Rebel (Civil War Period)

Chapter 6..

Jasper Whitlock had come for me.

I found myself resting my head against his back, feeling his muscles rippling underneath the clothes. In thoughts, I was only half with my family, the other half was on me, and how I was riding somewhere unknown with a Confederate's general whom I blindly trusted without a reason. I had to be completely insane.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for you to run through the woods alone, being a woman, and a general's daughter at that?"

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"At least, you should have taken a weapon with you."

"I do not even know how to yield one." I replied while I wondered why he bothered so much about my safety. For I was sure it was concern that mingled with annoyance in his voice. "When that is not your army... who is it then? And why?" It exceeded my understanding as to why a town of civilians would be attacked in the middle of the night.

"I am not sure who it is, but I would suspect mercenaries, hired by the Confederate army. They don't get their hands dirty and land a considerable blow in the Union's ranks anyhow."

I was just about to open my mouth to ask why, when he continued: "Think, Georgiana. Hartville is a town where many of the Union leaders have their families. Most of the soldiers were at home with their families today."

"It was the perfect moment for them to strike." And I am not momentarily sitting behind a Confederate general, whose comrades are destroying my town, endangering my family, killing my friends...

"Indeed."

"Why did you come for me? And how did you know I was there, anyways?"

"Georgiana, you are the daughter of my enemy, I will always know where you are." Some amusement sounded in his voice, and it lifted my spirits a little. I felt perfectly safe with him, despite me not knowing where he was even taking me. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. To answer your second question; when I heard of the attack I came to get you. I owe you my life, after all. You had several opportunities to hand me over to the Union, but you didn't. It might be two years since, but I did not forget."

"Two long years it has been." I wasn't aware that I had said it aloud before I heard it. I was glad that he could not see me blush. His answer surprised me. "Indeed. It has been a long time."

For what seemed an eternity, we rode through the forest. Then I made out some lights in the far, and moments later Jasper brought his horse to a halt in what looked like a camp. A man immediately came running towards us.

"General, there you are! We worried when you disappeared so quickly. Is everything alright?"

"Now it is." He dismounted and then held his arms up to help me down. It surprised me that a tough soldier like him showed such acts of gallantry, and my heart fluttered annoyingly. I was just glad that he could not hear it. He held me for a moment after I had gotten back to the ground, and I wished in that moment I could stay like that forever.

"That's why you've gone? A girl?" The man called, incredulous, and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. After all, I was in the enemy's camp, and who knew what they thought of me being here.

"Anybody who touches her will have me to answer to." Jasper's voice was resolute, and it did not make me wonder anymore how he had become a general so quickly. He took my arm surprisingly gentle and pulled me towards the camp, with its inviting fires... I was freezing.

"Hold on, isn't that Miss Ellwood?"

"Mr Gibbs?" I asked carefully as I slowly started to make out the face in the dark. He had been the man whose leg I had gotten the bullet out.