Measure of Devotion by CF Frizzell

Author:CF Frizzell [Frizzell, CF]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635559521
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2021-05-25T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

“Hey, Yank. You awake?”

A damn reb. Coop cursed her luck. Heal quick, she told herself.

“Who’s asking?”

“She’s a pretty one, the nursemaid. Could you see that much?”

“’Course I could.”

“You know her?”

“I do. Lay off.”

“She and I made friends already, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Gettysburg lady has no interest in your kind, Johnny Reb.”

“Name’s Billy. Heard you’re Cooper.”

“Not making conversation with you.”

“Looks like we laid you out like cake on a griddle.”

“Just a nick. You rebs can’t shoot for damn.”

“Was thinking the same about you feds. Just took a chunk out of this ol’ arm. Nuisance is all it is.”

“That we agree on.”

“So, Doc says you’re from hifalutin Massachusetts.”

“What of it?” Coop asked, already weary of this exchange, especially considering she wasn’t able to roll over and look him in the eye.

“Well, 22nd Virginia right here. Corporal to you, Private.”

“We all bleed the same, corporal or private, Yank or reb. Black or white.”

“Whoa, now. Don’t be spoiling our social time with that talk.”

Knew that would get you.

“Like I said, don’t want to make conversation with you.”

“Now, you listen up. We’re both stuck here so’s no reason we can’t be polite.”

Coop considered rolling onto her other side. That might shut him up. But if those dizzies came back, they’d end up prolonging her stay. Still, the idea of conversing with this Southerner soured her mood.

“Now, Cooper. Y’know we have some things in common, you and me. We’re in this town to have at it, once and for all, we’re both shot up, and we have us the prettiest nursemaid any man could want. But know what else?”

She refused to take the bait and stared up at the thick—fuzzy—hand-hewn ceiling beams. Please just shut up and let me rest, let me think.

“Well, I’ll tell ya anyway. Doc said we have the same surname. Samson.”

Coop caught herself just as her head twitched in his direction. What are those odds? “Bum luck.”

He laughed. “Thought so, too. You spell yours with a ‘p’?”

“No.” She closed her eyes.

“Same here. Say, whereabouts you from in high ’n’ mighty Massachusetts?”

Although surprised, Coop wasn’t that curious. And she was drained. “No matter.”

“Well, see, you might say I did some time up there.” He cleared his throat, as if what he was about to reveal stuck in his windpipe. “Actually, I grew up there.”

“Y’don’t say.” Now, Coop’s curiosity level rose.

“I do. Hate to admit that a heartfelt loyal Virginian such as myself lacks pure Southern blood, but…but it’s a fact. Born and raised in your state, but I thank the Lord I saw the light when I grew old enough.”

Coincidence rattled her, made the fine sticky hair on the back of her neck tingle. She longed to see his face.

“Know what else, Private? Can’t be very many Cooper Samsons in Massachusetts, so you know what I think?”

Fate could not turn on me this way, could it?

Coop tried to brace herself. Sonny, after fourteen years? Would he see in her the dead brother she now pretended to be? Or would he

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.