The Christmas Ball Read Free Page A

growing darkness outside would hide her blush. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she’d taken a cotton to him. He’d probably laugh at the very idea.
    After slipping through the tent flap, she waited for Ellison to join her. The barn he wanted to inspect was on the edge of camp, a perfect location for a temporary hospital.
    She led the way past rows of tents, and men gathered around open fires, trying to stay warm. A small knot of soldiers were singing Christmas carols. No doubt, it brought them memories of their homes and loved ones.
    Her senses tingled at the warm presence of the tall doctor beside her. As she picked her way over uneven ground and approached the doors of the barn, she caught his scent of wood smoke and sandalwood. Taking a deep breath, she tried to concentrate on the structure, but had trouble making it out in the lantern light. The full moon hid behind a cloud, so she couldn’t see the barn clearly, but she had seen it during daylight hours and knew the structure was painted white with a green roof and doors.
    “The barn’s completely cleared out?” she asked Ellison as they stopped just short of the doors.
    “Yes, the owners have moved temporarily. I suspect they won’t return until they get news the army’s pulled out.”
    She nodded and crept into the darkened barn. She held the lantern high, allowing them to survey the interior.
    Ellison moved ahead of her. “This will do nicely. We’ll start setting up cots tomorrow and bring half the men from the tent in here, and that will leave plenty of room for new casualties.”
    “You reckon there’ll be many more?”
    “Unless the Rebs pull out tomorrow.”
    Sara glanced up at his face. His brow creased in a frown and his eyelids drooped, giving him a haunted look. Her fingers itched to reach up and smooth his brow. Brush her hand over his inviting lips. But she didn’t dare. Flicking out her tongue to moisten her dry lips, she moved forward, taking stock of the length of the barn.
    “I think we’ve seen enough for tonight,” Ellison said.
    Thinking he meant they were returning to the tent, she turned toward the entrance. The doctor blocked her path, a smile on his face.
    She glanced between him and the open barn door. “Are we done here, sir?”
    “Miss Brewster,” he said. “I really brought you here so I could speak with you alone.”
    ****
    Kirk gazed at the full mouth he’d been longing to kiss. Ever since he’d discovered the soldier he’d thought of as a lad was in fact a young woman, he’d wanted to protect her and learn more about her background. He couldn’t talk freely when they were around others, so this was his only chance to learn who she really was.
    Her lower lip trembled as she stared wide-eyed at him. “What do you need to speak to me about, sir?”
    He sighed. “I need to know why you disguise yourself as a man. It’s not a usual thing for a lovely young woman to do.”
    She glanced away. Had he embarrassed her by calling her lovely?
    “Here...” He took the lantern from her hand and set it on a crate. “Let’s sit down and have a talk.”
    He took her small hand and led her to a bale of hay, then sat opposite her. When their knees touched, she jerked away.
    “Are you afraid of me?” he asked.
    “Afraid?”
    He cleared his throat. “Afraid I’ll take advantage of you.”
    “Oh, no, sir.” She vigorously shook her head, sending her short curls bouncing. Clasping her hands in her lap, she glanced away.
    “I wouldn’t presume to touch you,” he reassured her. “I just want to talk.”
    Glancing back up at him, she frowned. “About what, sir?”
    His gaze roved over her, trying to gauge her feminine form beneath the male clothing. “About why you dress and pretend to be a man.”
    “Oh, that. I was pretending to be a man long before I joined the army.”
    “But why?” He couldn’t imagine why she would do that. And how did no one know?
    “My family’s poor. Dirt poor.” She