The Hour of Dreams (6 page)

After breakfast, I put on a coat and headed out into the cool morning air. The wooded path I took was desolate, except for all of nature’s beauty. Even so, walking now, knowing what was possibly coming to the surrounding area, made the hairs on my arms stand up.

The sight of Charity's home finally came into view. Upon my approach, she ran down her porch, her red hair blowing behind her.

We hugged, and I chuckled with relief to see her, as her mother opened their front door.

“Phoebe?” she called. I waved. “Come on in and warm up.”

I eagerly accepted the invite, and, once inside, I found myself sipping warm tea while answering several questions. Charity’s father listened attentively, and once I finished recounting the soldiers’ arrival, he spoke.

“Well, hopefully they will soon be on their way.”

“Hopefully,” I repeated, taking another steaming sip.

I stayed awhile and helped Charity sew a dress for spring. The sewing somehow came naturally to me. When it was time to leave, she insisted upon walking me halfway, and only when she agreed not to descend the other side of the hill did her parents allow her to come.

We weren’t very far from her house when she started peppering me with more questions.

“Are they handsome? What do they look like?”

I told her that there was something intriguing about them. Their uniforms made them appear powerful. I also told her that Samuel was sort of good-looking, but lacked any proper manners whatsoever, and that William was very pleasing to the eye and had seemed like the nicer of the two until I'd overheard him talking about me.

She weaved her arm through mine as we walked. “He said that? Are you certain?”

“It’s not a good thing, Charity.”

“Are you kidding? You’ve caught the eye of a strapping soldier. A king’s man. How exotic.”

There didn’t seem to be anything exotic about it. It was on the verge of infuriating.

When we reached the hill, I bid her goodbye and continued on my way alone.

I hurried along the winding path, worried about being out after dark, until I heard a twig snap behind me.

Spinning around, I saw Samuel moving aside branches along a path that ran deep into the woods.

“Well, well, where have you been?” Despite his easy demeanor, instinct told me to take a step back.

“My friend’s house,” I stated, trying not to let the fear escape in my voice.

“Is she as pretty as you?” he purred.

My heart started pounding. I felt utterly cornered by now unfamiliar woods.

“It’s okay,” a voice proclaimed. It was followed by an additional body making its way along the same path behind Samuel.

“Well,
heavens
,” Samuel said, turning to find William. At the sight of both of them, my knees nearly buckled with fear.

“William, don’t you have something you could be doing besides following me?”

William stood tall with his chin slightly raised. “I do, as soon as I get you back to your post.”

“So, it’s your duty to—”

Their squabble was interrupted by a familiar voice, coming from behind me, laced with curiosity. “Phoebe?”

Oh no
. I immediately turned to find Charity approaching, eyes wide.

“What are you doing? You’re past the hill. Your pare—”

“I wanted to see them for myself,” she whispered, coming up beside me. Her gaze traveled past my shoulder, and I dared to steal a glance. Both boys were staring at us, but Samuel started walking over, his gaze set on Charity.

“You are
lovely
,” he said, getting closer.

I turned to warn Charity, but the glow in her blue eyes told me it was too late.

“Thank you,” she stuttered, placing a hand over her chest, inadvertently drawing attention to her rosy flesh.

Before I knew it, they were standing face to face, introducing themselves.

“Charity, you don’t want to—”

“Would you calm yourself?” Samuel barked quickly, and then seemed to catch himself. “We’re just talking. May I spend a few moments with this lovely lady?”

I turned to Charity. “We need to go.”

“Phoebe, it’s fine,” she said between tight lips.

“See, it’s fine,” Samuel echoed, standing between us. “Just a few moments. Now run along and settle William there. He could use it.”

I went to grab for Charity, but she pulled back, stuck her arm in Samuel's, and disappeared down the path. I slowly turned back to see that William had come to within a few feet of me. I jumped in fright.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, backing away slightly.

Suddenly, I was filled with rage toward William, and with frustration over Charity losing her wits. Whatever the reason, my response sounded brave and assertive.

