Where Does My Heart Beat Now- Chapter 16

A Chapter by Sympathy Heart

Chapter 16

The sound of metal pots and pans banging into each other rang through the camp early the next morning, waking Kate from a peaceful sleep. She stretched her arms and legs before stepping out into the chilly morning air. To the east, the new sun was just rising over the treetops, flooding the camps with a buttery light. As she made her way down the row of tents, she found her father preparing breakfast with Mae and some of the other cavalrymen’s wives. He looked up and smiled warmly when he heard his daughter approach.

“Good morning, sweetheart. You’re up early.”

Kate suppressed a yawn, “I’m used to it.”

“You just missed Gabriel. He and the others are already on the battlefield. I think they’re going over plans for today’s battle.”

“Figures. I wouldn’t expect them back for an hour or so.”

About an hour before the battle was supposed to begin, Kate snuck off in the direction of the medical tent, hoping no one would see her. She had every intention of solving their mystery of if she was truly pregnant. When she arrived at the tent, she found Trevor sitting on a wooden stool sorting an assortment of bottles, but he looked up and smiled after hearing her approach.

“Well, now. What can I do for you, my dear Kate? Shouldn’t you be off with the other ladies getting ready for the battle?” He replied.

A flicker of hope shone on her face, “I’ve got a favor to ask of you, and I believe you’ll be able to help me.”

Gabriel stood on the plank bridge that stretched across a stream, assessing how he would move his unit over the battlefield and still be a safe distance from the cannon fire. He was just about to head back to the cavalrymen waiting in the thick line of trees and bushes when he noticed that his sword wasn’t on him.

I must have left it back at camp, he thought as he passed his father, who was already seated on Yankee’s back. “I’ve got to get my sword.”

“There’s no time, Gabriel. We’ve got to get out there… So, mount up,” Rob was stern when he spoke, as if he should be the colonel.

Without arguing, and without his sword, Gabriel swiftly climbed into his saddle and led the 1^st Texas Cavalry onto the battlefield. He stopped beyond a cluster of trees, signifying to the others that they should do the same. His heart pounded in his chest just as it always did right before a battle, but without his sword on his hip he felt, in a sense, naked. As he looked ahead, the gleam of the Union cannons caught his eye; he was sure of an impending battle on the horizon.

Just as the first Confederate cannon was about to fire, a loud murmur rose over the field, catching Gabriel’s attention. When he turned around in the saddle, the sight of Kate running over the bridge with her skirts hitched up left him flabbergasted and partly curious as to why she was acting so stupidly by running into the middle of a battle, but that wasn’t what surprised him; he noticed his sword held firmly in her hands as she ran over to him.

“Kate, what are you doing?! This is dangerous for you to be out here,” Gabriel said a little too sharply.

She had to catch her breath before speaking, “You forgot your sword… and… I thought… I’d bring it… to you,” once she could breathe again, she straightened and handed him his sword.

“Well, thank you. I really appreciate it. Now, you better head over to where the others are sitting. People are starting to stare, especially that damn Yankee captain… Yeah, I see you, buddy!”

“Wait, Gabriel. I have something I need to tell you.”

When he saw the pleading look in her pale blue eyes he realized it had to be important, so he dismounted from Bo and stood in front of her with a smile glowing, “What is it, baby?”

Kate gently took his hands in hers, gazing into his eyes the entire time, and then she brought them up to her lips before placing them on her belly, “I’m carrying your baby, Gabriel… I’m pregnant.”

It was a few seconds before the truth sank in. After thinking about it, he was finally able to speak, “Are you for sure?”

“Yes, Trevor confirmed it just a little while ago,” a wide smile spread across her face as she squeezed his hands in hers. “You’re going to be a daddy, Gabriel.”

That was all he needed to hear. The next events seemed to happen in a rush. Gabriel pulled his wife against his body and passionately kissed her for what seemed like an unimaginable amount of time before pulling away while his hand lingered on her cheek, “I love you, Kate. You have no idea how wonderful this is to hear.”

“I can’t wait to see our baby,” Kate glanced around the battlefield, seeing every eye on them. “Well, you better get back on Bo. I’m sorry for interrupting the battle.”

After mounting back in the saddle, Gabriel released her hand, “There’s nothing to be sorry for. I needed to hear that,” he chuckled. “Leave it to you to stop a war.”

