The officer shot orders in rapid fire as if to brush away Abram's insult. He ended with "Let's be done with this. I have more important matters waiting."
Minutes later Perry saw the pain in the huge black man's eyes as he lifted Hunter in his arms. His efforts were costing him dearly as he strained already injured muscles, but he allowed no other to carry his friend. Abram took Hunter across the campground, with Captain Williams and Andrew leading the way. Perry followed close behind. They marched to an isolated area a few hundred feet from the edge of the main camp. Following an overgrown path through the trees, Abram swayed, avoiding branches as he rocked Hunter in his arms. The moon appeared for a few minutes, shedding silvery light upon the trees, which hung heavy with growth and rain. Nature's beauty seemed shrouded in evil tonight.
The path halted abruptly before a moonlit clearing. In the center of the clearing awaited a burned-out hull of a farmhouse. Where once a family had lived, now only charred walls stood. The small band waded through thick brush toward the structure. The forest was fighting to reclaim this small spot, and winning.
Perry watched Abram fold his huge bulk and Hunter's limp body through the aging door frame. A table with clean sheets was waiting in the center of the roofless room. Lanterns hung from each corner, casting a collision of shadows on the walls. From the opening Perry saw Abram gently place Hunter on the table. A drama unfolded as her eyes adjusted to the light. A sense of secrecy enveloped this meeting. She had the feeling that no one other than those present knew of this late-night call from the doctor.
Officer Williams paced, one hand absently patting the handle of his revolver.
Andrew passed Perry. For a moment, in the door frame, he faced his little sister. "Your eyes look huge with the lamplight dancing in them," he whispered. "You seem to care for this man. I'll do the best I can to save his life, but only because of you. I wish I could tell you all will be fine, but I no longer believe it myself." Without another word he moved to the table and opened his bag.
She sank into the damp grass beside the smoke-blackened stone. She melted into the shadows, constantly aware of Williams's presence and the danger he presented. The shadowy figures danced along the inside walls as Andrew and Abram worked over Hunter's body. After what seemed an eternity, the shadows began to blur and Perry curled up in the cold grass, a prayer for Hunter's life on her lips.
She felt warm and dreamy as she heard someone saying her name. Opening her eyes, she saw Andrew's hand stretching toward her. She rose to greet him as an army blanket fell from around her shoulders.
Suddenly Andrew was pulling her behind the ruins and into the thick wooded area just beyond. He glanced around until satisfied they were alone, then dropped low in the brush.
Perry knelt to hear him whisper, "Perry, we only have a few minutes. Abram is standing watch for us." His eyes were filled with concern. "I heard about what you did to the fields. You've got to get out of here fast. Williams has half his men looking for you."
"Noma and I were trying to get to Granddad's old place when I was caught behind the lines."
"Where's Noma?"
The anger in his voice surprised her. "I don't know," she whispered.
Andrew rubbed his red beard. "If Williams finds her, it won't take him long to figure out where you are. I wouldn't hold much hope in Noma keeping a secret."
"Of course she will." Perry only wished her words were spoken from her head and not her heart.
Her brother sighed. "I've seen strong men break in a blink."
She wouldn't give thought to his doubts about Noma. She'd face the problem at hand. "Did you help Hunter?"
Andrew studied his sister, her face revealing she already cared for this Yankee. Gently he whispered, "I did the best I could. He's in bad shape. Don't know who he is, but several people are awful interested in him staying alive. He's got one hell of a will to live. I'll say that for the blue leg." Andrew ran an exhausted hand through his shaggy hair. "I worked most of the night with that black giant beside me. Got the feeling he'd have snapped me in two if I'd failed. He did some fast talkin' to get me to come. We agreed it might look suspicious unless I got something for my work. Abram got the captain to agree to give me plenty of medical supplies. It's just a hunch, but I think you were right to trust Abram. Maybe Hunter is worth saving if he's got a friend as loyal as Abram."
Andrew paused, his face full of sadness. "Perry, I've got to get back to my men, but I made Abram swear to see you somewhere safe. This war has got to end soon; it can't last much longer. I'll come for you when it's over and we'll go home."
Perry opened her mouth to tell him that more than Ravenwood's land had burned, but the urgency of their time together overwhelmed her. Andrew swept her up in a desperate hug, grabbing one moment of life. Perry longed to stay in the protection of his arms. If only he could make all the sadness go away, as he used to do when she was a child. Andrew had always been more of a father to her than a brother. His embrace, though comforting, also reminded her of her loneliness. The man before her was far removed from the laughing big brother who had left for war, but he was her only family.
She stiffened as she heard movement among the leaves and knew they were no longer alone. Abram stepped from the morning shadows.
"Perry, Abram promised," Andrew whispered, more to himself than to her. "He promised to see you safe. I've got to get back to my men. Remember, when this ends, I'll come for you at Granddad's place."
"I'm not even sure the old man is still alive. We haven't heard from him except once."
Andrew tried to sound reassuring. "He's still alive or we'd have heard. Dad used to say the old guy was meaner than a two-headed rattlesnake." Andrew kissed her forehead. "You'll handle him, little sister."
Before Perry could express any of her fears, Andrew was past her, moving toward Abram. The last band that tied her to Ravenwood was stretching and breaking as Andrew disappeared into the woods. She was alone.
Hunter seemed to be resting quietly, his shoulder expertly bandaged now. His blond hair shone in the morning sun. To Perry's relief Captain Williams had disappeared. She hoped never to see him again. Just the memory of him hung like a bad odor in the air.
She pushed her own problems aside and tried to help Abram give Hunter a shave. Clean-shaven, he looked younger. His fever was low and his color seemed a touch better. Having completed all her tasks, Perry slid into a corner of the wall and relaxed. Abram moved in a slow, easy pace around Hunter, favoring his left arm as he worked. Abram was injured, but he'd made light of her concern. He merely said he'd twisted the muscle when he fell from the balloon.
Hunter's low moan brought both Abram and Perry to his side. His right hand reached up to pull at the bandages around his shoulder, as though he wanted to pull away the pain. Perry grabbed at his waving arm with both hands to stop him. Abram spoke to his friend in a low, steady voice. "Ease up. Hunter, you're all right. Just rest easy."
Hunter's body relaxed. Slowly his eyes opened and focused on Abram. Hunter's lips moved, trying to form words. A smile touched them and he whispered, "Abram, you're alive." Each word seemed an effort.
"Why, sure, takes more than one little fall from the sky to kill me," Abram said with a laugh. "You know, I figured you were a goner for sure. Didn't anybody ever explain to you that you can't catch a five-hundred-foot grounding wire with your shoulder?"
Perry watched a mischievous sparkle in Hunter's gray eyes. Slowly he whispered, "Well, once I let you out, someone had to stay with the balloon." Both men laughed.
Hunter shook his head. "That was one storm! I should have known better than to try to fly up into it. Of course, I don't remember having much of a choice. Our beloved Captain Williams was making it pretty plain we would go up or be shot as deserters."