“Oh, that,” Loraine answered, bowing her head. She felt embarrassed, or, possibly, hurt, by the question. “Yes. Yes, I did.”
“Good,” John replied in a rich, smooth, more steady tone. “That’s my girl, always looking out for her Johnny Boy.” John’s voice sounded too appealing, and his words sounded so… promising. Loraine’s feelings of embarrassment went away, and were replaced with feelings love and passion. Her heart throbbed inside her chest, and she started to lift her head to gaze up at John adoringly. But, as she lifted her head, she caught a glimpse of her reflection on the back of the silver platter she was holding—and, when she saw the expression on her face, her throbbing heart almost stopped beating.
Lo and behold, she had the same expression on her face as she’d seen on William’s face earlier; the one he’d had on his face when he first met her, and at the restaurant. And, now, she finally understood exactly what that look meant.
It was the look of someone in love.
In an instant, Loraine thought of something she hadn’t thought of before. She knew her reasons for wanting to marry William. But, she didn’t really know his for wanting to marry her. They weren’t really of much concern to her, and she kind of just figured William wanted to marry her because, as John had said in his letter, William wanted to get married. It never even crossed her mind that he wanted to marry her, specifically.
But, now that she understood what that “goofy expression” meant, she understood that it meant William did want to marry her specifically, because... he loved her. He genuinely loved her. He felt for her what she felt for John.
“I’ve got to tend to these chores and get to bed,” Loraine said, recoiling from both the table and her thoughts. “I’ve got a big day tomorrow, you know.”
“Alright,” John said, a bit surprised that Loraine cut their conversation short. “Have a good night, and God’s Blessings be with you tomorrow.”
Loraine watched as John left the house. Then, she took the tray to the kitchen, set it down on the counter, and told Amy that she was having jitters and needed to go to her room to calm herself. Amy relieved Loraine of her duties and bid her well, and Loraine thanked her and rushed off to her room.
Loraine sat in her room for over an hour, thinking things over. She still wanted desperately, more than anything, to have John as her own and share a long, happy, loving life with him. But, she didn’t know if she could go through with it if it’d break William’s heart—really break his heart—in the process. Now that she understood how he felt when he looked at her, she understood how long it would hurt him when she left him for John in the long run.
Loraine took a deep breath and stood up. She walked out of her room, then out of Amy’s house. She crossed off of the homestead, onto the road, and headed south, toward William Hudson’s ranch.
When Loraine arrived at William’s ranch about a half-hour later, she found William sitting on his back porch, leaning back in his chair, staring up at the stars. He looked so relaxed, yet so engaged, and his face looked quite nice in the glow of the moonlight. As Loraine approached him, she knew that the forthcoming conversation would be a very difficult one.
“Hi, William,” Loraine said softly when she got to the porch. William jerked in shock, and nearly tumbled off of his chair.
“Oh, good graces, Loraine. You startled me. I didn’t see you there,” he said, recovering his composure. He straightened himself out, then stood up and brushed off his clothing.
“I’ve come to talk to you about something,” Loraine went on. “It’s rather important.”
William took a deep breath. “Alrighty,” he said, slapping his hands against his hips. “Have at it.”
“I… I… I don’t think we should get married in two days from now,” Loraine said. Now, she was the one stuttering. “I… I… think we—”
“Please,” William said, politely cutting Loraine off. “Allow me to save you the trouble… I know that you are not in love with me. And, I also know that you harbor some type of romantic feelings for John. I’m not blind, you know. I’ve seen the way you look at him.”
Sure enough, William had noticed that “goofy expression” on Loraine’s face whenever she was around John. He’d noticed it very early on, about a couple of days into their courtship.
“But, to be honest, I’m willing to overlook that look you give him,” William went on, “because, as John, himself told us, marriage brings out the best in people—and, I’d like to think, when you see my best, you might one day come to look at me that way and accept me, wholeheartedly, as your husband. Or, you might not. But I’m willing to take the risk. And it’d be my privilege to love, honor, and serve you, in any event.”
Loraine closed her eyes and bowed her head. William’s words had stirred something in her, but she couldn’t quite understand what it was. But, whatever it was, it compelled her to respond—and, her response was brief and immediate.
“Alright,” she said, turning to walk away. “I’ll see you at the church on Sunday evening.”
Two days later, Loraine Fuller and William Hudson were married at the church in Dallas, Texas. It was a private ceremony, held after the evening vigil. Other than the bride and groom and the reverend, the only people in attendance were John and Belle Lawrence and Amy Lawrence. Nonetheless, despite the small size of the group, the bride was decked out in the most elaborate pronounced wedding dress, longest veil, and thickest gold wedding band anyone in Dallas would have ever seen, had anyone else in Dallas been there to see them.
NINE
Six weeks went by. During that time, things between Loraine and William progressed very slowly. They lived together, but maintained separate bedrooms, as per convention as well as Loraine’s reluctance. William worked during most of the daylight hours, and they each spent some time alone in their rooms during the evening, before going to bed. But, despite what time they spent apart, Loraine and William spent a good deal of time together. And, as luck had it, they fell into a pretty good rhythm of life. They got along well enough and shared a lot of common interests, and they both treated each other with respect and shared the household chores.
