Shifted By The Winds (47 page)

Robert smiled. “Ah, there is the fiery woman I know and love.” He took another bite of chicken.

“Robert!” Carrie leapt up, grabbed her clothes, and began to dress quickly. She slowed down, suddenly aware Robert was devouring her with his eyes. Relishing in her power to torment him, she ignored her shivering body and drew out the process. “And to think that now I’ll have to punish you later,” she drawled as she struggled to keep her eyes stern after she had fastened the last button on her coat.

“Punish me?” Robert asked innocently.

“Certainly you don’t think you’ll be rewarded for this behavior,” Carrie scolded.

“And certainly you know I am the King of the Picnic Basket,” Robert retorted, pulling back the plates loaded with food. “You may want to rethink your decision, Mrs. Borden.”

Carrie laughed and dove for him, wanting to cry with joy as they wrestled on the blanket. How could she possibly leave him again? The very thought swept through her body like a wave crashing onto the shores.

Robert felt the change in her emotions. He sat up, holding her shoulders as he peered into her eyes. “What is it?” he asked.

Carrie struggled for words. Finally she shook her head. “Can we eat first?”

Robert hesitated. “You’re all right?”

“I will be,” Carrie replied. Looking into Robert’s concerned eyes told her everything was going to actually be all right. “I promise. I just don’t think I can do one more thing, or say one more word, until I have some food in me.”

“Eat.” Robert reached behind him and pulled out her plate with a flourish.

Carrie ate slowly, not willing to hurry one moment of this perfect afternoon. Bees and butterflies buzzed and fluttered through the goldenrod spattered with specks of purple aster and Sampson’s snakeroot still holding their blooms. The branches covering their sanctuary still had a tight hold on the vivid red, yellow and orange leaves that seemed to strain against their constraints as the breeze kicked up whitecaps on the James River. The sun sparkling on the water made her catch her breath with the splendor of her home. “I’ve missed this so much,” she murmured, her heart catching again at the thought of returning to Philadelphia for another brutal winter.

Carrie tried to push aside the vision of coal-darkened snow piling up on sidewalks as a vicious wind blew off the coast, but it stood as a sordid contrast to the shimmering white pastures the plantation sported when it snowed.
Don’t think about it
, she scolded herself, trying to hold on to what Abby had told her last night.
Just enjoy the moment you have right now
.

“Carrie?”

Carrie knew by the worried sound in her husband’s voice that her effort not to think about the looming future was failing miserably. “I quit medical school,” she said quietly, not sure if she was disturbed or comforted by the flare of relief she saw in Robert’s eyes. Deep concern followed so quickly on its heels that she wondered if she had actually seen it, or just imagined it.

“What happened?” Robert asked as he reached for her hand.

Carrie told him everything. The sun had sunk low in the sky by the time she finished. Robert had not interrupted her once, not even to ask questions. She appreciated that he knew she simply needed to unburden herself.

There was a long silence when she finally quit speaking. Robert watched her closely. Even Granite had stopped grazing and was now watching her intently. Carrie waited. She needed to give Robert time to process what he had had heard.

“So you start at the Homeopathic College in two weeks?”

Carrie met his eyes. “That is when the term begins.” She suddenly couldn’t bring herself to say she was going to do it. She just couldn’t imagine leaving Robert again. Couldn’t imagine leaving the plantation.

“But you’re not sure you want to return.”

Carrie sighed. “Oh, I’m quite sure I
don’t
want to return,” she admitted, “but I’m struggling with what I am
meant
to do.”

Robert stared out at the river for a long moment before he turned back to her. “I may not be the best person to talk this through with. I know I am probably supposed to convince you to return to Philadelphia and continue your education, but in all honesty I never want to spend another night or day without you again. It is impossible for me to be unbiased.”

“I know,” Carrie replied. “I realize I have to decide for myself, but I share your feelings. I never want to spend another day or night without you again, either.” She gazed at Granite, who was staring at her with knowing eyes. “I don’t want to leave the plantation.”

“And once all you wanted was to leave here.”

“Yes,” Carrie agreed. “I’ve changed. Everything I love and value most is right here on Cromwell Plantation.”

“That will change, too,” Robert murmured.

Carrie nodded. “I know nothing ever stays the same, but I can’t deny that my heart is here.”

“Moses and Rose leave in the spring to go to school,” Robert said.

