His Civil War Bride

by Christine Sterling

  It had been a week since Colonel Stout and Pup began staying at the Fuller house. Mr. Fuller had taken a liking to the boy and spent as much time as he could talking about business. Peyton had started teaching him to read. It would be a skill that would serve him well as he grew older.

  At first, Pup balked about having to learn. But Peyton soon found a way to bribe him. Cookies. He loved Mary’s cookies.

  Peyton rewarded him with two cookies each time he completed a lesson. If he did especially well, she might even give him three.

  Pup wasn’t the only one that enjoyed Mary’s cookies. Peyton would deliver a plate of them, along with a glass of milk in the evenings to Mason as he sat in the sitting room and read.

  She left him alone the first night.

  The second night he asked her to join him. She sat on the sofa as he read from the Bible to her. She enjoyed the sound of his voice as he recited the Psalms.

  When he was done, he bid her good evening, lifting her hand and kissing her curled fingers. Peyton would then watch as he slowly walked to his bedroom.

  Peyton even thought of leaving first and then returning just so he would kiss her hand again. She sighed. How could he be a perfect gentleman when all she wanted him to do was kiss her?

  Peyton couldn’t sleep.

  She bolted up in bed and listened. The house was quiet apart from the sound of the rain beating against her window. The sound kept time with her racing thoughts.

  Mason wasn’t home for supper that evening. When Pup arrived, the boy said that they were moving the regiments out earlier than planned and Mason needed to stay to oversee the training.

  Peyton sat in the living room watching the rain pour down. She knew training happened rain or shine. She just didn’t like thinking about Mason in the cold spring rain.

  When a flash of lightning lit up her room, Peyton would start counting.

  One.

  Two.

  Three.

  Four.

  The storm was either far away or moving away from Harrisburg. Peyton gave a sigh of relief and snuggled back in her bed.

  “Ma!”

  Peyton sat up again, to see if she heard the cry once more.

  “Ma!” followed by whimpering cut through the night. Pup!

  Peyton threw open the covers and grabbed her wrap as she made her way down the hall to the bedroom that Pup shared with Mason.

  Her mother came out of her bedroom. Peyton could hear her father snoring in the background.

  “I’ve got him,” she whispered, shooing her mother back to bed. She saw her mother retreat into her bedroom. Peyton opened the door and popped her head in the dark room.

  Mason’s bed was still made up, which meant he hadn’t come home yet. Pup was sitting up on his mattress next to the bed. His knees were bent, and he had his head resting in his arms on top of his knees. Peyton watched as his body was wracked with sobs.

  Peyton rushed to his side. Placing her lamp on the ground, she reached out to pull Pup into a hug.

  “What’s all the fuss about?” Peyton asked. Pup leaned into her and continued to sob. When he finally stopped crying, he pulled back and wiped his eyes.

  “I just had a bad dream.”

  “Want to talk about it?”

  Pup shook his head. “It was ‘bout my Ma and Pa.”

  Peyton rubbed the young boy’s back. “I can’t imagine, honey. How did they die?”

  “Pa got really sick. He worked in the coal mines. After he died, Ma just gave up. It was like she stopped living. One day Henry went to see why she hadn’t woken up and she was dead.”

  “How terrible.”

  “We left shortly after that and came here.”

  No wonder Pup was crying. He hadn’t had time to grieve. “I know it will take a long time to heal, but you are safe here.”

  “I know. But at some point, I’m gonna have to leave. Then I’ll be alone.”

  Peyton pulled the boy closer and kissed his forehead. “You can stay for as long as you like.”

  “Forever?”

  “If that is what you want.” Pup nodded his head. “Okay, let’s get you tucked back in.” Once he laid his head on the pillow, she pulled the layers of blankets back over him. She put a kiss on his forehead and rolled back on her heels to stand.

  “Peyton?” his small voice called.

  “Yes, Pup?”

  “I love you.” He released a loud yawn. “Goodnight.”

