By Way of the Rose Read online

  Sarah and Nora drove into Marion to pick up supplies and check the mail. Sarah reined the horse up in front of Carrol's Mercantile then they both walked in together. “Good evening!” Mr. Carrol spoke. “What can I do for you two ladies this fine day?”

  “Oh, we need some of it all!” Nora chuckled. Sarah strolled over to gaze upon the book stock.

  “Everything going all right out at your place, Mrs. Rush?” He said as he measured out the sugar.

  “Yes, fine.”

  “You heard about what happened out at the McKenny farm, didn't ya?”

  “No.” Nora looked concerned. Sarah walked toward the counter to listen.

  “Well, some scallywags, deserters, came upon her and her daughters and just raided their place. Took everything and even burned the barn.” He leaned forward and whispered. “And they did other things too, to her daughters, ya know what I mean?”

  “Oh, how horrible!” Nora exclaimed.

  “Yes, horrible it was! So horrible that they're moving, going overseas, back to her folks. Going to where there ain't no war, is what she says. I'm telling you, those scallywags did a job on ‘em!” Sarah's stomach became nervous. She didn't want to hear anymore!

  “I-I'm going to run over to the post Office and check the mail while you finish up here.” She told Nora.

  “All right dear.”

  Sarah took a deep breath as she left the store. She walked across to the post office. As she thumbed through the mail, she saw a letter to her from Doug and promptly tore into it.

  Dear Sarah;

  I can't tell you how wonderful it was seeing you again! You were like a breath of fresh air to me!

  War changes a man, but I promise you this, I won't let it change me! When it's all over and done, I'm going to be just as incorrigible as the day I joined!

  It's a beautiful day here. The flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. It looks as if this mess of dirty rotten men are camped out on lovers lane or something. Can you even imagine such a contrast? This is the perfect setting for two lovers to walk holding hands. I see a place right now that would do wonderful for proposing to the woman you love. There's a stream nearby. I can picture a couple floating down it in a boat. She's wearing all white, holding a white lacy parasol and he's dressed in his finest spring suit.

  It seems a shame, we're about to leave this place bloody and rip it of its carefree innocence.

  Well, I hear the call to duty beckoning me.

  Love, (Is that all right?

  Doug

  When Sarah got back to the wagon, Mr. Carrol had it loaded with the supplies. “My, my. Looks like you bought the store out, Nora.”

  “Well, after what Mr. Carrol said, I thought I'd better get it while we're here. We need to stay close to home with all this mess running loose. We don't need to be flitting back and forth every time we need a pound of sugar or something.”

  Sarah handed her the mail. “Before we leave, I'm going back to the post office and tell them to bring our mail out to the house when they can, since we won't be coming in every week.”

  “That's a good idea! I'll wait for you and see what we've got here.” she shuffled through the letters.

  Later that same evening, Sarah sat down and answered Doug's letter.

  My very dearest Doug;

  That place sounds wonderful. I am sure that after your call to duty, it will return to its former glory. Flowers will bloom, and lovers will walk through there again. Everything is going to be fine!

  Aside from the war, everything here is staying pretty much normal. Life goes on.

  It was wonderful seeing you again also. I didn't get a chance to say this, but I'm sorry about that day on the train. I was just upset. Everything seemed to be happening at once and I wanted it stopped! But so many things have happened to me in the years since. It's difficult to think about it. John and I were not meant to be. I know that now.

  I must go but I will leave you with this one thought. ‘Ne'er's a day, ne'er's a night, that we're not in, God's loving sight.'

  Love, (all right for dear friends like us,)

  Sara

  As Sarah stood from her writing, a letter fell from her papers onto the floor. It was that first letter she'd gotten from Greta. She picked it up and read it again. She deserves to know the truth. Sarah sat back down, picked up her pen and with trembling hands began a letter.

  Dearest Greta;

  I was going through my papers and found the letter that you had written me a few years ago. You begged to know the truth. I didn't want to write it, I ran from you... I ran from telling it again. But if you still want the truth here it is. The horrible, twisted story follows.

  Sarah wrote all day and into the night. At times she found herself crying again but she wrote on. She told Greta everything. When she got through she had written a ten page letter. The next day she went to the post office and dropped it in the mail. Her stomach twisted a bit when she turned it loose. Now, it was on its way. Finally, her friend would know the truth.

  Sarah anxiously awaited Greta's reply. Several nervous weeks passed then there it was. She trembled as she stared at the envelope. What was inside? Would Greta hate her forever? Was their friendship over? She didn't want to look inside, but she had to. With trembling fingers and a pounding heart, Sarah ripped it open and began reading.

  Sarah, my dear friend;

  Sarah held the letter to her heart and cried as the opening line gave wings to her heart. Greta had still called her ‘my dear friend'. She wiped away the tears of joy and continued reading.