“Yes. I received a letter from Rose, and we’ve already talked about it.”

“Simon and June may be leaving, too.”

Carrie’s eyes widened. “Why? Who will handle the tobacco after Moses leaves?”

“That is still being discussed.” Robert paused. “Simon and June may be leaving to oversee Blackwell Plantation.”

“What?” Carrie blinked. “Blackwell Plantation has been standing empty since the war started. Has someone bought it?”

“Perry and Louisa are back.”

Carrie sat back and stared at him. “Here in Virginia? I thought they lived in Georgia now. Why have they returned?” She wasn’t certain why the knowledge was so disconcerting.

“You don’t sound pleased.”

“I don’t know what I think about it,” Carrie confessed. “Why have they returned?”

Robert shrugged. “General Sherman was quite successful in his march across Georgia. He set out to destroy a way of life. He succeeded. Perry and Louisa lost everything during the war. Perry tried to rebuild, but this year’s cotton crop was dismal. He brought his family here to start over.”

“When did they arrive?”

“About a month ago.”

“A month?” Carrie tried to absorb this information as she watched Robert. “You never liked Louisa.”

“There was not much to like,” Robert replied, “but she has changed.”

Carrie’s eyes widened. “You like her now?”

“I like both of them,” he said easily. “It took some time, though. We offered to let them stay here on the plantation when it was obvious Blackwell wasn’t livable.”

Carrie’s brain was swimming. Though she and Louisa had reached a peace, she had never considered having her for a neighbor again. “She was quite the Southern plantation mistress,” she murmured. “I can understand their returning, but are you sure Simon and June should work for them? I’m afraid it won’t be anything like Cromwell.”

“Actually it will be
just
like Cromwell Plantation,” Robert replied, a smile dancing on his lips. “Simon had refused to even entertain the idea, and Perry was acting like a prejudiced, entitled Southerner for a long time. Moses made it clear he would not encourage any of his men to work there unless it was run the same way. Perry wouldn’t even consider it at first.”

“And yet it’s the only way for Blackwell to become profitable again,” Carrie said.

“He knows that now,” Robert agreed.

“He has to change for more than money,” Carrie replied.

“Protective?” Robert teased.

“Of course I am! Simon and June are my family. I won’t have anyone treat them the way most Southerners treat blacks,” she said, her eyes flashing. “They’ve both dealt with too much already.”

Robert laughed. “Relax. Perry and Louisa have truly changed. Their time here worked something of a miracle in them. I’ll admit neither Moses nor I thought they could change, but they have. You’re going to be surprised.”

Carrie gazed at him, knowing it was her painful history with Louisa that was making her skeptical. They had found peace in Richmond, but she had many humiliating memories of Louisa when they were growing up. Having her on the plantation was reviving them in her mind.

“Give them a chance,” Robert urged. “Especially Louisa.”

Carrie sighed. As usual, Robert was reading her mind. “They’ll be there when we get back to the house?”

Robert nodded.

Carrie, not wanting to think about Louisa anymore, returned to their earlier conversation. “I don’t know what to do about school.”

“You don’t have to know right this second,” Robert responded. “Neither one of us does, though I don’t really have much to do with this decision.”

“You have
everything
to do with this decision!” Carrie cried.

Robert smiled. “I knew, almost from the day I met you, that you wanted to be a doctor. I decided that day that I would never stand in your way. I have told you honestly that I never want to spend another day or night without you, but I will also never try to dictate your decision. My job is to support whatever you decide. I have a beautiful and brilliant wife. You will make the right decision.”

“I wish I believed the same thing,” Carrie muttered, feeling comforted in spite of her lingering confusion. Just being there with Robert almost convinced her she truly would know what to do.

“I repeat that you don’t have to know right now. You’re not due to return to Philadelphia for nine more days. So much can happen in that period of time. Just wait and see what happens.”

Carrie gazed at him for what seemed an eternity. “I hope you’re right.” She began to repack the picnic basket. “I know this plantation like the back of my hand, whether the sun is shining or it is pitch-black dark, but I’m afraid if we’re not home soon the others will begin to worry.”

“They probably will,” Robert agreed.

Carrie couldn’t identify what was in his voice that made her tense, but she felt sudden anxiety course through her body. “What is it?”

“I’ll tell you on the way home,” Robert replied.

