by Rita Hestand
Wade went to her side and hugged and kissed her, and hugged Sarah too.
Not seeing some of the kids Beth asked about them. "Matthew?"
Her mother bowed her head, "He was killed at Gettysburg they said…" she cried aloud.
"Oh Mama…" Beth cried. Jacob pushed the ground with his boot and swallowed hard.
"Martina?"
"Why don't you ask me?" Martina shouted from the porch as she came out of the house. She looked just as beautiful as always, except her face looked fuller.
"Martina!" Beth cried and ran into her arms. "Oh I'm so glad to see you."
"Come inside and meet my husband…" she encouraged taking her hand and dragging her into the house. "This is my husband, Abner Ferguson.
Beth soon realized why he hadn't come outside, her husband had only one leg and his arm was bandaged tight.
"He lost it at Shiloh. But he was captured and taken to Camp Douglas in Chicago, Illinois. He got a cut and nearly had to have his arm amputated too. But he survived the filthy place." Martina put a blanket over his leg.
"You must have had a horrible time there." Beth said with sympathy.
He nodded and smiled, "It was no picnic, but I made it back, that's what is important, a lot of them didn't."
Her Ma made a big dinner for everyone and they talked into the night about the horrors of the war, and the family.
"Did they bring Matthew's body back?" Beth asked.
"No dear, he was buried where he fell, so many fell at Gettysburg."
"We heard that," Beth nodded.
"Your pa and I made a grave for him here, and a stone, out in the old cemetery."
"So did ya'll come on the boat?" Her Pa asked.
"No…the boat is long gone, Pa." Beth said sadly.
"Oh my, what happened?"
Wade, Jacob and Beth told them the story. Mrs. Cahill boned up about that time. "We'll get another boat…"
"That's right, Mama, we will." Wade smiled. Wade glanced at Jacob. "You'd be right proud how good Jacob has gotten running that boat, nearly singled handed with Beth's help."
His brothers all elbowed him.
Joan came up to Beth and sat in her lap, while her mother held Little Jake and fed him.
"I sure missed you, but I’m getting to big to sit in your lap now."
"Nonsense, you'll never be too big for that." Beth leaned to kiss her forehead.
Later, Beth caught Martina on the porch alone and went to sit with her.
"How have you been, Martina?"
"Fine. I mean…I had it rough for a while. Until I met Abner, he was so good to me. I couldn't leave him. We've been married nearly three years now."
"So this is the first one?"
"This is Abner's first…" she told her.
"You were pregnant before?" Beth asked.
"Yes, it died in childbirth…"
"I'm sorry…Was it John's?"
Martina looked out across the meadow, the blue bonnets were blooming again and they made a huge garden.
"I don't know…" she said reflectively.
Beth hung her head.
"So he gave you the divorce?"
"Yes, as soon as I got word he would, I tended to that. I done him wrong, Beth. I know that, and I'm sorry for it now."
"At least you realize it now, that's important."
"Abner has a way about him, that makes me happy."
"I'm glad. He seems like a nice man."
"He is, we go to church now here with Ma and Pa and Abner helps Pa a lot. Course the boys are all older now so they are a big help too. Things are better, Pa's crops are better and everyone is happy."
"It's strange how we can have a war like that and come out of it better than we went in."
Martina nodded. "When Abner went to war, I came home, I was so afraid I'd never see him again. But now, I'm pregnant and all is well again. Look out there, Beth, it's beautiful isn't it. I never noticed that much when I was a kid. It's beautiful here."
"It is." Beth agreed.
Martina nodded. "I'm so glad I’m pregnant this time. When I left John I was pregnant and scared and I didn't eat right. But those days are over, best left behind. And it couldn't be more perfect since Abner is back from the war. They let him come home early because he'd lost his leg and was about to lose his arm too. He came home in January. They thought gangrene had set in, but it was just infected badly from the filth he had to live in."
"I'm glad for you, Martina. You don't know how I worried about you."
"When Abner went to war, I was so afraid he would be killed and I'd never see him again. I guess that is real love, when you fear for them all the time."
Beth nodded. "Sounds like it to me."
"Was having Little Jake hard?" She asked.
"A little, but I had a doctor, so no real problems." She smiled in reflection.
"He's a doll. I'm proud for Jacob too. He seems more mature now. More like a man, than a boy."
"He is; he's really grown up."
Beth sighed, "It's so good to be home again."
"Will you stay?"
"For a while, but when Wade gets another boat we'll be off again, I'm sure."
Martina got up and hugged her then, "I'm so glad you are here now. I hope you can stay long enough for the baby to be born…"
"I'd like that too!" Beth laughed and they went inside.
Beth glanced outside as Wade came to stand just behind her, and pulled her into his arms. "Glad to be home again?"
"Oh yes," But she turned around to face him. "But anywhere you are, is home. I go where ever my heart roams, you know!" She smiled and kissed his chin.
