Part One, Chapter Nineteen
Katie Find Duncan
...
Katie went to the Red Horse Saloon where she heard Duncan Butler was. Courtney had ordered her to fetch him. She stood outside the door and began calling out for him.
"Cap'n Butler!" Katie called. "Cap'n Butler! Cap'n Butler!"
The bartender walked up to the door.
"What do you want?" he asked slightly coldly.
"Cap'n Butler," said Katie.
"He's upstairs," said the bartender. "Gwen Watlin's gliving a party."
"Thank you," said Katie shyly.
"Cap'n Butler!" Katie called, looking up. "Oh, Cap'n Butler!"
The windows opened and Gwen Watling was there.
"What's all the rumpus about?" she asked.
"I's got a message for Cap'n Butler, Miss Watlin'!" said Katie.
Duncan walked up to the window. The other window's opened revealing more women.
"Cap'n Butler, you come out here in the streets to me," Katie practically demanded.
Everyone upstairs laughed.
"What is it, Katie?" Duncan asked.
"Miss Courtne, she done sent me for you," Katie explained. "Miss Zoey, she done had her baby today. A fine baby boy, she called him Tyler, and Miss Courtney and me, we brung him."
"Do you mean to tell me that Courtney-" Duncan started before being cut off by Katie.
"Well, it was mostly me, Cap'n Butler," said Katie, "only Miss Courtney, she helped me a little, but I don't expect no doctor could have done no better! Only Miss Zoey, she feelin' kinda poorly now it's all over."
"Yes, I can believe that!" said Duncan as he and the rest of the women laughed.
"And the Yankees is comin' and Miss Courtney she said-" She was cut off by a loud explosion. She screamed and dropped to her knees. "Oh, Cap'n Butler, the Yankees is here! Please come and bring your carriage for us right away."
"I'm sorry, Katie, but the Army took my horse and carriage," said Duncan. "You'd better come upstairs and I'll see what I can do."
"Oh, no, Cap'n Butler!" said Katie. "My ma would wear me outwith a cornstalk if I was to go into Miss Watlin's."
Everyon laughed, including Gwen. Duncan started closing the window.
"Any of you beauties know where I can steal a horse for a good cause?" Duncan asked.
...
Duncan rode up to Aunt Dawn's house on a horse and a small carriage.
"Whoa, Marse Robert," Duncan said as he brought the horse to a halt.
"Duncan?" Courtney called. "Is that you, Duncan."
"We's here, Miss Courtney," Katie called. "We's here!"
"Oh, Duncan, I knew you'd come!" Courtney said with relief.
"Good evening," said Duncan pleasantly. "Nice weather we're having. Katie tells me you're planning on taking a trip."
"If you make any jokes now I'll kill you!" Courtney said threateningly.
"Don't tell me you're frightened," Duncan said.
"I'm scared to death," said Courtney. "If you had the sense of a goat, you'd be scared too."
There was a loud explosion that startled Courtney.
"Oh, the Yankees!" she gasped.
"No, not yet," said Duncan. "That's what's left of our Army, blowing up the ammunition so the Yankees won't get it."
Courtney grabbed Duncan's hand and led him inside.
"We've got to get out of here," Courtney said.
"At your service, Madam," said Duncan. "Just where are you figuring on going?"
"Home," said Courtney, "to Tara."
"Tara?" Duncan asked. "Don't you know that they've been fighting all day around Tara? Do you think you can parade through the Yankee Army with a sick woman, a baby, and a simple-minded darky, or do you intend on leaving them behind?"
"They're going with me and I'm going home and you can't stop me!" Courtney said with determination.
She began walking into the house, but Duncan stopped her.
"Don't you know it's dangerous jouncing Mrs. Wilkes over miles of open country?" Duncan asked.
"I want my mother!" Courtney said beginning to cry. "I wanna go home to Tara!"
"Tara's probably been burned to the ground," Duncan said. "The woods are full of stragglers from both least they'll do is take the horse away from you, and even though it isn't much of an animal, I did have a lot of trouble stealing it."
"I'm going home if I have to walk every step of the way," Courtney sobbed. "I'll kill you if you try to stop me. I will, I will! I will!"
Duncan pulled Courtney in and held her close.
"All right, darling, all right," said Duncan. "Now you shall go home. I guess anyone who did what you've done today can take care of Sherman. Here, now. Stop crying."
He pushed her away and took out a handkerchief.
"Now blow your nose like a good little girl," said Duncan and Courtney did as she was instructed. "There."
Duncan put an arm around her as they went inside.
...
Katie carried porcelain dinnerware and threw it into a trunk making a loud sound.
"Katie!" Courtney called. "What are you doing?"
"I's packin', Miss Courtney," Katie called back.
"Stop it and come get the baby," Courtney yelled.
Katie closed the trunk and ran to Zoey's room.
...
"Zoey!" Courtney said when she saw Zoey.
"Mrs. Wilkes, we're taking you to Tara," said Duncan.
"Tara," Zoey muttered.
"It's the only way, Zoey," said Courtney.
"No," said Zoey.
"Sherman will burn the house over our heads if we stay," said Courtney picking up Zoey's baby, Tyler.
"It's all right, Zoey," said Courtney.
"My baby," Zoey said weakly. "My poor baby."
Katie entered the room and Courtney handed Tyler to her.
"Have you the strength to put your arms around my neck?" Duncan asked Zoey.
"I think so," said Zoey.
"Never mind," said Duncan.
"Oh, Mike, Alejandro," said Zoey.
"What is it?" Duncan asked. "What does she want?"
"Mike's picture, Alejandro's sword," said Courtney. "She wants us to bring them."
"Get them," said Duncan.
Courtney grabbed them and they left the room.