Anything You Ask Of Me
by Heather
Curley
Publication
date: July 31st 2016
Genres:
Historical, New Adult
BLURB
Although her home state of
Maryland hasn’t sworn allegiance to either Union or Confederacy,
twenty-two-year-old Elizabeth Archer’s life is shattered. Her father has fled
North, abandoning the household. The man she loved—and who married her sister
instead— is killed in battle. Elizabeth’s life of parties and societal
obligations dwindles down to isolation and too many empty hours; hours to mourn
the man who gave her up to chase an inheritance.
She meets Confederate general Jeb
Stuart by chance and, in an instant, she’s the center of his attention.
As commander of the Army of
Northern Virginia’s cavalry division, General Stuart doesn’t ask, he orders.
The attraction seems mutual and, flattered by his affection, Elizabeth agrees
to spy for the Confederacy. She’s Stuart’s La Belle Rebelle, the Beautiful
Rebel; the siren of the south. She’s notorious in the Union and lauded in the
Confederacy. And she’s falling in love with him.
Notoriety, however, is a spy’s
worst enemy. Now pursued by a Federal officer tasked to stop her at any cost,
Elizabeth faces the sentence of hanging if she’s convicted of treason against
the Union. Devoted to a cause she doesn’t believe in and with Federal blood on
her hands, Elizabeth must save herself—or die a traitor.
Time is running out. And no one,
not even La Belle Rebelle, can outrun the war.
He stood
alone in the parlor, examining a horrendous portrait of her mother that Sarah
insisted be left above the fireplace. Hat hooked over his first two fingers, he
tapped it against his leg with a certain sense of idleness common in someone
tired of waiting.
“It is not a decent likeness of my mother.” She tilted her head
toward the portrait. “Maybe in the eyes, but the artist was paid far greater
than his ability deserved.”
“It does me well to see you again, Miss Archer.” He smiled and
bowed slightly.
“It is a pleasure to be in your company again, General Stuart.” He
wasn’t much taller than she, enough that she had to tilt her chin up to look him
in the face, but there was something intimidating about him. Perhaps it was his
broad shoulders, or the cut of his uniform. She wasn’t entirely sure, but he
made it hard to keep her wits. “Did you fare well in Virginia?”
“I always do.” He held her hand a moment, then pressed her
knuckles to his lips. “Although, I must say I much prefer the company I find in
Maryland.”
“You only say that now. It will be a less desirable place if the
Yankees decide to return.” She flushed.
“Do you anticipate their return?”
“Should I?”
He chuckled, looking much younger when he laughed. She couldn’t
imagine he was that much older than her. Not that it mattered. “I do believe
they would find fierce resistance in you, Miss Archer, should they attempt to
cross the threshold of this fine home.”
“When my father left, he certainly did not leave behind a coward.”
Heat filled her cheeks. He still hadn’t let go of her hand.
“I wasn’t aware your father had left.”
“He relocated to the North when the war started.” She glanced away
from him. The act was more than just leaving; he’d fled as fast as he could and
never once looked back. “Said he wanted to preserve his business interests.”
“I should think leaving you behind is a decision he will regret
but once,” he kissed her hand again, “and that will be continually.”
She smiled and looked back to his curiously bluish green eyes. His
gaze was direct, much too steady to be appropriate.
She liked that.
A rustle behind her drew her attention.
Sarah, mouth pursed in so tight a line her lips nearly
disappeared. “Martha has finished the noon time dinner preparation, General
Stuart, if you’d care to follow me.” Her glare switched to Elizabeth. “Miss
Archer.”
“Mrs. Cooke.”
Sarah narrowed her eyes in response, then flounced from the
parlor. Her heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Elizabeth bit back a giggle and glanced at General Stuart. “As the
notable Mr. Shakespeare wrote in, As You Like It, ‘Let us
make an honorable retreat.’”
He coughed, probably to cover his laughter, and offered her his
arm. She slid her hand over the crook of his elbow, the gray wool of his
uniform rough under her fingertips. The dining room was the next room on the
eastern wing of the house. If she could have found a way to take a longer route
down the hall, perhaps up the stairs, past the bedrooms, and then back down the
servant’s staircase, she would have done so, just to enjoy his company a little
longer.
Author Info
Heather Hambel Curley was born in
West Virginia and raised in Western Pennsylvania. She graduated magna cum laude
from Robert Morris University with a degree in Communications in 2004. Heather
has been involved with Civil War reenacting since 2001. In 2004, she
volunteered at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park with the living history
and archeology departments. Currently, she is a corseted living historian with
the Baltimore Light Artillery, a group of historians who provide artillery
demonstrations in parks such as Harpers Ferry, Gettysburg National Military
Park, and Antietam National Battlefield. Heather resides in Western
Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. She is a member of Pennwriters
and the Historical Novel Society.
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