Her immediate objective lay in doing as much laundry as she could physically manage, then when her workday ended, she wrote and read dozens of letters for her fellow runaways. It seemed Avery had told the whole camp about her service. Just as during her last year as a Fontaine slave, she went to bed every night exhausted, but as the coins piled up, she was glad for the work—until the morning she awakened to find her tent mates gone and her small stash of savings missing. It took no scholar to put two and two together. Mrs. Reese was furious to learn she’d been employing thieves, but her anger couldn’t restore Sable’s money.
Mrs. Reese insisted Sable report the theft, so the following morning she found herself in line with many other contrabands outside the big white mansion. She hadn’t seen the major in the weeks since Patrick’s departure and found herself discreetly searching the premises for his handsome face. She saw many soldiers, both Black and White, but not Raimond LeVeq.
A large group of about twenty women and children were ahead of her in line. The soldier standing with them was explaining to the soldier doing the processing that the husbands of the women had been impressed by the Union army. Their commanding officer wanted the families to stay in the camps while their husbands fought the Rebs.
Such care had not always been extended, according to the rumors Sable had heard during her first days at the laundry. When the call went out from Washington in 1863 welcoming Black men into the fight, many Union commanders had been unconcerned about the fate of the family members left behind. There’d been tales of commanders forcibly turning away women and children to keep them from following their husbands. When the husbands began deserting to check on the welfare of their loved ones at home, the army reevaluated the sit
uation and changed the policy. The Union needed the Black soldiers to fight, and they couldn’t fight if they were worried about their kin.
When it became Sable’s turn to approach the desk, her eyes widened with surprise at the sight of her brother Rhine seated behind one of the tables taking down reports. He wore a crisp, Union uniform, and when he looked up and saw her, his green eyes momentarily widened as well. He discreetly scratched his ivory cheek, an old signal between them that told Sable to approach him as if he were a stranger, even as her inner elation soared. He’d been gone for almost two years now, but there he sat, alive!
He wrote down all the information she could provide about the theft, and her description of the women, Sookie and Paige.
He then asked, “Will you be at the laundry this evening, in case I need more information?”
Sable looked into his oh-so-familiar eyes and replied, “Yes.”
Although they weren’t supposed to know each other, Sable dearly wanted to stay and talk. She wanted to ask him how he’d gotten there and where he’d been, and to tell him all that had happened to her since he’d left for the war, but when she glanced up, she saw that behind Rhine stood Raimond LeVeq. His dark and unfathomable eyes held hers, and everything seemed to go still for a moment. Not knowing what else to do, she nodded, and he inclined his head almost imperceptibly in kind. When he stepped over to the table and stood behind Rhine, she knew it would be best to save her questions for her brother until they were alone.
LeVeq leaned over Rhine’s shoulder and read the report he’d written. He looked up. “It’s good to see you again, Miss Fontaine. You’ve been robbed?”
“Yes.”
She sensed Rhine’s curiosity as he glanced between
the two of them. The major wanted her to retell the story of the theft, so she did.
He then asked, “Are you totally without funds?”
She nodded.
“I’ll send Lieutenant Renaud to you later with some army scrip to tide you over until you are paid.”
Sable could feel the eyes of the others in the room staring curiously, no doubt wondering what made her so special. Convinced the last thing she needed was gossip dogging her steps, she said, “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. Mrs. Reese will take care of my needs until I am paid again.” She turned her attention back to Rhine. “Please contact me if anything arises.”
Rhine nodded.
Sable walked toward the door, very aware that Major LeVeq’s eyes were following her.
Rhine showed up after dinner that evening. Mrs. Reese raised an eyebrow at his presence until Sable explained he was the soldier looking into the theft.
Because Mrs. Reese hadn’t found anyone to replace the women who’d run out on her, Sable had the tent to herself. With Mrs. Reese’s approval, she escorted Rhine there. Once inside, they hugged each other tightly. Sable had missed him so intensely, and it felt so good to be held by someone who loved her, she had tears in her eyes when they finally eased apart.
“How in the world did you get here?” he asked.
Holding on to her own questions for now, she related the sad story of Mahti’s fiery death and the events that had triggered it.
