Read Glorious Angel for Free Online Page B
Authors: Johanna Lindsey
would have taken him to her bed had he even insinuated as much. He had been the one to hold back.
He was quite the proper gentleman before the war, much to his regret now. Had he taken her before, she would be more pliant now, and more likely to see his point of view.
“Oh, Brad.” She pushed away from him and looked up reproachfully. “Why didn’t you answer any of my letters? I wrote so many I lost count long ago.”
“I haven’t received any letters.”
“Your father said you probably didn’t, what with the blockade and all, but I was still hopin’ you had,” she replied. Then her eyes narrowed and her hands went to her slim hips and she said sternly,“So where were you, Bradford Maitland, when I came to England on my tour? I waited and waited for you to show up, but you never did. Two years, Brad—I haven’t seen you for two years!”
“The business takes me all over, Crystal. And there is a war going on,” Bradford reminded her gently.
“You think I don’t know that? Robby went an’ joined up with all the other youngbloods from around here. He stayed here to guard Fort Morgan, but I still hardly ever see him anymore. An’ your brother joined too. But did you? No, your business is more important to you.” He started to speak, but she went on. “It has been such an embarrassment, not bein’ able to tell my friends that my fiancé is fightin’ for our cause along with the rest of our brave men.”
Bradford took her shoulders and set her away from him. “Is that so important to you, Crystal, what your friends think?” he asked sharply.
“Well, of course it’s important. I can’t have my husband known as a coward, can I?”
Bradford felt his temper rising. “What about a husband who is a Union sympathizer? Is that worse than a coward in your opinion?”
“A Yankee! ” She gasped in horror. “Don’t be silly, Brad. You’re a Southerner, same as I. It’s not funny when you make jokes like that.”
“And if I’m not joking?”
“Stop it, Bradford. You’re frightenin’ me.”
He grabbed her arm to stop her from backingaway from him. He had had it all so well planned, what he was going to say to her, something about a divided nation, something sensible that Lincoln had said, but Bradford couldn’t remember any of it now.
“I’m not a Southerner, Crystal. I never was and I think you know that.”
“No!” she cried, throwing her hands up over her ears. “I’m not goin’ to listen! I’m not!”
“Yes, you will, damnit!” He took her hands down and then locked his arms around her so she couldn’t move. “Did you really expect me to fight for something I don’t believe in, to fight to uphold something I’m completely against? If my beliefs led me to take sides, Crystal, I would not choose the South. You should respect that.”
Bradford sighed. There was no way he could tell her the complete truth now, that he had already fought with the Union and would again. She might sound the alarm and he would never leave Mobile alive. He wanted desperately to make her understand.
“Crystal, if I didn’t stand by my convictions, then I would be less than a man. Can’t you see that?”
“No!” she retorted hotly, trying to move away from him. “All I see is that I’ve gone and wasted the best years of my life on—a Yankee sympathizer! You let go of me this minute, before I scream!”
He released her instantly and she stumbledback, then glared at him. “Our engagement is over. I would never—ever marry a man with such—such—oh! You may not be fightin’ with the North, but you’re still a Yankee. And I despise all Yankees!”
“Crystal, you’re upset, but once you have time to think—”
“Get out of here!” she cut him off, her voice rising hysterically. “I hate you, Bradford! I never want to see you again. Never!”
He turned to leave, but stopped at the door. “It’s not over between us, Crystal. You’re still going to be my wife, and I’ll return
He was quite the proper gentleman before the war, much to his regret now. Had he taken her before, she would be more pliant now, and more likely to see his point of view.
“Oh, Brad.” She pushed away from him and looked up reproachfully. “Why didn’t you answer any of my letters? I wrote so many I lost count long ago.”
“I haven’t received any letters.”
“Your father said you probably didn’t, what with the blockade and all, but I was still hopin’ you had,” she replied. Then her eyes narrowed and her hands went to her slim hips and she said sternly,“So where were you, Bradford Maitland, when I came to England on my tour? I waited and waited for you to show up, but you never did. Two years, Brad—I haven’t seen you for two years!”
“The business takes me all over, Crystal. And there is a war going on,” Bradford reminded her gently.
“You think I don’t know that? Robby went an’ joined up with all the other youngbloods from around here. He stayed here to guard Fort Morgan, but I still hardly ever see him anymore. An’ your brother joined too. But did you? No, your business is more important to you.” He started to speak, but she went on. “It has been such an embarrassment, not bein’ able to tell my friends that my fiancé is fightin’ for our cause along with the rest of our brave men.”
Bradford took her shoulders and set her away from him. “Is that so important to you, Crystal, what your friends think?” he asked sharply.
“Well, of course it’s important. I can’t have my husband known as a coward, can I?”
Bradford felt his temper rising. “What about a husband who is a Union sympathizer? Is that worse than a coward in your opinion?”
“A Yankee! ” She gasped in horror. “Don’t be silly, Brad. You’re a Southerner, same as I. It’s not funny when you make jokes like that.”
“And if I’m not joking?”
“Stop it, Bradford. You’re frightenin’ me.”
He grabbed her arm to stop her from backingaway from him. He had had it all so well planned, what he was going to say to her, something about a divided nation, something sensible that Lincoln had said, but Bradford couldn’t remember any of it now.
“I’m not a Southerner, Crystal. I never was and I think you know that.”
“No!” she cried, throwing her hands up over her ears. “I’m not goin’ to listen! I’m not!”
“Yes, you will, damnit!” He took her hands down and then locked his arms around her so she couldn’t move. “Did you really expect me to fight for something I don’t believe in, to fight to uphold something I’m completely against? If my beliefs led me to take sides, Crystal, I would not choose the South. You should respect that.”
Bradford sighed. There was no way he could tell her the complete truth now, that he had already fought with the Union and would again. She might sound the alarm and he would never leave Mobile alive. He wanted desperately to make her understand.
“Crystal, if I didn’t stand by my convictions, then I would be less than a man. Can’t you see that?”
“No!” she retorted hotly, trying to move away from him. “All I see is that I’ve gone and wasted the best years of my life on—a Yankee sympathizer! You let go of me this minute, before I scream!”
He released her instantly and she stumbledback, then glared at him. “Our engagement is over. I would never—ever marry a man with such—such—oh! You may not be fightin’ with the North, but you’re still a Yankee. And I despise all Yankees!”
“Crystal, you’re upset, but once you have time to think—”
“Get out of here!” she cut him off, her voice rising hysterically. “I hate you, Bradford! I never want to see you again. Never!”
He turned to leave, but stopped at the door. “It’s not over between us, Crystal. You’re still going to be my wife, and I’ll return