Antebellum BK 1 (34 page)

“
Let me think about it.”

Nancy started for the door. “Don’t be long, please. I didn’t take a bath last night and I feel grimy.”

“
I’ll get dressed without bathing and relieve you, then you can up and bathe.”

“
No. Go ahead and take your bath. I’ll be okay.” She hurried out, down the hall and skipped down the stairs.

Caitlin was at the kitchen table drinking hot cocoa with the Widow Keller. Mrs. Keller was employed as cook and housekeeper for the season, but she behaved like the matron of the manor.

“
Good morning, Mrs. Keller,” Nancy said. She kissed Caitlin on top of her head. “Merry Christmas. Did you get any sleep?”

“
Not a wink,” Caitlin replied. “We didn’t get home from New York until the sun was almost up. I just changed my clothes and came straight over here.”

“
Aren’t you exhausted?”

“
Yes. But it was worth it. The music, the decorations and the gas-lighting was wonderful.”

“
Not to mention bundling in the back of the sleigh.” Nancy walked to the stove and poured herself a cup of coffee.

Caitlin giggled. “That was the best part. Who told you?”

“
A little bird.” Nancy sat down.

“
I’ve got eleven children,” Mrs. Keller announced loudly. “The first one started under a blanket in the back of a sleigh.”

Caitlin blushed. “We only shared a few kisses.”

Nancy stifled a giggle. “Anna said that the boys were in their cups. I slept through the whole thing.”

“
I heard ‘em, but went right back to sleep,” Mrs. Keller replied. “Boys will be boys.”

“
Quincy and Paul were very tipsy,” Caitlin added. “My brother drank so much that he passed out. We woke the whole house trying to carry him up to bed. My father was furious at him.”

“
You didn’t drink?” Nancy asked.

“
Johnny wouldn’t let me. But a lot of the other girls were drinking.”

“
In nine months some of them girls will be getting’ the same surprise I got with me first born,” Mrs. Keller said as she stood up. “You young ladies get outta me kitchen now. I’ve got work to do.”

Nancy followed Caitlin into the parlor. “Are you and Johnny serious about each other?”

“
He’s more serious than I am, but don’t tell him I said that.” She walked across the room to stand by the fire.

“
I won’t.” Nancy sat down.

“
If you’re worried that I’ll wreck Johnny’s career, don’t. I know he’s a soldier and I’ll never marry a soldier. But he’s the best kisser I ever knew.”

“
That could be trouble,” Nancy murmured.

February 28, 1854

New Orleans, Louisiana

M
arina and Josiah were standing on the balcony of their hotel room, watching the Mardi Gras revelers pass just below. Josiah whistled and waved at a girl in a nearly transparent gossamer costume who was riding on a white horse. “Lady Godiva, I reckon,” he chuckled. The girl waved back.

“
I once threatened to march bare-breasted in the Fat Tuesday parade,” Marina said.

“
Now’s your chance,” Josiah replied. “I won’t stop you.”

“
If I had done it back then, men would have whistled and cheered. If I did it now they’d throw stones.”

“
Oh I don’t know, Marina. You still get my blood a-boilin’ okay.”

She laughed. “But you’re easy.”

“
That’s me. Livin’ the easy life in the Big Easy with a hot-blooded Meskin beauty.” He patted her on the bottom.

“
If I had my life to live over again…” She shook her head. “I know. Make the most of what I have.”

“
Yup.” He waved at another pretty girl who blew him a kiss. “Do you reckon all these Fat Tuesday folks is gonna be lined up at church tomorrow fer Ash Wednesday?”

“
I’m sure very few of them are even Catholic. They’re only here for the party.”

“
Did I ever tell you that I was brung up Catholic?”

“
Yes. You told me a long time ago when I mentioned that I was educated by nuns.”

“
Oh, that’s right.” He nodded. “You ever have the yen to get yer sins washed away, Marina?”

She shook her head. “No, but it you ever want to go to Mass, I’ll go with you. I won’t confess or take the Eucharist, but I’ll keep you company.”

“
Me? No, not me.” He shook his head. “Too many sins. Seems kinda hypocritical to ask God to forgive ‘em, ‘specially since I plumb enjoyed committin’ most of ‘em.”

“
Then why did you mention it?”

“
Guess I’d like for you to be in heaven while I’m roastin’ in hell.”

She took his hand in hers. “I don’t ever want to be anywhere where you’re not, Josiah.”

