Brings the Lightning (The Ames Archives Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

you?”
    “No, of course not. I can’t say it pleases me to know you’re marrying a Yankee, but I guess it don’t make him happy to know that both your brothers wore the gray. Still, the war’s over now. We’re going to have to learn to live together again, I guess. What’s his name?”
    “It’s Jim–Jim Webber.” She hesitated, and visibly braced herself. “Walt, you won’t like what I’ve got to tell you. We thought you was dead, so Pa said me and Jim can live here and take over the farm from him when the time comes.”
    Walt was silent for a long moment, then exhaled and shook his head slowly. “I’d always figured that Charlie would inherit the farm and I’d have to find a place of my own, so I guess it doesn’t matter, Katie. Perhaps it’ll be for the best. You and your husband can look after Pa, so I won’t have to worry about him.”
    “But what about you? What will you do?”
    He shrugged. “I’m going west, Katie. It’s pioneer country. From what I hear, you’ve got to work so hard to stay alive and make it through that no one’s got much time to worry over what side you were on. That’ll suit me fine. Around these parts, it’ll take years for folk to forget that.”
    “I… I see… I guess. What will you do out there?”
    “Whatever I have to turn my hand to. I’ve already learned how to stay alive. That’s a good start.”
     
    ―――――

    The reunion with his father was bittersweet. Tears ran down both of their faces as they embraced. His father held onto him for what seemed like forever, hugging him hard. Walt was glad to hug him back, so his father couldn’t see the shock in his eyes.
Pa’s aged something terrible. He looks really old, all of a sudden.
    Katie cooked supper for them, then at a look from Pa, excused herself to let them talk. His father led him into the study at the back of the house where he’d always kept the farm’s books.
    “I guess you aren’t a boy any longer, Walt, so how about a drink?”
    “Thanks, Pa.”
    “It’s hard to get decent whiskey these days. There’s an awful lot of rotgut about. Luckily, old Mose still knows where to get the good stuff.” He took a stone jug from a cupboard, along with two glasses, and poured a couple of fingers of the clear liquor into each of them. “Here. This’ll put hair on your chest.”
    Walt drank, swilled the spirit around his mouth, swallowed, and coughed. “
Man!
That’s got a bite to it. I never knew you to drink anything that strong before.”
    The older man shrugged. “I didn’t until recently. I won’t lie to you, Walt. I found it very hard, losing what I thought was both my boys, and then your Ma too. This helped for a while.”
    “I guess.” Walt tried to keep the pain out of his voice. He hated the thought of his father having to rely on a bottle to get through the day.
    His father must have seen something in his face, because he reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t worry, son. It might’ve gone badly for me, but Katie put a stop to it before I went too far downhill. She threatened to leave me here alone—told me she wasn’t going to stay here and watch me drink myself into a grave next to your Ma’s. That shook me out of it. I still take a glass or two now and then, but no longer to drown my sorrows—and I’ve got one less to drown, now that you’re home!”
    Walt raised his glass. “I’m glad to hear that, Pa. About Katie. What d’you think of this Union lieutenant she’s set on marrying?”
    “He’s a good man, Walt. He chose a different side to you, but that don’t mean he’s bad.”
    “We had good and bad folk among our own, so I guess it was the same for the Union.” He made a mental note to visit this Jim Webber in Sparta tomorrow, to introduce himself to his future brother-in-law. He needed to go into town anyhow, to buy some new clothes.
    “You reckon you can live with the thought of Katie being married to him?”
    “I just want her to be happy.