Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia (68 page)

“Of course. I’m sorry. I understand.” Pierce touched
his hat and headed down the stairs, leaning heavily on the handrail, but
limping slightly less than before.

“Captain?”

He turned. “Yes?”

“You’ve had your leg properly cleaned and
dressed?”

Pierce cocked his head, seeming to be surprised
that Andrea had noticed or that she cared enough to ask. “Yes, ma’am. Doc
worked on it last night.”

“Very well. Please continue to see it is
properly taken care of. I would like to have the Colonel’s best officers stay
healthy during his convalescence.” Andrea did not give him time to respond to
the compliment before turning and walking away.

From the hallway, she heard Gus Dorsey greet
Pierce at the bottom of the stairs. “Captain Pierce. How goes it with the
Colonel?”

“Tell the men not to worry overly much,” Pierce
said. “The lady up there has will enough for both of them.” The words sounded
sarcastic, but Andrea thought his tone revealed a hint of respect.

She heard the door below creak open and the
sound of Gus’s voice with a touch of humor in it. “But what shall become of us
when they are both at full strength at the same time?”

To this, she did not hear Pierce’s reply.

* * *

When Andrea
awoke again, light was pouring in the window. She had no idea how long she had
slept. An afternoon? A day? More? Although her eyes were still blurry with
sleep when she entered Hunter’s room, it took only a moment to realize it was
full of people. Her heart lurched hard against its cage.

But the sight of an older woman sitting by the
bed dispelled any gloomy illusions of death. “Ah, there you are, dear,” the
woman said, leaning over Alex and feeding him a spoonful of soup. “The Colonel
was just telling me a secret.”

Andrea’s heart slowed its violent hammering when
she realized Alex was not only alive, but apparently had the strength to flirt
with the hostess of the house.

“He said he needs to get back to Hawthorne for a
wedding,” she announced.

“A wedding?” Andrea pretended to be surprised as
she walked toward the bed.

“Most decidedly,” Alex answered, taking her
hand, his eyes sweeping her appreciatively. “Don’t tell me no one informed
you.”

“Perhaps it was an oversight.” Andrea sat down
and Alex motioned for her to come closer.

“It appears you are out of uniform.”

“If I’m to be a wife,” Andrea responded, “I have
no more plans to be a soldier.”

“If you are half as good at the former as you
were at the later, I’ll be the luckiest man in Virginia.”

“Just Virginia?” Andrea bent down and kissed him
on the forehead. His color looked better, she thought, but he felt awfully
warm. And she could tell by the lines and the tension on his face that he was
in deep pain. He was apparently only pretending to be stronger—for her sake.

“Oh, all right, the world.” He grabbed her
weakly and pulled her down for another kiss.

“All right you two, break it up,” Hobbs said
gruffly, walking to the bed. “I want no more talk of moving back to Hawthorne.
Not yet.”

“It’s not that far. I can—”

Alex looked instinctively to Andrea for backup,
apparently assuming she would agree with him wholeheartedly. But she remained
silent, her gaze instead going to the doctor. “I believe, perhaps, Doc knows
what’s best, Alex.”

Hobbs looked at her appreciatively. “You are
weak. There’s still a chance of infection. The stronger you are the better
chance you’ll have to fight it.”

The sound of
hoof beats thundering into the yard below interrupted the conversation. Andrea
ran to the window. “It’s Carter and some of your men.” She tried to sound calm,
but she could see by the look on all of the faces in the room that Carter would
not have come if there was not trouble.

By the time
Andrea turned around, Carter’s spurs were already jangling up the steps and he
burst into the room.

“’Scuse me, sir,” he said, relief evident in his
eyes at seeing Hunter sitting up. “We got trouble in blue coming down the pike.
I’m afraid you’re gonna have to move.”

Andrea’s gaze went to the doctor, but he looked
away.  “But where? Where is safe?”

They’re searching every house within fifty
miles,” Carter reported. “We got two choices. We can go to the Carvers, about
five miles, and then move again, or we can go to Hawthorne. The Yanks have
already been there. Searched it up and down. Chances are they won’t be back. We
got townspeople out spreading rumors that you’ve already been taken south.”

