The Gentle Rebel (29 page)

“Why, Friend Daniel!” A small well-formed girl in a pale blue dress left a group by the refreshment tables and came over to greet them. She had sparkling blue eyes and the most beautiful complexion Laddie had ever seen. “I can’t
believe
you’ve actually come to a party—but it’s about time.” She turned to Laddie, her bright eyes taking in the neat uniform and the clearcut features. “And this is the soldier you’ve been keeping from all of us?”

“If thee would come to meeting, thee would have met our visitor. Laddie Smith, this is Faith Thomas. Faith, Sergeant Laddie Smith.”

“You come with me, Sergeant,” the girl said with a bewitching grin. She took Laddie’s arm, saying with a toss of her head, “Friend Daniel, you go sit with the elders—Sergeant Smith is mine for the night.”

Laddie had no choice, then, but to follow, and casting one helpless look at the minister, she soon found herself being introduced to a wide-eyed group of young people. The names came too fast for her, but she noted with a streak of humor, that the girls were impressed with the uniform; any presentable-looking young “male” creates a stir among the girls of a small community.

The young men were interested in the war, and they pressed
close, asking about the army and the battles, but that stopped when the musicians struck up a tune, and Faith Thomas said, “You’ll have to excuse us. Sergeant Smith has the first dance with me.”

Laddie was stunned, but there was no time to protest, for the girl had stepped close, held out her hands, and suddenly they were dancing. Laddie had danced little, but she had observed much, and a strong natural sense of rhythm came to her aid, so that soon the two of them were moving easily across the floor.

What a flirt!
Laddie thought as the young woman smiled and moved closer, whispering softly. Laddie was tall for a girl, and Faith had to look up, which gave her a chance to display her smile and her beautiful eyes to good effect. She said, “You’re so young to be a soldier! And—I must say it, even if you think I’m too bold—you look so handsome in your uniform!”

Laddie said what the girl wanted to hear, and as they danced another dance, then a third, she began to be amused. They went to the table several times, and one tall young man attempted to claim Faith, but she said, “Oh, later, Hawk.”

“Who is he?” Laddie asked. She looked over the girl’s shoulder and got an angry stare from the young man that sobered her. “Is that your young man, Miss Thomas?”

“Oh, he thinks he is,” she said with a smile; then she shrugged and said, “He’s jealous—but he doesn’t own me.”

Dan had moved to one of the chairs by the wall, taking a seat by Ezra Parker, who had stared at him in amazement. “Preacher! I never thought I’d see the day.”

Dan had grinned at him. “Thee won’t come to meeting, Friend Ezra, so I’ve come to convert thee at a party.”

“Well, fly right at it!” Ezra had a fondness for the young minister, and a deep respect that he gave to few men. He made no claims to be religious, but he had said often,
If I ever go get religion—it’ll be the brand that young feller’s got!
He sat there, and the two of them talked as the party went on.
Several times Ezra excused himself, left the room and came back smelling strongly of alcohol, and most of the young men in the room did the same. As it grew late, Ezra brought Dan some apple cider, saying, “Don’t reckon that’ll hurt yore conscience, will it?”

“No. It’s fine.”

He spoke quietly, and Ezra followed his gaze to the couples on the floor. Then he said gently, “That young soldier—he was right sick, I hear?”

“Very ill, Friend Ezra.”

The light blue eyes of Parker gleamed, and he said gently, “Well, he’s apt to be a heap sicker ’fore long, Friend Daniel.”

“What’s that?” The Quaker stared at the tall, lanky man. “What does thee mean, Friend Ezra?”

“Wal, you know lots of Bible, Reverend, but you ain’t too swift on young folks and partyin’—’course, you ain’t had no practice. You ain’t seen what’s been shapin’ up, have you?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Why, look at that!” Ezra pointed across the room and there was a wicked grin on his lips. “See my boy Hawk? You know he’s been keeping company with Faith Thomas. He’s already busted up two or three pretty strong young bucks when they come a’sniffin’ around her! And looks like that leetle soldier is ’bout to have a dose of the same!”

Dan looked up with a startled expression, and one glimpse of what was happening across the room brought him to his feet, but quickly as he moved, he saw with dismay that it was too late.

