Northern Light (11 page)

13

It was all she and Mama could do to keep everyone quiet when the small space included a baby, one rambunctious little girl, and a nanny goat. Margaret wasn’t sure what was worse, the lack of fresh air or the strong smell of a goat and six sweaty bodies inside the tiny room.

Screams pierced the air outside, echoing through the pantry.

Everyone froze, silence filling the small room.

“Papa, we have to go out there. The Yankees have Elizabeth!” She buried her face in Thomas’s sleeve and sobbed. “She doesn’t sound right at all, Thomas. I know they’re doing something terrible to her.”

Papa waved a hand toward Margaret. “Hush up! It doesn’t sound right because it’s not Elizabeth. Now listen close!”

Thomas cupped his hand and whispered into Margaret’s ear. “He’s right, lass. Listen. Those are men screaming.”

“How can you tell it’s men? It sounds like a bunch of schoolgirls.” Margaret tried to whisper, but the words came out loud. “What’s happening out there?”

As quickly as the screaming started…it stopped.

~*~

No more sounds came from beyond the pantry.

It seemed as if an hour passed before Papa finally gave the word he was ready to open the door.

“Thomas, would you hand me the hammer there beside you?” Papa asked.

Thomas picked up the hammer and stood. “Don’t ye fret, sir. I’ll remove those nails for ye.”

“All right then, I believe I’ll let you.” Papa moved out of Thomas’s way.

The soldiers hadn’t come into the house.

But Elizabeth was still somewhere out there.

Thomas helped Margaret up from the floor as Papa pushed the pantry door open.

When the door opened, June bolted from the pantry like a wild animal released from its cage.

“June Marie Logan, get back in here now.” Terror sounded in Mama’s voice. Mama didn’t usually show fearfulness around the smaller children.

“It’s OK. It’s all clear outside.” June stuck her nose in the air and sniffed extra loud. “Papa, I smell something burning!”

Papa took Jeremiah and helped Mama up off the floor. “All right now, June, come back in here and gather up Jeremiah’s toys. You need to watch over him for a while.”

Margaret stood in the kitchen, which appeared to be intact.

As June danced back toward them, she suddenly screamed and grabbed her arm. Margaret and Thomas ran to her. Mama and Papa were right behind them.

“What’s the matter?” Margaret asked as she knelt.

June lifted her arm. A bee’s stinger was embedded in her flesh. “Something bited me!” June exclaimed. Her arm was swelling even as she cried.

The dying honeybee twitched on the floor. Margaret mashed it with her foot.

Mama took June’s hand, picked up Jeremiah, and disappeared into her and Papa’s bedroom.

Papa wasted no time. “Thomas, help me close all the windows. Margaret, get some towels and stuff them under the doors. I know what those Yankees were screaming about. They tried to steal the hives and the bees are swarming!”

Thomas jumped to action.

Margaret followed suit, jamming towels under the thresholds of both doors. “Papa, it looks like the smoke from whatever they set on fire has the bees herded into one area at the west side of the yard,” Margaret called as she surveyed the back of the property.

“You’re right. I don’t think I’ll even need the smoker.” He abandoned his preparation of the smoker and rubbed his chin. “OK, then…Thomas, gather up those garden tools and drag them back out to the shed. When you’re done, meet me out back. I need your help to find the queen and get her back into the hive. When she’s in place, the swarm should return.”

“But, sir, how will we ever find one particular bee in that giant swarm?”

“It’s not as hard as you think. One of her wings is clipped.” He gave Thomas a sideways grin. “She don’t fly so good.”

Thomas raised his eyebrows and wasted no time getting the tools.

Papa turned his attention to Margaret. “All right, I want you to unhitch Nanny Sue and take her back out to her pen. As soon as we get the queen back in the hive, you and Thomas can survey the damage outside. And for heaven’s sake, see what those Yankees set on fire.”

“Yes, sir,” Margaret answered.

Papa opened his bedroom door a crack.

Mama was sitting on the bed, doctoring June’s bee sting.

“Caroline, when I get the queen bee back inside the hive, you and I will make sure that Yankee vessel is gone, and then we’ll go find our daughter.”

Tears slipped down Mama’s cheeks as she nodded.

The dread Margaret had kept at bay returned with a vengeance.

