Words Heard in Silence (93 page)

"Yes, Miss Rebecca, right away." Beulah lifted the little one into her arms, talking to him all the way out of the room.

Rebecca closed the doors and then took a seat at her desk where she removed the check book Charlie had left with her before he departed. She dipped her pen into the inkwell and sighed. "How much?"

"So, if I can ask, what makes a lady like you willing to buy a child just because it looks like your husband? Why do you not just have your own? Or are you too much of a prig to bed a man like the General?"

"I am merely trying to give this child a decent life so he will not have to grow up on the street, stealing to keep you satisfied. How much?"

"Oh, I think there is something more here, ma'am. I think we shall make this trip worth my time and energy. How does a thousand dollars sound to you? For just a thousand dollars, you get the heir that you evidently do not want to give the good General yourself."

Rebecca bit her lip and fought the urge to throw this whore out on her ear. She very carefully wrote the draft, removed it from the book and stood. She held it out. "This is all you get. It is my best guess that two hundred dollars will get you out of Virginia. Now get out of my house."

"Two hundred dollars. You cheap.... Give me back my son. He is surely worth more than that."

"Yes, I agree he is worth far more than that, and in time he will have all that he requires to grow up as a fine young gentleman. Now take this, and get out of my house, off my property and far away from Culpeper."

"You could at least make it five hundred –– that would give me plenty of money to set up in New York and I will never bother you from there."

Rebecca took a deep breath, walked to the young woman, pressed the draft into her hand and then escorted her to the door. She placed the carpetbag in the woman's hand and opened the door. "Will you leave or will I have to toss you out bodily? I am very capable of it and if I find I am not, I have a staff who will be more than willing to help."

"You will regret this, Mrs. High and Mighty Redmond. I promise. You will regret this."

"Madam, I have survived a war. I have many things I regret. I am sure this will not keep me awake at night."

After the woman had left, Rebecca closed the door and then leaned against it. When she looked up, she saw Tess, Beulah and Sarah standing at the end of the hall looking at her. "What?"

"Did ya toss her out, Miss Rebecca?" Tess asked from the corner.

"I did." Rebecca sighed and stared down the hall toward the women. "Not very Christian of me, was it?"

"We was about to go get Reg and have him come help you." Beulah met her employer half way down the hall.

"Where is the baby?"

"In the kitchen with Ginny."

"Well, let us go meet my son, shall we?"

Rebecca sat in her bedroom holding the baby close to her. Ginny had just finished with his feeding and Rebecca wanted to be Mama now. Em sat at her feet, peeking up to look at the squirming bundle.

"Baby?"

"Yes sweetheart, this is your brother." She brushed her fingers through Em's hair, wondering if she would be able to get the child to sit still for a trim tomorrow. "He needs a name. What shall we name this young man?"

"Baby."

Rebecca chuckled. "Well, he won't be a baby forever and he will need a name like you have."

"Em."

"Yes, your name is Em. I do not think your brother would take well to that name, and it would get very confusing."

"Papa."

Rebecca smiled. "Should we name this baby after Papa?"

"Yes."

"All right then." She looked at her son, who was now sleeping peacefully in her arms. "Charles Huger Redmond the second it is." She looked back to Em. "I think your Papa will be very pleased."

Rebecca settled down at her desk once again. She drew several sheets of paper from the drawer and prepared to write two letters. She glanced over at Charlie, sleeping peacefully in a cradle near the fireplace. Em was content there as well, laying on a thick blanket and playing with her dolls.

Rebecca dipped the nib and gave careful consideration to how to begin the letter to Charlie Sr.

Tuesday, March 7, 1865

Dearest Charlie,

Congratulations! You have a son. Not the one you are thinking of, of that I am sure.

Yesterday, a young woman who had formerly been in the employment of Mrs. Armstrong came knocking on our door.

Her name was Alison Hobart, and she had a rather fascinating story about how you fathered her son. You truly are an amazing man, Charlie Redmond.

Of course, it became quite clear she was only after money. I gave her two hundred dollars, and relieved her of the baby boy, who is not more than a month old.

She did not care for the child, Charlie; she was only looking for a tidy sum. I certainly did not give her what she demanded, but I gave her enough to send her on her way.

So, last night, Miss Emily and I were discussing the new addition to our family and decided his name should be Charles Huger Redmond II. I do hope you approve.

He is an adorable little boy, and by all accounts very healthy, with a demanding appetite. He does keep Ginny quite busy.

We miss you so, my love. I hope you are well and staying dry and warm. Everything here is progressing as expected. Tarent and MacFarlane have taken to getting the farm up and running as soon as possible and have even hired several of the young Negro boys to help them build or repair anything that looks even slightly in need of work.

