Impending Love and Madness by Laura Freeman

Author:Laura Freeman [Freeman, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Historical, American, civil war
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2018-04-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

A lean man with a patch over his left eye stood by the gate that led from the pasture to the barn. His jacket was a bleached Union cavalry coat. He hadn’t replaced the military buttons.

“I’m Zach Ravenswood.” He extended his hand.

“Bryce Dawson.” He removed a glove. The grip was firm, his palm calloused. His other hand rested on the handle of a revolver in a holster on his hip.

“Did you serve in the war, Bryce?”

“Cavalry rider.”

“Which side?”

Bryce grinned. “Does it matter? I know horses.”

Zach leaned against the fence rail in a casual pose. “What do you think about this year’s foals?”

“Good potential. Ought to fetch a good price when you sell them.”

“I won’t be selling them for several years.” Zach tugged on the brim of his hat. “Better get them out of this sun.”

“I’m waiting for the lead mare to come closer,” Bryce said. “I always like to take her in first.”

“Phantom.” Zach remembered the gray mare with a black mane and tail. “She’s been around since I was a boy.” He held out his hand for the halter and lead rope. “Do you mind if I lead her in?”

“You were in the Union cavalry?”

“Infantry.”

Bryce snickered. “No one who owns a horse chooses to walk in a war.”

Confederates provided their own horses. “I enlisted against my grandfather’s wishes so no horse, but I remember how to care for them.”

Bryce handed over the equipment.

Zach waited for Phantom to spot him and approached from the side to avoid the blind spot in front. He talked to her in a low, calm voice and held out his hand to allow her to sniff his scent. He took a position on the left side near her head and stroked her neck. He slipped the halter noseband in place and moved the crown behind her ears. He buckled the halter and led the mare to the gate. Her foal followed.

Bryce opened the gate. “She likes the second stall on the right. Don’t forget the piss bucket.”

Zach put her in the stall with her foal and looked for a bucket. He placed it under the mare in time to catch her urine. It kept the straw cleaner longer.

He carried the bucket outside the stall and locked the door.

Bryce escorted another mare inside with her foal tagging along.

When they were done, Bryce and Zach fed the mares and added water to the buckets. The man who had mucked the stalls boarded the wagon with a load of manure and wet straw. Bryce told the driver to wait and extended his hand to Zach. “I have to head to the barn by the lake. Lot of work on a place this size.”

Zach shook his hand. “I appreciate your help.”

“You’re not a bad guy for a Yank.”

“You’re not a bad guy for a Reb.”

“Seymour didn’t ask the major what side we were on when he hired us,” Bryce said. “Should we pack?”

Zach shook his head. “The war is over, but who’s the major?”

“Vance Edwards,” Bryce said. “He’s been our commanding officer the past two years.

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