Read Northern Light for Free Online Page A

death and unrighteous acts than young women should ever be exposed to. The smell coming from nearby Fort Greene wasn’t only human waste, as she’d thought when she’d accompanied Mama to the fort to treat the injured following a raid. The smell was an accumulation of rotting septic wounds and all stages of death and dying that lingered amongst the prisoners. The putrid odor would live on in her mind forever.
    Vermin and disease inhabited the place. Perhaps it was a good thing they didn’t take Thomas there. A sickening feeling roiled in her stomach for even thinking it. She’d heard Papa say a soldier didn’t have a snowball’s chance in Hades of surviving Fort Greene, with the spread of dysentery and all, especially not a wounded soldier.
    Why did there even have to be a war? Nothing was worth the loss of life and heartache the South had seen. Papa said the war started because of northern states wielding their powerful influence over the South. They took away the southern states’ rights, including the owning of slaves to do all the hard work. There couldn’t have been more than five people on the whole peninsula who owned slaves. Not counting the ones the Confederates used at the fort, of course. But her family had never owned any slaves and still they had to suffer the consequences of the war.
    She’d never heard about local slaves being abused. But then again, why would anyone brag about such a thing? Margaret had met the Stoltzes’ servant girl, Necie, a time or two. Was there a possibility Necie was unhappy? Had she been abused? Truthfully, Margaret had never thought about it. A sinking feeling overcame her heart at the realization that she’d never even cared.
    A strong gust of wind blew into her face; the breeze whipped her hair. Slaves, war, states’ rights—no young woman should have to think of such things. She should be taking care of her husband and awaiting the birth of their first child. But it wasn’t meant to be.
    Her mind drifted to the man convalescing in her family’s guest bedroom. She banged her fists to her forehead to remove the thought. It was impossible though, as his long dark hair and unshaven chin seemed etched in her mind. “God, why did You have to send a Yankee? You know I need a man to love, and You send me a Yankee.” She sobbed aloud. “And did You have to send the most handsome Yankee I’ve ever seen, Lord?”
    “Margaret!” Mama called.
    “Yes, ma’am!” she hollered back, scrubbing the tears from her cheeks with her apron. “I’m out front.”
    “Come clean up the mess you made in the kitchen, young lady! I can’t believe you would waste so much good flour having your little tantrum. You know there’s a good chance we won’t get any more!”
    Margaret brushed away sand that had collected on her skirt. She vowed never to think about Thomas Murphy in that way again.
    The only problem…she had serious doubts she was strong enough to do it. “Coming, Mama!”

6
    Thomas set the food tray on the dresser next to the bed. He would have taken the dishes to the kitchen, but Mrs. Logan refused to allow him to do anything. Even after two weeks of recovery, she insisted on him being waited on, much to the chagrin of all but one of the female children in the family.
    Thomas had learned much about the close-knit family. The baby boy, Jeremiah, was everyone’s pride and joy with his raven-colored curls and apple-red cheeks. He would probably be forever treated like a prince. The youngest girl, June, was the funny one. He would never forget their first real conversation without adult supervision.
    “Mr. Murphy,” June had said. “My big sister Margaret keeps callin’ you a blue-bellied Yankee.” She twirled a curl of the bright red hair she’d inherited from her mama. “Well, I was just wonderin’ whether or not you really do have a blue belly.” Her inquisitive innocence was refreshing.
    Thomas chuckled. Elizabeth was a mystery to him. He knew the young thing