Erin's Rebel (21 page)

By afternoon, after having eaten his fill of Yankee supplies, Will stretched out under a wide oak and gazed up at the leaves that had started to change color. He fell into a fitful sleep.

Someone hummed—a female voice, low and soothing. Will lay in an open meadow on a clear, sunny day. He shielded his eyes, turning his head toward a large oak. Erin sat on a low branch, holding Amanda, while she hummed a lullaby.

Will smiled at the pair. They smiled back, then Amanda’s eyes opened wide. “Papa, wake up!”

Will woke with a jolt. One of his lieutenants stood beside him.

“Sir,” he said, “the Federals are attacking.”

Will lurched to his feet. Officers scuttled about preparing the men to repulse the coming onslaught.

The battle Early had thought was over, was just beginning.

****

Jake swore when the Yankees fired into the assembled troops. He was not going to die here. Not at the hands of the Yankees he’d been aiding. But if he broke rank and ran, the Confederates had every right to shoot him.

Union cavalry broke the Confederate line. When the captain gave the order to retreat, Jake was all too ready to comply. He and Charlie raced toward the bridge they’d crossed last night. If they could outrun the Union soldiers, they might achieve safety.

Being one of the last companies to arrive last night, they were the first to make it over the bridge. Once they’d crossed, a group of Union cavalry arrived, surrounding them.

“Men,” the Yankee captain ordered, “destroy the bridge so no more Rebs can get across.”

When Jake glanced back at Captain Montgomery and the others who’d followed him, the captain signaled to his men to lower their arms.

“The hell I’ll surrender to these bastards!” Charlie called.

Before Jake could stop him, the big man barreled into the nearest Yankee soldier, knocking him to the ground. Another soldier raised his rifle and shot Charlie in the back.

“Yankee bastard!” Jake yelled. Another shot sent a stinging shaft of pain into his thigh. He fell heavily to the ground.

In the chaos that followed, someone tried to lift him. Blinding pain caused him to lose consciousness.

****

Feeling trapped, Will gave the order to surrender, but the actions of the men ahead of him had changed the plan. A group of privates raced forward and were cut down by Yankee cavalry. To his dismay, he watched Kevin Donnelly fall.

In an attempt to organize the remaining soldiers, Will stumbled and nearly tripped over a body. Glancing down, he saw the red hair of Sergeant Wagner. Was the man dead?

He lifted him by the collar, then noticed blood coated his thigh and spread beneath him on the marshy ground. Will stepped over him. Nothing could be done for the sergeant now. He glimpsed movement in the woods, and his breath caught at the sight of a Yankee cavalryman angling toward him with revolver raised.

“Drop your weapon, Reb!” the man shouted.

Will clenched his jaw. He gingerly held up his revolver.

“Put in on the ground,” the Yankee yelled.

He crouched, placing the gun beside him. His heart raced. He didn’t want to pass the rest of the war in a Yankee prison camp, but saw no other way out.

Recalling the dream, he wondered if he’d ever see Erin or Amanda again? Raising his arms in surrender, Will prepared to move to the left of the Yankee’s stallion. The man sat with his revolver outstretched. A blast sounded, and Will flinched when the Yankee slipped from his mount and crumpled to the ground. The horse whinnied and trotted off. Glancing behind him, he stared in disbelief. Wagner sat clutching Will’s smoking revolver.

“I thought you were dead,” Will said.

“Not yet, sir.” Wagner scowled at the fallen Yankee. “He shot me and killed Charlie.”

Will followed his gaze to the prone figure of Charlie Ross sprawled several feet away. Turning to look behind the sergeant, he noted the rest of his men were chasing Yankee cavalry toward the bridge. The Yankees raced across, then turned and fired on the Confederates.

“Retreat!” Will called. His men would only get themselves killed.

His men aimed covering fire in the direction of the Yankees, then darted toward Will. He glanced down at Wagner, his feelings about the man mixed. “You need that leg wrapped.”

“Yes, sir.”

Will and the other soldiers checked the fallen men. Donnelly was alive, but blood oozed from his side. Stuffing a neckerchief inside his coat, Will tried to staunch the flow.

“Hold on, Donnelly.”

“Aye, sir,” the Irishman wheezed.

“We’ll get you back to camp,” Will assured him. “My sister would never forgive me if I didn’t.”

Donnelly grimaced.

He moved on to see how many wounded they had to take back while his men rounded up cavalry horses that had lost their riders.

A loud blast drew Will’s attention to the bridge. The Yankees had destroyed it, preventing any more Confederates from escaping.

He approached Wagner, whose leg was now wrapped in a muslin bandage. “We’d best get out of here quick,” Will said. “The Yanks will likely start firing on us any minute.”

