Mustering all the courage I had inside of me, I left Russ’s side and took off towards Cap. I didn’t even think about it and I certainly had no idea what I would say, but I had to do something. “Cap!” I called out wildly, hoping he heard me. The others were rounding up the three McCoy boys, but Cap had fallen back to say something to Levicy. Now was my chance; probably the only one I would get.
He turned in his saddle and, finding me, he frowned. “Shouldn’t you be long gone by now?” he questioned in a rushed tone. He obviously didn’t mean to stick around long.
Ignoring his statement, I asked point blank, “What’re y’all gonna do to those boys?”
Cap’s eyes narrowed, absolutely none of the warmth from earlier in them. “That ain’t your business.”
“It is if you go up against the law,” I muttered. “And Ellison’s still alive.”
“Not for much longer,” he snapped. His horse danced around as Cap pulled at the reins to back him up. Staring down right at me, he said with absolutely no feeling, “Go home, Josie. This ain’t got nothin’ to do with you.”
“And what about you?” Bravely, I reached up and grabbed his wrist before he could ride away. “What does this mean for you? You gonna shoot those boys for your daddy?”
Cap didn’t even flinch. “When Ellison dies, I aim to do what I please with them three.”
“What if he doesn’t die?”
Cap let out a bitter laugh, pulling free of my grasp. “There ain’t no ‘if’ about it, sweetheart.”
With that he let his antsy horse loose to catch up with his family; not even giving me a second’s glance.
That hadn’t gone at all like I’d hoped. But I certainly hadn’t lost hope yet.
“Josephine,” a voice said behind me as I turned to flee. Levicy caught my arm and gave me a steely stare. “You found your brother, then?”
I almost lied to her. It probably would have been better if I had. But Cap knew differently and there’d be hell to pay if I let her take me back to their house. “Yes, ma’am,” I said quietly after a minute. “I was on my way to find you, to thank you for all your generosity, when….”
Levicy, drawing in a shaky breath, nodded. “You head on home, now. You’re much safer there than you are here.”
Feeling bold, I wrapped my arms around her neck in a hug. “I’m so sorry,” I murmured, truly meaning it. But I was also sorry for the hell that I was about to cause.
Levicy, to my surprise, hugged me back for a moment. When she pulled away, her face was a complete mask. “Go on, now.”
I nodded, lying when I said, “Yes, ma’am.”
YOU ARE READING
Amendment
RomanceJosie didn't even want to go to her brother's Civil War reeanctment--let alone dress up for it. But going to the bathroom while wearing a hoop skirt is the least of her worries. Somehow she and Russ get thrown back into time...which would be cool if...
