Dark Chaos (# 4 in the Bregdan Chronicles Historical Fiction Romance Series) (55 page)

It was almost dark when Carrie climbed the stairs to her house.  A chill wind was blowing, making her pull her cape around her more tightly.  She considered sitting in the porch swing for a while
but then decided the warmth of the house was more appealing.  Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since morning.  She hoped May had set aside some food for her.

             
“Hello, Mrs.  Borden.”

             
Carrie jumped as a deep voice sounded from the shadows.  She gasped, her heart pounding, hoping against hope that her hearing hadn’t deceived her.  “Who’s there?” she called cautiously.

             
“You don’t recognize your husband’s voice anymore?”  Robert laughed as he emerged from the shadows.  “I have indeed been gone too long.”

             
“Robert!”  Carrie cried, running into the arms he held wide. 

             
“Hello, my love,” Robert murmured, his voice thick with emotion.  Then his lips lowered to cover hers.

             
Time stood still for Carrie as her body melted into his arms.  She pressed against him, all the longing she had felt for six long months finally expressed.  Thoughts of anything else flew from her mind as she kissed him eagerly.

             
She finally pulled back, laughing. Then she reached up to touch his cheek.  “I just always have to convince myself you’re real,” she said joyfully.

             
Robert chuckled, then picked her up, and swung her in big circles.  When he finally put her down, she was deposited on his lap in the porch swing.  He held her gently, staring into her face.  “I missed you.”  Then he peered closer.  “You look tired.”

             
“I’m not anymore!”  Carrie smiled.  “There is so much to talk about.  I want to know all about your trip.  I want to tell you what has happened here.”

             
Robert put a finger to her lips.  “We’ll have plenty of time to talk.”  He pulled her closer.  “I have to admit I had something else in mind for tonight.  I’ve been waiting out on this freezing porch for two hours.”

             
Carrie flushed then met his burning gaze.  “I can think of somewhere you might be warmer,” she said coyly.

             
Robert grinned.  “That’s more like it, Mrs. Borden.”

             
Carrie suddenly clapped her hand to her mouth.  “Janie,” she whispered.  “We’re sharing a room again.”

             
“Not as of a few hours ago,” Robert said smugly.  “I have it all taken care of, my love.  I even have food up there.  I know my wife.”

             
Carrie held out her hand.  “Lead the way, Mr. Borden.”             

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

              Rose was just leaving school when Annie came racing up the road, her eyes bright with excitement.    She knelt down to the little girl’s level.  “Is something wrong?” Rose asked anxiously.  Things seemed to have calmed down in the contraband camp with the arrival of cold weather, but there were still occasional flare-ups of temper. 

             
Trying to catch her breath, Annie shook her head.  “Miss June sent me over.  Someone came and said you had something on the ship that just came into the harbor.”  Her voice was as excited as her eyes.  “You reckon it’s some new clothes?  Remember, you said I could have a new dress when more came.”

             
“I remember,” Rose laughed, relieved to know the reason for her hurry.   Thoughts of John, injured or sick, had frightened her.  She patted Annie’s head.  “I’ll let you know what was on the ship when you get to school tomorrow.  Now get on home.  Your mama will be worried sick about you.” 

             
Annie, nodded, grinned, and dashed away, her black pigtails bobbing behind her.   Rose watched her for a moment, then turned, and walked back into the school.  She found Marianne Lockins still seated at the desk.   “There is a new shipment that has arrived.  I’m going down to the waterfront to get it.”

             
  Marianne smiled her pleasure.  “Do you think it’s from your Aunt Abby?”

             
“It must be,” Rose replied, just as eager to receive the letter she knew would be with the barrels as she was to get the clothes.  “She told me there would be some on the way soon.  That was over a month ago.”

             
“That woman is amazing,” Marianne said.  “She has singlehandedly sent more clothes down here than all of the organizations who help us combined.”

             
“She is quite a woman,” Rose agreed.  “When there is something to be done, it’s better to just get out of her way.  She moves too fast for most people to keep up with.  Her latest letter said there were contributions being sent from six other states.”

             
“Six other states!”

             
Rose nodded.  “Aunt Abby is collecting signatures for the petition to abolish slavery completely.  Every time she makes a contact she tells them about the camp.  She said clothes and supplies have been piling in from everywhere.”

             
“Do you want some men to help you?”

             
“No. General Butler promised the assistance of his men when the barrels got here.  I’ll have them delivered to the school.  We can use it as a headquarters to distribute everything.”

             
Marianne nodded briskly and turned back to her work. 

             
Rose hugged her coat around her as she strode briskly down the road.  Virginia had enjoyed a wonderful Indian summer that had stretched far into the fall, but it had finally retreated to allow winter in.  The sky was clear and bright, the air cold.  If it hadn’t been for the increased threat of disease throughout the camp, Rose would have welcomed it.  The thick humidity of the coastal summers always drained her. 

