An Uncivilized Yankee
Page 34
Eliza gave a little squeak, dropping her book with a thud. “Estella, you did startle me so!”
“Sorry, aunt,” she said, not looking up. Instead she took Danica’s head in her hands and began to pull on the orange mist about her. A few moments later she took a step back, her voice becoming very professional despite her dizziness. “What happened? How is she now?”
“Not good. As I wrote you, she took ill last December, shortly after your uncle moved us from Woodhaven to here. She’s had intermittent bouts with an awful fever. It burns for days, then goes, allowing her some time to recover, and then returns. She’s had,” she paused, mentally counting. “At least seven separate attacks. The last one started about three days ago, so she should be coming out of it soon. Sooner if you just worked on her.”
“Hmmm. That’s odd. If it hadn’t first struck in the cold months I would have said malaria, but that’s a hot weather disease. Are you sure that was the first fever she’d had?”
“No, but her other symptoms are unlike any I’ve seen with the ague. There are chills, true, but also the worst pain, and vomiting, and she had an awful rash the first time. We gave her opium, up until we ran out of that, and willow bark, and they seemed to help, but….” She threw up her hands in defeat. “I’ll admit, I’m at my wit’s end.”
“I’ll take over.” Star’s voice brooked no argument. She finally looked over at the faded woman she called aunt. “Don’t worry, Eliza. I know what I’m doing. I’m just sorry it took me so long to get here. I didn’t receive your letter until the middle of last month.”
A moment of silence, then Eliza asked, hesitant, “Where have you been?”
Star picked up her bags, tossed them on the other bed and began digging through them. “I was back with General Stuart for a short time. I was injured at Gettysburg and stayed with friends until I had healed.” For some reason she didn’t want to mention Travis yet. After Dani was well, then she could handle that confrontation.
“Cariad, will you not wake?”
Danica’s body twitched again, as if she were trying to answer the summons. Starla sighed and rose stiffly from her bedside post, pacing the room, pausing to look out the window. Dawn was streaking the eastern sky, and she had slept very little after shooing her exhausted aunt from the bedroom. Her first Healing had only brought the fever down to a light amber. After resting a short while, and with the aid of boneset and sweet birch from her pack, she had forced the fever that was draining Dani to break. That had been about midnight. If it followed the pattern of previous bouts, her sister should be coming about any time now. Only then would she allow herself to sleep, and to grieve.
“Starla?” The voice was thready, hoarse, but to Star it was a most welcome sound. With a glad cry she hurried back.
“I’m here,” she said, feeling the pale brow, scanning for fever. No, quite gone, thank God. “I’m so sorry, dearest, that it took me so long to come for you.”
“But you’re here now.”
“Aye, I’m here now, and we’re going to get you over this, you and I.”
“I was waiting for you,” Dani said simply, holding tight to her sister’s tanned hand. “And now that you’re here, I know I will get well.”
Tears pricked Star’s eyes. You know how much she depends on you, she thought fiercely. Why did you stay away so long, no matter how happy you were?
Dani frowned as she watched self recrimination twist Star’s face. “I didn’t mean it that way, Star. I knew why you left. I told you to go, remember? So don’t you be blaming yourself for not being here. How were you to know I would get so sick? I just meant that I knew you would come as soon as you heard, and I must keep fighting as hard as I could until then.” She paused, looking closer at Star’s worn face. “Where have you been? You look almost as tired as I feel.”
A weary laugh. “I’ve been working my way south from Pennsylvania for the past month, and I probably am almost as tired as you feel. In fact, as soon as I tell Aunt Eliza you’re awake and could use some breakfast, I’m going to lie down on that bed over there and sleep until tomorrow.”
She walked over to the door, turned to see Danica watching her with bloodshot but shrewd eyes. Remembering the last time she’d come home and tried to keep secrets from her sister, she raised her hands in surrender.
“I promise I will tell you everything as soon as I get some sleep. Is that acceptable?”
