The Bride Price

by Tracey Jane Jackson

  “You jus’ need to eat an’ get ya strength back. You be back on your way in no time.”

  Back on my way to where, though? I don’t even know who I am.

  He nodded and picked up a piece of toast. A liberal portion of jam had been spread on top and he grinned up at Della. “You remembered exactly.”

  “Yessuh. It’s my job to knows.”

  James swallowed. “Well, I appreciate it. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better piece of toast in my life.”

  Della’s cheeks reddened as she turned to gather the supplies to change his bandage.

  “Daddy says you’re a lieutenant,” Amelia said.

  Was he? He didn’t know. The decorations on his military coat indicated he was, but he would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the bars of a lieutenant, a colonel, or Captain Kangaroo.

  James shrugged. “Yes, I suppose I am.”

  “Of the cavalry.”

  Cavalry…that means horses, right?

  James nodded. “Yes.”

  Amelia smoothed a hand over her skirts. “Did you lose your horse?”

  “Miss Amelia,” Della admonished. “The po’ man don’t know what end’s up, chil’. Let him alone.”

  James sipped his coffee and smiled gently. “I don’t know what happened to my horse. I don’t know what happened to my unit, either.”

  Or my mind, for that matter.

  “Daddy has three horses hidden in the barn.”

  Della dropped the bandages with a thud. “Miss Amelia!”

  “Della, he’s trying to keep them from the Rebels, not the Union. I think if Lieutenant Emerson needs one, Daddy should give him one.”

  James chewed the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at Della’s expression. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. Mr. Powell need never know we had this conversation.”

  Della pushed Amelia toward the door. “Shoo, missie. I nee’ to change his bandages.”

  Amelia left the room and James slid the sheet down just enough for her to work. “Does you nee’ me to get my son to help you dress?”

  James shook his head. “No, thank you. I think that once you have me all fixed up, I can manage.”

  “Yessuh.”

  Once his bandages were changed, Della left the room and James climbed from the bed. His freshly washed uniform had been laid out on the chair next to the fireplace, so he pulled on his pants and paused to catch his breath.

  Even though the bullet had caused a small hole and settled just under his skin, the wound the doctor created removing it was worse. He guessed the scar would be unsightly. He dragged his hands down his face, surprised by the prick of stubble. He was used to being clean-shaven.

  Am I?

  He glanced in the mirror and vaguely remembered the face staring back at him. His beard seemed entirely out of place, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. Shaking away the confusion, he put his shirt on and awkwardly pulled the suspenders over his shoulders.

  On the dresser lay an unfamiliar chain with two diamond rings and the intricately carved ring he’d been wearing. Della had insisted he remove the band two days ago, concerned that if he caught a fever or his fingers swelled, he’d never get it off. He’d read the inscription half a dozen times in the last two days, trying to jog his memory. “I love you more.”

  Who loved him more? He couldn’t remember and whenever he tried, he ended up with a nasty headache. He figured the best he could hope for was to heal quickly and get to wherever it was he needed to go. Maybe that would make him remember.

  * * *

  “Baby, where have you been?” Jamie trailed kisses down her neck as he whispered, “I have missed you.”

  “I can’t find you,” Sophie said. “Where are you?”

  “I’m here, sweetheart.” His hand stroked her cheek as he leaned over to kiss her. “Have you even looked, or have you forgotten me already?”

  “No, never. Tell me where you are.”

  He drew her lower lip into his mouth and sucked; the familiar warmth pooled in her belly as he said, “I’m here, baby. Why can’t you find me?”

  A groan escaped at her frustration. “You are not here, Jamie. Where are you?”

  “Right here.” Jamie slid the buttons on her nightgown and slipped his hand inside.

  Sophie’s body reacted instantly and her breath came in short bursts as his hands seem to be everywhere – and then nothing. She woke with a start.

  That’s all I get? SERIOUSLY?

  Frustrated—on so many levels, Sophie punched her pillow. It was the middle of the night and she was dreaming of things that would never come to pass again. She needed to get a hold of herself. It was difficult enough to know she was no longer in the twenty-first century. Now she was dreaming of a life once lived, fully and in love.

