Carried Forward By Hope (40 page)

Clint nodded slowly. “Horses are horses,” he agreed. “I’ll work with Robert wherever he is.” He smiled, his eyes revealing his excitement. “It don’t hurt none that Granite is there.”

Carrie realized with a sudden rush of emotion how much Robert meant to this boy who had initially been so angry when a white slave owner had been dropped into their life. “Thank you,” she murmured.

“And me?” Amber demanded. “What about me?”

Carrie turned to her with a smile and took her hand. “And you and I will work together to make Robert better.”

“It won’t take much,” Amber announced.

“Is that right?”

“You need to make sure I got lots of books. I’m gonna curl up with Robert and read to him,” she said. “That’s what I did before.”

When Carrie looked into her glowing eyes full of confidence and compassion, she could almost believe it would be that easy. And who was to say it wouldn’t be?

“You got a house for us?” Gabe asked slowly, his eyes revealing how fast his mind was working.

“Yes,” Moses assured him. “It’s furnished, and we can build whatever else you need. You can leave your house just like it is. It will be waiting here for you when the courts figure out this ridiculous apprenticeship program. I know things are crazy right now, but I don’t believe it will always be that way.”

Gabe eyed him. “You and me both know it’s gonna be crazy for a good long while,” he said somberly.

Moses gazed at him, not bothering to refute what he was saying. “We’ve all got to figure out ways to live until it’s not so hard,” he finally said.

“Yes,” Gabe agreed, “I reckon that’s the truth.” A long silence passed as Gabe stared into the flames. Then he turned and gazed at Polly. Slowly he nodded his head. “I reckon we’re going to Virginia,” he announced.

Thomas lounged in his rocker on the porch, relaxing after a long day riding the fields. He took a slow sip of his iced tea as he gazed out over the fields in the distance, thrilled to see bright green spreading as far as he could see. The long warm days were making the oat and wheat grow quickly. A trip through the fifty acres of tobacco proved his prediction that the fields having rested during the war was going to produce a bountiful crop. If the weather cooperated, the plantation would take a big step toward recovery.

His eyes shifted to the pasture. He frowned slightly as he looked at Granite. He knew the Thoroughbred was thrilled to be back on the plantation, but it bothered Thomas that he was alone in the pasture. Horses were herd animals. They weren’t meant to live in solitude, but it was too soon to add more livestock.

“It’s far too lovely a day for frowning.”

Thomas smiled when Abby walked out onto the porch and settled down in the rocker next to his. “You’re absolutely right. Just minutes ago I was thinking about how wonderfully the plantation is doing.”

“What caused the frown?”

“Watching Granite out in the field alone. When Carrie is here it doesn’t bother me so much, but I just don’t believe herd animals should be alone.”

“Why not put one of the cows in with him?” Abby asked, laughing when Thomas just looked at her. “Why not? It may not be a horse, but at least it’s another living being. I’ve seen stranger pairs.”

“Such as?”

Abby closed her eyes as a strong memory swept through her. “We always had two horses on our plantation, but during a very bitter winter one of them died. The one left behind was inconsolable, but my father said we couldn’t get another one until spring. Right after that, one of our sheep became very ill and needed to be inside. Some cows had to be brought in as well, so I decided to put the sheep in with our remaining horse.”

“A sheep?” Thomas murmured.

“A sheep,” Abby said firmly. “They became the closest of friends. Even after the sheep got better, and we got another horse, the sheep stayed with her friend. Whenever you looked out in the field, it would be the three of them.”

Thomas nodded thoughtfully. “It’s worth a try,” he replied. “I’ll have one of the kids move a cow into the pasture tomorrow.” His face grew more thoughtful. “Are you happy here, Abby?”

“I love the plantation.”

Thomas paused and looked deep into her eyes. “But are you happy here?”

Abby looked at him for a long moment, knowing he was asking more than he was saying. “I truly love the plantation,” she repeated, “but it wouldn’t be enough for me all the time. I’ve become a certified city woman with a passion for business. This has been a wonderful reprieve, and I’m not eager to leave just yet, but the time will come when I return to Richmond. They should be done clearing the factory site in the next few weeks. I have work to do.”

“Yes,” Thomas murmured. “Will you join me for a walk?”

Abby rose immediately, wondering what was on Thomas’s mind. “Of course.”

Thomas tucked her hand in the crook of his arm but remained silent as they moved down the lane between the boxwoods and passed through the grove of magnolias on the east wing of the house. He still said nothing as they meandered down a well-maintained trail that brought them out on the far side of the horse pasture.

Abby was content to merely walk along, taking deep breaths of the fragrant air and enjoying the soft, warm breeze on her skin. She smiled with appreciation when they finally broke out on the bank of the James River. “How beautiful,” she murmured. The late afternoon sun glimmered on the tranquil surface of the river. She watched as swallows swept low over the water to feast on mosquitoes and bugs. “Every time I see this river it seems to show a different face.”

“That it does,” Thomas agreed. “I’ve lived here my entire life, but I never grow tired of the river.”

“It would be impossible,” Aunt Abby said, settling down on the log Thomas led her to. Then she looked him directly in the eye. “Why are we here, Thomas?”

“Can’t I just take a beautiful woman for a walk?” Thomas parried.

“You most certainly can, but that’s not what you’re doing,” Aunt Abby replied calmly. “There’s something you want to tell me that you didn’t feel comfortable talking about at the house.” Her eyes sharpened. “Did you hear news from Carrie?”

