Above and Beyond by Jessica James

Author:Jessica James
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, romance, literature, military, inspirational, love story, civil war, historical, war, christian, spy, classic romance
Publisher: Jessica James

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“I’m afraid we’ve got some injured men here, Mrs. Duvall.”

Sarah stood in the doorway trying to appear calm as the Union officer began directing the removal of the wounded from the wagons into her house. She recognized him as one of Colonel Snipes men, and prayed Snipes himself would not show up on her doorstep.

After being beaten in battle on numerous occasions by Benton, Snipes had made a personal vow to rid the land of the renowned Confederate cavalry leader. Earlier in the war, Snipes had been cowardly and timid, but he was now cunning and brazen—and violent—with vengeance impelling his actions more than courage.

“I hope not too many.” Sarah tried to keep her voice from shaking. She was always permitted the sanctity of her bedchamber when Union troops overtook her home, but she hoped to keep the entire second floor from becoming overrun with Yankee soldiers.

“No not too many,” the officer said, looking over his shoulder at her curiously. “The worst of them were taken up to Wilson.”

“Very well.” Sarah turned back to the house. “I’ll help however I can.”

The next few hours were the most agonizing ones Sarah had ever endured. Although the men being unloaded were not the most seriously injured, they still needed wounds dressed and a place to rest comfortably. Sarah worked instinctively, her thoughts not on her task, but rather what she would find in her bedchamber when she could at last retire. She knew in her soul it would not be a corpse. Strong as Benton was, it would take an eternity to kill him.

After hours of agonizing work, Sarah was finally able to creep up the back staircase with another bucket of water and some fresh linens. Opening the door quietly, she stood motionless waiting to hear the sound of his breathing. It came to her soft and irregular, along with low murmurings as he talked in his sleep.

Lighting a lamp, she stood over the bed and watched his chest slowly rise and fall. With shaking fingers, she unwrapped the bandage around his head and put her hand on his brow. It felt warmer than she’d hoped, though was not hot with signs of fever.

Dipping a cloth into the cool water, she wiped his forehead and then proceeded to take a closer look at his wound. As she had suspected earlier, it appeared the bullet had entered the flesh beneath his ribcage and exited from his back. She was relieved there was nothing to attempt to remove, but only time would tell what damage had been done. As she began to rewrap the wound, Benton tossed his head and groaned. Sarah tried to quiet him, bending over him with the wet cloth to cool his fevered brow.

At last, around midnight, Sarah lay down on a pallet beside her bed and tried to get some sleep. Her usually peaceful surroundings were broken by Benton’s occasional murmurings, which sent her sitting upright, her heart pounding with fear that someone would hear.

Taking deep

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