“No, I haven’t.” Thomas shook his head, his eyes alive in his pallid face. “When the truth is known, we’ll have justice; you’ll see!”
Burke saw that his father was tired, and he insisted that he go lie down. “We’ll have lots of time to talk later,” he said gently. He smiled, then told him how the memory of his trip to the Hugers had come to him. “You can tell me how you took a strap to Clay instead of me!”
Thomas laughed, and when Susanna came into the room an hour later, she was pleased to find them laughing. Later, however, when she and Thomas were alone in their room, he lay down on the bed, fatigue lining his face. “I’m afraid Burke’s in for a bad time,” he said slowly.
Susanna came over and sat down on the bed beside him. A lock of his hair fell over his forehead, and she pushed it back. His hair was gray, and she suddenly thought of how black and glossy it had been the day they’d been married. Like Burke’s is now, she thought. “It’ll be all right, Tom,” she said.
He lay still, his eyes closed, and she could see the tiny veins etched on his eyelids. “It’s this war that’s turned everything upside down. Everyone is either a sheep or a goat, Susanna. And I can see it in the faces of people—that they think Burke’s one of the goats.” Bitterness crept into his tone as he added, “Anyone who doesn’t believe in the Cause is the enemy.”
“That’s how it was with Clay,” Susanna answered. “He doesn’t believe in this war, and if he hadn’t joined the army in spite of that, he’d have been pulled apart.”
“Yes, but Burke’s in worse condition than Clay was. He was wearing a Yankee uniform, and that’s the end of it for lots of people. They haven’t been around like we have to see what poor shape he’s in.”
“He’s getting better every day.”
“Yes, and that’s going to make people say, ‘See? There never was anything wrong with him in the first place!’” He opened his eyes and said, “I’m going to retain Gaines DeQuincy. He’s the best lawyer in the South—and the most expensive. But we can’t take any risks with this thing.”
“But isn’t he in the army?”
“Yes, and that’s why I want him. He’s a genuine patriot, and if this thing comes to a trial, it’ll be a military court. Won’t hurt to have a certified supporter of the Confederacy defending Burke. I’ll write him tomorrow.”
“I feel so strange, Chad!”
Belinda King had bought a new dress for her trip to Gracefield, a light blue gown that matched her eyes perfectly. Now she touched her new hat nervously, asking, “Do I look all right?”
“Beautiful, as usual.” Chad Barnes was amused at Belinda, thinking how typical it was that she thought of her looks even on such an occasion. They had had dinner the evening before, after he’d picked her up at the station. It was only now, as they were turning into the driveway that led to the Big House at Gracefield, that the blond girl showed any sign of nervousness. As long as she’s dressed in the latest style, Barnes thought with a cynical amusement, she can face anything.
Aloud he said, “Are you sure you want to see him?”
“Why, of course I want to see him, Chad!” Belinda turned to Barnes with amazement in her eyes. “After all, we were engaged to be married.”
“You’ll never marry Burke, Belinda,” Barnes said firmly. “You were never in love with him, anyway.”
“You’re just jealous, Chad!”
“I was at the time,” Barnes admitted. “But not now.”
“You don’t think I could still be interested in Burke?”
They had reached the curving driveway, and Barnes slowed the horses to a walk. The trees lining the drive were black and bare, stripped of their leaves, and the icy breath of a new cold wave bit at Chad’s face. “No, I don’t think you are,” he said slowly.
“I’m fickle—is that it?”
Barnes was a blunt man but knew better than to allow Belinda to know he thought exactly that. He’d figured this conversation was coming and knew exactly what to say. He smiled to himself. I can handle this girl. She’s filled her head with romantic notions, but once we’re married, I can change that.
“No, I don’t think you’re fickle, honey,” he said softly. “I think you’ve grown up. All beautiful girls like to flirt. It was natural enough for you to like seeing Burke and me make fools of ourselves fighting over you. But I think I’ve seen something in you these last few weeks. You’ve grown up to be a mature woman and can see now that I’m the man for you.”
