True North Page 6

  “You speak of treason, Grace. You’re going to get me court marshalled.” He dropped his voice. “I’ll hang. I’m already in enough trouble with Colonel Dayhuff.”

  Grace stopped short. “Trouble with Colonel Dayhuff?” She paused, mind racing. “I don’t understand? What for?”

  Everett sighed, dropping his gaze to the floor. “A few weeks back, the colonel told me if I didn’t adjust my behavior that he’d have me thrown out of the army.”

  Grace felt as if she’d been slugged in the stomach. She stood and backed away from him, deeply hurt by his revelation. “Oh, so none of this was for me like you said last night. It was all for Colonel Dayhuff, and for yourself.” Blinking back a sudden rush of tears she shouldered past him toward the door.

  “Grace, stop.” He snared her upper arm. “Don’t twist what I’ve said.”

  She jerked free of him. “Leave me be, Everett. What a fool I was to believe a man could turn over a new leaf because of me. I should have realized there was more to motivate you.” Her mind raced as she realized she’d read too much into their relationship and his vows to protect her. Clearly he wasn’t prepared to risk his own hide to do what was morally right. “I don’t need your protection, Dr. Connors.”

  “The hell you don’t.”

  “Leave me be. I won’t ask you for anything again.”

  “You cannot help the enemy, Grace. You’ll hang for it.”

  She met his worried stare full on. “Better me than you,” she replied coolly. She gave him her back, and quit the storage room. Pure despair enveloped her as she fled Everett’s intoxicating presence. She sucked in a deep breath, fighting back anger and tears. She’d been so close to finding happiness again. Teetering on the brink of falling in love. Her chest tightened painfully as tears pricked her eyes. She quickly blinked them away. It wouldn’t do to dwell on what might have been. Joshua was her family and that trumped any war. She’d get her brother-in-law and the other prisoners out of here and she’d leave with them. Now that her secret was out it wasn’t safe for her to stay anyway. She’d have to move quickly, but where to start?

  Five

  Everett stormed into the Confederate ward and marched straight to Joshua’s bed.

  The other man looked up at him with alarm. “Doc? Is somethi—”

  Everett grasped the man’s collar and pulled him straight off the cot. “I know who and what you are to Grace,” he growled in a low tone meant only for the other man’s ears. “I know about her husband, and the rest of her family too.” He gave Joshua a vicious shake. “Leave her be. Do not put her in a situation that will cause her to take risks. Do I make myself clear?”

  Joshua’s eyes darkened as he glared back at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “The hell you don’t.” Everett tightened his grip on Joshua’s collar, beating back the urge to pummel the selfish bastard. “Know this, Burette, I will do everything in my power to protect, Grace. Everything.”

  Joshua returned his unflinching glare in full measure, but said nothing.

  Everett finally dropped him back onto the cot, praying the other man would come to his senses and leave Grace out of any escape attempts he might make. Grace could go to prison, or, worse, the noose if anyone caught her aiding these rebels. A plan began to take shape in his mind. The sooner he got these soldiers transported away from the hospital the better for Grace. She may never speak to him again, but at least she’d be safe.

  Everett ran up the stairs straight to Colonel Dayhuff’s office. He rapped on the door.

  “Come in.”

  Everett quickly entered the room. “Good morning, sir.”

  “What is it, Connors?”

  “The Confederate soldier that was brought in last night has revived. I believe he was suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration. He’s recovering quite well and should be ready for transport from the hospital at any time.”

  “Excellent, and what of the others?”

  “In my opinion they are all ready for travel.”

  ~*~

  Grace leaned against the white-washed wall outside of Colonel Dayhuff’s office as anger and betrayal welled like acid in her throat. How dare he? Everett was planning to send Joshua to the prison camp right under her nose!

  Panic seized her. If she intended to help her brother-in-law she’d have to act fast, but what could she do? The Confederate ward was under constant guard, and the windows barred from the outside. She would have to find a way to get the men out of the ward so they could slip away under cover of night.

