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

Chapter Forty

May 15, 1862

Carrie fought her way back to consciousness mindful of the voices flowing around her. Vaguely she became aware of something soft surrounding her. As the voices continued, she could identify them. Her father’s concerned voice was the loudest. Then Robert’s deep tones answered him. Finally, a female voice joined in. It was Janie. Carrie had a dim memory of falling into Robert’s arms. How had she gotten here? Where was here?

She forced her eyes open, blinking against the light as she fought the dizziness that still threatened to overwhelm her. A cold cloth was laid on her head and another used to gently wipe her face.

“I think she’s coming around,” Janie said softly.

The cool cloths helped. Carrie was finally able to make the spinning shapes stand still. “Where am I?”

Her father stepped forward. “You’re home, Carrie. In your bedroom.”

“The plantation?” Carrie murmured, still confused.

“No, dear. You’re with me in Richmond.”

Carrie frowned at the anguished pain in his voice. “I’m okay, Father.”

Thomas managed a cracked laugh. “You’re going to be, my hard-headed, wonderful daughter. You’re going to be.”

Robert stepped forward then. “Do you remember fainting?”

“A little.”

Robert smiled. “You didn’t warn me you were carrying a bullet in your shoulder before I hugged you. I have to admit you scared me to death. I thought it was my hug that made you faint.”

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Carrie managed a weak smile and reached her hand out to touch Robert’s. Robert grasped hers and gazed down at her tenderly. Then she turned to look at Janie.

“We got all the bullet,” Janie assured her. “When Hobbs told us about your brave escape, I went straight to Dr. McCaw. He was happy to take care of it.” Her voice grew stern. “He also said you are to take it easy for a few days. He has become quite aware of your independent spirit. He said he would not be responsible if you insist on being foolish.”

Carrie’s laugh this time was genuine. “Lying in bed seems like a welcome idea right now. I’ll try not to cause anyone any more trouble.”

Thomas laid his hand on her forehead tenderly. “You will never be trouble, Carrie. I’m glad you’re okay. I’ve been sick with worry.”

Carrie gazed at the deep lines on his face and knew he was telling the truth. Her heart saddened at the knowledge of the pain he had been forced to endure. “I’m sorry, Father.”

Thomas shook his head. “There is nothing to be sorry for. Hobbs explained the situation to us. I’m very proud of you, dear. I can lose the plantation and survive. I could not survive losing you,” he said roughly. He made no attempt to hide the tears in his eyes.

“Granite?”

“He’s fine, Carrie,” Robert said. “Well-fed and watered.

He’s trying to figure out what he’s doing in the stable behind your father’s house. I think he’s making friends with the carriage horse. It will do his highness good to mingle with the common class,” he said with a grin.

He turned to Janie. “Why don’t we leave Carrie and her father alone for a few minutes?” He looked at Carrie then and added, “May I come back in to see you? Will you feel like it?”

Carrie nodded. “I would like that.”

Carrie and Thomas sat quietly for several minutes, content to merely look at each other and know they were together again. Carrie’s head was becoming clearer.

“Father, I need to talk to you about something.” She had made her decision during the long night. The deception she had carried on for so long may have been

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necessary, but she could not now live with her father without telling him the truth. She would not let her fear of his reaction torment her any longer. It was time for truth.

Thomas frowned. “You sound very serious, Carrie.

Can’t this wait until later?”

Carrie shook her head and took a deep breath. “I have been lying to you, Father. I can’t do it any longer.”

Thomas looked at her closely as he sat down in the chair next to her bed. “Tell me about it,” he invited.

Carrie poured the whole story out. About Adams attempting to rape Rose and how she had subsequently thrown him off the plantation. How Moses and Rose had helped run the plantation. How she had helped them and others escape, and simply turned her back when others left. She told him everything, holding nothing back.

Finally she drew to an end.

“I understand you will probably be very angry. I have hated every minute of this deception. I know what I have done has hurt you. For that I am very sorry, but—”

“But you have acted according to your beliefs,”

Thomas finished for her.

Carrie nodded, unsure of how to take her father’s words. She had watched the full range of emotions explode over his face while she talked. Disbelief. Anger.

Sympathy. A struggle to understand. Sorrow.

