Shifted By The Winds (53 page)

Mark looked at him closely. “You believe it’s going to get worse.”

Rose held up a hand. “It doesn’t matter what he believes. Not tonight. Tonight is about celebration. The problems in America will wait for just one night.”

Moses laughed and nodded easily. He wasn’t convinced, but now was not the time to say so. Something in his gut said trouble was coming, but he pushed it back with effort.  He would deal with it if it came.

Carrie looked around the yard, mesmerized by all the lanterns glowing as the sun sank below the horizon. Their radiance formed pools of soft light beneath the trees they hung from. A chill was beginning to invade the air, but she knew no one would feel it once the dancing began. The tables had been relieved of their heavy burden of food. After the tournament had ended and the awards were distributed, the feasting had begun. Felicia and Rose had led games for the children while the women huddled together on blankets, talking and laughing. The men had played a rousing game of baseball, thrilled by the equipment Thomas and Abby had brought with them. None of them had ever played before, but that didn’t keep them from a fierce competition. All in all, the day had been a complete success. And it was far from over. She knew every person there had been waiting for the dancing.

She had seen Polly, Annie and June disappear upstairs with Amber an hour or so ago. She watched as several of Moses’ men picked up guitars, banjos and fiddles. They moved to an area under the tree and began to play. The sound of their music caused everyone to quit talking.

Thomas, dressed once more in his black suit after shucking it to join in the baseball game, stepped forward to announce the beginning of the Cromwell Ball. The lantern light shimmering on his white hair seemed also to swallow his wrinkles. Carrie had a flash of the very young-looking blond man who had entered the Civil War years. The death of her mother and four years of conflict had stolen his youthful appearance, but it hadn’t stolen his vibrancy, and they had also given him a maturity and elegance that almost took her breath away.

“The Cromwell Ball is about to begin,” he called. There was to be no similarity to the carefully cultivated elegance of the Blackwell Ball, but Abby had insisted they give it the same importance. “We will start by welcoming our conquering knight.”

The music swelled louder as everyone watched the back door of the plantation house. The door opened slowly. Amber stepped out onto the stairs, pausing to look around, her head raised regally.

Carrie caught her breath. The three women had worked wonders. Little Amber had truly been turned into a female conquering knight. Her hair, normally pulled back into a tight braid, had been piled on top of her head with wisps floating around her narrow face. Her eyes seemed huge as they sparkled in the lantern light. Her breeches and shirt had been replaced by a creamy white, flowing dress that reached to her ankles. It danced around her as the breeze stirred brightly colored leaves that framed her like a painting.

Robert stepped out of the crowd and held out his hand. “May I accompany you, my knight?”

Amber giggled as she nodded. “But of course,” she managed to say demurely. “I would be honored.”

Carrie choked back a laugh. The preparation committee had been very thorough in prepping Amber for the evening.

Amber seemed to nearly glide as Robert tucked her hand through his arm and led her to Thomas. Thomas smiled warmly as he took Amber’s hand and turned her to face everyone. Other than a collective gasp when she had walked out, everyone had remained silent. Carrie felt as if someone had cast a spell on the evening.

“Ladies and gentleman, I present to you Amber, the Conquering Knight of the Cromwell Tournament.”

Carrie pushed aside the thought that Gabe and Polly needed to take a last name as she joined in the warm applause and cheering. Thomas reached into a box behind him and pulled out a crown woven of tobacco leaves, interspersed with bright yellow and white flowers.

He held it high and placed it in Amber’s hands. “Madame Conquering Knight,” he said solemnly, “you are now to choose the King of Love and Handsomeness for the evening’s festivities.”

Carrie chuckled, knowing just how appalled Southern aristocracy would be with their rendering of the tournament and ball.

Robert edged up beside her. “Do you think the Blackwells are turning in their graves?” he whispered, his voice laced with humor.

“Absolutely,” Carrie whispered back as she saw Amber’s eyes sweep the crowd before she held the crown high in a display of sheer triumph. “The whole day has been perfect.”

“You were amazing on Granite,” Robert whispered. “Should I tell you that my money was on you?”

“At the very least, you should
not
tell me if your money was actually on Amber,” Carrie teased, stretching up to kiss Robert on his cheek. “That little girl deserved to win. She was truly amazing.”

“She was, wasn’t she?” Robert replied, love and pride coating his words.

Amber’s voice stopped their talking. “I was planning on winning the tournament,” she began, pausing to wait for the laughter to die down, “so I’ve had a lot of time to decide who would be my king. Robert told me choosing my king should not be taken lightly if I won.” Her eyes sought out Robert. “I thought about Robert because he’s taught me almost everything I know, and he let me ride Eclipse…”

“I didn’t
let
you ride him,” Robert called. “You won the right in a bet.”

“Well, yes, that’s true,” Amber responded. “But you were a good loser!”

