Buckeye Dreams by Jennifer A. Davids Read Free Book Online Page A

Scioto stood.
    Seeing him, her shyness ebbed a little. She quickly walked through the gate with a smile and stroked his neck. “What a beautiful animal! What’s his name?”
    “Scioto.”
    “That’s the name of the river Mill Creek flows into, isn’t it?”
    “Yes, that’s right.”
    “I haven’t seen the Scioto yet,” she explained. “Mary and I came through Cincinnati, and I did see the Ohio River. I must say I agree with President Jefferson. It is the most beautiful river on earth.”
    He blinked and looked at her with raised eyebrows. “You’ve read
Notes on the State of Virginia?
”
    She blushed twice as hard as before, obviously embarrassed. “I’m afraid I’ve been looking through your books, Major Kirby. I hoped you wouldn’t mind… .”
    “No, not at all.”
    This young woman was one surprise after another. She smiled demurely, and as he helped her into the saddle, he found himself looking forward to getting to know Katherine Wallace.

Chapter 6
    H ow awful for Mrs. Lincoln!”
    Katherine patted Mary’s hand. They were sitting at the dining room table, she and Daniel on either side of the older woman. It seemed a shame to spoil his homecoming, but they both knew the report of the president’s assassination would not wait.
    Her friend paled so terribly at the news that Katherine suggested Mary go lie down, but she gently declined and turned toward her nephew. “Who could have done such a thing?”
    “John Wilkes Booth,” Daniel said quietly.
    “I still can’t believe it,” Mary murmured. “Poor, poor Mrs. Lincoln. How did it happen? Have they captured him?”
    “The president was at the theater last night,” he replied. “Booth came up behind him… . It was a head wound.” As Daniel spoke, Katherine blanched and put a hand to her mouth. Mary did likewise.
    “Booth’s on the run”—his voice turned low and his face darkened—“but the army will get him.”
    “What will happen now?” Katherine asked. “Will this make the war last even longer?”
    Daniel’s grave face softened as he looked at her.
    “Yes.” Mary turned toward her nephew. “Will you be called back into service?”
    “No,” he replied reassuringly. “I’ve been discharged from the army.” He looked at both of them for a moment before continuing. “I feel the war is as good as over. General Lee started something that cannot be easily stopped. And people in the South look up to him. If he sets the example, many will follow.”
    Katherine nodded while Mary embraced her nephew. While the news of the president’s death had shocked her, she was very glad to have Daniel home. A great deal of worry had lifted from Mary’s face when they had walked in earlier, to Katherine’s great relief. As they reminisced, she quietly rose and set about emptying the young major’s saddlebags.
    He was without a doubt the handsomest, kindest man Katherine had ever met. She had been frightfully nervous sitting so close to him on the ride home, as she had very little experience with handsome young men. Apart from Thomas, of course. It had been so much easier with him; their relationship had existed chiefly through correspondence. She’d been to numerous balls, of course, but her shy ways and odd coloring meant she had been little more than wall decor, much to her aunt’s and father’s displeasure.
    Words had failed her as she rode home with Daniel. Happily he asked her questions about the farm and Mary, and he was so kind and polite her nervousness eased a little. She told him about what they had been doing over the past month, including how Mary had sprained her ankle. But she had not said anything about Elijah Carr’s desire to buy the farm. She’d felt that bit of information was best left for Mary to explain.
    Katherine glanced over at the young major. She had to admit to being quite surprised that a Union soldier could have such a generous attitude toward Southerners. His voice had been full of respect as he had