Chapter 107: Rare, Precious and Beautiful, Part 1

Outside Fredericksburg, Virginia, December 14, 1862

Cathy woke up and with blurred vision, looked around the room. For a moment, she thought she was back home in San Francisco, and her husband, Paul, and Kevie would come through the door. Then she remembered the battle from behind the stone wall and of being shot.

She looked over at her right arm and saw the upper portion wrapped in white bandages. As her senses returned to her, so did the pain.

Just then, a well-dressed Caucasian woman opened the bedroom door. "Oh, my dear, I'm so glad you're awake. I'll have Nadine bring you breakfast at once."

Cathy noticed she had a lovely southern drawl.

The woman put the back of her cool hand on Cathy's forehead. "You are very lucky; the fever seems to have been kept at bay."

"What happened?" Cathy asked. "How bad is my arm?"