Antebellum BK 1 (27 page)

“
The trick is not to use so much that it’s noticeable.”

“
Do you use makeup?”

“
Yes. I’ll show you how tomorrow.”

“
No. Not here with the boys. I’d be embarrassed.”

“
Okay,” Nancy agreed. “When we get back to Washington.”

“
I still need a target male.”

“
I have some ideas. I’ll tell them to you when we get home too.”

Anna laughed softly. “Do you keep a list of eligible bachelors?”

“
Who said anything about bachelors? Forget bachelors. Every desperate woman is after them. Married men are more skilled and less likely to cause a fuss when you become bored with them.”

“
Nancy,” Anna exclaimed.

“
Be an old dried up prude if you want to, but if you’d rather enjoy life before it passes you by, married men are the answer.” She giggled. “Or women.”

“
You’re a scandal.”

“
I know. It’s so much fun.”

“
How do you broach the subject?”

“
I’m not at all delicate about it,” Nancy said. “When I see someone attractive I just ask if they’d be interested in going to bed with me.”

Anna put her face in the pillow and giggled.

“
I’ve discovered that people will discuss the most outrageous things if one isn’t hesitant or apologetic.”

“
How could we have become so different after growing up so close?”

“
We always had our own ideas.”

“
Merry Christmas, Nancy. I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

“
And a merry Christmas to you, Anna. I’ll try to forgive you.”

December 25, 1852

Van Buskirk Point, New Jersey

T
he family and guests had gathered around the Christmas tree. Each of them had a steaming cup. The boys also had dessert plates loaded with pastries. This was a larger family than usual because it included several of the Livingston branch of the family who lived in nearby Elizabeth. In Marina’s absence, Anna, as the acting hostess, clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention and waited until the conversations died. “Merry Christmas,” she shouted.

“
Merry Christmas,” the others shouted back in less than perfect unison.

“
It looks like Johnny is the youngest,” Anna said, “so in keeping with an old family tradition he will be our Saint Nicholas and pass out the gifts.”

Everyone cheered loudly.

Johnny stood up, bowed, started toward the tree and then stopped to look around. “We can’t start yet. Abe, Ginger and Samuel aren’t here.”

“
They can’t make it,” Anna said, casting her eyes toward young Jeb Stuart, in what she hoped would be a silent signal for Johnny to drop it.

Johnny caught the signal but was not about to drop the subject. “Cadet Stuart is a gentleman from Virginia,” he said. “I cannot imagine that he would not respect our family’s values and beliefs, or our friends.”

“
What’s this?” Stuart looked at Pea.

Pea pointed vaguely toward New York Bay. “That big house on the water that you asked about is owned and occupied by a colored family who are very dear family friends.”

Stuart still seemed baffled. “Am I to understand that they are not here because I am?”

“
Abraham felt that it would be best,” Anna said. “He was concerned it might create tension that spoiled our Christmas.”

“
Not having him here will spoil my Christmas,” Johnny said firmly.

“
Are y’all aware that there are free Negroes in the South,” Stuart asked. “And even if there were not, those of us who frequent the North encounter free Negroes almost daily. I have never been discourteous or condescending to anyone black or white, unless it was over an insult that was directed at me or mine.” He stood up. “I shall be going.”

“
Now wait,” Quincy stood up and blocked Stuart’s path. “There is a way around this.”

“
I doubt that you can convince Abe to come here,” Anna said. “He has lately been badly treated by people that he once trusted. White people.”

“
Surely he doesn’t include us with…” Johnny looked around the room and noticed some of those from Elizabeth were not making eye contact. “Or maybe he does. Maybe he’s even right.”

“
This is what we’ll do,” Anna announced. “We’ll open our gifts here, as usual, then some of us will load up a sled with the gifts intended for Abe and his family and we’ll…”

“
I would like to go with you,” Stuart interrupted.

“
That’s a bad idea, Beauty,” Pea replied.

“
I am an educated gentleman of Virginia,” Stuart said. The depth of hurt showed in his face. “I know how to behave in all social situations, including one of mixed races in a Northern town.”

“
You can come,” Quincy pronounced. “But you must be color blind. When you’re introduced you must imagine that everyone has white skin.” He raised his hand to stop Stuart from interrupting. “You will not call them by their given names unless they offer. When Ginger stands, you will stand, just as you would if she was a white lady.”

