Sweet Saturday Samples - June 29, 2013

Welcome back to Sweet Saturday Samples. I was fortunate enough to find a moment to prepare this post, so even though I'm not in town, my words are. :-)

I'm giving you part of a scene from my WIP, Gone for a Soldier. It's an interaction between Rulon Owen and his new acquaintance, Ren Lovell. Rulon has just met the captain of his cavalry company. I hope you enjoy it.

"Whew." Rulon let out a breath, not sure if this would be the normal day's occurance or not. He brushed down his clothing. "I don't look as fine as he does."

"Not many of us do. When we get to Harper's Ferry, I reckon we'll get you outfitted with uniform pieces and the gear you'll need, if you didn't bring anything more from home."

"Saddle and saddlebags with my personal necessaries is all I had to bring." Rulon felt somehow like he'd let his country down, having so little to offer. He followed Lovell back to the tent where they had met.

"You'll bunk here with me'n Owen," Lovell said when they'd made it back.

"Owen? I'm Owen. Rulon Owen."

Lovell grinned, showing the ubiquitous dimples. "He's Owen Leoyd. What're the chances you two would end up in the same outfit, let alone be tent-mates?"

"What's he like?" Rulon asked, sitting on the blanket covering the one cot out of the four in the tent that gave the appearance of being unclaimed.

"You met him over yonder, guarding the captain from the Yankees."

"Hmm. I reckon we'll get along all right."

"He's not as easy-going as me, but there's no evil in him. I can't say the same about our fellow tent-mate. He's over to the hospital tent, playing sick."

"He's not sick?"

"More like he's perverse," Lovell responded with some heat. "He'd as soon stick you with a knife as shake your hand."

Rulon arose with haste. "I'm not takin' his cot, am I?"

"No. That's unused."

"What's he doing in the company?"

Lovell wore a sober face for the first time in their short acquaintance, and swore briefly. "He's the major's pet, some kind of kin. Wouldn't leave home without the rooster fart, so he dumped him on us."

Rulon caught himself before he laughed at the man's ephithet. After he could speak without chortling, he asked, "When do you reckon he'll show his face here again?"

"If I had my druthers, never." Lovell took a deep breath, apparently trying to return to happier thoughts. "Likely tomorrow. The doctors won't keep him long before sending him on his way."

"I reckon I have to meet him one time or another."

"Too bad you can't add 'never' to that."

"What's the man look like? I don't want to come upon him unaware and get on his bad side."

"He don't have a good side, Owen. Stick close to me, and I'll point him out before you're obliged to meet him here in the tent."
~~~
 
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