  Not fair!

  * * *

  Sophie woke the next morning with a plan forming in her mind. She would not wait another minute to find him. She had to get back. Jumping from the bed, she dressed quickly, foregoing the corset, and rushed downstairs.

  “Good morning, dear.”

  “Hi, Nona.” Sophie tried to keep the frustration from her voice.

  “Breakfast is ready. Will you join me?”

  “I need to get over to the barn.”

  “Nonsense. Nothing’s more important that a good meal, dear.” Nona slipped her arm around her waist and let out a gasp. “Mrs. Ford, are you not wearing a corset?”

  Sophie rolled her eyes. “I was in a hurry.”

  “Well, that is absolutely no excuse to appear in public unclothed. Come. I’ll assist you.”

  “Thank you,” Sophie grumbled and followed her up the stairs.

  Sophie forced down breakfast and a cup of coffee, her smile tight in an effort to keep from snapping in frustration at her hostess.

  “Why don’t I walk out to the stables with you?” Nona offered.

  Sophie took a deep, calming breath and forced another smile. “That would be lovely.”

  “Sophie! Thank goodness you’re here.”

  They turned to see Christine bustling down the hallway.

  “What’s amiss, Teeny?” Nona asked.

  “Sorry, Nona.” Christine held her hand out to Sophie. “I need Sophie to come with me, if you don’t mind me stealing her away.”

  “Not at all.” Nona turned to Sophie. “I’ll see you at lunch, dear.”

  “Yes. Thank you. I look forward to that,” Sophie answered somewhat stiltedly as Christine took Sophie’s arm and guided her down the hallway. “How did you know I needed your interference?”

  Christine chuckled. “I promised you that we would look for answers, so here I am.”

  “Thank you. Let’s hurry.”

  Sophie rushed toward the stables, but the snow crunching under her feet slowed the attempt. Her feet began to tingle, and she stopped briefly to stomp her feet in both an effort to circulate the blood and allay her frustration.

  “The buildings aren’t going anywhere, Sophie.”

  “I need to know, Christine. I need to find something, anything.”

  Christine led her to where she had been found, per Nona’s information, and they began to push snow aside and kick anything that might be in their way. There was no sight of a disturbance in the ground and no apparent change in the air surrounding the area. Of course, Sophie didn’t really believe she’d find something so obvious as a trap door that opened to the future, but she thought perhaps there might be something to give her a clue at least.

  “Ladies?”

  Straightening her spine, Sophie pasted a serene expression on her face. “Andrew! What a lovely surprise.”

  Andrew crossed his arms, and his mouth turned up in a half-smile of suspicion. “What are you doing?”

  “Sophie thought she may have lost a button,” Christine said.

  Sophie nodded. “Yes, exactly. A button.”

  “May I assist?”

  “No!” Sophie rushed to say. “I mean, no, we’
re fine, Andrew.”

  “Thank you, Drew, but I don’t think it’s here.” Christine pushed at the snow with her foot. “We were just getting ready to go back to the house.”

  “We were?” Sophie asked and then turned quickly back to Andrew. “Right. We have been unsuccessful, so we’re going back to the house.”

  Andrew shook his head with a chuckle. “You two have been acting quite strange lately.”

  Christine linked her arm with Sophie’s. “Drew! What a strange thing to say.”

  “The truth is a strange thing to say?” he challenged.

  “No, no, we’re fine, Andrew. Really.” Sophie smiled. “Just looking for my button. Nothing untoward or strange going on.”

  Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Very well. I’ll leave you to your button search. Find me if you require assistance.”

  “Thanks, Andrew.” He stood for several minutes before finally walking away, and Sophie let out a sigh of relief. “That was close.”

  Christine frowned. “He’s suspicious.”

  “Well, it’s not like he could possibly guess what we’re looking for, Christine, so I think we’re somewhat safe from discovery.”

  She giggled. “True.”

  “Do we really need to go back to the house? I feel like we should look more.”