Shannon is doing very well; she does so enjoy running and kicking up her heels. She is actually quite playful and will run the fence when she sees Em and I coming for a visit to give her a special treat of carrots. I do think she misses Jack, though. Sometimes I see the same look in her eyes that I see in my own when I look in the mirror.

Emily is trying very hard to understand that Papa is gone, but will be home as soon as he can. She asks for you every night and always remembers you during prayers.

Please take care my darling. We wait for your return.

Your loving wife,

Rebecca

She laid Charlie's letter to the side to let the ink dry. Then she set pen to paper for yet another letter.

Tuesday, March 7, 1865

Dear Mrs. Armstrong,

I am sure I am the last person from whom you ever expected to receive correspondence. However, a situation has arisen that I believe you should be aware of because you are a dear friend of Charlie’s.

First, let me reassure you, that as far as I know, Charlie is fine. I have not received any word of the opposite, so I must believe he is well.

The reason I am writing you now is to tell you of a visit I had from a woman who claims to have been in your employ. Her name is Alison Hobart. She arrived on my doorstep yesterday with a newly born baby son, who, to my private amusement, she tried to blame on Charlie.

I gave her funds, relieved her of the baby, and sent her on her way. I believe you need to know what this woman is trying to do. She specifically mentioned she remembered Charlie from his visits to your establishment.

I will admit to you, a certain amount of pleasure when I could confront her with the truth, that Charlie had only ever come to visit you and I knew of his relationship with you. You have never seen a woman go so pale so quickly.

I have given the child Charlie's name. I will wait for a proper christening until after Charlie comes home.

I do hope that once the conflict is over and it is again safe to travel, you will come and spend sometime at our home and meet our growing family.

Please Mrs. Armstrong, be very careful about this young woman. I would certainly hate for her to cause you trouble.

Regards,

Rebecca Redmond

Charlie dismounted from Jack and handed Jocko the reins, his gauntlets and his canteen. "God, Jocko. I think I am getting too old for this."

"Well, Gen’l C, I have something to cheer you a bit and put that youthful bounce back into your step. A special courier came with another letter from Miss Rebecca."

"I feel a bit guilty. With these last days of hard riding, I have not had time to finish the letter I started before we left Crozet."

"Well, sir, we are to settle here for a couple of days before we go on toward Goochland Courthouse, and the infantry has to catch up. I suspect you will have plenty of time now."

"Good. I can use the break from being all day in the saddle. Are we setting up the officers’ mess tent?"

"Yes, sir. Jamison’s boys are already working on it."

"Good –– send word that I will expect the officers to dine together."

"Oh, and Major M’Cabe’s boys found a herd of goats wandering untended."

"Goats? And what did the boys from Company E do?"

"I understand they tried to find the owners, but from what the locals say, the goats have been wandering for a while. Seems their owners fell to the grippe last winter. So Jamison’s boys dressed them out and roasted them."

"Ah, good. Fresh meat will do wonders for morale –– especially after all the rain and mud we have had to endure."

Charlie was fingering the rather thick letter that Jocko had brought him, obviously wanting to read it in the privacy of his own tent, but too courteous to send Jocko away. Jocko, knowing his boss very well, excused himself.

Charlie settled into his camp chair and lovingly opened his letter. He read the first line and nearly dropped the letter. He read it again, and just sat there with his jaw hanging open. "A son? I have a son?" It came out of him as a reverent whisper. Then it dawned on him that if he had a son it probably meant that Constance had passed on. With trembling hands, he carefully read the whole letter through. Finally it sank in. He had a son, and not at the terrible price of Constance’s life.

"Jocko!" Charlie waited about fifteen seconds. Then he bellowed. "Jocko!"

Jocko came running. Charlie never yelled like that. As the batman burst through the tent flap, Charlie grabbed him by the shoulders. "I have a son. A son! Break out a keg of my best brandy; we will toast Charlie the Second at dinner tonight!"

Charlie announced his good news to his officers amid great good cheer and mirth. The men all knew that Charlie was rapidly acquiring a family through adoption, but, except for Jocko and Elizabeth, all present believed that Charlie was celebrating the birth of an illegitimate child Rebecca was generous enough to adopt as her own.

Late that night, he continued his letter to Rebecca.

With eager fingers, Charlie tore open the seal on Rebecca’s next letter. They had been sitting in camp, doing what soldiers did best –– hurrying up and waiting. He was aching to be home, to be with Rebecca, to meet his new son. These letters were the closest thing he had.

Monday, March 13, 1865

Dearest Charlie,

Rest assured your son, is quite the healthy little fellow with lungs that would make your best drill sergeant proud. When little Charlie needs something he is not the least bit shy about letting us know.

Em is quite proud of her little brother and bestows him with kisses at every opportunity. She is also doing very well with Papa now. The pup follows her everywhere and even sleeps at the foot of her bed.