by Jerri Hines
“Do not call yourself a Southerner! Nothing more than a filthy little—”
Arthur could not utter another word. Wade’s right fist slammed into his jaw. The man fell where he stood. As he crawled up on his knees, Arthur held his bruised jaw.
“I will tolerate no more!” Wade roared and grasped hold of Arthur’s arm. “You, sir, have crossed the line, attacking what I hold most dear. I will not have you slander my wife.”
Arthur shook Wade off with a violent jerk, but the fool got no further. Clayton Montgomery had already summoned Saul.
“Take him where he can sleep it off.” Clayton gestured to Saul, who stood in the doorway. Then, he turned to Wade. “It will do no good to beat him up tonight. We will address these issues when he’s sober.”
Jo watched while Wade followed behind Saul, certain he was shielding her from the drunken man. She was certain he would have shown no mercy to the man if Grandfather Montgomery hadn’t stopped him, but she hadn’t time to contemplate Arthur’s fate. She had her own issue to content with. Charlotte clung to Jenna much like a child to her momma.
* * * *
“I…told you…I should never have returned,” Charlotte wailed. The poor dear shook so hard she could barely stand. Her face flushed with apparent embarrassment; she lowered her gaze.
“No, he won’t, Charlotte,” Jo assured her. “Wade won’t let him. Tell me, darling, what is wrong.”
“No…no…” Charlotte insisted, wringing her hands together in a nervous manner.
Jo maneuvered her rounded belly to Charlotte’s side and grasped hold of her hands. “Trust us, Charlotte. We love you…there is more you need to tell us.”
“Oh, Jo.” Charlotte sobbed. “I can’t. He’s my husband.”
Jo wrapped her arms around her and stroked her hair. “Talk to me.”
The room sat in silence. Finally, Charlotte said with a blank, inscrutable expression, “I envy you, Jo.”
“What is wrong?” Jo pressed. “Don’t deny it again. Jenna and I are worried.”
“You won’t understand,” Charlotte murmured. “You are loved. That was all that I wanted to be…was loved. Andrew acted so despicable, yet Wade rode in like a knight in shining armor. I wanted that knight…after Harry Lee. I thought Arthur was…like Wade. Your husband loves you. Despite what Kathleen told me, I can see it in the way he looks at you.”
“My situation was…is…complicated. But now, after everything, yes, I’m content.”
“I wish I was more like you. You are so strong…I’m not. I have tried to be a good wife, but nothing I do makes him happy. He was so caring and wonderful before we married. He proclaimed he loved me…I thought he did…I can’t make him happy.” She halted and began to sob.
“In your marriage? The way it is between a man and a wife?”
“Mother told me that marriage was to be endured…but Jo…” Charlotte paused again, but pulled up her sleeves. Deep purple bruises covered her bare skin. Her trembling hands released the material and let it fall back over her wounds. “He hurts me…in ways I can’t describe…I dread his nightly visits… It was why I became friends with Kathleen. It made him happy and he left me alone…I’m going to go to hell…”
“You aren’t going to hell, my sweet Charlotte…”
Charlotte withdrew from Jo’s embrace; she gulped for air as tears streamed her face. “I could have endured if he only let me keep my baby…”
“Charlotte?”
Charlotte’s eyes took a faraway look. “I told him I was with child and…and…he punched me…kicked me until…I lost my baby… He threatens me…his mother knows and she turned her back to me. Told me I was no better than his first wife.”
Jo found it hard to breathe…hard to believe. How could this have happened? “You are not going back,” Jo said firmly.
“You won’t be able to stop him. He’s my husband.”
Jo didn’t have an answer. She only knew Charlotte was not going back.
* * * *
When the tale was repeated to Clayton Montgomery, Charlotte quickly recanted the story, protesting she had over-exaggerated. Assuring her family it was her fault. She shouldn’t have said a word. But Grandfather Montgomery would have none of it.