“No,” Thomas said quickly. “I haven’t heard anything since the telegram arrived three days ago telling us they were on the way home with Gabe and his family. I expect they will arrive tomorrow.”

Aunt Abby relaxed, watching as a blue heron swept low over the water, its long legs stretched out behind it. “Do you know their wingspan is almost seven feet across?” she asked.

Thomas chuckled. “A city woman who knows the wingspan of a blue heron?” he teased. “You are quite an unusual woman.”

“My grandmother gave me a thirst for knowledge very early,” she replied easily. “We studied all kinds of things. I found it was a habit I continued because I love knowledge.”

“And do you believe knowledge is power?”

Abby cocked her head. “No,” she said thoughtfully. “I’ve learned over the years that knowledge on its own is nothing. I’ve also discovered, however, that the
application
of useful knowledge is very powerful indeed,” she said brightly.

Thomas chuckled again. “And you like being powerful.”

Abby raised an eyebrow. “Does that disturb you?”

“Certainly not. I find it makes me love you even more.”

Abby took a deep breath. “Excuse me?”

Thomas laughed. “This wasn’t quite the way I envisioned telling you this, but then I hadn’t determined
anything
about how I was going to talk to you. I simply decided to bring you to my favorite place on the plantation since I was a boy. I was hoping something brilliant would come to me.”

Abby couldn’t think of a thing to say, but she was intensely aware of a warm feeling spreading through her body. “I see…” she finally murmured.

Thomas sat down next to her on the log. “Obviously I have no idea how to tell you I’m wildly in love with you. I’ve heard so much about Carrie’s Aunt Abby over the last several years. The moment I laid eyes on you I knew why she loved you so much. What I didn’t expect was my own immediate attraction to you. The last weeks have done nothing but make my feelings grow stronger.”

Thomas paused, but Abby just continued to listen, her gray eyes fixed on his. He wished he could read her thoughts, but for once they were not running rampant across her face. He took a deep breath and continued. “The last five years have taught me that nothing lasts forever. They’ve also taught me to take advantage of every moment of joy because life also holds so many moments of sorrow. You can’t escape the sorrow, but too many people don’t latch on to the joy.”

The shrill cry of a hawk split the evening air just as the frogs began their nightly chorus.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Thomas finally asked.

“Not yet,” Abby said lightly, but what was shining in her eyes gave him the courage to continue.

“I’ve thought so much about what I want since I arrived back on the plantation,” Thomas continued. “When my wife died, all I wanted to do was escape Cromwell and go to Richmond. When the war ended, all I wanted was to leave the city and return home to rebuild.” He took a deep breath. “It’s so good to be back home…”

“But it’s not enough,” Abby observed.

Thomas smiled slightly. “No, it’s not. And I’m not even going to ask you how you know that. I’ve learned those gray eyes never miss a thing.” He smiled as a fish jumped out of the water and landed with a splash. “I love it here with all my heart, and it’s been exactly what I’ve needed, but I believe there is so much more I’m meant to be doing. I no longer have a taste for politics, but I am discovering a growing passion to rebuild my state.”

“How?”

Thomas shrugged. “That remains to be seen. It also remains to be seen if I share the next season of my life with someone.”

“Someone who fell in love with you the first day and has been wondering ever since how she was going to explain to your daughter what had happened?”

Thomas sucked in his breath sharply and turned to grasp her hands. “You mean it, Abby?”

“You should know by now I don’t say things I don’t mean,” she chided.

Thomas laughed. “That I do.” He put his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “I just want to look at you,” he murmured. “I never believed I would love again. To be loved in return by such an extraordinary woman is almost more than I can comprehend.”

Abby smiled and raised her hand to rest it on his cheek. “I’ve lived alone for so many years. I had determined that was going to be my lot in life and I found so many ways to make peace with that, but after a few days with you, Thomas, I knew I would never have peace with it again.”

Thomas grasped her hand and pulled her close. “I love you, Abigail Livingston,” he said tenderly. “Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

Abby laughed, tears glistening in her eyes. “Only if you don’t make me wait a long time, Thomas Cromwell,” she responded joyfully. “If nothing else, the war taught me not to take anything for granted and to make the most of every moment.”

“We will marry soon,” Thomas promised as he claimed her lips.

When he finally raised his head, he couldn’t take his eyes off her face. “Could we marry tomorrow?” he asked hopefully.

Abby laughed, suddenly feeling like a girl again. “I think your daughter might have something to say about that.”

Thomas interpreted the sudden look in her eyes. “My daughter,” he said firmly, “is going to be the happiest woman in the world when she hears the news. She loved her mother, but she has thought of you as her mother since the first summer you met. I know you know how much she loves you, but I’m not quite sure you fully comprehend how much you
mean
to her.”

“I know that Carrie is the daughter I always dreamed of having,” Abby said softly. “To join my life with such an amazing man and also have Carrie part of the package, is more than I ever hoped for.”

Thomas shifted so he could pull her tightly into his arms as they gazed out over the river. The setting sun had turned the water from a rich blue to a shimmering gold. Fireflies flitted through the trees along the banks, glimmering like dancing stars in the rich, leafy canopies. Whippoorwills sang into the night as owls joined their hooting to the orchestra.

“It’s amazing to think we will always have this to come home to,” Abby said with a sigh. She turned to Thomas and laid her hand on his face. “I would love it if we could build the factory together.”