  Christine shook her head. “Sophie, there is nothing here. I’m not certain what we should be looking for, anyway.”

  Sophie sighed. “You’re right. It’s useless. I’m never going to find a way home, am I?”

  “Perhaps you aren’t meant to return.”

  “Christine!”

  Christine laid her hand on Sophie’s arm. “Would it be so terrible? To stay here? You have a place to live, and we are committed to helping you.”

  “I know. Don’t think I don’t appreciate it, really.” Sophie’s eyes filled with tears. “But I need Jamie. I can’t live without him. I’m not strong like you.”

  “I’m not saying we have to give up entirely. I just think you should try to relax and see what you can make out of your time here. Is that too much to ask?”

  “No,” Sophie whispered. “It’s not too much to ask. I’ll try. But I’m not going to stop looking for a way back to him.”

  “I’ll do everything I can to help you. I promise.”

  Sophie nodded and followed Christine back to the house. Christine linked her hand in Sophie’s arm. “Why don’t we visit your soldier?”

  “When did he become my soldier?”

  “When you insisted Michael take over his care, which in turn usurped Dr. Palmer’s orders, which in turn, made him puff up like a peacock and challenge Michael.”

  Sophie’s hand flew to her mouth. “He didn’t!”

  Christine giggled. “He did. However, Michael handled it beautifully, and your young soldier is now under careful watch and attention.”

  “Oh, dear. Did I make it difficult for Michael?”

  Christine shook her head. “No, as a matter of fact, it was a beautiful sight. I’ve never liked Dr. Palmer, and watching him get set down by Michael was exceptional entertainment for us.”

  “Us?”

  “The nurses.”

  Sophie nodded. “Ah.”

  “So, why don’t we visit him and you can see for yourself.”

  “Sounds great.”

  Sophie followed Christine back to the house, and they climbed into her buggy and drove to the hospital. Sophie tried to hide her surprise when they pulled up to a different area than previously and entered through a separate door, surprisingly more substantial than the tent flap she’d entered in before.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Warmth greeted her and she surveyed the freestanding fireplace and chimney built in the middle of the large tent, reminding her of a teepee. A hole had been cut into the roof of the canvas for the brick and the heat from the fire warmed the space quite adequately.

  “This way, Sophie.” Christine pulled her toward one of the rows of neatly set cots.

  “Mrs. Martin?”

  The ladies turned to see a handsome man moving toward them and Sophie felt Christine stiffen next to her. “Dr. Paxton.”

  Sophie noted that Dr. Paxton, tall with light blond hair and a clean-shaven face, only had eyes for Christine. His smile was quick and deep, and Sophie felt instant comfort. She glanced at Christine and raised an eyebrow.

  Was that a sigh from my very proper friend?

  Sophie watched Christine closely and nearly laughed out loud. She suddenly had a dreamy expression covering her face.

  “You aren’t on the roster today, is anything amiss?” he asked.

  Christine shook her head. “No, not at all.”

  A moment. A sigh.

  “Sorry, where are my manners? Dr. Paxton, may I introduce Mrs. James Ford? Sophie, this is Dr. Stephen Paxton.”

  Sophie reached her hand out and shook his. “It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Paxton.”

  “Nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Ford. Is there anything I can assist with?”

  “We came to visit the young soldier moved here by Dr. Wade.”

  Stephen smiled. “Ah, yes. He’s just come out of surgery.”

  “Is he awake?”

  “Not yet. I believe he’ll be out for a while.” Stephen smiled in Sophie’s direction. “You must have made quite the impression.”

  Sophie blushed. “I hope I didn’t cause any trouble.”

  Stephen leaned forward and whispered, “Anything that will bring Grant Palmer to his knees cannot be construed as trouble.”

  Christine let out a quiet gasp. “I didn’t know you had an evil side, Dr. Paxton.”

  Sophie’s head whipped up.

  Is she flirting with him?

  “Dr. Paxton? Oh, doctor.”

  The group turned at the sing-song sound of a woman moving toward them. Sophie heard Christine groan, albeit under her breath, as the pretty young woman waved at the doctor.

