Antebellum BK 1 (26 page)

“
Aw shit,” Pea grumbled.

“
How would you like your mouth washed out with soap?” Anna said as she came into the room. “Where’s my hug?”

Pea grabbed her up and swung her, then plopped her back on the floor with a kiss on her forehead. “Aunt Anna, may I present J.E.B. Stuart, better known as Beauty.” He bowed to Stuart. “Cadet Stuart, this lovely lady is my dearest Aunt, Anna Van Buskirk LaGrange.”

“
Beauty,” Anna said with a smile. “I can see why you earned that name, Mr. Stuart.”

Stuart took her hand and kissed it. “I am ashamed of that name in the presence of such a true beauty as yourself, Madam.”

“
Oh dear.” Anna fanned herself dramatically with her hand. “A Southern Gentleman.”

“
A Virginia gentleman,” Stuart corrected. “I am charmed to meet you, at last.”

Anna bathed him with a smile. “Welcome to Van Buskirk Point, Mr. Stuart. I hope that we have time for a conversation later.” She looked at Johnny. “Nancy wouldn’t talk to me. I’ll try again when she calms down. It’s not your fault.” She turned and hurried from the room.

Stuart watched her until she was out of sight. “Dear God.” He walked to join the others at the fire. “That is a fine figure of a woman. She must have been something when she was young.”

“
I think she’s still a handsome woman,” Pea said.

“
I quite agree,” Stuart replied. “I may even be smitten.”

“
Play your cards right and she’ll take you to her bed,” Quincy said as he came into the room. “Sadly there’s no great distinction in such an invitation. Most of Washington has visited her bed, both male and female.”

“
That’s a filthy lie,” Johnny said angrily. “Take it back.”

Quincy looked amused. “Or what?”

“
Or I’ll thrash you within an inch of your life,” Johnny replied.

Paul put his hand on Johnny’s shoulder to hold him back and looked at Quincy. “He doesn’t mean it, Pug.”

Johnny shrugged off his brother’s hand. “I do too mean it. I’m not afraid of you, Quincy. You can’t bully me.”

“
I can see that.” Quincy hung his coat on the coat tree. “I withdraw my comment. It was untrue and childish. I’m angry at my mother, but she doesn’t deserve my insult.” He turned toward Johnny. “Satisfied?”

“
Yes.” Johnny held his hands toward the fire but instantly lowered them so the others wouldn’t see that they were shaking. “Where did you come from? I just told your mother that you’re in South Carolina.”

“
I came from Baltimore where I’m now temporarily stationed,” Quincy said in disgust. “The army changes its mind like a woman changes her wardrobe. After Christmas it’s back to South Carolina and another new post and another island fort.”

“
We have just been to see Beelzebub, Pug,” Stuart said.

“
Did you ride him?” Quincy sat down on the couch and crossed his long legs and fixed Stuart in a mocking gaze.

Stuart’s color came up. “The truth be told, I couldn’t even get a bridle on him. He tried to eat me.”

“
Don’t let it bother you,” Quincy said. “After you’ve been here a few days you’ll take on the Van Buskirk scent. Then you can ride him until he decides to throw you into a briar patch.”

“
Really?” Stuart looked at Pea for confirmation. “I mean, will he let me ride him if I’m carrying your family’s scent?”

“
I don’t know,” Pea said dubiously. “The bloody horse tolerates me, but I never turn my back on him.”

“
Since Grandfather died, other than Abe, the only person that Beelzebub likes is Aunt Anna,” Johnny said. “She, on the other hand, thinks he should be boiled down for glue.”

The other boys laughed.

Nancy came into the room. Her eyes were swollen from crying and she burst into tears again at the sight of Quincy.

“
Oh no.” Quincy took her in his arms and rocked her. “What’s all this?”

“
I missed your graduation,” she sobbed.

“
It wasn’t that impressive,” he replied.

Nancy tipped her head back, kissed him on the lips, broke free of his embrace and ran from the room.

“
Who was that?” Stuart asked wide eyed.

“
An old friend of the family,” Quincy replied.

“
She is most welcome to be my friend,” Stuart said. “She’s a vision.”

“
She’s my mother’s age.” Quincy’s tone was unfriendly. “And you’re not her type.”

