“I think Noah will be very happy with that. Thank you.”
“No, thank you for taking him. I was afraid I would have to put him down because no one would want him and I can’t keep him. Have too many damn dogs now.” She frowned as they started back toward the front door. “Are you sure Mrs. Beaton will be fine with you bringing the pup home?”
“Not at all.” Abigail smiled when the woman laughed. “I haven’t asked or told her and I am certain I will be made to pay for that, but it doesn’t matter. For one thing I am leaving soon.”
“Well, sorry to see you go and hope you have a safe journey.”
Abigail thanked her and left the house. The puppy kept licking her face so the rest of her walk home was both slow and crooked. She was laughing when she stepped into the Beaton house only to come face-to-face with Mrs. Beaton. The woman stared at the puppy but not with the horror Abbie had expected. The woman stepped closer and patted the dog’s head, much to Abbie’s surprise.
“If it messes inside the house it will not be the puppy’s face that gets rubbed in it.”
“I understand.”
“One of Mrs. Dunmore’s?”
“Yes, the smallest one.”
“Good choice. My little dog was one of hers too, also one of the smallest ones, but the Rebs shot it when they rode through town.”
“I’m sorry. They killed Noah’s puppy, too. And my cat. Makes no sense.”
“Just meanness.” She frowned faintly. “Noah’s been wondering where you were. Is the lieutenant doing well?”
“I think so. He developed a fever but I think the fever isn’t a dangerous one but we are taking him home tomorrow. And the army is leaving very soon after.”
She nodded. “I am not surprised. We will be fine here. I have faced this before. I know how to hide what needs hiding, and how to keep from being shot because some fool is in the mood to shed blood.”
Abigail started up the stairs and prayed Mrs. Beaton’s confidence was not misplaced. She stepped into her room and found Noah sprawled on her bed looking at a book. He sat up and immediately saw the puppy. His eyes wide with surprise and hope, he slid off the bed and walked over cautiously. He patted the puppy who immediately bathed his face with enthusiasm, making the boy giggle.
“What are you going to name him?” she asked.
“I can name him?”
“Of course. I got him for you.”
“He’s mine?”
“He cannot make a mess in the house. Mrs. Beaton is very firm on that.”
Noah took the puppy from her and hugged him to his chest. “He won’t. I will make very sure of that. I was good with my puppy.” He studied the little black and white dog wriggling in his arms. “This one doesn’t look like my puppy at all. Mine was all brown. I think I will name him Wags.”
“Wags?”
“Because he does a lot of that. See?” He held him out from his body for a minute and the whole animal shook from the force of the tail wagging he did.
“I guess he does.” She patted the dog then moved to her chests, opening the one she used most often and beginning to toss things inside.
“What you doing?”
“Packing. I need to leave in the morning.”
“I’ll go pack, too.”
Abigail sighed. “No, love, there is no need for you to pack.”
Noah stopped heading out the door and walked back to her side. “Why?”
“Because you can’t come with me now. It would be too dangerous.”
“Then you should not go!”
“I have to. I have to drive the wagon.” She reached out to take his hand in hers, but he stepped back and put the hand on the puppy. “I need to have a place to live before I take you with me. I have no home, no husband, and no idea when I will find either. When I gain at least a home to call my own, I will come back for you.”
“You are taking the baby.”
A direct hit, she thought, and scrambled to think of a way to explain that. “A baby needs an adult to care for it all the time. I promised Julia I would care for her child. Promises are meant to be kept, you know.” Noah nodded. “He needs to eat round the clock and he cannot even go to the bathroom by himself but needs his napkin changed, and he cannot run away from any trouble that finds him.”
“I don’t want you to leave me. I could help you with the baby.”
“You probably could but there is still the problem that I have no place ready for us to live. After I find a house for us, I will come back for you, Noah. This isn’t a forever type of leaving. I am just taking Matthew home because he is badly wounded. Once he is settled and has his family to care for him, I will look for a place to live where you can come and stay with me. Noah?” she called when he just turned around and walked out.
He kept on going and she heard him run to his room. For a moment, she thought about going after him then shook her head. She could not give him what he wanted. The tears shining in his eyes had cut her to the heart but she had to harden herself against them. She had a very good reason to make him wait. He would have to accept that.
Finishing her packing she fetched her gun from where it stood near the door downstairs and put it with the chests. She had saved so little she did not want to lose it now. Once done she went down the stairs and into the kitchen to help Mabel one last time. When the children trooped in to sit at the small table set aside for them, she was saddened by the fact that Noah did not come down with them. Each child sent her angry glares and she accepted that she was now the bad one.
“So you are leaving us,” said Maude as the stew was passed around the table.
“Yes. Matthew is too injured to join the army when it leaves to join with one of the bigger forces south of here.”
“The soldiers are leaving, too?” asked Anne, her sultry voice a little high with shock.
“They are but I am not sure when. Fairly soon I think, as they were packing stuff up when I left the infirmary.”
Rose frowned. “So, there will be no one here to protect the town.”
“No soldiers, but with no soldiers here perhaps there will be no trouble.”
“Ha!” Maude shook her head. “With men running about with guns and eager to shoot something, there is guaranteed to be trouble. We can handle it. We did before the soldiers settled in here.”
“It would be better if they stayed,” muttered Anne.
“Just because you can’t make up your mind which one you want is not a good reason for one or more of them to desert,” said Maude and she winked at Abigail.
Abigail hid her answering smile by eating a spoonful of stew. Anne went out walking a lot and with an impressive array of soldiers. The young woman’s busy and varied social life was about to die out.
When the meal was over she asked Mary if they wanted a story and was politely told no. Abbie was not surprised, but Maude and Rose looked shocked. She shook her head at them, afraid they were about to say something.
“But why?” Maude asked the moment they were out of the room. “You read to them every night and they seemed to love it.”
“I am not taking Noah with me.”