Storm Clouds Rolling In & On To Richmond (Books 1 & 2 in the Bregdan Chronicles) by Ginny Dye - HTML preview

Chapter Five

Carrie rubbed a hand across her weary eyes and stretched to loosen her stiffened muscles. A glance at the clock told her it was long past her dinner hour. She turned back to the desk, made a final entry, and snapped the records book shut. It was her fault. They should have been done weeks ago, but it was a job she hated and always found a reason to avoid doing. She needed to send a report to her father soon, however, so she couldn’t put it off any longer. She had ridden the fields with Moses earlier that day and then locked herself away in the office.

Pushing back from the desk with a satisfied sigh, she rose to her feet and smoothed down her dark green gown.

When she pushed open the door to the office, Sam was standing near the front door, peering out the window.

“I’m starving, Sam.” Her stomach growled in agreement.

“Would you please have Annie bring me lunch in the parlor? I’m going to relax for a little while.”

“Don’t know ‘bout no relaxing,” Sam said. “It looks like you be gettin’ comp’ny.”

“Company?” Carrie echoed in a surprised voice. “I wasn’t expecting anyone.” She moved to join Sam by the window. What she saw caused her heart to sink. “It’s Louisa Blackwell,” she said in a dismayed voice.

“Looks that way. Want me to tell her you’re out?”

Carrie looked at him in surprise. Her heart screamed for her to say yes, but she felt herself shaking her head.

The hospitality code of the South wouldn’t allow her to do that, nor would her integrity. “Show her to the parlor,”

she said.

Determined to make the best of what was sure to be a difficult situation, Carrie escaped to the kitchen, drank down a frothing glass of milk, and hurriedly ate a biscuit.

Whatever she had to face, it would be faced more easily with some food in her stomach. She lingered just long enough for the warm familiarity and delicious smells of

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the kitchen to calm her heart as she gazed out over the pastures and finished her small meal. Finally, fortified and ready, she patted stray hairs into place and walked slowly to the parlor.

“Why, Louisa, what a surprise to see you. Welcome to Cromwell Plantation.” She would at least begin this visit in a cordial manner. It was really too bad. She and Louisa had never been good friends, but the proximity of their fathers’ plantations had created a relationship that went back to their childhoods. Carrie looked at her neighbor carefully. She had not seen her since the Christmas ball six months earlier. Their encounter then had not been pleasant. The hardness in Louisa’s eyes warned her not to expect anything different today.

Louisa stood up to greet her. Her petite body was encased in a charming blue gown, her blond curls and blue eyes creating a stunning touch to the picture she made. She hurried forward and gathered Carrie’s hand in a warm clasp. “My dear! It is so wonderful to see you.”

Carrie wanted to laugh at the feigned affection gushing from the other girl’s lips. She knew Louisa had no love lost for her. Their differences seem to hold them constantly in conflict. “Thank you,” she murmured, and then moved away to perch herself on the rose loveseat positioned by the massive fireplace that was the focal point of the parlor. What was Louisa up to?

“I don’t normally call on people without an announcement or an invitation...but I found I just couldn’t wait to tell you my news.”

Carrie managed to control her snort at Louisa’s drawn out version of invitation. She was as much as saying that Carrie had been remiss in her duties as a neighbor not to have invited her over. Carrie supposed it would have been the proper thing to do, but quite frankly she hadn’t been interested in the proper thing. She had been too busy nursing her mother and running the plantation. Louisa knew that.

Louisa broke into her thoughts. “Aren’t you even going to ask me what my news is?” she asked in a petulant voice, her eyes becoming harder.

“Of course,” Carrie responded in an even voice. “What is your news?”

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Louisa leaned forward in excitement. “I have just returned from two glorious weeks in the capital of the Confederacy,” she said triumphantly. She sat back and took a sip from the tea Sam had delivered while she was waiting.

Carrie nodded. “That’s nice.” When Louisa sat watching her expectantly, Carrie knew she was expected to ask more, but she simply wasn’t in the mood for any games today. If Louisa had something to say, she could just say it.

Louisa finally tossed her head and laughed a brittle laugh. “I was sure you would be dying to hear all about what is going on where your dear daddy is.”

Carrie bit her lip. This was typical Louisa—trying to manipulate her by insinuating her father wasn’t important to her. Carrie stifled the impulse to throw something at her. She was really too tired to deal with Louisa today. It didn’t look as if she had a choice, however. She thought longingly of Sam’s offer to tell Louisa she was out. She should have taken him up on it, but when a neighbor traveled more than two hours to visit, you couldn’t exactly turn her away. Forcing her voice to remain pleasant, she responded. “Of course I’m interested. Did you see my father?”

