When Thunder Rolls Ch. 01

"I'm sure that will not be my biggest challenge Missus Sullivan." I said smiling at her.

"Count on it Mister Thatcher. Count on it."

May 5th, 1865

Dearest Father,

I am writing to let you and Mother know that I am alive, in good health and residing at a small farm near Williamsburg, Kentucky. I will endeavor to return home this autumn after the harvest. I should also like to apologize for not returning as soon as I probably should have. Please give Mother my love and assure her that I am thinking of you both always.

Your loving Son,

Thaddeus

PS, Thunder is still with me.

I scribbled the hasty note on the last sheet of paper that the sheriff had given me and addressing it I handed it over to the postmaster in town and paid the postage to have it delivered to The Willows. Stepping out of the post office I made my way across to the mercantile store and walking in I began to purchase the items I felt I would need to begin working at the farm. I had removed all of the gold from Thunder's saddle padding and I was now putting it to use. Last night I realized that I was still a long way from Texas, but a good or even a moderate season could more than double the money I had, and I would be more financially stable when I did arrive.

When the shopkeeper realized that I would be partially paying in gold, he became a lot more amicable and even agreed to deliver the goods to Elizabeth's farm. My list dwindled to nothing and then I added flour, salt, white sugar, coffee beans, tea, molasses, a case of evaporated milk, two dozen eggs, a side of bacon and beef, a cured ham, and some canned vegetables to the list. My final purchases included a forty-five caliber Henry Repeating Rifle, one hundred cartridges, a saddle scabbard, gun powder, primers, and shot for the shot gun and a block of lead for my pistol. Then as an after-thought, I bought two pair of civilian trousers, socks, boots and a black wide brimmed hat to replace my worn kepi. Finally, I added a small doll for Shannon and new sun bonnets for each of them.

By the time I left I was down to two hundred dollars in gold and I was two hundred dollars in debt to the store, for the seed and grain, to be paid, at five percent monthly interest, by the end of September 1865. The shopkeeper had offered the five percent rate instead of his usual seven because he had heard about the camp incident and because "I knew John Sullivan and their son Kevin very well. They were honorable men and if you are helping Elizabeth with her place you must be a decent man yourself."

Thanking him as we finished loading his wagon, Thunder and I walked beside him down the road toward the farm. I struck up another conversation with him and about half way there I got quite a shock when I innocently said, "I could do so much more if the place were bigger."

"Bigger? Mister, how much bigger do you want it to be? Elizabeth owns damn near eight thousand acres!"

"How much?" I said sharply.

"Just about eight thousand acres. The cleared land is to plant crops for the family, the rest of it is covered in trees."

Trees.

Beautiful, lovely, big, towering, hardwood trees.

Richmond, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Columbia, and huge swaths of Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia lay in smoking ruins and she was sitting on eight thousand acres of hardwood and pine lumber. People would eventually rebuild the South and they would need lumber to accomplish that. By train Atlanta was only ten hours away, lumber that left her farm could be in the city the next day. Richmond was about the same distance and Columbia was even closer as the crow flew. I could hardly contain my excitement as we plodded down the road.

I was smiling when we pulled into the yard and saw the look on Elizabeth's face as we began to unload the goods I had purchased. She stood there with a disbelieving look at the items in the wagon and then grinning widely she said, "I assume this all means you have decided to stay Mister Thatcher."

"I have indeed Missus Sullivan, I have indeed. However, we need to renegotiate the terms of our agreement. Something has come to light and I wish to discuss it with you as soon as possible. Mister Johnson and I will unload the wagon, you just need to tell us where to put everything." I said with a grin on my face as well.

A half an hour later I stood on the porch with Elizabeth and Shannon and we watched as the shopkeeper turned his wagon back onto the road and out of view. Shannon had been thrilled with the doll and the sunbonnet and had sat on the porch playing with the doll the entire time the adults were putting things away.

"Thank you, Thaddeus. I don't know what to say about all of this." She whispered.

"You're more than welcome, you promised to do the cooking and my laundry, and a man has to eat so I bought food and laundry." I replied.

