“Hey!” he heard Danny complain. “That’s not fair!”
Will turned to find Kingman on second.
“It’s called stealing a base, young man,” Kingman told Danny. He smiled at Will and bent low as if prepared to dash to third at the least provocation.
He got his chance with the second corporal, who sent a ball flying high over first base. Waxworth ran for it, but it fell down near the trees. By the time he returned to base, the corporal was on second, and Kingman was on third.
The sergeant came up next. He waved the bat around a moment, as if testing its strength, then settled it into position. “This is for the Irish,” he called, and O’Reilly’s eyes narrowed.
He hit the ball so hard it disappeared among the trees over the heads of the watchers.
“Oh, very nice,” Miss Pringle declared as O’Reilly ran in pursuit of it.
“You must do better, Lieutenant,” Mrs. Pettijohn scolded, shaking a finger at Will as all three men reached home.
Yes, he must. Danny was counting on him. So was Kate. Her smile of encouragement buoyed him. He had the measure of Kingman’s team now. He struck out Kingman and the first corporal.
“Three strikes, you’re out!” Danny crowed as the teams traded places.
Kingman took up first base, his sergeant took second, and one of the corporals took third. That left him one corporal to range the outfield, while Lercher served as catcher.
Franklin tossed the ball in the air at the center of the diamond as Waxworth came up to bat. The first ball shot past, and Lercher went to find it among the grass and toss it back.
“Strike one!” he shouted as he resumed his place behind Waxworth.
Waxworth scowled at him, and he shrugged. The private wiggled his hips and settled the bat on one shoulder.
“Is that the best way to bat?” Kate murmured to Will.
“Perhaps not,” Will acknowledged as the lanky cavalryman swung and missed.
“Strike two!” Lercher bellowed.
Waxworth’s face darkened. His knuckles were white as he gripped the bat. Franklin threw. Waxworth swung. The ball snapped back toward the pitcher as if on a string. Waxworth dropped the bat and hurtled toward first, where he stopped, face flushed and chest heaving.
“Me! Me!” Danny begged.
Will bent to put his head on a level with the boy’s. “I’m counting on you for later, Danny. I want to make sure we have at least one more person on base.”
Danny nodded, trembling.
“Is that wise?” Kate whispered as Will straightened. “He’s never played before.”
Will bowed, sweeping his hand toward the plate. “Then show him how it’s done.”
She eyed him a moment before going to accept the bat from Lercher.
She positioned it a little higher off her shoulder than Waxworth had. Franklin carefully tossed the ball toward her. Kate didn’t swing.
“Strike?” Lercher asked her.
“Nonsense,” Kate said with a frown. “Private Franklin was clearly practicing.” She looked toward the pitcher. “I’m ready, Private. Give it another try.”
Lercher threw the ball back even as Franklin reddened.
“You can do it, Private,” Miss Pringle called. “We have faith in you.”
“Knock it into next week, Mrs. Tremaine!” Mrs. Pettijohn ordered.
Franklin wound up and hurled the ball. Will had to stop himself from throwing his body between it and Kate.
She swung, and the ball arced up and over the field. Every man stood and watched it.
Except Will. “You did it!” he shouted.
She grinned at him.
“Run!” Alberta screamed.
Kate caught up her skirts and ran. Waxworth made it to third, and she made it to second, before the corporal returned with the ball and threw it to Franklin.
“Now?” Danny begged.
Will shook his head.
Smith was up next. He bunted toward third and reached first safely, but none of the others could reach home in time.
“Now?” Danny was hopping from foot to foot.
“Now,” Will agreed.
He ran to the plate and grabbed the bat. It was nearly as long as he was. But he held it tight and didn’t let it rest on his shoulder.
Once more, Franklin attempted a gentle toss. Danny connected with a thud, but the ball went up and came down behind Lercher.
“Strike one,” Lercher called with an apologetic look to Danny. He returned the ball to Franklin.
“Whose side are you on?” Mrs. Pettijohn demanded.
“Why, Lieutenant Kingman’s, dear,” Miss Pringle reminded her.
“It’s all right,” Will called to Danny. “You can do it.”
Danny’s eyes were wide as he lifted the bat again. This time it wobbled in his grip. All Kingman’s men moved into the infield.
“Don’t coddle him!” Kate called from second base. “He can hit it.”
The bat stopped wobbling.
Franklin threw, straight and true. Danny swung so hard his whole body arced. Crack! The ball sailed into the woods, and the corporal went running.
So did Danny. As Will cheered, he hit first and stopped. As the ball veered toward Franklin, Waxworth cleared home.
“Stay there!” Kate called from third as Danny started moving toward second. He leaped back onto the base. Kingman smiled at him.
Will moved into place and picked up the bat.
“You can do it, Lieutenant!” Danny called.
Maybe, but unlike Kingman’s men, Franklin knew how Will played. He threw a ball just low enough that Will didn’t swing.
“Strike,” Lercher said. “Sorry, sir.”
Not as sorry as Kingman, as Will connected with the second ball, and it flew for the trees. He followed Kate, Smith, and Danny around the bases.
“You did it, you did it!” Danny cried, jumping up and down.
Will hefted him into his arms. “We did it. Here’s to our new top hitter.”
Everyone cheered.
Will caught Kate’s gaze, and the noise, the motions around him, Danny against him, seemed to fade until there was only her, smiling with pride, with affection. The very earth shook beneath him. It was a moment before he realized it wasn’t just his emotions causing the sensation.
“Earthquake!” Kingman shouted.
18
Kate stumbled to Will’s side and clung to his arm as he lowered Danny to the ground. She wasn’t sure who looked the more rattled. All around them, the trees swayed with the movement of the earth, and she was certain the grass rippled along with
