Sarah's Roses, Book II: Roses of White

Chapter XXIV

Chapter XXIV

“Oh Miss Rose, dear Miss Rose,” Colonel White soothed, “he’s gone, he’s not going to hurt you. I promise he’ll never harm you again. Only where did he come from? And how did he find you here?”

“I…I…I don’t know, sir,” I gasped in between sobs.

“Poor soul, I wasn’t asking you,” he exclaimed. “Come, we need to get you out of here. It is cold and you might catch a chill.”

Had circumstances been different, I might have shoved him away, told him I didn’t need him, that I had made it this far without him and I would continue doing so. But in that dark, cold room, I had never felt so weak, so alone and so afraid. At that moment Colonel White was no longer the much hated father, he had suddenly become my guardian angel, my one protection in the constant threat that surrounded me. For the first time in my life, my father was there when I needed him and even though I still had mixed feelings in my heart, I didn’t bother with them. All I knew was he had rescued me, he had come right in time and as long as he was around I would be safe. I clung to him as he lifted me off the floor and carried me out of the room in his arms. I buried my head in the folds of his shirt and sobbed my heart out. “There, there, Miss Rose,” he would whisper from time to time, “calm down, all is well.”

As we got closer to my room, I heard voices. Who could be up at this time of night? I kept my head hidden in Colonel White’s shoulder, and listened as the voices became more and more disctinct. All at once, Colonel White halted and the voices died down. For a split second a stunned silence hung in the air.

“Private Samuel Climb, what is the meaning of this?” Colonel White was the first to speak. My grip on the colonel tightened and I buried my head deeper into his shoulder, I couldn’t bear the idea of Sammy seeing me in this state. I remembered how I had asked Elsie to arrange for Sammy to speak with Kristoffs, and now I really regretted it.

“Is he holding…Sarah?” Kristoffs’ asked

“Lord in heaven,” Elsie gasped, “Sarah!”I heard her rise and come run up to us.

“What happened to her?” Sammy’s voice broke out next.

“Never you mind,” Colonel White barked at him, “you had better just explain why you are sitting in this room. I thought I made it clear that apart from the ballroom, none of you were to go anywhere.”

“I got permission from Sergeant…”

“Just get the hell out of here,” Colonel White cut him off, “and if I catch any of you wandering around this house without my, my permission, I assure you, there will be dire consequences. Now get out!”

I heard Sammy rising and he came so close, I could feel his breath.

“But what happened?” He whispered.

“OUT!”

Sammy hurried away before the colonel really got angry at him

“Where is her room?” He turned his attention to Elsie.

“Next door, but you must be quiet, we has a child sleeping there,” Elsie replied. “What happened, sir?”

“Sawnders,” Colonel White explained, “he somehow got in the house.”

“Did he?” Elsie asked in horror.

“No, we came in time, he gave her a fair deal of bruises, but she is unharmed in any other way.”

We? I guessed Robert must have been there with Colonel White. I couldn’t think of anyone else, it wasn’t likely to be any of the soldiers, and it certainly wasn’t Sammy, he had been here with Elsie and Kristoffs.