Stuart raised his hands. “Forgive me. I have a penchant for older women and she doesn’t look that much older than us.”

“
Your penchant could be unhealthy,” Quincy replied.

Stuart shrugged and lowered his hands. “I have given you the only apology that I’m willing to offer.”

“
Your apology is accepted.” Quincy looked at the others. “Uncle Robert may come. I ran into him, completely by accident, in Baltimore a few days ago. He didn’t recognize me at first.”

“
Is he still stationed in Nebraska?” Pea asked.

Quincy nodded. “At a new fort called Leavenworth. He said that Fort Atkinson has been abandoned. He had some business with the War Department and was due to return today, but he said he’d try to take a few days leave to see us. He’s a full colonel now and very distinguished looking. I didn’t quite understand his duties. I think he may be the current Military Territorial Governor. I’m not sure.”

“
It must have been nice in the old days when the whole family gathered here for Christmas,” Johnny said.

“
Do you suppose they fought with each other the way we do?” Quincy asked.

“
All families fight,” Stuart said. “It’s the American way. Next Christmas y’all must come to Virginia to meet my family.”

“
By next Christmas we may come to Virginia to fight your family,” Quincy said.

“
Some of us might be on Virginia’s side,” Pea replied.

“
I pray it never happens,” Johnny said emphatically. “I would truly hate to choose.”

~

Except for the ticking of the clock in the hall, the house was, at last, quiet. Anna tapped gently on Nancy’s bedroom door with her fingernail, then stuck her head in. “Are you asleep?” she whispered.

“
No,” Nancy replied from the darkened room.

“
Are you alone?”

“
Of course.”

“
Are you still angry at me?”

“
Yes.”

“
Can I come in anyway?”

“
Yes.”

Anna stepped into the room and closed the door softly behind her. “I couldn’t sleep.”

A match flared and Nancy applied it to a candle. “Bad conscience?”

“
Yes,” Anna said. “Terrible.”

“
Good. Suffer.” Nancy pulled back the bed clothes. “But get in here before you freeze.”

Anna climbed into the bed and snuggled down as Nancy covered her. “I’m sorry.”

“
About keeping me from Quincy’s graduation?”

“
Yes.”

“
I’m not ready to forgive you for that. In fact I may never.”

“
I don’t blame you.”

Nancy blew out the candle and burrowed deeper into the blankets. “That was fun.”

“
What?”

“
Trimming the Christmas tree with the boys.”

“
Yes. I think young Mr. Stuart has a serious case of lust for you.”

“
Ah,” Nancy said. “That’s why you asked if I was alone.”

“
Sorry.”

“
Don’t be. Had he asked, I would have seriously considered saying yes before saying no.”

“
Really?” Anna giggled.

“
The enthusiasm and energy of a seventeen-year-old more than makes up for a few immature whiskers.”

“
You’re depraved.”

“
I know. Don’t you ever get – I mean – don’t you ever want to make love, Anna?”

“
To a man, you mean?”

“
Of course that’s what I meant. And it was a serious question. Answer it.”

“
There’s an occasional man in my life, Nancy.”

“
You’ve never mentioned one.”

“
I’m not as open as you are about personal things. It’s my mother’s way.”

“
Is there a man in your life at the moment?”

“
There’s a Washington lawyer that I see from time to time. But not recently.” Anna sighed. “If young Mr. Stuart asked me I might say yes.”

“
Why don’t you do something about it?”

“
Like what? Seduce a boy?”

“
No,” Nancy replied. “I was thinking of a man, not a boy.”

“
I try not to think about either.”

“
You better start thinking about one or both very soon or the opportunity is going to pass you by.”

“
What do you mean?”

“
I mean you’ve only got another year or so before you start to dry up.”

“
Oh, Nancy. What a horrible thing to say.”

“
Remember your mother? She went from young to old, almost overnight.”

“
Yes. I remember. But she was older than we are now.”

“
Not much older.”

“
But she obviously still attracts men.”

“
Yes, but it’s her demeanor more than her looks. She seems, I don’t know, regal.”

“
Can I still attract a man, Nancy?”

“
Yes. But you need to work at it a bit.”

“
In what way?”

“
Face powder and a little rouge.”

“
No,” Anna growled. “I’m not going to become a painted old lady.”