Thomas reached out for her hand. “Lying to me was wrong, Carrie, but,” he added in a firm voice, “I would have done the same thing if I had been in your place.” He paused. “You know I don’t agree with your position. I can, however, appreciate your commitment to your belief.” He stopped again. “What you have done has cost me greatly, yet, I know now that it would probably have come to pass anyway. Slaves are running away everywhere. Other slaves are being set free by the Union soldiers, many escorted to freedom.” His voice became bitter. “I was going to lose everything I’ve worked for one way or another.”

Carrie watched him quietly, uncertain of what to say.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured.

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Thomas squeezed her hand. “What is done is done. I’m sure we’ll have more to talk about, but for now, knowing you are safe and here with me is simply enough. I forgive you because I love you. We will deal with our differences because we love each other. That’s what counts.”

Carrie smiled through the tears rolling down her face.

“I love you,” she said. A huge burden had been lifted.

Their love would survive their differences.

“And I love you,” Thomas replied. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead, then stepped back. “I believe there is a lieutenant who wants to talk with you.”

Carrie wiped at her tears as her father left the room.

Within moments, Robert was striding into the room, a broad but tentative smile on his face. “You sure you have energy left, Carrie? I can come back later.”

“I want you to stay.”

Robert leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Are you okay?”

Carrie nodded. “It’s nice to know there is not still metal lodged in my body.” When Robert’s face darkened, she knew he was thinking about what she had gone through.

She reached for his hand. “I’m going to be fine,” she promised.

Robert nodded and gazed down at her for a long moment. Carrie stared back into his dark eyes. The air seemed to pulse around her.

“I love you, Carrie Cromwell,” Robert said roughly.

Carrie nodded. “I love you, too, Robert Borden.” It was the truth. In spite of everything, she couldn’t deny what her heart was feeling.

Robert leaned forward to kiss her forehead again and then pulled a chair close to the bed. “I have something to tell you.”

Carrie watched him quietly.

“I found God.”

Carrie held her breath and waited for him to go on.

Robert glanced at her and then continued. “I think I have, anyway. All I know is that God showed me He loves me.” He described the incident with the wagon.

“What day was that?” Carrie asked.

Robert frowned. “It was January seventh” he said.

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“That was the day I prayed for you,” Carrie said in wonder. She told him what had happened.

Robert smiled. “I would like to tell you I’ve changed how I feel about slavery. I can’t say I have. I’m trying to release the hatred in my heart, but I still feel it is our destiny to control the slaves.” He paused. “I can be nothing but honest with you.”

Carrie listened. She was learning to trust God. She was also learning his timing was nothing like her own. If she and Robert were meant to share a life together, God would work things out. In the meantime, she would try to trust him with her future by choosing to live fully in the present. And living fully in the present meant loving Robert.

“You know I love you,” Robert went on. “You know I want to marry you. But let’s not talk of marriage until this war is over. I want us to be together, not separated by one endless battle after another.”

Carrie nodded. “Let’s take one day at a time. We’ll face the question of our future when it is time to face it. In the meantime, do I have to be content with mere kisses on the forehead, Lieutenant?”

His response silenced her for long moments.

Carrie stood side by side with her father and Janie as the grounds surrounding City Hall filled with desperate, determined citizens. Even as the crowd grew, they could hear Federal guns pounding the batteries at Drewry’s Bluff, just south of the city on the James. Large numbers of elite Richmonders had abandoned their city. President Davis’ wife had joined that number. The general spirit of the city was one of doom, yet still a glimmer of hope flickered in the darkness.

Governor Letcher had called volunteers to join companies of citizens for the city’s defense. The response was immediate and tremendous. Richmond might fall,

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but it would not go down without a fight. If the military fell, there would yet be citizens willing to put their lives on the line for their beloved city—their beloved capital.

Mayor Mayo appeared beside the governor. He raised his hands to get the crowd’s attention. Finally, he was able to speak.

“Before God and Heaven, I will say to one and all, that, if they want the mayor to surrender the city, they must get some other mayor. So help me God, I’ll never do it!”

For one significant moment, the cheers of the beleaguered city drowned out the booming of guns.

Richmond was not dead yet.