  She shoved away from the wall, mind racing with possibilities. She didn’t know how long it would take to arrange transport to the prison camp. Two or three days perhaps? If she could manage it, they’d escape tomorrow night.

  The door opened and Everett stepped through. “Grace,” he said in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

  She forced herself to remain calm in the face of his blatant betrayal. “I need to speak privately with Colonel Dayhuff.”

  Dread darkened his pale eyes. “Grace, don’t,” he warned.

  She ignored him completely, and shoved past him into the colonel’s office. “Dr. Dayhuff, might I have a moment of your time.”

  The colonel glanced up, irritation written all over his face. “Can it wait, Sinclair? I’m in the middle of something, and I keep getting interrupted.”

  To her surprise, Everett followed her back into the room. “Actually, Colonel, I require Nurse Sinclair’s assistance rather urgently.”

  Grace glared at Everett. He knew what she was about and intended to thwart her admitting that Joshua was her kin. “This will only take a moment of your time, Colonel.”

  “In that case, go assist Dr. Connors and find me this evening.” He lifted a pen and dipped it in ink. “Dismissed, both of you.”

  Before she could insist further, Everett grasped her elbow and steered her through the door. Frustrated and angry, Grace shook him off the moment the door closed behind them. “Don’t touch me,” she hissed.

  He threw up his arms in obvious exasperation. “What the hell were you thinking, lass? You can’t tell him.”

  Grace fought to keep her voice down. “Better that I tell him than Sarah,” she argued. Eventually Sarah would bring the truth forth, Grace had no idea what the other woman was waiting for, but it was only a matter of time. It would look far less suspicious if Grace was upfront with the colonel here and now. It might also buy her the time she needed to get them out of here. “What I choose to tell the colonel is none of your concern, Dr. Connors. Leave me alone.”

  “I will not,” he insisted. “Why are you behaving this way?”

  She glared at him. “I heard you with Colonel Dayhuff, lobbying to have the Confederate soldiers transported out.”

  “Damn it, Grace.” He glanced surreptitiously up and down the hall. “We can’t speak of this here.” He grabbed her hand. “Come with me.” At first she resisted him, but he held fast to her hand and his soft gray eyes melded with hers in earnest. “Trust me.”

  The words grated her soul, wringing her raw emotions. She relented and he led her down the narrow—rarely used—back staircase, and out the door that led to their pond. Once they reached the secluded grove he released her hand and faced her.

  She crossed her arms and glared at him. “Don’t tell me you didn’t say it. I know what I heard.”

  “You did hear me tell him the prisoners are ready for transport,” he admitted. “What you don’t know is that it’s part of a bigger plan.”

  “Bigger plan? I don’t understand.”

  “I wasn’t sure I should tell you, but it appears I have no choice.”

  “Everett, what is going on?”

  “After we quarreled earlier, I realized there is no way you’ll allow Joshua to go to a prison camp, not after I witnessed him begging you for help.” He shook his head. “That bastard is too selfish to care that he’s putting you at risk, and you’re too damned honorable not
to do it.”

  She ignored his back handed compliment. “So you decided to have him sent away before I can help. That isn—”

  “No, Grace,” he interrupted, tone urgent, gaze intense. “It’s why I’m planning to help those men escape myself.”

  Grace froze. Stunned. “Wh-what?”

  “Hear me out.” He glanced around as though ensuring they were alone. “Now that I’ve given the soldiers medical clearance to travel, a transport wagon will be arranged. Before the men go, I’ll slip them the keys to their irons. Partway through the journey they will escape their bonds and simply disappear.”

  Grace’s heart skipped a beat. “That’s brilliant.”

  “It’s simple.”

  “No one will suspect they had help.”

  “Precisely, it will be easily accepted that the prisoners slipped from their bonds and escaped from the wagon into the surrounding woods without the driver’s knowledge.”

  The plan was perfect. Risk of discovery minimal, and… Grace wouldn’t have to leave Everett. The relief of it startled her. “Everett,” she murmured, beyond words. “Thank you. I-I don’t know what to say.”