Wagner sullenly studied his leg. “Don’t reckon I can walk.”

Will glanced toward the group of Yankee cavalry horses. “You’ll be riding back to camp, Sergeant.”

With the Yankees now occupied on the opposite side of the bridge, he gestured to one of the corporals to see to Wagner while he moved to organize his men.

****

When the men returned to camp at sunset, Erin breathed a sigh of relief when she caught sight of Will leading the company. Jenny clasped her hands as her gaze settled on Kevin. While other soldiers helped him to dismount, she fussed over him. Jake Wagner brought up the rear, astride a dark brown stallion, his left thigh wrapped in a blood soaked strip of muslin.

Although she’d never wish death on anyone, Erin bristled at his return. She’d hoped the Yankees had captured the bastard. At least then, he’d be out of her hair.

Kevin told them of the Confederate loss and that many had been captured.

Although Erin knew their defeat was inevitable, she couldn’t help feeling sorry for these people, who’d had their hopes dashed today. She restrained herself from running into Will’s arms and hoped he would be the one to make amends.

If there were no way to win him back, then why was she still in this time period? If only she could go back to the future and forget about him for good.

Chapter Twenty-three

Jake reclined on one of the cots in the hospital tent, with his injured leg propped on a rolled-up blanket. The night before last, Doc had dug out a bullet and told him it wasn’t too bad. He just had to keep off his leg for the next few days.

The tent was crammed with other wounded men who’d made it back after the battle. He recalled Charlie’s death, missing him already. The big man had been a constant companion, since Jake had joined up.

Sounds of spoons scraping against bowls drew his attention to a pleasant sight. Two lovely nurses made rounds angling themselves between the bunks in the confined space. He grinned when his gaze alighted on Erin. And the other dark-haired beauty he’d seen around camp. Although they hadn’t been introduced, he knew she was Montgomery’s sister.

Such a lovely way to start the day.
Bored after lying around for two days, he decided it was time to have some fun.

The dark-haired woman approached him with a bowl and spoon. He gave her his most charming smile. “Well now, who might you be?”

She pursed her luscious pink lips, then held the bowl and spoon out for him to take. “I’m Miss Montgomery,” she said.

“Any relation to our brave Captain Montgomery?” He eyed her speculatively.

“I’m his sister.”

“Well then, permit me to introduce myself, ma’am. I’m Sergeant Wagner serving under your brother.”

She nodded. “Pleased to meet you, Sergeant.”

“I saved your brother’s life, you know. Did he tell you about that?”

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head.

“Shot a Yankee who was aiming to shoot the captain.”

“Will was nearly shot?” Her hand rose to cover her mouth.

“Surely would’ve if I hadn’t been there.”

“Jenny,” a woman called, interrupting the conversation.

Jake looked over to find Erin glaring at him.

“I need to see to the other patients,” Jenny apologized.

“That’s quite all right, ma’am. I’m just fine now.” He smiled and lifted a spoonful of porridge to his lips. When she moved away, he whispered, “Jenny.”

****

Erin waited until Jenny went to attend Kevin. Once she was out of harm’s way, Erin sidled up to Jake.

“Just what are you trying to pull here?”

His eyebrows rose. “Pardon me?”

“You stay away from Jenny Montgomery.” She tried to bore a hole through him with her glare.

“Playin’ the mother hen for the captain’s sister, are you?”

“I’m serious,” she grated out. “You want something, you ask
me
.”

He grinned. “Why, I didn’t think you cared.”

She lowered her voice. “Once your leg’s healed and Doc sends you back to your tent, I don’t want to see you anywhere near here.”

He took a mouthful of porridge, then swallowed slowly before replying. “You would deny me access to the doctor?”

“I have no problem with you seeing Doc. Just stay away from Jenny.”

“Or what?” he taunted.

She clenched her jaw and came, oh so close, to smashing that bowl of porridge into his smug face. “You don’t want to know what I’ll do to you, plus she’s the captain’s sister. You want to make more trouble for yourself?”

“I don’t reckon the captain will be giving me any more grief,” he said.

“Oh, and why is that?”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

He grinned. “I saved your captain’s life.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Ask him, sweetheart.”

Another man called for water, and Erin moved toward him.

“When you’re finished there,” Jake said, drawing her gaze back to him, “bring me some, too. I’m mighty thirsty.”

She turned, wanting more than anything to wipe that grin off his face. What the hell did he mean he’d saved Will’s life?

****

One month later, Erin sat outside her tent. Caring for the wounded from this latest battle had exhausted her.
I need a vacation
. But then, so did everyone around her. She’d caught a glimpse of Will when he’d marched out with the troops this morning, looking magnificent in his uniform. Just the sight of him set her heart racing.