spellbinder, far too knowing for her own good.”
“Maybe she needs to be doing more than she is. She’d make an excellent nurse.”
“By all means.”
“I’ll make the suggestion to her.”
“Yes, do that,” he murmured, surprised that it should disturb him that Ian might give her such a suggestion. Ian could possibly entice the widow away.
Still, Julian realized, it was what she needed, to become involved with others again, to become passionate in the fight to save lives, to see that others still lived and needed help.
“I have to get back, Julian. But I had wanted to see you as well on a separate matter, and one very important to us both, at that.”
“Is something wrong?” Julian demanded.
“Wrong?” Ian said dryly. “Yeah. Even more than the simple fact of war, and the fact that we are enemies in that war.”
“What’s happened?” Julian asked.
“Two things. First—” he began, then hesitated, and Julian realized that although his brother’s tone was light, he was very worried. “First, I’ve heard that Jerome was attacked running the Yankee gunboats just off the coast here. He eluded capture, and the Yanks believe that he put into a cove somewhere south of here. They think he sustained an injury. If so ... they’ll be bringing him to you.”
Julian let out a long breath. His cousin Jerome was known to take chances. He was a man Lee would have loved to have in the Army of Northern Virginia because he made quick decisions and moved with the speed of lightning.
“How badly injured?”
“Standing all the while, so say the sailors from the Yankee sloop. I’ve kept Risa from knowing as yet, but she’ll find out soon enough.”
“Jerome will reach me. His men know my position well enough.”
“I imagine they’ll be able to reach your camp sometime tomorrow, though you know as well that the Yanks will be looking for Jerome, and his men may have to move slowly.”
“I’ll be ready for him. Don’t worry, Ian. You know that I’ll do anything in my power for Jerome.”
“I do know that. I know you’re the best there is, and I know Jerome is as tough as a gator. But I also know that wounds fester, and that men die far too easily from infection. I’m just scared as all hell. And I hope he does reach you by tomorrow or the next day.”
“Why?”
“Well, that’s the second thing I wanted to tell you. I’ve heard rumors that they’ll be pulling more boys out of the militia, sending them north to fight the major campaigns. There’s a lot of talk about you, both sides of the line. You did save U.S. General Magee’s foot, you recall. The general has maintained a keen interest in you, and he let me know that he’s heard there’s been talk on the Southern side of pulling you out of militia and giving you a regular army commission.”
Julian stared at him, his heart sinking.
Leave? There was barely anyone left here to fight, barely anyone left to heal the ones who were fighting, and they wanted to strip down the state even more.
“Thought you should know,” Ian said quietly.
Julian nodded, then grimaced. “Funny, isn’t it? My Yankee brother comes to tell me what the South is doing.”
“Told you,” Ian said, “we’re going to win this thing.”
They were both afraid, he knew.
They both just wanted it to end.
“Your Michigan or Ohio young’uns are waiting for you, Ian. Tell me, do these fellows speak English? Or have you got another group of immigrants fresh off the boats from Europe?”
Ian grinned, shaking his head as he turned and walked to his horse. “These fellows speak English,” he called over his shoulder.
“That’s right.” Julian said, following him. “Why give the foreigners the restful duty in Florida? Send those fellows right into the fray! Kill them before they get too fond of the country they’re dying for.”
Ian mounted his horse. “I’m not running the war, Julian.”
“Yeah, I know,” Julian said, patting the head of his
“Maybe she needs to be doing more than she is. She’d make an excellent nurse.”
“By all means.”
“I’ll make the suggestion to her.”
“Yes, do that,” he murmured, surprised that it should disturb him that Ian might give her such a suggestion. Ian could possibly entice the widow away.
Still, Julian realized, it was what she needed, to become involved with others again, to become passionate in the fight to save lives, to see that others still lived and needed help.
“I have to get back, Julian. But I had wanted to see you as well on a separate matter, and one very important to us both, at that.”
“Is something wrong?” Julian demanded.
“Wrong?” Ian said dryly. “Yeah. Even more than the simple fact of war, and the fact that we are enemies in that war.”
“What’s happened?” Julian asked.
“Two things. First—” he began, then hesitated, and Julian realized that although his brother’s tone was light, he was very worried. “First, I’ve heard that Jerome was attacked running the Yankee gunboats just off the coast here. He eluded capture, and the Yanks believe that he put into a cove somewhere south of here. They think he sustained an injury. If so ... they’ll be bringing him to you.”
Julian let out a long breath. His cousin Jerome was known to take chances. He was a man Lee would have loved to have in the Army of Northern Virginia because he made quick decisions and moved with the speed of lightning.
“How badly injured?”
“Standing all the while, so say the sailors from the Yankee sloop. I’ve kept Risa from knowing as yet, but she’ll find out soon enough.”
“Jerome will reach me. His men know my position well enough.”
“I imagine they’ll be able to reach your camp sometime tomorrow, though you know as well that the Yanks will be looking for Jerome, and his men may have to move slowly.”
“I’ll be ready for him. Don’t worry, Ian. You know that I’ll do anything in my power for Jerome.”
“I do know that. I know you’re the best there is, and I know Jerome is as tough as a gator. But I also know that wounds fester, and that men die far too easily from infection. I’m just scared as all hell. And I hope he does reach you by tomorrow or the next day.”
“Why?”
“Well, that’s the second thing I wanted to tell you. I’ve heard rumors that they’ll be pulling more boys out of the militia, sending them north to fight the major campaigns. There’s a lot of talk about you, both sides of the line. You did save U.S. General Magee’s foot, you recall. The general has maintained a keen interest in you, and he let me know that he’s heard there’s been talk on the Southern side of pulling you out of militia and giving you a regular army commission.”
Julian stared at him, his heart sinking.
Leave? There was barely anyone left here to fight, barely anyone left to heal the ones who were fighting, and they wanted to strip down the state even more.
“Thought you should know,” Ian said quietly.
Julian nodded, then grimaced. “Funny, isn’t it? My Yankee brother comes to tell me what the South is doing.”
“Told you,” Ian said, “we’re going to win this thing.”
They were both afraid, he knew.
They both just wanted it to end.
“Your Michigan or Ohio young’uns are waiting for you, Ian. Tell me, do these fellows speak English? Or have you got another group of immigrants fresh off the boats from Europe?”
Ian grinned, shaking his head as he turned and walked to his horse. “These fellows speak English,” he called over his shoulder.
“That’s right.” Julian said, following him. “Why give the foreigners the restful duty in Florida? Send those fellows right into the fray! Kill them before they get too fond of the country they’re dying for.”
Ian mounted his horse. “I’m not running the war, Julian.”
“Yeah, I know,” Julian said, patting the head of his
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