  He stepped forward and grasped her upper arms. “Say you’ll stay out of it,” he replied huskily. His stormy eyes bored into hers. “I’m doing all this to protect you. Only you.” He crushed her to him, and buried his face in the crook of her neck. His warm breath breezed across her skin. “You are the best person I know,” he whispered. “The world needs people like you, Grace. You follow your heart and do what’s right no matter the consequences. It will be better if you’re here to rebuild after the war than me.”

  Tears welled in her eyes as she wound her arms and around his neck. Her anger and confusion flowed away, surpassed by gratitude, and…love. It occurred to her suddenly that she loved him. He was willing to risk everything he had, defy his own beliefs, for her.

  “I wasn’t sure I should tell you,” he admitted. “I thought it might be safer if you knew nothing of my plan.”

  She blinked back her tears. “Why?”

  “I fear Sarah might tell everyone about your brother-in-law once the rebels turn up missing, try to blame you for it. I thought if you knew nothing of their escape, then you wouldn’t have to lie.” He drew back and took her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks. “Now I see it’s better if we work together.”

  Grace nodded. “I’m glad you told me. I was going to leave with them.” Everett’s arms tensed around her with the revelation. “After we quarreled I thought it would be for the best.”

  “I’m sorry for what I said, Grace. I want you to know that if there has been a change in me over the last few weeks, it’s because of you. Without you I don’t know where I’d be right now.”

  Memories of their heated kisses from the night before flowed through her mind and she wanted nothing more than to pick up where they’d left off, but… it was the middle of the day. They’d be missed if they didn’t return soon. All the same, she couldn’t resist the opportunity to steal just one kiss. “Thank you, Everett,” she whispered, standing on tip-toe to press her lips to his. “I love you.” Before he could respond she stepped away from him, lifted her skirts, and ran back to the hospital.

  ~*~

  Throughout the next day, Grace struggled to behave normally. So much had transpired, and there was yet so much more to happen. She busied herself with menial tasks like stocking and organizing, desperate not to focus on the great escape. Every minute… every hour… dragged by with agonizing slowness as she waited with baited breath for the moment Joshua and the other men would be sent away. The transport wagon was scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Tomorrow she could she relax. Tomorrow she could move forward.

  Forward.

  What a wonderful thought.

  After years of being mired in despair, she’d finally found the inspiration to move on and open her heart again. For the first time she dared to consider what life might hold for her after the war. A little smile tugged at her lips as she lifted a softly glowing lamp from the table where she’d been rolling bandages. The hour was late. She should at least try to get some rest. Most everyone else had already retired for the night.

  She left the storage room and decided to detour past the Confederate ward to check on Joshua one last time. She wouldn’t go in and speak to him. She’d just peak—

  She rounded the corner and stopped short at the sight of Corporal West lying on the floor unmoving. “Oh, my god,” she murmured. Sparked to action she ran to him. “Corporal West, are you all right?” She knelt beside him and set the lamp on the floor.

  He didn’t move or make a sound.

  She gave him a brusque shake. “Corporal?”

  Still nothing.

  She rested a hand on his chest, momentarily reassured by the steady rise and fall of his chest. “Help!” she called. “Corporal West is unconscious! Help, please. Come quickly.”

  She glanced about the scene, quickly noticing a broken bottle lying in pieces on the floor beside the guard. He must have been struck. Her heart sank.

  “What’s going on here?” Colonel Dayhuff rushed down the hall, followed by Sarah, Dr. Schaffer, Sister Amelia, and Everett.

  “I don’t know,” Grace replied. “I just found him here. He’s unconscious.”

  Colonel Dayhuff came straight to her side.

  “There is a broken bottle over there. I think someone struck him.”

  Dayhuff’s brow furrowed. “Did you happen to—”

  “The rebs are gone!” Sarah’s shrill cry rent the air.

  Grace whirled toward the other woman. Sarah stood just outside the door to the ward. “What?”

  Sarah glared at her. “Don’t pretend you didn’t know.” She stabbed a finger at Grace. “You did this.”