Clayton Montgomery refused to send his granddaughter back to her abusive husband, no matter what the law dictated. A protective net was cast and a plan put into motion.
Josephine entered into the bedroom she shared with her husband. An orange-yellowish light had barely appeared on the horizon and Wade had readied for the day, having only to tie his cravat.
“She is set,” Jo said. “Do be patient with her, though. She has not stopped weeping.”
“I will,” Wade assured Jo as he finished with the last tug on his cravat. He crossed over behind her and wrapped his arms around her prominent belly. “It will be for the best. She needs time to heal where Arthur can’t find her. Cousin Sarah won’t ask any questions. Charlotte will be safe in Savannah.”
“I know.” Jo grasped his hands and leaned back against him. Poor Charlotte! How unfortunate she had been in love. The thought crossed her mind it could have been her as she remembered Holt Miller, but it had not been her fate.
“It is you who I worry about,” he said in a tender voice. “I don’t want you to be concerned. I will see to Charlotte’s needs and return before the birth.”
Jo turned around and forced a smile. “I will be well looked after. Jenna is here and you know well that Miss Hazel will see to me, along with Rosa. Go.”
“Grandfather will tell Arthur that I have taken Charlotte to her mother’s. He will not question. Men such as he are cowards.”
“Do you suppose his words hold truth in them about me? Do people really believe I am not loyal? Are there whispers about me?”
“No, my love.” He reached over and caressed her face. “I feel it stems from his association with Kathleen. Nothing more than her jealousy. I fear she believed Andrew’s situation different than it is when she married him. I have been too lenient toward her. That will come to an end.
“I don’t want you to worry about anything but our child.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Let me tuck you back into bed.”
“I will miss you,” Jo confessed with a sudden intensity that shocked her. “Come back to me.”
“Darling, I have no desire to be anywhere but with you. I will be back within the week.”
Jo crawled back beneath the covers. Already the bed seemed so lonely. Sadness enveloped her for Charlotte, but that was not all that bothered her.
Wade had been wrong, ever so wrong. A new worry had emerged, one she could not simply dismiss. Arthur’s words haunted her. He spoke as if the war was a certainty…he spoke of her lover...that he had reenlisted in the Navy, which meant Cullen was prepared to take up arms against his family…against her and the child she carried.
The hurt she had pushed to the far corners of her heart resurfaced, along with an excruciating ache. She understood the need to move on…they had no future…but to reenlist in the Navy? To prepare to take arms up against the South…his family…her?
She had not heard from Cullen since that dreadful day…but this message she understood clearly—the love she thought they shared had been nothing more than an illusion.
Chapter Seven
Outside the small Carolina coastal town of Georgetown, Cullen prepared to meet with his cousin in a quiet, rural churchyard. Andrew had promised to rendezvous by five thirty. That would give them an hour together before he had to return to the ship.
Cullen had given the matter a great deal of thought before he reenlisted. He was once more Lieutenant Cullen Smythe in the US Navy. In his last meeting with Commander Davis, a plan had been put into place, a plan that he himself had devised…a plan that needed his cousin’s cooperation.
Long hours had been spent devising the minute details of the undertaking. Cullen had come upon the idea of using the Underground Railroad as a network to help spy upon the
activities of the fanatics calling for secession.
When he had proposed the idea of using the Underground Railroad to Commander Davis, he held all the confidence in the world that it would work. The route and people were already in place to integrate into this Southern stronghold.
The threats of secession had not been taken lightly by the military. Cullen’s plan would go into effect the moment Lincoln took office—eyes and ears into the thick of Southern hostility, the ways and means to communicate, and a route to come and go.
Careful negotiations had been debated between his father and those connected with the Underground Railroad: secrecy had to be maintained but most important, the links in the network would never be expected to spy, only provide what they had been doing for the runaway slaves.
The immeasurable danger in this mission could not be underscored, but it would be no more than what the Underground Railroad had faced in the past. One of the largest obstacles faced by the network would be integrating their agents into the communities. They needed someone who would be accepted and then fade into the background while gathering information.
