Tillie picked up the tale. “Other peoplestood by and stared or went inside and shut their doors so theywouldn’t have to see.” Tillie’s voice rose as her emotions overtookher. “And the Rebs laughed. They laughed at us. One of them evenpushed Mother down when she grabbed at his arm.”
“That’s disgusting.” Maggie threw her forkdown. “How dare they?”
“They dare because they can.” Mother’s voicechoked. “Who is here to stop them?”
“I would have stopped them.” Sam sat up. Hestabbed his fork into a potato. “I would have told that dirty Rebto keep his hands off you.” He turned his hate-filled face toMother. “He wouldn’t’ve got away with it if I’d been there.”
Mother’s eyes filled with fresh tears, andshe smiled at him as they slid down her cheeks. “I thank you forthe sentiment, dear, but I’m afraid they would have been too mucheven for you.”
“Why don’t they come?” Tillie spoke to thetable. No one answered. Where was the Union Army? Why had theyfailed to arrive and protect them?
Father sat back down in his chair. “I went tothe Scotts’ to find out what’s going on. Where the boys are, whenthey’re coming.” He shrugged as he resumed his seat. “I also wantedto find out where the Rebels had gotten themselves off to.”
“What did Mr. Scott say?” Tillie asked.
“The older Mr. Scott says he has no idea. Asyou know, young Hugh took the telegraph machine and slipped away.Mr. Scott won’t say where he went, even to friends. He doesn’t wanthis son’s whereabouts inadvertently revealed to the Rebs.” Fathershook his head. He took a deep breath. “While we all sat aboutyesterday, patting ourselves on the back and thinking the Rebs hadleft, they were busy burning railroad bridges and cutting thetelegraph wires between here, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. Theyhave cut us off and rendered us silent.”
Tillie stared at her father, uncomprehending,her fifteen-year-old mind still reeling from this afternoon. “Isthat bad? Can’t they fix it?”
“Who’s ‘they’, Tillie? Who is going to fixanything?” Father exhaled and raised a hand in a gesture ofapology. “After you and your mother returned home, I went upstreetto get the flour and other supplies. As you know, the Rebs havecarried off most of what the town kept back, and there isn’t muchleft with harvest still a month or so away.” He placed his hands onthe table and swirled his wedding ring. “There aren’t any supplies.Fahenstock said the Rebs made off with everything not nailed down.Now, the supply trains can’t get through. More importantly, thetroop trains can’t get through. It’s bad.”
Tillie studied her father’s face, seeing forthe first time the deep lines around his mouth and across hisforehead. She sensed his anxiety, though he attempted to concealit. It was too much for her to process. She sighed. “If you don’tmind.” Her fork tapped against her potato. “I’m not hungry. May Iplease be excused?” Fresh tears filled her eyes, and she tried invain to blink them back.
Father studied her face. “You may.”
Tillie picked up her dish and brought it tothe sink, then slipped upstairs to her room. At her desk, thepartially written letter to William sat waiting. Now was as good atime as any, but she wasn’t in the mood.
She undressed and climbed into bed. Shestopped weeping an hour later and lay wide-awake, thinking aboutthe afternoon. Fear propelled her out of bed. She padded barefootdown the hall to Maggie’s room.
Maggie opened the door to Tillie’s knock. Shetied her bathrobe around her waist. Maggie’s four-poster bed wasagainst the far wall. The blanket and sheet folded back ininvitation.
On the wall next to the door, Maggie’sarmoire stood a door ajar. As she had done as a small child, Tilliecrossed the room and climbed into her sister’s bed. Maggie closedthe door, removed her bathrobe, and slid in next to her. She heldTillie close.
Tillie tucked the top of her head underMaggie’s chin. “Maggie?”
“Yes.”
“I’m scared.”
“So am I.”
“What do you think will happen?”
“I don’t know.”
“Father’s scared too. I saw it atsupper.”
After a long pause, Tillie glanced up to seeif Maggie had drifted off.
Then in a low voice, Maggie answered, “Yes,he is. The whole town is frightened.” She wriggled away to faceTillie. “Our boys will come. Don’t fret. They will come, if for noother reason than to defend our homes and avenge those poorfamilies—and George.”
Moonlight washed the bedroom in a spectralglow. Maggie’s creased brow and deep frown lent an air of defianceto her words. Perhaps all would be well after all. The Union Armywould come and defend them. They had to. President Lincoln wouldnever allow the Confederate Army to remain long in Union territory.Tillie wrapped her arms around Maggie’s neck and gave her ahug.
“I love you, Maggie.”
“I love you too.”
Tillie rolled over onto her side away fromMaggie and soon drifted into a fitful sleep.
Chapter 10
“Tillie! Maggie!” Sam’s shout rang throughthe kitchen. “Where are you?”
“For goodness sake. Don’t run in the house.”Mother’s words followed him as he bounded into the sittingroom.
Tillie turned from dusting the mantelpiece,her mouth agape.
Sam’s eyes shone, and his grin split hisface. “They’re here.” He grasped her elbows and gave her a quickshake.
“Who’s here?”
He released her and ran to the hallway,stopping at the foot of the stairs. He called up. “Maggie, you upthere? Come down! The Yankees are here.”
Tillie gasped. At last! She dropped herdusting rag and joined Sam.
Maggie appeared on the landing, a kerchiefcovering her hair and a feather duster in her hand. “Gracious, Sam,don’t shout at me. I’m not a tavern wench.” She untied her apron asshe trotted downstairs.
He flapped both hands in a come-here gesture.“The Yankee Cavalry is here! They’re riding up Washington Streetnow. Let’s go watch!” Sam’s breath came in short gasps.
From outside the open window cheering reachedthem.
“Oh, Mother, may we?” Tillie clasped herhands to her breast, her eyes wide and eager. She twirled to faceMother, coming from the kitchen.
“Please, Mrs. Pierce.” Sam bent his knees andbounced back up.
“Yes, Mother, for a few minutes?” Maggiejoined in.
Mother laughed. “So our boys have arrived atlast.” She nodded. “All right, but stay out of the way and don’t gobeyond Washington Street.”
They jostled each other to get
