The Widow of Rose Hill (The Women of Rose Hill Book 2), стр. 56
“Sleeping. He confessed to sneaking from the house to see the kittens after I tucked him into bed.” She looked toward the barns, though the burned-out remains were not visible from the porch. When she met his gaze again, tears pooled in her eyes. “I nearly lost him, Levi,” she whispered, her chin trembling. “How can I ever thank you enough for saving him?”
By marrying me.
The words were on his tongue, but he knew now was not the time to speak of such an important and complicated matter. Later, when she’d had time to recover from the shock and fear of nearly losing her son, he would tell her of his involvement in the battle at Bull Run. Then he would confess his love for her and for Samuel and beg her to marry him.
“You don’t need to thank me. Knowing Samuel is safe is all that matters.”
The look of love she gave him was nearly his undoing. If Eunice had not appeared in the doorway at that exact moment, he would have swept Natalie into his arms and proposed right there in front of the world.
“The last time I saw this many Yankees was the day they burned me out.” Eunice turned a narrowed glare to Levi. “And now we’ve lost all our grain to a fire. Seems suspicious, don’t you agree, Colonel?”
Her implications were clear.
“Cousin Eunice.” Natalie turned abruptly to face the woman. “I hope you’re not suggesting the soldiers had anything to do with the barn catching fire.” Natalie glanced at Levi. “Samuel has already admitted he was there. Perhaps he tried to light a lantern.”
“Pfft.” Eunice eyed Levi. “I wouldn’t be so fast to put the blame on the boy. Not when you have a yard full of Yankees. It was certainly fortunate that you happened to be at Rose Hill when the fire started, Colonel. Whatever would have become of poor little Samuel had you not arrived for a visit well after dark when most of us were already abed?”
Levi’s ire rose, but he would not sink to the woman’s level. Ignoring her, he turned to Natalie. “The embers will stay hot for several more hours. My men will remain to make certain no other fires pop up.”
She nodded. “Thank you”—she glanced at Eunice then back to him—“Colonel.”
He tried not to grin. “You’re welcome, Mrs. Ellis.”
The secret smile on her lips reminded him of how soft and yielding they’d been under his own. He hoped to get another chance—soon—to kiss them again.
He turned to leave.
“Co’nel!”
Harriet carried Samuel onto the porch, his hair a wild mess and sleep still in his eyes. The boy wiggled out of her arms and hurried to him.
“Mama says you’re a he-ro. That means you were brave.” He grinned up at his mother. Natalie smiled at him, smoothing the unruly locks into place before lifting her gaze to Levi. That she considered him a hero, he had to admit, puffed his chest a bit.
“How are you?” He knelt on one knee so he’d be eye level with the boy.
Samuel’s little brow tugged into a frown. “I was scared before you came and got me.” A smile melted it away. “The mama cat and her babies are in the kitchen. Harriet put ’em in a crate so me and Isaac don’t have to go down to the barn to see ’em.”
Levi rustled Samuel’s hair, leaving it messy again, and stood. “That’s a good idea.”
“Did you catch the bad man?” Samuel peered up at him.
“The bad man?” He looked to Natalie for explanation, but her expression echoed his confusion.
“The one with the marks on his face. Moses said he was a bad man and I should stay away from him.” Samuel grabbed a fistful of Natalie’s skirt, inching closer to her. “He was in the barn, too, but he didn’t know me and the cats were there.”
When Levi glanced at Natalie, her eyes had rounded with alarm. Kneeling again, Levi kept his voice calm. “What was he doing in the barn?”
Samuel shrugged. “He wanted some corn, I guess. He was diggin’ in all the bins and spilled some on the ground. I was gonna tell him Moses would be mad, but one of the kittens was sleepin’ in my lap, and I didn’t want to ’sturb it.”
Levi frowned, trying to piece together the story. Why would Jezro still be at Rose Hill, searching grain bins? “And then what did he do?”
“He found one of Mama’s candlesticks in the corn and put it in a bag. He put something else in too, but I couldn’t see whatit was.” Samuel frowned. “I don’t think he was s’pposed to have Mama’s candlestick. She says they aren’t to play with.”
“No, he wasn’t,” Levi said, smiling at the boy so he wouldn’t sense the fear that swept the adults on the porch. “But you were a very brave boy to stay quiet. Now, why don’t you go check on the kittens? I imagine they miss you.”
Samuel grinned and looked up to his mother. “Can I?”
“Of course. Harriet will take you.” Though she smiled as she spoke, Levi heard the tremor in her voice.
Once Samuel and Harriet disappeared around the corner, Natalie’s wide eyes met his. “Jezro started the fire, I know it.”
Eunice, unusually silent and rather pale, put her arm around Natalie’s waist.
“I fear you may be right.” Levi glanced to the dozens of soldiers in the yard, preparing their horses to return to camp. “I will have the men search every inch of the plantation, but Jezro is most likely long gone.”
“That’s what Corporal Banks said yesterday, but look what happened. My son nearly died because of Jezro!” Natalie’s eyes blazed.
Levi understood her fear. “He came back last evening to get the items he’d stolen. There is no reason for him to stay around.”
“We need to alert the patrollers,” Eunice said, giving her head a firm nod. “They have