~*~

“Why would they burn our cotton?”

Thomas heard the anguish in Margaret’s voice as he doused the charred cotton with water. “I don’t know, lass. It’s quite valuable up north. They could have sold it for much more than it’s worth…even used it for bandages.”

“They burned it out of pure meanness.” Margaret tramped around beside the garden, kicking a rock. “We won’t have any money to trade with. And just look at the garden, they took everything!”

“That’s not true, lass. They didn’t take those green ones over there. What’s yer papa call them, collard greens?”

Margaret managed a snicker at his mangled pronunciation.

“All right now, there ye go makin’ fun of the way I speak.” He smiled at her. “And look, they didn’t take the time to dig up those potatoes, and those plants over there growing up the fence line.”

“Stupid Yankees probably don’t even know what black-eyed peas are.”

Thomas scrubbed though his scraggly beard, trying to avoid the fact that he’d never heard of anything called black-eyed peas either. “Come on, lass, let’s walk around the property and see if anything else has been bothered.”

“At least they didn’t break into Papa’s shed.” Margaret ran her fingers across the locked shed door as she walked around the corner. They reached Celia’s pen next to the shed, and she froze. “Oh no, they took our donkey too.”

Thomas put his arms around Margaret. She turned into his embrace and cried on his shoulder. He patted her back. “I’m so sorry, lass.”

“First they burn our cotton, then they steal our food, and now they took Celia. You don’t think they’re planning to eat her, do you, Thomas?”

“No, lass, I don’t think so. I’m sure they used her to pack off all the food they gathered.”

“And…who knows…what’s happened…to Elizabeth.”

“Hush, child, yer mama and papa will bring her home directly. Everything will be all right.” Thomas tried his best to console her.

She pulled away. “How do you know, Thomas? Has anything good ever come out of this horrible war?”

He gazed into violet eyes that seemed to have no end. Despite the tear-stained cheeks, red nose, and the dust that had collected in her hair during their pantry stay, Margaret Logan was more beautiful than ever. “Come, let’s have a walk.”

~*~

Thomas sat down and patted the dried wood as an invitation for Margaret to join him. She sat, probably closer to him than was proper, but those blue eyes of his could be quite a distraction. “Thomas, I want to thank you for comforting me through so many of the trials we’ve been through lately. I’ve always thought of myself as the strong one, but lately it seems I’m going to pieces over everything.”

“Ye don’t have to thank me, lass, and believe me, yer a very strong lady. The way you took charge of the house when those soldiers were approaching was a thing to behold. I certainly didn’t know what to do until ye set me to task.”

“Yes, you did seem a bit at a loss at the time.” She giggled just a little.

“All right now, don’t ye go teasing me again.”

Margaret cleared her throat. “Well, unfortunately, that wasn’t our first raid.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, the first time was even worse. They came inside the house.” She looked down at her left hand. “They stole the ring my fiancé gave me. Broke my heart.”

Thomas touched her hand. “I’m sorry, lass. Now I understand how you knew exactly what to do.”

“Thomas, I want to thank you for not pulling away when I held on to you in the pantry and at the donkey pen. I don’t know what came over me.” Margaret was still uneasy. She glanced around, hoping none of the Yankees hid from them. “It’s just that Celia came all the way from New Orleans with us. I remember one time when June was picking primrose…we call them buttercups down here…anyway, June pressed the flowers into Celia’s face and covered her entire nose with yellow powder. Well, that donkey huffed and puffed and let out the biggest sneeze you’ve ever heard. June had to run to the washtub after that.”

Thomas laughed with her. He straddled the old log and held his hands out to her.

Margaret accepted his hands and felt her cheeks blossom with heat.

“Miss Margaret, I can’t hold this in any longer. I need to tell ye that I’ve had feelings for ye since I first laid eyes on ye that day at the bay. Ye say that nothing good has ever come out of this war, but I think that you—finding me—was the best thing that ever could have happened. I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to see if it would be all right if I asked yer papa if I might court ye.” His cheeks were a bit flushed as he looked away. “Now I understand if the answer is no. I know how ye feel about Yankees, but in actuality I’m much more of an Irishman than a Yankee.”

