She faced Francois. He’d been quiet but she knew he was doing everything to help her here. Though they’re still at odds…
“Don’t leave,” he begged. “I love you.”
“No,” but she nodded, her heart struggling to beat. “You love this Emma more than me.”
“No, no,” he said quickly, dropping to sit next to her again and taking her hand. “I did at one time. Drove me to the war. But then I met you.” He smiled.
“And what of your brood of slaves?” The words came out with anger twisted around each letter. She shouldn’t have put it that way, because his eyes flared in reply.
“I don’t have a ‘brood of slaves’! Merd!”
“Francois, do not use that language in this house!” his mother demanded.
His nose twitched. It was rather cute and almost made her giggle, that he was still under his mother’s rules over cussing.
“They are all free! Jack set them free. That should make you happy!” he got up and walked away only to turn and come back. “I’m sorry I did not tell you of the family before. I apologize for my former misbehavior. Jack, Cerisa, Emma and now you have reprimanded me for doing as I was told. It was wrong, I understand it now.” He took her hand, and dropped to one knee. “Please, accept my apology. My sins you now know and will not continue. Please.” He kissed her hand. “I love you.”
Her heart beat wildly. Her fingers burned from his touch, sending lightning bolts through her, her body begging for more. She licked her lips, her mouth too dry to talk. So, she nodded. “Yes, yes, I believe you. You’ve been working so hard to get into my graces and you’ve won. You’ve been the only one not discrediting my credentials as a doctor, which won me in the first place, made me look past your gray uniform.” She smiled to the point of hurt. “And even here, you’ve been my supporter. Thank you.”
He kissed her hard. She vaguely heard the room explode in claps and a baby wail over them, but what she truly felt was her blood racing, the taste of him and the rock hardness of his body next to hers. Slowly, her upbringing made her pull back. Ladies don’t act like slatterns, she reminded herself, throwing themselves at men. But, oh, how she wanted him!
Apart, he gazed into her eyes warmly though he asked, “I won you over by believing you’re a doctor? Obviously, you are! You saved my life! But what of your heart? Any chance at having it?”
She giggled. “Of course. I love you!”
“This is wonderful!” Pierce boomed. “We shall have a priest here shortly.”
Francois’s whole soul sang joy at winning her hand. But his brother-in-law’s talk of a quick marriage made him leery.
“Perhaps my bride might like a wedding,” he suggested.
“Now? Nah. There’s a war going on!” Duval exclaimed.
“Tell us why are you in uniform?” Francois asked, noting Cerisa’s face paling at the comment as she clung to her baby tightly.
The man inhaled. “I’ve been called to duty back east. I must go.”
“Pardon moi?” Marie asked.
“What?” Francois threw out.
“I have my orders. I do have a command. But I was reluctant to leave until all was situated here. Leaving my wife at her home is good, but to cover her and my son, I needed to know she had protection. You’re a rebel. With me gone, you’re in charge. If the Union army comes here, I needed to know they were protected. I wasn’t sure with you having served in the Confederate army and a Southerner. But if you marry a Yankee doctor, then I feel the balance here is good.”
“You’re merd!” Francois shouted back.
“You,” Pierce said, looking at Ada and ignoring Francois. “I’ll put in good word for you in command and get you ‘re-assigned’ to here. Your medical services are greatly needed and it will be incoming Yankee money, which is far better than the Confederate script that isn’t worth a hill of beans.”
“Cerisa?” He begged of his sister to say something.
She sighed. It was now he noticed her eyes slightly puffy and red. “I cannot win against the Union Army. But, if you two are here, Gustav and I will be safe.”
He rolled his eyes. But Ada took his hand. He stared, hoping and praying she loved him enough to stay. He’d been a fool about Emma, but this lady had stolen his heart. If she left, he’d surely die.
“Please tell me you’ll marry me,” he pleaded desperately.
Her eyes watered. Damn! He hoped that meant out of love and not hate. When a tear fell, he wasn’t sure what to do.
“You, Francois, are everything I despised. You’re a slave owner, you took rights where there were none, fathered without regard and loved another you could never have. I should run, but you also managed to show me you could change, that you do have a heart, and in doing so, won mine. So yes, I will marry you.”
His heart skipped a beat. He wanted to jump in joy. “Yes! Mon Dieu, thank you, ma chère.”
“We will be fine. Both protected from the war, in a way.” She smiled. “Now, kiss me, knowing I love you heart and soul.”
His stomach flittered at her words. The warmth of her smile and the fire in her eyes ignited his own and he took her into his arms, kissing her hard and deep. He’d gone to war to forget love, only to find his real true love was a lady made of steel and fire. He’d love her to hell and back!
~The End~
Author’s Notes
The American Civil War is the pivotal point in the U.S. History, the effects still riveting us today. It is a time period that yells at me through my characters my muse creates, mixed with real life people from. I