Belinda was accustomed to hearing compliments on her beauty, but the idea that she was now a mature woman—that tickled her vanity. “Well…,” she said slowly, “we have grown close, Chad.”
“Yes, and it’s unthinkable what you’d have to go through if you married Burke. I couldn’t bear to see you dragged through the mess that’s coming.” He didn’t miss the fleeting expression of fear in her eyes, and he struck hard. “Burke’s going to go down, I’m afraid.” He shrugged. “He’s a good fellow, but he’s dug his own grave.”
“You don’t think he’s a traitor, do you, Chad?”
Barnes hesitated, then said, “Yes, I do, Belinda. And it hurts me. Burke and I…well, we’ve had our differences, but I don’t like to see any of my friends turn out like this.”
“I—I can’t believe Burke would do such a thing!”
“Well, you may be right,” Barnes said, shrugging. “I hope you are. But even if Burke didn’t sell out, he’ll never be able to live in this country.”
“What do you mean?”
Barnes stopped the horses but said before getting out, “Just that, Belinda. Even if Burke is declared innocent, he’ll never be admitted to the homes of the people of the South.” He drew her gaze, then added, “You’d be in exile, Belinda, if you married Burke. He’ll have to leave the country, and I’d hate to see you cut off from your family and friends.” He saw that the thought horrified her and knew he’d said enough for now.
He leaped to the ground, helped Belinda down, and handed the lines to a slave, who led the carriage away; then the two of them went up the steps. They were met at the door by Susanna.
“Come in,” she said. “I saw you drive up.”
The older woman’s clear, direct gaze disturbed Belinda for some reason. Burke’s mother had never been anything but courteous to her, but something in Susanna Rocklin’s stately bearing made her uneasy. She said in a rather flustered manner, “I know I should have written you, Mrs. Rocklin, but after Burke—”
“It’s all right, Belinda.” Susanna turned to Barnes, saying, “How are you, Major Barnes?”
Now it was Barnes’s turn to feel uncomfortable, and he felt totally out of place as he answered, “We shouldn’t be intruding on you, Mrs. Rocklin, but Belinda and I wanted to see Burke.”
“Yes, I came as soon as I got word he’d come back,” Belinda said quickly. “But if he’s too sick to see us…?”
“He’s feeling much better,” Susanna said. “He’s in the study now, reading. I’ll take you to him.”
“Is he—that is, does he remember anything?” Belinda asked as they followed Susanna down the hall.
“It’s very selective. It’s as though his memory is waking up a little at a time. Every day he remembers more, but don’t be shocked if he doesn’t remember you at first.”
Susanna opened the large walnut door, then, stepping inside, said, “Burke, you have visitors.”
Burke got up from his chair at once and laid the book he was reading on the table. He stared at the two visitors, then nodded. “Hello, Belinda.”
Belinda’s face glowed with surprise. “You remember me?”
“Well, not really,” Burke said quickly. “Mother’s told me so much about you, and there’s a picture of you in my room.”
Belinda looked slightly crushed at his explanation, and it was Barnes who asked, “Do you remember me, Burke?”
Burke stared at the big man carefully, noting the hostility in the stiff features. “No, I’m afraid not.” He
paused, then added, “But I probably will. When I meet somebody from my past, it seems to trigger something. I think about them, and usually it sorts itself out.”
“You all sit down,” Susanna said, “and I’ll fix some tea.”
“Do you mind if I walk around the grounds while you do that, Mrs. Rocklin?” Barnes asked instantly. He laid a level gaze on Burke, saying in a mocking tone, “I wouldn’t want to overburden our patient with too many old ‘memories.’”
Susanna stared at him, then nodded. “Perhaps that would be best, Major.” She left the room at once, followed by Barnes, who turned to give a cynical smile to Belinda.
Burke watched him close the door, then turned to face Belinda. “Obviously the major thinks I’m a fraud,” he remarked.
“Oh no, he’s just—just careful,” Belinda said quickly. She was rather confused, for the man who stood before her was greatly changed from the Burke she’d last seen. Then he had been strong and in uniform, but now he was pale and thin and wore a simple pair of brown trousers and a heavy wool shirt.
