Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine by Marcia Lynn McClure Page B

letters. But this letter…this is the one I ’ ve carried with me since the day it arrived. ”
    Justin smiled and unfolded the pages , his eyes traveling over the words.
    “ I…I fear I have none of your letters, Viv, ” he confessed , his eyes missing some of the light they held a moment before. “ My possessions are few , only a handful of things I was able to bury in a small box that day…the day before Johnny and I went scouting and were captured. The few things I own are waitin ’ now…way up in the branches of a tree a mile or so from here. Johnny and I , we were afraid —”
    “ Afraid you ’ d be overtaken again? ” she finished for him.
    He looked at her , his brow puckering into a puzzled frown.
    Vivianna giggled, “ Your friend Johnny told me. ” She reached up, placing a soft palm against his whiskery face. Oh, how wonderful it was to touch him! “ Just now…when I took the stew to him , he asked if you ’ d gone to retrieve your packs…the ones you hid for fear ya might be set upon by lingering Johnny Rebs. ”
    Justin chuckled and shook his head. “ That Johnny. I promise to you he has fewer possessions than I do, yet I swear he worries somethin ’ awful about them… more than I do mine. I ’ ll have Caleb go with me tomorrow to fetch what we hid. ” He gently ran the back of one hand over her cheek. “ Still, none of your sweet letters are there. ” He folded the letter she ’ d shown him and slipped it into her skirt pocket. “ I hope you understand. ”
    Vivianna squealed with delight and threw her arms around Justin ’ s neck in a joyous embrace. “ What do I care for letters, Justin Turner? ” she exclaimed. “ I have every letter ya ever sent to me…but I ’ d much rather have you! Oh, now I have you! ”
    She felt his arms go around her body. He pulled her against him—pressed his face against her neck.
    “ But what of Caleb? ” he asked.
    Vivianna felt an uncomfortable anxiety well within her.
    “ In truth, I feared I might get back only to find you ’ d already married him, ” he said.
    He drew back from her and studied her face , his arms still resting loosely about her.
    “ I won ’ t lie to ya, Justin, ” she said. “ He did ask me , just two weeks past…but I…I told him I couldn ’ t. Somethin ’ inside me couldn ’ t let go of you. I think he only asked me out of duty anyway. With my family gone…and…and my bein ’ so alone…I think he only asked me because… ”
    Justin drew her to him once more. “ Oh, Viv! I swear I ’ d near forgotten how beautiful you are! I love my brother — there ain ’ t no truer thing — but I am glad ya didn ’ t promise yourself to him. ”
    “ How could I have? ” Vivianna breathed. “ How could I have promised myself to Caleb when my soul still hoped you were alive? Oh, Justin! These past five months of no letters from you…of no word at all…they were the longest, darkest days of my life! ”
    She felt his lips press to her cheek, and she was rendered breathless by the blissful sensation.
    “ Well, I ’ m home now, ” he mumbled. “ No more worries about letters…or whether or not I ’ m dead. I ’ m alive…and I ’ m home. ”
    Vivianna tenderly kissed his cheek and then drew away from him. Taking his hand, she led him toward the arbor. It must be as she ’ d dreamt it ; he must kiss her beneath the honeysuckle vine as he ’ d promised to do in the letter she kept in her pocket.
    “ You will keep your promise to me…won ’ t you, Justin Turner? ” she asked, smiling at him as she drew him into the arbor. The scent of honeysuckle was nearly overpowering , and she bathed in the wonder of it.
    “ Which one? There ’ re so many, ” he teased, winking at her.
    “ The one you made in this letter in my pocket, silly goose! The promise you made to return and kiss me here…beneath the honeysuckle vine. ”
    He smiled and chuckled , his eyes merry once more with delight.
    Vivianna drew him