When the Splendor Falls (54 page)

“You certainly know how to cut the ground out from under a man, little sister,” Guy said.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Exactly. If it had been calculated, it would not have worked. But you spoke so sincerely, so sweetly, with such genuine love and affection for poor Adam, that he could hardly continue to argue with you without seeming incredibly boorish,” he said, patting one of his hounds, the bitch looking up at him with adoring eyes. “Now, now, don’t give me that look. She is, isn’t she, Adam?” he asked, staring blindly at Leigh.

Adam laughed. “I should have been prepared, for Mrs. Travers was always rather accomplished at putting one on the defensive,” he said. “I don’t believe your father ever did win an argument with her. And Leigh did inherit her blue eyes. I wonder what color Lucinda’s eyes will become. Her hair is already as dark and thick as Blythe’s. I hope her eyes are hazel,” he murmured, touching the soft fringe of lashes. “She is more beautiful than ever,” he said with a father’s pride as he gazed down at his only daughter. “But she’ll be prettier with hazel eyes, not my gray ones.”

“They probably will become hazel,” Leigh told him.

“Most babies have grayish-colored eyes when they’re born,” Althea told him reassuringly.

“Did I, Mama?” Noelle demanded.

“No, you had just as big brown eyes as you do now.”

“Am I in my usual room?” Adam asked.

“Yes. We were expecting you so we made up the bed.”

“By any chance, did you bring us any news, Adam?”

“Newspapers,” Adam said, remembering the papers he’d placed on the table.

“Adam said they caught the Yankee who tried to attack Richmond,” Leigh told them quickly, before Adam could speak further, and not mentioning the papers they’d found on the man’s body detailing his plans to burn Richmond and murder Davis.

“Fewer papers than before, I’ll wager. How many have gone out of business, now? And what color is the paper this time?”

Leigh giggled. “I do believe it’s a lovely shade of pink.”

“Lord help us! Pink?”

“And the print seems to be black, but I’m not certain. It could be a very dark purple. It’s very pretty,” Leigh couldn’t resist adding. “They are most apologetic, but the editor says he is having a very difficult time finding paper and ink, their allocations being so unreliable, not to mention compositors and printers, all of whom have been so unconscionable as to march off to fight, and after this issue, the paper will even have to find a new editor. He says he has no other choice but to quit, his honor is at stake, since the next issue is going to be on lavender paper.”

“Well, I should hope so. The man ought to be horsewhipped. Do you have time to read to me? At least I will be spared the indignity of having to look at it,” Guy said.

“I’ll read to you, Guy,” Althea said before Leigh could offer. “I think Leigh will be busy unpacking that wonderful treasure chest I’ve been hearing about from Noelle.”

“Good, because I suspect Leigh doesn’t always read everything to me, only what she believes I should hear.”

“Guy!” Leigh protested, but not as vehemently as she might otherwise have, since Guy spoke the truth.

“Can’t deny it, can you?”

“I don’t see any reason to read name by name the casualties of the latest battle, nor will I read one of those horrible editorials criticizing President Davis. The very same people crying the loudest now, blaming Davis for all our woes, are the very same who were crying the loudest for secession before the war.”

“Well, if they continue to print all of our troop movements and the locations of what industries we have, and when our blockade runners are sailing, then the war will be over quick enough. I was astounded the last time you read to me, I thought you’d gotten your hands on a secret military cipher.”

“Mister Adam, good to see you, sir,” Stephen spoke from the doorway. “See you didn’t forget us,” he said, gesturing back at the chest. “See you even remembered to bring us that flour. We might be havin’ some biscuits for supper this evenin’,” he said.

“A feast, Stephen, because I even managed to get my connivin’ hands on a small smoked ham, not up to Travers Hill’s standards, mind you now, but I don’t suppose anyone will mind,” he said, getting slowly to his feet, and with a last glance at his sleeping daughter, he started toward the door.

“Ah, that’ll please Jolie somethin’ fierce. Always makes her feel better when she can cook somethin’ special. Been mopin’ ’round like one of Mister Guy’s hounds since yesterday when the cap’n an’ his soldiers come, ’cause she always gets this bad feelin’ when he’s ’round, with nothin’ good coming of it like four years ago. An’ there was thunder last night too,” Stephen was saying somewhat grudgingly, when he suddenly remembered that no one was supposed to know about the captain, and he cut himself off abruptly, drawing even more attention to himself.