But, just as things were progressing slowly between Loraine and William over those six weeks, things were progressing at a rapid rate for everyone else around them. As far as the war was concerned, it was around that time that Texas’ allegiance was confirmed. The state had finally declared it secession from the United States, but the people within Texas were divided among both the Union and the Confederacy, which meant that there was civil turmoil not only within the country, but also within one of the territories that, henceforth, may or may not be a part of it.
But, for one soldier in particular, this divide was not so much a threat as it was an opportunity—at least as far as his career was concerned. A little less than a month after Loraine sent her letter to her father, John was received the promotion he’d wanted, and now he was looking to ascend even further in the ranks. He’d been serving directly under Carl Bennet for three weeks at this point, and, given the way the war was progressing, he felt it was time for him to take on more responsibilities, and more decorations. And, it just so happened he knew exactly who to ask to help him land the title he desired.
“Hello, Loraine,” John said, catching her off guard one afternoon, as she was tending to the garden, with William off minding the ranch operations.
“Oh, hello, John,” Loraine smiled, pleased as ever to see him. She’d gotten next to nowhere in her plan to win him over, but it wasn’t for lack of effort. The war had simply gotten in her way, as it kept John quite busy. But alas, here he was today, and Loraine was drunk with the moment.
“I have a favor to ask of you,” John said in a voice that almost sounded too sweet.
“A favor?” Loraine asked, arching her brow and sobering up a bit.
“Yes,” John replied. “A favor just like the last one… There’s another officer I’d like your father to write to. His name is Patrick Roberts.
Your father worked with him on a good number of large real estate transactions, and with his endorsement, along with Bennet’s, I’m a shoe-in for another promotion.”
Loraine looked John in the eyes, but she didn’t say anything.
“Come on, Loraine,” John went on. “Won’t you do another favor for your Johnny Boy?”
“Alright,” Loraine sighed. “But, don’t make such favors a habit. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were using me for my father’s connections!” Loraine laughed off the idea and returned to her gardening.
“What a crazy idea,” John replied, laughing as well. He turned and left.
But, if Loraine had listened to John’s laugh more closely, she would have heard how forced it was—for, although he’d never admit as much to her, or to anyone else, for that matter, Loraine’s father’s connections had been John’s main reason for calling Loraine to Dallas. He did want to use her, and she’d proven to be a valuable tool… at least once, that is.
About a month after Loraine wrote to her father about Patrick Roberts, a certain soldier received very good news. That soldier, however, was not John Lawrence. It was another soldier, name Bernie Green. But, who that soldier was is beside the point. The point is, John didn’t get the promotion—and, he blamed it on Loraine. He figured she ether didn’t write to her father about Patrick Roberts, or she hadn’t been very persuasive in what she’d written to him. But, the fact of the matter was, unbeknownst to John, Loraine’s letter had been very persuasive, just as Patrick Roberts’ endorsement of John had been. Indeed, he recommended John, upon Mr. Fuller’s request. It was actually Carl Bennet’s word that had caused him to be passed over. When John’s superior was asked what he thought of him, Bennet said that he thought John was power-hungry and more concerned with prestige than combat.
But, John wasn’t the only one to receive bad news during this period. William also received bad news, though it wasn’t him, but rather Loraine, who thought it was bad. Two weeks before John found out Bernie got the promotion he wanted, William was called to join the war. He was one of a minority number of Unionists in the Dallas area, and he was one of the few remaining young, able-bodied men not serving in in Union Army. He was expected to defend his allegiance, and he willingly took on his charge.
It was Loraine who was disappointed in William’s call to duty. It caused her great concern. William was hardly the soldierly type, and she feared for his safety. In fact, even though her affection for William paled in comparison to her infatuation with Joh, her concern for William overshadowed her concern for John, by a landslide. William was sweet, reverent, and helpful. He was easily embarrassed, sentimental, and a bit shy at times. She couldn’t see him killing a man, even if his life, his state, or his country depended on it. He was far too gentle a person. Though a man through and through, he just simply wasn’t that ruthless.
Loraine’s only consolation in William’s enlistment was that he was sent to serve in John’s unit. And, that meant that his good friend John was sure to watch out for him and protect him… right?
TEN
“You’re sure this information is accurate?” a man in a heavy black coat asked as sweat dripped down the side of his face.
“It’s accurate,” John replied. “I wouldn’t give you it unless it was… I’m not an idiot. And, I’m not a pawn either. Once this goes down, you guys better go through with your end of the bargain.”
The man in the heavy black coat shook his head and scowled at John. “This better be accurate,” he said, shaking a piece of paper in the air. “Because, if it’s not, the only end of anything you’re gonna see is the firing end of a musket.” He shoved the piece of paper into the pocket of his heavy black coat, turned, and walked away briskly.
John looked from side to side, scanning the area around him. Then, when he concluded the coast was clear, he turned and walked off in the opposite direction. But, as it turned out, he’d been hasty in his conclusion, and hadn’t scanned the area well enough. If he would have, he would have noticed his superior, Carl Bennet, hiding behind a stack of barrels two dozen yards away.
