Free Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine by Marcia Lynn McClure

mind flitted to her own brothers—to Sam and Augie and the fact they never would return. Images of her parents entered her mind , yet she forced them away. Justin was home , and she would find her happiness again . She would!
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    “ He ’ s a cantankerous ol ’ boy sometimes, Viv, ” Caleb said, chuckling as Vivianna entered the room with a bowl of chicken stew. “ Just don ’ t pay him any mind. ”
    “ Oh, I ’ m sure he ’ s not as bad as all that, ” Vivianna said, sitting down in the chair next to her bed as Caleb stood up from it.
    “ Well, don ’ t be too certain, ” Caleb said. “ And his stomach is growlin ’ like it ain ’ t been fed in a year. ”
    “ Then I ’ m glad I brought such a big bowl of stew in, ” Vivianna said. She tried not to frown as she looked to Johnny Tabor and noted his painfully pallid complexion , the sunken appearance of his eyes.
    “ It ’ s good to see ya, Johnny, ” Caleb said. “ We ’ ll have us some more time to talk when you ’ re on the mend a bit better. ”
    Vivianna watched as Johnny Tabor held a trembling hand out to Caleb. Caleb shook his hand.
    “ Good to see you again, Caleb, ” Johnny Tabor said , his thin, dry lips imitating a smile.
    Caleb nodded and strode from the room.
    Johnny Tabor was sitting up in the bed. Vivianna assumed Caleb had assisted him in doing so , for she was sure he hadn ’ t the strength to do so of his own accord. Caleb had been talking with Johnny all the while supper was being prepared , and Vivianna was glad , for it had given her the opportunity to smile unrestrained and unguarded while speaking to Justin. She could not have felt so comfortable in doing so had Caleb still been in the kitchen. Now he was gone, and Vivianna turned her attention to the task at hand—Johnny Tabor. She was determined to ensure that Justin ’ s friend regained his strength. She could see the worry in Justin ’ s eyes. Each time Johnny ’ s condition had been mentioned, Justin ’ s eyes would darken with anxiety. Thus, Vivianna was resolute in her resolve to see Johnny Tabor strengthened.
    “ It ’ s chicken stew, ” she said.
    “ Thank you, ma ’ am, ” the man said. He held out one weak, trembling hand , intending to take the bowl from her.
    Ignoring his hand—for she knew he was too weak to hold the bowl—Vivianna ladled a spoonful of stew and held it before his mouth.
    Johnny Tabor ’ s brow puckered in a deep frown , and a low, quiet growl of irritation and self-disgust rumbled in his throat.
    Yet Vivianna raised one eyebrow in daring. “ Open your mouth, Mr. Tabor, ” she ordered. “ You need some nourishment. ”
    Still frowning, Johnny Tabor opened his mouth, allowing Vivianna to feed him. He swallowed the first bite of stew , and as she ladled another spoonful , he grumbled, “ Why are they makin ’ you feed me? You ought to be out there with Justin. ”
    “ Justin has a mother and three brothers starvin ’ for his company, Mr. Tabor, ” she said, feeding him another spoonful. “ I ’ m not about to be selfish and spoil their first day with him. ”
    Mr. Tabor ’ s eyes narrowed. He seemed to be studying her. Vivianna felt her cheeks pink under the intensity of his gaze.
    “ You don ’ t want to spoil Caleb ’ s day either. Now do ya? ” he mumbled.
    Vivianna paused in ladling the stew. Her first thought was that there was no possible manner in which Mr. Tabor could know of Caleb ’ s proposal to her or of her refusal. Her second thought was that perhaps Caleb had confided the fact of it to Mr. Tabor while he ’ d been sitting in conversation at his bedside. Had Caleb truly told Justin ’ s friend of his offer of marriage? She thought not. Then the realization struck her : Caleb had also known this Johnny Tabor in battle. Hadn ’ t Justin said that Caleb too used to scout with Johnny? Perhaps this was how Johnny Tabor had come by any knowledge he owned of the Turner family. As friend to both Caleb and