes. Sarah wanted a wet nurse, but
since the slaves had been freed, none was available. She was forced to
nurse little Jessica herself for the first four months of the baby s life.
Jessica had Coulter features but different coloring. Her straight
black hair and pale blue eyes told Sarah which of her attackers had
fathered the child the apologetic Hager. Thank God, it hadn t been
Angston.
136
THE WAR BETWEEN THE HEARTS
Throughout the whole time, Lindsay was a rock, providing
needed support while buffering the loving but often quarrelsome
relationship between Sarah and her mother. Sarah was happy to give
her sister-in-law the news that neither Angston s nor Wertz s blood
tainted the baby. She saw no need to add that she still intended to kill
the father.
Sarah stood on the verandah at Red Oak Manor looking out over
the peaceful scene while thinking of the war. Thank goodness,
Sheridan s army had marched down the valley on the other side of the
Blue Ridge Mountains. Her parents were fortunate. The Union Army
had cut a destructive path through the Shenandoah Valley, taking
what it needed from the land and destroying the rest. After the baby s
birth, Sarah had ridden out to survey the damage, and she returned
heavy-hearted to her parents home, knowing that so many who
hadn t fought in the war perhaps had not even believed in it had
lost so much. A noise turned her from her survey of the landscape,
and she looked toward the door as Matthias came out of the house.
Got some mail for you, Miss Sarah. He handed her a long
envelope with unfamiliar writing on it. Looks like today ll be
another hot one. Would you want something to drink, child?
Sarah took the letter and affectionately squeezed the hand of the
elderly, dark-skinned man. No, thank you, Matthias. But you better
get back inside where it s cooler. No sense in you staying out in this
heat when there s no need to.
Now you sound like my Pearl, he grumbled good-naturedly.
What s a man to do when the womenfolk boss him around all the
time? He waggled a finger and answered his own question. I know,
I know, just do what they say. Sarah smiled and nodded as Matthias
reentered the house.
Turning her attention to the letter, she tore it open, anticipation
burning her stomach. She skipped immediately to the signature, and
her heart jumped. It was the long-awaited news from Leah about the
scum she was itching to hunt down. At least, that s what she hoped it
was. She put a hand to her chest as if to quiet the pounding of her
heart and sat at one of the verandah tables to read.
Dear Sarah,
137
NANN DUNNE
I hope this finds you well. There was so many soldiers
coming threw here it was hard to get what you want but I
hope I got enuff now to help you tho I worry about you and
what you might do that will put you back in danger.
The one named George Wertz is dead. He was killed
in a battle and I hope his soul rots in hell for what he done
to you.
I could not find much about Hager except his first
name is Perry and he came from Cleeveland Ohio so
maybe he will go back there if he is still alive.
The sargent is named Willard Angston and he is still
in these parts. He has something to do with the mustering
out of soldiers or maybe prisoners I am not sure which.
Captain Phillip Showell has been writing to me about
the man who said he blew up that train. First the captain
wrote his health kept him from making the trip here but
now he wants to see me but wants you here so you can
draw a pitcher of the man I saw. You two can just come on
by when it suits you. Amy asks about you all the time and
sends her love as I do to. Please be carefull and do not get
hurt no more.
Your friend,
Leah
Sarah folded the letter and stuffed it in her skirt pocket, her heart
still racing. Phillip had written her several times, too, enthused about
the possibility that Leah could give him a lead on the saboteur. He
had been anxious to go to Cranston right away but was delayed by an
infection in the stump of his leg. Sarah hoped it was healed now.
This idea about drawing the likeness of the man seemed
promising, if Leah could give her a good enough description. The
potential of putting a face to the man excited Sarah enough to make
her eager to get to Cranston. But the likelihood of finding Angston
positively exhilarated her, and she hurried into the house to begin
preparations for the journey.
In her bedroom, she pulled a valise from under the bed and
placed it on the green chintz bedspread. On an earlier trip to town, she
had purchased replacements for the clothing, disguise, and pistol left
behind at Faith s, and now she removed them from the bureau
drawers and packed them. She had purchased another Remington
138
THE WAR BETWEEN THE HEARTS
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]