Read Online Undaunted Love by Jennings Wright - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennings Wright
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he asked teasingly.
Snuggling next to him, her arms wrapped around his as he flicked the reins, she grinned. “I’ve never been so happy in all my life!”
Chapter Eleven
T HEY ARRIVED AT REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS at a quarter til four in the afternoon, the sun beginning to move down the horizon but still giving off spring warmth. He leaned over and kissed his bride—he didn’t seem to be able to get enough of kissing his bride, for that matter—and handed her the reins.
“I’ll go in, do whatever’s needful. I don’t rightly know how long it’ll be… Will you be all right out here alone?” he asked.
“I’m perfect! Perfectly wonderful!” She laughed. “I’ll sit right here and remember becomin’ your wife, and day dreamin’ about all the years ahead, and time’ll fly right on by. Go on now, get it over with so we can go to the inn.” She blushed, but her eyes twinkled. Rafe didn’t need any further incentive, and he ran up the steps and through the front door.
A half hour passed, and Livvie hummed and gazed off at the far clouds, thinking of fat babies and laughing meals and nights spent together reading or playing chess. She missed Rafe leaving the building, and didn’t see him until he was walking slowly down the front steps. Frowning, she watched him, shuffling along, definitely out of sorts. He stopped next to the cart but didn’t speak.
“Well? Did they think you’re too short? Why the long face?” she teased.
“I have to go… now.” He didn’t meet her eyes.
“Now? What do you mean now?”
“I went in and told them the things I could do like ride and shoot, and how much schoolin’ I had, and there’s a doc in there what gave me a quick look and thought I was fine for duty. And I said I wanted to volunteer for the 1st South Carolina for my six months. So they handed me the paper, and I looked it over and it was all just fine, and I signed it. And I asked them when I needed to turn up tomorrow, and they said, ‘No son, you’re in the militia now. You have to report here by five of the clock. Now, today.’” He looked at her miserably, near tears. “I didn’t know, Liv, I swear it. I woulda come tomorrow, or even the day after… I didn’t know if I signed the paper, I was theirs.” He hung his head.
No words would come to her. She tried to form some, but nothing came out of her mouth, nor could she move from where she sat. After several moments he looked up at her, tears running down his face.
“Forgive me, Liv. Please. I didn’t know, and this sure ain’t how I pictured my wedding night…”
He looked so miserable, so devastated, that Livvie was finally able to slide across the seat of the cart and clamber down. She put her arms around his waist and laid her head upon his chest, her tears wetting his shirt. He held her tightly, his face in her hair.
“We have a half hour… We can, we can go sit somewhere…” He was rambling, ashamed.
Looking around, Livvie spotted a small park fenced with iron rails, a great oak tree in the middle. She took his hand and they walked slowly over to it, entering by a small gate. Rafe sat, leaning against the tree, his wife’s head in his lap as she lay on the ground. He stroked her silky chestnut hair, trying not to think of what that night was supposed to hold. His other arm crossed her waist, and they held hands by her heart. Neither spoke.
At the end of their time, they stood. Livvie smoothed her skirts and straightened her hair. Remembering her mama, she put her chin up and shoulders back, defiant against adversity. Rafe smiled ruefully when he saw her, and planted a kiss on the top of her head. He put his arm around her shoulder, and they walked slowly back to the cart. He took out his carpetbag and set it on the ground.
Taking his new bride in his arms, he held her for a long moment. Kissing her, he stepped back, and, mimicking her resolve, put his chin up and his shoulders back. He picked up the bag.
“You are the
Snuggling next to him, her arms wrapped around his as he flicked the reins, she grinned. “I’ve never been so happy in all my life!”
Chapter Eleven
T HEY ARRIVED AT REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS at a quarter til four in the afternoon, the sun beginning to move down the horizon but still giving off spring warmth. He leaned over and kissed his bride—he didn’t seem to be able to get enough of kissing his bride, for that matter—and handed her the reins.
“I’ll go in, do whatever’s needful. I don’t rightly know how long it’ll be… Will you be all right out here alone?” he asked.
“I’m perfect! Perfectly wonderful!” She laughed. “I’ll sit right here and remember becomin’ your wife, and day dreamin’ about all the years ahead, and time’ll fly right on by. Go on now, get it over with so we can go to the inn.” She blushed, but her eyes twinkled. Rafe didn’t need any further incentive, and he ran up the steps and through the front door.
A half hour passed, and Livvie hummed and gazed off at the far clouds, thinking of fat babies and laughing meals and nights spent together reading or playing chess. She missed Rafe leaving the building, and didn’t see him until he was walking slowly down the front steps. Frowning, she watched him, shuffling along, definitely out of sorts. He stopped next to the cart but didn’t speak.
“Well? Did they think you’re too short? Why the long face?” she teased.
“I have to go… now.” He didn’t meet her eyes.
“Now? What do you mean now?”
“I went in and told them the things I could do like ride and shoot, and how much schoolin’ I had, and there’s a doc in there what gave me a quick look and thought I was fine for duty. And I said I wanted to volunteer for the 1st South Carolina for my six months. So they handed me the paper, and I looked it over and it was all just fine, and I signed it. And I asked them when I needed to turn up tomorrow, and they said, ‘No son, you’re in the militia now. You have to report here by five of the clock. Now, today.’” He looked at her miserably, near tears. “I didn’t know, Liv, I swear it. I woulda come tomorrow, or even the day after… I didn’t know if I signed the paper, I was theirs.” He hung his head.
No words would come to her. She tried to form some, but nothing came out of her mouth, nor could she move from where she sat. After several moments he looked up at her, tears running down his face.
“Forgive me, Liv. Please. I didn’t know, and this sure ain’t how I pictured my wedding night…”
He looked so miserable, so devastated, that Livvie was finally able to slide across the seat of the cart and clamber down. She put her arms around his waist and laid her head upon his chest, her tears wetting his shirt. He held her tightly, his face in her hair.
“We have a half hour… We can, we can go sit somewhere…” He was rambling, ashamed.
Looking around, Livvie spotted a small park fenced with iron rails, a great oak tree in the middle. She took his hand and they walked slowly over to it, entering by a small gate. Rafe sat, leaning against the tree, his wife’s head in his lap as she lay on the ground. He stroked her silky chestnut hair, trying not to think of what that night was supposed to hold. His other arm crossed her waist, and they held hands by her heart. Neither spoke.
At the end of their time, they stood. Livvie smoothed her skirts and straightened her hair. Remembering her mama, she put her chin up and shoulders back, defiant against adversity. Rafe smiled ruefully when he saw her, and planted a kiss on the top of her head. He put his arm around her shoulder, and they walked slowly back to the cart. He took out his carpetbag and set it on the ground.
Taking his new bride in his arms, he held her for a long moment. Kissing her, he stepped back, and, mimicking her resolve, put his chin up and his shoulders back. He picked up the bag.
“You are the
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