by Diana Ballew
“How is it she’s here now—with you?” Eden tilted her chin, avoiding his gaze. For the first time, he realized just how jealous she had been of Trinidad.
“I thought I was an only child, so I was eager to meet her. I booked ship's passage and found her. After discovering her losses, I brought her here. Abena had passed away years back. The thing is, Trinidad knew about me all those years, but I had no clue she existed.”
“So the stories around here about the heartbroken captain are true?”
He sighed. “Oh, and the heartache doesn’t end there, I’m afraid.”
Eden poked him in the shoulder. “Go on, tell me.”
“You really want to hear about all these things?”
“I do—yes.”
He tickled her ribs. “I didn’t figure you’d be a glutton for such punishment.”
“Oh, stop,” she chided.
“All right...let’s see. Well, with my grandfather’s mother gone, and his father, the captain, nothing more than a broken man awaiting the return of his wife Faith, Grandfather just grew into an angry man raised by indifferent servants.”
“So, Captain Reginald Hampton married Faith. They had a small son, your grandfather. Faith left the captain for another man.” She crinkled her nose. “So, whom did your grandfather marry? He did marry, yes?”
“Another tragedy there, I'm afraid,” he said softly. “Grandfather was an educated man. Trained as a lawyer at Harvard, but Christ almighty, he was mean. He fell in love with a woman, but she refused to marry him, even when she found out she was carrying his child. Grandfather urged her to marry him for the sake of propriety, but she rejected the idea. The child was my father. Why she had been with my grandfather in the first place, I’ll never know. Within a few years, she was taken by typhoid. She died in this house, in my grandfather’s arms, and he never got over the loss.”
“And so your poor father was raised by your bitter grandfather, and both of them raised without a mother?”
“I'm afraid so. Beginning with the captain, we Hamptons have been a sorry lot when it comes to relationships and marriage. It's as if a curse descended down upon this place when Faith left the captain.” He looked at the captain’s portrait above the mantle. “The men in my family have either been devastated by love or left others in emotional ruin. Sadness has festered for years within these walls.”
“And whatever became of your mother?”
“She’s still alive. We’ve never talked about any of this. Never. I’m a dreadfully painful reminder to her of a sad time in her life.”
She sat up. “Oh, Rayce, tell me that’s not true.”
“Oh, it’s true.” He pulled Eden close. “Shortly after my father died, she sold the sugarcane fields in the islands. She remarried my father's business partner. They live in New Orleans. My father had specifically put in his will if he died before her, the business would be sold and the money given to her to build a new life for herself. Perhaps the arrangement was supposed to appease his guilt. I don’t know.”
She kissed his shoulder. “Do you ever see your mother?”
“I’ve visited her in New Orleans a few times. When she looks at me, I see the sadness creep into her eyes, and I have to leave. I can’t bear the thought of being a burden to her.”
“Does your mother know about Trinidad?”
“Out of respect for my mother, I've told her Trinidad is a hired servant.”
“Trinidad’s a beautiful woman. I think I may have even been jealous of her, but she’s terribly spooky, Rayce.”
He laughed. “I imagine to others she would appear peculiar. She still adheres to some of her native culture. But I have to say, the woman has surprised me many times. She sees things, Eden. She knows things, often before they happen. I suppose you could call that spooky. I try not to judge. Who am I to judge anyone?” He sat up and stared evenly into Eden’s eyes. “This is why I found it easy not to kill that miserable old beau of yours.”
Eden sat tall. “Oh, Rayce, the things Patrick did. Obviously, all while he was my beau and we were engaged to be married. Believe me, I thought of killing him myself when he told me everything.”
“Slavery is an evil beast, my dear. He's a weak man, and like many weak men before him, he let the evil beast of power cloud his better judgment. Mark my words, sooner or later, the South will break because of this, as well.”
“You mean we’ll lose this war?”
“Probably.” God, he hated to be the one to shatter her naïve views. “Perhaps not as soon as Lincoln would like, but the South is dying, my dear.” He sighed. “It‘s really just a matter of time.”
