“I don’t love Hampton,” she whispered and silently wondered whether she could ever learn to love this man as a husband.
She pressed her hands to her head, fighting against the fury of emotions that threatened to explode. Could she ever love any man save James Baldwin? And if she could never have the man she truly loved, then why not at least marry an amicable man whose kiss set her to trembling and who offered her the dearest desire of her heart? From somewhere deep in her memory, she remembered Lucy’s warning to be careful of Hampton. Something about him had made Lucy uneasy, too, and Carolina had taken this caution to heart. After all, Carolina could easily attribute her own uneasiness around Hampton to his insistence on a physical relationship, whereas Lucy felt uneasy for reasons all her own.
“But Father thinks quite highly of Hampton,” she reminded herself. She drew up her knees and hugged them close. “Father is the best judge of people, and if he believes Hampton worthy of trust, then why should I think any differently? Maybe I’m just being silly.”
Hampton expected an answer in the morning. Sitting up all night wouldn’t change that fact. She slowly replaced the curtain, stretched, and went back to her dressing table. Picking up the brush again, she eyed her reflection in the mirror and paused with the brush halfway to her head. Her dark hair fell in a swirling wave against her robe.
“I am a woman, nearly full grown,” she told herself. “James is gone, and my family is quick to go forward with their lives without regard to me. Why should I remain behind? Why should I put off what will inevitably happen one day or another? At least with Hampton, I will get a part of my dream.”
Virginia listened to the sounds of the summer night while silently sipping her third glass of sherry. Through her open bedroom window she could survey the moonlit landscape and consider her plight. Time was passing by too quickly, and all of her schemes and dreams seemed to have failed her.
Turning from the window she looked at her bed and felt a twisting pang of regret. The heavy mosquito netting did nothing to block out the fact that the confines were empty. Most of her friends were married and sharing their beds with attentive mates. But she was alone and would remain so forever unless she did something to alter that state soon. Downing the sherry, she went to her dresser and took out the nearly empty bottle. She poured the remaining liquid into her glass and held it up in a mock salute to herself.
“I’m the only one who’ll drink to me,” she said, then tossed down the drink without even tasting the contents.
“Virginia?” a voice called from the other side of her bedroom door.
At first Virginia thought she’d imagined it, and given the amount of liquor she’d just consumed, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable to consider. But just as she was about to take off her robe and slip into bed, the voice came again.
“Virginia, it’s Carolina. May I come in?”
Virginia rolled her eyes and opened the door. “My, my. And to what do I owe the honor of this visit?” she asked, slurring her words despite her unmistakable effort to sound sober.
“Are you all right?” Carolina asked, seeming surprised at her sister’s state.
“I’m as well as can be expected. Now, do you mind telling me why you’ve come?”
Carolina bit at her lip a moment. A number of expressions crossed her face before she settled on one that seemed most determined. “I wanted to share something with you. In fact, you’ll be the first to know.”
“I’m so honored,” Virginia said, swaying only slightly. The effects of the sherry were starting to take their toll.
Carolina twisted her hands together. “You once suggested I could best help you by marrying Hampton Cabot and leaving Oakbridge. I just thought I would let you know I plan to do exactly that. Hampton has asked me to marry him and move to New York, and I have just decided to say yes. I haven’t even told him, because I wanted to somehow set things right between us first.”
Virginia felt the bottom drop out of her world. “Marry him? You’re really going to marry him?”
“Yes.” Carolina seemed eager to move away from that topic and insisted on bringing up the past. “Look, Virginia, I don’t know why you said the things you did at Sarah Armstrong’s bridal shower, but I want to assure you I never did anything improper with James. It is true I held him in high regard, and if that was wrong, then please forgive me. But I would never have done anything to interfere between the two of you. Can’t we put the past behind us?”
Virginia knew it would do little good to cause a scene, but her mind raced with thoughts of how to put Carolina in her place once and for all. Revenge was still uppermost in her mind, and the link to destroying Carolina’s happiness was Hampton Cabot. Somehow, she would have to put an end to their plans, but now didn’t seem the time. Desperately needing as much information as she could get, Virginia swallowed her pride. “Of course we can. I’m very happy for you both,” she lied. “I’m sure you will be very happy with Mr. Cabot. When will you tell him the good news?”