  “Miss Sylvester? Is something amiss?”

  The woman stalled briefly. “Uh, no, nothing amiss. I had but a simple question.”

  “I bet you did,” Christine muttered.

  Stephen smiled. “I’ll be happy to answer it later, if that’s agreeable.”

  “Of course,” she said, although Sophie noticed her frown when she looked in Christine’s direction. “Christine, you’re not on the roster today.”

  “No, Lila, you’re correct. We are here to visit with a patient. This is Sophie Ford. Sophie, this is Lila Sylvester. She’s one of our volunteers.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Sophie said.

  Lila nodded but didn’t repeat the sentiment. A minute of awkward silence ensued before Stephen turned his focus back to Christine, effectively ignoring Lila, and Sophie nearly snorted at the look of derision the woman sent Christine.

  “I’ll take you to the young man,” Stephen offered and turned Christine towards the cot.

  “Do you know his name?” Sophie asked.

  “No, he hasn’t spoken, mostly due to his state of consciousness. Even when he seemed awake, he wasn’t coherent.” Stephen stopped at the bed closest to the fire. “Here he is.”

  “Oh!” Sophie said.

  “Something wrong?”

  Sophie shook her head. “No, not at all. He looks so peaceful and very well cared for.”

  Stephen smiled. “We were given strict instructions.”

  Sophie sat in the chair Stephen pulled up next to the bed and inspected the young man’s wounds. “His eye looks much better.”

  “Without going into detail, we were able to repair it without cutting, which lowers the risk of infection.”

  Sophie gently stroked her fingers over the soldier’s forehead. “Remarkable. He looks so well. How is the wound at his wrist?”

  “I closed the skin around his lost hand, but time will tell how quickly he will heal. My focus at the moment is to keep it from infection. The rest of his injuries were easier to repair, so I’m hopeful that if he wakes up soon, he sh
ould make a complete recovery.”

  “I’d like to sit with him, if that’s all right,” Sophie said.

  “Of course.” Stephen’s gaze lingered on Christine. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

  Sophie saw Christine blush as she nodded and her eyes followed him as he walked down the aisle. Sophie grabbed her hand. “What the heck was that all about?”

  Christine shrugged. “I’m certain I have no idea.”

  “You like him,” Sophie insisted in a whisper.

  Christine snorted. “Don’t be silly.”

  Before Sophie could continue her barrage of questions, the soldier began to thrash. Christine moved quickly to hold him down, surprising Sophie with her force. “Hold him, Sophie but watch his arm.”

  Sophie placed her hands on his shoulders and pressed as hard as she could. The boy was strong and obviously experiencing fight or flight mode.

  “Shhh,” Sophie whispered. “You’re okay. We’re here to help. No one will harm you.”

  Christine rushed to find the doctor, leaving Sophie to figure out how to calm him alone. All she could think to do was sing, so she began to hum “Amazing Grace” as quietly as she could. It took a few minutes but he began to settle. Stephen arrived back at the cot, Christine and Lila close behind, and Sophie moved out of his way so that he could examine him.

  “Son? Can you hear me?”

  A groan sounded from the soldier and his tongue darted between chapped lips.

  “He looks thirsty,” Sophie said.

  “I’ll get some water,” Christine offered.

  “Son? Can you open your eyes for me?” Stephen spoke softly as he took the soldier’s pulse and tried to rouse him. “You need to try and wake up if you can.” Stephen lowered his wrist then slipped an arm behind his shoulders. “I’m going to sit you up.”

  Christine returned with a tin cup and handed it to Stephen, who tipped the rim between the soldiers lips. Sputtering, the soldier’s eyes flew open and he tried to push Stephen’s arm away. “Get away!”

  “You’re safe,” Stephen assured. “Drink.”

  Sophie was surprised the soldier acquiesced so quickly. Stephen was able to get him to drink the entire cup of water and stay calm enough for Stephen to check several of his wounds. Sophie insisted on sitting by his cot for another hour, although the man never spoke. She knew he was awake but couldn’t coax his name or any other information out of him.