Defiant Hearts Page 9

  Jayce asked, “Do you realize how hazardous it is to live here? Only a handful of cities are as tempting to the Union for quick conquest as Richmond is.”

  “Yes, but I read the newspapers and overhear talk, so I know every state is under siege. The major cities that haven’t been invaded are being threatened almost daily. I’m as safe here as I would be in any of them.”

  “You could move west, far from these dangers,” Jayce suggested.

  “And risk being captured by marauding Indians, or enduring harsh blizzards, or living so far from civilization? No thanks, the West doesn’t appeal to me at all. Dixie is my home and here I’ll stay. I’m not helpless, Jayce; my father and brothers taught me how to shoot, ride, and fight. And Aunt Clarissa taught me how to support myself and left me the means by which to do so. Yet,” she began, then took a deep breath, “I don’t know if I’m luckier being a female alone or if I’d been born a son who would either be away at war or dead and buried in an unknown grave distant from home.”

  Jayce assumed she was referring to the loved ones she had lost and it touched his heart. It also tormented him to think of jeopardizing her further by perhaps supplying the information needed to attack Richmond. For a few moments, he wished he hadn’t gotten entangled with her. If he didn’t know her and her tragic history, those facts and his feelings wouldn’t be troubling him. He gazed toward the rapidly flowing river. “It’s far better to be left alone in life than to fight on a battlefield.”

  Laura looked at his profile, noting that his tone and expression were unfamiliar, strained. “Why are you part of this war?” leapt from her lips.

  “Because it’s a man’s duty to fight for his Country and his beliefs.”

  “You’re right, and honorable to do so. Let’s stop here for a while.”

  They halted and stepped from the carriage for a rest and to view the city from a vantage point above its lower rolling hills and rambling river.

  Laura showed him where Hollywood Cemetery, Monroe Park—which he had scouted yesterday—and other places of interest were positioned amidst many big cedars, huge oaks with spreading branches, sugar maples, dogwoods, and magnolias. There, Jayce heard about the distant Midlothian coal mines and the Bellona Foundry and Arsenal that Frank had mentioned Friday night and provoked Major Richard Stevens to rebuke him about spies and reckless talk, unaware one was in their midst.

  Jayce didn’t want to imagine how much Laura Carlisle would despise him and how fast she would spurn him if she knew the truth. How, he mused, could a staunch loyalist—one whose family had been slain by Yankees and whose lifestyle was being threatened by them—understand and accept what he was doing? Being so far from the Deep South and living in a free state, he didn’t believe or feel as the Rebels did or have a close connection to them and their problems; some, he admitted, valid disputes with the Industrial North. Yet, he was convinced destructive war wasn’t the way to resolve them. He wanted the country reunited for peace and progress and expansion, things important to him and his family, things important to America’s future, to America’s strength and survival. No one in his family believed that one person had a right to enthrall another. Long ago, his father and grandfather had worked ardently with others to keep slavery out of Missouri. On two occasions while doing jobs in the West, he had helped rescue women and children held captive by Indians. It was past time for changes in the South and North, time for compromises and resolutions, time for peace.

  As if her mind were traveling a similar route, Laura decided against telling Jayce tales about their local and eccentric spy: Elizabeth Van Lew. Of course, she wouldn’t mention Mary Bowser who worked for the Davises while spying on them, a fact her Union accomplice had shared with her. Benjamin Simmons and General Grant were the only two people outside of Lily who knew the Vixen’s identity, because she avoided all contact with other known agents to safeguard her life and work.

  Laura suddenly realized she was revealing things to Jayce Storm that had taken her months and countless risks to learn! She had allowed him to disarm her to the point of near carelessness. From now on, she decided, she would only talk about safe topics. As she eyed the busy scene, an idea came to mind and she said, “Our population has gone from around thirty-eight thousand to close to a hundred fifty thousand since the war started and the capital was moved here from Alabama. I must admit that Richmond has become too noisy and crowded to suit me. I much prefer living outside a town. How about you, Jayce? Did you live in or near a town or in the Wilds?”

  Before he could answer, an artist approached them and asked if he could do a sketch of them. They looked at each other, smiled, and agreed.

  The man worked fast, but it seemed long to Laura as they stood close with Jayce’s arm around her waist. Perspiration beaded between her breasts and threatened to roll down her stomach. His touch was stimulating and she wanted to lean against him, to be swept into his strong embrace and be kissed by those full lips. She tried not to tense as her panic increased, fearing he would grasp her arousal. She tried to think of other things. Spring flowers were gone, but summer ones had replaced them. The day was humid and hot, but clouds had moved before the sun in the last few minutes and lessened its heat and glare. At last, the man finished, signed the sheet, and handed it to Laura as a gift.

  “Thank you; it’s very good,” she told him in sincerity.

  “Yes, it’s excellent, sir; thank you.”

  As Jayce insisted on giving the man a few coins and they chatted, she stared at the drawing of what appeared to be a wellmatched couple. Her mind shouted for her to flee this temptation with haste, but her defiant heart pleaded with her to run only into his arms and life.

