A Stranger On My Land - A Civil War Romance Read online

  Confederate soldiers had gone through the cabin shortly after the men took up residence on Lookout Mountain. Anything of value was already in the cave, but the medicine had been overlooked. It was kept on a shelf in the root cellar with Aunt Lavinia’s other medicine. Could it still be there?

  She changed Adam’s bandages daily. After his clothes had been mended and washed, they were hidden in the bottom of one of the barrels with sacks of cornmeal on top in case her aunt felt up to walking into the main room. All signs of his allegiance to the North had been hidden. If Adam healed quickly, they might be able to keep his presence a secret.

  Although she wasn’t a doctor, his injury didn’t look any better. This morning ugly purple bruises surrounded the swollen skin.

  Adam had watched her face. “How does it look?”

  She sighed. “It’s bruised. I think I’ll try cleaning it again.”

  When she brought over a bowl of water and lye soap, Adam pretended to cringe. “You’re not planning to wash out my mouth with soap, are you? No one’s done that since I was about Jay’s age.”

  She couldn’t help laughing, and he grinned. “This is for your arm. The smaller wound is scabbing over, but the other one is still open. It can’t hurt, can it?”

  “I doubt it will hurt you much.” Still teasing, he made a face as if scared. “It’ll probably sting some for me.”

  She laughed again. Working quickly, she bathed the whole area and rinsed it. When she was done, she smiled at him. “Let’s hope for the best. If some dirt had made its way inside the wound, soap can’t hurt. I don’t know how to do anything else.”

  His face was a little pale, but he managed to grin. “Reckon it was worth a try. Once.”

  “All right. We won’t do that again. Hopefully it will close up now.”

  “I’ll start praying now.” He spoke with mock seriousness.

  She laughed again and returned to her chores.

  After supper that evening as Carrie washed the dishes, Jay brought in two buckets of milk from the back of the cave and poured it into a three-foot urn.

  She peaked into the urn. “That’s not as much milk as when they stayed in the barn.”

  Jay shrugged. “Reckon they need to get out into the fresh air as much as anybody else." He crossed the room to sit beside Adam. “What are you thinking about, Adam? Your arm hurt?”

  Adam grinned and forced himself to sit up and lean against the wall. “No, I’m all right. I was just thinking about a girl back home.”

  Alarmed to hear of another girl, Carrie’s gaze flew to the soldier.

  "What’s her name?”

  Adam rubbed his injured forearm. “Sarah.”

  “Is she your girl?”

  Carrie bent over so that wisps of blond hair hid her gaze from Adam as she tried to appear too busy to listen.

  “She didn’t want to be a soldier’s girl.”

  Jay folded him arms. “That’s dumb. Being a soldier is the best job.”

  Adam grinned and ruffled Jay’s hair. “I think so, too.”

  Star joined them and they began to fuss over the dog.

  Carrie regretted not hearing a bit more about the girl back home. Was she waiting for him? It didn’t sound like it.

  Did that bother Adam?

  For no reason she could understand, her spirits plummeted. She listened carefully to the conversation across the dimly lit room, but Sarah’s name didn’t come up again.

  His actions remained those of a gentleman. Always polite and grateful for the slightest service, he had altered her attitude about Union soldiers. His kindness to Jay didn’t go unnoticed either. As she normally preferred clean-shaven men, she tried to imagine him without the beard. Nothing could mask his intense blue eyes which seemed to pierce all the way to her soul. She couldn’t deny feeling drawn to him.

  When Adam showed no improvement the following morning, she made up her mind to visit the cabin. The medicine might not reduce the fever or pain, but she felt compelled to try. Even if he did fight on the opposite side as her father, she didn’t want him to die. She now knew him to be a good man. She would do everything in her power to save him.

  • CHAPTER FIVE •

  Carrie waited until Aunt Lavinia ate supper and settled to sleep before leaving the shelter. Jay wanted to come with her, but she convinced him to stay and feed Adam the remaining vegetable soup. Adam watched her leave with a concerned expression. Star came along after being admonished not to bark.