A volunteer had stepped forward, Gavin Mitchell. Mitchell came from Virginia before setting up residence in Philadelphia. Posing as an engineer for South Carolina Rail Road, he would help maintain the rail lines. His Southerner heritage would give him the cover he needed to travel freely in the countryside.
Normally, the Navy would have taken full control of a mission, but secrecy was of the utmost concern and importance to protect the Underground Railroad. Knowledge of the links would be limited to only a select few, which meant that a guide would be needed to introduce Mitchell to the landscape and the intricacies of the system. They had found their man—Heyward.
As Andrew had done with the Underground Railroad in Charleston, he would be needed to head this network. Cullen now had to convince Andrew to do so. It would not be an easy task.
The day had been dreary and overcast. The rain from the night before had drenched the area; the ground beneath Cullen’s boots was wet and soggy, but it was peaceful here. No one would disturb their talk.
The presidential election was within the week. Time had become their enemy. The wait was not long. As he looked down the lane, Cullen saw a horse and rider. Andrew had come.
“Good God, you’re not suggesting that I could do such a thing?” Stunned, Andrew’s jaw dropped. “Impossible.”
“It is a simple plan. The organization is already in place,” Cullen said. “No one will be in any more danger than they are now.”
Andrew’s hesitation did not surprise him. The rebellious youth had changed. His cousin’s appearance had altered in the last few months. He was thinner; his cheeks hollowed. He looked as though he hadn’t had a good night sleep in ages. Cullen did not have to ask the reason why. Andrew’s marriage had come with a high price—his dignity.
Andrew’s boot kicked the ground. “You have asked the wrong person. Even if I had the desire to do so, I could never do what would be needed.”
“I disagree. For years, you have helped runaways.”
“You know this is different. I know you are angry with the family, but I can’t turn my back on them,” Andrew said stiffly. “I am a physician. My conscience allows me to help people in need—”
“Your conscience? Where was your conscience last year?” Cullen snapped the sarcastic rebuke. “Do you truly believe I want to see my family harmed?”
“What do you expect me to think?”
“I would expect you to know the person I am.” He paused. Losing his temper would not gain him an advantage. “There will come a time when you will have to choose a side. If you do not believe that, you are a fool.”
“I have a wife and child to think of…”
“Then you should. You are worried that you are betraying the family. I understand well the convictions of our people…our people. What I question is the inability of the leaders to comprehend that they are living in the past. Change is coming, whether or not you want it.”
“Nothing has happened, Cullen. Secession has been threatened for years.”
“These are not idle threats. If Grandfather and Wade are so foolhardy to support secession, I pledge to you that I will protect the family. If you do this, the family will be protected…the legacy that Grandfather has taken such pride in…Magnolia Bluff.”
“I can’t, Cullen. You don’t understand.”
“That you are questioning yourself? What has become of the man you were…the man who placed the needs of others before himself? I know what I’m asking of you. I know it will not be easy, but my father has faith in you. Do not turn your back on what you believe in.”
“Can you not see? I don’t know what I believe in anymore.” Andrew’s voice was splintered.
“You do. I also know you have the courage to face the challenges. If it comes to be…this split between the North and South, you will be needed. Sacrifices will be made. Have I not made my own sacrifice?”
“A sacrifice made because of me.”
“It is not why I am here. I cannot help but be angry…I will not deny that, but make no mistake about it. I am doing this to help my family. I am not betraying you. I’m doing what I have to to save the family.”
“You sound so certain, but so do they.”
“Right makes might.” Cullen quoted Lincoln. “Secession is treason, Andrew.”
“I don’t want to make a rash decision.” Andrew breathed out deeply. “I need time. Give me a few days. When I return…Wade has requested my presence at Magnolia Bluff…”
“We need to put this into place, Andrew. I can meet you there next week,” Cullen said. “Mitchell is going out with Heyward to get the lay of the land. He will be heading up this mission. They will be leaving shortly. I will arrange to pick them up at Heady’s dock.”
