Honor Before Heart by Heather McCorkle

Author:Heather McCorkle [McCorkle, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensignton Publishing Corp.
Published: 2017-03-20T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Arms and lips still burning with the wonderful feel of Ashlinn, Sean marched straight for his lieutenant’s tent. He wanted to head this off at the pass before word had a chance to get out. Or more specifically, before Taylor came crying to his commanding officer yet again. This time he would not allow that blaggard to make it seem as though he were out to dishonor Ashlinn.

The flap to the lieutenant’s tent was tied open and the sound of a wire brush moving against steel came from within. Behind a table, the man sat cleaning his rifle. For a moment Sean considered backing away and returning later, perhaps when the man didn’t have a weapon in his hands.

Without shifting his focus from the weapon, he addressed Sean. “What is it you need, Sergeant?”

Upper lip twitching as he fought the impulse to cringe, Sean snapped to attention and saluted. Only just now looking up at him, the lieutenant put his bore brush down and returned the salute. Gun oil and soot smeared across his forehead as he did so. Picking up a rag, his attention returned immediately to his work.

“I wish to have a word with you, sir. But I can come back when you aren’t busy.”

“That ’tis a mythical time that doesn’t exist. Please, have a seat.” He motioned toward the empty chair on the other side of his makeshift desk.

Sean marched in and sat in the chair, his back rigid, eyes forward.

“At ease, soldier. Just tell me what ’tis on your mind.”

The man’s casual tone should have relaxed him, but it didn’t. He wasn’t a hard man, his lieutenant, just a fair and honorable one that expected no less from the men he commanded.

“Well, sir, I thought a lot about what you said, about not dishonorin’ the good ladies who are workin’ as nurses for the 69th, or even allowin’ it to appear as though we are.”

When he paused to carefully consider his next words, the man waved the rag at him. “Go on.”

“And what I feel for Miss O’Brian is not a passin’ fancy. I intend to officially court her, and I wanted to head off any rumors before they start.”

At that, the man stopped what he was doing, put the rag and weapon down, and looked at Sean. He figured it was best to leave out the part about how he had already asked her, and she had accepted. The look of warning in his lieutenant’s brown eyes hurried Sean’s next words.

“We are at war, I understand that. My men and the war come first and that will not change, I assure you. Courtin’ Miss O’Brian will give me incentive to work harder and fight harder. It will not distract me. In fact, I will work so hard you’ll want to promote me.”

It wasn’t hard to sound convincing; he meant it. No lives would be put at risk due to him courting Ashlinn, of that he was utterly determined. And the last part, about a promotion, he definitely intended to work hard toward.

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