On to Richmond (80 page)

             
“So now we’re even,” Carrie said.  “If you don’t get back to those soldiers, everything you have worked for is going to be lost.   Sitting with me all day and holding my hand are not going to change whether I make it or not!”  She made her voice stern even though her own doubts had begun to crowd out some of her confidence.

             
Moses sighed.  “There is a stack of candles just inside the door.  Make sure you take plenty with you.”

             
“I will,” Carrie promised.  Then she looked up at him intently.  “When you get back North, tell Rose I love her and miss her.  Aunt Abby, too.  Tell them I believe we will be together someday when this horrible war is over.”  She paused.  “I would like to think I could come back to the plantation, but my heart is saying my job here is done for now.  I have a feeling I will be in Richmond for the rest of the war with Father.”

             
Moses looked troubled.  “That may not be for long, Carrie.”  Briefly he filled her in on the actions of McClellan’s army.  “Richmond is their next target.”

             
Carrie nodded.  “I’ll face that when I have to,” she said firmly.  “First, I have to get there.”  She stretched up and kissed Moses on his strong cheek.  “I love you, Moses.  Thank you for everything.”  Then she stepped back.  “You have to go,” she said urgently. 

             
Moses looked down at her for several long moments.  Then he pulled her close in a warm embrace.  “Be careful, Carrie,” he said in a broken whisper.  Then he turned and began to run easily along the river bank. 

             
Carrie watched him until he was out of sight.  She wiped at the tears rolling down her face then turned and disappeared into the tunnel.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

              As soon as Carrie entered the tunnel, she noticed the box of candles and matches Moses had talked about.  She picked a candle up and stared at in wonder.  Who had put it there?  Her father?  Her grandfather?  Her great-grandfather?  Quickly she struck a match and then lit her candle.  Then she picked up a huge handful and stuck them in her dress pocket.  Thank goodness she had not undressed for bed last night.  Her present situation would be even more ridiculous. 

             
She reached behind her and pulled the door to the tunnel firmly shut.  Once it was closed, not even a shred of light seeped around the edges to reveal its presence.  Whoever built this tunnel had been a master craftsman.  Carrie stared at it for a long moment, wondering at the skill and labor it had taken to build what she had walked through this morning.  She still could not believe she had never known of its existence.  Had her mother known?  She and her father would have much to talk about when she reached Richmond.

             
That thought was enough to pull her back to the present.  First she had to discover if there was a tunnel that led to the barn.  If there wasn’t, she would find another way to sneak there once it was dark.  She had already decided she would not leave Granite.  Besides, he was probably her only way out of there. She stood still and tried to envision where the barn was from the end of the tunnel.  Finally she shook her head.  All the many twists and turns of the tunnel had made her lose all sense of direction.  She wasn’t even sure where the tunnel had come out on the river.  The only thing she was sure of was that the door would be off the right side of the tunnel.  She would begin there. 

             
Carrie raised the candle high so it would cast the greatest amount of light.  Then she began to creep down the tunnel, her eyes glued to the wall for anything that would reveal the presence of another tunnel.  An hour later she was startled when she heard a muffled shout above her head.  She moved to extinguish her candle and then realized how silly she was being.  No one could possibly know she was down here. 

             
She frowned as she realized she was once more under the house.  Part of her longed to stay and see what she could discover.  The realistic side of her said she needed to concentrate on nothing but finding the door to the stable - if one existed.  Only then could she think of something else.  She turned around and began to retrace her steps, moving even more slowly this time.

             
She had gone barely a hundred yards when she stopped suddenly.  She held the candle closer to the wall and peered at it intently.  Was that a faint outline in the bricks?  She knelt down to get a better look and ran her hands lightly over the wall.  She could just barely discern a crack in the bricks.  But where was the handle?  She rocked back on her heels and stared at it then ran her hands along the outline again.  There was simply no handle.  Suddenly she felt one of the bricks shift slightly under her hand.  Carrie held her breath while she shook the brick and then gasped when it came loose in her hand.  She laid it aside and leaned closer, holding the candle to the hole.

