On to Richmond (23 page)

             
Opal stared at her, too surprised to say anything. 

             
Susie nodded her head.  “I was mighty surprised when I found out, too.  She be a spy is what she be!”

             
“Mrs. Hamilton?”  Opal asked in disbelief, keeping her voice low and looking around to make sure no one could overhear their conversation.  She could easily picture the elegant woman who lived in a large house just blocks from where Marse Cromwell lived on Church Hill.  She had been a respected part of Richmond society for years. 

             
“Mrs. Hamilton.”  Susie repeated firmly.  Then looking around carefully, she lowered her head even more and continued.  “I didn’t know what was so important in that basket until yesterday.  She must be trusting me more ‘cause she let me help her.  She came back from being at that Spotswood Hotel all day and disappeared into her room.  When she came out, she had a single sheet of paper.  When she saw me, she asked me to get her a bunch of eggs out of the box.  She seemed to be in an awful hurry.”  Susie looked off, remembering. 

             
Opal fought the urge to shake the story out of her.  Susie was mature for her age, but she still loved to accentuate the drama of whatever was going on in her young life.  Still - she
was
telling her.  Opal would be patient. 

             
“Well, anyway, Mrs. Hamilton, she took out a real sharp pin and poked some holes in one of them eggs.  Then, real careful like, she sucked the yolk right out of it!  Once it was all out, she took that sheet of paper and tore it up into little strips.  Then, real slow, she rolled them tiny pieces of paper up and stuffed it into them holes.” 

Stopping, she looked over for Opal’s reaction.  She must have been satisfied by the wide-eyed look on her face because she only paused long enough for a breath and then kept going.  “Once all that paper was in there, she took some glue and filled them holes up till the egg almost looked good as new.  Then she put it on the bottom of the basket with the other eggs and told me to make sure you did your delivery tonight.” 

              Opal waited for more, but Susie was done.  “But what was on that sheet of paper?”

             
“You expectin’ her to tell me?”  Susie snorted.  “Mrs. Hamilton, she’s got to be real careful.  They done started putting people in jail for having Union sympathies around this town.  She sure don’t want to go to prison.”  Then she paused, a slightly fearful look in her eyes.  “I don’t want to be going to prison, neither.  If any of us be found out, my daddy said we wouldn’t never have even knowed the meaning of trouble till then.” 

             
They had reached the house then and gone in for lunch. 

             
Opal had been thinking about the story ever since.  Now she knew why her errand was so important.  It also made her afraid to think what would happen if someone knew she carried a secret message to the enemy on her arm.  Swallowing hard, she maintained her steady pace and kept her eyes on the dusty road just in front of her.  Her walk passed without incident. 

             
Several minutes passed before she ventured to look up the road.  Nothing was moving toward her.  She looked at the three carriages already stopped on the road, but none matched the one she had gone to the week before.  She recognized none of the faces beginning to stare at her questioningly. 

             
She tried to maintain her casual pose as her heart began to beat faster.  Where was the driver?  What was she supposed to do with her basket?  Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the disappearing glow of the sun.  The thought of impending darkness made her heart race more.  She well remembered Sam’s warning about being out after dark.  She had made sure to be safe inside her cousin’s house every night.  If she didn’t hand off her delivery soon, she wasn’t going to make it. 

             
Anxiously now, she peered down the road again.  The other drivers were being open about their curiosity.  She glanced behind her at the horizon again.  The driver should have been here.   She was waiting too long.  Something must have happened to thwart their careful plan.   If she didn’t leave now, she might not make it back in time.  But what if he came and she wasn’t there?  Would the message do any good if it was received later? 

             
Finally, she had no choice.  Fighting to control her feelings of fear, Opal turned and began to walk back the way she had come.  She had gone almost a hundred yards when she heard the rattle of wheels.  Jerking her head around, she gasped.  The carriage was coming.  The red coat the driver wore was her signal and she recognized the carriage from the week before.  She had to get back! 

             
She turned and once more moved toward the meeting place, all the time aware of the darkening sky.  She retraced her steps and tried to walk casually as she approached the carriage.  Wordlessly, she held the basket out to him. 

             
The man’s dark face was impassive, but his eyes glowed with appreciation.  “Sorry I’m late,” he whispered between tight lips.

             
Opal nodded, the knowledge of his appreciation giving her a warm glow.  She had done her job well.  She allowed herself a brief smile and then turned quickly away, clutching the basket of tomatoes he had handed her.  She must hurry!  Head down, so as not to draw attention to herself, Opal walked quickly up the road.
  Not too fast,
she cautioned herself again.
You have time...  You have time
...  A glance at the sun told her she was wrong. 

             
Resisting the impulse to break into a run, Opal extended her stride.  She didn’t care if she drew attention now.  Maybe someone would see she was trying to get home as quickly as she could and decide not to punish her.  The image of the whip Sam had been talking about rose to taunt her. 
Run!  Run!  You must escape the whip!
 

             
She walked on resolutely.  Everything they did depended on secrecy.  Eddie had warned her not to do anything to draw attention to herself or their family.  If she did, it could ruin everything for everybody.