“
I can do that,” Stuart said. “But I haven’t brought gifts for them.”

“
We’ll find something suitable,” Anna said. “Thank you, Mr. Stuart. Your offer to come with us is very brave and speaks well of your manners and upbringing.” She nodded to Johnny. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Johnny picked up the nearest package and read the tag. “To Caitlin, from Anna and Nancy.” He crossed the room and handed the gift to a pretty girl of about sixteen.

She looked up at him through long eyelashes and smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Johnny.”

Johnny backed up too quickly and stumbled over his own feet, nearly falling.

“
Boom.” Pea cackled. “Lightning strikes and another one bites the dust.”

~

As they were all trekking back through the snow toward the Home Place, Quincy put his arm over Jeb Stuart’s shoulders and gave him a hug. “You did very well back there, Beauty. I’m very proud of you.”

“
Abraham and his family are nice people,” Stuart replied.

“
Yes they are.” Quincy agreed. “It’s a shame that this single decision of the government has upset their lives and made them afraid of white people.”

“
Who’s Samuel’s father?” Stuart asked to change the subject.

Quincy shook his head. “Ginger won’t say, but I think she’s told Samuel.”

“
A white man, obviously. Samuel looks nearly white.”

“
Maybe. I don’t know how those things work. Both Ginger and Abe have white fathers, but, as you saw, he’s quite dark and she’s fair with the red hair that earned her the nickname, Ginger.”

“
I suspected that she was Quadroon when I first saw her,” Stuart said. “Although I would never think the same of Abraham. Maybe his father had some black blood, but passed for white.”

“
Yes. That’s possible.” Quincy removed his arm from the younger man’s shoulders.

“
I didn’t mean anything by that,” Stuart said.

Quincy took a moment to reply. “It troubles me that some find it necessary to define a person’s race in terms of hypodescent terms such as Quadroon, Octoroon, Quintroon, and whatever-else-oroon.”

“
How can anti-miscegenation laws be enforced without some accurate definition of mixed-race people?”

“
There should be no such laws.” Quincy pointed over his shoulder. “If it wasn’t against the law, Ginger would have married Samuel’s father and they would be an American family, just as they should be.”

“
They could have gone to Pennsylvania and gotten married,” Stuart suggested.

“
And then be arrested if they ever came home, or if the Pennsylvania law changed?”

Stuart shrugged. “We didn’t make this world, Pug. And I doubt that we can fix it.”

“
It’ll take a war to do that,” Quincy replied.

“
Or peacefully splitting the United States into two countries,” Stuart said.

January 10, 1853

Washington, D.C.

C
arlotta Ramirez was sitting at her writing desk in her office. “Please sit down, Anna,” she said without looking up. I just need a moment.”

“
I’m in no hurry, Carla.” Anna closed the door behind her.

“
If you want something hot to drink, just pull the bell cord.”

“
No thank you.” Anna took off her gloves, put them in her coat pocket, then removed her coat and hung it on a coat tree by the door. “It’s damnably cold outside. I cannot fathom how this is considered to be part of the South. It’s as cold here as anywhere in the North.”

“
I haven’t seen you since the Strafford’s New Year’s Eve party,” Carlotta said. “Where have you been?”

“
On a train, most of the time, between here and Massachusetts,” Anna replied.

“
What’s taken you to Massachusetts? Business or pleasure?”

“
Business. President-elect Pierce’s youngest son, Bennie, was killed in a train wreck near Andover. I’ve been covering the story for the paper.”

“
Oh yes. I heard about it. How very sad. How old was the boy?”

“
Eleven. Jane Pierce is taking it very, very badly.” Anna sat down on the couch and crossed her legs like a man.

“
I heard that too. Jane Pierce has always been a fragile woman. It was already rumored that Varina Davis will be the official White House hostess during the Pierce administration. I suppose that’s beyond question now. Do you know her?”

“
Who, Varina Davis?” Anna asked.

“
Yes. The wife of Jefferson Davis.”

“
I’ve met her a few times. Her husband served with my father and brothers in Mexico. Frankly, I don’t like either of them. They’re much too Southern. The feeling’s mutual, I fear. Varina excludes me from her guest lists. That could prove to be a problem for me if she becomes the official White House hostess.”

Carlotta waved her hand dismissively. “There will always be men on her guest list who will be happy to have you on their arm in lieu of their frumpy old wives.”