Box Set: The ArringtonTrilogy (17 page)

“This must be Amelia.”

The man stood tall and distinguished, his
Confederate uniform spotless and tidy, unlike Warren’s blood-soaked
uniform had been. This man wore a steel grey frock coat lined with
black silk serge. The shoulders of the coat were bordered in black
and gold, and his sleeve insignia supported two half-inch wide
looped gold stripes. His hat, which sat upon his dark, wavy hair,
was the same steel grey color, with gold and silver embroidered
bullion and two stars.

I was mesmerized by his dashing good looks.
Apparently this was so obvious that Eugenia needed to clear her
throat several times to get my attention. Then she glared at me,
just before formally introducing me.

“Amelia, allow me to introduce Lieutenant
Commander Patrick Garrett,” she said as she guided him over to
me.

Warren, still beside me, studied the soldier,
while I said bashfully, “Please to meet you, sir.”

I could feel my own blush, and I cast my gaze
downward toward his black shoes, just so he wouldn’t see how
flustered I was in his presence.

“Do you have any idea who this man is?”
Eugenia asked with some genuine amusement in her tone.

“No.” I replied bluntly, lifting my gaze to
quickly look him over, to see if he looked familiar in any way. He
didn’t appear to be anyone I’d met, however.

The man seemed to enjoy playing along with
Eugenia.

“And this young man is Colonel Warren Stone.
Amelia found him half dead in the woods several months back. This
poor man has a bad case of amnesia.”

The lieutenant reached for Warren’s hand and
said, “Please to meet you.”

Warren appeared uncomfortable and abruptly
excused himself. “I have to go tend to the horses.”

“Well then, shall we step into the parlor for
a drink, Patrick,” Eugenia offered.

“Thank you for the invitation ma’am. If it
wouldn’t be too much trouble, I would like to wash up from the
long, dusty ride from Charleston.”

“Of course, of course, forgive me. Abigail
will show you to your room. She will bring you a tub and warm
water.”

Mammy, who was waiting in the wings for her
instructions, came in without a word and motioned for the officer
to follow her. And as he turned to leave, I spoke up nervously and
said, “My apologies, Lieutenant, but can you tell me how I should
remember you?”

The man looked to Eugenia, chuckled, and
said, “You wouldn’t remember me exactly. My name is Patrick Garrett
Arrington. I’m your older brother. Well, your half-brother, to be
truthful.”

“Half-brother?”

“From your father’s marriage to Madeline,”
Eugenia said. “You recall my telling you about Madeline and her son
Patrick?” she asked, her eyes narrowing down onto me, studying me,
waiting to see me flustered and cringing from thinking back to the
night she revealed to me that my mother had seduced my father,
which had resulted in my sinful conception. “This is Patrick, all
grown up. A handsome Confederate naval officer.”

I stared up at Patrick, looking for features
that resembled Daddy’s. Patrick didn’t have soft blond hair or
sky-blue eyes. He was slightly taller than Daddy and his features
bolder. Jacob Thomas resembled Daddy more than this man did.

Patrick allowed me to look him over while I
struggled to find the family resemblance. He eased my curiosity by
saying, “From what my mother told me from the time I was a little
boy, I am the spitting image of my maternal grandfather.”

“Oh,” I muttered, embarrassed.

“How about you and I get to know each other
this evening?” he suggested politely.

I nodded as my words choked back in my throat
from nervousness. He proceeded up the stairs, only a step behind
Mammy.

“Go find Hamilton and tell him to bring the
tub up for Patrick,” Eugenia said, and added, “Put on your finest
dress tonight. We must welcome Patrick Arrington in proper fashion.
I will have Cordelia prepare a fine supper with the best we have
left. I think using the last lamb will suffice. And have Warren
wear his uniform.”

“The blood-stained uniform?” I gasped.

“Abigail removed the stains. Stop your back
talk now. Go upstairs and study. And after supper tonight, I want
you to play your music for Patrick. Not hymns, but classical
music.”

Oh, how excited I was! I could dress up and
look pretty for once. We would dine formally, like we used to. Back
then I was allowed to play classical music, which had always been
my favorite. I wasted no time and hurried up to my room to decide
on what dress to wear.

