cousin Jennifer lost her husband—”
“And became a spy, grew careless in her bitterness, and nearly hanged for her actions,” Ian reminded him. “We tend to forget, it is also a woman’s war, and often the waiting is the worst of it, and then the knowing, and the living on, day after day, when all seems lost.”
“That’s quite a speech.”
“Alaina gave it to me,” Ian said and grinned. He shrugged. “I’ve too often been in Washington when the lists of the dead have arrived after a battle. I’ve seen the eager waiting, the hope, the dismay, the desolation, and the tears. She is in pain. Time will help heal her loss, but she’s not had enough time as yet to begin to mend. This war will leave a sea of widows, and many will grieve until their dying days.”
“Her dying day is going to be soon if she doesn’t take care,” Julian said.
“A pity. She’s enchanting.”
“So is your wife,” Julian reminded him.
Ian flashed him a quick smile. “No one ever needs remind me of that. Alaina is enchanting and gracious. I think that I should try to talk Mrs. Tremaine into moving into St. Augustine, where she will be safe from you Rebel rabble. There are those who believe she can be useful.”
“She can be useful.”
“I wish she would agree to come with me, but I doubt it. Perhaps she might be put into greater danger, since the army would surely want to explore her ‘sight.’ She is remarkably talented, I believe. And, of course, a Yankee.”
“Meaning?”
“Who knows when her very unique talents might be required?” Ian said.
Did she have a strange kind of prophetic sight? If so, the Rebs could definitely use her more. But she would never aid the Rebel troops, and Julian found himself telling his brother, “Make her come with you. Pressure her. She should not remain in that house.”
“I’ll certainly try.” Ian shook his head, and his voice held a tremor. “God, but it’s good to see you, little brother. I’ve got to talk quickly, though. I’ll be missed soon, I’m afraid. Can’t have the troops know I’m fraternizing with the enemy. Nor do I dare let the lady know the truth of the matter. She thinks that I managed to miss capturing you on purpose.”
“Did you?”
Ian hesitated. “No,” he said.
Julian smiled, certain that Ian was lying. “Thank you, brother.”
“I still think you’ve saved more lives than you’ve cost,” Ian said. “Still ...”
“You’re the one who takes too many risks, Ian,” Julian said huskily. He shook his head. “You shouldn’t do that.”
“I always calculate my risks, you know that,” Ian told him. “And as I said, I was hoping to see you—without us having to shoot at one another, of course. I wasn’t expecting Mrs. Tremaine to be so astute—or so alarmed at the sight of me. Meeting her was an interesting experience.”
“Why, what are you talking about?”
“I walked in, and she passed out.”
“What?”
“Took one look at my face and apparently thought that you had come back into her life.”
“She thought you resembled me so closely?”
Ian sighed with mock impatience. “Julian, I’m older. You resemble me.”
“I met her first, therefore you resembled me.”
“That’s still not the way it works, but no matter. Tell me, whatever did you do, little brother, to cause the widow such distress?”
“I kept her from killing herself.”
“Oh? She didn’t appear to be contemplating suicide.”
“I took her drugs away.”
“No more than that?”
Julian hesitated. “I took them away rather forcefully,” he said after a moment. “We argued the point, and she was a bit under the influence at the time.”
“You used to have more patience, little brother.”
“I used to have more time away from torn and dying men to have patience with those who have given up, big brother. And then again—” he began, but broke off with a shrug.
“Then again—?”
“She angers me. Because she is a witch perhaps, a
“And became a spy, grew careless in her bitterness, and nearly hanged for her actions,” Ian reminded him. “We tend to forget, it is also a woman’s war, and often the waiting is the worst of it, and then the knowing, and the living on, day after day, when all seems lost.”
“That’s quite a speech.”
“Alaina gave it to me,” Ian said and grinned. He shrugged. “I’ve too often been in Washington when the lists of the dead have arrived after a battle. I’ve seen the eager waiting, the hope, the dismay, the desolation, and the tears. She is in pain. Time will help heal her loss, but she’s not had enough time as yet to begin to mend. This war will leave a sea of widows, and many will grieve until their dying days.”
“Her dying day is going to be soon if she doesn’t take care,” Julian said.
“A pity. She’s enchanting.”
“So is your wife,” Julian reminded him.
Ian flashed him a quick smile. “No one ever needs remind me of that. Alaina is enchanting and gracious. I think that I should try to talk Mrs. Tremaine into moving into St. Augustine, where she will be safe from you Rebel rabble. There are those who believe she can be useful.”
“She can be useful.”
“I wish she would agree to come with me, but I doubt it. Perhaps she might be put into greater danger, since the army would surely want to explore her ‘sight.’ She is remarkably talented, I believe. And, of course, a Yankee.”
“Meaning?”
“Who knows when her very unique talents might be required?” Ian said.
Did she have a strange kind of prophetic sight? If so, the Rebs could definitely use her more. But she would never aid the Rebel troops, and Julian found himself telling his brother, “Make her come with you. Pressure her. She should not remain in that house.”
“I’ll certainly try.” Ian shook his head, and his voice held a tremor. “God, but it’s good to see you, little brother. I’ve got to talk quickly, though. I’ll be missed soon, I’m afraid. Can’t have the troops know I’m fraternizing with the enemy. Nor do I dare let the lady know the truth of the matter. She thinks that I managed to miss capturing you on purpose.”
“Did you?”
Ian hesitated. “No,” he said.
Julian smiled, certain that Ian was lying. “Thank you, brother.”
“I still think you’ve saved more lives than you’ve cost,” Ian said. “Still ...”
“You’re the one who takes too many risks, Ian,” Julian said huskily. He shook his head. “You shouldn’t do that.”
“I always calculate my risks, you know that,” Ian told him. “And as I said, I was hoping to see you—without us having to shoot at one another, of course. I wasn’t expecting Mrs. Tremaine to be so astute—or so alarmed at the sight of me. Meeting her was an interesting experience.”
“Why, what are you talking about?”
“I walked in, and she passed out.”
“What?”
“Took one look at my face and apparently thought that you had come back into her life.”
“She thought you resembled me so closely?”
Ian sighed with mock impatience. “Julian, I’m older. You resemble me.”
“I met her first, therefore you resembled me.”
“That’s still not the way it works, but no matter. Tell me, whatever did you do, little brother, to cause the widow such distress?”
“I kept her from killing herself.”
“Oh? She didn’t appear to be contemplating suicide.”
“I took her drugs away.”
“No more than that?”
Julian hesitated. “I took them away rather forcefully,” he said after a moment. “We argued the point, and she was a bit under the influence at the time.”
“You used to have more patience, little brother.”
“I used to have more time away from torn and dying men to have patience with those who have given up, big brother. And then again—” he began, but broke off with a shrug.
“Then again—?”
“She angers me. Because she is a witch perhaps, a
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