Southern Belle Civil War--The Quinn Family by Kathryn Kaleigh

Author:Kathryn Kaleigh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KST Publishing

Chapter 19

Ophelia’s heart raced. Her lips still tingled from Austin’s kiss.

The younger Union soldier, Tom, stood blocking her way to the house. One of the chickens squawked and fluttered away from them.

They had started a fire in the fireplace. She could see the tendrils of smoke and smell the burning wood.

She licked her bottom lip and could still taste a hint of Austin.

“Have trouble finding eggs?” He asked, folding his arms.

She darted a glance behind him, looking for Captain – the Union soldier who had been kind to her and had protected her from Tom yesterday. But the only thing on the back porch was an empty rocker.

“There was very little light in the chicken coop.”

“Give me the eggs,” he said, holding out his hands.

Ophelia held the basket close to her waist. She saw no reason to give this man her eggs. “Why?”

“Because I said so.”

He’d probably break them and accuse her of doing it. Or say that she didn’t collect any eggs at all. “No,” she said. “The Captain asked me to gather them for breakfast.”

“Well. He’s not here, is he?”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t see how that’s your concern.”

There was a sound from the woods behind the chicken coop. Like a limb falling. But it got Tom’s attention. He looked at her suspiciously.

She shrugged. “Chickens.”

“Chickens don’t make that kind of noise.”

“As you can see,” she said. “Chickens are quite noisy.”

He pulled his gun out of its holster and after shooting her one more disapproving glance, walked off toward the sound in the woods.

Ophelia blew out a breath as she watched him walk off. She looked toward the chicken coop out of the corner of her eyes. Surely Austin hadn’t done something stupid to get Tom’s attention away from her. The last thing they needed was for Tom to look in the chicken coop.

She shuddered to think how that would go. She was fairly certain only one would come out. And she had a feeling it wouldn’t be Tom.

This was war, after all, and men did what they had to do.

As do I.

Holding the basket in one hand and picking up her skirts with the other hand, she dashed up the back steps and into the relative safety of the house.

As she passed by the living room on her way to the kitchen, she saw two of the soldiers lounging on her aunt’s sofa. Her aunt would have a fit if she saw it.

Ophelia took the eggs to the kitchen and set the basket in the center of the table. She checked the fire in the stove – it was banked for the night.

Deciding to get out of sight before Tom came back inside to torment her more, she went to her room.

She went straight to her window and pushed aside the white curtains. With her nose pressed against the glass, she could just see the chicken coop. The light was fading fast.

As she watched, Tom came back from the woods and stood at the edge of the clearing. He held his gun at his side as he scanned the area.

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