  The cold air caused her to shiver until the brisk climb toward the cabin warmed her. A winding wagon road passed about fifty feet from her home to the foot of the mountain. It didn’t go near the cave. Southern troops had camped about a mile from her home during the autumn. Had the soldiers been further away, she might have been able to stay there. She sighed. Now that the Union army had defeated the Southerners, the Northerners were likely to stay in the area for a while. Her family would take shelter in the cave for a while longer.

  Full darkness hadn’t fallen yet, and she knew movement could be seen across the valley, should anyone be watching, so she walked behind trees and underbrush whenever possible. His nose to the ground, Star followed her silently.

  She kept her guard up, always searching for signs that soldiers had returned. Rustling leaves made her jump, but the squirrel circled the oak tree harmlessly. So far, so good. Maybe she and Jay should make a few trips to the well near their home with some buckets. The water barrel was still over half full, but there was no way to know the army’s plans. The soldiers could return any day. One of the food barrels was empty now. It wouldn’t hurt to use it for extra water. They’d go tonight after she searched the cabin for anything they could use.

  Their home had been built on level ground with about two acres for her garden. The cows had a fenced pasture not far from the garden, as there were too many steep embankments and cliffs to be certain of the animals’ safety. The barn with an adjacent corral for their horses had several missing rails since the last time she’d been here about a month ago. The Confederates had undoubtedly helped themselves to some firewood. A smokehouse, henhouse, and a few storage buildings made for a comfortable home, whenever they could return to living there.

  How she longed for the not-so-distant days when they had felt like a family! Aunt Lavinia’s constant complaints wore Carrie out faster than their living conditions could. With no letters from Papa since early summer, they didn’t know how he fared. She knew that letters couldn’t get through easily with Union occupation of Chattanooga, so she refused to consider the possibility he might have been wounded.

  She was glad to leave her gloomy thoughts behind upon reaching the cabin. Muddy footprints showed others had been there. One of the chairs left behind lay in pieces on the floor, but the dining table was merely dusty.

  She lit the candle from her pocket and lifted the lid to the cellar. Climbing down the ladder, she crossed to the shelf where the medicine had been stored. Somehow the soldiers had missed the packets of powders on the bottom shelf. She snatched them up gratefully. If she’d left any of Aunt Lavinia’s elixir behind, the bottles were gone now. In fact, the rest of the shelves were barren. There had been fabric and old clothing down here along with a supply of lye soap. Why hadn’t she thrown those items into the loaded wagon with the rest of their possessions? No use crying over what couldn’t be changed.

  Leaving the house, she went to the barn where three stacks of baled hay had been stored. No! It couldn’t be true.

  Nothing remained. She rubbed her hand across suddenly throbbing temples. This loss hurt. They didn’t have enough feed for the cows back at the cave to last the winter. What could she do now? And which army deserved the blame? Both had been near enough to find the barn.

  Picking up one of the unbroken chairs, she carried it back to the cave. At least the soldiers wouldn’t get this chair.

  The moon lit the way for several trips to the well outside the cabin. It was closer than the creek at the base of the mount
ain. Hundreds of campfires surrounded Chattanooga in the distance. Star accompanied Carrie and Jay as filled buckets sloshed water on them in the cold. It was far too dangerous in the darkness to take the shorter mountain trail that led perilously close to steep drop offs.

  Thoroughly exhausted, she led the way into the cave on the last trip and almost dropped the precious cargo. In her cotton nightgown, Aunt Lavinia held a piece of firewood threateningly as she stood a few feet from where Adam lay with his gaze fastened on her.

  “Aunt Lavinia! What are you doing?” Carrie set the buckets down carefully and began to approach the wild-eyed woman on the opposite side of the room.

  “Carrie, he’s a Union soldier!” She shook the six-inch thick piece of timber at Adam. “Why is he here?”

  “We found him on the mountain. The other soldiers had gone.” Her heart thudding, she glanced at Adam as he rose to his knees unaided. Watching both of them warily, he pushed himself to his feet with his uninjured hand as if ready to bolt. “He’s been shot. He would have died on the mountain.”