“But, Rayce, you go out and dodge bullets and cannon fire and bayonets daily. Why do you fight for Virginia and the Cause with such passion if you don’t believe in your heart we can win?”
He thought about her question for a moment. “Darlin’, slavery will die of its own weakness. It has to. But the North's hypocrisy with their insults and raving abolitionists infuriates the hell out of me. It wasn’t southern ships that brought the negroes to our shores—it was northern ships. The North stole the slaves from Africa and sold them to us for profit. They’re even more responsible for the evil existence of slavery than we are. And now that the North has all the railroads, factories, and urban sprawl, they tear at the very heart and soul of the South they helped create and force her to bend to their will. There simply will be no South with the North thrusting themselves down our throats too fast. Enslaving another human being is a curse, but this war is happening without any regard to our dilemma. And Lincoln, well, don’t get me started on him. He’s really far more interested in preserving the Union than anything else.
Eden slowly shook her head. “It’s so very complicated.”
He lay down and pulled her close. “Enough of this talk. I have something else I want to say.” He paused. “I’m sorry.”
She nuzzled his neck. “Sorry for what?”
“Honey, I was an idiot back at the grain shed. I wasn’t thinking clearly. Somehow, I just assumed you knew about Patrick. Of course, I knew you didn’t know all of it, but I never meant to hurt you or make you feel your father—”
Eden pressed her finger to his lips. “Enough. Apology accepted.”
He encircled her back with his arms, pressing her firmly against his chest. “This dress is still damp. Perhaps you’ll catch a chill. Best take it off, don’t you agree?”
“I agree, Major.” She pinched his side playfully and kissed his cheek. “Mind if I put on one of your shirts?”
“Hell, no, I don’t mind. Do you have any idea how good you look in my shirts? Help yourself.”
She slipped behind the rosewood screen. “Rayce?” she called out. “When was the happiest time in your life?”
He smiled. “Besides right now? Is this a trick question?”
“No, I'm serious.”
He stared up at the ceiling and thought about her question. “The older I get, the more I think back to my years out West. It's so very different from here, Eden. There's a wildness there that can't be tamed. The nights are long and clear and especially dark. The stars look like you could reach up and pluck them right out of the sky; that's how bright they are.” He folded his arms behind his head and sighed. “And what about you? When was the happiest time in your life?”
“Besides right now?” She walked out from behind the screen wearing his shirt, trotted back into bed, and lay down next to him.
He smiled and kissed her forehead. “Yes, besides right now.”
“Hmm, I think it's when I was a young girl. I never really knew my mother. She died when I was very young, but I adored my father and Isaac and Mama Claire, and I thought the world of Asa, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Back then, I never realized evil lurked around familiar corners. There's just a simple and pure nature in the heart of a child before the world and all its shortcomings become apparent. I know it must sound silly to you, a worldly man—”
“Nonsense, woman. I rem
ember well what it’s like to be young, too, you know.”
With an impish grin, Eden got up, pulled her long hair above her head, and wiggled her bottom in front of him. “Is this how the girls in the saloons out West dance?”
“Get over here, you vixen.” He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her on top of him. “Sweetness, I have to leave tomorrow morning, and I don’t think I’ll be back for a while.”
“But I’ll miss you.” She searched his eyes for an answer he didn’t have. “Oh, Rayce, I'm tired of saying goodbye to you. I want this war to be over soon. I want you and Isaac and Jimmy safe. I just want to close my eyes tonight and wake up with the war over and the South victorious. Is that really too much to ask for?”
His stomach twisted in knots. He wished he could flat-out lie to her. Unable to face those pleading green eyes, he lowered his chin. “Honey, it’s not that simple. I hate to tell you this, but the situation on the Peninsula is going to get worse. Much worse.”
Chapter 14
“Are you sure, Mr. Benton?” Eden asked.