“No,” Louisa said, waving her hand dismissively. “I was much too busy to do that.” She leaned forward eagerly, her eyes snapping.

Carrie refrained from shaking her head in disgust.

Louisa had the floor for now. She wouldn’t give it up until she was ready. Carrie settled back on the loveseat, thinking of the hot meal she should be consuming in peace right now.

Louisa tilted her head and smiled brightly. “Being in the center of the social whirl of Richmond kept me much too busy to do ordinary things. I do believe this war is going to do wonderful things for our city.”

“Such as being the target of Union attacks?” Carrie asked.

“Oh, poo. It will never come to that. And besides, let them come if they are foolish enough to try such a thing.

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Our brave boys will send them running back to the North.”

Carrie looked at her sharply but didn’t say anything.

Louisa rattled on, mindless of Carrie’s silence. “This war is doing extraordinary things for the social life of our capital. Choosing Richmond to be the capital of our whole wonderful new nation was simply a precious move. Why, do you realize the increased number of parties and dances going on there?” She glanced at Carrie but didn’t wait for her to speak. “The teas are simply marvelous, and I, along with some other girls, were out at the camp of instruction three different times taking cakes and other goodies to our dear boys. Why, I was even fortunate enough to be there for one of the horse races they stage for entertainment. It was simply a glorious time.”

Louisa smiled and batted her blue eyes, seeming to forget for a moment there were no handsome young men to impress. “I do believe I attended a social function every day I was there. There is no end to the eligible bachelors to escort you and dance with you. It is any girl’s dream come true.”

Not any girl, Carrie said to herself. Her mind strayed to the things she still had to do that day. When Louisa prattled like this, it wasn’t necessary to really listen. If you simply nodded your head when she took a breath, she would be content she had your undivided attention.

Louisa took a breath, watched for Carrie’s nod, and hurried on. “I don’t believe I have ever seen anything so noble as the masses of soldiers coming to protect our city.

Some of them are really quite plain young men, but many of them are the finest Virginia has to offer. They have laid aside their riches and position to perform their duty in this, our time of need.” Louisa paused, her voice becoming reflective. “Why, many of them have come with only a servant or two. Of course, it is ridiculous to expect them to do the work of a regular soldier. A group of us girls talked with several of them while they directed their servants in cleaning the military grounds they were supposed to clean themselves. Don’t you think they’re terribly clever?”

Carrie spoke carefully. “I think they may be surprised when they are forced to take care of themselves on the

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battlefield.” Her mind was full of the struggles she had faced in learning to care for herself and not rely on another person.

Louisa shot her a cross look. “Why must you always be so negative, Carrie Cromwell? All this talk of battlefields is so depressing and really quite unnecessary.

I have talked to many people who believe there won’t be any real fights in this war.”

Carrie’s mind flashed back to the letter she had received from her father just the day before. In it he had talked about the surety that the battle to win Southern independence would be long and hard-fought. She knew it would do no good to say anything, so she remained silent on the matter. “I find I rest better facing reality, rather than imagining fantasy,” was all she allowed herself to say, knowing the result it would have, but finding she didn’t really care.

Louisa flushed with anger and opened her mouth, but quickly shut it again. She looked down at her hands for a long moment as if regaining control and then looked back up with her simpering smile. “You really should go to Richmond yourself, Carrie. Your position as a government man’s daughter would open many doors for you. There is no end of young men who would eagerly pursue you.”

I’m only interested in one. Instantly, Carrie pushed the errant thought aside. It had been her decision to end the relationship. Still, she couldn’t control the yearning of her heart—just the actions.

“Of course, I’ve noticed you don’t always wait for young men to pursue you.”

Carrie’s head shot up as Louisa’s voice took on a calculating tone. She had a feeling she was about to discover the real reason for Louisa’s visit. The cold look in her neighbor’s eyes shot out a warning. “Whatever are you talking about?” Carrie asked.

Louisa shrugged. “You had no trouble pursuing Robert Borden last year.”

Carrie’s eyes flashed, but she managed to control her temper. Louisa was still angry about not having her way

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at her ball a year ago. She had wanted Robert to choose her as queen of the event, not Carrie.

Louisa didn’t wait for her to reply. “Of course you put the dear boy in a horrible situation, hanging on him and making him feel it was his duty to choose you as queen.”

Carrie moved to demand that Louisa leave the house.

She didn’t have to sit and listen to such nonsense.

