Sarah's Roses, Book II: Roses of White

Chapter XXVII.

Sorry that it is taking me so long to get the updates up, my internet is behaving super weird, and it isn't working 90% of the time. I'm hoping to get it fixed, but that might take a while .

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Chapter XXVII

“Are they gone?” Elsie asked as I came in and threw myself on the bed.

“Yes, they just rode away. Oh Elsie, go have George dig me a grave.”

“Sarah,” Elsie shook her head, “you have got to learn to deal with stress better.”

“I deal with stress just fine,” I argued, “I’m having trouble handling other emotions.”

Elsie chuckled and glanced over at me, “what happened to make you so flushed? You are all red in the face.”

“Am I?” I groaned. “Well, I can’t say it is entirely my fault.”

“Sarah Maybelle Rose,” Elsie rose from her chair, hands on her hips, “did Sam kiss you?”

“I told you to have George dig me a grave,” I moaned, hiding my face in the pillow.

“When are the two of you going to learn to behave like mature grownups?” Elsie walked up and turned me over. “I would have thought you had more sense!”

“Please, Elsie, I don’t want to talk about it right now. Comfort yourself that he’s gone, and it was just one kiss.”

“One kiss! One kiss? This whole disaster started with one kiss! I know my brother; he’ll come back for another one, even if he has to walk through hellfire to get it. Sarah, why have history repeat itself? Which of you is going to get hurt this time?”

I sighed, “I don’t know, Elsie, but I’m guessing we’ll soon find out.”

***

Two days after Colonel White and his men left, George and I set out for the town to see if we could find any supplies. As usual, whenever I came to the town, I asked if there was any mail for me, and as usual there was none. I also checked the lists of the fallen, but Jeff wasn’t among them. They say no news is good news, but that is the greatest lie when it comes to a war. Waiting and not knowing is the worst torture of all. Hoping but dreading at the same time, the feelings eat away at your soul and it is all you can do to keep your mind from going to places it shouldn’t.

Happily, fortune looked down on me at the store and I was able to find flour and cornmeal. I also purchased some beans, but didn’t bother with the overpriced pork. I got rabbits and squirrels from Billy, who had animal traps set up all over the plantation.

Once I had paid for my purchase, I went out to George, who was waiting for me on a little bench just outside the store. We arranged the packages between us and headed for home. It was a long and dangerous walk. George kept the rifle by his side, and I had the colt revolver hidden in a special pocket I had made for it on my dress. It wasn’t exactly comfortable carrying it with me all the time, but I learned not to mind. We were only about half a mile from the house, when the sound of beating horse hooves reached our ears. George set the sack of flower down and grasped the rifle.

“Who goes there?” he called as the horse and rider got closer

“I’m a Confederate officer,” the man replied, “don’t shoot.”

George lowered the rifle a little, but kept his guard up.

“Miss, can you tell me where I am?” The rider asked me.