Love, Lies, Traitors & Spies

Chapter One

The door opened, and a rustling of full dark brown skirts swept through. "Cole?" a musical voice questioned.

Juliet! Unable to speak, he dragged his gaze up from the hem of her dark skirt to the flare of her hips and tiny waist to her beautiful face. Heaven help him she looked like an angel.

"Oh, my heavens, Cole, it is you!" She rushed across the porch, worry etched in the facets of her pretty visage. Wisps of chocolate hair swung around her face and her green eyes glittered like emeralds. "You're bleeding." She quickly looped an arm about his waist for support.

"H-help," he gasped, so out of breath he could scarcely speak. He leaned heavily on her. "I ha-have information," he gasped. "I'm shot. Please help."

"Don't worry, Cole. I'm here for you. Come inside. Quickly."

Pulse thundering, he dragged another breath into his lungs. "Hide me." He leaned heavily on her. "Soldiers coming."

Her gaze snapped up to his, fear flashing through her eyes. "Of course." Arm still linked around his waist, she turned them toward the stairs. "The barn. Let's go to the barn."

Draping his arm across her shoulders, Cole allowed her to help him down the steps and across the yard to the barn. A few chickens squawked as they approached, but in all the night was quiet. He turned his head toward her and caught a hint of her clean, rosy scent. His heart clenched as memories assailed him. If not for the throbbing pain threatening to paralyze his right side he may have been more soothed by her nearness.

"What happened to you, Cole? Are the Yankees close behind?"

"I-I'm not s-sure," he gasped. "Tried to lose them by the caves, but... can't be sure. Hide me. They might search houses."

"I'll do what I can."

Together they entered the barn. Without a lantern it was pitch black inside.

"There is a hidden compartment beneath the far wall," she said urgently. "Follow me."

Cole squinted into the darkness, unable to discern any of the walls, much less the far one.

"This way." She tugged on his waist, guiding him through the darkened barn. "Right here."

Her arm dropped from his middle, and he could just barely make out her outline as she dropped down and tugged against a panel on the wall. The creak and groan of protesting wood broke the silence. Cole flinched, certain his enemies would hear the sound and ambush them at any moment.

"Climb in. You'll be safe here until I come back for you."

Cole groped along the wall until he found the opening, and then dropped his satchel off of his good shoulder and shoved it into the open space. His lungs still burned, but he was finally beginning to breathe less erratically. "Get back to the house. They may be close."

"Cole..." Beside him Juliet hesitated. In the inky darkness she was little more than a shadow, but he didn't need to see her clearly to understand that she wanted answers. At the moment he could offer none, and he knew she would tolerate no lies. Cole knew Juliet better than he knew himself. Always had. She completed him... was the other half of his soul. Pity he hadn't realized it sooner. If he hadn't been such a fool they could have married before the war.

On impulse he snared her about the waist and dragged her roughly against him. A little shudder ran through her body as she settled against him. Her breath breezed across the bare skin of his neck, and Cole never wanted to let go. Her sweet frame was so warm, and her touch, so long absent, was familiar and foreign all at once. He ached for her. He loved her. He wanted this war to be over so he could bury himself in her arms and never leave. He kissed her cheek. "Soon," he whispered, reluctant to release her. "We'll talk soon. Please don't give me up."