  Thunder rumbled in the distance, giving Laura the chance she needed to escape his company for a while. “We should get back to the hotel before it rains,” she suggested. “We need a cool drink and I have chores to do soon.”

  They thanked the artist once more, then returned to her stable where Alvus took charge of the horse and carriage.

  After Jayce thanked her for a wonderful day, he remained with Alvus for a while after she excused herself to change clothes.

  As she was walking toward her house, she overheard Alvus telling Jayce what a fine horse he owned and that he had kept it locked in the stable for safety until he returned from church. She had noticed the sleek black stallion that was eating hay nearby. It was indeed a superior specimen, like his master.

  Laura unlocked her back door and went inside to don a work dress and shoes. She laid the sketch of Jayce and herself on her bed where it would be protected from fly droppings by the net canopy until she could decide what to do with it. That action caused her to stop and remember how Clarissa—unlike other women in town—didn’t drape mirrors, pictures, and keepsakes with netting during the summer to deter dark specks from those pests. Instead, Clarissa had depended upon window screening to prevent, and honey-smeared papers to ensnare, the invasive insects.

  Dear, sweet, Clarissa, what have I gotten myself into? If only you were here to advise me about these wild emotions I feel for Jayce. How shall I ever tell Father about your loss? It will grieve him terribly. I can imagine how torn he will feel when he reads the letter you left for him.

  Laura thought of the sealed letter locked in a drawer of the sitting-room desk. She wished Clarissa could have lived to marry her father as they had planned before the tragedies of war and her death separated them forever. Clarissa had been like the mother she had never known, who had died after Tom’s birth. How sad for her father to find another woman to love and to share his life only to lose her while he was gone.

  True love seemed rare, so shouldn’t a person seize an opportunity to obtain it no matter when, where, or how it came along? Yet, love was a shared treasure, and Jayce Storm might not feel or ever feel that way about her. Love, she fretted. Why was she even thinking in that crazy direction when she had known him less than three days? Surely it was nothing more than an infatuation, a powerful attractio
n, to a magnificent man!

  “Get to work, Laura Adams, and stop poking at that hornet’s nest or you’re going to get stung badly.”

  By the time Laura was in bed, she hadn’t seen Jayce since they parted at the stable. Belle had told her that Lieutenant Storm said he wouldn’t be there for supper tonight, that he had left while she was in the kitchen with Mrs. Barton. She wondered if he was avoiding her and, if so, why? Did it mean he had enjoyed their outing but didn’t want to mislead her by spending his entire leave near her, or that he simply had something else he wanted or needed to do—or that he needed distance to study unexpected feelings or to prevent the temptation she pretended? No matter his motive, she told herself, in a way, she was glad she didn’t have to endure his appealing presence all evening while struggling to conceal her own unexpected emotions from others.

  Laura was relieved by his absence for another reason: it had been a busy evening with many local regulars and three hotel guests present for cards, drinks, conversation, and fifteen for dinner; so she and Lily had to work in the parlor while Belle and Cleo fulfilled several last-minute “appointments” upstairs for valued patrons. At eleven, and with Jayce still gone, she and Lily had retired for the night, leaving the other two women to serve the men and to lock up at twelve. That schedule hadn’t given Laura a chance to speak with Lily about her wonderful day, but she had promised to do so tomorrow.

  Guilt nibbled at Laura as a strong and unbidden temptation to keep the depth of her feelings for Jayce a secret from her best friend. She had no doubt that Lily was just as attracted to Richard as she herself was to Jayce. She knew Lily had never fallen for one of her patrons in the past, and the displaced Yankee had known many men, some who had tried to court her and two who had enticed her to become their mistress. Lily had rejected those men’s romantic overtures and failed to respond to their feelings for her. But Major Richard Stevens was a different story, a troubling one.

  Laura reasoned, that if she herself revealed her feelings for Jayce, Lily might be coaxed to do the same with Richard. If Lily became too close to the Rebel, Lily might be persuaded to change loyalties and, perhaps by accident while distracted by him, make a slip that would endanger both of them and their covert work. Or—and she didn’t want to believe it was possible—an enchanted Lily could confess their illegal actions to Richard, beg for his forgiveness, and vow never to do it again.

  She had known Lily Hart for seventeen months. They had worked together at the hotel, in hospitals, and gathering facts for the Union. They had become close friends. Laura liked, enjoyed, and even respected Lily. Yet, she didn’t know how Lily would react to finding love again, a love which could alter her emotions and conduct, could make her forget she was a Northerner, and could make her forget how and why she had become a…prostitute. Unlike herself, Lily didn’t have a real stake in who would become the war’s victor. For all intents and purposes, Lily no longer had any ties to the North, but the major could bind her to the South. If Lily could punish herself and her past lover by sacrificing her body to other men, could Lily punish her Yankee parents for their rejection and abandonment by marrying a Southerner?

  Laura didn’t understand why such tormenting thoughts entered her mind, and she resented them and scolded herself for doubting her friend. Even so, she cautioned herself to handle this matter with great care.