Six days later, a unit of Union soldiers was attacked while marching along a top-secret chartered path. The basically walked right into a trap. The Confederates were already there, waiting for them… as if they knew they were coming.
But, the Confederates weren’t the only ones who knew what was coming. It just so happened that the officer in charge of that unit—John Lawrence—wasn’t with his unit at the time, as if he also knew what was going to happen.
And, someone else lucked out, too. As luck had it, after seeing what he’d seen from behind the stack of barrels earlier in the week, Carl Bennet decided to reinforce the units with the most pertinent assignments, including the one under John’s charge. He sent a dozen extra men along with each unit… just in case something unexpected happened. And, when something unexpected did happen—when the Confederates came at them as they marched along their top-secret chartered path—the unit, and the unit’s reinforcement, were ready. They rose to the challenge, and left the victors of the battle.
But, of course, as is usually the case, several soldiers were injured during the attack. And, one of them was William Hudson, who, if you’ll remember, served in John’s unit, and was not one of the reinforcements Carl Bennet added to the lineup. The reason that this distinction is important is because, after Carl Bennet went to his superiors and reported John Lawrence on counts of treason—and after John Lawrence abandoned the Union Army and his wife and ran off to escape these accounts and join the Confederacy as a higher-ranking officer—the one question that Loraine kept asking herself over and over again was how the man she’d fallen so in love with could not only betray his allegiance, but also, send his best friend (who just so happened to be her husband) straight into a deathtrap… all for the sake of a promotion? That type of behavior was beyond ruthless.
William was dismissed from the Union Army because of the injuries he suffered in the attack, and he was sent home, where Loraine took on the charge of nursing him back to health. She was a fixture at his bedside for nearly two months, when he started to show his first signs of meaningful improvement. He wasn’t fully recovered yet, of course, but what he lacked in physical prowess, he made up for in ambition.
As soon as he was barely stable enough, William promptly returned to his ranching duties. He worked at a slower pace, and put in shorter work days. But, sure enough, he did what he could to keep his business going and get himself back into his familiar patterns, so that he could go on with his life.
Loraine noticed this drive in William, and she found it incredibly appealing—as she found many other of his attributes and characteristics. During her time with him over the past two months, Loraine can come to embrace, not deny, what she felt for William. She allowed herself to be impressed by the fact that he was a sound businessman and a sensible, practical person. She allowed herself to be moved by his whimsical side and his strong appreciation for God’s creations and nature. She allowed herself to think he was a splendid, interesting man. And, she no longer needed to speculate that he’d make a great husband, for he’d already proven to be one—and, she told him as much late one evening before he went off to his room to go to sleep after what, for him, in his impaired condition, was a very strenuous work day.
“William,” Loraine said, as he made his made to his room, “you’ve proven to be a wonderful husband.”
William turned around and stared back at Loraine with a sparkle in his eyes.
“Thank you,” he said.
“And, if it’s okay with you, I think that we should move forward,” Loraine went on. “Perhaps we can begin sharing a room sometime later this week.”
The sparkle in William’s eye shone even brighter, in a hazel explosion. “I’d like nothing more,” William said, grinning from ear to ear.
Loraine giggled and bowed her head, to hide her flushing face, then she turned and walked toward her room. “Goo
dnight,” she said in a voice that, to William, sounded like music.
“Goodnight,” William replied, turning to his room as well.
A few hours passed, but Loraine was unable to find sleep. She’d lied awake for some time entertaining thoughts about William, and, now, the glow of the full mood was keeping her up.
If you can’t beat them, you might as well join them, Loraine told herself as she got up from her bed, put her robe on over her nightgown, and walked out of her room. She went through the kitchen, to the back porch and sat down, to gaze at the night sky.
After a minute or two sitting on the porch, Loraine wondered if the view might be better from a reclined position. So, she leaned back and stared upward. Sure enough, the view was better—and, Loraine was instantly reminded of that night, two nights before her wedding, when she came to talk to William and had happened upon him in a similar position. Now she could understand why he looked so relaxed, yet engaged—for, that’s exactly how she felt.
And, then, the most peculiar thing happened, very much like what happened the night referenced above. Loraine unexpectedly heard a voice call out to her, and it caused her to jerk in shock and nearly fall out of her chair.
“Hello, Loraine,” John Lawrence said, walking toward the porch.
“John?” Loraine asked nervously. “What are… what are you doing here?”
John smiled a smile that, heretofore, would’ve melted Loraine’s heart. But, at this point in her life, it sent a cold shiver down her spine.
“I know why you really came here to Dallas, Loraine,” John said, still smiling. “I know you came here to be with me, not William. I know you’ve always had an absurd crush on me. You’ve always done whatever it took to impress or please me. And, I’ve noticed it. Boy oh boy, have I noticed it.”
John looked at Loraine in a way that could only be described as “lasciviously” when he said that last part, and it made the cold shiver going done Loraine’s spine feel even colder.
New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set Page 4
