Page 83 of Wherever My Heart Roams

"Hang you? But…that's barbaric?"

"No, my sweet, that's war!"

"I'm a firm believer that no one dies before their time. No one, so if that's true, I could die at home and it might be a while before you even knew it. Or you could die and I might not know it for ages. No, my place is here with you. I want to help you too. Jacob helps you. I want to do the same!" She touted. "Perhaps I could take over some of your regular duties so you have more time to work with the General."

He stared at her a long moment, as though considering her words. "I hadn't thought of that. I hadn't. Well, maybe you could be of help in that way. I could write out a schedule, of how things runs, you could check on things daily for me, that would free up some of my time. Yes, it would. All right Beth, we'll give it a try. But if it gets to be too much for you, tell me, understand?"

"Of course," she smiled again. "I'm glad you think I'm capable of handling a few things. I didn't want to sit idle all the time. I'd like to think I can be useful too."

"You already are to me, yes. But there are mundane things I see to every day, and if I knew you were handling them for me, it would free up some time for other things. And Jacob has certainly been an asset. Between the two of you, you could run the Lady Belle."

"Good, why don't you sit down now and assign me some of those mundane chores you attend to every day. I'm sure I could handle them." She encouraged.

Instead he took her in his arms and sat her on his lap. "When will it come…" he asked staring into her face with a smile.

"Around March…I'm three months pregnant."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"I had the doctor on board check me out. He said yes I was. Naturally, I suspected it. I must have gotten pregnant almost from the first…"

"I should have waited; I knew I should have…"

"Waited? For what, old age? I love you Wade Cahill and you better be happy about our baby, or I'll throttle you myself." She started to get up, but he restrained her.

"I am happy, inside. Forgive me, I want our child as much as you do. But the timing…"

"There is no right time to have a child Wade. There will always be something going on."

Suddenly he grabbed her and kissed her hard on the mouth, until her lips touched his and he melted against her. "My God, how long has it been since we…"

"Too long, in case you haven't noticed." She smiled breathlessly.

"I'll fix the schedule afterwards, my love…right now we have some celebrating to do." His smiled curled into her heart.

"I'm so happy…" she cried and he kissed her hard again. Every time Wade kissed her she enjoyed it, whether it was rough, or tender, whether she was prepared or not. Being with Wade was enough. She basked in his affections.

Two hours later he was up late making

a schedule for her, smiling all the while. She knew how to temper her husband, and keep him in a good mood, even when a nasty old war was going on. It was their love that held it all together.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he showed her the plans he had drawn up for her.

"I can do that."

"I'll have to get you a Captain's hat, so people will know you have authority around here." He smiled and kissed her hands.

"I like that, and I'll do everything in my power not to make the real Captain jealous." She giggled.

"Captain Horton will adore you helping out." He said.

She came to sit in his lap now, "And if anyone asks where you've gotten to, what exactly should I tell them?"

"Hmm…that's a good question. Perhaps a good comeback would be to tell them that since the Confederates have so much supplies and cargo, I have added duties and can't attend them. That should satisfy most of them."

She frowned for a moment, "Do we have all Confederate sympathizers, is there no other?"

"There is, but they are silently moving among us. General Martin tells me we have regular spy passengers all the time. And some soldiers traveling as Confederates during the ride, to escape to enemy lines. But he doesn't point them out to me and that I must at all times look as though I totally sympathize with the south. That way I will be under less suspicion."

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