by Ginny Dye
Robert said nothing, just pulled her into his arms, and held her trembling body closely. Trying to draw enough strength to conquer her fear, Carrie clung to him. Finally she drew away, taking a deep breath. When she spoke, her voice was calm. “When do you have to leave?”
“Tomorrow morning,” Robert said gravely. “Very early.” He reached up to touch her cheek, his eyes thanking her for her bravery. “Just about every man who can fight is already at the front. I ride out with a very small contingent tomorrow. We should hook up with our unit tomorrow afternoon.”
“What are the odds of this battle?” Carrie asked quietly. She knew nothing would change the dread of waiting for battle news, but any information she could get was better than being in complete darkness. She also knew that as soon as Hooker crossed the river, Richmond hospitals would once more be full to overflowing. Vivid memories of past battle results made her shiver.
Robert shrugged. “Lee has won battles no one thought he had any hope of winning. McClellan faced Richmond with the same number of men last summer, and Lee held him off - even sent him running.” He paused. “But to be honest, I hear Hooker is a different man. He has none of McClellan’s overwhelming cautiousness. I’m sure he knows just how outnumbered we are.” Then he scowled. “He just doesn’t know what he’s up against. He is commanding troops who are far from home, trying to take our city. He is facing battle veterans fighting for their homes, for their capital, and,” his voice roughened, “for their loved ones.”
“How can you stand to fight again?” Carrie asked, her heart going out to him. He had told her of the horrors of battle, of the gut-wrenching things he had seen at Antietam before he had been shot.
Robert frowned. “It makes me sick to think of going back into battle. Even when I was struggling so hard to get well so that I could come back to you, I was hoping somehow the war would end and I would never have to fight again. If it hadn’t been for you, I would have been happy staying in that little cabin in Maryland until the war was over.”
“I almost wish you had,” Carrie responded, tears once more filling her eyes. “I can’t bear the idea that I may lose you again - perhaps this time permanently.” Her voice cracked with pain.
Robert gathered her in his arms. “We have to take one day at a time. I’ve made it through other battles. I’ll make it through this one.”
“Won’t it be harder to fight when you’re no longer passionate about the war?”
“There are countless men fighting who are not passionate about the war. They are fighting because they have to. Because if they desert, they can be shot. Because unless they win the war, they will no longer have a country to call home.” He scowled. “I can no longer fight because of a desire to see slavery saved. You know I will never own another slave. The rest of it is still so complicated.” He paused. “I still have a home I’m fighting for. I still have people I love in the city that Hooker is trying to destroy. He won’t be content to just take Richmond. Just as our government will not be content to step aside and let him have it. If the capital falls, there will be a tremendous amount of destruction. I can be passionate about not letting that happen.”
“Will this horrible war never end?” Carrie asked in despair. “I feel as if you and I are like a tree trying to take root. Just when it thinks it’s going to be left alone, something pulls it up to see if it’s growing.”
“I want it to end just as much as you do. But until it does, I have to fight. I wish I had something to do with making the decisions that would bring it to an end. Even though I’m not sure I possess any more wisdom than the men leading us now.”
“I would gladly replace any of them with you,” Carrie replied fervently. “You’re not the same man you were a year ago. You see things more clearly.”
“Do I?” Robert asked thoughtfully. “I thought I saw things so clearly. Now that I’m back in the middle of the fray, it doesn’t seem so simple.”
“It will never be simple,” Carrie responded firmly. “But you have acknowledged your own humanity now. Because of that, you can accept others - including the slaves you once held in such contempt. Too few of the men running our country have recognized slaves’ humanity. Their decisions are based on pride and passion. They have ignited a war that could destroy our whole country.”
Silence fell on the room as the sound of her words floated away. The cold front delivered by the earlier storm gusted into the room. Carrie shivered and pulled the covers up close around her neck. Robert jumped up and padded across the room to push the window shut. As he approached the bed, his eyes met hers in the flickering lantern light. Carrie felt herself grow warm again at what she saw in his eyes. When he held out his arms she melted into them, willing the picture of his riding away in the morning to fade from her mind.