Carrie wanted to demand answers right then, but she knew they couldn’t afford the time it would take for him to give them. She tightened her lips and packed faster.

Moments later they were picking their way through the darkening woods. Granite’s calm steadiness and Robert’s reassuring hand on Juniper’s neck were the only things keeping the mare from bolting as a strong breeze brought down small limbs from the trees. “Good boy,” Carrie murmured to her steady gelding She turned to Robert as soon as they broke free from the woods onto the road leading back to the house. “Tell me what is going on around here,” she demanded.

“There is something else I need to tell you first,” Robert responded.

Even with dusk shrouding the plantation, Carrie could see Robert’s eyes were deeply troubled. She waited quietly, her gaze fixed on him.

“No one will buy the horses, Carrie.”

Carrie was astonished. “Why ever not? Eclipse has sired some of the most amazing colts and fillies I have ever seen. Surely people will realize that soon. We just have to get the word out more—”

“It’s not that,” Robert broke in. “Plenty of people know.”

The truth hit Carrie as soon as the words were out of his mouth. “They won’t buy them because of how Cromwell is being managed,” she said flatly, anger beginning to boil in her.

“That’s the gist of it,” Robert answered.

Carrie reached out and grabbed his hand, stricken by the look in his eyes. She pushed aside her anger. “Why didn’t you tell me when I was here in August?”

“I wanted to. When you were called back early, I didn’t want to dump it on you right before you left.”

Carrie could understand that, but her heart ached for her husband. Her anger melted beneath the weight of her sorrow. He had lost everything during the war except his burning passion for horses. His great hope had been to start over and raise the finest horses in Virginia. “Someone will buy them,” she said. “It’s just not possible that every horseman in this state is a bigoted idiot,” she snapped, her anger surging back as she talked.

“It might be,” Robert muttered.

Carrie stared down the road, her mind racing. “What have you been doing with this year’s crop of babies?”

Robert shrugged. “Training them. If a miracle happens and someone actually buys them, they are going to be more than pleased. Clint is truly gifted, and Amber has a natural ability I’ve never seen in anyone else but you. All of the colts and fillies are coming along incredibly well.”

“And the mares?”

“I bought more in the spring before I realized no one would buy their offspring. All of them are bred and due in the spring. Come March and April, there will be twice as many that no one wants to buy,” he said ruefully.

“What does Polly say?” Carrie asked.

Robert shifted in his seat to look at her better. “What does
Polly
say? What difference would that make?”

Carrie smiled and shrugged. “She seems to know things. Just like Sarah did.” She saw a smile begin to form in Robert’s eyes. “So what did Polly say?” she repeated.

“She said somebody with sense in their head is gonna come buy these fine horses.”

Relief flowed into Carrie. “Then someone will,” she said with confidence.

“And if she isn’t right?”

Carrie grinned. “Have you ever known her to be wrong?”

“Well, no, but…”

“If I were you I would just keep on training those babies. When the right person finally shows up to buy them, they are going to be so thrilled they’ll spread the word like wildfire. You probably won’t even have enough in the spring to fill the demand. You’ll have to start a waiting list for the following year.”

“Time will tell,” Robert muttered, but his eyes were more hopeful.

Carrie remained silent for several minutes, the pieces clicking together in her mind as they cantered down the road. When the final piece had snapped into place, she slowed to a walk, motioning for Robert to move closer. “So people are displeased with what is happening at Cromwell. That means everyone is in danger, and all of you have to be extra careful. The vigilantes are becoming bolder as the elections draw nearer because they know the South is soon to be without support from President Johnson.”

Robert stared at her, and then a bemused smile spread across his face. “That would be the issue in a nutshell,” he replied. He told her quickly about the last incident at the school.

“They didn’t return?”

“No, but it’s just a matter of time,” he said. “I think things are rather chaotic right now because of the elections. There is a last ditch effort being made to strengthen President Johnson, but I don’t believe it will work.”

“It will fail. Matthew has been keeping us abreast of the news. Things are about to change radically.”

“For the better?”

Carrie hesitated. “I hope so. It will take some time to implement the changes the Republicans vow to initiate, but it will take even longer to truly change the
attitudes
in the South. It’s going to require great courage and persistence from both whites and blacks to make that happen.”