  Agitated, Laura sat up, threw back the netting, and went into the dining room. She had told Jayce they locked the hotel door at midnight, so she wanted to see if he had returned. The glow of a lamp was upon the drapes in Room 5, implying he was there. She watched for a few minutes, hoping to see even his shadow, but the light soon vanished. Once more she rebuked herself, this time for craving so strongly a mere hint of him. She returned to bed, adjusted the netting, and fluffed her pillow.

  Where did you go and what did you do? her mind questioned. Will you tell me in the morning? Will you try to get seats at the play or pretend none were available? Wait and see how he looks at you and behaves tomorrow.

  * * *

  After breakfast on Monday, David excused himself from the table to depart for his large farm in Danville, and Orville did the same to return to his home and work in Weldon, North Carolina. Frank walked into the foyer with the two men, leaving only Jayce in the dining room with Laura, as Lily had taken bowls and leftovers into the kitchen.

  Jayce stood and straightened his chair. He smiled and thanked Laura for another delicious meal. “I’m going to miss Mrs. Barton’s fine cooking; I surely hope I get the chance to enjoy it again someday soon.”

  Laura returned his smile and said, “I’m certain she will be delighted to hear those compliments, and I’ll pass them on to her.”

  “I might not be here for lunch, Miss Carlisle; I’m going to look around for a while and try to purchase tickets for that comedy performance tonight. I best take advantage of this opportunity because I don’t know when I’ll be given a leave again once I’m assigned to a new unit. I went over to the Spotswood Bar last night and talked with some soldiers and visitors about the goings-on at Petersburg where I’ll be heading tomorrow morning. The news I gathered wasn’t good, but I needed that diversion. Tonight’s, too.”

  Laura experienced a mixture of surprise and joy when he explained his absence last night and reminded her of his plans for this evening, but she cautioned herself she might be reading more into his words than he meant to imply. She felt pangs of sadness to learn his departure was imminent, and twinges of fear to recall the perils looming before him, some because of her secret work. Yet, she smiled and told him to have a good time.

  “I’ll inform you later about the tickets,” he almost whispered; then, in a normal tone, he said, “Good day, Miss Carlisle.”

  “Good day, Lieutenant Storm.” From the corner of her eyes, Laura watched him vanish from sight and heard the front door open and close. A surge of loneliness assailed her and, knowing he would be gone within twenty-four hours, tempted her to cast aside her duties to spend them with him. She took a deep breath and began her tasks, as there were a variety of cleaning chores—sweeping, mopping, dusting, scrubbing the two water closets, and doing laundry—to be carried out by all four young women today.

  As for Mrs. Barton, her responsibilities did not extend beyond the kitchen and helping Alvus to tend the chickens and small garden. Within minutes, Laura was joined by Lily, Belle, and Cleo, so their diversion helped to push aside thoughts of the handsome and enchanting Rebel officer.

  At eleven o’clock, Captain Paul Munns registered and was placed in Room 1, which had been cleaned since Richard’s departure. As the officer chatted with Laura and Lily who played vivacious southern belles to perfection, Munns disclosed he had come to town from Fort Harrison to help make plans and maps of the city’s new defense lines which included his location ten miles from the Capitol and less from the city’s limits.

  As soon as Laura showed him to his room, the captain placed his possessions on a chair and left for a meeting with General Ewell.

  Laura joined Lily in the parlor where they continued their dusting, as Belle and Cleo were making beds and cleaning rooms upstairs. Laura checked their privacy before whispering, “We’ll have to keep a close eye and ear on Captain Munns; he’s a valuable guest.”

  Lily finished fluffing pillows on a sofa near the hearth. “Since you’ll be gone tonight, I’ll take care of that challenge.”

  “If Lieutenant Storm doesn’t get tickets, I’ll be here this evening.”

  “It’ll snow in July before he fails that task,” Lily quipped.

  Laura replaced items on the mantel as she said, “I hope he succeeds; he could make a good source of information about Petersburg if he gets to visit us again. And he provides an excellent means and cover for studying certain areas of Richmond without raising suspicions about me.”

  “Is that the only reason you’re going out with him, to use him?”

  Laura looked at her friend and admitted, “No, he’s enjoyable company a
nd provides pleasant conversation. He knows a great deal about books, and you know how I love to read and discuss them. He’s also well-mannered, a gentleman.”

  Lily laughed and added, “And he’s handsome, virile, and charming.”

  “Yes, Lily, he’s all of those things, too. But I can’t allow his good looks and traits to sway my judgment or intrude on my loyalty and duty.”

  “Are you saying you’ve met him at the wrong time or he doesn’t appeal to you as—what would your father call him?—a proper suitor?”

  “Since I’m not that well acquainted with him, I can’t answer in all honesty. He’s—” Laura halted when she heard the cook approaching. “We’re almost finished in here, Bertha, so we’ll join you in a few minutes.”

  After the older woman nodded and left, Laura whispered, “We’ll talk about this later in private at my house; I promise. Now, we must hurry; it’s time to prepare the dining room for the midday meal.”

  “Laura…”

  “Yes, Lily?” she prompted when the female looked worried, hesitant.

  “I know how bewitching some men can be, so don’t do or say anything with this unknown Rebel to endanger yourself. I couldn’t bear to lose my best friend.”