Charlie stepped over to look into Montgomery’s face. His head was swathed in white bandages, his features at rest. This man could not be more than twenty-four or twenty-five, yet he had seen so much death and destruction that it had overwhelmed the lad with hatred. The cost of war was a man’s soul. Charlie shook his head.
"Come, Elizabeth, let us look in on the other men."
--*--
S
he paused just outside the door gathering herself for a fight. Opening the doors, she stepped inside and closed them behind her. "Good afternoon, ladies. Welcome to my home." She looked at each woman in turn. Mrs. Cooper gave her a polite smile. Mrs. Williams once again appeared as if she had something unpleasant under her nose. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the next two ladies, Miss Katherine Reynolds and Miss Mary Simms. Both of them young and single, she knew why they had come and she did not like it one damn bit.
"Rebecca, we came to make sure you were indeed all right." Mrs. Cooper offered.
"But we can see that you are living well." Mrs. Williams all but sneered. "Your home is being refurbished and you have a house full of new servants……."
Rebecca raised her hand, interrupting her. "Colonel Redmond has his men helping with needed repairs to my home and I would hardly call a staff of four a houseful. Besides they are here for the Colonel’s comfort more than mine."
"Where is the Colonel?" Mary asked with a gleam in her eye.
"Charlie," Rebecca let all of her jealousy and possessiveness tumble out in just his name, "is out with his troops tending to his camp."
"Mrs. Williams was sure we would find him sitting before the fire sipping brandy and smoking a cigar," Katherine giggled.
Rebecca looked directly at Mrs. Williams, "Had you come a little after supper you may very well have. The Colonel does enjoy a cigar and he has impeccable taste in brandy."
"Rebecca, have you lost your senses? You act as if you have feelings for this man," Mrs. Williams countered.
"Do I?"
"You do. It is shameful."
"No it is not. But do you know what is? You, Mrs. Williams, your self-righteous condemnation of something you know nothing about. What gives you the right to come to my home and ––"
"Rebecca," Mrs. Cooper broke in and stopped the young woman’s tirade. "We are only concerned for your safety."
"You may very well be, Grace, and I appreciate that, but others are not so kind." She looked at each woman. "Colonel Redmond is a gentleman and he has graciously offered to help the community of Culpeper as much as possible. His chief physician, Doctor Walker, has offered to give of her services to our community."
--*--
R
eg had come running hell bent for Charlie as soon as Beulah had told him of the unexpected "guests." He found Charlie and Elizabeth visiting with the men in the infirmary, Elizabeth to assess their condition and Charlie to bolster their morale. A quick word with Reg and Charlie knew that Rebecca was in trouble.
"Excuse me, Dr. Walker, may I have a private word with you?"
The two hurried to the end of the makeshift ward, "What is it, Charlie?"
"It seems that the local morals committee is paying us a visit. Can you join me to help give them a new perspective?"
"I will be there as quickly as I can. You go ahead."
--*--
C
harlie hurried back to the house. Slipping up the back stairs, he stopped to pull on his day dress uniform, sword, sash and all. His "Daniel" costume, ready to enter the lions’ den. Slipping back downstairs, he circled around and entered by the front door. Hearing the murmurs, punctuated by Rebecca's voice raise in the deceptively low tones he knew as her version of anger, he straightened his tunic and entered the room.
Rebecca was ready to blow. She wondered briefly if Charlie’s men could put a new roof on the entire house. She was about to go off like a keg of gunpowder when Charlie entered the room
"Excuse me, Miss Rebecca. I did not mean to interrupt your tea, but I have a request from Dr. Walker." Charlie's Charleston accent was back with a vengeance.
"Charlie," she got up immediately nearly running to him. She took a deep breath and just let it happen. She put her arms around his neck and gave him quite the complete welcome home.
For a moment, Charlie was stunned. As she settled back into the arms that had risen to automatically embrace her, she looked up into his eyes. Charlie blinked at her like an owl, suddenly blinded by a bright light. A slow smile then played over his features. "Bonjour ma Chèère, çça va bien?"