             
“The handle!” she breathed triumphantly.  Suddenly she laughed.  “My great- grandfather was a genius,” she whispered admiringly. 

             
Carrie stood and pulled at the metal handle.  The door opened slowly but easily.  Still, there was no way of knowing if this tunnel led to the stable.  For all she knew, it could lead elsewhere.  There was only one way to find out.   Stepping into the gaping hole, Carrie continued on.   She lit another candle, stepped into the hole, and pressed on. 

             
The tunnel made three turns and then ended abruptly in front of her.  Carrie stared at the ladder set into the wall just in front of her.  Where did it lead?  What was on the other side of the door above her head? For all she knew, she could walk right into a group of Union soldiers.  How could she determine where she was.

             
“I believe that’s one of the finest horses I’ve ever seen.”

             
Carrie gasped and shrunk back as a voice sounded just above her head.  She recognized the captain’s voice immediately.

             
“Looks like a slab of granite, Captain. A mighty fine slab of granite.”

             
Carrie didn’t recognize the second voice, but she was relieved to know it wasn’t the fellow named Clyde.  She didn’t want him anywhere near her horse.

             
The unidentified voice continued.  “You would look mighty fine riding that horse, Captain.  Since Miss Carrie Cromwell wasn’t here to greet you, I reckon she would want to extend some of that famous Southern hospitality and give you her horse.”

             
Carrie clenched her teeth to keep from crying out.

             
The captain’s voice, when he answered, was amused.  “I think you’re right, Joe.  It would be a shame to let a fine animal like this go to waste.  I want you to tell the other men the barn is off limits.  Tomorrow afternoon, once we’re done cleaning this place out, this beautiful Thoroughbred will carry me away from here.”

             
“You’ll be the envy of everyone,” Joe said admiringly.

             
“I’m afraid you may be right.  Here’s hoping I can hold on to this animal when some of our many generals lay eyes on him.” 

             
The captain laughed, and then Carrie heard him slap something. 

             
“Well, old man, you take it easy in here.  We’ll clear out of here tomorrow.” 

             
Not if I have anything to say about it,
Carrie thought fiercely.  Slowly she unclenched her fists as the footsteps above her faded away.  She had discovered valuable information.  The men were indeed planning on spending a night there.  And the barn would supposedly be empty of soldiers.  So far everything was going her way.  Carrie forced herself to breathe evenly and considered her options. 

             
By her best calculations, it must be around ten o’clock in the morning.  She had decided she wouldn’t make her move until almost midnight.  By then most of the soldiers should be sleeping, and she would be able to catch any guards by surprise.  That left fourteen hours to fill.  Confident now no one could hear her when she was in the tunnel, she decided to move back into the house and see if she could determine what was going on. 

             
She turned and retraced her steps until she reached the main tunnel.  Carefully she used the brick that had concealed the tunnel to prop the heavy door open.  She didn’t want to have to repeat her initial search.  Pulling against it firmly, she satisfied herself it was secure and then set off toward the house.  Just then her stomach growled loudly.  Carrie shook her head and pressed on.  She would just have to be hungry until she reached Richmond.  It was a small price to pay for her freedom. 

             
She was even with what she knew was her father’s office when she finally heard voices.  Carrie strained to hear what was being said.  Whoever it was, the voices were very low.  She had to press her head almost into the bricks before she could make out the quiet words. 

             
“Where in the world you figure Miss Carrie got off to?”

             
Carrie clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out in delight.  It was Sam!  They must not have hurt him too badly.  She could imagine the perplexed look on his kindly face and the worry darkening his eyes.  He had taken seriously his job of caring for her.  She longed to reveal her presence but knew she couldn’t. 

             
“It’s like that girl just disappeared into thin air,” Opal said.

             
Tears filled Carrie’s eyes as she realized both her friends were safe.  The soldiers must have put them in the office while they searched the house.  Sam’s next words confirmed her suspicions. 