He pulled her chin up, gave her a warm inviting kiss and held her close. "Mother has never looked this happy."
"I know, I'm so glad. And did you see the look on her face when she saw Little Jake?"
"She says he looked just like me at that age." He chuckled.
They glanced into the kitchen where Mrs. Cahill was bouncing Little Jake on her knee and her mother was talking to Jacob, and Martina was sitting next to Abner and holding his hand, looking so content. "Oh Wade, I was never so glad for a war to be over in my life."
"Now we rebuild our lives together."
They walked outside and to the cemetery. She saw where Matthew's grave lay and she laid her head on Wade's shoulder. "I'll miss him…"
"I know darling, maybe we could name the second child after him…" He smiled down into her sad face.
"Why Wade Cahill, what do you have in mind…"
"It's been a while…"
"It certainly has…maybe we should get started on that right away…." She tiptoed to kiss his lips. He sighed and pulled her into his arms.
"You haven't shown me the hayloft, have you…?" He grinned.
"Why no…I haven't." She giggled and pulled him by the hand.
Long into the night there were giggles and sighs coming from the barn, but no one ventured out to see about it. It was almost dawn when they tiptoed into the house. He pulled a strand of straw from her hair and smiled into her shining eyes. They kissed and started for the room in the attic, it was quieter there and no one would bother them there.
Mrs. Cahill was up making coffee and talking to Beth's mother. "Sounds to me like spring is in the air…"
They looked at each other and chuckled, then took their coffee out on the front porch to sip like they did every morning. Little Jake heard them and came running out, slamming the front door. Mr. Sawyer got the tractor out, waved to the ladies and directly Jacob walked out on the front porch.
"Cynthia Thompson was asking about you the other day, Jacob." Mrs. Sawyer smiled at her son.
"Cynthia, she was just a kid the last time I saw her." Jacob laughed.
"Well, she's no kid anymore…she's quite a young lady."
Jacob eyed her. "She's not married?"
"No."
Jacob smiled at them and walked off.
Mother Cahill pulled Little Jake into her lap and
looked up at Jacob. "Oh to be young and in love again."
Martina and Abner came out on the porch, Abner had grabbed a biscuit and kissed Martina as he strolled off in the direction of where Mr. Sawyer went.
Martina glanced at her mother and Mrs. Cahill. "You'd think he had three legs the way he acts."
"He does when he's around you. You are very good for him."
Martina shook her head, "More like he's good for me…"
A sudden giggle rang out from the attic and everyone turned to look at each other and burst out laughing. Now that the war was over, good times were back…
Sarah walked out on the porch and sat on the step, when she heard the giggling she glanced at her mother.
"How do you know when you have found the right man, Mama?"
"Just follow your heart, Sarah. Just follow your heart!"
The End
About the Author
I’m a professional writer of romance and children’s books. I’m also a poet and short story writer. I’m working on a contemporary Romance, a Christmas romance, and another Western Serial Killer story. You’ll find a lot of facts in my historical western romances not the run of the mill romances. Check them out.
I’m also a grandmother and great-grandmother who enjoys spending time with her family. I like to bowl, listen to music, and watch old movies. I'm also a people watcher.
I hope you enjoy my books. Thank You and God Bless
Rita Hestand
Rita's Other Books
Romance, Western Romance, and Westerns
Brides of the West Series:
Heart of a Family
Delivering the Bride
Heart of a Woman
Wanted Bride
This Side of Forever
Shotgun Bride
A Love as Big as Texas
Wherever my Heart Roams
Heart of a Captive
In the Arms of an Angel
Bride of Shenandoah
Falling for the Bride
An Unexpected Welcome
A Desperado's Bride
Dream Catcher Series:
Beyond the Dream Catcher
Just One Kiss
Ask No Tomorrows
A Promised Heart
Be Free My Heart
Dare to Dream
My Captured Heart
Western Serial Killer Series
Better Off Without Her
Good Day for a Hanging
Bad Day for a Killing
Ghost of Victor Frank
Daughter of Iniquity
The Travers Brothers Series
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Courting Abby
Hannah's Man
Along Came Love
Avalanche of the Heart
The McKay's
Raining in My Heart
Ring of Fire
Twelfth of Never
Stand by Me
The Amory's
Heart of the Wild
Sweeter Than Wine
Mail Order Nanny
Cowboy Lovin' Series
Broken Hearted
His to Hold
The Connor's
Cinderella Nanny
Guarding Red Riding Hood
Singles
Always Remember
Love Rules
Jodi's Journey
Nick's Baby
Pretend Mom
Runaway Bride
Suspicions of the Heart
Wandering Heart
Forever in Love
Christmas Romances:
Let it Snow
Box sets:
Family Matters
Family Ranch
Men of the Northwest
Brides of the West Part One
Brides of the West Part Two
Brides of the West Part Three
