Shadowed Memories by Al Lacy

Author:Al Lacy [Lacy, Al]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-78046-1
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2011-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

Club Clubson was riding past the Claiborne place on his way to Dover. He eyed the house and wondered if he should stop and see Linda Lee for a few minutes. It was almost nine o’clock.

“Naw. They’ll be cleanin’ house about now. Linda Lee wouldn’t have time to talk to me. I’ll stop by on my way back.”

His eye strayed to the corral behind the house and locked on the unfamiliar bay gelding standing with its head over the top rung of the split-rail fence. He drew rein and stared at the horse. Then he shrugged his bulky shoulders and concluded that one of the brothers had returned home.

Club nudged his mount forward, then drew rein again. Looking back at the horse, he shook his head. “Or,” he said aloud, “that animal could belong to one of Linda Lee’s suitors. If that’s the case, he’s here awful early in the day, and he’s flirtin’ with a broken neck.”

Club rode into the Claiborne yard, breathing raggedly with the prospect of what he might find. No man—be he soldier or civilian—was going to stand between him and the woman he loved.

Reining in at the front porch, he left the saddle, mounted the steps, and knocked loudly on the door. When no answer came in what Club figured was a reasonable time, he banged on the door again, even harder. Presently he heard light footsteps, and the door came open.

“H’lo, Hannah Rose. I’d like to talk to Linda Lee.”

“She’s not here right now, Club,” Hannah Rose responded quickly, annoyed that he was there.

“Well, where is she?”

“She’s on her way into town.”

“And who does that strange horse in your corral belong to?”

Hannah Rose looked him straight in the eye. “I don’t like your tone, Club, and I don’t like your attitude. It’s really none of your business who that horse belongs to.”

“Well, I just thought—”

“I know what you thought. You thought Linda Lee had a caller. She’s not your property, Club. When are you going to understand that?”

He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off again.

“I don’t have to explain anything to you, Club, but I will anyhow. That horse belongs to a Confederate captain who rode in here just before sunup. He was wounded in yesterday’s battle at Fort Donelson. Passed out the instant he drew up to the house. Linda Lee and my sisters-in-law have gone to get Doc Stutz. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my patient just in case he awakens before Doc Stutz gets here.”

Club stared at her blankly for a moment, then asked, “Anything I can do to help?”

“No, thank you. The only help the captain needs now is the kind Dr. Stutz can give him.”

“Oh … sure. Uh, in case I don’t run onto Linda Lee while ridin’ into town, tell her I was here to see her.”

“I will,” nodded Hannah Rose, stepping back to close the door.

“Tell her I love her.”

“She already knows that, Club. I really must get back to my patient.

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