Chapter 3 for all you jelly beans
Chapter 3
“Margaret. Margaret, listen to me! You will not be ready to fight by next week, you cannot leave with your troop, I am very sorry.” Margaret struggled not to yell at Dr. Eccleston when he told her she couldn’t leave town to travel with her troop.
“If it helps you, General Trask does not want you to go either.”
Green eyes lit up with flames as the sentence was uttered. “You think I care about what he says? You think that matters to me? He wants me to stay here because he thinks I’m weak, because I’m a woman and I can’t defend myself-“
“Actually, I wanted you to stay here so you could heal, but if you think you are ready to go, let’s go now.”
Trask was not happy at all. He was going to leave Whitmore here and come back for her when they were done in Missouri.
“What?”
“I was serious, Whitmore. If we leave now we’ll have plenty of time to set up camp and get real comfy.”
Margaret knew Trask was trying to upset her and make her stay, but she was hard-headed. “Let me pack my bags and we can go.”
Doctor Eccleston seemed reluctant to even left Maggie breathe by herself as she sat up and prepared to get off the bed. She knew she wasn’t ready to leave the hospital, but she was not going to let them leave her. No way in hell.
James Eccleston had to suppress himself from screaming at the both of them. He couldn’t believe Trask would allow, almost force, Margaret to be a hazard to herself, not that the girl wasn’t hazardous enough already.
She wouldn’t be able to use her leg properly another month for ignoring his orders.
He had grown up with Randall Trask and was older than him in fact, but he was powerless to assist the stubborn woman. Trask was a General which made him more important than either of the other two people in the room. Although, he would say something and break the status quo if Trask let her suffer.
Eccleston couldn’t bear to stand in Trask’s presence as he watched Private Whitmore suffer through her pain to prove herself once again, he made his way outside as Private Wate and Grayson laughed with each other outside the infirmary.
“Wate, Grayson come here.”
Both men became serious as they were summoned. “Yes, sir.” Eccleston glanced around before speaking. “Miss. Whitmore is still in great pain. However General Trash has angered her and she is determined on going to Missouri with the rest of you. I am putting her health, mental and physical, in your hands.”
“She’s not supposed to go with us though.”
“Yes, I am very aware as is she.”
Thomas Wate smiled gleefully, “You’ve gotta love her though, don’t you, Doc?”
Eccleston shook his head in dismay as Margaret and Randall made their way outside. “Good, you’re already here. Grayson, Wate, help Whitmore to her tent to pack and then load up, we’re leaving in an hour.”
Margaret had continued to hobble towards her tent as Trask gave orders. William Grayson watched Margaret stop to turn and glare at their General and had a new sense of respect for her.
“I’m sure, general, that Grayson and Wate have their own packing to do.”
Thomas shook his head quickly and opened his overactive mouth, “I actually packed last night, so I can help you!”
Margaret’s face burnt under the examination of all four men and she nodded as she gave Thomas and William a tight-lipped smile. “This way.”
A sympathetic voice called out behind the three soldiers, “Don’t forget your promises gentlemen.”
Thomas saluted the doctor stupidly as William looked between the doctor and general, who exchanged questioning and warning glares, before nodding to both and taking Margaret under his arm.
