Words Heard in Silence (65 page)

"Of course, dear. I would be happy to run whatever errands you need me to."

She smiled. "Good." She was not sure, but she thought she might have seen a brief flash of panic in his eyes. "So, tell me, my love, who will be at the wedding?"

Charlie’s eyebrows rose. "Um, whoever you wish to invite. I suppose Richard and Elizabeth and Whitman and Samuelson, my senior officers and your friends from town?" Charlie’s voice rose to an unusual squeak. Guests were not on the list of things he was accustomed to defining.

"Charlie, this is our wedding. I want to make sure the people you care about are at the ceremony as well. What about friends in Washington? Surely there must be a few."

Charlie’s forehead crumpled in concentration. "Well, I suppose General Sheridan and perhaps McCauley might want to attend. Maybe General Grant as well; he probably would not attend, but would feel slighted if we did not invite him. I do have a friend there, but somehow I suspect you would prefer she not attend."

"Mrs. Armstrong?"

"Yes. But I can understand entirely if you would rather I did not invite her." Charlie was flushing an interesting shade of pink.

"Charlie, she is your friend. If you would like, please extend her an invitation. I am sure I would find her to be a delightful woman. Besides that, I do owe her a certain amount of thanks."

Charlie looked at Rebecca with some curiosity. "You owe her thanks?"

"Yes, if it were not for her tender caring for you, we might not have found ourselves at this place."

Charlie had the grace to blush even more deeply. "Well, a certain amount of respect is due to one’s teacher," he laughed. "And we have certainly both benefited and will benefit even more as we grow closer."

"I know." She licked her lips, trying not to sound like a jealous wife. "So, while you are in Washington will you 'call' on Mrs. Armstrong?"

"I believe I should. If nothing else, I think I owe her the respect of telling her about our marriage personally. Do you have a problem with that, dear? You know I am totally yours now. All that is, or will be, between Mrs. Armstrong and myself is friendship, rather like my friendship with Elizabeth." Charlie had a slightly uneasy feeling about Rebecca’s understanding of his friendship with Lizzie.

"No, of course not. You should see your friend. I was just curious."

"Rebecca? What are you thinking of, dear?" Charlie was rising rapidly growing uneasy.

"Oh, Charlie I am not thinking anything. I was just wondering if you would see her." She smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe sow the last of your wild oats. Before your oats become mine."

Charlie looked at Rebecca. For a second, his expression was that of a cornered rabbit. Then all of the implications hit him fully in the funny bone. He started laughing, a big, full belly laugh. In fact, he laughed so hard he slipped from his kneeling position and abruptly sat on the floor. Between guffaws, he managed to gasp out, "My…… wild…… oats…… are…… already…… yours…… and…… yours…… alone. I…… am…… just…… waiting…… for…… your…… permission…… to …… sow…… them."

Rebecca smiled and joined Charlie on the floor, slowly pushing him back until, with some amount of difficulty and fussing with her dress, she managed to straddle his waist and pin his wrists to the floor as she leaned over him. She was about to tease him further when the door opened and Elizabeth and Richard came in.

Without missing a beat, Elizabeth commented. "I find them doing the strangest things."

Richard nodded. "Indeed."

Rebecca looked over. "Good evening, Charlie and I were just discussing planting methods."

R
ebecca watched intently while Em toddled ahead of her as they made their way into the kitchen. She was pleased to see the child head directly to a small table and chair Duncan had fashioned for her. As soon as she was seated, Sarah gave her a cookie and a cup of fresh milk.

"Tank you, Sar." Em grinned so broadly that she showed two new molars that had almost completely come in.

"You are welcome, Miss Emily."

Rebecca could only smile at the child she was beginning to love as if she was her own. She had taken over as primary caretaker for her since Constance’s condition had continued to deteriorate with each passing day. She was exceptionally proud at how well mannered little Emily was becoming under her and Charlie’s gentle care.

"Good morning, everyone." Rebecca immediately checked the stove and the dishes being prepared for the open house that would take place the next day. Reaching for a spoon to taste one of the pots, she found her hand smacked by Sarah.

"Not yet, Miss Rebecca, ‘‘tis not ready." The cook smiled and just shook her head.

"Is everything going to be ready by tomorrow?"

Reg just shook his head at Rebecca’s nervousness as he continued to unpack a crate of dishes that General Charlie had ordered down from Washington. "Of course it will, Miss Rebecca. Beulah, Tess, and the others are working on the house and me and Sarah is getting everything else ready."

Rebecca smiled, taking a seat at the kitchen table. She sighed, knowing she was being nervous for nothing. "I am sorry, Reg. This is just that for the first time in many years that Redmond Stables has hosted a New Year’s party. I want everything to be perfect. We need some relief after the unpleasantness of Major Montgomery’s execution."

Sarah turned slowly and looked to Rebecca. "Miss Rebecca, they say there were some other men with him."

"Yes."

"And that General Redmond let them go from the Army."

"Yes, Sarah, but he did not know then what had happened."

"Yes, Ma’am, I know. But I am worried about them running around here. The folks over in colored town cain’t protect themselves."

"I know. General Redmond has men keeping an eye out for them, but he thinks they are long gone from here."

"I sure do hope so."

"We all do."

T
he group that made its way to Church from Gaines Cove, or more appropriately Redmond Stables, that day was smaller than the previous Sunday. The visiting officers had left, and since Constance was having a very difficult day, both Elizabeth and Beulah had stayed behind to tend to her.