  “Good night, Pup,” Peyton whispered as she backed from the room.

  She was too awake to go to her own bed, so she decided to go downstairs and make a cup of warm milk. Mary made it for her when she was a little girl, adding just a touch of honey to sweeten the drink. There was something about the soothing drink that made Peyton sleepy.

  As Peyton wandered downstairs towards the kitchen, she noticed a light coming from beneath the library door. Padding over on stocking feet, she pushed the door open.

  Mason was sitting in a leather chair by the fireplace.

  “I didn’t realize you were home,” she said softly.

  Mason removed his reading glasses and looked at her. “I just arrived.”

  “You’re late,” she accused lightly.

  “You’re awake.” He closed his Bible and put it aside. “Why are you awake, Peyton?”

  “I don’t like storms. Pup woke up and then I couldn’t go back to sleep.”

  “Is he alright?” Concerned laced his voice.

  Peyton nodded. “Yes. Just a bad dream.” She wrapped her arm around her waist. “He wants to stay here forever.”

  “I don’t blame him. I would too.”

  “You would?” Peyton’s voice squeaked.

  “A beautiful house. An amazing cook. Wonderful company. What’s not to love?”

  Peyton gave a soft laugh. “Well, when you put it like that. Are you going to bed?”

  “Not yet. I need to rest my mind first.”

  “I’m making hot milk and honey if you would like a cup.”

  “I’ve never had it.”

  “Mary swears by it. It always makes me sleepy.”

  “Then how can I resist?”

  Peyton went to the kitchen and returned shortly, handing Mason one of the cups. He sipped the warm milk.

  “Do you like it?” she asked, taking a seat on the second chair and curling her legs underneath her.

  “It is very good.” He placed the cup aside and picked his Bible back up. “Would you like me to read to you?”

  “Yes please. Are you still reading Psalms?”

  “No. I’ve moved onto Proverbs. There is a lot of wisdom in these pages.”

  Peyton finished her drink and closed her eyes, listening to Mason’s voice as he recited the words from the Bible. She heard the thud of the book closing.

  “Did I fall asleep?” she asked.

  “You have a very delicate snore, Miss Fuller,” he joked.

  “Do I? I am so mortified.” Peyton stood, taking her empty cup. “I’d better head to bed.” Mason stood. Peyton saw him wince as he straightened out his leg. “Is it hurting?”

  Mason nodded. “I just need to put some liniment on it. It helps with the pain.”

  “Did you get all your injuries in Utah?” Mason shook his head. “I saw your back. How did that happen?”

  “I did something stupid when I first enlisted. A few soldiers snuck out of camp. I was young, didn’t know better and went along with the crowd. We were caught and branded as deserters. Each one of us was given ten lashes.”

  Peyton lifted her fingers to her lips. “I am so sorry,” she whispered.

  “It isn’t your fault.”

  “I can still have sympathy.”

  “It was my own fault. A lesson learned. I won’t shirk from my duty.”

  Peyton moved closer to him, placing her cup on the side table. “I wish I could do something to take the pain away.”

  Mason grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss in the open palm. “You already have.�
� He released her hand and cupped her chin in his palms.

  Gently he lowered his head until his lips merely brushed hers. He heard her exhale and that was all the invitation he needed to take her lips in a kiss. Peyton lifted her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him.

  Mason hesitated for a moment, before wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her. Suddenly he broke the kiss.

  Peyton noticed that they both were breathing hard. When Peyton finally caught her breath, she picked up both cups. “Good night, Colonel.”

  “Mason. Please call me Mason.”

  “Good night, Mason,” she whispered.

  “Good night, Peyton,” she heard him call as she went to return the cups to the kitchen.

  Chapter 10

  A few days later, Peyton, her mother, Mason and Pup were eating breakfast when a knock came on the door. Mr. Fuller had left earlier that morning to travel to the lead factory.

  The war needed ammunition, so Mr. Fuller invested money in a lead factory outside of town. In the four weeks since investing, his money had doubled.