Laddie had been amused by the situation, but after an hour of it, suddenly it had seemed silly. As the music ended, she moved with Faith to the table, and started to excuse herself so that she could go sit with Dan, but a rough hand suddenly seized her shoulder, whirling her about, and she found herself staring into the icy eyes of Hawk Parker. He had been drinking, and there was a raw rage in his sharp features.

Laddie struggled to free herself, but there was steel in the
grip. “I guess you think that uniform makes you something special?” he said loudly.

“You’re drunk, Hawk!” Faith said angrily.

“No, I ain’t drunk—just want to let this here pretty boy of a soldier know he can’t come around here and steal my girl!”

“Let go of me,” Laddie said, struggling to free herself, and she caught a glimpse of Daniel hurrying across the room with alarm on his face. “I don’t want . . . !”

“I don’t gave a hoot
what
you want!” Hawk yelled, and with the speed of a striking snake he whipped his fist around and struck Laddie in the temple!

Laddie never saw the blow; bright lights flashed suddenly; then she sank into blackness, never feeling the hard floor that she fell back on.

Hawk stared at her with confusion in his eyes. He was very strong and accustomed to fighting strong men, so when his fist sent Laddie sailing back unconscious, he stood there confused by the cries of the women.

Daniel got there too late to stop the blow, but the sight of Laddie lying loosely on the floor with her face reddened by the blow triggered a black rage that he had not thought possible. His hand shot out, and he caught young Parker by the arm, whirling him around.

The liquor had befuddled the young man, and he was glad to see a strong man in front of him. He struck out at the minister wickedly, catching Daniel in the mouth with a tremendous blow, yelling loudly, “You keep out of this, preacher!”

He expected Greene to go down, for he had hit him as hard as he had ever hit any man, but the blow seemed to have no effect! The Quaker simply ignored it, and then he sent a terrible blow that smashed young Parker between the eyes. It drove the light out of his eyes, sent him hurtling back, and when he struck the wall, he was already unconscious.

The sound of Parker crashing into the wall brought sanity
back to Greene, and he stood there horrified at the way the young man fell to the floor as if he were boneless.

There was a sudden silence, and then Ezra was beside him, looking down at the still form of his son. There was something like awe in his light blue eyes as he stared at the minister, and then he whistled softly and said, “Well—reckon you done the necessary, Friend Daniel—but I shore never thought any one feller could put the lights out on Hawk with one lick!”

“Is he—all right?” Daniel asked faintly. He felt sick and wanted to leave, for the shame of his violence seared his spirit.

“Oh, he’ll have a sore head—but I would have whopped him with an axe handle anyway—for hittin’ the soldier when he wasn’t ready. He wasn’t raised like that!”

Dan whirled and moved to where Laddie lay. He picked her up and carried her out of the room. Not one word was said until he passed through the door; then he heard the room humming wildly.

He was so shaken by the incident that he walked blindly down the lane. He had never struck another man in anger, and his mind swirled with the scene: he saw Parker’s face as he reeled backward and hit the wall.

“Let me down!”

“What?” He realized that Laddie was struggling, trying to free herself. He set her down at once, and she swayed and held on to him for support. “I’d better carry thee.”

“No! I—I’m just a little dizzy.” She stood there, holding lightly to his arm, and they could hear a faint sound of music as the fiddles struck up again. She gave a rueful smile and touched her temple. “Never brought the New Year in like this,” she said.

He looked soberly at her and shook his head. “Neither did I.”

“What happened—after he hit me?”

He stood there silently, and the silver light of the moon highlighted his features, painting his cheeks and throwing the hollows of his eyes into shadows. “I hit him,” he said
slowly, and he added after a moment, “I didn’t know I had such capacity for hate in me.”

She didn’t move, but stood there looking up into his face, and what she saw was sorrow. She had heard enough of the Quaker faith to know how important it was for a man never to strike out, and she saw the raw pain in his eyes. “Dan—” she said softly, using his first name unconsciously, “don’t feel bad. It was all my fault! I made a fool of myself!”

He didn’t answer, and the silence grew heavy, broken only by the sound of a dog barking sharply at some unknown foe. Finally he shook his head and his shoulders drooped. “It’s not your fault. I’ve been tried out before, Julie. All the time I was growing up there were boys who heard that Quakers would never fight—and more than once I’ve taken a blow in the face—and never hit back. Not until tonight.”