Alex looked at Andrea. “Got a wedding to go to.
Let’s go to Hawthorne.”

A smile
flashed across Carter’s face, but he quickly became all business again.
“They’re hitching a wagon now,” he said. “Loading it with vegetables. Might be
a bit uncomfortable.”

“I’ll drive it.” Andrea stepped forward.

She saw Carter look questioningly at Alex. “Give
her a gun,” was all Alex said. Then he looked at Andrea. “You spoke too soon.
Your soldiering days are not yet over.”

Before Andrea had time to think another thought
Alex was loaded and an advance guard had been sent forward. Twelve more riders
waited nearby to serve as rearguard and flankers. She tried to appear calm as
her gaze landed on Pierce, but when their eyes met, she knew he saw the panic
there. He smiled and nodded in a reassuring gesture, and she nodded back in
acknowledgment and appreciation. It somewhat unnerved her to see his confident
gaze, a look that told her he would defend both lives in the wagon,
unhesitatingly, with his own.

Before she picked up the reins, Andrea jumped back
out of the wagon and grabbed Carter by the arm as he walked to his horse. “I
have no one to give me away. You will come to the wedding?”

Carter looked at her with surprise and then
shook his head in feigned annoyance. “Just like a woman, thinking about her
weddin’ instead of her life. Now git!”

Before she could turn, he grabbed her and kissed
her on the cheek. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, darlin’,” he whispered.
“That man’s like a son to me.”

Chapter
67

Amor de mi alma.

“You are the love of my soul.”

Andrea tried to control the racing of her pulse
as she guided the horses toward Hawthorne. When the majestic house appeared
beyond the trees, she could not keep her hands from shaking, nor stop the
memories that besieged her mind. There it stood, the beautiful, magnificent
shrine, just as she remembered it. She knew as never before that this is where
she belonged.

By the time she was able to pull the horses to a
stop in front of the porch, four men had already dismounted and hopped into the
wagon, removing the covering they had placed over their leader. Andrea jumped
down and leaned over the side. Finding Alex’s hand, she gave it a squeeze.
“You’re home.”

He weakly squeezed it in return. “
We’re
home.” He took a deep breath of Hawthorne air then as if having it inside him
again was all he needed to heal.

Andrea watched the men unload Alex and carry him
into the house. Then she paused on the porch long enough to give a hurried hug
to an excited Mattie, Izzie, Gabriella and Zach.

“Where’s Andrea?” Alex was already asking for
her by the time she arrived in his room.

“I’m here, Alex.” He took her hand when she sat
on the side of the bed and brought it to his lips. “Two days,” he said, with
unopened eyes.

“What’s in two days?”

Alex opened his eyes, long enough to say two
words. “Our wedding.”

“You must have a fever.” Andrea placed her hand
on his forehead. “We cannot possibly be married in two days.”

“Don’t worry,” he replied weakly. “Everything is
taken care of.”

He sounded convinced—and tired—so Andrea did not
argue. “Get some sleep. We’ll talk when you wake.” After kissing him on the
cheek, Andrea headed toward the kitchen, where she found Mattie and Izzie in a
state of complete pandemonium.

“Gal, I gonna wup you from here until Sunday if
you don’t stop that clatternation.” Mattie scolded Izzie when she knocked a
dish off the table, causing little Angelina to cry.

Andrea ran over and picked up the baby. “Look at
you, you little darling! Oh, how you’ve grown!”

The women barely looked up from their work.
“What’s the rush here?” Andrea asked, rocking the child in her arms.

Now the heads
of both women jerked up at once. “Why, there’s to be a weddin’ drekly.”

Andrea’ drew her brows together. “I was somewhat
aware of a wedding, but I did not know a date had been set.”

They both went back to work, ignoring her. “Two
days,” Izzie said. “Ole Him gived us two days.” She paused. “And den the dinner
party.”

“Such jollifications as ain’t neber before been
seed,” Mattie added.

“Dinner party? Whatever are you talking about? Has
everyone at Hawthorne gone mad? There is not possibly time.”

“Now, Miz Andrea,” Mattie said, taking her by
the arm and leading her from the room like she was a misbehaving child. “Why
you gotta be all worriment and act so confuzzled? Ain’t no botheration at all.”