             
Sweat was pouring down her brow when she finally turned onto her street.  Dusk had laid its heavy hand on the afternoon, and the streets were almost empty.  There were no more cries of children playing.  Muted laughter could be heard coming from open windows, but even the dogs and roosters were quiet.  She didn’t have much farther to go. 

             
A sudden clatter of wheels caused her to gasp and look up.  Who was coming?  None of the blacks in the area owned carriages.  Surely no one was coming to do business on a Sunday evening.  It could only mean one thing!  Opal looked around frantically. 

             
Just then a carriage rolled around the curve.  The two men inside were laughing loudly.  Their eyes were moving constantly, searching for signs of movement in the shadows.  One spoke sharply to his horse as they moved along.  The other called out to his partner.  “This being a policeman ain’t all it’s cut out to be.  Course, it’s a lot better than being up there at Manassas being shot at today.  You’ve heard about the battle, haven’t you?”

             
“Of course I have,” the other said contemptuously.  “Ain’t no one been talking about much else today.  I reckon there will be some kind of news coming in soon.” 

             
The voices faded away as the carriage rolled on.

             
Slowly Opal picked herself up from where she had dropped to the ground behind a sparse covering of shrubs.  She couldn’t believe they hadn’t seen her.  If they hadn’t been so involved in their conversation, they would have.  Her heart pounded with fear as she hastily brushed the dirt and twigs off her dress.  Glancing back over her shoulder to make sure the carriage wasn’t retracing its route, she fairly flew the rest of the way to the house.  She slipped around the back, looked carefully to make sure no one was watching her, and then eased in the back door. 

             
“Opal!  Girl, I was worried sick about you!  Where you been?” 

             
Breathlessly, Opal told Fannie her story.

             
“You made the delivery okay, then?” Eddie asked.

             
Opal just nodded her head, wanting nothing more than her bed.

             
“I’m proud of you, Opal,” Eddie said warmly.  “It’s up to all of us to do what we can.  If the South done win this war, we ain’t got nothing but years more of bondage for our folks to look forward to.  If the North wins - well, at least we done got a chance.”

             
Freedom!
  Opal was buoyed by that thought as she trudged wearily up the stairs.  She would continue to do whatever they asked.   Then she remembered the question that had been troubling her.  “Eddie?”

             
“Yeah?”

             
“The streets are mighty empty.  More so than usual.  It almost seemed like people were hiding.”

             
“They be hidin’ for sure.  Word just came through about that big battle up in Manassas.  The South done won that battle.  The white boys gonna be feeling right proud of themselves tonight.  It be best we just stay out o’ the way,” Eddie said grimly. 

Thomas Cromwell burst through the door of the house
and shouted wildly.  “We won!  They did it!  We won!” 

             
Carrie jumped up from where she had been making a weak attempt to read a book.  She had not been able to concentrate on anything all day long.  The thought of Robert in battle had consumed every waking thought.  Her father ran past where she was sitting in the parlor.  She had never seen him so excited. 

             
“I’m here, Father.  Tell me quickly.  What has happened?” 

             
Thomas’ face was flushed, his eyes glowing.  “A telegram came through from President Davis just a few minutes ago.  I copied the whole thing.”  Fumbling in his pocket, he finally produced the single sheet of paper.  “Listen to this,” he said and then began to read.

             
Night has closed on a hard fought field.  Our forces have won a glorious victory.

             
Excitedly, he shoved the piece of paper at her.  “Isn’t that glorious news?” 

             
Carrie didn’t know yet if it was glorious news.  It did register with her that if they had won the battle, the North must have had the worst part of it.  “Do we know yet who is hurt?” she asked quietly.  “Who didn’t make it?”

             
Her somber questions calmed her father’s excitement just a little.  He shook his head.  “It’s too soon to know.  Those reports will come in later.”  Then the excitement reappeared.  “Come with me, Carrie.  I came to get you!  The whole city is going wild with joy.”

             
As he spoke, Carrie could hear the first sounds of the celebration.  Church bells began to clang all over the city, and gunshots exploded in the night.  She knew there would be no sleeping tonight.  Besides, she wanted to know as soon as the reports of the wounded and dead began to flow in.  “All right,” she said with a smile.  “Let me get a hat.” 

             
Within a short time, they were moving slowly down Broad Street and watching wide-eyed as the city erupted with life and excitement.  Calvary soldiers waiting to be transferred to the front raced up and down the streets on their horses, discharging their pistols as they went. Foot soldiers simply raised their rifles to the sky, adding to the clamor.  Everywhere, people were dancing and yelling. 

             
In spite of herself, Carrie smiled as she watched their joy. 

             
Richmond was a city that had endured much.  They had given their whole city to the cause - and then had sent off thousands of their best into battle.  They had suffered overcrowding and violence.  They had bent and twisted endlessly to accommodate all the needs and demands of a fledgling government.  It was to be understood that they would rejoice in the face of news of a glorious victory.  All of their sacrifice was not for naught.  The Confederacy would stand.  And Richmond would be its permanent capital.