Free Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine by Marcia Lynn McClure Page A

Justin, perhaps he knew that Vivianna had loved Caleb when the war began—likewise knowing she loved Justin at the end of it.
    “ Were you with Caleb when he was wounded, Mr. Tabor? ” she asked, feeding him another spoonful of stew—attempting to distract him from the present subject of conversation.
    “ I was, ” he said. “ He was a fine soldier…and he ’ s a good man. ”
    “ And you ’ re from Texas ? ” she asked , feeding him another bite of stew.
    “ Yes, ma ’ am, ” he mumbled. He held up a hand as she offered another spoonful to him. “ Pardon me, ma ’ am…but I best not gobble…else it might not stay in me. ”
    “ Oh, I ’ m so sorry, ” Vivianna said , a pang of painful sympathy pinching her heart. “ We ’ ll let that much settle then. ”
    “ Do ya know if Justin sent anybody for our packs? ” he asked.
    “ Your packs? ” she asked, confused.
    “ We hung ’ em in a tree near the road before we got too close to town. We didn ’ t want any of the townsfolk attackin ’ us on our return and stealing the few things we brung with us. I thought…I thought maybe he ’ d already gone back for ’ em…or sent someone to fetch ’ em, ” he explained.
    “ Oh, I see, ” Vivianna said. She shook her head. “ No , he didn ’ t send a nyone for them. I suspect they ’ re still where ya left them…safely hidden until ya can fetch ’ em yourself. ”
    The soldier nodded but still frowned.
    “ Where in Texas are ya from, Mr. Tabor? ” she asked, slowly ladling another spoonful of stew between his parched lips.
    “ San Antonio , ” he said. “ Well, that ’ s where I was born anyway…though I left to enlist from Fredericksburg . ”
    “ Fredericksburg ? I ’ ve never heard of it. ”
    “ Most folks haven ’ t. It ’ s small. ”
    “ And your family is there? ”
    “ No, ma ’ am, ” he answered. “ Two parents, two sisters , and two brothers…moved north about a year ago. ”
    Vivianna smiled and asked, “ Only two parents? ”
    She was momentarily mesmerized as Johnny Tabor smiled then too. His smile quite lit up his face , and it was only then that she noticed what a handsome man he would be were he healthy.
    “ Yes. Only two, ” he said. Instantly, his smile faded, however, as he said, “ I ’ m so sorry for the loss of your family, ma ’ am. Truly I am. ”
    Vivianna shook her head and restrained the tears begging to well up in her eyes. “ Everyone lost someone in the war, ” she said. “ But I have the Turners . T hey ’ re my family now. ”
    “ Until you and Justin have your own family? ” he asked. His eyes were piercing as they studied hers , as if he were trying to read the thoughts in her mind. She felt her cheeks pink with blushing , yet she wasn ’ t quite certain if the blush rose from the thought of having a family with Justin or because of the intensity of Mr. Tabor ’ s gaze. “ Well…well…well, I… ” she stammered.
    “ You haven ’ t already promised yourself to Caleb, have ya, ma ’ am? ” he asked.
    Vivianna was astonished! She felt her mouth gape open as she stammered to respond.
    “ Well , no…I…I haven ’ t. Of course…I have to…I wouldn ’ t want to hurt him . I… ”
    “ But he ’ s asked ya…hasn ’ t he? ” he asked.
    Vivianna sensed he already knew the answer to his own question. Therefore, she dared not lie. “ Well, yes, ” she admitted in a whisper. “ But I refused. I couldn ’ t…I couldn ’ t accept him while…while… ”
    “ While you were still in love with his brother, ” he finished. Again, Johnny Tabor ’ s dark eyes bored into her soul.
    “ It seems…it seems you know an awful lot about it, Mr. Tabor, ” she said, spooning more stew into his mouth.
    “ Bein ’ a friend to both boys…it seems I would, wouldn ’ t it? ” he asked.
    Vivianna gasped as Johnny Tabor reached out and firmly took hold of her wrist with one roughened hand.
    “ I didn ’ t bring Justin home so