  The gray-haired woman glared at Adam. “It would have been good riddance if he had. One less Yankee to trouble us. You should have left him there.”

  Carrie didn’t believe her aunt would hit Adam with the sturdy piece of wood, but the older woman had surprised her before. She prayed silently for his safety. He didn’t need any more wounds. “Aunt Lavinia, I know you don’t mean that. Why, Mama would turn over in her grave if we had left him to die.”

  “Your mother always did have a soft spot for those who suffered.”

  Carrie took another step forward. “Yes, she did. I know you do, too, deep down inside. Please don’t hurt this soldier who has been every inch a gentleman since he came.”

  “His name’s Adam, Aunt Lavinia.” Jay’s earnest green eyes pleaded with her from Adam’s side. “He won’t hurt us, not even when he gets better. He likes us. Even Star.”

  “Adam Hendricks, United States Army.” He gave a respectful nod to the older woman. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ma’am.”

  “Don’t you try to cotton up to me, Yankee!” Her eyes blazed. “I’ve heard how you’ve been destroying towns and burning mills so folks can’t feed their children. You ought to be ashamed!”

  Her words filled Carrie with fear for the soldier who had befriended her and Jay. Nothing must happen to him.

  “If you want me to go, I’ll leave now.” His tone remained respectful as hatred charged the atmosphere.

  “No! He can’t leave. He’s not strong enough, Aunt Lavinia.” Carrie rushed to her aunt’s side and impulsively clutched her arm. “Please don’t force him to go. He’ll die before he reaches the army camps in Chattanooga.”

  “That ain’t no concern of ours.” Aunt Lavinia finally turned her angry gaze to Carrie.

  “Yes, it is.” Carrie usually agreed with her aunt to keep the peace, but couldn’t afford to do that this time. Adam’s life depended on it. “He’s a good man, Aunt Lavinia.”

  She glanced suspiciously at Adam. “I’ll bet he’s killed some of our soldiers.”

  “If he did, it’s only because of the war. Both sides have lost too many.” Heart thudding, she stared at the log still raised toward Adam. “Please, let me do what I can to save his life. There’s been too much bloodshed. Let’s not add to it.”

  “Please, Aunt Lavinia?” Jay shook as he added his plea.

  The wood fell with a thud. “And he’s gone as soon as he’s better.”

  “When he’s strong enough to cross the valley.” Carrie held her breath.

  Aunt Lavinia patted Carrie’s hand. “Help me back to bed, child. I’m all done in.”

  “Of course.” Allowing the older woman to lean on her, she stole a relieved look at Adam. His grave expression didn’t change as his eyes searched hers. Perhaps he still felt in danger. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Jay, empty the water into the barrel and give Adam a drink.”

  • CHAPTER SIX •

  After watching Carrie leave with her aunt Adam slumped onto his pallet. He had believed the older woman meant to bludgeon him where he lay when she first entered the room with the piece of firewood. The crazed look in her eyes had scared him even more than his first battle. When Carrie entered, sloshing water on her dress, it seemed God had sent her in answer to one of those silent prayers Jay had mentioned.

  What would have happened if she hadn’t returned at that moment? His strength had waned to the point he might have been unable to avoid the blows. Would he have been facing his Maker at the tender age of twenty-two?

  Suddenly shivering, whether in reaction to the bitter scene or fever, he pulled the blankets over him. One thing of which he was certain—he wouldn’t fall asleep again next time Carrie and Jay left the cave.

  Jay brought him a dipper of water and knelt beside him. “Sorry about Aunt Lavinia. She wasn’t like this before she got sick.”

  Adam took one look at the boy’s miserable face and knew the ugliness had affected all of them. “Don’t you worry about it, Jay. Sometimes people aren’t themselves when they feel poorly.”

  “She’s got consumption. Dr. Townsend said the medicine will make her feel better.” Jay sat and leaned against the wall. “He never said she’d get better.”