"I have been better, Daniel," She whispered in his year. "I am very glad you are home." She pulled back just a bit without letting go of Charlie’s neck. "Come, my dear Colonel Redmond, let me introduce you."
Charlie let her slide down in his arms, until he could take her arm in a more traditional hold and allowed her to introduce him to the ladies in the room.
"Ladies, may I present Colonel Charles Redmond, originally of Charleston, South Carolina? Colonel, I am sure you remember Mrs. Cooper. This is Mrs. Williams, Reverend Williams’ wife. And Miss Reynolds and Miss Simms."
He first addressed Mrs. Cooper, bowing over her hand and lightly brushing her knuckles with his lips. "I am charmed to see you again, Madame. You husband has been quite professional in his dealings with us, and I appreciate it. I also know you and your husband have been good friends to Mrs. Gaines, and I am deeply grateful for that."
He turned to Mrs. Williams and similarly bowed over her hand, murmuring "Enchantéé, Madame. I look forward to seeing you at church when my health and the demands of my position permit"
Finally, he turned to Miss Reynolds and Miss Simms, summing them up as young women on the hunt and dismissing them immediately. He bowed to both of them, "Ladies, the honor is mine." Through all of this, the southern accent, spiced with the bits of French that were part of his heritage, was blatant. He stepped back to stand beside Rebecca.
"Your health? Are you ill Colonel?" Mrs. Williams inquired causing Grace to snort her amusement.
"Madame, I was stricken with a touch of pleurisy after that terrible storm last week. Fortunately, Miss Rebecca and Dr. Walker provided sound medical care and I am recovering."
All eyes returned to Rebecca who led Charlie to the love seat so they were sitting side beside. "He is a very grouchy patient, too. It was all I could do to keep him in bed."
Charlie smiled gently at Rebecca, "Ah, chere Madame, for you I would do many things, even to letting you tend me when I was ill. I am very grateful, I do assure you." Turning to the other ladies in the room, he continued, "You know, Miss Rebecca has joined with Dr. Walker to try and plan ways to make good medical care available to the whole community. I would appreciate it, ladies, if given your standing in the community, you would let folks know that we will be available to provide such support when needed? Oh, and I am hoping you will be able to meet Dr. Walker before you depart today."
"Colonel, are you suggesting that good southern people take help from Yankee rabble? That we should allow such a thing would be a disgrace. Maybe Rebecca Gaines does not mind sharing her home, and obviously her bed, with you, but I have no desire to take anything from you." The minister’s wife was nearly out of her chair by the time she was done.
"Margaret!" Mrs. Cooper looked to Charlie and Rebecca with pleading eyes.
Charlie's voice, low and quiet but powerfully commanding broke through the woman's tirade. "Madame, you will not besmirch Miss Rebecca's name in her own home. Yes, I am staying here. But I have not taken advantage of her and I will not. I will court her and woo her and if I am fortunate, I may win her. And I assure you, as an officer and a gentleman, I will always treat her with honor and respect. I am just as much a southerner as you. I was born in Charleston and, as you can hear, retain both the speech and the manners of my native state. Our physician, Dr. Walker, grew up in Charlottesville, not forty miles south of where we stand right now. Neither of us are Yankees. We are people who believe in the sanctity of the Union - a political difference."
Rebecca gripped Charlie’s arm to try and calm him. She could actually see the veins in his throat and temples beginning to stand out, and as he was just beginning to fell better. She did not wish him upset.
Charlie took another step forward, to stand directly in front of the sputtering, bigoted woman. "I find your attitude surprising in one who claims to be a good Christian woman. For does it not say in Ecclesiastes, "The words of wise men are heard in silence more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good." It seems to me, Madame, that you have failed to learn the lesson of the Good Samaritan."
"That may be, Colonel, but you chose to stay with the Yankee army when the Union split, so you are no less than a traitor to your own people. And as for Rebecca Gaines, she has made her own bed, she must lie in it."