"You certainly did! I haven't had white sugar in the house in four years! That isn't food, that is a luxury. Tea and coffee? You're going to spoil us!"

"I'm going to try." I said earnestly. "Can we talk now?"

"Shannon, be a dear and go inside to play for a while. Mister Thatcher and I need to talk."

"Yes Momma." She said then she added, "Thank you again for the doll Mister Thatcher."

"You're welcome Shannon. No go on inside, your mother and I won't be long."

"Yes Sir." She said walking into the house.

"How much land do you own Elizabeth?" I asked as I picked up my packages and started walking toward the barn.

Picking up my new clothes and walking beside me she said, "Quite a bit actually, almost eight thousand acres. I was thinking about selling some of it soon to try and raise some money. Why do you ask?" she added inquisitively.

"You aren't selling any of it, you will be leasing it."

"To whom?"

"The first lumber company I can find that will look at it."

"Lumber company?"

"Lumber company. I'm sure I can find one that will be willing to lease five hundred or a thousand acres, maybe more, for a reasonable price. Even at two or three dollars an acre per year you could become very wealthy in a short period of time. The South has to rebuild from the ashes sometime and they will be using timber from this farm when they do."

"You're a genius." She said smiling broadly.

Placing my packages on a workbench I said, "I told you that cavalrymen were the intelligent ones."

"You also told me that they end up with the prettiest women, yet you are here with me." she said softly.

Smiling at her I said, "Thank you for proving me right."

Looking down at the dirt floor of the barn she whispered, "Thaddeus, this has to stop."

"What?"

"You need to find a girl your own age then you need to settle down and raise a family with her instead of chasing after an old woman with a ten-year-old daughter. As sweet and as flattering as your flirtations have been, they must stop." she said it so firmly that I was afraid she was getting angry.

"What are you so afraid of Elizabeth?" I asked.

"You!" she snapped at me, "Damn you Thaddeus, I am afraid of you! We haven't known each other for a week and I can't stop thinking about you; that's what! You terrify me! I tremble like a young girl each time you look at me and your smile makes my knees go weak. It has been years since I've been with a man and now I have a funny, handsome, intelligent man flirting with me and he is almost young enough to be my son!"

I stepped forward and taking her by the shoulders, I backed her against the wall of the barn. Lowering my head, I placed my lips against hers and felt her shudder as I increased the intensity of the kiss. Slowly she raised her arms and placed them around my neck and locking her hands together she pulled me in closer. As she did I ran my hands from her slender waist, up her body and began to stroke the sides of her breasts through the soft cotton of her blouse. Then I cupped them in my hands and started kneading them gently until she began to moan softly.

I smiled as I heard her whisper "God!" when I pulled away from her and looked into her blue eyes.

"Elizabeth, if you can honestly say to me that you were thinking that I am only twenty-two or that you wanted me to stop, I will get on Thunder and leave right now; never looking back. Otherwise I am staying, and you will be the one to determine how slowly or how fast this goes."

Sliding my hands up from her breasts and placing my fingertips on her temples I began to slowly massage them as she closed her eyes and tilted her head back with her lips parting; as if she were waiting for a kiss that would never come.

"I'm not John," I said, "and I never will be. You need to realize that on your own and I can't help you. But I will tell you that eventually, I will have you in my bed, that is non-negotiable."

Stepping in to her body so closely that had it not been for our clothing, we could have been making love, I whispered, "Do I stay, or do I leave Elizabeth?"

"God help me." she murmured softly, "Please don't leave Thaddeus. Please don't. I need," she moaned as she stopped speaking and then she turned quickly and fled from the barn; running toward the house.

"Warm the water up slowly and wait for it to get very hot. Thank you for the advice Missus Sullivan, it seems to be working." I thought to myself, smiling as I watched her climb the steps and disappear through the doorway of her home.

Then I turned my attention to Thunder and began removing his saddle.

I lost track of time as the afternoon progressed. I realized that if I were invited back inside tonight for supper that it would probably be a silent and awkward affair. Having nothing else to do, I drew enough water from the well to wash with and then I changed my clothes. It was the first time in over four years that I had worn civilian clothing and they felt strange. The biggest difference was that the boots were made from a very supple leather and they fit perfectly; a vast difference from Army footwear. I considered wearing my pistol and then decided against it. What were the chances that I would get ambushed walking to the outhouse?

