Faithful Heart by Al Lacy Page A

Dottie and the children, Will.”
    Will wanted to get up and follow his wife as she headed out the door, but the pain and stiffness in his body made him decide to stay where he was.
    Maudie knew something was wrong when she stepped out on the porch and saw the looks on their faces and James in his pajamas. She hurried down the steps to meet them. “Dottie, what happened? What’s wrong?”
    Dottie Harper was on the verge of tears. “Could we go inside, Maudie? I’ll tell you in there.”
    “Sure, honey,” nodded Maudie, taking the hand of a child in each of hers. “C’mon. Let’s go in the house.”
    Maudie and the children moved through the parlor door ahead of Dottie. Will set his coffee cup down and began to work his way off the couch.
    Dottie saw that he was hurting and said, “Will, what happened to you?”
    “Jerrod didn’t tell you?” Maudie asked.
    “No. Tell me what?”
    Will was unsteady on his legs. He held his hand to his chest and said to Maudie, “You tell her, honey. I’ve got to sit down.”
    Maudie told Dottie about the wagon falling on Will less than two hours before. She explained how she had run to the Harper place for help, found Jerrod in the strawberry field, and sent him to lift the wagon off her husband.
    “Shouldn’t we take you to the hospital so they can check you over?” Dottie said.
    “I’m okay,” he said with a tight smile. “Coupla days’ rest and I’ll be good as new. What I want to know is, where did you get those bruises … and where did James get his?”
    Dottie sighed, backed to a chair that faced the couch, and before easing onto it, looked at Maudie and said, “You’d better sit down. What I’m about to tell you is going to jolt you.”
    James and Molly Kate sat on either side of Will, edging up close. He was the only grandfather they knew, and they loved him dearly.
    Dottie had never told the Reeveses about Jerrod’s problem. It had been difficult to keep it from them, especially in the past five months when it had gotten progressively worse. She could no longer remain silent, nor, she found, did she care to. She broke down several times as she told them.
    When she finished, Dottie wiped tears from her cheeks and rose to her feet. “If it’s all right, I’ll leave Molly Kate and James here while I go back to Jerrod. When it’s safe for them to come home, I’ll come and get them.”
    “Dottie, from what I’ve just heard, it isn’t safe for you to go home either,” Will said. “You stay with Maudie and the kids, and I’ll go get Sheriff Donner. Jerrod’s got to be locked up.”
    “I have to go to Jerrod. He needs me. And besides, Will, you’re in no condition to sit in a saddle.”
    “Then I’ll walk home with you. From what you’ve told us, Jerrod could be very dangerous. I can’t let you go there alone.”
    “Please, Will. I appreciate your concern, but I’m not afraid. Jerrod and I need some time alone.”
    The old man sighed. “Well, young lady, I won’t interfere since you put it that way. But if you get home and find him still out of control, you get out of there and hurry back here. You understand?”
    “I understand, Will.” She kissed both children, telling them she would be back soon to get them. She thanked Maudie and Will for their help and headed across the fields toward home.
    Jerrod leaned against a post that held up one corner of the hay loft, the words of his children echoing though his mind. A sheen of sweat filmed his face. His throat was dry from hard breathing. He felt relief that he had been able to turn and run before he struck Dottie.
    An earth-shaking sound suddenly assaulted his ears. He raised his head and looked through the open barn door that led to the corral. Instead of sunlit corral, lined by split-rail fence, he saw Rebels coming across steaming grassy fields. He stumbled to the door and used its frame to steady himself.
    Sergeant Jerrod Harper was back at Wilson’s Creek on thathot August day in 1861.