  Grace gasped. “No. I didn’t. I—”

  “Enough,” Dayhuff ordered. “We have an injured man to tend to.”

  As if on cue Corporal West moaned, but his eyes didn’t open.

  “Connors, Schaffer, help me get him onto a bed.” The colonel looked up at the nun. “Sister Amelia, fetch Sergeant Maynard. He and his men need to track down those prisoners.”

  Panic and dread welled inside Grace. What was going on? This was all wrong. Everett had planned everything. Why would Joshua deviate from the plan? She stood and backed away as Everett and Schaffer came in to help lift Corporal West. The three men hefted the injured man and hauled him into the Confederate ward, lying him on the nearest cot.

  “There’s a laceration on his head,” Everett said tersely, tilting the man’s head on the pillow. “Grace, bring that lamp over.”

  She quickly complied, rushing to his side. The lamplight illuminated a large gash in West’s scalp. Blood oozed from the wound but there didn’t appear to be any remaining glass shards.

  “I don’t see any other injuries.”

  Corporal West moaned again and shifted slightly on the bed.

  “Is he coming around?” Sarah demanded from the doorway. “Ask him who did this?”

  Everett shot her a sharp glare. “He isn’t awake just yet.”

  Sarah scowled and crossed her arms. “He was attacked. We need to know who did it.”

  “I imagine the prisoners struck him when they made their escape,” Colonel Dayhuff said in his logical manner.

  “I wouldn’t be so certain,” Sarah pressed. “There were no bottles in that ward. No weapons of any kind allowed. The windows are barred and there is always a guard.” She shook her head, eyes ablaze. “Those men couldn’t have escaped without help.”

  Grace’s blood ran cold. She knew where this was going.

  Sarah pierced Grace with a chilling stare. “She did this.”

  Absolute silence consumed the hall.

  “Nurse Watson, that is a serious accusation,” Colonel Dayhuff warned, finally breaking the tense quiet. He shifted his gaze to Grace, eyes filled with question and doubt.

  “I didn’t do this, Colonel. I swear it. I would never
hurt Corporal West.”

  “The rebel soldier brought in on the wagon the other night is her brother-in-law.”

  For several seconds no one dared breathe. Grace certainly didn’t breathe. The only discernable sound was that of her heart hammering in her ears.

  Dayhuff whipped a disbelieving glare at her. “Is this true?” he demanded, the disbelief quickly changing to fury.

  Grace swallowed convulsively and stood. “Yes, but—”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I tried, Colonel, but you were busy and sent me away.”

  Dayhuff’s demeanor visibly relaxed a bit.

  “Her late husband was a confederate officer too.” Sarah pounced on the next devastating piece of information. “I overheard her speaking of it with Dr. Connors.”

  The fury quickly blazed back to life in Colonel Dayhuff’s eyes.

  “My husband was a doctor,” she tried desperately to explain. “I—”

  Dayhuff sliced a silencing hand through the air. He shifted his attention from Grace and spoke directly to Sarah. “Why didn’t you tell me of this sooner?”

  Sarah blinked and shrugged innocently. “It isn’t a crime to have family on the other side. I didn’t wish for Nurse Sinclair to be judged unfairly.” She flipped her gaze back to Grace, a flash of menace lighting her eyes. “Now it seems rather obvious that she’s responsible for helping the prisoners escape.”

  Everett rose and wrapped a protective arm around Grace’s shoulders, pulling her close to his side. “There is no proof of that.”

  “Colonel Dayhuff, I think you should see this.” Dr. Schaffer produced a wrinkled sheet of paper. “I found this beside the cot.”

  Dayhuff grabbed the paper from his hand. His eyes quickly scanned the page. He crossed to Grace and wordlessly held it out to her.

  Joshua,

  Be ready to run after dark. I’ll take care of the guard. Turn left when you leave this room and take the long hallway to the back door by the kitchens. Run into the woods. There is a big maple tree with three boulders beside it. There you will find three pistols and provisions.

  God speed,

  Grace