A little after five I looked up to see Elizabeth standing in the doorway. She was looking at the ground and I had no idea how long she had been standing there. Looking at her closely I saw that she appeared to have been crying.

"Good evening." I said softly.

She raised her eyes to mine and replied, "Are you coming to supper Thaddeus?"

"Is it that late?"

"Yes. I already have it on the table."

"I'm sorry, I'll be right there. I just need to wash my hands."

"You can do that in the house you know?"

"Alright." I said smiling at her.

"Before we go, I have one question for you."

"Okay."

"Why?"

Pausing to gather my thoughts, I replied, "Because there is something about you that makes me think that it will be worth the time and effort."

"Such as?"

"That's two questions." I replied smiling at her.

"You may as well answer it, there will be hundreds of others until I get the responses I need."

Walking up to her I said, "Because you are an excellent cook and right now supper is getting cold on the table and I'm hungry."

"You sir are a ne'er-do-well and a rascal." she said as she slapped my arm playfully.

"I most certainly am Ma'am, I am also relieved that you came to that conclusion on your own and I didn't have to divulge it to you in secrecy." I said.

Shaking her head and smiling up at me, she stated, "You're right, supper is getting cold and Shannon is waiting. We need to get inside."

As we walked toward the house I said, "There is one other reason."

"What?"

"A woman like you has far more experience in life than a woman my age has. You have the confidence to tell me the truth and a woman my age would hem and haw around. I think confidence and intelligence are two very important traits to look for in a woman and you happen to possess both."

"I should have added arrogant and self-assured to my description earlier." She said laughing.

"Arrogant?" I asked.

Standing at the door she said, "What would you call it? Telling me that it was non-negotiable that I would be in your bed. What kind of woman do you think I am?"

"One who would think long and hard before she acquiesced."

Looking into my eyes for a second, she burst out laughing.

"What?"

"You should really choose your words more carefully Mister Thatcher. Please don't say 'think long and hard' while we are discussing this subject."

"Oh." I replied and then realizing what I had said, I added, "OH!"

"Yes. Now, it is supper time, please stop with the innuendo at the table, at least while Shannon is present."

"And if she isn't?"

"That is entirely up to you Mister Thatcher." she said smiling at me as she stepped inside.

After dinner we sat on the front porch discussing planting crops for the year and the number of acres that should be plowed. I estimated that it would take about a week given that I had no idea how Thunder or the new mare Rose, as Shannon had named her, would react under a plow harness. Then we discussed the types of fruits and vegetables that would be planted based on the shortened growing season. Then I briefly described what I planned on doing about leasing the land to a lumber company. After the discussion was over we sat back enjoying the evening breeze as Shannon played in the yard.

About fifteen minutes later I felt Elizabeth's hand creep into mine and when I looked over at her she was blushing lightly and there was a slight smile on her lips. I didn't say anything, I simply squeezed her hand and then sat back in the swing smiling. This feeling was so different than what I was accustom to after four years at war. What shocked me more was when I realized that when Elizabeth was near, those four years of Hell faded away for a few precious moments. As the sky turned into a black ocean filled with stars, I looked at her watching Shannon play in the yard and thought to myself, "Why not?" then I leaned over and kissed her cheek.

She gasped and then smiling she whispered, "Not in front of Shannon."

"Why not?"

"Because it isn't proper or gentlemanly."

"Is this?" as I stole a quick kiss on her lips, "Was that improper and ungentlemanly as well Missus Sullivan."

"It most certainly was Mister Thatcher!" she said with a devilish grin on her lips.

"I will keep that in mind ma'am." I said, feigning the remorsefulness.

"Please do sir!"

All too soon she stood up and said, "It is almost time for bed Shannon."

"I know Momma." She replied sighing deeply and looking over at me like I had some kind of say in the matter.

"Mister Thatcher?" she asked looking back and forth between her mother and me.

"Yes, Miss Shannon?"

"When you were in the army did they tell you when to go to bed?"

