Brides of Ohio (6 page)

Daniel knelt down and ran his fingers over his mother’s name carved in the simple granite headstone. Her gentle face filled his mind, and he closed his eyes against the sudden onset of tears. After a few minutes, he rose and, as he donned his hat, looked over at Katherine, who was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. “Miss Wallace, you mentioned how concerned my aunt is about me, and I would like to get home right away. Would you mind riding with me? My horse is very well behaved.”

Her eyes turned to saucers, and she looked at him hesitantly. “Are you sure
you
don’t mind?”

He smiled broadly, hoping to set her more at ease. “Of course not.” Gently taking her by the elbow, he guided her over to the fence where Scioto stood.

Seeing him, her shyness ebbed a little. She quickly walked through the gate with a smile and stroked his neck. “What a beautiful animal! What’s his name?”

“Scioto.”

“That’s the name of the river Mill Creek flows into, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I haven’t seen the Scioto yet,” she explained. “Mary and I came through Cincinnati, and I did see the Ohio River. I must say I agree with President Jefferson. It is the most beautiful river on earth.”

He blinked and looked at her with raised eyebrows. “You’ve read
Notes on the State of Virginia
?”

She blushed twice as hard as before, obviously embarrassed. “I’m afraid I’ve been looking through your books, Major Kirby. I hoped you wouldn’t mind. …”

“No, not at all.”

This young woman was one surprise after another. She smiled demurely, and as he helped her into the saddle, he found himself looking forward to getting to know Katherine Wallace.

H
ow awful for Mrs. Lincoln!”

Katherine patted Mary’s hand. They were sitting at the dining room table, she and Daniel on either side of the older woman. It seemed a shame to spoil his homecoming, but they both knew the report of the president’s assassination would not wait.

Her friend paled so terribly at the news that Katherine suggested Mary go lie down, but she gently declined and turned toward her nephew. “Who could have done such a thing?”

“John Wilkes Booth,” Daniel said quietly.

“I still can’t believe it,” Mary murmured. “Poor, poor Mrs. Lincoln. How did it happen? Have they captured him?”

“The president was at the theater last night,” he replied. “Booth came up behind him. … It was a head wound.” As Daniel spoke, Katherine blanched and put a hand to her mouth. Mary did likewise.

“Booth’s on the run”—his voice turned low and his face darkened—“but the army will get him.”

“What will happen now?” Katherine asked. “Will this make the war last even longer?”

Daniel’s grave face softened as he looked at her.

“Yes.” Mary turned toward her nephew. “Will you be called back into service?”

“No,” he replied reassuringly. “I’ve been discharged from the army.” He looked at both of them for a moment before continuing. “I feel the war is as good as over. General Lee started something that cannot be easily stopped. And people in the South look up to him. If he sets the example, many will follow.”

Katherine nodded while Mary embraced her nephew. While the news of the president’s death had shocked her, she was very glad to have Daniel home. A great deal of worry had lifted from Mary’s face when they had walked in earlier, to Katherine’s great relief. As they reminisced, she quietly rose and set about emptying the young major’s saddlebags.

He was without a doubt the handsomest, kindest man Katherine had ever met. She had been frightfully nervous sitting so close to him on the ride home, as she had very little experience with handsome young men. Apart from Thomas, of course. It had been so much easier with him; their relationship had existed chiefly through correspondence. She’d been to numerous balls, of course, but her shy ways and odd coloring meant she had been little more than wall decor, much to her aunt’s and father’s displeasure.

Words had failed her as she rode home with Daniel. Happily he asked her questions about the farm and Mary, and he was so kind and polite that her nervousness eased a little. She told him about what they had been doing over the past month, including how Mary had sprained her ankle. But she had not said anything about Elijah Carr’s desire to buy the farm. She’d felt that bit of information was best left for Mary to explain.

Katherine glanced over at the young major. She had to admit to being quite surprised that a Union soldier could have such a generous attitude toward Southerners. His voice had been full of respect as he had spoken of General Lee, and he seemed genuinely concerned for the welfare of the South, judging by what he had said to her in town. Even now he was telling Mary the concern he felt over people’s desires to punish the South for the war.

She gathered a few things in her arms and carried them to the kitchen. As she set everything down on the worktable, the last thing left in her hand was the coffee Deckers sold. The sight of it was a forceful reminder of the town’s attitude toward her.
Daniel is kind, but the South got what it deserved.
The thought caused her to bite her lip, hard, and she set down the coffee to finger her scar. She didn’t mean that.
It’s only right that everyone up here should treat me poorly after how I betrayed Chloe.

Blinking away the tears pooling in her eyes, she continued her work. After putting everything in its place, she walked back into the dining room to see what else Daniel had brought home.

“I’m so glad you were able to find him,” Mary was saying. She looked up at Katherine and gave a sad smile. “Daniel was able to find Toby and give him a proper burial.”

Katherine looked at the young major. He was deep in thought, and weariness hung heavy in his eyes.

“I couldn’t get to Jonah,” he said slowly. “He was with the Army of the Cumberland. I was sent word he fell at Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia.” He patted Mary’s hand. “I’ll travel back down to Virginia in a few months and bring Toby back home. Ma would’ve wanted him buried with her and Pa.” He looked out the window for a few minutes before turning back to his aunt, his face grave.

“What is it, Daniel?” Mary asked.

“I got to see Uncle John just before Gettysburg,” he said quietly.

Mary’s hand went to her throat, and Katherine was sitting beside her in an instant. Her friend’s eyes shone very bright as she listened to her nephew.

“He was fine considering he had just gotten over being sick,” he whispered. “It was very good to see him.”

