Rescuing Rose: Rescued Hearts of the Civil War ~ Book 1 by Pope Sloan Susan

Author:Pope Sloan, Susan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wild Heart Books
Published: 2023-12-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

Louisville, Kentucky

Friday, July 22, 1864

“What are those blue-coated devils up to now?”

The whispered words jerked Rose’s attention from the buckets of water at her feet. She’d set the buckets down to wrap her wide apron strings around her hands for a better grip, and to protect her palms from raising blisters. Five other women paused at their chores as well.

Rose gazed toward the Army prison where several guards flanked a small group of prisoners as they marched down the street. “They’re carrying out Governor Burbridge’s orders, I’d say. Four prisoners to die for every Union citizen killed in the state.” Her heart sank and her stomach roiled, threatening to rid itself of the little it held.

She shook away the brimming tears and tightened the cloth across her hands. Picking up her buckets, she rasped, “Best be about your tasks, ladies, if you want to eat and bathe.”

The others snapped back to their business before harsher reprimands could come from other quarters.

Rose could feel the questions following her, however. How did she know what was going on? Was she currying favor with the guards? Who put her in charge? After all, she’d only been there two days, unlike some of them who’d arrived on earlier trains from Marietta.

With their precious horde of paper, she and Celeste planned to continue working with the children. Yesterday she’d asked one guard to pass along available newspapers, no matter how old. She combed them to find any articles she could share with the children, to challenge their reading abilities and even pose problems for arithmetic lessons.

In the process, she couldn’t ignore the political news and opinions. Her early exploration discovered various reports and editorials disparaging her fellow Southerners. But she could harness the anger those roused. She would channel it to bolster her determination to survive this time of testing.

The war has to end sometime—may God make it soon—and I plan to emerge a conqueror, no matter which army claims victory.

She carried her buckets into the building and set them down at the foot of the stairs, taking a rest before covering the final stretch to the room down the hall. She dipped one corner of her apron into the water and pressed the cool fabric to her brow and cheeks.

A masculine chuckle arrested her movement. The rustle of clothing and whispers drifted from the alcove in the stairwell.

Rose deciphered the sounds easily enough. A guard engaged one of the women in a secret tryst, taking advantage of the afternoon hours designated for quiet to accommodate the young children and the elderly. Though she considered it a dangerous action on the woman’s part, Rose had no desire to embarrass them all with her arrival.

She affected a hacking cough before lifting the buckets and slogging noisily up the first few steps. The guard offered a curt greeting as he passed her on the stairs, keeping his eyes averted.

At least he had the sense to flee the scene discreetly. Rose plodded down the hall and glimpsed someone in a blue skirt dart into the third room.

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