Page 372 of Conveniently Wed
The board wobbled in her hands as she pulled it into place. A quick glance assured their hideaway looked like the surrounding area, and the pipe buried for air supply was carefully hidden in the brambles.
She moved further down the hedge away from the hiding spot and settled into the perfect ambush site. Lying low with her Springfield rifle held in one shaky hand, she pulled out the small six-shot revolver pocketed in her dress, the one she’d removed from a dead Yankee earlier that year. The metal took on the chill of the cold October morning and bit into her fingers, but nothing was as cold as her heart towards those Yankees who had killed her twin brothers.
Her heart pounded so loudly, she feared it was audible. With a deep breath, she worked to calm the thumping. The revolver lay loaded and ready as backup. Katie fit the rifle into thecurve of her shoulder and shifted to find comfort on the uneven ground.
She clenched her teeth as her mind darted in and out of the horror of the past few years. Pa had warned the war would get uglier before it was over. He was right. Sheridan’s troops were now systematically eliminating the Shenandoah Valley as a source of grain and livestock for General Lee’s army—one field and one house at a time. The neighbor’s place devoured by flames looked like a beast from hell had feasted.
Her vision blurred, and she brushed away tears with an angry swipe.
She spied movement on the road. Her adrenaline spiked as she peered through the sight on her gun. A Yankee. Perched ramrod straight on his steed, a soldier turned into their yard. Hatred washed hot, but it cooled at the sight of the man’s face. The young officer reminded her of her twin brothers. He had the same wispy hair, angular cheekbones, and deep-set eyes. The urge to rise up from her hiding spot lifted her torso until the blue of his uniform caught her eye. She sank back, shaking, until hate once again gave her courage.
A swarm of soldiers followed the young officer to the front porch. They trained their muskets upon Pa.
“State your business,” Pa said. The Enfield he held loosely at his side looked more like a toy than a weapon.
Still mounted on his horse, the officer spoke. “Surrender your gun, and we’ll spare your life.”
A soldier stormed the few steps and knocked the rifle out of Pa’s hand. “Come on, old man. Got any fight left in you?”
Katie gripped the gun so tightly that it bit into the soft flesh of her shoulder. She set her sight on the pig-headed soldier. Her finger itched to pull the trigger.
“Take whatever you want. Just please don’t burn the house.”
The officer hesitated. “Sorry, old man, but an order is an order. You’d better get your family out of the cellar.”
“Hope you got a pretty one for me,” another said.
A group of them laughed. Their lewd intentions were clear Even from the distance, the lust smoldering in their evil eyes was obvious. She knew all too well what that meant.
Pa shook his head. “What did you say?”
“This crazy old buzzard’s gone mad.”
“Can’t understand simple instructions,” another said.
How dare they make fun of her pa.Turmoil roiled in her stomach, and she fought the nausea down.
“Leave him be,” the officer said. “When we start burning, he’ll understand.”
He barked out a few short orders, and the soldiers jumped into action, scurrying about like dungeon rats. The officer dismounted and went into the house with a few of his men.
Pa collapsed into the chair on the porch. His head fell into his hands.
They piled straw around the barn and drove Blossom, their milk cow, and old Sam, the mule, inside. The doors slammed shut, and they lit their torches. The flames danced into action licking up the sides of the barn. Katherine’s insides churned into a ball of fear.
She lowered her gun and shoved her fist into her mouth, biting down hard to stifle a cry as Sam’s bellow reached her ears. Next, the hay field Pa had worked so hard to plant was set ablaze. Their last few chickens were thrown into a sack and the little bit of cured meat left in the smokehouse taken. How would her family survive without food?
The screen door slammed, and the officer and his soldiers carried out Ma’s preserves, fresh bread, and a sack of root vegetables.
Katie’s fingers interlaced the gun with one trembling finger, ready to take back what was rightfully theirs.
“Come on, old man. Off the porch.” The officer grabbed Pa’s arm and lifted him from the chair. He dragged him down the steps and into the yard. The house was lit. They stayed just long enough to ensure the damage would be complete. The whole episode took less than fifteen minutes, before the soldiers turned and rode out of sight.
Pa sank to his knees in the dust.
1
Summer of 1865, Post Civil War