  Peyton heard Mary talking to the man and then the sound of footsteps could be heard down the hallway.

  “Colonel, there is a Captain Rush asking to see you.”

  “Please excuse me, ladies,” he said leaving the room.

  Peyton continued nibbling on a piece of toast and sharing glances with her mother.

  “Is everything alright between you and Colonel Stout?”

  Peyton coughed, the toast catching in her throat. She sipped her coffee until the choking sensation passed. “Why ever do you ask?”

  “I’ve just noticed you spending a lot of time with him in the evenings.”

  Peyton thought of the previous three evenings when she and Mason spent the evening together. She made warm milk with honey, he read to her or they talked, and he would kiss her lightly before heading to bed. But of course, she wouldn’t tell her mother that.

  “He lives here now. Where would I go?”

  “Oh Peyton, honey,” her mother said, patting her hand. “You have a gift right in front of you. Reach out and grab it with both hands. Don’t waste your time on a dream.”

  “I don’t know what you are taking about, Mother.”

  “Yes, you do. I know that you have been waiting for Justin Miller to propose. If he wanted to marry you, Peyton, he would have done so by now. He’s just playing with your heart.” Peyton’s mother took a sip of her coffee. “Did he kiss you?”

  Peyton’s eyes shot up. “The Colonel?”

  Mrs. Fuller laughed. “Well, no. But I can see that one of these two men took action.”

  “Mother,” Peyton said in a hushed tone. “He might hear you.”

  “I was referring to Justin. In all the time you were together, he never tried to kiss you?”

  “He is a gentleman, Momma.”

  Mrs. Fuller scoffed. “No one is that much of a gentleman, Peyton.”

  Peyton put her toast back down on the plate. She thought back on all the time she spent with Justin. Of course, he was funny and kept her entertained. But he had never tried to kiss her. Not even tried.

  Perhaps her mother was right. She had more contact with Mason in the last seven days than she had the entire year with Justin.

  Did she ever really love him?

  She didn’t know.

  She just knew that she didn’t want to waste a year when what she wanted was right in front of her.

  Mason returned to the room and picked up his cup, finishing his coffee in one gulp. “Please forgive me. My captain stopped by with some news. I need to go interview someone.”

  “I hope it isn’t serious,” Mrs. Fuller said.

  “It is, ma’am. It appears they have caught a spy. A Miss Josephine Graves.”

  Mason looked at the young woman sitting at the table in front of him. “So, Miss Graves, would you care to tell me how you came to be in possession of this?”

  “That ain’t mine.”

  “It fell from your bag. How can you explain that?”

  “Someone must have put it in there.”

  Mason ran his hand down his face. “So, someone just happened to put this in your bag. Your bag.”

  Miss Graves didn’t say anything. She sat there defiantly looking at Mason. He decided to try a different tactic.

  “Where are you from, Miss Graves?”

  “T’aint none of your business.”

  “I’d say somewhere around Louisiana way, judging by your accent.” She still didn’t respond and crossed her arms over her chest. “Who was the man I saw you with the other day?”

  Her eyes flew up and a blush crept across her cheeks. “T’ain’t no one.”

  “Didn’t look like no one. Looked like you knew each other quite well. Do you know the penalty for espionage?”

  For the first time the woman looked frightened. “No.”

  “Death, Miss Graves. Hanging from the neck until dead. Have you ever been to a hanging?” She shook her head. “It isn’t a pleasant experience to watch. I’m sure it is less pleasant to experience.” Mason slammed his hand on the desk. “I want you to tell me now everything you know, and I will do my best to save you from the gallows.”

  The woman paused, then meekly nodded her head. Mason pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil and started taking notes as the woman told her tale of needing money and being paid handsomely for finding out as much information as possible about troop movements in the north.

  She knew she couldn’t do it alone. So, she enlisted the help of a man with connections on the inside. He would bring her information and in exchange she would grant him favors, as well as payment.

