Captain Nelson and his men all straddled their horses, and with a wave of his hand, Nelson moved them forward. Daniel was positioned between the captain and two young soldiers in the front, and the rest behind. The click of a gun by a soldier to his rear reinforced the captain’s threat.
The two hour ride to the camp passed quickly. As they rode through the main gate, Captain Nelson led the men to a different location than the one Daniel had escaped from several weeks back. “Danforth,” Nelson directed his comments to the soldier alongside him, “lock the prisoner up. I’m going to the office to get the paperwork done for his hanging.”
The level of activity in the camp had increased since Daniel’s departure. News of the surrender of General Lee had apparently reached the men. Already groups of men, ragged and weary, rode into the fort in creaking wagons from the fighting fields.
Danforth nudged Daniel with his gun and indicated he should dismount. Daniel slid from the horse, and with a soldier on either side, entered a small room. A desk with papers scattered about sat in the middle of the space, with several chairs in various positions. A large map hung on a wall between two windows.
“In there.” The young soldier motioned.
Daniel walked the short distance to one of four cells in a room behind the office. After being locked in, he sat on the cot and leaned against the wall, awaiting his fate.
Captain Nelson entered his quarters and laid his sword and gun on his desk. A rap on the door caught his attention. “Enter.”
A middle aged soldier, with a belly that hung over his belt, saluted as he move into the room. “This telegram just came for you, Captain.”
“Thank you, soldier.” After nodding at the man, Nelson opened the paper and read, his eyes moving over the words. His jaw worked, and he felt his face flush.
“Goddammit!” He crumpled the paper, then fisted his hands on his hips, staring out the window. After a few minutes, he tore the missive into small pieces and tossed them into the fireplace.
“Time to go, Reb.” Captain Nelson smirked at him from the other side of the bars.
After the door unlocked, Daniel stepped out, and the soldier standing next to Nelson tied Daniel’s hands behind his back.
“Don’t I get to see a preacher?”
“No. We don’t have one here. You’ll have to ask the good Lord to forgive your black soul all by yourself. Get moving.”
As he stepped from the building, Daniel blinked at the bright sunlight, his eyes riveted on the platform with the noose hanging from it. This was it.
I’m so sorry, Rosemarie. Please don’t mourn me for too long. Take care of Chandler, Jace, and Amelia. Hug them for me and hold them close.
Daniel climbed the steps and walked to the center. The young soldier standing guard positioned him, and then slid the rope around his neck.
“Have any last words, soldier?” Captain Nelson stood, arms crossed.
“Stop!”
All three men glanced toward a woman, her skirts above her knees, hair flying in the breeze as she rode a horse right up to the platform, yanked on the reins and slid to the ground.
Rosemarie?
She looked magnificent. All the righteousness of an avenging angel radiated from her. Her hair tumbled down her back, her face was flushed. She gasped to catch her breath, her chest rising and falling. With her hands fisted at her side, and eyes flashing, she marched up to Captain Nelson, drew her arm back, and punched him square in the jaw.
Oh my God. Now we’ll both hang.
The soldier on the platform jumped down and grabbed Rosemarie, wrenching her hands behind her back.
“Leave her alone,” Daniel shouted. Turning to the other soldier on the platform with him, he growled, “Cut me loose.”
Confused with the turn of events, and eyes bulging at the attack on the Captain, by a woman, no less, the soldier withdrew his sword and cut the ties binding Daniel’s hands together. After yanking the rope from his neck, Daniel ran down the steps.
“You dirty, stinking bastard!” Rosemarie attempted to free herself, but the soldier held tight. “Governor Morton sent you a telegram this morning, telling you to halt this hanging.”
The captain rubbed his chin. “I received no such information.”
“Strange. I was right there in his parlor three hours ago when he sent his man with the note to the Western Union office.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Proceed with the hanging.” Nelson glared at the soldier. “Who authorized you to free his hands?” The captain’s face contorted in anger.
“No you don’t.” Rosemarie yanked herself free from the befuddled soldier. “I have another note right here, signed at the same time by Governor Morton.” She shoved the paper into his hand. “You can all see for yourself this is the Governor’s seal on that paper. If you hang Lt. McCoy, I’ll make sure you’re thrown into prison for the rest of your miserable life.
“That is if they don’t hang you for disobeying a direct order from the Governor of Indiana.” Her eyes swept the area, the other soldiers staring wide-eyed, their jaws slack. “And I have witnesses.”
Daniel moved to her, placing his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. They both stared at the captain.
Captain Nelson opened the paper with jerky movements. A deep flush rose from his collar to his hairline. He crushed the paper in his hand and glared at her before tossing it to the ground. His jaw worked, the vein in his neck pulsing. “Release the prisoner.”
He turned and strode away, the ball of the wadded up paper that saved Daniel’s life bouncing in the breeze behind him.
Daniel placed his hands on Rosemarie’s shoulders and turned her toward him. “I love you. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.”
She sagged with relief and smiled at him, her eyes twinkling. “I bet you say that to all the women who save you from a hanging.”
“No, sweetheart. Only one.” He lowered his head and took possession of her mouth. Something he intended to do every day for the rest of his life.