Andrew shook his head. “That will not be a good idea. You must know that Josephine is at Magnolia Bluff.”
“I will never deny that I care for her, if that is your concern, but I would never do her harm. I’m duty bound to respect she is married to Wade. I would not interfere in her life…not after all she has gone through…not when she is expecting his child.”
Obvious relief flooded Andrew’s face. “I wasn’t certain you knew about the baby.”
Something in Andrew’s voice caused him to pause. “Andrew,” Cullen queried. “Why are you going to Magnolia Bluff?”
“It is of no importance. It is almost November, Cullen. Most withdraw back to their plantations.”
“Not this year, Andrew. I would imagine they would not leave until after the election,” Cullen stated. “I can think of only one reason why Wade would request you. Being out on the plantation, it would take time to send for a physician if needed. Is Josephine’s time near? Why would you keep it from me?”
“I am not keeping anything from you. It is only Wade is dealing with another family issue— Charlotte.” Andrew looked straight into Cullen’s eyes. With a small shrug, he said, “He has to be away for a few days and doesn’t want Jo alone with only Grandfather. I will make arrangements to meet you when you go to Heady’s dock. There is no need for you to go to Magnolia Bluff. It would serve no purpose.”
Cullen nodded in a slow motion. “You are certain Harry Lee isn’t a concern? I heard Wade had dealt with him.”
“Harry Lee is in Mississippi. He is not a threat.”
From the information Cullen had gathered, Wade had kept to his word, and Cullen would not have expected less. Wade was an honorable man, as was he. It had been the reason he had stayed away from Jo, giving her a chance for happiness.
But he knew Andrew well enough to realize that he withheld something. What, he wasn’t certain…but he sensed it was about Josephine. His feelings had not diminished for her, and he doubted they ever would. He had left her in Charleston because he believed it was for her best. He could not deny she had never been far from his heart.
Perhaps he was making more of Andrew�
�s words than was there. Perhaps he wanted an excuse to see Josephine. Perhaps it was a need for closure. Whatever the reason, he was now determined to see her.
* * * *
With the dawn, Josephine awakened from a deep slumber. Burrowed deep into her covers, she dreaded leaving the comfort of her bed. The night had been spent in wondrous dreams of her baby.
The last few days had been consumed with worry about Charlotte. Last evening, her mind had been relieved. She had received word from Wade that Charlotte was safe.
Cousin Sarah has welcomed Charlotte and understands her predicament. She will be well looked after until other arrangements can be made. Do not concern yourself with Arthur. As we predicted, he headed straight to Columbia. He will not be returning to Magnolia Bluff. I am in Charleston and will return after the election results come in unless you have news for me. Then I will return immediately. Your loving husband, Wade.
The baby moved and she smiled. Soon…soon she would be able to hold the little one. Finally, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She crossed the floor and stood at the window.
Outside, the sun broke over the horizon with the promise of a beautiful day. She breathed in deeply. The day was warm for November and the view seemed to take on a splendor with the sunlight streaming brilliantly onto the garden. The majestic Virginia live oak opened wide its arms in an impressive array.
The old gray moss hung down, littered by a spray of color with cardinals and yellow finches settling in the branches. Overhead, she caught a glimpse of a great white egret. She leaned against the window with her arms crossed over her enlarged belly and drank in the sight.
“A glorious morn, Miss Jo.” Rosa entered into the room with a wide smile on her face. In her hands, she carried a tray upon which breakfast had been prepared, a pile of buckwheat cakes with syrup. “I was saying to myself it would be a grand day for one of your walks, but I can open up the window here for ya if ya don’t feel up to it. Let in the fresh air.”
Rosa sat the tray on the table. After she cracked the window, she walked over to the armoire. “You won’t want to miss a moment of this weather, Mistress. Do you have a preference on what you would care to wear today?”