Once the battle had begun, Kate joined her family on the sidelines in order to get a good view of the action at hand. An explosion from the large Blakely cannon nearest the spectators shook the earth with great force, making Kate cover her ears on instinct. When she looked up, Gabriel was rallying his men in the middle of the field for a charge upon the Union infantry. She could see him whip out his sword before pushing Bo into a gallop down the battlefield. He looked so valiant and heroic as they flew over the ground toward the Union lines positioned on the top of the rise.

Corey leaned over to his daughter and said, “I can see why they made him the colonel. He looks so robust when he rides.”

“I know,” Kate turned back to the action just in time to see Gabriel and Bo go down after being ‘shot’. By that point, she expected it to happen and no longer panicked when they fell.

All too soon the battle came to an end after the Union troops pushed the Confederates back and surrounded them in the trees. It had been an amazing show of events, and received a roar of applause from the spectators.

Kate hurried over to greet her husband after he rode off the battlefield, but she noticed that he didn’t look himself. In fact, it looked as if he was in pain, “Gabriel, honey… Are you all right?”

He winced when he dismounted and stood beside Bo, “When I fell out there I landed on a jagged tree branch, and I think I messed my ankle up.”

“Oh, no. That means you won’t be able to dance, tonight.”

“I’m still going to dance. It’s going to take more than that to keep me from dancing with my girl. All I need to do is keep ice on it,” he slipped his arm around her waist, thinking about what was to come in a few short months. A feeling of nervousness swept over him as memories of the horrible tragedy with Susan and the baby flooded back in a rush. Please, God, don’t let anything happen to them. Keep them safe, “Are you ready to head back to camp? We’ve still got a few hours until the dance. I figured you ladies would want to go browse around the suttlery… and spend all of my money.”

Kate playfully smacked his shoulder, “Like I would do that. Besides, I don’t even know if there’s anything I need to buy.”

“I’m sure you’ll find something.”

After arriving back at their camp, Kate helped her husband get situated in a chair, and then she put together an ice pack to put on his hurt ankle. Hopefully there wouldn’t be any swelling and he’d be able to stand on it in a few hours when it was time for the ball.

“Kate, don’t worry about me. You just go and have a great time with the other women,” he saw Kate’s mother pass by with little Roxanne clinging to her. “And I’ll watch this little cutie so you don’t have to carry her around all over the place.”

Cherrie was shocked by Gabriel’s generous offer and stopped in front of him, “Oh, she’s a handful, Gabriel. Are you sure you want to watch her?”

“I’d love to. Besides, I need the practice, you know?” Gabriel gently took the baby and set her on his lap. He bent over and pressed his lips against her temple.

“That’s right. It’s great to get all the practice you can,” she joined her daughter by Mae’s tent, where she was helping the purple woman tie back the tent flaps. “Well, I think we’ll be off. If you have any problems Corey said he was going to be over at the artillery camp… However, you probably won’t be able to move with your hurt ankle.”

The camp was quiet after the women left, allowing Gabriel precious time to spend with the baby. He smiled when he felt her wrap her tiny fingers around his before holding her small body close to his. Nothing in the world could ruin the moment. I hope that I’ll have a little girl. Especially like you. Thoughts of his pregnant wife filled his head. How would she act during her pregnancy? Would she get extremely emotional? How easy would the birth be for her?

Around six that evening Kate was busy dressing for the ball while her husband talked with some of the other men down at the tent where the ball would take place; he had already put on his dress uniform and decided to catch up on the happenings at the other camps. She had a brand new ball gown made; a bright scarlet two-piece gown with a layer of matching sheer crepe trimmed in gold fringe draped over the skirt. Once the gown was situated on her slender body, Mae straightened out the small train in the back before lacing up the bodice of the dress, which was an off-the-shoulder design.

“I think this is your most beautiful dress, yet,” Mae commented as she wove bunches of small flowers into Kate’s tight curls that Beth had just finished setting. “Not to mention, it looks even more gorgeous with your adorable baby bump.”

The younger woman gasped from the tightness of the corset, “I won’t be able to wear this darned corset for much longer… Thankfully.”