My armoire was full of the finest dresses
money could buy. There was one that I loved most, which flattered
my curvy figure and boosted my voluptuous bosom. It was a lovely
green taffeta, with different shades of green on the pagoda sleeves
and pretty lace trim on the collar and cuffs. I wore a large
crinoline under the ruffled skirt to make the dress flare out.

After deciding on my dress, I called Mammy in
to help me with my hair. I needed her to help me create fashionably
long ringlets.

“I’m not having time for that now, Miss
Amelia. Hamilton will fetch Hattie, and she will help you get
dressed.”

“Splendid,” I sang. “Yes, Hattie will help me
prepare for supper.”

Excitement filled the early evening air as we
all prepared for a fine meal. Hattie assisted me, listening
patiently as I went on and on about Patrick.

“He looks nothing like Daddy. Though Daddy is
extremely handsome, Patrick is even more so. Did you happen to see
him when he arrived, Hattie? Did you see how dashing he looked in
his uniform?”

I didn’t wait for her to answer, I was so
wrapped up in talking about Patrick.

“I can’t wait to hear what he’s been doing
for all these years. I mean, I know he’s an officer and all, but
where has he lived? I wonder why he never came to visit
before.”

“I’m certain you will find all that out,” she
said flatly as she began to tie my corset.

“Aren’t you excited, too? After all, he is
your half-brother as well.”

“Don’t say such ridiculous things. I’m not
his sister, and I wouldn’t go saying such things to him. He is
serving in the Confederate Navy.”

From the reflection in the mirror I could see
her standing behind me off to the side. Her expression was serious,
her tone displeased in every way.

“What does that have to do with
anything?”

“He is fighting to uphold slavery.”

“So?”

“So?” she repeated and tied the last row and
lifted my dress off the bed. “Do you support slavery?”

I frowned at her, and she mimicked my frown
back.

“Don’t ruin the evening with such talk. You
know I don’t want you to be a slave. Now stop talking such nonsense
and help me with my crinoline.”

The rest of our time together that evening
was spent in complete silence. She assisted me without speaking
again, and I was annoyed with her foul attitude.

When I was finally ready, looking as
beautiful as I possibly could, I sent her off and I stole down to
Eugenia’s room to take a few drops of her sweet perfume Daddy had
bought her and placed the scented oil behind each ear.

“There, perfect,” I said to myself, happily
gazing at my reflection in her mirror.

Warren, Patrick, and Eugenia were already
seated when I strolled into the dining room. The men rose to their
feet the moment I stepped into the room, and there was a momentary
silence.

I smiled at Warren and then turned my smile
to Patrick. He didn’t smile back, only nodded his head as Warren
hurried over to hold my chair out for me.

“You look lovely this evening, Amelia,”
Warren said to me.

“Thank you, Mr. Stone,” I replied. “You’re
quite the gentleman.”

Eugenia sat at the head of the table, and I
sat beside her, as I did when it was Daddy who occupied that seat.
Warren and Patrick sat next to one another, opposite me. Two sets
of candelabras were lit, as well as the crystal chandelier above
the table. Flickers of yellow candlelight danced across the
ceiling, creating an effervescent setting and mood.

Dinner was served, and Eugenia carried on a
lengthy conversation with Patrick about the plantation’s
happenings. I could feel Warren staring at me throughout the
evening. I occasionally acknowledged his smile with a simple grin,
but I was preoccupied with watching Patrick. He spoke eloquently,
just as Daddy did, and used similar hand gestures.

After we listened patiently to Eugenia’s
tales, I encouraged Patrick to reveal where exactly he had been
living, if not on a vessel out at sea. “Have you lived all over the
world, here in America, or just in England?” I asked.

“Well, let’s see . . .” he began, slowly
tapping his long fingers together, “After leaving England after
serving in the Royal Navy under the rule of Queen Victoria, I came
straight to America and stayed in New York for a year. There I
decided to study law. I became bored with law rather quickly. I
missed the sounds and smell of the sea. Life on the sea is like no
other. The sea is captivating . . . always changing, moving in
different currents. The depths are varied; two swells are never the
same. Violent storms rage on the sea, often taking down giant
vessels and their crews without mercy to a dark, watery grave.
Still, one who loves the sea never fears it but appreciates its awe
and power. So I decided to return to the Navy, only this time, the
United States Navy.”

