Free Leigh Ann's Civil War by Ann Rinaldi Page A

will be. But I have no untoward motives. I feel protective toward you and your little sister is all."
    "My brother Teddy told you we were not your concern. And my brother does not take easily anyone who goes against his wishes."
    "No man can tell another what his concerns should be, Miss Viola."
    My sister had confided to me that she thought Jon wanted to "take liberties" with her, and told me never to be alone with him. "And if he starts anything with you, scream, kick him, bite him." And she told me a few other secrets girls have to protect themselves.
    Now her suspicions about Jon were confirmed. "You will please leave us now, Jon," she said sternly.
    He hesitated for a moment. "I wonder if your brother would take easily the information that in his absence you are drinking sherry."
    Viola slammed her fist down on the table. "Get out!"
    He left.
    We sat until the grandfather clock chimed ten, while Careen and Cannice cleared the table, and Cannice finally came over and pulled out my chair and said, "Time for my lamb to go to bed."
    Viola had forgotten it was past my bedtime. She jumped up. "I'll do it," she told Cannice. "I just wanted her company. After all, it is a special day."
    And then, just as she was about to lead me up the stairs, Cannice came to us. "Miss Viola, that vegetable lady, she be here again."
    Viola fled through the kitchen to the back door. "Come along, chile," Cannice said to me. "I put you to bed."
    All I could think of was that the vegetable lady had a letter! I broke away from Cannice and fled to the kitchen to be with Viola. A letter meant news. Either both Teddy and Louis were dead or wounded. Or one of them was. I had to know.
    Cannice was right behind me. Viola did not order her away. The vegetable lady stood in silence until Viola told her it was all right, that Cannice could be trusted, and then she took off her neckerchief and drew out the letter.
    Viola snatched it, tore it open, and read it in silence. Her hand flew to her mouth. "What?" I demanded. "Tell us!"
    "Louis has been shot. In the ankle." She spoke in a low, shaky voice. "Teddy pulled him off the field and while doing so was shot in the arm. They were both sent to a hospital in Richmond for medical care."
    I burst into tears. "No," she said, "no. It's all right. They will both be all right. They will soon be home to recuperate." She held me.
    "And Johnnie?" I asked.
    "Teddy wrote that Johnnie was unhurt. He remains with the Roswell Guards. And he will go on with them to wherever they go to fight next. He will write to me soon."
    "Soon's here." The vegetable lady drew another letter out of her bosom and gave it to Viola, who grabbed it and kissed it.
    Coffee was heated up for the vegetable lady. And she was given some pudding pecan pie. "I knows," she told us, "that you all's got the telegraph. I done saw the poles on my way here. But I knows, too, that both armies ain't gonna let those lines be gettin' messages through wiffout bein' cut. Those lines jus' beggin' to be cut. So I still be sellin' my vegetables, thank you all."
    Viola nodded and said, "Oh, Cannice, please put your lamb to bed."
    She was clutching the letter from Johnnie to her breast as she said it.
    ***
    The boys came home two weeks later.
    Carol came back to us a good week before and insisted on being the only one to ready things for Teddy. This was the first time I saw the other side of Carol, the side that truly loved him. Now Viola and I stepped aside and let her have her own way in preparing for his homecoming.
    We got things ready for Louis. We were going to fix up the back parlor for him, deciding he wouldn't be able to make it upstairs. Then Camille dropped by.
    "Louis being Louis," the girl said, "he'll make it upstairs if it kills him. He'll be uncomfortable sleeping downstairs."
    She was right. And Viola asked her to help us prepare his room, and she did.
    They came by train to Marietta, thirteen miles north of us, and then by stage to Roswell. Viola and I