They had today. They had tonight. They had this time to fill their hearts and minds with memories that would carry them through the dark days ahead…
To purchase either the E-book or Print version of Dark Chaos visit:
www.BregdanChronicles.com
The Bregdan Principle
Every life that has been lived until today is a part of the woven braid of life. It takes every person’s story to create history. Your life will help determine the course of history. You may think you don’t have much of an impact. You do. Every action you take will reflect in someone else’s life. Someone else’s decisions. Someone else’s future. Both good and bad.
For notice of new book releases, to buy print versions, and to purchase both Print and Ebook versions of later titles, please go to www.AVoiceInTheWorld.com
The Bregdan Chronicles
Storm Clouds Rolling In
1860 – 1861
On To Richmond
1861 – 1862
Spring Will Come
1862 – 1863
Dark Chaos
1863 – 1864
Many more coming as the Bregdan braid of history continues to be woven…
Other Books by Ginny Dye
When I Dream Series
When I Dream, I Dream of Horses
When I Dream, I Dream of Puppies
When I Dream, I Dream of Snow
When I Dream, I Dream of Kittens
When I Dream, I Dream of Rabbits
When I Dream, I Dream of Elephants
When I Dream, I Dream of the Jungle
When I Dream, I Dream of the Ocean
When I Dream, I Dream of the Farm
And many more probably already in print!
Fly To Your Dreams Series
Dream Dragon
Born To Fly
Little Heart
101+ Ways to Promote Your Business Opportunity
If You Want To Be A Success, Learn From 100+ People Who Already Are!
All titles by Ginny Dye
www.AVoiceInTheWorld.com
Author Biography
Who am I? Just a normal person who happens to love to write. If I could do it all anonymously, I would. In fact, I did the first go round. I wrote under a pen name. On the off chance I would ever become famous - I didn't want to be! I don't like the limelight. I don't like living in a fishbowl. I especially don't like thinking I have to look good everywhere I go, just in case someone recognizes me! I finally decided none of that matters. If you don't like me in overalls and a baseball cap, too bad. If you don't like my haircut or think I should do something different than what I'm doing, too bad. I'll write books that you will hopefully like, and we'll both let that be enough! :) Fair?
But let's see what you might want to know. I spent many years as a Wanderer. My dream when I graduated from college was to experience the United States. I grew up in the South. There are many things I love about it but I wanted to live in other places. So I did. I moved 42 times, traveled extensively in 49 of the 50 states, and had more experiences than I will ever be able to recount. The only state I haven't been in is Alaska, simply because I refuse to visit such a vast, fabulous place until I have at least a month.<
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Along the way I had glorious adventures. I've canoed through the Everglade Swamps, snorkled in the Florida Keys and windsurfed in the Gulf of Mexico. I've white-water rafted down the New River and Bungee jumped in the Wisconsin Dells. I've visited every National Park (in the off-season when there is more freedom!) and many of the State Parks. I've hiked thousands of miles of mountain trails and biked through Arizona deserts. I've canoed and biked through Upstate New York and Vermont, and polished off as much lobster as possible on the Maine Coast.
I had a glorious time and never thought I would find a place that would hold me until I came to the Pacific Northwest. I'd been here less than 2 weeks, and I knew I would never leave. My heart is so at home here with the towering firs, sparkling waters, soaring mountains and rocky beaches. I love the eagles & whales. In 5 minutes I can be hiking on 150 miles of trails in the mountains around my home, or gliding across the lake in my rowing shell. I love it!
Have you figured out I'm kind of an outdoors gal? If it can be done outdoors, I love it! Hiking, biking, windsurfing, rock-climbing, roller-blading, snow-shoeing, skiing, rowing, canoeing, softball, tennis... the list could go on and on. I love to have fun and I love to stretch my body. This should give you a pretty good idea of what I do in my free time.
When I'm not writing or playing, I'm building Together We Can Change The World - a fabulous organization I founded in 2001 - along with 60 amazing people who poured their lives into creating resources to empower people to make a difference with their lives.
What else? I love to read, cook, sit for hours in solitude on my mountain, and also hang out with friends. I love barbeques and block parties. Basically - I just love LIFE!
I'm so glad you're part of my world!
Ginny
And could you do one final thing for me? I want to be able to share the Bregdan Chronicles with as many people as I can – and the more readers I have, the more books I can write!
If you are on Facebook or Twitter will you copy the post/tweet I have below and then share it with all your friends and followers? I will so appreciate it!
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I just finished reading Spring Will Come. Loved it, and have to share it! www.BregdanChronicles.com
