The next morning, she wrung the cold water out of the rag a couple of times before placing it on the soldier’s forehead. He stirred at her touch muttering something about "Get away Jerry." Jerry she reasoned must be Jeremiah who had been referred to in a couple of other letters she had found in his pockets was a brother; older or younger she wasn’t sure. She had been able to piece together that he had a mother, father, a brother and a younger sister, all from letters addressed to Jasper, and signed your loving Mum.

It was for this mother that she felt that she had to do her best keep Jasper alive. It gave her hope that someone might do the same for her brother if he was ever in the same position. Her own family consisted her, her older brother and sister, her Aunt Ruby, her father, and mother. Ned, her brother was off fighting the war and had been taken prisoner by the Confederates not long after he had signed up to go fight. Julia, her much older and beautiful sister had met some gold miner named Bill whom she had married and headed out to the gold rush in ’49. She was only child left at home, and for now the only Barrett left at the house.

As for the rest of her family, she had never really known her mother, only that she and Ned favored her in looks and that Julia had favored her father’s side in looks. Veronica Barrett, the second wife of her father Harlan Barrett had been young and beautiful when they met and married, but unfortunately she had also had weak health and had died shortly after birth of her second child, Brenda. Her father, Harlan had been the doctor of the county often taking his youngest daughter with him on his weekly rounds since she was the only one who showed any interest at all in continuing in the medicine field. Aunt Ruby, her father’s sister had been with them for as long as Brenda could remember. She had been a mother figure to her brother’s children since they had lost their own mother and Harlan didn’t think he had the heart to ever marry again after losing two wives.

Aunt Ruby had been a great mother, but Brenda had always wondered what it would have been like to have her own mother. Mum’s letters to Jasper intrigued her. She wanted to know if her mother would have loved her just as much as Jasper’s Mum did. Ned always assured her that she would have, but he was barely three when she had died, how could he remember her clearly? She couldn’t be so sure. But she was sure that Jasper’s mother did love him, and for that she was going to make sure he would see her again.

Brenda wrung out the rag again and placed it on Jasper’s forehead. She didn’t think that he felt as warm as he had earlier, but she couldn’t be sure that she was doing some wishful thinking. But a little willful thinking wouldn’t do much harm in her case would it? He stirred again, as he always did when she replaced the washcloth. But this time he opened his eyes and looked right at her.

Blue eyes. Right at her. Her heart stopped. Even with his flushed and sweaty face, and askew hair he looked beautiful. Of course it wasn’t something that she hadn’t noticed before, but his eyes made it even harder to resist his looks.

"Where am I?" he asked looking confused out of his mind.

"The Barrett Estate. You’ve been injured and I’m trying to keep you healthy."

"Injured? My leg?" he asked trying to sit up, but Brenda motioned no. Challenging looks were exchanged between the two before Brenda gently pushed him back down onto his pillow.

"Yes. Do you remember what happened?" Brenda asked as she fluffed another pillow and motioned for him to lift his head so she could place it behind him.

He tried to remember, but he couldn’t seem to remember much of anything after waking up, he didn’t quite know how long ago that was, and eating his morning breakfast. He shook his head no to answer the raven haired girl’s question.

"Are you in pain?" she asked.

"No."

"You will be." She said as she encouraged him to drink some water, and unexpectedly he found himself thirsty than he had ever been.

"Slow down there, Jasper."

"Please call me Jax, Miss…" Jax requested.

"Brenda." She answered noting the authoritative way he corrected his name. He must hate Jasper.

"Brenda. Nice name. Brenda." Jax said as he began to feel weak again.

Brenda watched him nod off to sleep again. A touch to his forehead revealed that his fever had come down a bit still needed to be watched. You’re lucky you have me Jasper.