“Oh, yes, quite sure, Miss Eden. I read it in the Dispatch. Richmond is simply abuzz with the news," Will replied, having just returned from the city the day before. He reached for his hat and turned to leave. “Jeb Stuart himself arrived in Richmond and reported to General Lee on the daring ride. Apparently, he and his men rode a hundred miles around Little Mac’s huge army. General McClellan is disgraced.”
“Disgraced! I can’t believe it,” Ann yelped. “Of course it couldn’t have happened at a better time, either. I’ve been up every night fretting with worry.”
Will rubbed her shoulder and smiled. “Come walk me out, kitten. I’ve missed you.”
Ann smiled and looped her arm with his. “Why, of course. I’d be delighted, Mr. Benton.”
Eden sighed with relief. For weeks she had listened to the frightening sounds of gunfire and bursting cannon inching closer. Watching from the windows, the lifeless billows of gray smoke contrasted with the fields awash in hues of green, joining with the mounds of crisp golden wheat. The orchards defied the dreary haze by flaunting their pallet of pastels with the ripening of summer fruits, while vibrant wildflowers bloomed rebelliously in meadows ravaged by marching troops and thick wagons ruts.
She and Lucy sat on the divan in the parlor and turned their attention to the letter Will had just delivered from Rayce. Eden tore at the sealed envelope, and they huddled together, reading the neatly penned missive.
“Oh, no,” Lucy whimpered. “Oh no, not Aunt Martha. Oh, Eden can you believe this?”
Eden’s heart sunk as she read the letter.
Lucy rested her back against the back of the divan, her eyes glassy and dazed. “I...I can’t believe it. Aunty gravely ill and not a single hospital bed to be had in the city. I’m at a loss for words. She’s been healthy as a horse her whole life. And poor Rayce. He must be beside himself with worry.”
Eden’s mind raced. With Aunt Martha fighting for her life and the city in desperate need of trained citizens, perhaps it was time she went where her help would be needed most. From everything she had heard over the past weeks, the incoming wounded soldiers needed more medical help than the city had to offer. And with Rayce’s frequent visits to Richmond...
“I’ll go!” Eden said louder than she had expected. “I’ll tend to Aunt Martha and help our wounded soldiers, too. I can leave as early as tomorrow.”
“What?” Lucy’s moist eyes widened. “Oh, Eden, you mustn't go to the city now. Aunty needs help, yes, but it could be very dangerous if the Yankees take the city.”
“But, honey, with everything we’ve been hearing, I feel I should go and help but...” Eden sat forward. “I really don't want to leave you alone.”
“Alone, heaven's above. The baby and I are fine here with everyone else. It's you I would worry about.”
“You needn't worry about me.” Eden smiled. “I know my way around the city. I can stay at Aunt Martha's, tend to her, and find time to help at the hospitals. Think about it, Lucy. With so many neighbors having fled these parts, I'm not needed much these days. But Richmond—”
“Eden, you're so brave.” Lucy wrapped her in an embrace. “Why, I’d bet my boots you could help poor Aunt Martha and all those wounded boys of ours, single-handedly.”
Eden hugged Lucy in return. “Singlehandedly? You give me far too much credit. You know I’ll do my very best to help your aunt. I promise.”
Lucy’s forehead smoothed, and she reached for Eden’s hand. “I know you’ll do your best. You’re not capable of doing anything less. It’s who you are; it’s your nature, dear. Most of all, I want you to do what your heart tells you to do.”
Eden gazed into Lucy’s eyes. “My heart is telling me to go to Richmond,” she whispered, choking back tears.
“Then that’s exactly what you shall do.” Lucy sighed and smiled. “Lord knows, if anyone deserves to follow her heart, it’s you after all you’ve been through, even if this war follows so close it singes your skirts.”
“Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Eden forced a smile.
Lucy inched in and lowered her voice, “I still can’t believe it about your father, and Patrick, and–oh, my heavens, even Isaac knew. Shame on him for never telling me a word.” Lucy waved her dainty fingers, fanning her face. “Why, it still gives me the vapors just thinking about it. I’m so happy that evil is behind us.”
Eden nodded. “So am I, honey. So am I.”