             
In spite of the beauty of the day, Rose frowned.  How many people would die this winter?  How many children would be claimed by the ravaging diseases that always swept through the camp when cold weather descended?  Rose knew she should be grateful.  She had heard reports of the conditions of other contraband camps.  She knew the numbers of runaway slaves all over the South had swelled way beyond anything the government was prepared to handle.  Everywhere, people were starving and dying.  Yet still they came. 

             
Rose gazed out to sea as she walked, bewitched as always, by the sparkling water stretching out as far as she could see.  Flocks of gulls dove and twisted over her head as they called to each other loudly. 
Delighting in their freedom
, Rose mused. 
Just like my people. 
She prayed the war would end soon so that the job of rebuilding the country could begin.  She knew the mighty power of the North was being poured into the war effort, into crushing the South into submission.  Not until that had been accomplished would they turn their attention to the tens of thousands of blacks suddenly homeless and penniless.  It was up to people like her and Marianne and Aunt Abby to stand in the gap until better times came. 

             
Rose arrived at the wharf and presented herself to the soldier checking cargo off the large ship bobbing among the swells.  “I believe there is a shipment for the contraband camp.”

             
“That there is,” the soldier said pleasantly.  “I’ve got some fellows lined up to haul it over for you.  Are you Rose Samuels?”

             
“I am.”

             
“Then this letter is for you.”  He hesitated then smiled.  “I think this one is, too.”

             
“Two letters?”  Rose was confused.  The handwriting on the first was clearly Aunt Abby’s.  The second letter revealed one she didn’t recognize.  Suddenly her heart began to pound with fear.  Something must have happened to Moses.  This must be notification from the government.  She stared at the white envelope in horror.  She was afraid to open it.  Afraid to have all of her hopes and dreams destroyed. 

             
The soldier was watching her closely.  “Aren’t you going to read them?” 

             
“I’ll wait,” Rose said, straightening her shoulders.  “I want to make sure all the barrels are sent over.”

             
“Oh, all the barrels are already off the ship,” the soldier assured her.  “I checked them myself.  Why don’t you go ahead and read your letters?”

             
Rose looked at him closely sure she saw a hint of laughter in his eyes.  What was going on?  She glanced at the unfamiliar handwriting again.  Her stomach tightened in rebellion.  She shook her head.  “I’ll open it when I get home.”

             
“Mrs. Samuels, I really think you should open it now,” the soldier persisted. 

             
“Why?”  Rose demanded, fear making her irritable.

             
The soldier stared at her for a moment then shook his head.  “I told him it wouldn’t work,” he muttered.

             
“Told whom what wouldn’t work?”  Rose was hopelessly confused.  Over the soldier’s shoulder, she could see a large mountain of barrels being loaded into several waiting wagons.   Every man was black - and dressed in Union blue. 

             
The soldier just shook his head again and turned toward the building behind him.  “You better come on out.  I told you she wasn’t going to fall for it.”

             
Rose stared at the building, her indignation growing.  Who was playing this strange game with her? Her heart skipped a beat.  Was this part of Manning’s plan to get even?  She stiffened and sucked in her breath.

             
A towering form stepped from the building.  “She’s a hard one to pull something over on,”   he chuckled.  “I’ve known that a long time.”

             
Rose stood, rooted by her shock.  Finally she made her voice work.  “Moses,” she whispered, staring in disbelief. 

             
Moses laughed loudly and sprang forward, sweeping her up into his arms.  “Rose!” 

             
Moments later they were surrounded by a swarm of men.  Moses finally stopped spinning her around and set her down gently.  “Rose,” he said proudly, “I’d like you to meet my men.”

             
Rose stared at the smiling faces in astonishment then glanced toward the wagon.  “You were just loading the wagon,” she said faintly.

             
“Yes, ma’am,” one of them grinned.  “We told Moses we didn’t want to miss out on the excitement.  He’s done been plannin’ this surprise all the way down here.”

             
“And I messed it up!”  Rose cried.  “I’m sorry.”  Then she looked up at Moses with her secure in the circle of his arm.  “How did you know I would be down here?”

             
“I didn’t,” Moses replied.  “Not till I realized this ship was stuffed with supplies from Aunt Abby.  Then I knew I could lure you down.”  He shook his head.  “It almost worked,” he said ruefully.  Then he looked at his men.  “Excuse me,” he said gruffly. 

             
Seconds later Rose was swept up into his arms and kissed soundly.  In spite of her embarrassment, she kissed him back fervently, overjoyed to have him there.  His men’s cheers rang in the background.

             
“What are you doing here?” she finally asked after he had put her down and she had regained her breath.

             
“My men and I have some work to do,” he said, then grabbed her arm.  “I’ll tell you all about it.”   He turned to his men.  “Finish taking the supplies over.  Then get settled in.  We leave in two days.”

             
“You have to leave so soon,” Rose said, disappointed.