To Be Continued…

# 3 in The Bregdan Chronicles.

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The Bregdan Principle

Every life that has been lived until today is a part of the woven

braid of life.

It takes every person’s story to create history.

Your life will help determine the course of history.

You may think you don’t have much of an impact.

You do.

Every action you take will reflect in someone else’s life.

Someone else’s decisions.

Someone else’s future.

Both good and bad.

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The Bregdan Chronicles

Buy them all at www.BregdanChronicles.net

# 1 - Storm Clouds Rolling In

1860 – 1861

# 2 - On To Richmond

1861 – 1862

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# 3 - Spring Will Come

1862 – 1863

# 4 - Dark Chaos

1863 – 1864

# 5 - The Long Last Night

1864 – 1865

# 6 - Carried Forward By Hope

April – December 1865

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# 7 - Glimmers of Change

December – August 1866

# 8 - Shifted By The Winds

August – December 1866

# 9 - Always Forward

January – October 1867

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# 10 - Walking Into The Unknown

October 1867 – October 1868

# 11 - Looking To The Future

October 1868 – June 1869

# 12 - Horizons Unfolding

November 1869 – March 1870

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# 13 - The Twisted Road of One Writer The Birth of The Bregdan Chronicles

# 14 - Misty Shadows of Hope

1870

# 15 - Shining Through Dark Clouds

1870 – 1871

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# 16 - Courage Rising

April – August 1871

# 17 – Renewed By Dawn

September 1871 – January 1872

Many more coming… Go to

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Other Books by Ginny Dye

Pepper Crest High Series - Teen Fiction Time For A Second Chance

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Author Biography

Who am I? Just a normal person who happens to love to write. If I could do it all anonymously, I would. In fact, I did the first go round. I wrote under a pen name. On the off chance I would ever become famous - I didn't want to be! I don't like the limelight. I don't like living in a fishbowl. I especially don't like thinking I have to look good everywhere I go, just in case someone recognizes me! I finally decided none of that matters. If you don't like me in overalls and a baseball cap, too bad. If you don't like my haircut or think I should do something different

than what I'm doing, too bad. I'll

write books that you will

hopefully like, and we'll both let that be enough! :) Fair?

But let's see what you might

want to know. I spent many years

as a Wanderer. My dream when I

graduated from college was to

experience the United States. I

grew up in the South. There are

many things I love about it but I wanted to live in other places. So I did. I moved 42 times, traveled extensively in 49 of the 50 states, and had more experiences than I will ever be able to recount. The only state I haven't been in is Alaska, simply because I refuse to visit such a vast, fabulous place until I have at least a month. Along the way I had glorious adventures. I've canoed through the Everglade Swamps, snorkeled in the Florida Keys and windsurfed in the Gulf of Mexico. I've white-water rafted down the New River and Bungee jumped in the Wisconsin Dells. I've visited every National Park (in the off-season when there is more freedom!) and many of the State Parks. I've hiked thousands of miles of mountain trails and biked through Arizona deserts. I've canoed and biked through Upstate New York and Vermont, and

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polished off as much lobster as possible on the Maine Coast.

I had a glorious time and never thought I would find a place that would hold me until I came to the Pacific Northwest. I'd been here less than 2 weeks, and I knew I would never leave. My heart is so at home here with the towering firs, sparkling waters, soaring mountains and rocky beaches. I love the eagles & whales. In 5 minutes I can be hiking on 150 miles of trails in the mountains around my home, or gliding across the lake in my rowing shell. I love it!

Have you figured out I'm kind of an outdoors gal? If it can be done outdoors, I love it! Hiking, biking, windsurfing, rock-climbing, roller-blading, snow-shoeing, skiing, rowing, canoeing, softball, tennis... the list could go on and on. I love to have fun and I love to stretch my body. This should give you a pretty good idea of what I do in my free time.

When I'm not writing or playing, I'm building I Am A Voice In The World - a fabulous organization I founded in 2001 - along with 60 amazing people who poured their lives into creating resources to empower people to make a difference with their lives.

What else? I love to read, cook, sit for hours in solitude on my mountain, and also hang out with friends. I love barbeques and block parties. Basically - I just love LIFE!

I'm so glad you're part of my world!

Ginny

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