berries this time of year, and I’m not going to let one of his silly rules stop me now. Please watch Brand while I’m gone; I’ll be back long before Captain Drummond returns from patrol.”
Savannah shook her head with misgiving as she watched Aimee walk toward the woods, a pail slung over her arm. “Stubborn,” she muttered aloud. “She’s de stubbornest little gal I ever seen.”
“Where are you going, Mrs. Trevor?” Lieutenant Dill’s challenge halted Aimee’s progress across the yard. He greatly admired the petite, blond widow but was astute enough to know that Captain Drummond had some kind of prior claim.
“That should be obvious, Lieutenant,” Aimee said sweetly. “I’m going to pick berries. Berry pie will make a nice treat for tonight’s supper.”
“Indeed it will,” agreed Dill. “Has Captain Drummond approved your little excursion into the woods?”
“Of course,” Aimee lied. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be going.”
“Then I won’t stop you.” Dill smiled, easily manipulated by Aimee’s sherry-colored eyes and innocent manner. “I’ll look forward with pleasure to supper tonight.”
The woods was cool and dark. Aimee threaded her way around fallen trees and rotting vegetation as she headed directly toward the berry patch she had discovered years ago when she was still a new bride at Tall Oaks. Beau had enjoyed many a berry pie made from the fruits of that particular patch. Just as she suspected, the vines were heavy with large, succulent blackberries just waiting to be plucked from their thorny vines. She filled the pail in no time at all.
“Aimee.” Her name rustled through the leaves like a disembodied specter. She heard it clearly but couldn’t see its source. “Aimee, over here, behind the tall oak with the twisted trunk.”
Whirling about, Aimee stared at the tree, unable to see through the massive trunk to the voice beyond. The fine hair at the nape of her neck stood on end and a frisson of fear curled down herspine. “Who—who are you? What do you want with me?”
Several tense seconds passed before the speaker stepped from behind the gnarled oak. Aimee gasped in recognition.
“God, Aimee, it’s good to see you. You’re just as beautiful as ever.”
“Gar! Garson Pinder. I’d heard you’d been seriously wounded and were not expected to recover.” Garson Pinder and his family were friends of the Trevors’. On occasion she and Beau had visited their lovely plantation, located a half day’s journey from Tall Oaks. Only the burned-out hulk of their once magnificent house now stood. Garson’s two sisters and mother were now living with relatives in Savannah. His father had fallen at Gettysburg.
Gar grinned impudently as his eyes raked Aimee from head to toe. He’d always been a cocky young man, and Aimee was surprised to see how little the war had changed him. On more than one occasion he had flirted openly with Aimee, but since he and Beau were such fast friends and no harm had come of his overtures, she had never mentioned the situation to her husband.
“As you can see, I’m alive and well. I’m attached to army intelligence now.”
“What are you doing here? Don’t you know Tall Oaks is swarming with Yankees?”
“At least they didn’t burn it down like Rose Acres and other surrounding plantations,” he said with a hint of accusation.
Aimee flushed guiltily, though in truth she had no reason to feel guilty. “I’m sorry. But you haven’tanswered my question. What are you doing in the midst of Yankee territory?”
“I followed a messenger here yesterday. I’ve been hiding in the woods ever since, hoping to have a private word with you. According to my information, Captain Nick Drummond is in charge of the blue-bellies billeted at Tall Oaks. Is that correct?”
“Your information is correct.” Aimee wondered where this conversation was leading.
Gar moistened his slips, peered at her through hooded eyes, and asked, “Have they harmed
Savannah shook her head with misgiving as she watched Aimee walk toward the woods, a pail slung over her arm. “Stubborn,” she muttered aloud. “She’s de stubbornest little gal I ever seen.”
“Where are you going, Mrs. Trevor?” Lieutenant Dill’s challenge halted Aimee’s progress across the yard. He greatly admired the petite, blond widow but was astute enough to know that Captain Drummond had some kind of prior claim.
“That should be obvious, Lieutenant,” Aimee said sweetly. “I’m going to pick berries. Berry pie will make a nice treat for tonight’s supper.”
“Indeed it will,” agreed Dill. “Has Captain Drummond approved your little excursion into the woods?”
“Of course,” Aimee lied. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be going.”
“Then I won’t stop you.” Dill smiled, easily manipulated by Aimee’s sherry-colored eyes and innocent manner. “I’ll look forward with pleasure to supper tonight.”
The woods was cool and dark. Aimee threaded her way around fallen trees and rotting vegetation as she headed directly toward the berry patch she had discovered years ago when she was still a new bride at Tall Oaks. Beau had enjoyed many a berry pie made from the fruits of that particular patch. Just as she suspected, the vines were heavy with large, succulent blackberries just waiting to be plucked from their thorny vines. She filled the pail in no time at all.
“Aimee.” Her name rustled through the leaves like a disembodied specter. She heard it clearly but couldn’t see its source. “Aimee, over here, behind the tall oak with the twisted trunk.”
Whirling about, Aimee stared at the tree, unable to see through the massive trunk to the voice beyond. The fine hair at the nape of her neck stood on end and a frisson of fear curled down herspine. “Who—who are you? What do you want with me?”
Several tense seconds passed before the speaker stepped from behind the gnarled oak. Aimee gasped in recognition.
“God, Aimee, it’s good to see you. You’re just as beautiful as ever.”
“Gar! Garson Pinder. I’d heard you’d been seriously wounded and were not expected to recover.” Garson Pinder and his family were friends of the Trevors’. On occasion she and Beau had visited their lovely plantation, located a half day’s journey from Tall Oaks. Only the burned-out hulk of their once magnificent house now stood. Garson’s two sisters and mother were now living with relatives in Savannah. His father had fallen at Gettysburg.
Gar grinned impudently as his eyes raked Aimee from head to toe. He’d always been a cocky young man, and Aimee was surprised to see how little the war had changed him. On more than one occasion he had flirted openly with Aimee, but since he and Beau were such fast friends and no harm had come of his overtures, she had never mentioned the situation to her husband.
“As you can see, I’m alive and well. I’m attached to army intelligence now.”
“What are you doing here? Don’t you know Tall Oaks is swarming with Yankees?”
“At least they didn’t burn it down like Rose Acres and other surrounding plantations,” he said with a hint of accusation.
Aimee flushed guiltily, though in truth she had no reason to feel guilty. “I’m sorry. But you haven’tanswered my question. What are you doing in the midst of Yankee territory?”
“I followed a messenger here yesterday. I’ve been hiding in the woods ever since, hoping to have a private word with you. According to my information, Captain Nick Drummond is in charge of the blue-bellies billeted at Tall Oaks. Is that correct?”
“Your information is correct.” Aimee wondered where this conversation was leading.
Gar moistened his slips, peered at her through hooded eyes, and asked, “Have they harmed
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