A small smile crept over the white face. “I look forward to hearing all about it.”
The next morning both sisters felt remarkably better, though Star could feel her grief like a hard ball in the pit of her stomach. I will have to deal with that soon, she thought as she walked back from depositing their breakfast dishes in the kitchen. A male voice in the sickroom caused her to sprint up the last flight of stairs.
“Get away from her, you fiend!” Starla stopped in the doorway, aghast.
Jake’s stocky form loomed over Danica’s bed, where the young woman shrank back against the pillows in an effort to put as much space as possible between her cousin and herself.
“Why, hello there, Estella. Welcome back. I was just seeing for myself that my dear little cousin was on her way back to health.”
“I don’t care what you were doing,” she spat at him, hand closing tight about the tiny gun she’d remembered to put back in her pocket. She’d gotten used to not needing it while with the Blacks. “I want you out of here this instant.”
He just smiled and moved towards her. For once her anger outweighed her fear of him, and she stood her ground, glaring at him.
Jake stopped, his amber eyes puzzled by her lack of fear. “Wherever you have been, dear coz, I see you’ve gained some backbone. That’s fine by me; I like a girl with a bit of spunk.” He put out his hand as if to touch her.
For the briefest of moments Star felt her body flinch away, then fury took over and she hit him with all the force she could muster, Deringer still clutched tight in her fist. At the same time she let loose a blast of pain.
He reeled back, touched the corner of his mouth, stared at the thin line of blood. His confusion was fast turning to anger.
“Don’t you ever try to touch me again, do you understand? I’ve beaten you, Jacob Bancroft. I’ve put Woodhaven so far out of your reach that the more you chase it, the further it will fly from you. Do you see this?” She shook her left fist at him, the golden band glinted bright in the morning sun. She heard Dani’s faint gasp as if from very far away. “If anything happens to me now, Woodhaven goes to my husband, not Danica. If anything happens to him, Woodhaven goes to his heir—which right now is his brother—and so on. I’m sure even your simple little mind can comprehend what I’m telling you. You can not have me, you can not have Woodhaven, and if you even think of touching Dani, I swear I will kill you. With as much pain as I can possibly inflict.”
She stalked past him and placed herself between him and her sister like an avenging angel.
“I don’t believe you,” Jake finally said after several minutes of trying to hold in his temper. “Anyone can wear a gold ring.”
Starla lifted a fine winged brow in cold amusement. “I have a copy of the marriage certificate in my saddlebag. Notice I say copy, as there are two other copies; one with my in laws, and the original filed at the Adams County courthouse. Both safely out of your reach.”
Jake was silent for a minute. Then, “Where the hell is Adams County?”
“Pennsylvania.”
“Pennsylvania?! You married a damned Yankee? You’d let a Yankee get his hands on Woodhaven?”
Jake’s bellow brought both mother and sister rushing to the sickroom.
“Jake, whatever is the matter?” Leah asked, catching her breath.
“The bitch married a Yankee!”
Star wasn’t sure if the collective gasp was from his language or her choice in husbands. While this wasn’t the way she had intended on breaking the news to her family, other than the constant underlying fear of her cousin
, she was rather enjoying the hubbub. She felt Dani tug on her sleeve and glanced down, meeting her wide blue eyes.
“Your friend Travis?” At Star’s blush, Dani smiled and relaxed back against the pillows. “I’m so glad. Is that what you were going to tell me about?”
“I didn’t mean to have it all come out like this—”
“Estella, why? I mean, to marry someone you barely knew, without your family’s blessing?” Leah asked.
Star lifted her head to face down Leah’s shocked gaze. “Why? I love him. Isn’t that the reason most people get married? I am of age. I can do whatsoever I desire. Besides, what makes you think I barely knew him? I’ve known Travis for almost two years now.”
Eliza was leaning up against the doorframe, still bewildered by this sudden revelation. “But a Yankee?”