“No botheration?” Andrea shrieked. “Why, for
heaven’s sakes, I don’t even have a proper gown.”

“Natchelly Ole Him took care of dat.”

“Ole Him took care of it?” Andrea stood blinking
in complete bewilderment.

“He done sent a courier. Zach got the material
and Gabriella, she workin’ sun to sun on a gown. Why such amazinations as you
never before sawed been going on around heah. Wait and see if she don’t make
you the most splendiferous gown you ever sawed!”

Andrea cocked her head, trying to figure out how
a brilliant military leader would think of such a thing as material for a gown
at such a time as on the battlefield. Then she wondered if the entire household
had indeed gone mad if they believed there was actually going to be a wedding
in two days.

“Don’t matta about all the extra work,” Mattie
said interrupting her thoughts. “Ole Him say he pay extra.”

Now Andrea became even more bewildered. “Pay you
extra? Whatever do you mean?”

The servants looked at each and rolled their
eyes. “We done been abolished since befoe last frost time.” Izzie leaned over
the table, “Don’ tell no one, though.”

“But,” Andrea said, trying to think back. “I was
here until September.”

“Prezactly,” Mattie said. “I dismember the
exactified day, but Ole Him proclaimated us free right after you lef’. Now you
go gets some rest.” She looked at Andrea sternly. “You looks like you need it.
The boys start coming and jubilatin’ day after ’morrow. Natchelly, they out
gettin’ them Yankees off the scent fust.”

A hurried knock and the sound of the door
opening interrupted Andrea’s confused thoughts. Carter walked into the house
with a simple nod in her direction when she went to see who it was.

“Gotta see the Colonel,” he said.

“Wait!” Andrea grabbed his arm. “He’s resting.”

“That’s all right. I won’t disturb him.”

Andrea put her hands to her temples.

“Just gotta leave something for him,” Carter
said over his shoulder as he took the steps two at a time.

* * *

Hunter slept all that afternoon and completely
through the night, just as the doctor said he might. When his eyes finally
opened, his first words, to Andrea’s surprise, were, “Did Carter come?”

She looked at him in complete confusion. “Yes …
he said he had to leave something for you. Alex, what—”

“Can you hand me that?” He ignored her words and
nodded toward a small package on the stand beside his bed. Andrea walked over
and handed him the box she had not even noticed, while he struggled to sit up.
“Sit down, please,” he commanded, opening the package.

Andrea lowered herself onto the edge of the bed,
so confused she did not know what to do or say.

“Andrea
Evans, I wish at last to claim you as my bride. Will you accept this as
evidence of my desire to give you my name and my loving protection and esteem?”
He paused for a moment and seemed almost worried of her answer, because his
voice got low. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Shrieking with mad joy and surprise at the sight
of the beautiful band, Andrea laughed and cried at the same time. “Alex, it’s
the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!” She took the ring in shaking hands.

“Does that mean yes?” he asked innocently.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” She handed him the ring and
watched him slide it on her finger. “I shall cling to you for life! You shall
never be able to get rid of me!”

Alex held both of her hands in his and looked
her directly in the eyes. “My darling, I shall never wish to be rid of you.”

The door burst open and Mattie, Izzie and
Gabriella came rushing in. “What’s all the screaminations up heah?” Mattie
asked breathlessly.

 “Look!” Andrea stood and held up her hand.

The three women nodded and shrugged, making it
clear the news was not unexpected. “I done told you everything was takin’ care
of,” Mattie said, shaking her head. She gazed directly at Alex then. “Massa,
Zach out front with the—” She stopped and looked at Andrea, then back at Alex.
“
You know.”

Andrea wrinkled her brow in confusion at the
secret code talk, then leaned over and kissed her bridegroom. She had intended
it to be a quick peck, but he had other intentions.

“Such goings on’s as this my eyes ain’t meant to
be seed,” Mattie said, ushering the two other servants out the door with her
eyes closed.

“All right,” Andrea said as she tried to push
him away. “You’ve succeeded in chasing everyone away. Now tell me what you have
up your sleeve.”

He sighed and rolled his eyes. “It’s a
surprise.”