“The captain and his men?” Adam asked, his gaze intent as Stephen stared guiltily at Leigh, as if they shared a secret, and had something to hide.

“Yes, the rebels I told you about. They were looking for the Yankees who attacked Richmond,” Leigh said quickly, rather too quickly, Adam thought, noticing the nervous way her gaze wouldn’t meet his.

“I thought he was a major. Demoted him rather fast, haven’t you?” Guy asked with an amused laugh.

“
Pouvez-vous prendre la boîte, s’il vous plaît?
” Adam called to Noelle, who opened her mouth in surprise, jumping to her feet as she understood his question and ran after him and Stephen to unload the box of smuggled-in goods.

“Let’s see, now,” Althea murmured, opening up the newspaper Leigh had handed her. “It’s all right, Leigh, I do have the strength to hold the paper,” Althea said, glancing up in surprise when Leigh continued to hover nearby, but Leigh had been watching the door nervously, wondering what Adam might be asking Stephen.

“The headlines, first, Althea,” Guy said. “Then some of those amusing vignettes. I read some real sidesplitters in Richmond years ago. They were reprinted from a Georgia newspaper. They were supposedly letters sent to a ‘Mr. Abe Linkhorn’ from a bumpkin called ‘Bill Arp.’ Lampooned everything and everyone.”

“All right. Hmmmm, what do you want to hear about first?” Althea asked, perusing the headlines quickly. “Deserters? There seem to be more than ever, and the government is offering amnesty and pardons to those who will return immediately to the ranks. Otherwise, they will be dealt with harshly; by courts-martial. How about the current price of meal? Good Lord! Four dollars a peck for turnip greens. Oh, my, whatever is this world coming to? A Baptist preacher was actually attacked for selling a barrel of flour for five hundred dollars. I wonder if any of his attackers were from his congregation,” she said worriedly. “My goodness, over a hundred escaped last month from Libby Prison. The federal prisoners dug a tunnel and walked right out onto the streets of Richmond. A couple of escaped prisoners drowned trying to swim to safety, others were caught in the homes of Unionists in the city, or on the outskirts hiding out in abandoned farms, but almost half made it back to the federal lines.

“And listen to this! Just a couple of days ago a train full of gold bullion was robbed. They stole the engine, then ran it off the tracks near Gordonsville. They blew up the rest of the train and murdered the soldiers guarding the gold shipment. A Major Montgomery Stanfield was their commanding officer. Shot them down in cold blood after they’d disarmed them, leaving only one survivor. Later, after they’d destroyed the engine, the engineer and the train’s crew were killed. How horrible,” Althea said, shaking her head in disbelief at the viciousness of the act.

“Stanfield?” Guy questioned. “I knew a Major Stanfield. Met him at Headquarters a couple of times. A real gentleman. What a shame,” Guy said sadly, wondering if anyone was going to live through this war.

“That stirred up the countryside,” Adam said as he reentered the study, carrying an armful of woolens and other items. “And, of course, when Dahlgren tried to raid Richmond every regiment was alerted and went in pursuit, or so it seemed. I’ve never seen so much activity.”

“They say here that the raiders who stole the gold were led by the murderous Captain Dagger. What a frightening name. I don’t believe I remember you reading to us recently about this raider, Leigh. I think I remember hearing about him in Richmond. Something Blythe said. She was always so curious about everything. But I do know about Major Mosby, and…oh, look, it says here that he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and I know about Jeb Stuart, of course, and even that awful Quantrill.”

Leigh’s hand suddenly shook as she took the bar of soap from Adam. Dropping it, she bent down quickly to retrieve it, not seeing Adam’s eyes narrowing thoughtfully on her.

“That’s because this one is a Yankee. The others are rebel raiders,” she explained offhandedly.

“And which side you happen to be on makes it either right or wrong, and how his exploits are reported and perceived by the public,” Guy said with a laugh. “Well, whether it’s Dagger, or Quantrill, whether wearing blue or gray, there isn’t much difference. Bushwhackers, the lot of them.”

“They call his men the Bloodriders. I can see why. I hope they catch them and hang them all,” Althea said, sounding bloodthirsty herself.

“I think, sometimes, what we hear about certain raiders, certain skirmishes, must surely be exaggerated, perhaps even false. I’m sure this Captain Dagger cannot be the outlaw he has been reported to be,” Leigh heard herself saying, and glancing up, she caught Adam’s eye. For a long moment they stared at each other.

