Let danger never turn you aside from the pursuit of honor or the service to your country. Know that death is inevitable and the fame of virtue is immortal.
– Robert E. Lee
A warm bath and clean clothes served only to make Andrea’s eyes heavy as she sat by Alex’s side, fighting to stay awake.
“Go get some sleep,” Hobbs said with a commanding hand on her shoulder. “I’ll stay with him the rest of the night.”
When Andrea started to protest, Hobbs pointed his finger in her face. “I’m not prepared to handle two patients. Go to bed.”
Andrea came close to reminding the cantankerous doctor in no certain terms that she did not take orders. But upon reflection, she bent down and kissed Alex on the cheek instead. After exiting the room, she ran into Pierce talking in low tones to a private at the head of the stairs.
“Captain.” She nodded curtly.
“Miss Evans.”
Pierce quickly removed his hat and elbowed the wide-eyed private beside him to do the same.
“The apology I offered yesterday was most sincere,” he said, his eyes cast on the floor.
“In that case,” Andrea said, holding out her hand, “it is sincerely accepted.”
Pierce looked into her eyes to test her seriousness, then grasped her hand firmly.
“No hard feelings I hope.” Andrea stared straight up into his dark brown eyes, conveying her desire for reconciliation.
“None here, Miss Evans.” Pierce finally released her hand, but did not unlock his gaze from hers. “Boz told me again what you did yesterday. Words cannot express—”
Andrea held both hands in the air to stop him and closed her eyes to shut out the memory. “I beg of you, if you value the service, do not pain me with mention of it again, Captain Pierce. Ever.”
“Of course. I’m sorry. I understand.” Pierce touched his hat and headed down the stairs, leaning heavily on the handrail, but limping slightly less than before.
“Captain?”
He turned. “Yes?”
“You’ve had your leg properly cleaned and dressed?”
Pierce cocked his head, seeming to be surprised that Andrea had noticed or that she cared enough to ask. “Yes, ma’am. Doc worked on it last night.”
“Very well. Please continue to see it is properly taken care of. I would like to have the Colonel’s best officers stay healthy during his convalescence.” Andrea did not give him time to respond to the compliment before turning and walking away.
From the hallway, she heard Gus Dorsey greet Pierce at the bottom of the stairs. “Captain Pierce. How goes it with the Colonel?”
“Tell the men not to worry overly much,” Pierce said. “The lady up there has will enough for both of them.” The words sounded derisive, but Andrea thought his tone revealed a hint of respect.
She heard the door below creak open and the sound of Gus’s voice with a touch of humor in it. “But what will become of us when they are both at full strength at the same time?”
To this, she did not hear Pierce’s reply.
* * *
When Andrea awoke again, light was pouring in the window. She had no idea how long she had slept. An afternoon? A day? More?
Her mind raced with a crazy mixture of hope and fear as she made her way down the hallway to Hunter’s room. Panic like she’d never known before welled in her throat as she turned the knob, and a flicker of apprehension and fear coursed through her.
Although her eyes were still blurry with sleep when she entered, it took only a moment to realize the room was full of people. Her heart lurched hard against its cage.
But the sight of an older woman sitting by the bed dispelled any gloomy illusions of death. “Ah, there you are, dear.” The woman spoke while feeding Alex a spoonful of soup. “The Colonel was just telling me a secret about you.”
Andrea’s heart slowed its violent hammering when she realized Alex was not only alive, but apparently had the strength to flirt with the hostess of the house.
“He said he needs to get back to Hawthorne for a wedding,” she announced.
“A wedding?” Andrea pretended to be surprised as she walked toward the bed.
“A wedding,” Alex answered, taking her hand, his eyes sweeping over her approvingly. “Don’t tell me no one informed you.”
“Perhaps it was an oversight.” Andrea sat down and Alex motioned for her to come closer.
“It appears you are out of uniform.”
“If I’m to be a wife,” Andrea responded, “I have no more plans to be a soldier.”
“If you are half as good at the former as you were at the latter, I’ll be the luckiest man in Virginia.”
“Just Virginia?” Andrea bent down and kissed him on the forehead. His color looked better, she thought, but he felt awfully warm. And she could tell by the lines and the tension on his face that he was in deep pain. He was apparently only pretending to be stronger—not actually feeling it.
“Oh, all right, the world.” He grabbed her weakly and pulled her down for another kiss. Andrea relaxed into him, and felt the slow thud of his heart as hers raced against it.
“You two, break it up,” Hobbs said gruffly, walking to the bed. “I want no more talk of moving back to Hawthorne. Not yet.”
“It’s not that far. I can—”
Alex looked instinctively to Andrea for backup, apparently assuming she would agree with him and fight for its speedy outcome. But she remained silent, her gaze instead going to the doctor. “I believe, perhaps, Doc knows what’s best, Alex.”
Hobbs looked at her appreciatively, then turned his attention back to Alex. “You are weak. There’s still a chance of infection. The stronger you are the better chance you’ll have to fight it.”
The sound of hoof beats thundering into the yard below interrupted the conversation. Andrea ran to the window. “It’s Carter and some of your men.”
She tried to sound calm, but she could see by the look on all of the faces in the room that Carter would not have come if there was not trouble.
By the time Andrea turned around, Carter’s spurs were already jangling up the steps and he burst into the room.
“’Scuse me, sir,” he said, relief evident in his eyes at seeing Hunter sitting up. “We got trouble in blue coming down the pike. I’m afraid you’re gonna have to move.”
Andrea’s gaze went to the doctor, but he looked away. “To where? Where is safe?”
They’re searching every house within fifty miles,” Carter reported. “We’ve got two choices. We can go to the Turners, about five miles, and then move again, or we can go to Hawthorne. The Yanks have already been there. Searched it up and down. Chances are they won’t be back. We got townspeople out spreading rumors that you’ve been taken to Richmond for safety.”
Alex looked at Andrea. “Got a wedding to attend. Let’s go to Hawthorne.”
A smile flashed across Carter’s face, but he quickly became all business again. “They’re hitching a wagon now,” he said. “Loading it with vegetables. Might be a bit uncomfortable.”
“I’ll drive it.” Andrea stepped forward.
She saw Carter look questioningly at Alex. “Give her a gun,” was all Alex said. Then he looked at Andrea. “You spoke too soon. Your soldiering days are not yet over.”
Before Andrea had time to think another thought, Alex was loaded and an advance guard had been sent forward. Twelve more riders waited nearby to serve as rearguard and flankers.
She tried to appear calm when her gaze landed on Pierce, but she knew he saw the panic reflected there. He smiled and nodded in a reassuring gesture, and she nodded back in acknowledgment and appreciation. It somewhat unnerved her to see his confident gaze, a look that told her he would defend both lives in the wagon, unhesitatingly, with his own.
Before she picked up the reins, Andrea jumped back out of the wagon and grabbed Carter by the arm as he walked to his horse. “I have no one to give me away. You will come to the wedding?”
Carter looked at her with surprise and then shook his head in feigned annoyance. “Just like a woman, thinking about her weddin’ instead of her life. Now git!”
Before she could turn, he grabbed her and kissed her on the cheek. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, darlin’,” he whispered. “That man’s like a son to me.”