The congregation filed in quietly, but there was an underlying buzz of anticipation. Today was the first time since before the beginning of the war there had been celebrations planned for the New Year. How the Yankee General would handle Southern hospitality was a matter of intense curiosity and anticipation.

Mrs. Williams had chosen music that was vaguely patriotic in tone, perhaps to remind the residents they were still Southerners and they were still at war. The Reverend ignored it completely. He mounted the steps to the pulpit and began his sermon.

"Our lesson today is taken from Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes, verses 1 through 8."

"We have seen our time of death, our time of killing, our time when everything in our lives was broken down, and we were left with nothing but ashes. I do not believe there is a single person in this room who has not had their time of weeping and mourning."

"We have had our time of hating, our time of war."

"That time is coming to an end. We have had our enemies come among us and found them to be men of compassion, of honor, and kindness. It is true some of the enemies have not been able to let go of the past, to let go of the time for hate and war. For those poor souls, we offer our prayers and condolences."

"The year before us will be a time of great change. It is my prayer we find that it is a time to heal, a time to build up, a time to plant, a time to love, and a time of peace."

The sermon continued. Mrs. Williams sat at her keyboard with a look on her face that would make sour pickles seem sweet. One could only imagine the atmosphere in the Williams’ home, as the Reverend continued his message of peace and cooperation. Charlie speculated it probably made Vicksburg look pleasant.

R
ebecca stood near the mantle in the large front parlor. She was gingerly holding a glass of wine in her hands and was on the verge of seething. Charlie was standing in the center of the room surrounded by all the available young ladies of Culpeper.

Elizabeth wandered over and tried to hide the smile on her face as she sipped her own wine. "You may rupture something very important."

Rebecca swung her eyes reluctantly from Charlie to her friend. "Excuse me?"

"If the green-eyed monster grips you any tighter, your eyes will pop out."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"I am talking about the fact that your husband-to-be is standing there surrounded by all those young ladies of the community and you do not like it much."

Rebecca nodded, ashamed of her feelings. "Yes, you are right."

"Rebecca, my dear friend. You need not worry about Charlie. He adores you. When you are away from him, all he talks about is you. I do believe he will see to your sainthood himself."

Rebecca chuckled and blushed. "I know he loves me. It is just that they are so……so……"

"Utterly charmed by the newly minted General." She elbowed her friend. "Think how jealous they will be when you and Charlie are married. My dear, you will be the envy of them all."

Elizabeth watched as Rebecca tried to do the proper thing and not gloat. It was obvious that Rebecca found it very difficult.

"Oh, enjoy it, Rebecca. It does not make you a sinner to be happy with the way your life is turning out. Especially since it came so close to falling apart."

"I do not want to seem too prideful, but you have to admit that if I were prone to it, Charlie would be a good reason."

"He would be the best reason. I think the good Lord will forgive you for feeling pride in the one you love."

As the two women chatted, Charlie broke away from his group of admirers and went over to the buffet where Jocko was standing in service. The two men whispered together for a moment, and Jocko nodded, then quietly left the room.

Charlie moved slowly across the room, stopping several times to chat briefly with some of the gentlemen in attendance, both from town and from among his own command. He kept looking over his shoulder, as if he expected something to happen.

As he drew near to Rebecca and Elizabeth, Jocko returned and nodded to him.

An odd mixture of mischief and relief washed over Charlie's features as he turned to his bride-to-be. "I have a little surprise for you and the guests."

"A surprise? General, what are you..."

Charlie smiled. "A surprise. Tell me, Mrs. Gaines, do you dance?"

She smiled back. "Why yes, General, I do."

"Ah, then the boys and I have done well. It happens we have several excellent musicians in the regiment who have consented to play for the guests today. They are ready, so, as our hostess, would you care to open the doors to the ball room and begin the proceedings?"

She took Charlie’s arm. "We shall host the first dance of what I hope will be many dances at Redmond Stables," she paused and smiled, "together, my dear Charlie."

Charlie stepped to the buffet and picked up a glass and spoon, tapping the crystal to get peoples’ attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Gaines and the men of the 13th Pennsylvania have a treat for you." He nodded to Jocko, who threw open the doors to the ballroom. The room was decorated with evergreen and holly, and fires were burning brightly in the great fireplaces at either end. In the musicians’ alcove, a small band, mostly violins, was softly playing. "Let us dance in the New Year."

Rebecca stepped forward and claimed her General. "Your dances are mine, General."

"My dear, I will have to do my duty to the matrons, but for you, the first and last dance." He nodded to the musicians and the strains of one of Mr. Strauss's scandalous waltzes were heard. "Mrs. Gaines, will you do me the honor?"

"Oh, indeed I will, General Redmond."

Charlie extended his left hand to her, and then wrapped his right hand around her waist. Standing for a moment, he waited to catch the beat of the music then led her into the whirling pleasure of that most scandalous dance. "I love being able to hold you in public, my dear. And before this day is over those who do not already know will know why."

"Oh my dear, that sounds like you are planning something to set them on their ears." She glanced around the room to find all eyes were upon them. "Something other than this I assume?"

"I plan to announce to them that you have done me the honor of consenting to be my wife, love, and that the wedding is set for the 28th."

"Yes, my dear, please do. But make sure someone is standing behind Mrs. Williams."

"I assume Mr. Williams will attend to his wife." Charlie smiled an evil little smile.