Against Her Will

Chapter One: The News

Chapter One: The News

Temperance laughed as she ran through the tall grass and her skirts whipped around her ankles. Her sisters giggled as she chased them, letting them stray ahead of her before closing the distance and then once again falling back. 

It felt amazing to hear their laughter and see their cherub faces flushed with happiness as their blond braids danced around their shoulders. For so long life had been such a struggle and while money was still tight, food was still scarce and their clothes were still threadbare at least the war was finally over!

The papers had been full of news about the end of the war between the states. The Union had been successful and a declaration had been issued. The Confederacy had surrendered. It meant that their western Virgina home here in the rolling mountains would once again be filled with their entire family just as soon as Temperance's father and two older brothers made it home. It meant that the fields would soon be full of crops once again. It meant that her brothers would once again be working in town and it meant that the cupboards would once again be full of food, the smokehouse full of meat, the wardrobes full of clothes, their feet encased in shoes and their home overflowing with laughter.  

It had been four long years since her, her sisters, or her mama had seen the three men--and the boys would be grown men now. Thomas had been fifteen when they'd left and Gregory seventeen. Temperance could hardly remember what her papa looked like and figured she'd never know her brothers until they introduced themselves. She had only been eleven years old the last time she had seen any of them. Her youngest sister, Charlotte was only three and a half now and had never even met the rest of her family and six year old Jessica didn't remember them. 

Temperance couldn't wait to have everyone together again! And she knew her mother was overjoyed as well. The woman had been polishing the house until it shown, sewing new dresses and filling the house with beautiful singing since they'd received news two weeks ago that the war was over. 

Now it was simply a waiting game until word spread throughout all the troops and the men found their way home. 

Temperance hoped it wouldn't be too long... she was a papa's girl and longed to feel his strong arms hugging her close again. Everything in the whole world had always felt better and safer when her papa hugged her. 

After topping over the last of the rises their meager cabin home came into view and Charlotte plopped down in the grass, "Char, you're going to stain your dress!" Jessica scolded, panting for breath as she did so. 

"You sound just like, mama," Temperance informed the bossy girl as she caught up to them and then plopped down in the grass beside her youngest sister. 

Jessica giggled, "You're going to stain your dress as well." 

Temperance feigned shock, "Well come on then, dearest sister, don't let us be the only ones that earn a scolding from mama!" 

She grabbed a squealing Jessica around the waist and pulled the girl into the grass. Charlotte laughed and began to tickle Jessica until she begged for mercy. 

The girls sat companionably side by side and then Jessica frowned and pointed toward the barn, "Tempy, who's horse is that tied up?" 

Temperance's eyes sought out the horse she saw the Union insignia upon the sacks on its back. Her heart pounded. Were her papa and brothers home so soon? If so, why was there only one horse?

"It's papa!" Charlotte exclaimed and she jumped to her bare feet. Her chubby legs scampered down the hill as she yelled out for papa again and again.