Chapter 13
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 1866
June 12, 1866
Dear Camille,
Your letter brought such unexpected joy! To learn of your safety and contentment in marriage warms my heart. I can think of none more deserving of happiness than you, my old friend.
Life has taken me on quite a journey since we parted. My parents, hoping to shield me from the war's reach, sent me to school in Missouri. Their intentions were clear - to keep me safe, occupied, and in a position to secure a suitable marriage. But as you well know, I've never been one to follow the expected path.
To my mother's dismay, I felt called to make a difference. These past years have found me in soldiers' kitchens, mending uniforms, and reading letters to those whose eyes failed them. Oh, Camille, the words those brave men penned to their loved ones - they shattered my heart time and again.
Do you recall that summer day when Running Buck was teaching us to shoot arrows from horseback? His fierce determination to impress us led to that dreadful fall. I can still hear the sickening snap of his arm breaking. How quickly the air of competition vanished as his brother and the older boys rushed to help. They reset his bone right there in the field, and oh, Camille - the way Running Buck bit back his scream, his dark eyes meeting mine, brimming with pain yet so full of pride. I think that was the moment I truly fell in love with him. His bravery in the face of such agony, the man I saw emerging in that instant... it etched itself upon my heart.
It seems only right that my dearest sister should find happiness with my first love. Please know that I am truly joyful for you both.
My path takes me southward soon. I am to aid in the hospitals of southern Pennsylvania, tending those still suffering from this terrible war. Perhaps fate might see our roads cross once more?
Should you wish to write again, please direct your letters to the address below. I hold dear the hope of seeing you.
Your friend always,
Siobhan Kelly
As Siobhan sealed the letter, her mind drifted. Despite the years, she still found herself daydreaming of that young man who had touched her heart so deeply. His dark, piercing gaze and that unwavering spirit lingered in her memory. At twenty-two, her entire life stretched before her.