  I almost passed out while reading your letter! I can't believe you kept all that to yourself. What a burden you alone have carried

  My dear sweet Sarah... you were the victim, not anyone else! I am so proud of my darling brother! To tell you the honest to God's truth, if I had known I would have been blazing a trail right behind Shane and it wouldn't have been your fault if that horrid monster had killed us both that night. You were a part of us both as I believe we are a part of you. Not even death can break this bond. We will all three be together again someday and it will be even better than the old times. They were good, weren't they? No one can take those memories from us. Not Nathan, not even the devil himself

  I took your letter to the sheriff. He said there was enough to worry about with this war. He don't care about a four year old murder case. But at least I know the truth now! Thank you, Sarah for finally coming out with it! Thank you so much! I know it must have been hard to do but I hope you won't ever be afraid to tell me anything.

  Your loving friend always,

  Greta

  Sarah felt a tremendous weight lift from her shoulders. Now, she was totally free to be happy... and she was!

  Greta made her way towards the DuVal's with Sarah's letter in hand. Sarah the sinner indeed! She snorted to herself as she stomped onward. She wanted everyone to know the truth. The door was standing wide open. Marion was busy in the kitchen as usual. “Mrs. DuVal,” Greta called through the door.

  “Yes, Greta come on in... what can I do for you today?”

  “Mrs. DuVal, I have something very serious I need to talk over with you.” She entered the house. Marion pulled out a chair for her.

  “Would you care for a cool drink? I know I would. It's awful hot today.”

  “No, thank you.”

  “Well, it's good to see you again. Now, what is this serious business?” Marion sat down

  “It's about Sarah.” She boldly glared into Marion's face.

  “Humpf, Sarah... you've heard from that little tart, have you? Well what is it now? Is she pregnant again?”

  “I got this letter from her the other day,” Greta plopped it down on the table in front of Marion. “She knows who killed Shane and just like we all suspected, it wasn't John.”

  “Then who was it?” Marion perked up in excitement as she reached for the letter. “It's past time we cleared my John's name of this travesty.” Greta looked at her in contempt.
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  “I doubt the truth will make you much happier as it was your Nathan who killed him.” Marion's face went pale.

  “Why would Nathan have anything to do with Shane's death?”

  “Because Shane found out that Nathan had raped Sarah. That's how she got pregnant. Shane was going to kill him.” Marion stiffened her spine, anger flashed from her eyes.

  “You get out of this house with that lie this instant! Get, I say!” She leapt up from her chair so suddenly that it toppled over.

  “It isn't lies! For the first time truth is abounding around this place! Sarah is not the bad seed... Nathan is, though! He always has been. You knew it too! You let him be like that!” She pointed her finger in Marion's face. “You let him beat her, mistreat her and now you're ready to let him by with raping her and killing my brother too.”

  “Get out! I said get out of here!” Marion shouted wildly as she flailed her arms in the air.

  “Read the letter if you dare... It will explain everything.” Greta stood like a statue, solid to her ground.

  “I don't need to read a heap of lies, take the thing with you!” Marion threw it toward the door. Greta picked it up and tossed it back at Marion. “Your son killed my brother. The least you could do is be civil to me.” She walked away. It was a while after Greta left that Marion picked up the letter and began to read. When she was done, her hands were trembling. She tried to cram the damning letter back in the envelope, but her hands were too clumsy and shaky. She wadded it and screamed. “No! It can't be true! No!” She rushed to the fire that was blazing in the stove. No one must see this! She threw the letter in and breathed a sigh of relief as she watched it burn. She didn't know that it really didn't matter now, the truth was out.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  * * * *

  Sarah woke just before daybreak Monday morning as if she had to get ready for her day of teaching. For nearly four years this had been her daily routine. She decided that she would have breakfast ready for Nora when she woke. Nora heard the rattling of pots and pans and came into the kitchen. “You up already?” she said, through her yawning.

  “Oh, I didn't mean to wake you. I just woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. I thought I'd fix breakfast for you, for a change. I've already got the biscuits in the oven. Why don't you sit down and I'll pour you a cup of coffee.” Sarah pulled out a chair from the kitchen table. “I hope I made it as good as you do.”

  “I'm sure it's wonderful,” Nora assured her. “Why, just to get up and have coffee already brewed is a treat. Maybe that's what really got me up. I smelled that coffee.” she smiled as she took her seat. Sarah sat the cup of coffee on its saucer in front of her aunt who began stirring the sugar and cream into it. Then she lifted the cup from its saucer and sipped it with a loud, slurping whistle. “Oh, this is the best cup of coffee I've ever had in my entire life. What in the world did you do to it?”

  “I may have ground it a little longer, but I don't know that it's any different or better than yours.”

  “Well, maybe it's just because someone else made it.” Nora chuckled. Sarah scooped some grits into the boiling water and stirred over them. She looked into the egg bowl.

  “Did you know that there's only two eggs in here?”

  “Oh yeah. Hens have been getting lazy lately. I'll run out there and see if we have some fresh ones this morning.”

  No, I'll do it. You just relax.”

  “Don't fuss. Go ahead and slice the bacon, I'll be right back.” Nora took her basket and walked out the back door toward the chicken coop. Sarah took out the large slab of bacon and began slicing thin strips of the marbled meat. She watched Nora from the kitchen window. In the faint morning duskiness she was just an outline moving about. Her silhouette bent forward and disappeared into the coop. Sarah looked back at her chore. She lay the slices into the cast iron skillet, sending a spattering and popping of hot grease. She picked up the butcher knife and began slicing again. Suddenly she heard Nora scream. She looked up and saw other silhouettes besides Nora's in the dusky morning light. They were tall and dark and wrestling about with her.