"Madame, each of us had our choices. General Lee was offered the position of commander of the Army of the Potomac. He chose to serve with Virginia. Did you know that he freed all of his slaves before he committed to the Confederacy? Each of us who served as career officers faced that decision. Each of us had to decide for ourselves, which was more important, our individual states, or the union of those states. I chose the union. My mentor chose the state. It was the most difficult decision of my life. I am no more a traitor than General Lee. I am simply a man who chose differently."
"Colonel," Mrs. Cooper stepped forward. "I must apologize. Not everyone shares the same belief and I believe in my heart that the help that you and Rebecca are offering will be gratefully accepted."
"I am most appreciative, Mrs. Cooper. Please convey my honest commitment to maintain as cooperative and constructive relationship as possible. I have issued orders that any man of mine who harasses, or in any way importunes the people of Culpeper will be severely punished. I have also ordered that any request for assistance, whether it be medical or other assistance, be met immediately. We are here for the winter, and I believe we should live as neighbors, in good will and understanding. The prodigal son was welcomed with open arms and feasting. We can do no less, Madam.
"I will, Colonel Redmond, thank you. Now I do believe that we have taken enough of your time. Please, when you have time, bring Dr. Walker by my husband’s shop. I most certainly look forward to meeting her." She turned to her companions. "Ladies, I believe it is time we leave Mrs. Gaines and the Colonel to their evening."
Rebecca patted Charlie's back and escorted them out. She returned a short time later closing the doors. "Well, that went well."
"That went well? The wife of the local minister essentially called you a whore, and you say that went well?"
She laughed as she crossed the room and settled on the couch. "Charlie, it is not like I did not set them up for it."
"Ah, yes. Would you care to tell me what that was about?"
She motioned him to the couch. "Come sit with me. We need to talk."
"Yes. Indeed we do. I do not think I have walked into a situation like that in my whole life. I cannot stand anyone saying things like that about you."
"Firstly, my dear sir, I could care less what they say about me. Dr. Walker was very good at making me realize that. Secondly, while I will admit I kissed you, partly, just to annoy that old bat, the main reason I kissed you is that I wanted to. I have wanted to for days."
"You have kissed me before, dear lady. I admit, today's kiss was certainly more... stirring. You can certainly do it again, but I would prefer it if you did it to please yourself or to please me, not to offend the biddies." Charlie softened this rather stern request with a rather shy smile.
"Fine." She leaned over, taking his face in her hand and kissed him. Kissed him for her pleasure and his. She was gentle but leaving no doubt in his mind she would go wherever he wished to lead them.
Charlie pulled her into his arms, his emotions running high, torn between overwhelming tenderness and a rush of passion and desire that left him shaking. He held her close and cradled her head in his hand, slowly lowering his head to return her kiss with one of his own. Just as his lips brushed hers, the door banged open and Elizabeth stalked in, fuming.
"Drat that bigoted, high and mighty, self-righteous woman." Obviously, Dr. Walker and Mrs. Williams had met. Elizabeth then registered what she had walked in on. "Oh…… OH! Uh. Excuse me. I am sorry. I did not mean to interrupt, but Charlie asked..." Elizabeth tried to back out of the door.
Rebecca smiled, pulling away from Charlie, but patting his leg to reassure him. "It is all right Elizabeth. Come in."
"So, I take it that the lovely Mrs. Williams came out to check on you, and brought a little Charlie-bait with her. How bad were you?"
We were good. Mostly." She chuckled.
"Mostly? Charlie - was she good?" Charlie shook his head and grinned.
Elizabeth looked at both of them. They both looked rather sheepish right then.
"Oh, Charlie was very good." She raised her brows, patting his leg again.
"True. I was very good. I did not pass out from surprise."
"I am afraid I was a little naughty," Rebecca admitted.
"I am afraid, my dear Rebecca, that you convinced Mrs. Williams that you and I are conducting our own version of the Hell Fire Club's rituals."
She sighed, slipping her hand into his. "If I am going to burn in hell, Charlie, I will not mind it if I am with you."
Elizabeth looked at both of them sternly. "Well, my dear friends, if the two of you burn in hell, I suspect it will be for malicious taunting of unsuspecting bigots. Keep it up and you may give the poor woman apoplexy. I really did not like her color at all."