She was shocked to see his firm lips tremble, and she whispered, “Dan—Dan, you were just trying to help me!” The pain he felt was so palpable it seemed to be ripping him apart, and she knew that the ugly incident had shaken his faith. She hated herself for provoking this doubt, and she reached up, not conscious of what she was doing, and put her hands on his cheeks. It was the gesture she would have used to comfort a child that had been terribly hurt, and she whispered, “Please don’t grieve, Dan! I can’t stand to see you hurt like this!”

Her eyes, he saw, were filled with tears, and her closeness suddenly shook him. He had long since mastered his emotions, never allowing them to rule any part of his life—but his guard was down. The raw rage that had exploded had left him empty, and now he was aware only that she was lovely in the moonlight, and that she cared for him.

There was no thought in what he did then. Her hands were warm on his cheeks, her lips half open, and she looked up with pleading in her luminous eyes. He put his arms around her, and she gave him one startled look, but she did not draw back. And when he slowly lowered his head and kissed her, there was a trembling innocence in her lips that shook him.
Her hands on his cheeks were suddenly still, but as he held her closer, filled suddenly by a hunger, she put her hands behind his head pulling him close.

When he lifted his lips, she whispered, “Dan . . . !” and then she gave a sob and moved away from him.

The kiss had shaken him worse than the fight, and he stood there struggling with his thoughts. Finally he said, “We’d better get on.”

“Yes!” She gave a half gasp, and they walked without speaking. The only sound was the crunch of snow under their feet.

Finally they got to the house, and he stopped her before they went inside. “I’m sorry—that I kissed thee.”

She shook her head, and when she lifted her face, he saw the tears had made silver tracks down her cheeks. “I’m ashamed . . .” she whispered, and then she felt the deep sobs rising in her, and she whirled and dashed into the house.

He stood there, staring into the house, and finally he went to bed. But not to sleep. All night he lay there with his eyes open wide, staring blindly at the ceiling. He lived out the scene over and over, and the thought rose to torment him:
But she’s another man’s woman!
He tried to pray, but the heavens were brass. He cried out in agony to God, but his heart felt dead in his breast.

Laddie wept until there were no tears left, and then she sat staring vacantly out the window at the moonlit landscape. The very peaceful look of the fields and trees were a contrast to the storm that went on inside her.

When morning came, it was a relief to leave the bed, but breakfast was a quiet, strained affair. They looked at one another over the table, and though they smiled and spoke, Sister Greene went still, for she sensed that something had changed, and it brought fear into her heart for the first time she could remember.

They were almost finished with breakfast when there was the sound of a wagon stopping outside. Boots sounded on the steps; then a knock came. “I’ll get it, Mother,” Daniel
said quickly. “I asked Edward Rollins to come by this morning.” He moved to the door and opened it, but the greeting that was on his lips failed as he stared at the man who filled the doorway.

“Where’s Laddie?”

Nathan’s voice was sharp, and then he saw Laddie over Greene’s shoulder, and shoved past the minister, his face breaking out into a wild grin. “Laddie! You’re all right!” He reached out and grabbed her with a wild hug, not noticing her pale face. “I’ve been about crazy, Laddie, thinking you might be dead, and here you are, healthy as a bear!”

Laddie swayed as he shook her, and with a smile said, “Nathan—I’m so glad you’re back!” Then she turned and looked straight into the eyes of Friend Daniel Greene, and said quietly, “Now I won’t have to be a burden to these good people any more!”

CHAPTER TWENTY

THE GUNS OF TICONDEROGA

Henry Knox had not lost a pound, insofar as Laddie could tell. She had gone out with Nathan to the camp, and to her surprise, Daniel had accepted Nathan’s invitation to go along. As they approached the site, Nathan pointed to where a group of soldiers were working on an enormous gun on a sled. “Look at the general, Laddie,” Nathan grinned. “This trip has worn all the rest of us down to skin and bone—but Henry Knox stays fat as a seal!”

“Well, I see you didn’t die, Sergeant!” Knox spotted them, and came to smile down at her. His cheeks were red and he was bristling with enormous energy. “By Harry, if I’d known you were going to live, I’d have had you at work rounding up oxen for me!” He gave a look at the worn animals that stood with lowered heads, eating listlessly.