Belles, I received a review stating that the story was slowing down and getting boring. I want to reassure the guest in distress that the reason it sped up a bit (in your mind slowed down) because the story is about the Civil War, not the Hastings' barbeque. The story will become more detailed, but I need to put the romance of Spencer and Toby, Caleb and Hanna, Ezra and Aria, and the love triangle between Paige, Jason, and Emily. Please bear with me. We need to get to the exciting part of the story!
(Three months into the war)
Ben's POV
I had done my part in the war. After the Bull Run battle, I left on foot in hopes of making it back to the county. The thought of Emily that day so long ago at the Hastings' plantation was getting me through. I wanted to run my hands up and down her sculpted body.
The thoughts of what I would do to her kept me going. While walking, I had decided I wouldn't even marry her. She isn't even a real lady. She's too tall, and too scared looking. She wouldn't have any objection to what I wanted to do.
I was also able to remember the poor sucker I had stabbed on my way back from the Battle. I had hit him right in the leg as he ran away from me. He had not cried out in pain
Yankee soldiers POV
I hadn't wanted to be in the war. I came from a high class of men in the New York. My father had told me that I had to carry out the family history of Officers. I was truly a friendly man, I wanted to protect the women of both the north and the south, end slavery, and stay peaceful all at once.
On my way to a lanky county in the middle of Georgia, a crazy looking confederate had stabbed me in the leg. He looked like he was contemplating something, and as he stabbed me; I was able to see the evil glint in his eye. After he stabbed me, he laughed hysterically and ran away. That man had given me a horrible feeling, it was war, but I truly felt as though he was going to hurt someone that wasn't involved in the war.
I stopped for a while so I could bandage my leg wound. It wasn't bad enough that I couldn't walk, so I continued on my journey to where I was supposed to meet my troop; Rosewood County.
When I arrived in Rosewood, I hung low in an ally in the main town. In the ally, I was able to spread my sleeping pack and eat food. As I sit in the ally, I couldn't shake the feeling of the soldier. Just in case, I set myself up to be able to attack if it was needed.
Emily's POV
I had gone to the barn to ask for my horse. I had to go to Hanna's. There was a large confederate ball being thrown in the town square. It was for the Confederate cause. We were raising money for the cause. I tied some of the advertisement supplies to the back of the horse, and mounted her.
Earlier that day, I told my Mammy that I was using Hanna's gracious offer in borrowing one of her guest rooms for sleeping in. Usually it wouldn't worry me to ride during dusk; this time though, I felt spooked.
To get to Hanna's home, I would have to ride through town. The Rosewood county square would be full of the drunks too old to fight in the war. No one would bother to touch me; my father is one of the main generals in the war.
The closer I got to the town, the more eerie it became. The dirt roads were empty, and when I reached the square it was empty too. I slowed to a stop, and unmounted my horse.
I was looking around when all of a sudden; a figure jumped out to the right of me, and slapped my horse's rear. The horse galloped away. I tried to run, I picked up my skirt and tried so hard, but a familiar voice stopped me.
"There are those legs again," the voice sent chills down my spine. Ben. I dropped my skirts and began to run again.
"Not so fast you little whore." Ben ran up behind me and grabbed me roughly by the waist. He twirled me around, his hands digging into my stomach.
"HELP!" I cried.
Ben pulled me into an ally way, I kicked and screamed all the way.
"By god, stop screaming." He pushed me into the hard brick-building wall. My head hit the wall with an ugly smack. I turned my back to Ben, and hid my face in the wall. I whipped around when I heard a horrible "Oomph" from behind my back.
A tall man dressed in a Yankee uniform hit Ben in the back with his two fists together. He made sure that Ben was unconscious before he grabbed my hand and took me into another ally way.
"YAN," I began to shout before he clamped his hand harshly over my mouth.
"I won't hurt you, I'm just here to help." He led me to a small cot against the wall. I sat down, and he began checking my arm and my head. I was able to take in his appearance.
He was tall and muscular with brilliant blue eyes and sandy brown hair.
"Hello, Miss, I'm Officer Toby Cavanaugh."
"Emily Fields." I offered my hand to him, and he kissed it.
"That is the same man who stabbed me in the leg a few days ago."
"That is the man that I rejected."
"That explains a lot." The man named Toby paused. "Where are you trying to go?"
"My friend Hanna's home."
"I'll escort you, and explain to one of you're friends what happened okay?" I nodded, and he began walking me to Hanna's.
Toby's POV
I walked Miss. Emily to her friends home.
"Mr. Cavanaugh, wait here, and I'll get my friend, Spencer." I nodded and stood in the back garden of a grand estate. Less than a minute later, Emily came back.
The girl that was with her was looking at her feet. Because it was summer, she was wearing a summery gold and peach dress. The front of the dress had peach colored flowers and gold ribbon. It was somewhat striped. I couldn't see her face, it was covered by a large straw hat with a peach ribbon.
When she looked up, I saw her big brown eyes. They widened when she saw my uniform, but then she straightened herself out.
She raised her gloved hand, curtsied, and said, "I'm pleased to meet you, and I'm Spencer Hastings."
There were lots of beautiful girls in New York, but this was the most beautiful yet.
"Officer Toby Cavanaugh." I suddenly felt very attracted to this perfect stranger.
So Toby and Spencer have met, next chapter will be some of their connection. And then there will be the fundraiser ball in which Hanna sees Caleb the devilishly handsome bad guy!