Katherine felt her own throat go tight, not only for Mary’s sake but also at seeing how terribly it affected Daniel. He looked as if he had suddenly aged ten years, his face was so still and grave.

“My friend Joshua, Uncle John, and I—we ate together a few nights before we followed General Lee into Pennsylvania. Ma had sent me some food.” His eyes were nearly beet red as he looked at his aunt. “I found him … later. Buried him.” He quickly excused himself.

A few moments later, Katherine heard the creak of the pump out behind the house. She swallowed, uncertain of what to say.

Mary simply sat there lost in her own memories, a broken yet bittersweet look on her face.

“Mary,” she whispered.

Her friend looked at her and smiled through her tears. “I’ll be fine, dear,” she whispered back. “Please, make sure Daniel’s all right.”

Katherine nodded, rising from her seat. Walking into the kitchen, she could see the young major through the window. He was standing next to the pump in the little brick courtyard situated between the house and the summer kitchen. His hair and face were damp, and he was staring out over the hills and fields beyond the house. She hesitantly opened the simple screen door.

It creaked slightly, and he turned around.

“Can I get you anything, Major Kirby?”

He shook his head and turned away, resuming his scrutiny of the farm.

Katherine stepped out onto the porch, uncertain what she should do.

After a moment or two, he spoke. “Is my aunt all right?”

“She’s fine.”

“I shouldn’t have told her.”

“No!” Her vehemence caused him to turn back to her in surprise. “I mean … it was the only news she’s ever heard of John. It was terribly hard to get a letter across the lines. She only heard of his death through a friend of a friend.” Her voice suddenly caught in her throat. “I only wish you had seen Thomas, too.”

He looked at her curiously. “Were you close to my cousin?”

“I …” What should she say? That day on the front veranda played out in her mind, and all she could see were Thomas’s hurt-filled eyes as she flippantly told him she was no longer interested in socializing with either him or his family. “I cared for him,” she whispered, her eyes darting away.

Daniel walked up to her. “I’m sorry.”

She looked up. What had it been like for him, all these years, seeing nothing but death and destruction? How many times had he marched men toward their deaths, and how many lives had this horrible war forced him to take? He had already buried a brother and an uncle, but had there been others? Four years of combat rested so plainly upon his features that she forgot to be shy and impulsively grasped his hand with both of hers, sensing he needed to feel the warm touch of life.

The look on his face was a mixture of surprise and gratitude as he placed his other hand over hers. He opened his mouth to say something when they heard the sound of a buggy coming up the drive.

They immediately returned to the dining room and found Mary struggling to rise from her seat. Katherine urged her to sit back down as Daniel went to the front window, parting the white curtains for a better look. Having settled her friend back into her chair, she joined the young major at the window.

A black buggy had pulled up in the driveway, and a well-dressed gentleman was climbing out. Her heart sank as she saw who was with him. It was Elijah Carr.

“What on earth is Ma and Pa’s lawyer doing here with Elijah Carr?” The young man turned to look at Mary.

“He believes you’re willing to sell the farm to him,” Mary said, her voice quiet.

Daniel frowned as a knock came at the front door. He turned to Katherine and gave her a little smile. “Would you please see them into the parlor, Miss Wallace? Tell them I will be with them shortly.”

As Katherine went to the door, Daniel knelt down in front of his aunt and spoke quietly. “Ma told Mr. Carr I would sell the land to him?”

“Yes,” she replied softly.

Daniel sat there for a moment. Since before Ohio had become a state in 1803, the farm had been in the Kirby family. His father had been very determined that his sons follow in his footsteps and farm the land just as his father had. It had disappointed him greatly that Daniel had favored books over sowing a field. Daniel had always resented his father trying to force the farm on him, especially when Jonah, his older brother, had been a born farmer and preferred it over anything else. And Toby had been the same way. Why should it matter if Daniel did not want his share of the farm?

Because Pa saw books as a waste of time, not real work. He couldn’t see how a man could make a living reading books all day.

He rose and looked in the direction of the parlor. Ironically, now that Toby and Jonah were gone, their shares of the farm now belonged to him as stipulated in his father’s will. And he didn’t want any of it. He already had a position to return to at Ohio Wesleyan. His mother had known that. She had always understood his love of learning and his desire to teach.

But to sell the land to Elijah Carr? True, he was a good farmer, but he seemed to think that since his family helped found the county, the entire county should belong to him. He owned most of the land along Mill Creek. Except the Kirby farm.

Pa would roll over in his grave if I sold the farm to him. Of course, he’d roll over in his grave if I sold the farm to anyone.

“He’ll give you a good price.”

Daniel looked down at Mary. His aunt was of the same opinion of him as his mother. “I know.” He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before walking out of the room toward the parlor.

Katherine was standing in the hall between the two rooms, her dainty face distressed.

“Are you all right, Miss Wallace?”

She looked up at him. “Yes, Major Kirby, thank you.” Before he could ask more, she retreated to the dining room.

Frowning, he continued on into the parlor and was immediately greeted by Elijah Carr.

“I’m real sorry about your ma,” he said as he shook Daniel’s hand.

“Thank you,” Daniel replied stiffly. He looked over at Mr. O’Conner and offered his hand. “It’s good to see you again.”

The lawyer gave him a small smile as he took Daniel’s hand. “Good to see you, too. Your ma was a lovely Christian woman. She’ll be missed.”

“Thank you. Is your son well?”

“Yes, we missed you helping him with his studies. Too young to join up, of course.”

“He was better off. I suppose you heard about Toby?”

“Yes. Very sad. Eliza and I are so sorry for the loss of both your brothers. We—”

Mr. Carr cleared his throat. “I don’t believe Mr. O’Conner came clear over from Delaware to talk family.”