Catching her glance, Burke smiled slightly. He’d picked up enough from his parents and others to have some idea of what kind of a girl this was. Dorrie had sniffed, “Dat little ol’ gal you wuz gonna marry, she’s ‘bout as empty-headed as de ol’ peacock dat runs round heah!”
“This must be difficult for you, Miss King,” Burke said. “But I want to make it easy on you. Won’t you sit down?”
“Thank you, Burke,” Belinda said quickly. When she was seated, she laughed with embarrassment. “It is hard, isn’t it? Not just on me, but even more so on you. Here’s a perfectly strange female come to demand that you take up where you left off.”
Burke had to admire her straightforward admission. “Let’s be honest with each other, Belinda—may I call you that? Well, put your mind at rest. I’ve got my hands too full of trouble right now to think of anything but saving my neck. I don’t think it would be wise for us to build on what was in the past.”
This caught Belinda totally by surprise—and hurt her feelings! It was one thing for her to break off an engagement, but quite different for someone else to do it! Her eyes brightened with anger, and she flared out, “You just throw me out for all Richmond to laugh at—is that it?”
Burke blinked in surprise at the attack but shook his head quickly. “I thought it would be unfair of me to make any demands on you, Belinda. When I asked you to marry me, things were very different. I don’t think it would be best for you to be caught up in my trouble.”
“Oh, I see,” Belinda said more calmly. Then she nodded, saying, “That’s very noble of you, Burke. Perhaps it might be best. But what will I say? People are already asking about us.”
“Tell them that you’ve decided we acted too hastily, and the engagement is off.”
“Well, if you think it’s best, I suppose I’ll have to do it,” Belinda said, secretly relieved, for this was not the romantic, dashing Confederate officer she’d agreed to marry.
“Now, Burke,” she said, “tell me everything.”
When Barnes came in thirty minutes later, he was taken aback by Belinda’s greeting. “Chad, Burke and I have agreed that our engagement was a mistake.”
Prepared to fight for Belinda, Barnes was nonplussed and could only stammer, “Well—I think that’s best for both of you.”
“I thought you might find it convenient,” Burke said dryly. He was well aware from what his parents had told him that Chad Barnes had been vindictive after the engagement was announced.
Barnes stiffened, and his voice took on a hard edge. “I don’t care for what you’re suggesting, Burke.”
“You want to marry Belinda. From what I’ve been told, you always have. Now I’m out of the way, so you can pursue her with a good conscience.”
Chad Barnes disliked being handed the girl as if she were a prize. He knew that the world would say exactly what Burke Rocklin had just put into words, but it angered him. Rashly he said, “I want to warn you, Burke, I don’t think for one moment you’re telling the truth. In fact, I think you’re a turncoat and a coward!”
Burke stared at Barnes but did not raise his voice. “I suppose this is where I slap your face and we meet at dawn with pistols?” He smiled and shook his head. “I won’t act a fool, even if you do. However, I do think you’d better leave this house.” He turned to Belinda, saying, “I regret to have to speak this way in front of you,” and then he turned and left the room.
“Come on,” Barnes snarled in disgust. “Let’s get out of here!”
Belinda was practically towed out of the house, and as soon as they were in the carriage and headed toward the main road, she protested. “Why are you acting like this, Chad? I think Burke was very nice to see we weren’t for each other.”
But Barnes spoke furiously. “He handed you over to me as if you were a cheap prize he didn’t want! I won’t take his cavalier attitude, Belinda—and I’d think you’d be insulted!”
Belinda fell silent but finally asked, “You’re not going to fight a duel with him, are you, Chad?”
“No. He’s a coward. But I’m going to make it my business to see that he doesn’t get by with this trick he’s trying to pull.”
“What will you do?”
Barnes struck the horses with the buggy whip and took a perverse pleasure as they leaped forward into a run. “I’m going to see that he hangs for treason, Belinda,” he said, and there was a smile of satisfaction on his heavy mouth as he thought of the thing. “Mr. Burke Rocklin’s always been a little brash—but a rope necktie will take that out of him!”
