Falling for the Enemy

Six Days

                                                                              Catherine

In the few weeks after my beating, I spend most of my time in the company of my father. I am careful to keep the worst of my injuries hidden from him and I have become better at hiding my pain.  Some of the aches have gone away but bluish brown bruises still remain on my skin.  The bruises are not as colorful as they once were and many of them are beginning to fade.  It takes almost two weeks for us to hear any news of Mary and her arrival in Georgia.  In her letter, we learn that she has safely arrived at Aunt Rachel’s house without any trouble.  My father and I agree not to tell Mary of my beating but we do inform her of the demise of Sankey and his friend.  We decide it is best to let her know that both of the men are gone so she has nothing to fear at home anymore.  We do, however; lie about the circumstances under which Sankey and his friend were killed.  We tell Mary that both men were killed while attempting to burglarize a home just outside of town.  We neglect to tell her that it was our home they were burglarizing.   

In Mary’s private notes to me, she writes about her father’s associate that traveled with her to Georgia.  The two of them are growing closer and my young sister has a very strange fascination with him.  He is 20 years older than her but they have spent much time together and my sister writes of possibly finding love with him.  She neglects to say whether the gentleman has shown any signs of returned affection for her.  In her note, she is very passionate about no one else knowing of Jackson, the man she is infatuated with, so I am sure to tell no one of the men she has met.

            Henry and I have been spending more time with each other after he has finished all of the chores on the farm.  He has taken over my responsibilities but he now has the help of Susanah again.  Susanah is healed physically but mentally I know she will never be the same.  Susanah is very quiet and guarded now.  She doesn’t speak unless spoken to and she spooks very easily.  She is startled by the slightest noise and I know that what those three men did to her will live inside her forever.  

            Today Henry and I have decided to take a walk after dinner because I am feeling more capable of my ability to move around the plantation.  Draping my arm through Henry’s we slowly make our way to the pond behind the slave quarters.  I realize that his limp is not as noticeable as it was before and I am faced with the realization that he will soon be returning to the United Army to fulfill his duties.   

“Henry, I don’t know if I've told you this enough but thank you for everything you have done for my family and for me.  I don’t know what would have happened to me if you would not have found me.  I would probably be dead and still hanging from that tree.”  

I feel a shake shiver through Henry’s body at the mention of me and death.  It makes me feel good that I have some type of effect on him.  

“It was my pleasure, Miss Cooney,” he says tilting his head forward and giving me a little bow.  

“Well, Mr. Washburne why are we using such impersonal terms of endearment?  You haven’t called me Miss Cooney for months. I prefer Catherine” and a smile crosses my face.  

“Catherine, I am glad to see you are healing but this means that you no longer need my assistance on the plantation.” 

I know where he is going with this conversation.  

“My limp is barely noticeable now and soon I must return to New Bern and rejoin my fellow comrades in the battle I volunteered to fight in.” 

Henry does not look at me when he speaks of leaving instead he looks out onto the pond.  

“Yes, I have noticed that your leg has healed very well and I assumed you would be on your way sooner than later.”  

I do not enjoy having a conversation about Henry leaving Moher.  In fact, the mere thought of waking up tomorrow and Henry not being here brings absolute terror to my mind.  

“So when will you be leaving for New Bern?” I asked dreading the answer to this question.  

“I am hoping to be on my way by Sunday.”  Six days.  

Six days is all I have left with Henry and then he will be gone.  I will never see him again.  He will return to his division and he will leave me here at Moher and I will be alone waiting for Nathan Buckley to return.  But I no longer want Nathan Buckley to rush home.  Of course, I want him to be safe but I no longer daydream of the day he comes home.  I no longer picture running into his open arms.  Instead, I dream of life here at Moher with Henry by my side.  The thought of Henry staying with me is absurd.  His life would be in danger almost every day and he would never be able to leave the plantation without facing some sort of discrimination.    There would never be a day where we would completely know that we were safe to love one another without any judgment being placed on us.  No matter how the war turns out it would be next to impossible for Henry and me to be together.  

“Six days” is all I can think to say.