  The more information she brought to the Confederates, the more they would pay her.

  “I need his name, Miss Graves.”

  She whispered it under her breath. It was so light he almost didn’t hear it. He scribbled the name on the paper and closed his notebook.

  “We are done here. Captain!” he called. Captain Rush came in. “Please escort Miss Graves to the horse stables and secure her in a stall until she can be escorted to Philadelphia to stand trial.”

  “Wait!” she cried. “You promised me that you would do everything you could to save me.”

  “I am, Miss Graves. I’m sending you to Philadelphia where you will be given a fair trial. I am saving you by not hanging you this afternoon where everyone can witness it.”

  Captain Rush pulled a sobbing Josephine Graves from the room.

  “Anything else, Colonel?”

  “Yes. Find me Justin Miller.”

  “Is it true?” Mrs. Harris asked. She must have rushed over as soon as she heard the news.

  “It is,” said Mrs. Fuller. “I cannot believe that Justin Miller was a spy for the confederacy.”

  They were having tea with Catherine Miller in the sitting room.

  Peyton still hadn’t fully processed the information. She was shocked when Mason told her the news. She couldn’t believe it.

  She even went to Catherine to try to sort it out.

  “He’s been following his own agenda,” Catherine said. She turned to Peyton. “You need to remove yourself from this before people think you were involved.”

  “Me? I didn’t do anything.”

  “That doesn’t matter.”

  “What am I going to do?”

  “You need to get married.”

  “Wasn’t that why Justin was courting me? I’ll never get married now,” she wailed, wiping her eyes.

  “Of course you will, Peyton.” Mason stood in the doorway, his hat with the feather under his arm.

  Peyton eyed him incredulously. “How can you say that?”

  “Because you’ll marry me.”

  A gasp went up around the room as Mason approached Peyton. He took her hand and lifted her from the seat. “I would kneel, but I don’t think I would be able to get back up.”

  “You don’t have to marry me to save my reputation.”


  Mason laughed. “I’m not marrying you to save you, Peyton. You don’t need saving. I’m marrying you because I love you.”

  “You do?”

  He nodded. “There is something about you that consumes me. I want to be with you every second. When I’m away from you, I think about how soon until I can get back to you. Marry me, Peyton. Let’s be a family. You. Me. Pup.”

  “What about the war? I don’t want to lose you.”

  “I’m training the last of the first round of troops. Captain Rush will be taking over as commander, and I’m going to retire.”

  “So, you’ll be home?”

  He nodded his head. “When I asked your father for his blessing, he mentioned an opportunity he has in an ammunition company.”

  “You asked his blessing?” Peyton looked over to her mother who nodded, then turned back to Mason. “I love you too, Mason. I knew I had feelings, but I couldn’t identify it until just now. Of course, I’ll marry you.”

  “Let’s marry immediately.”

  “I want to wait, if that is alright?”

  She could see disappointment on his face. “For how long?”

  “I would like you to properly court me during our engagement. And I think just enough time for me to make a wedding dress.”

  “I can definitely do that,” he said smiling.

  Peyton reached her arms up around his neck and pulled him closer for a kiss. “I love you, Colonel Mason Stout. Kiss me so we can go talk to Pup.”

  Mason’s arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer as he did just that.

  Epilogue

  October 1861

  Mason stood in front of the fireplace where he spent many evenings reading while Peyton sewed. Reverend Harris stood next to him, holding a leather-bound book.

  “Are you nervous, son?” Reverend Harris asked.

  “I’ve marched through the desert. Been shot while trying to protect citizens. Stood in the pouring rain to make sure the men I was training were prepared for war. But honestly,” Mason glanced at the reverend, “I’ve never been as scared as I am at this moment.”

  Mason wanted to get married immediately. He didn’t want to wait a moment more to show Peyton just how much she meant to him. It was Peyton to ask if they could wait and allow him the opportunity to court her properly.