“Grandpapa Anderson was a Yankee. For Heaven’s sake, Woodhaven was built by a Yankee!”
Her aunt continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “While we’re still at war? And all this time we thought you were with General Stuart.”
A spasm of grief shook Star’s calm. “I was with General Stuart, from the very beginning up until I was wounded at Gettysburg. The Blacks took me in and cared for me as if I were a member of their family.” She paused, caught her tears, and pushed them back down. “As to my family’s blessing, Danica knew of Travis and did not mind. Uncle Will actually placed me under his care. He approved of our relationship. Even General Stuart liked him. As for the rest of you, I care little what you think.” She felt the tears rising again within her even as she spoke. “Now if you are all quite through with this cross examination, I would like some time alone with my sister.”
She walked them to the door, closing it behind them. Jake stuck his foot in the doorway.
“Don’t think you’ve heard the last of this, Estella dear,” he hissed. “I’m not half the fool you think I am.”
“No, you’re all the fool I think you are. Good bye.” She slammed the door shut and turned the key in the lock. Tossing it onto the bedside table, she wobbled over to Danica’s bed and collapsed on it, sobs finally escaping.
Dani, alarmed, patted her shoulder. “Whatever is wrong, Star? Is there something the matter with Travis?”
“Oh no, not at all,” Star whispered, keeping her tears as quiet as possible. She wouldn’t put it past either of her cousins to be listening at the door. “Travis is more than wonderful. I’m just so very tired.”
“And?”
“General Stuart was wounded on Wednesday. Gut shot. I got there in time to say farewell. It was just like Will, Dani. I lost both of them, the same exact way. And Travis is back with his company again.”
Danica asked no more questions. She just stroked the dark head next to her and prayed fervently for her new brother’s safety.
19. Bad Dreams
July - December 1864
Stonewood Farm and the outskirts of Petersburg,VA
Starla lay down her pen and stretched carefully. What have I been doing to rack out my body so? she wondered. I didn’t think I’d spent myself quite this much working on Dani. Never felt this worn while on the battlefield either. Even to herself she had a hard time admitting the probable cause of her exhaustion. Her courses were so irregular to begin with she couldn’t be sure. Not yet.
She folded the letter carefully and sealed it. Lieutenant Travis Black, Company F, 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Army of the Potomac. Would it ever make it that far? Most likely not, but she had to try. I did promise to write.
Standing up made her light headed and queasy, but she forced herself downstairs to give the missive to Eliza. Her aunt had adjusted fairly rapidly to Starla’s new status, had seemed almost relieved by it. She promised to do her best to see that it was sent. Climbing back up the stairs seemed to take much more out of her than usual. My legs feel like lead, she thought, placing one slow foot in front of the other. And my head is splitting.
Danica had not relapsed since she had returned—the use of Healing seemed to have broken whatever was attacking her. Now Dani was gaining strength daily. Starla, on the other hand, was becoming more and more fatigued as the weeks went by.
“Perhaps a nap would help,” she said aloud, and threw herself down on the narrow bed. She was asleep almost immediately.
“We’re almost out of cartridges!” Rob shouted above the din of battle. “Have to tell the colonel!”
Travis said nothing, but nodded and backed away from the barricade, firing as he went.
“Take a horse,” his brother yelled after him.
Another nod, and he grabbed the nearest horse from a holder and disappeared into the hot dusty afternoon. Rob watched the way he’d gone, a worried expression in his dark eyes, before turning his focus back to the battle at hand.
It seemed like hours, but finally Travis was there again, forcing the unwilling horse back towards the fighting. Rob turned towards him; at that moment there was a savage cry from the Southern lines, and the gray forms came surging over the breastworks.
Travis saw the breakthrough. Oh damn, he thought tiredly as he tried to wheel about. But Hal screamed and fought against the reins.
