His stern glare dismayed her.
Tillie turned around in her chair. Shegrabbed the knob on the backrest and squeezed with spasmodicmotions. “I’m sorry, Father. I don’t know what came over me.”
He shook his head. “That’s not going to workthis time. I’ll want to speak to you in the parlor right aftersupper tonight, no excuses.”
“Yes, sir.”
He trudged back downstairs, the bedroom doorhe’d closed behind him told her she consigned herself to anafternoon in her bedroom to think about her behavior. Tears filledher eyes. She returned to her letter and picked up her pen. Herhand shook, dripping ink on the page. She slammed her hand down onthe paper, crumpled it up, and threw it across the room.
* * * *
When Father came home before dinnertime,Tillie remained upstairs, hoping to escape punishment.
“Matilda Jane!” he called from the bottom ofthe stairs. “You have chores to do.”
She adjusted her skirts then went to hermirror and evaluated her appearance. With a shaking hand, sheopened her bedroom door and, like a condemned man going to hisdeath, walked to the stairs and descended. She entered the kitchenquietly, trying to make herself as small a target as possible. Hermovements careful, she lowered the dishes and set the table.
Father sat in his seat, his Bible at hisright elbow. “We didn’t want to tell General Early no, but we alsodidn’t want to tell him we sent everything to Philadelphia.” Heaimed most of his commentary at Sam, sitting next to him, hiselbows on the table and chin in hand.
The boy listened, face enraptured. “Whathappened next?”
Father shook his head. “Well, we feared if hefound out, he would become enraged and either burn the town to theground or allow wholesale looting.”
Mother took her seat. “I’m sure you all didthe right thing, James. Samuel, get your elbows off the table.”
Sam yanked his arms to his side as thoughafraid someone might swipe them out from under him.
Maggie sat, and Tillie slid into her placenext to Mother.
Father opened the Bible to James and readfrom chapter one. He cast occasional glances at Tillie. “MyBrethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations,knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. Butlet patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect andentire, wanting nothing.”
She eyed him. Did he send her a message?
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask ofGod, that giveth to all and it shall be given him. But let him askin faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave ofthe sea, driven with the wind and tossed.”
Her scalp tingled, and her heart pounded withrecognition. Her conversation with Maggie came back to her. Whatdid she say? That’s what happens when we take our eyes off God.Tillie bowed her head.
He finished reading, put the Bible away, andstrode back into the room.
“What did you decide to do, Mr. Pierce?” Samspeared a potato.
Father picked up his fork and knife and cuthis beef. “We did a lot of arguing and finger wagging, but no onecame to a consensus about what to do or say. We needed to dosomething. Kendlehart quieted the committee down and said we wastedenough time. He, Buehler, and I went to talk to the general.”
“What happened next?” Sam’s elbows grazed thetable. He shot a glance at Mother and snapped them to his sidesagain.
“Well, we left to go find General Early—hetook over Moses McLean’s house—much to his consternation.” Fatherchuckled. “Imagine McLean forced to play host to a Confederategeneral and his staff. He’s pretty peeved, but with a young familyto care for, he can’t very well say no.” He took a bite of his beefand chewed while they waited for him to continue. He sipped hiscoffee and prepared to take another forkful.
“James, dear, please, go on with your story.What happened next?” Mother put a forkful of peas in her mouth.
Father eyebrows shot high in feignedsurprise. He turned smiling eyes upon her. “Oh, yes, I’m sorry, mylove. Well, the three of us approached and found the generalstanding outside McLean’s house talking with some of his officers.We waited, as nervous as long-tailed cats in a room full of rockingchairs. After some time, he acknowledged us. I had no idea whatKendlehart would say, but Kendlehart’s a genius.” He scooped upsome peas.
“Go on, Father, please. What happened next?”Maggie’s dull monotone hit them all like a snowball to the face asshe spooned some cucumbers onto her plate. She thumped the bowldown and blinked back tears. She picked up her napkin and dabbed ather nose and eyes.
Father glanced at her, brows creased. Heswallowed and wiped his mouth. “Well, General Early acknowledgedus, and Kendlehart says to him, ‘We’ve come in response to yourrequest for supplies. We regret to inform you it is impossible forGettysburg to supply the requisitions you requested.’ He stopped,and we all waited to see what he would say. Can anybody guess whatGeneral Early said?” He eyed them, a big smile crinkling his face.“He said the town appeared rather prosperous, and he didn’t believewe were so destitute. Kendlehart insisted we told the truth. Heeven went so far as to say York is much more well-to-do. Buehlerand I stood like perfect angels as he outright lied.” He butteredhis bread. “It’s not an actual lie, as we don’t physically have thesupplies here, but still.” He chuckled. “Kendlehart told him hismen were welcome to peruse our shops, and if they found somethingworthy of buying, may make the required purchases, and not inConfederate script, only gold or greenbacks.” He burst outlaughing.
“I don’t understand.” Tillie’s brows creased.She risked a comment and Father’s renewed attention. “Why is thatfunny?”
“Because, his men must pay for their goodsand our shop owners get to make some money off the Rebs.” He chewedanother piece of beef. “We’re saying no, without appearing to sayno. We won’t give away our supplies. Our merchants will chargedouble to make up for the Confederate currency they will mostlikely receive. Now do you understand?”
Tillie nodded when the others smiled. “Yes.”She still didn’t get the humor.
“What did General Early say?” Sam’s forkslipped from his