  “Lord, God no! Not Nora!” Sarah gasped as she remembered what Mr. Carrol had told them what had happened to the McKenny's. Then Nathan's evil violation flashed through her mind. A rage boiled up in Sarah. Nora had lived a lifetime of pain and suffering. Sarah had lived a lifetime of pain and suffering. They'd had enough. This horrible thing would not happen! This day would not be remembered in tears and sorrow! Sarah would stand strong against them or die! She charged from the house like a tigress, still clutching her knife. “Get your filthy hands off her this minute, you filthy cowards! Get off this land!” She saw the dirty filth of what used to be Union and Confederate soldiers. Deserters.

  “Well, ain't you a sweet little tidbit.” The Southern deserter turned Nora loose as he stepped toward Sarah.

  “Run, Nora. Get out of here,” Sarah demanded. The man had his pistol drawn, but Sarah paid it no mind as she walked straight up to him, plunged the knife into his side and twisted the gun loose from his hand. She turned and fired into the Northern one so quickly that neither of them had time to think. The one she'd stabbed held his bleeding side and stared in disbelief. Sarah drew back the blade and sliced through his neck, his blood spattered over her before he sprawled onto the ground. In less time than it took to swat a fly, the two degenerates lay dead.

  Nora's eyes were wide as she looked at Sarah. She trembled at the sight of her blood covered niece. Sarah looked down at the deserters. She slowly wiped the blood from her chin with the back of her hand that still held the man's gun. “That'll teach you to mess with this savage witch.” She turned and walked away. She sat down on the stoop still clutching to her knife and the gun as if they were her security blanket. Smoke billowed out the back door from the burning bacon. Nora saw the smoke.

  “The house is burning!” She rushed past Sarah and through the back door. Immediately the fiery skillet flew out into the yard. Sarah looked from the two dead men to the burning skillet and down to her blood soaked hands. She breathed deeply. Nora walked out and sat beside her. Her hand trembled as she reached toward Sarah.

  “Don't be upset, dear. You did the right thing. You did what you had to do, child.” Sarah looked at her aunt.

  “I'm not upset, Nora. I'm not upset at all.” She stared back at the men. “I'm glad. I feel strong. I feel like there's nothing I can't do.” Sarah smiled as she felt her own strength. She had protected herself and her family. She wasn't weak... She wasn't helpless... She wasn't a victim... Not this time and never again would she be. Suddenly she realized that she'd always held this strength. She had been strong enough to bear Nathan's attacks and keep them hidden to protect Marion, Daniel and John. Now, she knew she was strong enough to face all foes who dare hurt anyone she loved. With this knowledge came a wonderful freedom from all fear! She felt this mighty power within herself as she took a deep, satisfied breath. “I'll get the shovel.” She spoke matter-of-factly as she calmly walked toward the barn.

  Sarah placed the two men's pistols on the mantle-board, side by side, Northern and Southern alike, resting there together. “Look, Nora, my spoils of battle. Let all scallywags take notice. Come back around here and if the Southern one don't get ‘cha, then the Northern one will!”

  “Well, little tidbit, I guess you showed them how sweet you were!” Nora laughed as she remembered the last words out of that one man's mouth. His last words before the little tidbit killed him dead.

  Doug and the other men were camped out on the side of a hill near Vicksburg, Mississippi. They were to meet with another Regiment in the morning. General Grant's armies were now almost 80,000 men strong.

  Confederate General Johnson's army of 20,000 men had been summoned from Arkansas to Vicksburg to relieve and join General John C. Pemberton's army of 31,600 starving men holed up in a garrison there. Together they would meet and execute an assault against Grant on July the 7th. Pemberton's starving men had been red
uced to eating the army's mules. When that ran out, they ate grasshoppers, rats, gophers or armadillos in a desperate attempt to hold out until Johnson's army arrived, but on July the 4th they succumbed and surrendered to Grant.

  The Union armies now occupied Vicksburg, Mississippi, delivering a devastating blow to the South. The confederacy was split in half.

  A letter from Sarah was forwarded to Doug along with a letter from home. He tore into Sarah's letter first.

  Dearest Doug;

  I pray things are well with you! Are you keeping yourself safe for me, my dear friend? My senses tell me that this war can't go on forever, but every new day that comes without an end makes me wonder.

  Things in Arkansas aren't going well. I miss teaching the children, but we have to do what we have to do. We are luckier than most. We have food and a place to sleep

  What a sad world. This Nation has bled enough! It's time to stop. I know you'd said that the end was near and I believed it, but everyday it gets harder to be strong and wait with patience while people are being killed left and right. When you can't go into town without fearing for your life it's gone too far! It is a sad, sad world and I pray this fighting is over soon and you will return safely to your family and all of us who love you!

  Blessings, and all my love

  Your dear friend,

  Sarah

  Doug lay back and stuffed the letter in his coat pocket. Then he opened the letter from home.