Laughter rolled through the crowd again, but Amber raised her hand to silence them, looking every inch the Conquering Knight. “I thought about some boys at school because there are a couple I’m watching real close.” She had to pause again when mirth interrupted her. “Anyway, after I thought about that a while, I realized who I wanted to crown king. Next to Robert, my brother, Clint, has taught me everything I know. I know most people believed Carrie would win, but my brother kept telling me I could do it. After a while, I guess I started believing him.”

She held the crown high in the air. “I guess this crown is going to look funny on my brother, but I can’t think of anyone I would rather crown the King of the Cromwell Ball!” she said loudly.

Clint was laughing, but he had a look of deep pride and love on his face as he strode forward. He stepped in front of Amber, bowed deeply, and then knelt in front of her so she could place the crown on his head. “I am honored to be your king, O Conquering Knight.”

Amber placed the crown on his head, her eyes glowing with happiness, and then she held out her hand. “May I have the honor of the first dance?” she said sweetly.

Carrie knew this ball wasn’t going to resemble any she had been to, but she was still startled when the musicians broke into a lively rendition of the Juba, instead of the waltz she had danced with Robert when he won. She glanced at Louisa standing on the other side of the clearing with Perry, both surprised and pleased to see both of them smiling as they watched the proceedings.

“Not so fast,” Thomas called, waving to the musicians to stop playing as he moved back into the center of the circle. “We still have to select the kings and queens-in-waiting.”

Amber dropped her eyes. “Sorry, I forgot about that part.”

“I can understand why when you have such a perfect king waiting to dance with you,” Thomas responded. “Will you call the top five competing knights up here, Amber? Do you remember the last five you vanquished on your way to victory?”

Amber’s eyes lost their embarrassed look as she nodded confidently. “Carrie. Susan. Robert. Moses. Clark. Will all of you please come join me?” She smiled mischievously. “You might not have won, but you still get to be with me.”

A fresh wave of amusement swept through the waiting crowd.

“Gloat this year, Amber,” Carrie said as she walked forward with Robert. “But next year is coming. I will be ready.” And she would be. She could hardly believe she had held her secret in all day. She had enjoyed every minute of the Harvest Celebration, but she was eager for the day to end so she could tell Robert she wasn’t leaving. Yes, Amber was definitely going to have competition next fall.

Carrie watched as Robert chose Abby to be his lady-in-waiting. Moses pulled Rose out of the crowd. Susan selected Mark. Clark solemnly announced his wife, Cassie Lou, was to be his lady-in-waiting. Carrie walked forward as Thomas beckoned to her. “I can think of no one I would rather have as my King tonight than you, Father.”

Thomas smiled proudly and held out his hand. “I am honored,” he replied. He bent down to talk softly. “I’m not sure I’m your best choice for the Juba, however.”

Carrie laughed as the musicians burst into loud music. “We’ll both do the best we can,” she murmured, watching Moses and Rose closely as they began to move around the floor. The Juba Dance was originally from West Africa, but it had become a plantation dance during the slave gatherings when no rhythm instruments were allowed due to fear of secret codes hidden in the drumming. “Watch Rose and Moses, and Clark and Cassie Lou. Do what they do.”

She and her father laughed their way through the first dance. They exchanged helpless looks as Rose and Moses circled them, stomping their feet and slapping their arms, legs, chests and cheeks.

“Come on,” Moses teased. “You’re not too white to pick up the Juba!”

Carrie rolled her eyes, but by the third dance, when everyone had joined in the celebration, she and her father had fallen into the rhythm. “This is fun!” she cried.

Robert and Abby moved closer. “Speak for yourself,” Robert muttered. “How in the world are you making your feet and arms do that?”

“My question exactly,” Abby cried with exasperation.

Carrie released her father and grabbed Robert’s hand. “Father, you teach Abby. I’ll take care of my clumsy husband.”

“Clumsy?” Robert sputtered. “You’ll regret that!”

“Only if you can figure out how to make your hands and feet work at the same time,” Carrie teased. By the time two more dances had been played, Robert was keeping up with her.

Robert was laughing as the music swelled around them. “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m graceful, but at least I look like I know how to dance!” He looked at her with sudden suspicion. “How did you learn how to do that so quickly?”

“You mean other than the fact that I’m a natural dancer?” Carrie asked demurely. She chuckled when she saw the threatening look in her husband’s eyes. “I had the privilege of seeing Master Juba in action while I was in Philadelphia.”

“Master Juba?”

“His real name is William Henry Lane. He is actually one of the first black performers in the country. His show was amazing.” She paused as she remembered. “I had seen the Juba Dance on the plantation for years, though of course my mother wouldn’t let me dance it. When I saw Master Juba, I went home and practiced what I had seen until I didn’t feel totally awkward. Having the music with it makes it much easier.”

“I knew you had a secret advantage!” Robert crowed as he stomped around her and slapped his legs.

“That’s not the only secret I have,” Carrie teased.

“Oh, really?” Robert murmured in her ear. “Don’t you know you shouldn’t keep secrets from your husband?”

Suddenly Carrie couldn’t stand it another second. “Come with me!”