Confederate Lieutenant Anderson Blanks has grown weary of the War Between the States. He is all too aware of the tenuous thread that ties him to this earth -- as he writes a letter home to his sister, he realizes he may be among the dead by the time she receives the missive. His melancholy mood is shared by other soldiers in the campsite; in the cool Virginia night, the pickets claim to hear ghosts in the woods, and their own talk spooks them. Andy knows the "ghost" is nothing more than a wounded soldier left on the battlefield, dying in the darkness. With compassion, Andy takes the picket's lantern and canteen in the hopes of easing the soldier's pain. After a tense confrontation with the soldier, Andy is shocked to discover none other than Samuel Talley, a young man Andy's father had chased from their plantation when the romantic relationship between the two boys came to light. The last time the two had seen each other, Sam had been heading west to seek his fortune, and had promised to send for Andy when he could. Then the war broke out, and Andy had enlisted in the Confederate Army to help ease the financial burden at home. Apparently Sam had similar ideas -- he now wears the blue coat of a Union solider. Sam is severely wounded and infection has begun to set in. Andy can't sneak him into his own camp for treatment because all Union soldiers are taken prisoner. But Andy's Confederate uniform prevents him from seeking help from the nearby Union camp, as well. It's up to Andy to tend his lover's wound and get Sam the help he needs before it's too late ... and before Andy's compatriots discover Sam's presence.

A Heart Divided

Please, he added silently, directing the prayer to heaven. Don’t let him die.


In a low voice, Andy asked, “What’s on your mind, love?” 


“Your ma’s pie,” Sam said softly. Reaching out, he ran a hand down Andy’s thigh. Andy caught it in his own and kissed the knuckles, which brought a smile to Sam’s tired face. “The farm and your sister and the barn where we used to hide out from everyone. Remember?” 


Andy closed his eyes and could almost smell the fragrant hay all over again. In his mind’s eye he saw Sam above him, his naked chest boyishly smooth, the muscles in his arms standing out like cords as he held himself up, eyes closed and lips parted and breath coming in short bursts that matched his hard thrusts. Andy’s hands on Sam’s hips, pulling him in between his knees, holding him as they made love. Afterward they had lain together in the sweet hay, Sam kissing his neck and chest while Andy picked out the straws caught in his lover’s hair… 


Chapter 24