by C W Lamb
Putting all that out of her mind, she turned her entire attention toward the flesh and blood man at her table.
“Let’s just enjoy the moment,” she said to her inner herself.
----*----
Robert had dropped the subject of the dress after Charlie had found her own reason for wearing the garment. As close as she appeared to her ancestor, he had to agree she might scare the crap out of some of the more superstitious of the guests. Regardless of her reason, he had avoided the conflict he feared and was overjoyed at her agreement to participate.
After dinner, the pair enjoyed an evening swim, with Charlie using one of the newly purchased swimsuits for a change. Robert was still in awe at how well the pool area had come out, and as the sun started to set, he marveled at how the lighting added to the atmosphere.
The pair splashed and played, almost childlike in their attempts to dunk one another. Charlie discovered that she was at a horrible disadvantage when Robert lifted her clear of the water with one arm and then, using both, tossed her a good distance to the other side of the pool where she landed in a most unladylike position. Several times Hunter entered the water, swimming by and around the two, attempting to engage with the humans splashing about.
Before too long, they exited the pool and toweled off while lounging on a pair of the chairs near the water’s edge. There they continued to talk well into the late evening, Hunter curled up between the two. At one point they moved back to the water’s edge, sitting on the white stone.
“Robert, I have to say that this place is magical,” she said as they sat side by side on the edge of the pool, both dangling their feet in the warm water.
He could see her slowly moving her bare legs back and forth in the water, creating tiny whirlpools that sparkled in the underwater lighting. He could feel the edge of her palm resting next to his, not quite holding hands, and just barely touching.
“It’s not the place, it’s the company,” he replied and set his hand on hers.
As he looked over at her, he thought he saw a single tear pass down her cheek before she looked away, using the other hand to wipe it away. The two sat quietly, neither daring to move lest it upset the moment. Eventually, the evening turned into night and the pair slowly retired to the house.
“I had a really good time tonight,” Charlie said, standing close to Robert just outside her bedroom door.
“Me too,” he responded as he looked down into her eyes.
Just as he considered he might kiss her, Hunter barked and sprinted down the stairs. Quickly heading down the stairs himself, he peered through the window.
“What is it?” Charlie asked, looking down from the railing above.
“It’s the horse carriage being dropped off. I should probably go talk to them,” he replied in frustration.
“Maybe they can wait a minute…” he began, hoping to return upstairs to finish what he had just started with her. When he looked up, however, she was gone from the railing and he heard her bedroom door close a fraction of a second later.
Chapter 19
Foxworth House, 1866
The end of the war had eventually done wonders for Charlotte’s business, as the river traffic exploded in the peace time recovery. Requiring a modest fee from anyone wishing to use her landing, she was soon able to send some money to her father in the North, struggling to save their business. The highlight of the year for her was an unexpected visit from her sister, Christina, with her husband and their child, a little boy named Cyrus.
Accompanying their father, who had convinced them to go on the trip, Charlotte was overcome with emotion as she watched them step onto her pier. Their father couldn’t stay long since he was working to rebuild his fleet of boats, almost all confiscated by the North during the war.
He had secured permission to purchase several back from the government before they went to auction, their service to the Union no longer needed. As such he needed to return to Jacksonville, with the approval paperwork and funds in hand, before the week’s end. He expressed grave concerns in his letters to Charlotte however, as to the source of the sums required to restore his stolen property.
In a good part, the trip south had been spawned by Charlotte’s ingenuity in the recovering economy. Writing her father, she insisted he come south to see her before the sale of their boats went public. She assured him she had a means to recover their livelihood.
With the reconstruction effort in full swing by now, the need for building materials had caused the value of her uncut timber to explode. With acres of untouched trees on her property, it had just been a matter of time before she was presented an offer too good to turn away.
Repeating the process she had used when building her home, she wandered the untouched portions of her land, marking the trees she wished to retain, but all the rest fell victim to the woodmen’s axes. In a remarkably short time, her view of the river from her back porch had improved in all directions. So it was that Charlotte presented her father with not only the funds to buy their steamships, but also enough extra to resume operations right away. Even so, it was still looking to be a rough couple of years before they were even close to being where they once were.
“Charlotte, you are truly amazing. I love you, darling daughter,” he had said with a kiss to her forehead as she saw him off, money in hand.
“I love you too,” she had replied sadly, noting she was yet again watching someone she loved leave.
Returning to the house after his departure, she found Christina was delighted to find the portrait she had painted so long ago prominently displayed in the parlor upon their arrival. She also apologized profusely about her inability to come when they received word of Jefferson’s death. Charlotte assured her that she understood and couldn’t expect her baby sister to traverse a war zone. In all, Charlotte was just happy for the company.
“How are you managing alone?” Christina asked as the two sat on the back porch, facing the river.
“I’m hardly alone,” Charlotte replied, indicating the children playing nearby and the boarders tending the sizeable garden nearby.
“You know what I mean,” Christina replied gently.
“I do miss him terribly,” Charlotte finally acknowledged.