Louisa’s next words kept her where she was.

“I tried to assure him he had nothing to be responsible for or feel badly about when I saw him at one of the dances last week.” Louisa’s tone was gloating.

Carrie settled back in the loveseat, feeling as if she had received a blow. Louisa had danced with Robert? They had discussed her? She could do nothing but stare at her tormenter, all the while knowing she was playing into Louisa’s hands.

Louisa laughed again, this time a triumphant laugh.

“I wouldn’t feel too badly about losing Robert Borden, Carrie. You never could have been what he needed.” She continued, each word spoken carefully. “He needs someone more suited to his position in life. Not someone who throws overseers off her plantation and then becomes a nigger lover.” Her last words were delivered with angry, cutting precision.

Carrie gasped and stood up. “That will be enough, Louisa Blackwell. I hardly think it is your place to come into my home and insult me. I will have Sam show you to the door.” She struggled to control the angry tremor in her voice.

“Oh, sit down.” Louisa said in a sharp voice. “Do you really think everyone around here doesn’t know what you are doing? Someone had to come over to try to talk some sense into you. Don’t you realize what you are doing to all of our reputations? Especially your father’s?”

Carrie remained standing where she was, but her face whitened at the mention of her father.

Louisa peered even closer. “He still has no idea what you’re doing, does he?”

Carrie didn’t respond, her fists clenching at her sides.

She considered attacking Louisa, as she had once when they were much younger. The girl deserved it then, and she certainly deserved it now.

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Louisa laughed again, this time in disbelief. “How in the world have you managed to deceive him for so long?

It must be true. The poor man is in his own little world. I almost feel sorry for you, Carrie, being left behind to manage this plantation while your father runs away to Richmond.”

Carrie had heard all she intended to listen to. She walked over to stand directly in front of Louisa. “That will be all, Louisa. You have insulted me. Now you insult my father. It is time for you to leave.”

“Oh, poo, why let such little things disturb you?”

Louisa made no move to leave, merely sitting back in her chair and reaching for her tea. “Surely you aren’t afraid of a little truth?”

“When the truth becomes a distorted pack of lies, it is indeed disturbing. I will have Sam show you out.” Carrie turned sharply and headed for the parlor door.

“Don’t you even want to know that Robert asked after you?”

Even when angry, Louisa could be simpering. Carrie hesitated the merest second and continued to move toward the door. “Sam?” He appeared at her side instantly. “Miss Blackwell is leaving now. Would you please show her to the door?”

Carrie heard Louisa’s angry gasp and then the rustle of her skirts as she jumped up from the chair where she had been sitting. Carrie knew she was safe for the moment from her acid tongue. Louisa would never consider talking about personal things in front of a slave.

Carrie watched her stalk to the door and stop just long enough to throw an angry glare over her shoulder.

“I’m sorry I ever came all the way over here to see you.

I told them it would do no good,” was her parting shot.

“I’m sorry you came all the way over here, too,” Carrie replied. “I hope you have a good trip home.” With those words, she turned and walked back into the parlor. She stood at the window and watched as Louisa flounced down the stairs and settled herself stiffly into her carriage. A sharp word from her, a raise of the driver’s hands, and the carriage rolled down the drive.

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Carrie watched for just a moment before she sank into the chair next to the fire and lowered her head into her hands. Her head was pounding and her face burned with anger and embarrassment. It was bad enough that Louisa had insulted both her and her father. To know that she had been discussing her with Robert made her feel sick inside. You don’t know how much of what she said is true, a voice cautioned.

“Can I bring you some food, Miss Carrie? That might make you feel some better.”

Carrie looked up at the sound of Sam’s deep voice and managed a wavering smile. She didn’t feel like eating, but he was right—it might make her feel better. “That would be nice, Sam. Thank you.”

He nodded but didn’t move away from the door. She looked up to see him regarding her thoughtfully.

“The best thing to do with folks like that is to ignore them. They ain’t be worth the worry and heartache.”

Carrie knew he had probably heard every word that had passed between them. Voices carried easily from the parlor. “I know. You’re right,” she said halfheartedly. “Do you think she’ll tell my father?”

Sam shrugged his shoulders. “Your daddy gonna find out what’s goin’ on ‘round here sooner or later, but I don’t reckon he’ll be findin’ out from her. People like that girl...well, they like to cause trouble and make other people squirm. They’s too busy takin’ care of themselves, though, to think much ‘bout other people when they ain’t close enough to pester.”

Carrie managed to smile. “I’ll take that food now, Sam.”

