you amaze me, Lucy Maddox?”
“Why? I’ve done nothing different from what dozens of women all over the state do—hundreds all over the country, for that matter.”
“I disagree,” Oscar said. “Others donate what they can. You’ve put your heart and soul into service, and you fairly glow with honest joy. It really is quite attractive.” He reached for the book in her hand. “To the parlor. Lest the ladies gossip.”
Lucy led the way into the parlor, thinking all the while that at the moment, she didn’t care two whits about gossip. Let them gossip. It was a small price to pay for another moment alone with Private Oscar Greene.
Chapter 10
O n the Friday when Private Oscar Greene was due to depart Decatur—please, God, let it be—Silas oversaw the unloading of an unusually large shipment of goods at the mercantile. He was concentrating on a rather complex bit of mathematics when Greene stepped into the store.
“I was wondering,” he said, looking about at the merchandise, “if you might assist me in a rather delicate matter. You’ve … um … you’ve known Lucy for a long time, yes?”
Silas gave a wary nod.
“I was hoping you might be able to advise me in a purchase. The thing is, though, I am in the embarrassing position of being short on cash. I’ve sent word home and asked that a transfer be initiated to Mr. Collins’s bank. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave Decatur before the cash arrives, and I’m loathe to leave without giving Lucy a token of my admiration. You understand, surely?”
“What is it, exactly, that you are asking, Private Greene?”
“Your advice. And help selecting a gift. A book, perhaps? But I want it to be something special.” Greene lingered at the jewelry counter.
“I believe the convention is to limit oneself to flowers or candy,” Silas said. Mrs. Tompkins was just coming in, and he called to her. “Am I right in that, Mrs. Tompkins? Appropriate gifts from a gentleman to a lady?”
“Married, courting, or”—Mrs. Tompkins stopped midsentence when she saw who was in the store—“merely an acquaintance?”
Greene made a show of considering his answer. “Something more than a mere acquaintance. From someone hoping for much more.” He gave a nervous little laugh. “You’ll keep that to yourself, now, won’t you, old man?”
“I should think Mr. Tait’s advice was the best,” Mrs. Tompkins said. “Flowers or candy. A book is always appropriate, but Miss Maddox has the finest library in the region.”
“Candy, then,” Greene said. “But not something ordinary.” Again, he appealed to Silas. “And you’ll assist me in that … other matter? I’ll give Mr. Collins instructions to handle things for me.”
Silas opened the store ledger. At the top of a fresh page he wrote
Private Oscar Greene.
Greene nodded. “Thank you.” He spent the next half hour selecting an absurd amount of the most expensive imported chocolate in the store. He asked Mrs. Tompkins to see the “various wrapping papers” available and pretended great disappointment when she said that what they had was that roll of brown paper right there on the counter. “Well. If that’s the best you can do,” he said. “And you’ll deliver it on the same day of my departure?”
“That isn’t today?” Silas asked.
“I sincerely hope not,” Greene said. “I’m awaiting word from the regiment. I’ve made the case for a delay.” He grimaced as he made a show of trying to raise his arm. “It just isn’t healing as it ought.”
“What a shame,” Silas said. “Perhaps you’d want to have our Dr. Kirkland take a look at it. His office is just there.” Silas pointed across the street. “See the sign? He’s probably there right now. He’s an excellent physician.”
“You’re very kind to suggest it,” Greene said. “Perhaps I will consult the good doctor.” He looked up at the clock on the wall. “At the moment, though, I must check back at the
“Why? I’ve done nothing different from what dozens of women all over the state do—hundreds all over the country, for that matter.”
“I disagree,” Oscar said. “Others donate what they can. You’ve put your heart and soul into service, and you fairly glow with honest joy. It really is quite attractive.” He reached for the book in her hand. “To the parlor. Lest the ladies gossip.”
Lucy led the way into the parlor, thinking all the while that at the moment, she didn’t care two whits about gossip. Let them gossip. It was a small price to pay for another moment alone with Private Oscar Greene.
Chapter 10
O n the Friday when Private Oscar Greene was due to depart Decatur—please, God, let it be—Silas oversaw the unloading of an unusually large shipment of goods at the mercantile. He was concentrating on a rather complex bit of mathematics when Greene stepped into the store.
“I was wondering,” he said, looking about at the merchandise, “if you might assist me in a rather delicate matter. You’ve … um … you’ve known Lucy for a long time, yes?”
Silas gave a wary nod.
“I was hoping you might be able to advise me in a purchase. The thing is, though, I am in the embarrassing position of being short on cash. I’ve sent word home and asked that a transfer be initiated to Mr. Collins’s bank. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave Decatur before the cash arrives, and I’m loathe to leave without giving Lucy a token of my admiration. You understand, surely?”
“What is it, exactly, that you are asking, Private Greene?”
“Your advice. And help selecting a gift. A book, perhaps? But I want it to be something special.” Greene lingered at the jewelry counter.
“I believe the convention is to limit oneself to flowers or candy,” Silas said. Mrs. Tompkins was just coming in, and he called to her. “Am I right in that, Mrs. Tompkins? Appropriate gifts from a gentleman to a lady?”
“Married, courting, or”—Mrs. Tompkins stopped midsentence when she saw who was in the store—“merely an acquaintance?”
Greene made a show of considering his answer. “Something more than a mere acquaintance. From someone hoping for much more.” He gave a nervous little laugh. “You’ll keep that to yourself, now, won’t you, old man?”
“I should think Mr. Tait’s advice was the best,” Mrs. Tompkins said. “Flowers or candy. A book is always appropriate, but Miss Maddox has the finest library in the region.”
“Candy, then,” Greene said. “But not something ordinary.” Again, he appealed to Silas. “And you’ll assist me in that … other matter? I’ll give Mr. Collins instructions to handle things for me.”
Silas opened the store ledger. At the top of a fresh page he wrote
Private Oscar Greene.
Greene nodded. “Thank you.” He spent the next half hour selecting an absurd amount of the most expensive imported chocolate in the store. He asked Mrs. Tompkins to see the “various wrapping papers” available and pretended great disappointment when she said that what they had was that roll of brown paper right there on the counter. “Well. If that’s the best you can do,” he said. “And you’ll deliver it on the same day of my departure?”
“That isn’t today?” Silas asked.
“I sincerely hope not,” Greene said. “I’m awaiting word from the regiment. I’ve made the case for a delay.” He grimaced as he made a show of trying to raise his arm. “It just isn’t healing as it ought.”
“What a shame,” Silas said. “Perhaps you’d want to have our Dr. Kirkland take a look at it. His office is just there.” Silas pointed across the street. “See the sign? He’s probably there right now. He’s an excellent physician.”
“You’re very kind to suggest it,” Greene said. “Perhaps I will consult the good doctor.” He looked up at the clock on the wall. “At the moment, though, I must check back at the
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