“For what?” I challenged. “Having such a wretched comrade, or insulting my virtue?”

He took another step back. “What does that mean?”

“You know…since it’s your turn…you get to pick and choose your women in all those towns you pass. Well, I’ll have you know, I’m not interested.”

His deep brown eyes were blazing a hole through me, so I was entirely grateful when he looked down. After a moment of thought, he looked back up and took a step forward so fast, all my courage went out the window.

“You overheard us talking?”

Even though I now found myself to be the one taking a couple of steps back, I verbally stayed my ground. “Yes. I did. Now if you’ll pardon me, I’ll be on my way.”

I went to turn, but he grabbed hold of my elbow. Even through my layers, I could feel the warmth of his touch. I was so stunned and confused by the sensation that my feet froze.

“It’s not at all how you think,” he pleaded. I neither replied nor moved, even when he let go. “I just told him that so he would leave you alone. I don’t want that at all.”

Somehow, hearing him explain that I was wrong seemed even more offensive, and I felt myself shift my weight as reason tried to reach my brain. He must’ve read the disappointment in my face.

“Well, I do. But…” he stuttered. Something about his discomfort made me soften. “I don’t know,” he continued, “but it’s not like you think.”

His gaze held a sense of resolve that made me not only believe him, but it seemed to drown out the danger beyond the forest. Only when we heard loud giggling did we turn away, and it was then that my senses returned.

“I have to go,” I said.

He nodded, and as I turned to retrieve Charity—and her senses also—he reached for me again. Only this time, he stopped himself.

I raised my brow, waiting for him to say something. “May I walk you back?” he asked.

“I’m going to escort Charity back home,” I stated, almost wishing I wasn’t.

“When will you be back?” he pressed.

I glanced around, suddenly feeling like the conversation was entirely forbidden, but my words betrayed me. “I have to be back before dinner,” I answered.

He nodded. “I’ll wait for you here so you’re not returning alone.”

When a soft smile formed against my will, I nodded and turned quickly.

With a determined stride, I hurried my way over to Charity and insisted upon returning to her home. Surprisingly, Samuel backed away and nodded.

“Good day, lady,” he said with a grin. “Your kindness has made my day.”

He practically skipped away while I pulled Charity by the arm.

“What were you thinking?”

“What?” she asked innocently.

“Coming here. Talking to
him
.”

“I told you. I just wanted to see for myself. And it was so worth it.”

Watching her beam was making me think I’d lost my friend somewhere.

“Oh, stop worrying, Phoebe. They’re just boys. Samuel’s only nineteen.”

I rolled my eyes. “You were
talking
to him?”

“Of course I was. What did you think we were doing?”

By this time, her house was in view, which brought more comfort to me than usual, except that her father was standing at full attention on the front porch.

“Don’t you dare tell him I saw anyone,” she whispered.

We walked the rest of the way in silence while I tried to mentally relieve the tension between us. Somehow I managed to act normal as she passed by his scrutinizing glare.

I waved goodbye and shuddered as I thought about the encounter. Nothing was at all normal about either of those soldiers, or their passing through our town. But one thing was certain. We were both a bit smitten, even if only one of us was admitting it.

W
alking back, I couldn’t help but wonder whether William would be actually waiting. Part of me hoped not. I rounded the same bend where Samuel had made his appearance, and sure enough William was there, sitting against a tree, throwing rocks. He still wore his white trousers, but this time he wasn’t wearing his red coat, which made him appear younger.

Once he noticed my approach, he quickly stood, but made no move toward me. My body felt tense, but relieved at the same time. The feeling was so foreign to me that it brought on a heavy sense of apprehension. Suddenly I felt my pace slow, and my gaze found a safe place on the ground as I walked. But just as I was about to pass by, he stepped toward the middle of the path.

My gaze immediately found its way up again, hoping to determine his intentions. As if reading my mind, he spoke, his deep yet soft voice vibrating through the air and into my head.

