Heart Of Texas (Historical Romance) Read Free Page B

war raging
and soldiers in blue uniforms came to Charlottesville and burned Papa's bank."
    Jenny nodded. "They were Yankees. And they
burned the house, too. Tell about that, Casey."
    "There had been a long siege. Papa had heard
that the Union soldiers had broken through our
lines and would soon be in Charlottesville. He was
packing us up to take us to the country, where we
would be safe."
    "But the soldiers got there before we could
leave, didn't they, Casey?"
    "That's right. They burned most of the businesses in town. I don't think they really intended
for the fire to spread to family homes, but the
flames were out of control and went from rooftop
to rooftop. The soldiers quickly started a bucket
brigade and tried to help us save our house-but
it was too late."
    "I want to hear how Papa saved our mama's
Spode dishes. Tell about that next."
    "Well, Papa was very brave and went into the
house many times to rescue our belongings, and
the soldiers even helped him. They saved three
quilts that Grandmother Ruth had given Mama as
a wedding present. And Papa saved Mama's Spode china, the very dishes her great-grandmother brought over from England when she
came to this country as a young bride. And one
day those dishes will belong to you, jenny."

    "When I'm a bride, like Mama was when her
mother gave them to her?"
    "Uh-huh." Casey winced when she tried to
move her shoulder. It had been hurt worse than
she'd thought, and the pain was getting more severe. But there was no reason to worry Sam about
it. He had enough on his mind. "That's right.
Mama's dishes will be yours when you become a
bride."
    "When can I be a bride?"
    Sam looked serious for a moment; then he
managed to smile. "When you grow up and find
a man who can love you as much as we do."
    "Casey's grown-up, and she isn't a bride," Jenny
said, yawning and laying her head in her sister's
lap.
    Sam chuckled. "That's because she hasn't
found a man who will love her as much as you
and I do."
    Casey pulled a quilt over her sister, glad that
Jenny was too young to realize the gravity of-their
situation. "You are far too inquisitive. Now close
your mouth and go to sleep."
    The child was silent for a moment, then finally
asked, "You mean close my eyes, don't you?"
    Casey kissed her forehead. "Yes. Close your eyes
and dream beautiful dreams."

    "About the big house?"
    "No, jenny-that's gone. Dream about growing
up strong and happy in our new home. That's
what Papa and Mama would have wanted for you."
    "That's what you are going to do," Sam said in
a determined tone.
    "Let's all go to sleep and see what great adventure awaits us tomorrow," Casey said.
    "We'll just be trying to get the wagon out of the
river," Sam reminded her.

     

The four team horses pulled and strained so hard
that Sam had to stop to rest them. The wagon
groaned under the stress, then rolled back into
the deep rock bed. It didn't seem possible that
they would ever be free of the river.
    Wet, muddy, and discouraged, Casey and Sam
sank down on the grass to rest before they tried
again.
    Jenny was picking wildflowers, and she had several
varieties clamped in her chubby little fist. She giggled when a butterfly landed on her hand, and
then went chasing after it when it fluttered away.
She did not hear the rider approaching, and he
didn't see her, since she was mostly hidden by the
tall grass.
    The man reined in his horse just in time, guiding the animal sideways to avoid the small child.

    With a heavy hand, he managed to bring his skittish mount under control.

    "Look," Jenny said to the stranger, holding up
her flowers for his inspection. "These flowers are
growing just everywhere. Do you want to smell
them?"
    The man uttered a curse under his breath and
dismounted. "Where are your folks?" he asked,
kneeling beside her, anger coiling inside him because someone had allowed this child to wander
off by herself.
    Jenny pointed toward the river. "Right back
there.