Knowing where she was leading I replied, "They certainly did, as a matter of fact young lady, I was the one who told my troopers to go to bed."

"Really!"

"Yes ma'am, and I am afraid I have to agree with your mother. It is most certainly your bedtime young lady."

"Aww."

"I know, but you can help me with Rose tomorrow if you go to bed without arguing tonight."

"Really?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes."

"Good night Momma! Good night Mister Thatcher!" she said as she whipped around and ran inside the house.

Elizabeth stood beside me silently for a bit and then said, "If I had known it would be that easy I would have bought her a horse years ago."

"I figure ten minutes behind a plow will change her mind about helping." I said grinning at her.

Laughing, Elizabeth replied, "I should think so. Excuse me for a few minutes while I go make sure she is in bed."

Sitting back as she went inside I began to think of the four years I had wasted in the army. Then I realized that if I had not joined, I would not be here today. Looking out over the yard I could see lightning flashing in the clouds in the distance and the wind direction told me that the storm would probably hit in another half an hour or so. I could hear Thunder starting to get anxious inside the barn, so I stood up and walked toward it, to calm him down and to have something to do while I waited.

I lit a lantern and hung it next to his stall. Then I began to calmly speak to him until he walked to the door, so I could pet him. I was still petting his neck several minutes later and just as the storm broke over us, I heard Elizabeth say, "Wonderful, I've been abandoned for a horse."

Smiling, with my back still turned to her I said, "Far from it m' gentle lady. I am merely ensuring my trusted mount's readiness should I need utilize him in defense of your honor on the field of battle. For, if need be, I would, but to see your smile as my soul's only and last reward, lay waste to any scoundrel or rouge whose lands abut yours and smite any mere mortal who would dare besmirch your good name or threaten your safety in any way."

Her laughter echoed in the barn as the rain started falling and she said, "It took me thirty-six years to find a knight in shining armor and now I don't know if I should run him off for deserting me or bed him."

I turned slowly as she said that and as I saw her, I froze in place. Elizabeth was standing in front of me wearing a black silk dressing gown and nothing more. It tied at her waist with a belt and my eyes were immediately drawn to the cleavage of her breasts. Standing at no more than five feet she was so tiny, but her breasts were very large compared to her size. Her hips flared out from her waist, not from being overweight, but from being a fully developed woman instead of one my age who would need time to grow into a true female form. As my eyes roamed her body, I couldn't find a single flaw that could be attributed to anything other than her being a mother; and each of those flaws only enhanced the feelings of arousal that I felt.

Taking a step toward her I reached out and took hold of the belt of her gown but before I could pull it open her hand reached out and took mine. Looking at me she said, "Thaddeus, it has been four years since I have been with a man. I need to know that you will still be here in the morning and that you don't think that you can take me to bed and then ride off tomorrow leaving me here with nothing but remorse, guilt and shame."

Without saying a word, I tugged the belt and then reached out and pushed the gown off her shoulders. As it fell to the barn floor I was treated to the sight of a gorgeous mature woman standing nude in front of me. The red hair covering her head and the area between her legs stood out in sharp contrast to the paleness of her smooth skin. She was small and lean and even though she had given birth to two children the only signs of it were a few stretchmarks across her taunt stomach. She instinctively placed her arms across her bare breasts and closed her legs tightly by placing her knees together and stood still and silent as she looked at me in the dim light of the lantern hanging near us.

"Lower your arms Elizabeth." I said firmly.

She lowered her eyes and shook her head. Reaching out I placed two fingers under her chin and lifted her face until our eyes met. "Lower your arms Beth."

Her lips parted as if she wanted to speak but instead, she retuned my gaze and then slowly lowered her arms allowing her full body to come into my view. Leaning close and kissing her firmly, I let my hands slide slowly down her back until I could grab both cheeks of her firm ass. Squeezing them so hard I heard her gasp, I continued until she was standing on her toes, her arms around my neck, returning my kiss.

Pulling away from her, I released my grip allowing her to slip back to her heels on the floor. Looking into her soft blue eyes I said, "I will be here for as long as you want me here Elizabeth. But right now, I'm more concerned about the fact that we don't have a bed."