Free The Rebel Spy by April London Page B

am still responsible for you.” He reached for her hand. His warm fingers intertwined with hers. He tugged her forward until her body pressed against his own. “I’d like to go home. See my family. Will you go home with me? To Boston.”
    “If I say no?”
    He leaned back to stare at her. “I could force you, but I’d rather not put you in chains.” His dark eyebrow lifted and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Silken bonds sound interesting though.”
    Her jaw fell open. His soft laughter filled the silent night air around them. “Please, Tamsyn. I haven’t seen my family in three years. Go with me to Boston, so I can uphold my word to General Grant concerning you and remind myself what civilized life is again.”
    She thought for a moment, searching his face for any sign that his threat of chains was mere jest. She sighed. “All right, Elizabeth and I will go with you to Boston.”
    He dropped his head.
    “What is it?”
    He remained silent.
    “Out with it, General.”
    “I think you should send Elizabeth with Davis to Tennessee.”
    The words ripped the breath out of her and she dropped down into the rocker. “What? No. I can’t.”
    In five years, she’d never spent one day away from her daughter.
    “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think she was in danger.” James climbed the steps and dropped to his knee in front of her. “I’ll send you on the first train out of Boston when my promise to Grant is fulfilled.”
    “I can’t.” She closed her eyes and shook her head.
    “Boston is a big place, love.” He gripped her hands. “I can’t promise there won’t be people like Waxman. She’ll be safer with your brother and your family in Tennessee.”
    “Tam, he’s right.” Davis whispered from the doorway. He’d been listening. “Send Elizabeth with me to Ma. He’ll put you on a train out of Boston before the summer is over or I’ll come and get you myself.”
    James sucked in a breath and nodded. “You have my word.”
    Tears dripped down her face and onto James’s hands.
    “Tam?” Davis pressed her for an answer.
    She was left without a choice. “Promise me, Davey, you’ll read to her every night. Tuck her in.”
    “I’ll even ask Ma to start teaching her letters,” Davis whispered.
    “I’ll pack her things.” Tamsyn pulled her hands away and covered her face, muffling the sobs that shook her shoulders.

Chapter Eleven
    Friday, April 21, 1865
    “We were lucky.” James folded the ticket and slid it into the pocket inside his jacket. They stood on the station platform waiting for the man to bring their luggage off the train.
    He really does look handsome in his uniform. The image of him naked in the creek flashed in her mind and she bit back a smile. Handsome out of it too.
    “How so?” For the last two days she’d been in close quarters with the man. On the train they’d laughed and talked well into the night.
    “You haven’t travelled much by train, have you?”
    The Boston train station was packed with people who scurried by, bumping into one another without much thought.
    “No.” She smoothed her hand over the dress. In Philadelphia there’d been a wait before changing trains. James had taken her shopping.
    Tamsyn smoothed the dress again. He’d insisted she needed new gowns. Needed.
    They’d put Davis and Elizabeth on a train to Johnson City early on Wednesday morning. Elizabeth had merrily kissed her mother’s cheek and bid her goodbye.
    Tamsyn stood on the platform crying long after the train had gone. James promised her again he’d arrange to have her on the first train he could manage.
    The first leg of their trip to Boston left Lynchburg just before noon on the same day.
    “Are you sure, James, your family won’t mind?” She’d asked the question a dozen times already but she needed to hear him reassure her again.
    “James! James Steele!”
    Both of them turned.
    “Lars.” James grinned.
    The family resemblance was uncanny.
    A tall man made