Rhine was livid. “Carson sold you? That bastard. Guess his slave-holding days are over now.”
“I guess so,” Sable echoed, though her heart still ached with the loss of Mahti. “What are you doing wearing Union colors? Where’s Andrew?”
“Our illustrious half brother is by now in California. Once we made it through the first battle alive, Andrew
had had enough. He said to hell with the South, freed me, and headed West.”
“So you joined up with one of the Black units?”
“No.”
He spoke the word so softly, Sable peered at him curiously. “What’s wrong?”
When he didn’t immediately reply, her imagination ran wild. “Oh Lord, Rhine, you’re not a Reb spy, are you?”
He chuckled. “No, Sable. I’m with one of the regiments that came in a few days ago.”
For a moment confusion held her. She’d heard nothing about a new unit of Black troops arriving in camp. The contrabands took such pride in their presence, any new Black units always caused a stir. She took a good look at her brother’s uniform. Unlike the uniforms of the few Black troops she had seen, her brother’s was the crisp, clean version worn by White soldiers. She gasped. “Rhine, you’re not passing as White, are you?”
He nodded.
“Why?”
“I’m tired, Sable. Just tired.”
“Tired of what?”
“Having no voice in my own life.”
“But Rhine, you’re not White.”
“We both know that, but the army doesn’t.”
Sable could only stare and ask again, “But why?”
He shrugged. “I’m not strong like you and Mahti. I can’t stomach not being free to be who I am just because the law considers me less than a man.”
“So you’re going to pass? What will that accomplish?”
“It will help me get what I want out of life. I’ll have the freedom to choose what I want to do, where I want to go.”
“But slavery is almost dead. Everyone says so.”
“And afterward? Do you think the country is just go
ing to embrace us? They hate us now and they’ll hate us after slavery.”
“But you can’t turn your back on who and what you are. What about Mahti, our mother? Have you forgotten the sacrifices they made?”
“Yes, and as I said, I’m not that strong. You know I’ve always sought the easiest road, and besides, I’ve had plenty of practice passing. Andrew let me do it all the time.”
Sable simply could not believe her ears. And yes, he had passed before. The first time she’d realized he could do it successfully had been on one of her first trips to Atlanta. She couldn’t have been more than eight or nine summers, which made Rhine ten or eleven. That evening, Andrew decided to go downstairs ahead of everyone else and order the family’s dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. As a slave, Rhine should have been eating in the kitchen with Sable and the slaves of the other guests, but Carson Fontaine found Andrew and Rhine seated together in the fancy eating room, drinking lemonade. Rather than cause a scene, Carson held his tongue and let Andrew and the ivory skinned, green-eyed Rhine have their fun. When they returned home, Rhine received the worst whipping of his life. Carson personally laid the strap across his back and did not let up until Rhine promised he’d never pass as White ever again. It was obvious now that neither Rhine nor Andrew had kept the promise.
“Rhine, you can’t do this.”
“Sure I can, Sabe. After the war, I’ll probably follow Andrew West, or maybe I’ll settle in Canada, but I’m done suffering for no reason.”
“You’re the only person I have left in this world, yet you would leave me too?”
He stared into her eyes. “You know how much I love you, but yes.”
The pain in her heart made her close her eyes tight.
He spoke with the earnestness that had always been a
part of his nature. “You and I have never been free, and I refuse to wait and have my freedom grudgingly handed over by believers in a Constitution that counts me as three-fifths a man.”
Sable looked up at her brother. He’d taught her to climb trees, to fish, and to read. He’d been her hero, her bane, and her dancing partner at the county’s annual slave ball. That he could just walk away from the race, and her, brought tears to her eyes.
“Don’t cry, Sabe. You’re a queen. Queens don’t cry.”
She stiffened with surprise. “You know about the queens?”
“Yes, Mahti told me their story the night before Andrew and I went off to fight. She wanted me to know in case something happened to her.”
“Then if you know the tales, how can you do this?”
“Because I have the blood of queens in my veins too. I refuse to grovel for the rest of my days.”
