Buckeye Dreams by Jennifer A. Davids Read Free Book Online

thinking. “Thank you.”
    With a shriek, she whirled around and stood face-to-face with him. Well, almost face-to-face. He hadn’t realized how petite she was earlier. Other than that, it was hard to forget such a pretty face. Granted, she wasn’t the Southern ideal of beauty with flashing blue eyes and honey-blond hair, but she did remind him of a picture of a simple English maiden in his copy of Bullfinch’s
The Age of Chivalry
. There was an appealing sweetness to her face with its pert little nose and soft lips. Auburn hair peeked out from beneath her brown, low-brimmed bonnet, and she was staring at him with a large pair of the most incredible eyes he had ever seen. They were a kaleidoscope of green, brown, and amber.
    “Daniel?” she asked in surprise. She looked down, her cheeks suddenly red. “Do excuse me, Captain… .”
    “Major,” he gently corrected.
    She winced. “
Major
Kirby.”
    He gave her a long look before suddenly remembering a portion of his aunt’s letter he had merely skimmed over, being so preoccupied with the news of his mother’s death. She had spoken very highly of a young woman who had come north with her from South Carolina. “Are you Miss Katherine Wallace?”
    Her eyes remained wide as she nodded. “How did you know …?
    He gave her an apologetic smile as he removed his hat. “My aunt mentioned you in her letter. I’m very sorry I frightened you.”
    “That’s quite all right, Major Kirby. I’m … very glad you’re home safe. Mary’s … been so terribly worried.”
    He frowned and regretted he hadn’t at least sent them a telegram before he left. “I’m afraid I received Aunt Mary’s letter right as the siege at Petersburg ended. There was very little time to do anything. Then General Lee surrendered… .”
    “Of course! I … I understand perfectly, Major Kirby.” Although her voice shook, it was gentle and reassuring. “And I’m sure Mary will as well.”
    Daniel looked at her curiously. She had to be one of the very few daughters of the Confederacy he had met who had not instantly hated him on sight. A Southern woman’s zeal for the cause was almost legendary. He had been spit on, snubbed, and bad-mouthed any number of times. And unlike other young ladies he’d met, Northern or Southern, she made no attempt to flirt with him. In fact, judging by the way she stumbled over her words, she seemed painfully shy.
    “I hope—I hope you don’t mind, sir,” Katherine said, rousing him from his thoughts. “I thought flowers might cheer your mother’s resting place.”
    He stepped forward to look at his mother’s grave. “Aunt Mary saw to the headstone,” he stated.
    “Yes, they put it up just a few days ago.”
    He saw the flowers Katherine had arranged were a small spray of purple violets, the sort that bloomed near Mill Creek this time of year. He turned back to see she had edged away a little to give him some privacy.
    “Thank you for seeing to Ma’s grave. Violets were always her favorite.”
    “There was n-no time”—she quietly stammered, her face flushing red once more—“for me to get to know her well. But she seemed like a very kindly Christian woman.” Her eyes softened. “I’m very sorry for your loss.”
    Daniel knelt down and ran his fingers over his mother’s name carved in the simple granite headstone. Her gentle face filled his mind, and he closed his eyes against the sudden onset of tears. After a few minutes, he rose and, as he donned his hat, looked over at Katherine, who was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. “Miss Wallace, you mentioned how concerned my aunt is about me, and I would like to get home right away. Would you mind riding with me? My horse is very well behaved.”
    Her eyes turned to saucers, and she looked at him hesitantly. “Are you sure
you
don’t mind?”
    He smiled broadly, hoping to set her more at ease. “Of course not.” Gently taking her by the elbow, he guided her over to the fence where