11
With them riding double on Mellow, it took Rosemarie and Daniel a few hours to arrive at Dr. Kennedy’s house. Both of them fatigued from the morning’s events, they had ridden in silence, Rosemarie in front of Daniel, his arms wrapped securely around her.
“I must admit when I awoke this morning, I never thought to see this town again.” Daniel gazed around as they came to a halt. He slid off Mellow’s back and reached up for Rosemarie. Once she was in his arms, he gave her a light peck on the tip of her nose. “That’s all for now. Once we get back to the farm, I’ll give you a proper kiss.”
He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with warm spring air. No more hiding, he was a free man. Free from the Confederate army and free from the clutches of Captain Nelson. Frankly, he didn’t know if the governor had the authority to have him released, but with the man’s backing, and the war over, the chances of anything coming to pass when the fort commander returned was slight.
Hand-in-hand they strolled up the doctor’s steps and banged the knocker. A pleasant woman who must have been the doctor’s wife opened the door, her expression of concern immediately turning into a bright smile. “Mrs. Wilson. I see you saved your young man.”
“Indeed I did, Mrs. Kennedy.” She grasped Daniel’s arm. “This is Lt. Daniel McCoy, formerly a Confederate soldier.”
“Ma’am,” he nodded.
Mrs. Kennedy stepped back and swept her arm out. “Please, come in. I see the doctor will have to attend to your injuries.”
“How are my children?” Rosemarie asked as she followed Mrs. Kennedy down the hallway.
“They’ve been awake for a while. All three ate a bit of breakfast, and their fevers are gone.”
“Praise the Lord,” she murmured.
“Mama!” All three children shouted at once.
“And Mr. a’Coy,” Amelia added. “You found him, Mama!”
Chandler stared at him. “Wh
at happened to your face?”
With everything else that had occurred, he’d forgotten about the beating he’d taken yesterday. “I ran into a bit of trouble, son, but Dr. Kennedy will fix me right up.”
“Can we go fishin’?” Amelia asked.
Daniel sat on the edge of her cot and pulled her onto his lap. “Yes, we sure can, Miss Amelia. But first you and your brothers have to get better.”
“Will you have to go back to your regiment again?” Chandler’s eyes held the fear of a young boy who had shouldered too much already in his young life.
“No, I sure don’t. The war is over.”
“Who won?”
“I’m afraid no one, son. Both sides lost a great deal. But the Confederacy is the one that surrendered, and we are all one union again.”
“Is that good?” Amelia said before tucking her fingers into her mouth.
“Yes, angel, that is very good, although I’m afraid a lot of people won’t think so for a long time to come. Hopefully we’ll all heal eventually.”
“Speaking of healing, I heard your young man has agreed to some doctoring after all.” Dr. Kennedy entered the room, a huge grin on his face.
Daniel stood and shook the doctor’s hand. “Thank you for helping my family.”
Dr. Kennedy’s grin grew wider. “Your family? I guess we’re going to be looking at a wedding sometime soon.”
“Well, seeing as how I haven’t even had a chance to ask the lady for her hand, I can’t rightly say. But in any event, it was my family you took care of.”
“Mama, are you and Mr. a’Coy going to get married?” Amelia asked.
Rosemarie cast a glance in Daniel’s direction. “Well, no one has asked me.”
Daniel grabbed her hand and dragged her from the room. “We’ll be right back,” he flung over his shoulder as he hurried her through the doorway.
Once they were in the front parlor, he tugged her to him and wrapped his arms around her. “Mrs. Wilson, I love you with my entire being. I want you by my side for the rest of our lives. I want to raise Chandler, Amelia and Jace. And whatever children the good Lord blesses us with.
“Will you say yes to my plans, and make this wonderful day even better?”
Her eyes flooded with tears. “Yes, Reb. I will say yes to your plans since they are very much like my own.”
“God, I love you,” he murmured before his mouth covered hers in a searing kiss.
Since they had to wait for Daniel’s black eyes to go back to normal, and for the children to recover from the chicken pox, it was a few weeks before the morning of Rosemarie’s wedding arrived.
She arose to the scent of late spring flowers drifting through the open window. Tonight she and Daniel would join together right here in this bed as man and wife. Always conscious of her reputation, Daniel had rented a room in town that he paid for by cleaning the saloon after it closed each night.
Every day, however, he spent with her and the children. He planted corn, helped Rosemarie start her vegetable garden, and began repairs on the barn that would soon house the wild horses he planned on capturing to begin his horse farm.
His soon-to-be wife thought the idea was a wonderful one.
A knock sounded on her front door and she hurried to allow a few women from the church to enter. They had arrived to help her dress, and to set up for the small reception they would have when they returned from speaking their vows.
The sounds of feminine chatter and excitement followed them as they took over her kitchen, placing warm dishes at the back of her stove, and the cold ones in her ice-box.
“Now it’s time to get the bride dressed,” Abigail Wetherby announced as she wiped her hands on a dish cloth and smiled brightly.
“Mama, can I help you dress, too?” Amelia looked up at her, eyes wide with anticipation.
“Of course, you can, sweetheart. And you have your new dress to wear, too.”