CHAPTER 20
DESPERATE JOURNEY
Look at that, Pat,” Cotter said, nodding toward the small group of passengers who had descended and were being met by relatives. “What do you make of those two?”
Pat Grissom was a tall, stooped man of fifty who spent most of his time playing checkers with Cotter. He picked up a few dollars transporting freight and sometimes a passenger or two. He looked up from the checkerboard, stared out the window at the two men his friend had indicated, then shook his head. “Never seen ’em before.”
Cotter shot his friend a disgusted look, then put his sharp black eyes back on the old man and the Negro, who was collecting his bags. “Might be a fare for you, Pat,” he grunted. “But we better be careful. That darkie might be a runaway slave.”
“Not likely,” Grissom observed. “He wouldn’t be traveling by train, would he? He’d be sent along by the Underground Railroad. But I better check it out,” he muttered. “I’m a deputy sheriff, you know.” In the small town where he lived, the office was mostly ceremonial, but Grissom took it seriously. He watched with narrowed eyes as the tall man in the heavy coat came slowly across the brick pavement to enter the small ticket office.
“Yes, sir. Can I help you?” Grissom said brightly. He noted that the man was not young, and it was obvious that he was not in good health. Grissom noted the pain-dulled eyes and the slow, tentative movements such as only men who are very tired or sick use.
“Yes, sir.” The old man nodded. “Can you direct me to a family named Swenson?”
“Why, you must mean the Amos Swenson place, I reckon,” Grissom said with nod. A small alarm went off in his head, and he thought, Got to have something to do with Sister Grace and that soldier she nursed. Always knew no good would come of that!
“Yes, that’s the name. Is it far?”
Cotter noted that the man had a Southern accent. He looked quickly at the black man, noting that he was well dressed and healthy. “It ain’t in town, sir,” Cotter said. “You’ll need a buggy to get out there. I don’t believe I caught your name? You’re not related to the Swensons, I don’t reckon?”
The old man hesitated, aware of the station agent’s burning curiosity, then shrugged. “My name is Rocklin, and I’m no relation to the Swensons. Could you tell me where I might rent a rig?”
“Why, I reckon you’re in luck, Mr. Rocklin.” Cotter nodded
toward the man seated at the table. “Pat here can take you out to the Swenson place, couldn’t you, Pat?”
Grissom nodded. “Guess I ain’t got nothing else in the way,” he grunted. “Can take you in the spring wagon—but I got a two-seat carriage that rides better. Fare will be ten dollars, though. Takes half a day of my time.”
“Can we start now?”
Grissom eyed the black man, then turned to ask, “He goin’, too?”
“Yes.”
“All right. I got the carriage outside.”
“Is there a place I can get a quick meal in town?”
“Oh sure,” Cotter said, nodding. “See that sign, the little one next to the feed store? That’s Ma Stevens’s place. She’ll feed you real good. Tell her I sent you—Al Cotter.”
“Thank you, sir.” Thomas turned to Zander, saying, “Put the luggage in the carriage, Zander. I’ll bring you something to eat.”
“Yas, Marse Rocklin.”
Cotter watched as Rocklin moved slowly down the street and disappeared into the café. He saw that the black man had put two pieces of luggage into the carriage and had seated himself on one of the bales of cotton by the wayside. A thought came to him, and he filled a coffee cup with black coffee and added sugar and cream. Moving outside, he came to where the black man sat and extended it. “Have some coffee. Makes a man thirsty, them long train rides.”
“Thank you, sah.” Zander took the cup, sipped it, then smiled with approval. “Dat’s mighty fine coffee, sah,” he remarked.
“Your name is Zander, is it?” Cotter said, leaning against the bale. “Well, Zander, how’s your trip been?”
“Oh, fine, sah! Mighty fine!”
“Come far, have you?”
“Well, sah, pretty far—and yet not so far, either.”
For the next ten minutes Cotter tried with scant success to pry information out of Zander. But all he received were generalities. Either this darkie is a fool or he’s plenty sharp! Cotter concluded.
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