  This little boy had seen hard times. He wouldn’t be fooled by trite sayings. If Adam was any judge, his aunt was not at all well. He took a long drink and gave the dipper back. “I’m just a soldier, Jay. I don’t know about such things, but I can tell you one thing. Your sister will take good care of you. You need to listen to her better.”

  He frowned and then nodded. “I know. Carrie used to let me outside to play or walk the cows home or fetch water. She hardly ever says yes to anything anymore. I’m tired of being cooped up in this cave.”

  Adam listened intently, wanting to ease the young boy’s restlessness, if possible. “I certainly can understand that. I’ve been here four, maybe five days?”

  “Five days. You came on Wednesday. It’s Sunday night. Tomorrow’s the last day of November.”

  “Five days, then. It’s hard on us men to be inside that long, isn’t it?”

  Jay rested his elbows on his knees and leaned his chin on his fists. “I’ll say.”

  “If these were normal times, she’d be fine with you and Star roaming the mountain around here, right? As long as you were careful?”

  He nodded.

  “Unfortunately, it could be dangerous out there. We fought on this mountain a few days ago. You weren’t outside then, were you?”

  Jay shook his head. “I wanted to watch, but Carrie wouldn’t let me.”

  “That’s because you have a smart sister. Bullets fly in all directions during battles. They ricochet off trees and boulders. You have a few of those around here, don’t you?” Since great boulders jutted out in many areas, Jay would understand this argument.

  He nodded. “Lots of them.”

  “I got shot during the fight, but I know the Union won. I listened to another battle the next day over on Missionary Ridge. I don’t know what happened. Either way, soldiers are likely to come back and camp on the mountain.”

  “It’s a big mountain.” A certain amount of pride lit Jay’s eyes. “Most of it is in Georgia, but we live in Tennessee. Maybe they won’t be anywhere near us.”

  “Maybe not. If they are close, you don’t want them finding this cave, do you?”

  “They’ll steal our food and our animals. They already took our horse.”

  Adam sighed, regretful of this family’s suffering. They lived in fear. “Your sister mentioned that. You’re right to hide the cows and chickens. Fresh eggs, milk, and butter will keep you fed a long time.”

  “Carrie told me the soldiers took the rest of the hay out of our barn. She doesn’t know how we’ll feed the cows when the hay runs out.” Jay’s green eyes grew huge with worry.

  Adam closed his eyes in regret at the crippling news for the brother and sister who had shown such kindnes
s. He hoped it was the work of the Rebel Army. “How much do you have here?”

  “Oh, there’s enough for a couple of months, maybe longer. We carried over as much as the back room would hold when we moved in.”

  Adam leaned back on the pillow, exhaustion claiming him again. There had to be something he could do for this family. When he rejoined his regiment, he’d come up with some way to help them. If he recovered. He grew weaker instead of stronger with each passing day. Those slugs of lead in his arm must be taking a toll on him.

  “Adam?”

  Jay’s voice seemed to come from far away. “Yes?”

  “I’m going to be a doctor one day. Then I can help folks like you and Aunt Lavinia. Just thought you’d like to know.”

  Pride filled him at the heart and courage in this young boy. Adam forced a response before sleep claimed him. “Glad to hear it. You’ll make a fine doctor.”

  Carrie emerged from the bedroom after a long talk with her aunt. Finding out Adam had been with them since Wednesday further angered the older woman. Carrie had listened to her aunt's tirade before appealing to the compassionate nature that must still survive in her aunt.

  Jay had fallen asleep next to Adam with Star in between them. She tapped her brother’s shoulder and got him settled on his own mattress before retrieving a clean cloth and a bowl of water. Kneeling beside Adam, she touched his burning forehead. The headache powders hadn’t done any good yet. He wouldn’t get any more medicine tonight unless he woke up.

  Hoping to cool the fever, she washed his face with cold water. She wondered if Aunt Lavinia would really have killed him. What if she and Jay hadn’t arrived? She felt protective of the soldier but didn’t understand why. The thought of someone hurting him frightened yet angered her at the same time. Did his weakened state bring out her protective spirit for a man she had met less than a week ago? Or did her heart whisper a deeper reason?