“After breakfast tomorrow,” Carolina replied.
Virginia hated her for her serene expression. How dare Carolina be happy when she was so miserable! How dare her little sister plan a future when hers was so hopelessly mired in despair.
“And when will you marry?”
Carolina was rather taken aback by this. “Why, I don’t know. I haven’t given it much consideration.”
“Certainly given the affairs of our home, you will want to do it with haste.”
“I suppose you are right.”
Virginia smiled. “Well, little sister, it seems as if fate has smiled down upon you. I’m sure your dreams will be sweet tonight.”
Carolina’s innocent countenance made Virginia want to rage, but instead she held her temper and fixed a sugary smile upon her lips.
“I’ll leave you to go to sleep,” Carolina said, opening the door once again. “I just wanted you to know. I didn’t want there to be anything standing between us.”
“Put your mind at ease,” Virginia replied with assurance.
When Carolina had gone, Virginia reached for her bottle of sherry, only to find it empty. Curse her, Virginia thought and barely stopped herself from hurling the bottle against the wall.
Down the hall, Hampton Cabot would be sleeping. Virginia imagined him there and seethed. He wanted to marry Carolina, but for what purpose? He’d first looked upon Virginia, but Margaret had told him Virginia was intended for James. Now, however, James was gone, and Carolina was soon to announce her betrothal to Hampton. Somehow Virginia had to put an end to it.
Suddenly she became aware of a tiny thought in her clouded mind, and then it became a full-fledged revelation. Perhaps Hampton could be persuaded to redirect his interest if the proper incentive were given. Virginia went to the mirror and studied her reflection for a moment. She dropped the white lawn robe to the ground and appraised her figure through her nightgown. Smiling to herself, she imagined playing the seductress. She contemplated how she might use her female attributes to her advantage, conjuring up scenes she had seen acted out on stage, or had read about in the romance novels she so enjoyed. Reaching a hand up, she unbraided her hair and shook it out. As it tumbled nearly to her waist, Virginia was confident in her feminine wiles.
She waited until the house was completely silent, void of any wakeful person. When the chimes sounded one o’clock, she knew her moment had come. Taking up a single candle, Virginia tiptoed into the hall and made her way to Hampton’s room. To compromise herself seemed a small price for revenge. She would steal Hampton away from Carolina, and whether he came willingly or with a fight, Virginia was determined there would be no marriage for her sister. If things went her way, however, Hampton would readily agree to marry her and forget Carolina. If not, Virginia would address them all at breakfast and, through fits of tears and embarrassing confession, admit to having spent the night with Hampton. That would definitely put an end to any future he had with Carolina, whether or not he cooperated with her plans for marriage.
The handle turned easily, and without a sound, Virginia pressed the huge oak door open and slipped into the room. She locked the door behind her and turned to see if her presence had been noted by the room’s occupant. Hampton was sound asleep.
Finding courage in her drunken state, Virginia pulled back the bed curtains and gasped aloud at the sight of Hampton’s sleeping form. Gathering back her composure, she was glad he wasn’t hard to look at. Dressed in long cotton underwear, Hampton’s chest was exposed where the buttons had come unfastened. She leaned closer to better view his face, not seeing the candle wax that dripped onto Hampton’s chest until it was too late.
“What in the . . .” he exclaimed, sitting straight up, rubbing the hot wax from his skin.
Virginia jumped back, nearly falling. “I’m sorry!”
Hampton stared at her as though trying to decide if she was real or a dream. “Virginia? What are you doing here?”
Virginia struggled for something to say. “I . . . uh . . . thought we should talk.”
Hampton, who by now was fully awake and far less surprised, took account of Virginia’s nightclothes and threw her a wicked grin. “You don’t seem dressed for talk.”
She fumbled with the ties of her robe. “Well . . . that is to say . . . it depends on what we talk about.” She swayed dizzily, hating that she’d drunk so much sherry, yet knowing she would never have had the courage to approach Hampton otherwise.
Hampton’s eyes narrowed. “And what did you have in mind?”