“Thomas, I’m not going to lie and say I haven’t had feelings for you too. I realize now that the circumstances we are in can’t be blamed on one person…especially not you.” She looked down at their hands. He’d become stronger since that day she’d found him. She lifted one of his hands to her heart. “I suppose I’m willing to open my heart again.”

“Oh, lass, I’m so happy to hear it.” Thomas wrapped both arms around her for a moment and then took her hand again. “I plan to ask yer papa’s permission as soon as I can.”

Margaret stared out at the water.

“What is it, Margaret?”

“I can’t help but think you’ll be strong enough to return to the North soon. Then what will become of us?”

“It’s true. I will have to eventually return and reconnect with my unit. And I’m needing to check on my father and brothers. But I promise ye…wherever I go…no matter how far…I’ll always come back to ye.”

“I believe you.” She closed her eyes when Thomas gently squeezed her hand.

They walked back toward the house.

In the distance, Mama and Papa’s voices were raised, as if they were arguing. Apparently, they’d found Elizabeth, because her sister was shrieking about something at the top of her lungs.

14

“Right this way, miss.” Thomas struggled to pull the wooden chair out, offering Margaret a seat. The task would have been much easier had he not been wearing Mr. Logan’s dress coat that was two sizes too small. Every move seemed impossible.

“Why, thank you, sir.” She put a gloved hand to her mouth as she giggled.

Thomas took a seat in the chair across from her. He reached across the small card table for her hand and made a grunting sound when the coat wouldn’t allow him to extend his arm fully. “I’m sorry, lass, but this coat has got to go.”

“I understand completely. Papa is a might bit smaller than you, Thomas.”

“Aye, that he is, lass.” He sat back down. The sweet fragrance of the rose water she wore wafted in the air, even with the table of food before them. The soft candlelight made her eyes sparkle like a beautiful full moon rising over the bay.

“And might I say that ye look lovelier than ever this evening.”

Her raven hair glistened with every movement of her head. There was something about this woman that made him want to forsake everything and be with her the rest of his life.

“Thank you, Thomas.” A smile appeared. “I wasn’t sure I’d like you clean-shaven, but I must admit you’re even more handsome than before.”

“I’m glad ye like it, but it wasn’t easy taking a razor to my jaw after all this time.” He held his hand out.

She accepted it and bowed her head.

“Father, we come to Ye this evening and ask a blessing on this meal and on the hands of the ones who prepared it. I thank Ye, Father, for bringing me to this wonderful home and to these fine people who love Ye with all their hearts. Thank Ye for Mr. and Mrs. Logan, who care enough to allow this special time for Margaret and myself since we’re not in a situation where I can court her properly. I pray, Father, that Ye would heal those who have been injured in this horrible war and that it will all be over within short order. In Yer Son’s name I pray. Amen.”

“Thank you, Thomas. That was beautiful.”

“Yer welcome. Can I serve ye, miss?”

“Yes, please.”

Thomas began serving the food. Even though the fare was meager, the taste would be delicious since Mrs. Logan had cooked it. “I still can’t believe yer mama would go to all this trouble so we can have some sort of courtship. Ye have a mighty fine mama, Margaret Logan.”

“I have a feeling she likes you, Thomas. You’ve done so much for us since you’ve been here.”

“Well, I’ve been here so long, I’m lucky she’s not ready to throw me out like old fish.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Besides, I happen to know that her daughter cares a great deal for you too.”

“Is that so?” He handed her plate back. “Well, truth be known, I happen to feel mighty attached to that daughter of hers. Fine-looking woman, she is.”

A blush rose in Margaret’s cheeks.

They ate their candlelight dinner in silence, sharing an occasional flirting glance. Love was growing; his heart belonged to her.

Margaret took a sip of water. She looked away from the table; her silhouette glowed against the candlelight. “Thomas.”

“Yes, my lass.”

“I have to ask…when do you plan to go back up north?”

Why would she bring up that sad subject?

“I fear that I probably need to leave right after Christmas.” His heart, so joyful before, melted toward a deep well of dread.

“Oh, Thomas, we’ll have the most wonderful Christmas ever.” She spoke as if she’d not asked the question that would tear them apart. “Of course, we won’t have very much food after those Yankees raided our garden. But Mama can make a feast out of nothing. I can hardly wait.”