Louisa was furious as she rolled away from the Cromwell Plantation. Her cheeks were flushed red and her blue eyes were shooting sparks. “You’ll be sorry for that, Carrie Cromwell,” she muttered under her breath.

She would never think of talking loud enough for her

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driver to hear. She was still mortified that Carrie had as much as ordered her out of her home within hearing distance of her butler.

She was busily calculating her revenge, a mile or so from the house, when a lone figure on horseback moved into the road from the surrounding woods. The man looked up as the carriage drew nearer, and moved over to the side of the road to let them pass easily. Louisa barely glanced at him as her driver slowed. She was far more interested in her own thoughts than in a strange man.

“Miss Blackwell.”

Louisa looked up as the slight, wiry man lifted his hat in greeting. There was something familiar about him, but she couldn’t place him.

“Ike Adams, ma’am.”

Still she couldn’t place him. She moved forward to tell her driver to continue on. His next words erased her thoughts.

“The old overseer at Cromwell Plantation, ma’am.”

“Stop the carriage,” she ordered quickly.

She looked at him with new interest as the carriage rolled to a halt under the spreading arms of an oak tree.

She didn’t particularly like what she saw. Something about him was rather unsettling. Maybe it was the cruel slant of his eyes, or the cocky bearing as he looked down at her.

“Mr. Adams,” she murmured, slightly uneasy but angry enough at Carrie to pursue the conversation.

“I see you’ve been to visit our Miss Cromwell,” Adams observed.

Louisa’s face flushed with renewed anger as she thought of Carrie. “She is certainly not my Miss Cromwell,” she said sharply.

Adams seemed to eye her with greater interest, and then he moved his horse closer to the carriage.

“I take it the visit wasn’t pleasant?” he said, an oily smile on his face.

Louisa didn’t usually lower herself to conversing with strange overseers, but she was eager to vent her frustration to anyone who would listen. “Carrie Cromwell can be quite unreasonable.” She sighed heavily and cast

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her eyes down. She was quite experienced with the effect she could have on men.

“So I have seen,” Adams remarked.

“Of course,” Louisa said, even though she had no idea why Carrie had thrown the man off her plantation. It would be best to be cautious. “I have heard you are no longer employed by Cromwell Plantation.”

Adams barked a laugh. “I imagine you’ve heard a lot more than that. I reckon I’m the talk of the area. It ain’t everyone that gets tossed out on their ear by a girl,” he said bitterly.

“No, I suppose not,” Louisa agreed. She was intrigued to see where this conversation would lead. She waited for him to continue.

Adams was happy to oblige. “She was wrong, you know. I was just doing my job. If her daddy knew what she had done, I’d have my job back in a heartbeat.”

Something in the man’s face said he was lying, but Louisa didn’t really care. She was feeling no sense of loyalty to her old friend.

“How’s everything going on the plantation now, Miss Blackwell?” Adams’ voice had taken on a wheedling, yet vulnerable tone. “I sure do miss that place.”

“I suppose everything is going all right. I wasn’t there for very long. The house was certainly in fine shape.”

When Adams flushed in anger, she sensed she had not given him the answer he wanted. An idea began to take shape. “What are you doing now, Mr. Adams?” Her voice was more pleasant.

“Trying to help slave owners like yourself hold onto their valuable property. I am at anyone’s service any time of the day or night.”

“You’re a slave hunter,” Louisa commented flatly. She could not imagine a more repulsive life than one spent hunting down runaway slaves, but she knew someone had to do it.

“That’s right, Miss Blackwell, I’m a slave hunter,”

Adams said coldly, as if he detected the disdain in her voice.

Louisa realized that she had not responded in the best way. Obviously the man’s pride had been battered by Carrie’s actions. She batted her eyes at him as she gazed

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up. “You misunderstand,” she said. “I think it’s wonderful what you do. I’m sure many people appreciate your services.”

Adams appeared somewhat mollified. A half-smile formed on his lips as he looked at her.

Louisa’s plan had taken form while they talked. She was ready. “I’ve heard some of the Cromwell slaves are missing from the plantation again,” she said casually.

When Adams’ face tightened, she knew he was thinking about the slaves that had escaped when he was still overseer. “Not the ones who ran away last summer. I’m talking about more recently.”

Adams’ eyes narrowed as he shifted in his saddle.

“Miss Cromwell tell you that?” he asked.

“No,” Louisa admitted, “but talk gets around you know.”

Adams’ lips tightened, but he didn’t say anything.