“Stop it, you damn fool horse,” Travis roared at him. “You’re just making things worse!” The paint ignored him, continued to rear and buck, and Travis felt a familiar fire, this time through his thigh, as he went flying from the saddle.
He landed hard on both leg and shoulder, could almost hear the shoulder pop out of its socket. The pain was excruciating—he dropped his gun and lay there curled in the dirt, trying to catch his breath. He was aware of blood pouring down the leg but couldn’t get his body to respond. Around him the fight continued, hand to hand now, and he hadn’t enough energy to raise a shield. Another bullet sent his hat spinning off his head.
As if from a great distance he heard the bugle sound retreat. Men began to stream away from him, pausing, firing, reloading—keeping up the pressure as they went.
No! I can’t let it end like this. I won’t! He fought to his knees, but collapsed almost instantly. Then, through the haze of pain, he sensed someone next to him. Rob? Strong hands rolled him over onto his back, touched his leg—he felt the chill of Healing wash over his body. Memories flooded his mind along with it. For a disoriented moment time spun backwards, and he was back in Stuart’s camp.
Miss Star?
As if the mere thought of her healing hands had some power in it, the pain eased drastically, the flow of blood lessened. He took a deep, shuddering breath as another wave of ice swept through him. His vision cleared, an unexpected strength flowed down into his leg.
“Get out of here!” The command was almost a sob.
With his good hand he twisted the air around him into a shield. Struggling to his feet, he turned to thank whoever had helped him: there was no one there.
Starla awoke with a gasp. It had been another dream like the ones she’d had at Black Forest, the ones that somehow touched reality. Only this time she’d done far more than scream his name.
She sat up in bed, lightheaded, sweating, and sapped of all energy. She’d thrown almost all of herself into him and it hadn’t been enough. Only after she’d reached deep inside and found another untapped source of energy, more bright blue sparks to pour into the black and red cloud that threatened to engulf him, only then had Travis responded.
“What’s wrong, Star?” Dani sat by the window, stitching industriously in the fading afternoon light.
“Bad dream.”
“I thought you said you didn’t have those any more.”
“These are different,” Star said shortly—she didn’t have the strength to say more. She stood up and wobbled towards the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Necessary.”
She made it back inside and up the stairs before another wave of nausea swept over her, forcing her to cling to the doorframe for support.
Danica glanced up from her sewing just in time to see the look of uncerta
inty on Starla’s flushed face.
“I don’t feel well,” she said, watching the floorboards swirling about her feet, and crumpled in a heap. “Just let me sleep, Will,” she mumbled before slipping into a deep, burning blackness.
July 24, 1864
Stonewood Farm
My Dearest Travis,
I hope and pray this letter finds you safe & well. I am so dreadfully sorry that I did not say farewell when I left for Richmond, but I’m certain that by now you know why I could not wait. Thankfully, I was able to see the General before the end. He provided an escort for me through to Stonewood where Danica had indeed been terribly ill—Aunt Eliza was quite right in informing me of her condition. Thank the Lord that my sister is now out of danger and recovering well. I am hopeful that she will be strong enough to travel soon. If she is, we will try to return to Pennsylvania before the end of November.
As for my previous issues, I have had few problems from that quarter. My announcement of our union seems to have thoroughly spiked his guns, just as we planned. Still, I keep my Deringer always with me, so please do not worry for my safety.
Ink is scarce, so I must keep this short. If you can, please write back. How I long to be with you again, my love.
Yours—
“What do you have there?”
Travis handed the stained and crumpled letter to his brother, then stood up from his perch on an old stump, testing his aching leg carefully. “A letter from Star. She’s doing fine. At least she was four months ago when she wrote this. Her sister was finally on the mend. She hoped to be back north by now.”
Rob watched him with brotherly interest. “Speaking of four months ago, how’s that shoulder doing?”
Travis moved the shoulder in question. “It’s just fine. Leg’s still bothering me though. Figures. Blasted ball would hit my bad leg.”