“I can’t even imagine,” Christina replied as she scooped up little Cyrus and held him tightly.
With that the two women sat quietly, Charlotte staring out at the water while Christina held her son lovingly.
Foxworth House, Present Day
The housewarming party was an event unlike any Robert had ever thrown in his life. Besides catering it in the grand southern fashion of a cotillion ball, there was live music and a rented steamboat at the pier. The steamboat had been quite a coup as he had to have it brought up river from Lake Monroe at a hefty sum.
He felt himself a true romantic at heart, and thought a cotillion was the proper way to celebrate all that had been accomplished. However, instead of debutants for his cotillion, Robert had proposed that the party be presented as the second coming out of Foxworth House. He had provided for his guests to don period dress and had even supplied a horse-drawn carriage to deliver them from the parking area, located just inside the gate, up to the front steps of the house to maintain the illusion.
The guest list included clients, neighbors, local city officials and even members of the construction crew that were so inclined to participate in such an event after dark. He had made a special effort to invite Sandra, but that invitation went unanswered.
At first, he had considered a riverboat captain’s dress, in honor of Charlotte’s father, but in the end, he had selected the yellow and gray of a Confederate Calvary Lieutenant identical to Charlotte’s late husband, Jefferson. He had gone to great lengths to guarantee the accuracy of the costume, right down to the distinctive hat the unit wore.
Currently standing in the foyer at the bottom of the stairs, he was greeting his guests as they arrived. At the moment he was introducing himself to a couple he
had never met before.
“Permit me to welcome you to my home. I am Robert Garrison,” Robert declared in character as he first took the lady’s gloved hand and then turned to the gentleman accompanying her.
The woman was a dark-haired beauty, her hairstyle done up in front and a fall cascading to her shoulders in the back. Her gown was an emerald green that pillowed at the sleeves, her neck and shoulders exposed as was the style for the time.
Her companion was dressed as a riverboat gambler, his broad brimmed black hat sporting a colorful red hat band. A matching red overcoat topped a fancy gold embroidered vest, white shirt and ascot styled necktie. Black slacks over black boots completed the ensemble. A cross draw six gun peaked out from one side of his coat, easy to unholster under the card table. An unlit cigar between two fingers of one hand was a finishing touch.
“Allow me to introduce my wife, Tracy, and I am Wade Nield. We are your neighbors to the south,” he said with a grin at the southern reference.
“Riverboat gambler, I see,” Robert replied, referring to his attire.
“Actually, he’s a cheater,” Tracy replied with a giggle, pointing to the marked card deck in one pocket of the vest.
“Card sharp, my love. I am proficient in making the cards do my bidding,” Wade said proudly as he pulled the deck from his pocket.
Handing his wife the cigar, the man manipulated the deck several times as Robert watched. Wade paused between cuts, always displaying the Ace of Spades.
“Please note the riverboat out back is not a legal casino,” Robert said with a smile as he watched Wade pocket the deck and retrieve the cigar.
“So few of them on the St Johns were,” Wade replied with a wink.
Robert watched as Wade escorted his wife into the living room.
“This is amazing,” he heard her whisper to her husband as she scanned the room. He watched as the couple inspected the room before moving on to the rear of the house.
A rustling sound behind him caused Robert to turn and look up the stairs. At its head stood Charlie, dressed in Charlotte’s blue dress and looking incredibly stunning. His breath caught as he watched her float down the stairs, the dress rustling lightly with each step. The length of the gown hid her feet, adding to the illusion.
Unable to move, he could only stand and watch as she descended the stairs, one white-gloved hand holding the rail while the other hung at her side. It was at that moment that Charlotte and Charlie merged in his head, spirit and body before him as one.
Puffy shimmering sleeves, low on her upper arms, gave her bare shoulders and neck a good amount of exposure. The seamstress had provided a sweeping neckline that dipped lower in the front than portrayed in the painting, showing a daring amount of cleavage, more than the 1860’s deemed proper, he was sure.
Tight fitting, the V shaped bodice provided a reference, accentuating the transition from shoulders to waist to hips, intended to promote the look of a slender waist. The flair of the gown was less pronounced there, a more manageable blossoming, flowing from her hips and to the floor as she arrived at the final step of the stairway.
The length of the gown made it impossible to see what she wore on her feet. Hair done up as portrayed in the painting, it gave her the look of slender elegance.
“How do I look?” she asked softly, as if unsure of herself.
“Amazing!” Robert replied as he extended his hand to her.
Leading him into the parlor, she went to the fireplace and struck a pose for Robert to compare. As he switched looks from the portrait to the woman, he was stunned by the resemblance.
“I believe you are even more beautiful,” he said softly, finding himself caught up in the moment.
“Can we go outside now, this thing is warm,” Charlie asked as she approached Robert and took his arm.
“Of course we can.”
The spell broken, he led her through the living and dining rooms before exiting out onto the back porch. There they found Hunter, curled up in one corner, doing his best to stay out of everyone’s way. Having exhausted himself earlier, he was now quite content to just watch as people walked past him.
