The Sword Read Online Free Page B

have asked her to go for a ride with me tomorrow afternoon. She has agreed. Will that be acceptable to you, sir?”
    “Of course, if Flora wants to go,” Colonel Cooke said.
    Jeb said in a most courtly manner, “I count it a great privilege, and I will be very careful to see that your daughter is safe. Thank you, sir.” He turned to Flora. “Miss Cooke, I cannot adequately express my appreciation for your company tonight. It has been a delightful evening, and I owe my enjoyment of it expressly to you.Thank you, and until tomorrow, Miss Cooke.” He bowed gallantly.
    “Until tomorrow, Lieutenant,” she replied as she curtsied prettily.
    Colonel Cooke studied his daughter’s glowing face. “You just met him tonight, and you’ve already agreed to go riding with him, Flora?”
    “Yes, Father. Surely you have no qualms? Already I have ascertained that he is a Southern gentleman of the first quality, from a noted Virginia family, and a Christian man. I’m sure no one would think ill of me or of him.”
    “No, of course not. That’s not what I meant,” Cooke said as they walked slowly toward the door, arm in arm. “He’s a fine man and a truly excellent soldier. It’s just that I suppose I’ve never seen you take to anyone quite so quickly.”
    She laughed, just a little, and squeezed his arm. “Papa,” she said lightly, “perhaps it was just meant to be.”



CHAPTER TWO

    L aughing with delight, Flora looked over her shoulder and called, “Is the 1st Cavalry always so slow?” Easily her mare jumped a broken-down snake fence and reached the border of the pecan orchard half a minute before Jeb Stuart caught up to her, his big white stallion easily clearing the fence.
    He jumped down, grinning as always, his blue eyes dazzling in the blinding summer sun.
    “Begging your pardon, ma’am, it’s not that the 1st Cav is so slow. It’s that you’re fast. You beat me fair and square, Miss Cooke.” He reached up to hold her hand as she dismounted. “I thought I would let you win, you know. Turns out I should have asked you to spare my manly feelings and let me win.”
    Affectionately Flora patted her mare’s heaving sides. She was a pretty gray palfrey, a gift from her father upon her graduation. “Her name is Juliet, a noble and delicate name, but she runs like a hardworking quarter horse.”
    “This is Ace,” Jeb said, slapping the big horse’s haunch. “And we always won until we met you two. Let’s walk them out, shall we?”
    “Yes, let’s walk back to that little creek where we started. It’svery warm, and I think that the water may be much cooler than what we have in our canteens.”
    Jeb had shown up at exactly two o’clock, as promised, resplendent in his cavalry uniform with the dark blue coat and sky-blue trousers, both with golden trim and insignia. He wore a wide-brimmed black hat with a golden band.
    Flora had been so excited about seeing him again that she could barely get dressed, alternately berating Ruby for being so slow and urging her to hurry up. Finally, however, she had dressed in her very best new riding habit, emerald green of heavy cotton with a snappy jacket with a tight waist and peplum. The skirt was ground-length and had a small train, as it must for women to be able to cover their legs and feet appropriately while riding. She wore a dashing brimmed hat, pinned up on one side with a gold brooch that had belonged to her mother.
    Jeb had made appropriate greetings to her father, but Flora was so anxious to ride that she had almost immediately demanded that they go. They had cantered outside the fort and come to one of the countless streams that crisscrossed the rolling hills above the river. On the other side was a wide field filled with black-eyed Susans growing riotously and the graceful lines of a pecan orchard on the far side. Flora had immediately challenged Jeb to a race.
    Now they walked slowly back across the field. Jeb looked at Flora’s sidesaddle, mystified.