The little girl jumped up and down and clapped her hands. “And what about Jace and Chandler?”
“I don’t think they will be as excited as you are to dress in their best clothes for a wedding, but we’ll make sure they look just fine when we leave for the church.”
Daniel ran his finger around the inside of his collar and cast a weak smile at Reverend Potter. “I wonder what’s taking them so long.”
The preacher placed his large hand on Daniel’s shoulder and squeezed. “We still have a few minutes until the service. They’ll be here.”
As the last word left the preacher’s mouth the door at the back of the church opened and a crowd of women entered. In the center of the group stood his bride. His chest swelled with love.
Her light blue dress trimmed with lace fit her curves perfectly. As she turned to speak to Amelia, he got a glimpse of her hair that had been arranged in some sort of a bun at the back of her neck. Blue flowers circled the bun, the same flowers that she held in her hand.
Rosemarie bent to Chandler and spoke to him. He took Amelia and Jace’s hands and walked to the front of the church, helping them into the pew and getting them settled.
Mrs. Dickinson at the organ began playing, and Rosemarie took the few steps from the back of the church to where he stood. He reached out and grasped her hand, “You look beautiful.”
She smiled at him, and his insides turned to mush. This brave, wonderful woman would soon be his. They turned to face the preacher who would bless their union before God and man.
Several hours later, the twenty or so guests departed the farmhouse with hugs and well-wishes. The ladies had served the food and cleaned everything up, insisting Rosemarie take her wedding day off.
Daniel stood on the front porch with his arm wrapped around his wife, his children darting all over the yard, playing with Amelia’s cat. As he turned her to head into the house, all his thoughts were on their bedroom and the pleasures that awaited them once the children were settled for the night.
“Mama, look. Here comes another visitor.” Chandler pointed in the direction of the road leading up to the farmhouse.
Rosemarie raised her hand to her forehead to block the setting sun. A man walked the path, the fatigue in his body evident by his halting steps. He stopped for a moment, seeming to take in a deep breath, then continued on his way.
“Daniel?” Rosemarie said as her new husband stared down the road, his eyes growing wide. “Is something wrong?”
He shook his head and slowly descended the steps. As he continued toward the traveler, his heart sped up and his guts twisted. Once he was sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him, he picked up his steps until he was practically running toward the man.
“Daniel?”
“Oh, my God. Stephen? I was afraid you were dead.”
The younger man collapsed into Daniel’s arms. “Not quite, big brother, not quite.”
The End
Turn the page to read Stephen’s Bride.
Stephen’s Bride
About the Book
When Stephen McCoy leaves the home he shares with his brother Daniel, Daniel’s wife Rosemarie, and their four children to go into town to load up on supplies, he never expects to return with a bride.
Calliope Bender steps off the stagecoach in a wedding gown, carrying a wilted bouquet. She is running from an unwanted marriage, but needs a husband who will meet her requirements.
Stephen agrees to one of her conditions, but the ”marriage in name only” doesn’t sit quite well with him. Neither one of them are looking for love, but will it creep up on them when they aren’t looking?
1
May, 1867
Indiana
Stephen McCoy tightened the final strap on the wagon hitch, and happy with his work, headed to the white clapboard farmhouse. He pushed open the front door and strode to the kitchen. Rosemarie McCoy, his sister-in-law, sat at the kitchen table shoving mashed potatoes into his niece, Lucy’s eleven-month old mouth.
“I’m ready to go. Do you have your list ready?”
&n
bsp; She nodded at a piece of paper on the table. “Right there.”
He picked up the list and looked it over. “All right, I’m headed out, then.” He touched Lucy on the tip of her nose, the baby smiling at him as mashed potatoes ran down her chin. “Where’s Daniel?”
“He’s trying to tame that new stallion he bought last week. I swear he won’t be happy until he breaks his fool neck.” She stood and dropped the bowl of potatoes and the spoon into the sink. Then grabbing a cloth she ran it under the water spout and proceeded to clean up the baby.
Stephen watched her efficient movements as she tended to her baby and prepared to put her down for her nap. Once again he felt like the fifth wheel on a wagon. She and his brother had made a good life for themselves after the War Between the States had ended. Rosemarie’s three children, Chandler, Amelia and Jace, along with the addition of their daughter, Lucy completed their family.
Daniel worked hard on the farm Rosemarie had been left by her late husband, and Daniel had managed to put away enough money to start his own horse farm. Although Stephen was more than grateful for Daniel and Rosemarie taking him in when he’d returned from the War sick, wounded, and exhausted, the last few months he’d had the urge to have something of his own.
He knew exactly what that something was, too. He wanted his own horse farm. He and Daniel had been raised on a horse farm in Kentucky, which their mother had been forced to sell during the war to pay the taxes. Now Daniel was settled with a beautiful wife, four wonderful children, a thriving farm, and the beginnings of a horse farm.
Stephen’s dream, one he’d been saving for ever since he was able to rise from his sick bed and join Daniel two years ago. Every single penny he didn’t need he tucked away, along with money he’d picked up by doing odd jobs in town.
The McCoy Brothers Boxed Set Page 11