Leading Eden by the hand toward the stairs, Lucy launched into action. “Now, we’ll need to get your bags packed. The rest of us will stay put so the armies won't strip this place bare...”
Eden was having a hard time listening. Visions of the vibrant city filled her mind, sending a charge of energy up her spine. Not only would she be able to help with the much-needed nursing care, she would also be at the center of the war, where the current news flew in with a clamor, loud as a flock of wild geese descending from the heavens. She recalled how people scurried into streets, chattered in parks, shops, and depots, determined to hear the very latest word from the battlefields.
“...And we don't dare send you on the train right now. I’m sure Joseph can get you there safely in the carriage. Oh, and you can get the latest news on General Jackson's troops—Isaac and Jimmy. Of course, the rest of us won't leave here unless it becomes absolutely necessary. Those thoughtless armies would take everything they could get their hands on in this lovely place if they had the chance. And Eden, it puts my mind at rest knowing you’ll be helping Aunty. I daresay neither Rayce nor I could do without her.”
Rayce. There was no doubt in Eden’s mind, if given the chance, he would stop by to check on his aunt. Perhaps with a little luck, she would be able to see him when he came into the city.
“My, oh, my. What are you two looking so serious about?” Ann shut the front door and waltzed into the room, her face beaming. “I have delightful news.”
“News? Heavens, do tell. We could use some good news around here,” Lucy said.
“Well, Mr. Benton,” Ann fluttered her lashes. “Will, I mean, has asked for my lil' ol' hand in marriage. Can you believe it?”
“Why, Ann, that’s lovely,” Lucy gushed.
Eden’s mouth flopped open. “Well, I hope you had the sense to say yes. He's a decent man, and he seems very fond of you.”
“Of course I said yes, you silly goose.” She waved her fingers, making certain her diamond engagement ring flashed brilliantly in their faces. “Why, I've had images in my head for weeks of being mistress of that lovely home of his. It's so very grand it puts my memories of Oak Hill to rest. Little ol' me, mistress of Benton Mansion.”
“Let me see that.” Lucy snatched Ann’s hand. “Oh, my heavens, look at the size of that diamond, Eden.”
Eden managed a smile. “Oh, yes...lovely.”
She would have loved to slap Ann for her disrespectful comment about Oak Hill, but with the delightful image she had in her mi
nd of Ann packing all of her bags and finally moving away forever, it was worth the moment of swallowing her pride.
“You do love him, yes?” Lucy asked.
Ann turned her blue eyes heavenward, searching the ceiling for an answer. “Well, yes, I suppose. He does have a way of growing on a woman with all that money.”
“Then that is wonderful news,” Lucy said, wrapping her arm around Eden’s waist. “Eden and I were just discussing her trip to Richmond.”
“Richmond!” Ann squealed. “Now?”
“Honey, it makes my heart ache to tell you this, but Aunt Martha has taken ill—gravely ill. Eden has offered to tend to her and represent our family by administering to those poor wounded men of ours in the hospitals.”
“Oh, how I miss the excitement of the city.” Ann turned her eager face toward Eden. “I can go with you.”
Lucy walked swiftly to Ann’s side, her skirts brushing past Eden, and grabbed Ann's hand. “Dear, the rest of us must stay here and be brave, including you. Besides, Mr. Benton would be heartbroken if you left him now.”
“That’s true. He is rather attached to me.” Ann stuck out her bottom lip. “Yes, I suppose you're right, Lucy.”
Lucy looked past Ann’s shoulder. “Why, there you are, Trinidad. Miss Blair will be going on an extended trip to Richmond. Please see that her luggage is packed and readied as soon as possible.”
Hovering in a dark corner, Trinidad replied with a nod and a stiff curtsy.
Lucy turned to Eden. “I'll speak with Joseph and have him ready the horses and carriage for a morning departure.”
Trinidad followed behind Eden as they ascended the staircase. Once inside her bedroom, Eden shut the door behind them with a loud click of the lock. She leaned against the door and inhaled a deep breath. Instantly, the silence between them filled the large bedroom.