When Robert didn’t reply, she looked up and was surprised to see they were almost back to the house. She put all the troublesome talk behind her as she saw the crowd of people waiting on the porch. “Rose!” she yelled, pushing Granite into a gallop for the last hundred yards. Rose laughed joyfully as Carrie leapt from her saddle and hurled herself into her arms.

“I missed you,” Rose cried.

Carrie gazed up at the ring of faces on the porch and knew she was truly home. She always enjoyed returning to the plantation, but never had she felt the connection so strongly. Never had she feared her heart would rend in two if she dared to leave. The feeling both thrilled her and confused her. She believed so strongly she was meant to be a doctor. What could this mean? She caught Abby’s eyes as she peered up at the porch. The message was loud and clear.
You don’t have to know now.
The words, silently whispered on the breeze, released the vise around her heart.

“I missed you too,” Carrie whispered. “Oh, how I missed you.” Only she needed to know that the missing encompassed everything she could see, hear and smell.

A loud whinny attracted her attention. She grinned when she looked over and saw Amber clinging to the pasture fence, a horse’s head resting on her leg. Robert had told her about Amber’s reaction to their gift. “That’s a fine looking filly you have there, Amber.”

“The best in the world,” Amber declared, her eyes glowing with warm happiness. “Thank you,” she said shyly, her expression expressing her gratitude far more than her words ever could.

Carrie smiled as she walked over to stroke All My Heart’s silky head. “The two of you belong together. Just like Granite and I did.”

Amber sucked in her breath. “That’s just what I thought,” she whispered. “Did you know right from the first moment?”

“Right from the first moment,” Carrie confirmed. She laughed when Granite, his reins hanging free, trotted over to nuzzle her shoulder and then touched his nose to the filly’s.

“Granite is helping me train All My Heart,” Amber confided. “She adores him. She copies everything he does.”

“She couldn’t have a better teacher,” Carrie replied. She felt a fierce desire not to miss one moment of it, but now was not the time to ponder what she was feeling.

A movement on the porch caught her attention. She felt herself tense, but saw Amber’s surprised look and forced herself to relax as she turned around. “Hello, Louisa,” she called, glad when her voice came out warmly welcoming.

“Carrie!” Louisa called. She ran down the steps and across the yard.

Carrie watched her with surprise. She had never seen Louisa move any faster than a sophisticated southern woman’s stroll.

“It’s so wonderful to have you home,” Louisa said just before she wrapped her in a big hug.

Carrie saw the wide grin on Robert’s face over Louisa’s shoulder. Stunned, she returned the hug and then stepped back to peer into Louisa’s face. “It’s so good to see you.”

“Oh, you probably don’t mean that right this minute,” Louisa said blithely, “but I hope you will soon.”

Carrie searched for a response but came up empty. Her mouth almost dropped open when Rose strolled up next to Louisa and wrapped her arm around her waist.

Louisa laughed. “I told you she wouldn’t know what to think.”

“It takes time to undo the past,” Rose said, sounding exactly like her mama. “I predict it won’t take too long, though.”

The sound of squealing children broke through Carrie’s shock. She watched as John and a bright-haired boy that could be no one but Louisa’s son raced across the yard, chasing the last fireflies of the season. It was easy to tell they were the best of friends. She shot a look at Louisa, mesmerized when she saw easy affection on her face as she watched the boys play.

Carrie let out a long breath. “Well…” she managed. Rose and Louisa stepped up next to her, wrapped their arms around her waist, and pulled her toward the porch. Carrie smiled when she saw Moses, Simon, Matthew and Perry sitting together on the porch talking easily. Jeremy was pushing Marietta in the swing that hung from the branch of the oak tree positioned outside her childhood bedroom. Thomas and Abby reclined on the porch swing as Annie stepped out with a new tray loaded high with cookies. June’s voice, calling from the kitchen, floated out into the night air.

Suddenly she knew, truly knew, that she was home. More importantly, she was looking at proof that miracles really did happen.

“Robert! Robert!” John dashed from behind a tree, Jasper close by his side. “You can’t catch us!”

Robert leapt off the porch to give chase. “I’ll get you!” he called. His laughter rang through the still evening as he ran after them, making sure to let them remain just out of reach.

Carrie’s step faltered as she watched her husband cavorting with the two young boys. She summoned a bright smile when Rose squeezed her waist more tightly, but she suspected her best friend was not fooled.