He squeezed her hand. “Maybe I should go t’ Mass and thank God for you, Marina. You’re surely a miracle.”

May 19, 1854

New Orleans, Louisiana

J
osiah looked up as Marina came into the hotel room. “I was gettin’ plumb worried about you. You didn’t tell me you was goin’ out.”

Marina sat down across from him but didn’t reply.

“
I won near five hundred dollars at the horse races. I believe I could support us with my weekly winnin’s, if we needed the money.”

She nodded.

“
Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong, or do I gotta guess?”

“
How do you feel?”

“
Okay. Why?”

“
Yesterday you said you had a cold.”

“
So? It ain’t nothin’. I’ve had many a worse ’ne than this ’ne.”

“
Do you have a fever?”

“
If I do, it ain’t much. Why are you askin’ all these questions?”

“
Any backache?”

“
Marina!”

“
There’s a yellow fever outbreak. I just came from the hospital. It looks like it’s going to be an epidemic.”

“
Well, shit. If that’s true, the last place you shoulda went to was a hospital. Unless you just wanted to catch the yeller-jack.”

“
I’ve already had it. I’m immune. Answer me. Do you have a backache?”

“
Yeah, some. But I been standin’ up watchin’ the horses all day.”

“
Stop lying to me and playing the big, tough man,” she shouted. “I want to know how you feel.”

He took a moment to answer. “Kinda poorly, I reckon.”

She got up, walked to him and put her palm against his forehead. “Pack a little bag. We’re getting out of here.”

He felt his head. “Do I have a fever?”

“
Yes.”

He shrugged. “Then why are we goin’ anywhere? If I’ve got the yeller-jack I’m either gonna get better or I’m gonna die. This is as good a place as any to do whichever.”

“
I was here during the last big epidemic, Josiah. There were bodies in the streets. No words can describe the horror of it.”

“
Okay. Just explain to me how getting’ on a boat and goin’ someplace else is gonna be better for either of us, and I’ll start packin’.”

She sat back down and wiped a tear off her cheek. “I’d feel safer if you were in the care of an eastern doctor.”

“
How would the doctor feel?”

“
What?”

“
Do you think the doctor’d be happy that we exposed him and all his patients to the yeller-jack? There ain’t no cure, Marina. A body either gets better or dies.”

“
Damn it, Josiah. Do you always have to be so logical?”

“
No. I can wring my hands and holler gloom and doom with the best of ‘em. But if I’m gonna die soon, hollerin’ seems like a waste of precious time.”

She tried to answer but choked and sobbed.

“
Lordy,” he said in astonishment. “I ain’t never seen you like this before.”

“
You never died on me before.”

“
I come close once or twice.”

“
Yes, but I didn’t love you then. At least not the way I do now.”

He sat back in his chair and chuckled. “Hearin’ you say that you love me is worth dyin’ for, Marina, ‘cause I sure do love you more’n anything in my whole life.”

May
31, 1854

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

A
nna was dirty, sweat-stained and sunburned. She handed the telegram to her brother Robert and pushed her tangled hair out of her eyes. “Thomas sent this to me in Lawrence. Nancy and I can’t read anything but the word
urgent
.”

“
Thomas sent it to you?” Robert looked confused. “From where?”

“
Marshall, Texas,” Nancy replied. “The telegraph’s connected from Marshall to New Orleans. I’m not sure how it’s routed beyond…”

“
Read the damned telegram, Robert,” Anna interrupted. “We just busted our asses to get here hoping that you could.”

“
Okay, Anna. There’s no need for that kind of talk.” He glanced at the form. “It says that Mother will be arriving aboard the steam ship
Queen of New Orleans
at the Town of Kansas tomorrow at nine in the morning.”

“
It does not.” Anna snatched the telegram back. “It’s gobbledygook:

URGENT

MOM SS Q OF NO TOK

ETA 06/01/54 0900.”

Robert nodded. “Yes.”

“
What do you mean, yes?” Anna shouted.

“
Do you want me to explain it to you?” Nancy asked.

“
Explain it to me?” Anna turned toward her. “When we read it in Lawrence you were as baffled as I. Now you’re going to explain it to me?”

“
Yes. Now that Robert read it to us, it makes perfect sense.”

“
Just stop,” Robert said. “Both of you. Go wash up and get something to eat. We’ll have to ride hard to get to Kansas before Mother’s steamer.”