“And how did you come to serve in the
Confederate Navy?” Eugenia asked.

“For the sake of my father,” he declared with
pride heavy in his voice and posture. “And I shall be leaving to
join my crew aboard the C.S.S Virginia in a few weeks. For now, I
would like to thank you, Eugenia, for inviting me to stay here at
Sutton Hall until that time.”

Eugenia smiled with approval. She liked
Patrick, it was obvious.

“And you, my comrade, I understand you have a
severe case of amnesia,” Patrick said to Warren, who sat to his
left side.

“That’s what the doctor suggested. I cannot
recall any event prior to the day I woke from my coma. My uniform
reveals that I am a colonel for the Confederate Army. I carried no
identification and only remembered my name by sheer good fortune.
And,” he continued, “my good fortune truly began when Amelia saved
my life. She is a true angel.”

Patrick looked over at me and with a twinkle
in his eye said, “She looks just like one.”

A heated blush ran through me. When I turned
away so he couldn’t see, I realized he was still staring at me.
Both Warren and Patrick were staring, until Eugenia belted out for
Mammy to come clear the table, distracting the men. Patrick cleared
his throat and turned his attention back to Warren.

“Has anyone come looking for you? It would be
uncustomary for a soldier to simply vanish. Have you contacted the
local infantry?”

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of that,”
Eugenia said. “Warren, you take a ride into Savannah tomorrow.”

“I will go with you and help you solve the
mystery. I’m sure your family has been worried about you.” Patrick
offered.

Warren agreed. “You’re right. I’ll appreciate
any help you are able to give me to return to my battalion and
continue to serve.”

“Very good, then. Shall we retire to the
parlor where Amelia will play some classical music for our
entertainment?” Eugenia suggested.

All were in agreement.

“Allow me to freshen up and be down shortly?”
I asked Eugenia.

“Certainly.”

The time allowed me to powder my nose and
change into another dress. With Mammy’s help this time, I changed
into my off-the-shoulder blue dress, made of taffeta and velvet,
then hurried back downstairs.

I had been gone nearly an hour, and already
the men had relaxed with a bottle of Daddy’s best bourbon and
expensive cigars. The men stood as I entered, and their eyes
widened as I floated into the room and took my seat on the piano
bench. I turned to Eugenia and waited for her nod to begin.

With my eyes locked on the music, I ran my
fingers over the ivory keys as gracefully as a warm summer breeze
sweeping over a field of flowers, playing Chopin’s Concerto No. 1
in E Minor, then on to Mozart’s Piano Concertos Nos. 21 and 23.
When I played the piano, it was as if I were in the room alone, no
one watching or listening except for the angels in heaven. Playing
was emotionally private for me; it was spiritual, until the moment
I stopped and heard the fervent applause from my small
audience.

“That was beautiful” Warren exclaimed.

“Well done,” Eugenia added.

Patrick, however, only stood and drank me in.
I went over to where he stood and asked him if he liked my recital.
I so wanted to please my newfound brother, to show off my talent,
and to make him proud, the way Daddy used to be.

“Amelia, I’ve never heard anything more
lovely in all my years.”

~ ~ ~

Needless to say, I didn’t sleep much that
night. My thoughts were entirely occupied with Patrick until, after
tossing and turning, I finally fell into peculiar dreams.

Patrick and Daddy changed roles throughout my
dreams, as they each in turn cared for me and doted on me, buying
me expensive perfumes, and dresses. Then Patrick turned into Perry,
and we became lovers - real lovers. He took me into his bedroom and
loved me the way a husband loves a wife. In my dreams I was
enraptured with every kiss and every touch Perry gave to me. He
whispered softly into my ear between kisses how he loved me and
only me and that he would take me away soon, where we would live by
the sea, alone, he and I. There we would be married and have
children, he envisioned. Then before he came into me, he gazed into
my eyes, and said, “Be still, my heart, for you are the most
beautiful woman I have even seen.”