Encounter at Cold Harbor Read Online Free

thought of something else?”
    “Well, I should’ve thought of it first off.” Tom moved in his chair and then straightened his back.
“I’ll
take Esther to Richmond. It’s time I was leaving here anyhow.”
    Dan Carter stared at his young friend. “Are you sure you could make it? Your leg’s going to be all right?”
    “I’ll be all right!” Tom said shortly. He never liked anyone to refer to his injury. “It’s time for me to go back. I need to get back where I belong.”
    “But you can’t go in the army!” Leah said, then wished she had not. “I mean—”
    “I know. I can’t march with one leg, but maybe Pa can find something for me to do. Maybe be a clerk in headquarters.” Bitterness came to his lips then, and he said, “I can’t do much, but I’ll do what I can.”
    Leah walked over and stood beside Tom. She put her hand on his shoulder, looking down at him, thinking how much he looked like Jeff. “Then, if you go, I’m going with you. You couldn’t take care of a three-year-old!”
    Tom looked up and found a smile. “Why—that would be good, if it’s all right with your Pa.”
    “Well, of course it’s all right with
you
along, Tom! Wouldn’t be good to ship the poor child offwith just a man to take care of her. She needs a woman!”
    Leah smiled brilliantly. “I can do it, Pa! I’m going to tell Ma right now!”
    As soon as the girl left the room, Tom shook his head. “It still could be dangerous, Mr. Carter. You know what it’s like in wartime.”
    “I won’t worry about it a minute with you there, Tom. You Majorses have a way of doin’ what you set out to do.” He rose and slapped the young man on the shoulder. “I’m mighty glad you decided to do this. Your pa will be glad to see you, too—although we’ll miss you around here.”
    “I’ll miss you too, sir.”
    From that moment on, the house was in a flurry as everyone got things ready for the journey to Richmond.
    The Carter family stood waiting for the stagecoach to arrive. The stage would take Leah and Tom and Esther to the train in Lexington, and from there they would travel by rail to Richmond. Because so many of the railroads were out, the trip would take a long time.
    Sarah was sure Leah wasn’t thinking about that. Her sister was eagerly standing beside Tom, holding Esther in her arms, when the coach pulled up.
    Sarah and her father and mother and Morena each gave Leah a quick kiss. Her parents and Morena all shook hands with Tom.
    When it was Sarah’s turn to say good-bye to him, she looked up, expecting him to kiss her.
    Instead, he awkwardly extended his hand. “Goodbye, Sarah,” he said gruffly. He got into the coachwith Leah and Esther, the driver cracked his whip, and the coach pulled out.
    Sarah stood watching them go, and sadness came over her.
He didn’t even kiss me good-bye
, she thought. She watched until the stagecoach disappeared in a cloud of dust down the road, then turned to go with her family back to the house. She knew it would be an empty house for her, but there was no other way.

3
Back in Richmond
    L eah dabbed the edge of her handkerchief in the cup of water that Tom brought her and ineffectively wiped Esther’s face. The passenger car swayed from side to side, almost violently. She had to hold tightly to the child to keep her from falling off her lap.
    “There,” she said finally, “that’s the best I can do.”
    “Here,” Tom said, “let me hold her a while, Leah.” He took Esther and seated himself on the hard, horsehide seat next to Leah. Studying the child, he grinned, saying, “I believe she’s a better traveler than either one of us. She even seems to like it.”
    As they had suspected, the railway systems were so disrupted by the war that they had to change trains innumerable times. However, Esther had made the trip well all the way from Kentucky. She had even flourished on the journey. Right now she struggled to get down to the floor, but Tom held her