“But Rhine—”
He shook his head, and his voice sounded sad. “No more, Sable. My mind’s made up. You can’t change it.”
“So will I ever see you again, hear from you again?”
“My unit’s scheduled to be here for another few days. After that we’re marching to South Carolina. Only the queens know if you’ll ever hear from me again, but I’ll always carry you and Mahti in my heart. Always.”
She wrapped her arms fiercely around his waist, and he held her tight as they both wept.
The next morning Rhine brought her his laundry. She still found it hard to accept the path he’d chosen, but it pleased her to have him near for the time being. Mrs. Reese, always happy for new business, greeted him with a smile and asked if there’d been any progress on finding the two thieves. When he told her nothing had turned up so far, she went about her day. Sable knew Rhine wanted to keep their relationship secret so she didn’t tell
Mrs. Reese the truth. She had introduced him as Sergeant Rhine Clark, not as Rhine Clark Fontaine.
Rhine insisted upon paying Sable for doing his laundry, which she thought only fair. He then asked about Otis and Opal.
“They ran away about six weeks before I did,” Sable replied. “I thought maybe they’d come to this camp, but so far I’ve not seen them.”
Thinking about the Fontaine housekeeper and her husband made a long-forgotten memory rise. She asked her brother, “Remember the time she caught us snitching those tea cakes she’d made for Silly Ann’s Christmas tea?”
Rhine grinned. “Do I? Andrew must’ve eaten a dozen before she caught us. Not only did we have to wash every window in the house. We couldn’t sit for a week.”
Sable laughed. “I can still hear her and Silly Ann yelling at us.”
They were still laughing when the major strolled up, carrying a few shirts. Upon seeing the two of them together he paused, and Sable wondered why he looked so displeased. His disgruntled expression suggested he would move on to another woman, but much to her dismay, he came to her station.
“Good morning, Miss Fontaine.”
Uncertain of his mood, Sable nodded in response. “Major.”
Rhine saluted. “Good morning, Major.”
He returned both the salute and the greeting. “Good morning, Sergeant. Here to avail yourself of Miss Fontaine’s services?”
Was it her imagination, or did the major seem to be intimating she might be offering more than laundry service?
Apparently her brother felt the same sting, because he looked LeVeq in the eye and said coolly, “If you mean am I here to have my wash done, yes sir, I am.”
The major looked over at the large pile of wash await
ing Sable’s attention and replied smoothly, “Alas, Miss Fontaine seems to be a bit behind. Maybe you should see one of the other laundresses.”
“I made my arrangements last night, sir.”
Rhine had always possessed a quick mind, but the major didn’t seem to appreciate it. “When last night?”
“Last evening when I came over to followup on her report of the theft, sir.”
“Well, soldier, I outrank you. Find someone else to wash your drawers.”
Sable’s mouth fell open in astonishment. Of all the arrogant, high-handed…She gritted her teeth. “Major, his coin is as good as yours, and he was here first.
You
find someone else.”
She was certain LeVeq was not accustomed to being spoken to in such a manner, but she really didn’t care. How dare he act so rude! Ignoring him, she told her brother, “Sergeant, please, hand me your things.”
Tight-lipped, Rhine complied, and she placed his bundle atop the pile of items to be washed. “I’ll have these for you tomorrow.”
She then looked at LeVeq and asked, “Are you still here?”
His eyes sparkled dangerously. “Yes, Miss Fontaine, I am.” And while still holding her eyes he said to Rhine, “Sergeant, you’ve conducted your business. Don’t you have a detail this morning?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“Then be on your way.”
Rhine looked to Sable, only to have the officer add warningly, “Now, soldier.”
Rhine saluted angrily. “Yes, sir!”
He turned crisply and headed back toward the main camp.
Watching him leave, Sable was furious. “You are possibly the most arrogant man I’ve ever met.”
“
Merci beaucoup, mademoiselle
,” he replied and bowed.
Irate, Sable snatched the pile of laundry from his hand. “Be gone. I’ll have these done tomorrow. Send an aide to retrieve them.”
“And miss the opportunity to watch your eyes flash like a storm at sea? No, I will be back to retrieve them.
Au revoir
, Miss Fontaine.”