Free The 15th Star (A Lisa Grace History - Mystery) by Lisa Grace Page B

she bent to lift a bucket filled with the bowls and cutlery, Miss Maggie let out a small yelp.
    “Oh, Miss Maggie are you hurt?” Grace asked.
    “ Just my back. Sometimes it stiffens. I’ll be fine dear.” She placed her hand on her back trying to straighten up with a grimace on her face.
    Grace could see that Miss Maggie was in pain, “Let me take those down for you. Just draw for me how I should go, so’s I don’ git lost.”
    “ Thank you dear, it’s not far. If you get lost, just have one of the troops walk you back.”
    “ Yes Ma’am,” She answered as she took the bucket and map.
    As Grace left the room her heart started to race. She wasn ’t used to the closed in walls of the fort, everything looking the same. She looked down at the sheet Miss Maggie had given her. Left out the door, second passage way, make a right, one more right turn, end of the row, and there it was. She could hear the clanking of pots and pans and water sloshing. Steam was rolling out the door. She offered to take a pail of fresh water back, but one of the young men said he would bring it for her shortly.
    She smiled and said, “Thank you,” and left to head back. Grace walked, turned and walked, and then realized she must of headed the wrong way. She’d forgotten her drawn directions in the kitchen. Grace walked to the end of the row and came out on a clearing. Some of the troops were playing a game of dice and drinking spirits. One of the men, standing slightly in shadow from the firelight, said, “You look lost Miss, lose your way?”
    “ Yes Sir,” she said as she looked at the ground.
    “ I’ll walk her back, Private,” another voice said and Major Rivers stepped into the light.
    “ That’s alright, I can find my own way back,” she said. Grace took two steps into the passage way she’d come out of.
    “ Darlin’ that’s the lo-ng way,” Major Rivers said. He reached out and grabbed her elbow. He turned to the men, “I’ll be back soon.”
    That made Grace feel better. Maybe she was wrong about Major Rivers.
    “Here we go. This way.” He led her down a corridor made a turn and as she passed a door on her left, the Major opened it and pushed her in. He then turned and bolted it.
    Grace reached up and pulled the hatpin out of her cap and held it out so he could see it. She stumbled forward towards the door reaching for the bolt with her free hand as the Major unbuckled his belt and laid it on the back of a chair. He came up to her just as she slid back the bolt. He slammed it back in place and pushed her back against the wall as she slashed at him with her pin. He punched her in the ribs so hard it knocked the breath out of her. Grace dropped the pin. She doubled over, not able to breathe. She fumbled for the scissors in her pocket and pulled them out. The Major slapped them away. Grace fumbled trying to reach the other scissors strapped to her ankle. He bent her back, straight up, doubling the pain in her cracked rib and air-starved lungs. Then he got in her face.
    “I’m a fighting man. I don’t mind getting rough. I know how to hurt you without leaving a mark, you understand?” He continued to speak calmly as he pulled down his pants.
    “ No scratching. No biting. You leave a mark on me, you pay in pain, understand?”
    Grace nodded, still not able to catch her breath. And that ’s when the thing that she swore would never happen to her again, did.
    After, she started to cry. The Major opened the door and left.
    ***
    Louisa, escorted by a Private on her way back from her husband ’s quarters saw Major Rivers come out of a room. He nodded at her, smiled, and walked off in the other direction. Louisa heard a female crying loudly from behind the door Major Rivers had just left.
    “ Wait here,” she said to the young soldier who was her escort. Louisa pushed the door open, “Grace!”
    Grace looked up at Missus Louisa while she pulled her skirt down and tried to get her pantaloons up at the same time.