Twin sisters separated by war,
bound by love…
After the death of their father, twin
sisters Maggie and Matty Becker are forced to take positions with officers’
families at a nearby fort. When the southern states secede, the twins are
separated, and they find themselves on opposite sides of America’s bloodiest
war.
In the south, Maggie travels with the
Hamiltons to Bellevue, a plantation in west Tennessee. When Major Hamilton is
captured, it is up to Maggie to hold things together and deal with the Union
cavalry troop that winters at Bellevue. Racism, politics and a matchmaking
stepmother test Maggie’s resourcefulness as she fights for Bellevue, a wounded
Confederate officer and the affections of the Union commander.
In the north, Matty discovers an
incriminating letter in General Worthington’s office, and soon she is on the
run. With no one to turn to for help, she drugs the wealthy Colonel Cole Black
and marries him, in hopes of getting the letter to his father, the governor of
Michigan. But Cole is not happy about being married, and Matty’s life becomes
all about survival.
Hazardous Unions: Two Tales of a Civil War Christmas
By Alison Bruce and Kat Flannery
Two unforgettable stories of courage, strength and honor
Only 99 cents today. $1.99 November 9-12.
Hazardous Unions: Two Tales of a Civil War Christmas
By Alison Bruce and Kat Flannery
Excerpt: Maggie's already complicated life is thrown another curve when Patience, the daughter of the house, wants to hide a Confederate officer on the Union-occupied plantation.
Mammy put the kettle on. Tea was scarce, but mint and chamomile grew like weeds around here. She had other herbs she'd brew up as well, but tonight she was making chamomile mint tea. Chamomile to calm the nerves. Peppermint to clear our heads.
"Now
that you've established that Nate is a romantic fool," Patience said,
sounding more like her old self, "can we figure out what to do to keep him
safe? He cannot be left out there with nothing more than a bedroll."
"Of
course not, my dear," Mrs. Hamilton said. "Though in fairness,
Patience, that is how he was faring for the past year or more. On patrol, your
father and his men often had little more."
"My
father was hale and hearty then. Nate is still recovering from his wounds."
"He
should go home," I said. "Wentworth Place is smaller than Bellevue.
The Union Army might have left it alone. We need to find out."
"That's
a sensible suggestion," Mrs. Hamilton said, a gratifying but ill-timed
comment. Anything Mrs. Hamilton agreed with was automatically disagreed with by
Patience.
"And
how do you propose we do that? Go down and ask? 'Oh, Mister Captain, sir, can you
tell us which of our neighbors are likewise occupied by your forces?'"
I
smiled. "Good idea. I'll do that tomorrow morning. In the meantime, do you
think you could bring Lieutenant Wentworth in out of the cold, Thaddeus? I'm
thinking he could spend the night with our people."
Patience
objected, of course. "Put him with the slaves? He won't do it."
"He'll
do it if I asked him to," Thaddeus. "I can be very persuasive."
"Thank
you," I interjected before Patience could speak. "Now we can rest
assured that the Lieutenant will be safe tonight."
Later,
when I said my nightly prayers, I thanked God for keeping us safe so far. "Please
keep Matty and Mama and Werner safe, wherever they are. And Papa, if you're
listening, give me the strength to get through tomorrow without killing
Patience."