“I just want to escort you,” he murmured, turning so we were now walking side by side. He kept a respectful distance, and forever seemed to pass with no words spoken at all.

“You didn’t have to wait for me,” I finally offered.

“I know,” he said without glancing my way. “But I wanted to.”

“Why?”

“Let’s just say these are large woods, and I’d rather you not have any more encounters with, you know…”

The reference to Samuel brought me barreling back to reality. “Why was he out here anyway? Was he following me?”

“I think he was. But he follows every lady he sees. You could say he bores easily and is always looking for trouble.”

The thought made me shudder. It was then I realized that nothing about being beside William felt uneasy at all. In fact, it made me entirely curious about the tall soldier, shy but confident, walking next to me.

“How old are you?” I asked

He looked at me with his soft smile still lingering. “Twenty.”

Suddenly I became nervous again. All that experience he’d had traveling the ocean and the Americas on foot. Women? I wondered if he had experience with them too, and an odd sense of jealousy crept up my spine. I looked away in hopes of shielding my thoughts, when something else occurred to me.

“Do you have a special someone back home?”

“No.” I kept my head down, but his next reply pulled my gaze back to his. “I wouldn’t be out here with you like this if I did.”

My lips were surely parted, dumbfounded, as I tried to think of something to say.

Sure, looking at him was pure pleasure, and the closeness of his shoulder as we walked felt undoubtedly electric. But my father didn’t raise a fool, even if I was blushing. There was a war brewing, and even though he didn’t know it, we were entirely on opposite sides.

After one more long glance to remember his perfect face, I turned my gaze forward and didn’t release it from our destination. Nor did I speak again, all the way home.

Dinner was on the table when I got home. A fire was raging, and mother appeared to be in good spirits. Confirmation that the soldiers would be leaving tomorrow was certainly cause for that.

Surprisingly, Samuel was quiet but cordial through dinner and slipped out shortly after. William made his way up to their room, and, as I passed it on the way to mine, I saw that his door was ajar. Lying there, he was reading a book. Upon hearing my passing, he glanced my way, but I kept walking.

That night there was no conversation to listen to for a long time. Only my own recollections and lingering sensations of being alone with William in the woods.

I could’ve pictured him for hours, but some time, late into the night, my thoughts were interrupted by footsteps making their way from below. They were heavy and invasive and could have only belonged to Samuel. Once they passed my room, the door next to us creaked open.

“Have you been drinking?” I heard William ask.

“Yes I have,” Samuel slurred.

“You have no shame, do you?”

“No. I do not.”

“And to think you serve the king.”

“I serve myself. I’m only in this God-awful army so I can please myself with this great land. Heaven knows it’s not for the pay.”

“Is that all you think about—yourself?”

“Not everyone is like you, William. Honored to serve. Honored to be right all the time.”

“Honor is something you should try having. Now, I’m going to bed, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll sleep it off. We march tomorrow.”

Samuel slurred something else I couldn’t quite understand and then plopped onto the bed. Trying to drown out irritating thoughts of him, my focus settled back on William. Of our walk, and then of his words about leaving the next day. Strange, mixed feelings swirled around my stomach. I tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable, and eventually gave way to sleep.

A short time later, I heard a knocking at our front door. My eyes peeled open and my ears perked toward the door. I couldn’t tell who it was, but I heard men’s voices. They sounded alarmed and panicked.

Unable to resist, I put on my night coat and crept toward the stairs. From the top, I could see my father hurriedly putting on his raincoat. Beyond his shoulder was the terrified face of Charity’s father.

Needles pricked at my chest from the inside as I rushed down the stairs. My parents turned my way, and, by the looks on their faces, I could tell something was horribly wrong.

“What is it?” I asked, my gaze bouncing around the room.

Charity’s father’s nostrils flared, and my mother stood before me. “Charity is missing,” she murmured.

“Missing? But I just saw her today.”

My father turned to my mother. “We have to go. We’ll find her,” he said, glancing at me. “Do not leave the house.”