“I’ll be glad to see the ‘sun’ again,” Adam said, sounding casual enough as he changed the subject, except to Leigh, and she knew then he knew the truth of Captain Dagger’s identity. He had not forgotten his cousin’s Comanche name either.

“Summer,” Althea said softly, as if already breathing the warm, softly scented breezes drifting in from the gardens.

“I wonder if this Captain Dagger is anywhere close,” Guy suddenly demanded.

“I certainly hope not!” Althea said, a frightened expression crossing her face.

“With all of the soldiers scouring the countryside, searching for this raider, I doubt we are in any danger. But Gordonsville, where the train was robbed, isn’t too far distant, and I heard that a railroad trestle, quite nearby, in fact, was blown just yesterday. They caught this Captain Dagger in a crossfire on the road not far from here. I ran into a number of patrols, and they had quite a tale to tell. Seem to think this Captain Dagger is indestructible. He rides a big bay, with wings, one of the soldiers said, because he seemed to fly out of danger with a thundering of hooves, and out of range of their barrage of bullets. They cannot understand how he escaped their ambush, riding away unscathed, although some of his men weren’t so lucky,” Adam said, staring intently at Leigh’s face, but she was avoiding meeting his eye this time and he found himself wondering why, especially when remembering Stephen’s strange comments earlier.

“I knew I heard an explosion yesterday,” Guy said, slapping his thigh and startling his hounds. “Are you sure it was this Dahlgren the troop of soldiers that came through here yesterday were looking for, and not this Captain Dagger?” Guy questioned.

Leigh cleared her throat of huskiness. “I really don’t remember. Is it important? A Yankee is a Yankee.”

“Women,” Guy snorted in masculine disgust. “No, not really, just curious, that’s all.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about Dahlgren. They caught him,” Adam said.

“Leaves Captain Dagger, then.”

“Yes, that leaves Captain Dagger, doesn’t it,” Adam murmured. “Our troops seem to think they’ve got him trapped hereabouts,” Adam speculated, seeing a flash of dismay cross Leigh’s face before she could hide her true feelings this time.

“Maybe I should offer my services. Could send out my two hounds, here, hunt him down,” Guy joked. “If he can’t get out, if they’ve actually managed for once to tighten the noose around this raider, then he’s probably holed up just like a fox,” Guy mused. “Wish I did have my pack of hounds. If this Dagger fella tried to double back on his trail, or tried to cross the river or ride the streambeds to lose his scent, then we’d find where he came out, we wouldn’t lose him. We’d catch him. Track him right to his hiding place, just like a fox thinking he’s safe in his den in some hollowed-out log or a cave up in the rocks.”

Adam stood for a moment as if struck by lightning as he stared at Guy Travers, then he suddenly laughed softly.

“Come on, Stephen,” he said, “I’ll help you carry the chest out to the kitchens.”

“Oh, Mister Adam, it’s not heavy now. I can manage just fine,” Stephen said as he followed Adam from the room, glancing back at Leigh worriedly, because the young gentleman had already been asking far too many questions about the goings-on at Travers Hill.

“Fine, I’ll stable my horse,” Adam said, surprised by the sudden look of fear that crossed Stephen’s face as he picked up the lightened chest.

“Miss Leigh doesn’t put the animals in the stables anymore. Don’t you remember, Mister Adam? We got them stabled in the back kitchens now. You don’t want to go down to the stables. They’re not real clean anymore,” he said quickly.

“My cousin, Neil Braedon, Captain Dagger, isn’t still down there, is he?” Adam suddenly asked, his question catching Stephen off guard, as Adam intended it should.

“Oh, no, the cap’n an’ his men left yesterday after dark—”

“So, I was right, Neil has been here, hasn’t he, Stephen?”

“Mister Adam, I can’t say anything more. Don’t you ask me now, ’cause I’m not sayin’. Don’t know who’ll be the madder, Miss Leigh, or Jolie,” he said fretfully.

“Don’t worry, Stephen. I already suspected as much,” Adam told him.

“You suspected what?”

Adam turned to see Leigh standing in the doorway.

“That you have aided and abetted the enemy,” he said slowly, but when seeing the stricken look on her face, he relented. “I would have done the same, Leigh. He is my cousin.”

Softly, yet firmly, Leigh shut the study door behind her and hurried to his side. “You know?”