Everywhere they looked, guests were mingling, chatting, and dancing, all in 1860s dress. Leading her down to the dance floor, they couldn’t help but notice the stares from onlookers; Charlie had captured the attention of the entire crowd.
“Robert?” the couple heard, as RD approached, dressed as a Confederate general.
“RD, have you met Charlie?” Robert replied as he introduced the vision on his arm.
“It’s unbelievable, she looks just like the woman in the painting. Same dress?” he asked as he inspected her.
“Same dress. I had it cleaned and checked over for her. It fits perfectly. Isn’t she amazing?” Robert asked with pride.
“Maybe we can have her come back to scare the crap out of some of the guys!” RD said with a laugh.
“Some other time, RD,” Robert replied flatly with a thin smile as he guided Charlie away from his mischievous friend.
Maybe it was the romantic in him, but joking didn’t seem to sit well with Robert at the moment. The lady on his arm deserved better.
“Shall we?” Robert asked as he indicated the other dancers.
“I’ve never danced like that before…” she said softly.
“Neither have I,” Robert answered proudly.
Leading her out onto the wooden dance floor, he placed her left hand on his shoulder while putting his right hand in the small of her back. With the left, he then took her free right hand in his. Starting off slowly at first, the couple soon found themselves spinning across the floor, smiling as they worked in a fumbling attempt to keep up with the other couples.
Several times the two burst out in laughter as they bumped into one another while they made their way around the open space. Eventually they found themselves at the bar, where, much to Robert’s surprise, Charlie asked for a sparkling water. Matching her drink, he slowly led her out past the pool and onto the wooden pier.
As they stood talking, a man Robert had never seen before approached the couple. He stood out as he was in a modern suit rather than a period costume.
“Mr. Garrison?” he asked as he stepped up.
“Yes, how may I help you?”
“My name is Stephen Adams. I do apologize for showing up unannounced, but you are a difficult man to see in person.”
“I work out of my house, and as such I prefer to come to my clients. If you call and I don’t answer, you can always leave a message. I am very good at getting back to people,” Robert explained, not sure where the conversation was heading.
“I am not looking to hire you, sir. I represent an interested party that would like to make an offer on this house and property. It’s not the type of conversation to be held over the phone,” the man said with a pained expression.
Robert recognized a professional negotiator when he saw one. He had dealt with his type many times over the years and understood the value of face-to-face discussions. Particularly when you were dealing with someone who didn’t want to sell.
“I am sorry you went to all this trouble, Mr. Adams, but the house is definitely not for sale.”
He could see Charlie intently watching the exchange out of the corner of his eye.
“So I have been told. However, I have been instructed to offer you a ten-million-dollar purchase price, with my client covering all the taxes and fees associated with the transfer,” Adams replied, apparently quite impressed with his own offer.
Robert heard Charlie catch her breath. Remembering her outburst a few days before over her inheritance, he suspected it was more money than she ever imagined having.
“That is a very generous offer, sir, but one I am not prepared to accept,” Robert replied without further explanation.
“Ah, yes. If you are concerned about the restrictions placed on your acquiring this property, my client has a team of attorneys prepared to remove that roadblock,” the man r
eplied, not understanding Robert’s position at all.
“I see you have done your homework. Unfortunately, that’s not the issue. This is my home now and I have put my heart and soul into its restoration. I have a hope that one day I will see my children jumping off that pier into the river; no amount of money can replace that,” Robert responded calmly.
The reply seemed to take Mr. Adams by surprise; he apparently expected some kind of counteroffer. After a moment’s consideration the man seemed to deflate.
“I do understand, sir. Well, I have given it my best effort. Should you change your mind, here is my card with all my contact information.”
With that, the man handed Robert his business card and excused himself.
“Robert, that’s a lot of money,” Charlie whispered after the man had departed.
“It can’t replace this,” Robert said as he took her arm in his and began drifting through the crowd on the pier once more.
Down at the far end of the structure he could see the riverboat, full of guests and lit up like a Christmas tree. As they made their way slowly down its length, they stopped midway and looked out onto the water. They had been walking in silence, with Charlie’s arm still entwined in his.
“Are you having a good time?” he finally asked, breaking the silence.
“The best I’ve ever had,” she answered without looking at him.
He watched as she took another sip from her glass before she rested it on the wooden railing before them. Slowly, she turned and looked up into his eyes, their bodies so close they were almost touching.
“I wanted to thank you for inviting me,” she said, closing in on Robert.
As she placed her arm around his neck, he leaned forward to receive the gentle kiss she offered.
----*----
Without intending to, Robert spent the entire evening with Charlie on his arm. Together, they toured the riverboat and mingled with the many guests that had jumped at an opportunity to explore the renovated property. It was as they were crossing the open area between the pier and the pool that they encountered Victoria, her gown a fine representation of a Southern belle’s, in yellow and white and more conservative than Charlie’s. It was of such quality that Robert doubted very much that it was a rental costume.