“You see,” she said, twisting the robe ties, “my sister came to see me earlier this evening. She told me that you’d asked for her hand in marriage, and she was going to give you an answer in the morning.”
“That’s true enough. Did she tell you what her answer would be?” Hampton leaned toward Virginia, gazing intently at her.
“She did, and that’s why I’m here.”
“And what did she say?”
Virginia began to tremble. “She plans to refuse you.” Seeing Hampton’s expression change from desire to disbelief, Virginia continued. “She’s in love with someone else. It wouldn’t be proper for her to marry you and love someone else.”
“I see.” Gone was the tone of impassioned interest, and in its place Hampton sounded almost angry.
“But I thought maybe I could ease your disappointment. You see, Carolina might not be in love with you, but . . . I am.”
“You’re in love with me?” Hampton asked, sounding completely surprised. “You’ve never shown me the slightest bit of interest.” He paused and got out of the bed. “Until now.”
Virginia backed up a step. “I couldn’t interfere in my sister’s romance. I didn’t think it proper to show an interest in her suitor. But now . . . now that she’s made her decision . . . I felt I couldn’t wait any longer. Oh, Hampton, you are the man I love. My sister won’t marry you, but couldn’t you bring yourself to settle for me?”
Virginia gasped as Hampton pulled her roughly into his arms, pressing his lips against hers. She stood stiffly in his sudden embrace, not prepared for his enthusiasm, nor for her own response. He was quite adept at stirring the fires of passion, and before she knew what she’d done, Virginia had
wrapped her arms around his neck. Suddenly, revenge seemed sweeter than ever.
As Hampton pulled away, Virginia found her breath coming in ragged little gasps. “Marry me. Marry me tonight, Hampton.”
Carolina came to breakfast convinced that what she was doing was right. Marriages of convenience happened every day for a variety of reasons. They were usually set up to make the most advantageous arrangement for both parties. Was agreeing to marry Hampton any more or less than this?
She frowned at the memory of Andrew Jackson admonishing her to marry only for love. James was the man she loved, but obviously he did not love her. It had been nearly a year since his departure from Oakbridge, and not once had he so much as posted her a letter. Then his reaction at the hotel ball had to be considered as well. Surely, if he had any real interest in her, he’d have remained at the party in hopes of talking with her. She knew she was the one who had turned and fled when she was startled to see him there, but why hadn’t he pursued her? The matter nagged painfully at Carolina.
Staring at her father, who sat so wearily at the head of the table, Carolina wondered how he would react to the news. He liked Hampton and obviously trusted him with their financial affairs. Her father would most likely welcome Hampton as a son-in-law.
Just don’t let Father ask me if I love him, Carolina thought.
With her mother confined to her bedroom and Georgia off to finishing school in Richmond, Hampton and Virginia were the only other people expected at the breakfast table. Carolina found it strange that Hampton should be so late in coming to the meal. He would be anticipating her answer, and Carolina had even thought she might have found him awaiting her in the hall that morning.
“Massa Adams,” a negro child spoke, coming through the kitchen entry, “Miriam says to gib yo dis.” The boy thrust a white envelope into Joseph’s hands.
Joseph took the letter and opened it while the boy disappeared back into the kitchen.
“What is it, Papa?”
Joseph scanned the letter, then looked up with an expression that appeared both regretful and sympathetic. “I’m afraid you must brace yourself for some painful news, my dear.”
Carolina couldn’t imagine what possible news her father might share. Was it James? Had something happened to him? She felt her stomach tighten into a knot. “What is it?” she asked again.
Joseph drew a heavy breath. “It would seem Virginia has eloped.”
“Eloped?” She let out the breath she’d been holding and asked, “With whom?”
Joseph seemed to wince as he folded the letter back into the envelope. “With Mr. Cabot.”
The words barely registered in her brain. Carolina felt the breath knocked from her and fell back against her chair with one hand to her throat.
Joseph instantly got to his feet and came to her side. “I’m so sorry, Carolina. I know what a shock this must be. I can’t imagine what Virginia was thinking, or for that matter what manner of game Hampton is playing. Let me get you something.” Her father went to the sideboard and started to pour a glass of brandy.