Ava appeared already dressed in her green gown, and presented Kate with a golden necklace in which some would find gaudy, but it was perfect for the royal look they were trying to achieve. When fastened around her neck, it drew the eye to her bosoms, “Kate, you look like a queen. I think it’s time we met up with the men now that you’re ready.”

The sky was dark with the moon casting a glow on the ground. It was the perfect setting for the ball, or a night of romance. Down the hill they could see hundreds of candles illuminating the inside of the tent which was surrounded by chairs set up along the outside edge. People were already gathering, but many were still meeting up with their sweethearts before heading to the ball.

While Kate carefully picked her way through the grass so as not to catch the hem of her gown on a bit of scrub, the form of her husband drew himself up next to her and took her hand in his. She could feel him slip his arm around her waist and give her a squeeze.

“You look so beautiful, honey. Are you ready to make some jaws drop?” Gabriel’s voice was sweet, more so than usual. Every time he saw her out of the corner of his eye his heart beat more rapidly, sending powerful messages to his head.

“Most definitely,” she replied.

Many couples were walking around, conversing with friends while the band warmed up at the front of the tent. It looked as if the ball was going to be very exciting. At a closer glance, Gabriel and Kate saw Corey and Cherrie talking with the artillery commander. It appeared that they hadn’t noticed the two of them, but then again, they were in the shadows.

Come on,” he pulled her along toward the tent where the dance was being held.

All of a sudden the crowd became quiet when the dance master called out, “May I get everyone’s attention, please? I’d like to announce that the best cavalry colonel I’ve seen in years has just arrived. Everyone… Colonel Gabriel Dawson and his gorgeous wife, Kate!”

All of the men and women turned around to see the two who were standing at the entrance of the tent, looking rather surprised. Kate blushed a bright pink color while Gabriel just shrugged his shoulders sheepishly and held his wife’s hand.

The dance master spoke once more, “And, as I’ve learned a short while ago, they are expecting their first baby. Congratulations!” She paused as the crowd started applauding. “Now, would you two do the honors and open this ball with a dance?”

An aisle was made for them to walk to the center of the tent, and everyone became silent, eager to see the waltz that was about to happen. When the music began, Gabriel recognized it to be an old Irish song, and it happened to be his favorite. He watched Kate’s expression closely, seeing that she was nervous about being put on the spot.

“Hey, don’t be scared. Just listen to the music and follow my lead,” Gabriel whispered in an effort to calm her nerves. He gently placed his right hand on the small of her back, and took her free hand into his left. A smile came to his face when he saw her pick the bottom of her skirt off of the ground so that she wouldn’t trip on it while they were dancing.

The beat of the music changed as the two moved as one over the grass, appearing to glide effortlessly. Every once in a while Gabriel would spin her out away from him and bring her right back in while they swayed to the music. Their waltz was just as beautiful as the music, almost enchanting. Whenever the music changed rhythm, so did their steps. The spectators watched, awestruck by the way Kate moved lightly on her feet, her skirt hem flaring out every time she twirled.

Eventually, the sweet, happy rhythm dwindled, but burst forth with a faster, more lively rhythm. That was when more couples joined Kate and Gabriel in a faster dance known as a polka. Kate found the style to be very jerky and a little absurd until she found her footing and understood the movements and steps.

“You dance wonderfully, Kate. I’m very impressed,” Gabriel commented at the end of the dance. He noticed his wife’s chest heaving while she tried to catch her breath. “Are you ready for the next dance? I have a hunch it’s going to be ‘The Schottische’, the lovers dance.”

“I think I need to sit down before I collapse,” she gasped before heading over to a chair.

“I’ll get you something to drink,” and with that, he disappeared, leaving Kate to rest. It wasn’t long before he returned with a cup and handed it to her.

Kate was grateful to receive the drink and swallowed a large mouthful, but she immediately started coughing and gagging, “Good Lord! What kind of drink is this?! It tastes terrible!”

Her husband started laughing before taking the cup and gulping down the rest of the liquid, “It’s whisky.”

She stared at him like he was insane, unsure of what to say, “What?!”

“Has a nice kick, doesn’t it?” After receiving her ‘death’ glare, Gabriel handed her a bottle of water and sat down next to her. He watched the other couples, including his parents, continue dancing. He then turned to Kate, who was fanning herself with a wooden fan. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

“Sure.”

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