Pemberley Ranch
Page 31
“Hoping for a boy?”
Fitz smiled. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d be pleased with a son, but I think I’d rather a pretty little girl that takes after her momma.” He wasn’t giving his wife false praise, either. Marriage had done wonders for Charlotte Fitzwilliam, Darcy thought. Maybe it was because she was always smiling, but the lady had never looked so pretty in her life.
Fitz pointed towards the main house. “Speaking of little mammas, here comes one. Howdy, Miz Beth!”
Will turned, a smile lighting his face to watch Beth ride up on her paint, Turner. She was dressed in the Spanish style: a white blouse with a black vest over flowing black trousers, the better to ride a horse astride. She had her curly hair pulled back and a wide-rimmed flat hat. For an instant, Darcy was reminded of his mother. Beth answered her husband’s smile with one of her own.
“Howdy yourself, Fitz. How’s Charlotte?”
“Ready to birth that baby.”
Beth pulled Turner to a halt next to Will. “But she’s only seven months along.”
Fitz grinned. “She’s missin’ her feet, she says.” The comment earned a laugh from the lady. “Speakin’ o’ Charlotte, I’d best be gettin’ home. I’ll be by to take my leave of y’all afore I head out to Kansas.” He waved as he spurred Jeb Stuart towards town.
Beth turned to Darcy. “What were you talking about? The drive?”
“That and the future. Things are changing, sweetheart. The railroad, Gaby…”
Beth eyed her husband closely. “Are you having second thoughts?”
Will sighed. “Not really. Gaby needs to get out and meet new people. Miss Dashwood’s School for Young Ladies in Austin is a fine place. Gaby wants to go, and if I win in November—”
Beth interrupted him. “When you win in November.”
Will smiled, amused by his wife’s confidence in him being elected to a seat in the Texas Legislature. “Right—then we can get us a place at the capital and spend some time with her, in-between all the hearings and meetings and such.”
“Well, if you don’t have time, I certainly will.” The word was the Democrats felt they had the votes to take control of the state government away from the Reconstruction Republicans. The federal government under Grant had lost all taste for the fight, and the opportunity was there to reestablish local control. There was talk of a new Texas State Constitution. With such changes before them, Darcy knew he had to be a part of it.
“You still planning on coming with me to Austin?”
“Someone’s got to host your soirées. José will have everything handled here. So there’s no reason for us to stay behind. Besides,” she smiled, “I don’t want those society women getting their claws into you.”
Will grinned. “Are you jealous, Mrs. Darcy?”
“Just putting my brand on my own, Mr. Darcy.” Beth tried to look serious and failed. “I rode out to tell you Father’s here.” Tom Bennet, the new chairman of the Long Branch County Democratic Party, was manager of Darcy’s campaign.
“I hope you left him in good spirits.”
“He’s always in good spirits, as long as Samuel’s there.”
Will rolled his eyes. “Wonderful. I’d better get back, before my son’s grandfather spoils him rotten.”
Beth lowered her eyes. “Will, I’ve been thinking.”
“About what?”
“Do you think it’s time we thought about a brother or sister for Sam?”
Will reached out for her hand. “Are you sure? It’s only been eight months.”
She blushed. “I only asked if we want to think about it.”
“All right. Let’s go talk to Tom, and then let’s go for a swim in the lake and… talk about it.”
Beth raised an eyebrow. “Humph. There won’t be much talking, then. You and swimming—you love to get me in the water. Why?”
Will turned bright red. “Umm… maybe one day I’ll tell you. Meanwhile…” He reached over and caught her lips with his. Satisfied—for the moment—the two rode back to the house.
The only addition to the Pemberley Ranch was a flagpole. Flying from it was a single flag of red, white, and blue. It was the visible sign of the compromises made between the former-Yankee farm girl and one-time-Confederate rancher. It was the flag of their home, and their children’s home, and their children’s children’s home.
The Lone Star flag of the State of Texas.
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
While God is marching on.
“The Battle Hymn of the Republic”
by Julia Ward Howe, 1861
THE END
In Appreciation
My thanks go to Debbie Styne, Mary Anne Mushatt, and Ellen Pickels, who worked endless hours editing this work.
To Abigail Reynolds, for all her advice and support.
To all the members of the JA Internet Community, who encouraged me to try to get this published.
I could not have done it without all of you.
About the Author
Jack Caldwell, a native of Louisiana living in Wisconsin, is an economic developer by trade. Mr. Caldwell has been an amateur history buff and a fan of Miss Austen for many years. Pemberley Ranch is his first published work. He is married with three sons.
Примечания
1
A fortification that has two projecting faces and two parallel flanks.
(<< back)
2
Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 1775–19 December 1851) was an English Romantic landscape painter, watercolorist, and printmaker, whose style can be said to have laid the foundation for Impressionism. Although Turner was considered a controversial figure in his day, he is now regarded as the artist who elevated landscape painting to an eminence rivaling history painting.
(<< back)
3
“I’ve seen the elephant” was a term used by Civil War soldiers in letters and diaries to describe the experiences of undergoing battle during wartime.
(<< back)
4
Camp Douglas POW camp was real and has been referred to as the “Andersonville of the North,” Andersonville being the infamous Confederate POW camp whose commandant was executed by the U.S. Government for war crimes. It is difficult to know how many men died at Camp Douglas, as many records were hidden or destroyed by the camp officials. Camp Campbell is fictitious.
(<< back)
5
Morgan’s Raid, or The Calico Raid, June 11–July 26, 1863, was a highly publicized 1,000-mile incursion by 2,400 Confederate cavalry into the Northern states of Indiana and Ohio during the Civil War and was one of the northernmost military actions involving the Confederate States Army.
(<< back)
6
During the Civil War, partisans from Kansas and Missouri were engaged in violent guerrilla warfare between the “Jayhawkers” or “Redlegs” from Kansas and “bushwhackers” or “partisan rangers” from Missouri. The roots of the fighting came from the Border War (“Bleeding Kansas”) between pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” and “Free-State” abolitionists that preceded the Civil War.
Both sides participated in atrocities. On the Jayhawk side, U.S. Senator James H. Lane sacked Osceola, Missouri, killing nine men, while Charles “Doc” Jennison was distinguished by his blatant plunder for personal gain. On the Missouri side, William Clarke Quantrill carried out the raid on Lawrence, Kansas, while William T. “Bloody Bill” Anderson and his men usually shot their prisoners and often mutilated and scalped the dead.
At first rejected by both the U.S. and Confederate governments, as the war dragged on, both sides made the guerrillas somewhat “respectable” by off
ering commissions in the volunteer forces. However, while Jayhawkers occasionally coordinated their activities with regular Union forces, bushwhackers almost always operated outside of the Confederate chain of command.
After the war, some bushwhackers became famous outlaws, such as Jesse and Frank James and the Younger brothers.
Important note: The term “bushwhacker” is also used for guerrillas—both Union and Confederate—in other theaters of the war.
(<< back)
FB2 document info
Document ID: df722822-e473-4adb-beb4-8d3729623460
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 16 May 2011
Created using: FictionBook Editor Release 2.6 software
Document authors :
frenky_m
Document history:
1.0 — создание файла
About
This file was generated by Lord KiRon's FB2EPUB converter version 1.1.5.0.
(This book might contain copyrighted material, author of the converter bears no responsibility for it's usage)
Этот файл создан при помощи конвертера FB2EPUB версии 1.1.5.0 написанного Lord KiRon.
(Эта книга может содержать материал который защищен авторским правом, автор конвертера не несет ответственности за его использование)
http://www.fb2epub.net
https://code.google.com/p/fb2epub/