House and field slaves, Tom Shepherd, the only overseer left at White Orchard … all now watching her as the enemy soldiers systematically degraded her before them. “Kneel before me.” Catherine’s cheeks flushed at the command. Sex Catherine’s eyes met the gaze of only a few spectators among the sea of faces. The short length of chain connecting them jingled with a strange, hollow sound as the slow procession entered the hallway and out through the main door. She looked up to see the Lieutenant standing before her, the orange lantern glow lighting the silhouette of his head. “You see now before you a traitor to the Union. A slight moisture had appeared in his eyes. He didn’t sound too concerned. She soon gave up and, despite the discomfort of her deportment, lay quietly on the wood, trembling and whimpering softly as she waited for the pain to visit her again. But these words stayed inside her head, despite the looks on the faces of the majority of her slaves exposing the fact that they were enjoying the spectacle.