Louisa knew she was getting somewhere by the bright, calculating gleam in his eye. She had him thinking. “I imagine those slaves are worth a lot of money.”

“All Cromwell slaves are worth a lot of money,” he stated. “Worth more every day now that the war is going on. Their value keeps going up. People know niggers are gonna be harder to come by.”

Good, Louisa thought. She tried to keep her voice nonchalant. “I imagine Mr. Cromwell would be extremely eager to recoup his investment.”

“Possibly.”

She knew Adams was watching her more closely, wondering where she was headed. Taking a deep breath, she laid her cards on the table. “I imagine Mr. Cromwell would be very appreciative to the man who told him about his missing slaves and then recaptured them. Probably he would want to see that man as overseer, even if his darling daughter didn’t.”

Adams peered even harder at her. “What you got against Carrie Cromwell, ma’am?”

Louisa shrugged. “I’m merely suggesting that Thomas Cromwell might appreciate your services. You can do with that information what you want.” She knew by the cold gleam in his eyes that she had planted an idea he

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would at least think about. As she looked at the cruel twist to his lips, she felt a twinge of remorse but shoved it aside. Carrie could act high and mighty if she wanted to, but at some point she would have to learn that her actions were simply unacceptable. She had tried going in friendship to warn her, but it had done no good. It was time her father knew the truth about what was really going on at Cromwell Plantation.

Adams lifted his hat and smiled briefly. “Thank you for the information, Miss Blackwell. Have a nice day.”

Touching his hand to his hat, he broke into a gentle canter and moved down the road away from the carriage.

Louisa looked after him with a satisfied smile and then spoke sharply to her driver. “Move ahead.”

Carrie’s heart was still pounding when Granite broke out of the woods into the small clearing along the James.

She had been so upset by Louisa’s visit that all she could think to do was come to her place. Swinging down from Granite, she strode over to her log and settled onto it. Her mind raced as she looked out over the placid water of the river. She almost resented its serene surface. She would have liked it better if it was being rolled and tossed by a savage wind. Then it would more closely match her emotions.

She didn’t know how long she sat there before she took any notice of her surroundings. The tiny clearing was like a green palace. Low hanging limbs of oak and maple reached down to embrace the flower-bordered grass. The water lapped gently at the bank a few feet from where she sat. It bore no evidence of the flood that had covered it weeks earlier. Mother Nature had reclaimed it as soon as the water had receded.

It had been months since she had had time to escape to her haven. She longed for the carefree days of youth when she spent endless hours hidden away from the

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world in her secret place. She had only brought one other person here.

At the thought of Robert, her cheeks burned anew.

She could imagine him and Louisa laughing about her, talking about her, making fun of her.

You don’t know how much of what she said was the truth. The thought that had flitted through her mind earlier came back to her as she stared out over the river.

Carrie knew Louisa was capable of saying anything. For all she knew, the girl had never even seen Robert. She could have made it all up to make Carrie angry.

For a long while, Carrie allowed her thoughts to be occupied by Robert. Here, protected by the trees that had watched her grow up, she allowed the memories and special moments to spill through her mind. She felt relieved when tears rolled and spilled down her cheeks.

She knew she was nearing the breaking point, or Louisa’s visit and caustic words wouldn’t have bothered her so much. She would have simply gotten rid of the troublesome girl and then laughed about it. There was no laughter in her now.

Gradually, the peace of her sanctuary worked its magic. As the sun began to sink beyond the horizon, she could think clearly again. Louisa might very well have seen Robert. They might have laughed about her together. Their actions now had nothing to do with the action she had taken two months ago. She would do the same thing again.

Carrie sighed as she settled back against the log and let the soft breeze blow over her hot face. She knew she had done the right thing. She could only be responsible for her own actions. She couldn’t mandate what other people did or how they perceived her. Once she came to that conclusion, she regained her sense of peace.

She was able now to think through Louisa’s other caustic remarks. Nigger lover. Carrie smiled at that one.

Louisa meant it as an insult. Carrie considered it a compliment. Yes, she loved all her black friends and was determined to do what she could for them. Let other people think what they wanted. She had made a decision she could live with. She knew hardly anyone in her

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sphere of friends would agree with her decision, but it was all right. She had to live with herself.

She could not deny the concern of what would happen if Louisa told her father about Adams being gone. She was sure she could convince him that Adams should never set another foot on Cromwell Plantation, but she wasn’t as sure that she could keep him from appointing another overseer in his place.

As she pondered everything in her mind, she felt the worry connected with it slip away. Finally, with a sigh, she let it all go. She would take one day at a time. That was all she could do.

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