Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia by Jessica James Page B

you?”
    “That looks about right,” Daniel said, a bit
overwhelmed at her ability to summarize numbers so quickly. He wondered what
have happened if he’d brought Logan as a guide. No doubt we would have run
directly into them .
    The first
stirrings of the birds began announcing morning’s birth as the two sat under
the cover of trees, watching their foe advance westerly. The landscape began to
reflect the soft pinkish hue of the dawning sun, but neither had time to
appreciate the view. “Doesn’t look like Hunter’s men,” Andrea said, turning her
experienced eye back to the horizon. “Could be Stuart.”
    “And they’re heading straight toward Salem,”
Daniel replied.
    Andrea nodded. “I have the fastest horse,” she
stated with authority. “I’ll head to Salem to warn Dayton while you go gather
your men. We may be able to flank them yet.”
    Daniel turned and looked into green eyes that
appeared to gleam with mad impatience. “Capital plan, that. But I don’t think
Colonel Jordan will approve.”
    “It matters not,” Andrea said bluntly. “We have
no choice.”
    Daniel now heard the distinctive rattle of
sabers clanking against saddle fittings.
    “Can’t be Hunter with those sabers.” Andrea
moved Justus back to the edge of the tree line to scan the scene again.
    Daniel circled his horse in the shadows, mulling
over her plan. “I know of your readiness to undertake danger, but you can’t
keep pushing Colonel Jordan like this,” he said at length, trying to keep a
firm hand on his suddenly unruly mount. “You can’t keep on with this complete
disregard for military regulations and orders.”
    “It’s not a question of danger, but duty,”
Andrea retorted. “I’m doing no more than my duty—and no one can expect me to do
less.”
    When Daniel did not reply, she leaned forward in
her saddle, causing the leather to creak. “Do you have a better plan, Colonel
Delaney?” She appeared calm and confident as she gazed at him. “If you do, I’ll
gladly yield mine to yours.”
    Daniel looked from her to the spectral parade of
gray-clad horsemen and back. “No.”
    “Then I’ll
see you in Salem.” Andrea did not wait for him to change his mind.
    “Caution will be the order of the day,” Daniel
yelled in a hushed voice. But she had apparently already thrown caution to the
wind. Her horse disappeared into the shadowy landscape in the blink of an eye,
and in another moment even the sound of hooves had faded. Daniel stared into
the tree-line and shook his head. That girl would fan the flames of hell—and
then charge through them—simply for the thrill of the ride .
    * * *
    J.J. listened with half-closed eyes to the sound
of Daniel’s pacing. Suddenly the door burst open.
    “I have a report from one of my scouts,” Colonel
Dayton said, throwing his hat on a chair.
    “About Sinclair?” Daniel asked, stepping
forward.
    “Yes. It
seems your scout, Sinclair, was observed trailing the enemy closely.” He paused
and cleared his throat. “So closely in fact that my man lost sight of him.”
    “He what ?” Daniel’s fists tightened by
his side.
    “Apparently he was riding north of the enemy
column. When the Confederates made the unexpected turn away from Salem toward
Middleburg, my scout says Sinclair just kind of got mixed up in their line.”
    Daniel and J.J. looked at each other and
simultaneously exhaled. Daniel even put his hand to his head as if he felt a
sudden rush of pain.
    “There’s no need for worry,” Dayton insisted,
sitting down and pulling a pipe out of a drawer. “He says Sinclair just sort of
blended in with the enemy. There was no alarm.”
    “Was Sinclair on the black horse?” J.J.’s voice
did not mask the concern he felt at the fact that she had once again thrown
caution, and all else, aside.
    “No. He ran into some of my men on patrol and
borrowed one of theirs.”
    J.J. glanced at Daniel again and knew they were
both thinking the same thing: Justus would