Tillie worked in the kitchen, using thecleaning to think what to do. Behind her, the door opened. AssumingFather returned home, she didn’t turn until she felt a tap on hershoulder.
“Sam!” Tillie threw her arms around his neckin a sisterly hug.
Seemingly taken aback by her affectionateoutburst, he did not reciprocate her hug.
“Sam, I’m so sorry about Ginny.”
He ducked his head. “Thank you.” His eyesdarted around the room.
Tillie didn’t know what to say or do to helpor make him feel better. Worse, her burst of emotion embarrassedhim. “Are you back for good?”
“Not yet. I came for two reasons. First, Icame to welcome you home. Second, I wanted to tell your folks I’llbe back in a week or two. My mother is devastated by—by everything.Mr. Garlach made a coffin for us. The funeral is tomorrow.”
“We’ll be there.”
Sam sniffed and glanced around the roomagain. “Uh, some wagons are coming through town from York Road.They’re from the Sanitary Commission.” He jerked his thumb towardthe door. “The Christian Commission is also coming. Mr. Fahenstocksays they’ll be using his store as a supply depot. If you havesoldiers in your house, you can get medical supplies.”
“What about food? We need food.”
“I don’t know. I’m sure if you go down, theycan help you.”
“Thank you.” Tillie selected a basket off theshelf and tugged her bonnet from its peg. “Do you want to walk withme?”
They exited through the back gate and headedtoward the Diamond. They walked in awkward silence, and Tillie’sheart ached at the change in him. Sam, always a quiet, thoughtfulboy, now seemed pensive and brooding. A pinched and haunted lookshadowed his eyes. An air of sadness surrounded him, seeming to godeeper than the loss of his sister.
“Did you hear about Wesley Culp?” She triedto peer into his downturned face.
“Yeah.”
Tillie waited, but Sam remained quiet. Never,in the time he lived with them, did Tillie feel a wall betweenthem, but now he was a stranger. She couldn’t think of what to sayor do.
“They say he died on his father’s land.” Samspoke into the silence.
“I heard that too.”
“Johnston Skelly’s dead too.”
Tillie’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh, Sam, no.Didn’t Johnston begin courting Ginny after Wesley’s family refusedtheir marriage plans?”
“He did.” Sam smiled a sad smile. “I’d pickJohnny over Wes any day.”
“Did Johnny fight here?” Tillie touched hisarm.
Sam drew away. “He didn’t. He got wounded inone of those fights the armies engaged in on their way up here.There’s a story going around that Wes and Johnny met and talkedawhile. Johnny asked Wes to deliver a message to Ginny, but Wes gotkilled. Then Ginny died.” Sam gestured toward Fahenstock’sstore.
Ahead, hundreds of wagons stretched down theroad and around the corner at Middle Street, each waiting theirturn to unload provisions.
“Oh my.” The words rushed out on a breath ofair. She suppressed the urge to run to Fahenstock’s, forgetting Samfor the moment in her relief.
“Tillie?” Emotion choked Sam’s voice.
She turned and watched his face. He seemed tostruggle with something.
“I didn’t mean what I said—when I calledGinny a filthy traitor and I hoped she got what she deserved—Ididn’t mean it. I was mad.” The words came in a rush. He kept hiseyes focused on the ground and scuffled one foot along thepavement. He lifted his left index finger and swiped at his nose.Tears splashed on his shoe tops, but his shoulders slumped and hisbody relaxed as though he’d been carrying that burden around withhim since Ginny’s death.
“Oh, Sam.” Tillie placed a gentle hand on hisshoulder. “Of course not.” Despite his reluctance to be touched,she kissed his temple.
Sam sniffed. “Do you suppose Ginny, Johnston,and Wes are in heaven now?”
Tillie cringed. She never paid enoughattention when these discussions came up. Now he asked questionsshe couldn’t answer. She cast about in her mind for the answerFather or Reverend Bergstrasser would give, but decided on thetruth. “I don’t know, Sam, but I don’t think so. The reverend saysyou must give your soul to Christ. Did they do so?” Tillie fumbledfor words, stopped, and cast him an apologetic glance. “Perhaps youshould ask Father or Reverend Bergstrasser this question. I’m notanswering well, I fear.”
“No, you did. I don’t think my sister everdid, and Wesley went off and fought for the other side. Not surethat counts though.” Sam stared at Tillie and shrugged a shoulderas if the question no longer mattered to him. “Well, wherever theyare, I’m sure their messages are being delivered and received.”
Tillie laughed. “You are a practical soul,aren’t you, Sam?”
Sam laughed too, and Tillie took his arm,their friendship restored. He didn’t pull away this time. Togetherthey reached Fahenstock Brothers.
Chapter 25
The following day, the army doctor Fatherrequested arrived to examine the colonel. Tillie brought himupstairs.
Mother rose when they entered. Maggie steppedback. The two men waited on either side of the head of the bed,almost as though they meant to protect their commanding officerfrom a sawbones.
The gray-haired doctor stooped over as thoughhe’d spent far too many hours hunched over an amputation table. Heexamined the ankle and back, none too gentle in his ministrations,turning him this way and that, smelling his breath, and inspectinghis bandages, all while ignoring his patient’s exclamations ofpain. He removed the dressing covering his shoulder blade, scowled,and muttered incoherent words.
Mother inhaled through her nose andstraightened her shoulders, but remained silent.
He took the colonel’s pulse, sat him up, andpushed him forward so his head almost rested on his knees.
Colonel Colvill gritted his teeth to keepfrom crying out, but his hands grabbed the blankets andtwisted.
The doctor plucked a probe out of his shirtpocket and began to dig deep into the wound.
The patient cried out and begged for mercy,but the doctor ignored him. When through, he laid him back down andpatted his good shoulder.
The colonel lay back, panting. Sweat drippedoff his forehead.
Doctor Wilson turned to the women. “Thebullet lodged near his spine and must be extracted if he’s to makea full recovery. It’s not doing damage now, but may shift and causeparalysis. Also, the metal is causing infection, which needs a goodcleaning.”
