Fire Over Atlanta by Gilbert L. Morris Read Free Book Online Page A

what would happen to Esther if anything happened to me in battle,” he said.
    “Tom and Jeff would take care of her.” Even as she said this, however, Eileen knew that this was not the answer. Both of his sons were also in the army and were subject to the dangers of the war. She smoothed her apron over her lap and said, “The war is almost over. It can’t go on much longer, can it?”
    “No, I don’t think it can. The South has just worn itself out. The best of its young men went at the first call, and now we’re down to just a thin line.” He looked out the window thoughtfully, then suddenly turned to her. “Eileen, would you take care of Esther—if anything happens to me before we marry?”
    “But Nelson, don’t you have family who would want—”
    “No, I didn’t have any brothers or sisters. My wife had one sister, but she’s far away in the North now. There’s really no one.”
    Eileen hesitated. “That’s a large thing to promise—to take over a baby. Not that I wouldn’t love to. I still miss my own little girl.” Tears came to her eyes, and she dashed them away quickly. “Of course I will, Nelson. If that’s what you want—but nothing’s going to happen to you. We’ll just pray you through until this war is over.”
    “I’ll agree with that.” He leaned back after finishing his breakfast and sighed with satisfaction. “Almost hate to get well,” he said. “Here I am being waited on hand and foot by a handsome woman, getting good food, treated like a baby. Not like it’ll be when I go back to the trenches at Petersburg.”
    Eileen did not answer. She was thinking of the dangers that lay ahead for this tall man who had come to mean so much to her. She got up to take the tray. “Do you want anything else?”
    “No, this is fine.”
    She touched a lock of his glossy, black hair. “You’re getting shaggy. I’ll have to give you another haircut.”
    The colonel took her hand, and before she could move he kissed it and said huskily, “Thanks for all you’ve done for the Majors family. For Esther and for me.”
    “Come on in, Jeff.”
    Leah stepped back from the doorway to let him in. Jeff was wearing his oldest uniform, which was far gone.
    “How’s Pa today?”
    “You’ll have to ask his nurse. Eileen’s just about taken over.”
    Jeff frowned. For a long time he had been jealous of Mrs. Fremont. He had loved his mother deeply and resented the idea of his father’s being interested in another woman. Somehow it had seemed disloyal to him. He still occasionally felt a little strange at the idea. “I thought Tom would be here.”
    “I
am
here!” Tom walked in from the kitchen, a piece of pie balanced on one hand. He limped slightly, and the wooden leg that replaced the real one that he’d lost at Gettysburg made an uncertain cadence on the floor. “What are you doing here, Jeff?”
    “I came looking for something to eat. We’re about to run shy in camp. What kind of pie is that?”
    “It’s apple.”
    “My favorite kind!”
    “I’m glad to hear it. This is the last piece,” Tom said and winked at Leah.
    Jeff groaned. “You didn’t eat it
all!”
    “Don’t let him tease you, Jeff,” Leah said. “I made two. We’ll have some after while.”
    “How’s Pa?” Jeff asked his brother.
    “Real good.” Tom licked his hand and took another bite of pie. “Somehow pie always tastes better if you eat it off your hand. A fork kind of spoils the taste.”
    Leah said, “I’ll get you a piece, Jeff, and maybe we have some sassafras tea.”
    “That’d be good.” He waited until she was gone and then sat down, looking at his brother. “You think Pa will be able to get back into the fight pretty soon?”
    “You know Pa. He’ll get back as quick as he can. As a matter of fact, I wish he’d stay out of the whole thing.”
    “It looks pretty grim, Tom. I don’t know how much longer we can keep those Yankees out. We’re spread real thin.”
    “And our fellows