             
“I sure wish I could get up there in her room and look for myself.  Must be somethin’ magic up there that took her away.  I heard her in that room myself, not two minutes ‘fore them soldiers came stomping up on the porch.”

             
Carrie smiled.  It had indeed been magic.  All these years she had known deep in her heart that the beautiful mirror held secrets.  But never in her wildest imagination had she envisioned the secret she had discovered.  Gratitude toward her great-grandparents rose in her like a wave.  She knew there had been no more Indian attacks after they had completed the house.  The tunnel had simply been there for years, a hidden extension of the house.  When it was needed, it was there, patiently waiting to be put to use. 

             
“I believe Miss Carrie is okay, Sam.  We may never know how, but somehow that girl got away.  Why, she’s probably riding into Richmond right now.”

             
Carrie smiled, sank down, and leaned back against the wall.  In spite of everything, she was suddenly very tired.  Two nights of no sleep and the anxiety of the last few days had caught up with her.  She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes.  She would rest here, close to her friends.  If anything else happened to them, she would know about it. 

             
The sharp slamming of a door jolted her awake.  Heart pounding, she realized she must have slept.  But for how long?  What time was it?  Her immediate thought was to follow the tunnel back to the river so she could look outside and determine the time of day.   A sudden voice held her where she was. 

             
“I say we bring him in here, Captain.  If he really is from around here, these slaves will know him.”

             
Carrie leaned forward anxiously as Clyde’s voice erupted just on the other side of the wall. 

             
“You’re making too much out of this, Clyde,” the captain protested.  “Moses explained what happened.  Adams had someone with him when we stopped him.  They were hiding in the woods.  Moses was still in the store gathering food when we took off.  When he came out, the two men jumped him and tied him up.”

             
“Adams wasn’t big enough to even faze our nigger giant,” Clyde said coldly.

             
“Two men surprising him could certainly pull it off.  You saw how scratched and cut he was.  I believe he’s telling the truth.  Besides, if he really helped the Cromwell girl escape - which I believe is completely ludicrous - what in the world would he be doing back here?”

             
“I don’t know,” Clyde admitted.  “But I got me a feeling, Captain.  And it ain’t gonna hurt none to bring him in here.  The old ones might be able to pull off faking never seeing him, but these kids sure can’t.”

             
Carrie breathed a sigh of relief.  Moses had returned to his unit and made up a story just like he said he would.  She was confident in Sam and Opal’s ability to reveal nothing, but Clyde was right about one thing.  Any of the other children in the quarters would have been a dead giveaway.  They all worshipped Moses.  But Fannie’s kids had never laid eyes on him.  Barely breathing, she pressed herself against the wall and waited. 

             
Soon she heard heavy footsteps approaching again.  “Have any of you ever seen this man before?” the captain asked sharply.

             
“Don’t know as how I’d be havin’ a reason to know a Yankee nigger, Captain,” Sam drawled.

             
Carrie almost laughed out loud as she pictured his wide-eyed innocence.

             
“This man isn’t a Yankee,” the captain snapped.  “He’s from around here.”

             
There was a slight pause.  “Nope.  Don’t reckon as how I ever seen him ‘fore.”

             
“What about you, woman?”

             
“I ain’t never laid eyes on him either,” she heard Opal say easily.  “Is that man really a Yankee soldier?”

             
“Let’s just say he helps us with information we need around here,” the captain responded. 

             
Clyde spoke up then.  “Ask the children!” he said impatiently.

             
“I’ve been watching the children,” the captain responded.  “I’d have known in an instant if they knew Moses.  Nope, Clyde, this time you’re barking up the wrong tree.”  There was a slight pause.  “Moses, I’m sorry.  Everyone is a little tense right now.”

             
“I understand, Captain,” Moses responded calmly.  “What would you like me to do now?”

             
“How about staying in here?  Maybe
you
can get these slaves to talk.  I think they know more than they’re saying.  Try to convince them we mean them no harm.  Maybe they can be of some use to us.”