Battle of Lookout Mountain (16 page)

“Jeff said I’m prettier than she is.”

“You didn’t let me read that part of your letter.” Sarah smiled. “Go get it—I’d like to see it.”

“No, I won’t, but he said it all right; and he said other things too, but I won’t tell you.”

“That’s all right. I don’t think you should.” Sarah smiled again. “I can’t keep up with you. I still think of you and Jeff as little children out robbing birds’ nests and catching perch out of the creek. Hard to believe that you both are growing up so fast. Why, I believe you are taller than I am now.”

Sarah knew Leah was sensitive about her height, feeling herself to be too tall.

“I’m such a giant,” Leah complained. “If I don’t quit growing, I’ll be taller than Jeff.”

“No, you won’t. Look how tall his father is—and Tom. Why, they’re both over six feet.”

“I will be too if I don’t stop growing!”

“No, you won’t. We don’t have any six-foot women in our family. You just look nice and stately—like a queen. When you’re not acting like a spoiled child, that is.” And then Sarah said, “I wonder what Tom is doing with himself.”

“Well, he’s helping a lot more with the farm work now. He gets around real good. He milks the cows. I’m glad to get out of that job. Never did like milking.”

“I just wish he’d come to see me. I’m going down to supper tonight. I don’t care what Ma or anybody else says.”

“Pa will take the switch to you if you don’t mind.”

Dan Carter was home from his trip as a sutler and had been happy to find Sarah on the mend.

“Though I think,” Leah said cautiously, “you might come down to supper if you’ll be very careful and let me help you.”

“I’ll do anything to get out of this room.”

Sarah spent the afternoon impatiently waiting for suppertime, and when Leah finally came in a little
before five, she exclaimed, “Let’s go, Leah! Help me down those stairs!”

Sarah held onto her sister as the two navigated the steps, and when they entered the dining room she was startled by a burst of applause. She saw her father and mother standing on one side of the table, and Morena on the other side beside Tom. Ezra completed the group.

Sarah flushed. “All this fuss over supper?”

Dan Carter shook his head. “No, it’s not that, Daughter. We’re thankful to the Lord for sparing our family—especially you.” He came around and kissed her before she sat down, something unusual for him.

When all were seated, her father did another unexpected thing. He said, “Tom, I’m going to ask you if you’ll return thanks.”

Sarah thought Tom looked a little surprised, but he bowed his head and said a simple prayer, thanking God for the food. He asked blessings on the Carter home, then said, “And be with my own family in Virginia.”

A hearty “Amen” went up, and then they began to eat. Morena sat as close as she could to Ezra, for she had a special affection for the young hired hand. He fed her from his plate from time to time, and she would laugh happily.

The baby was perched in the high chair that Ezra had made. She took great pleasure in squashing the mashed potatoes and then licking them off her fingers.

“That would be disgusting if anybody else did it,” Tom observed. “With Esther it’s just cute.” He considered her for a moment. “She’s sure going to look like Ma. Same blonde hair and blue eyes.”

“She’s got the same features exactly,” Mrs. Carter agreed. “Your mother was such a beautiful woman.”

“I wish Pa could see Esther.” Tom sighed. Then he perked up and looked over at Sarah. “Did you hear about the victory celebration, Sarah?”

“No,” Sarah said. “For the victory at Lookout Mountain?”

“Sure. It’s going to be next Saturday at the community hall.” Tom cocked his head to one side and looked solemn. “As your physician, I’d say that you’ll be just about ready, by that time, to get out of the house.”

“Oh, I couldn’t go, Tom!”

“Your doctor says you can, so get yourself ready. We’re all going.”

“That’s a good idea,” Ezra put in. “We ought to show our support for the army.” Then he glanced at Tom. “I’m sorry, Tom—it can’t be a ‘victory celebration’ for you. That’s got to be hard.”

Tom looked about the table. “As you know, the war’s been over for me since Gettysburg,” he said and paused. “I guess I might as well tell you—I’ve given up on the South winning. I think Pa has too— and Jeff, from what I hear. Oh, the fighting will go on for a while, but there’s no way the South will win. So we’ll just go to your victory celebration Saturday, and that will be it.”

Tom Majors had thrown himself into the Confederate cause with all his heart, and it hurt Sarah terribly to see his world come crashing down.

Mr. Carter said quietly, “I wish everyone could look at it like that.”

A murmur went around the table, and peace seemed to descend in an unusual way. Tom looked about at their faces. “One day,” he said, “it’ll all be
over.” Then he broke the spell by saying sternly, “And you be ready Saturday, Miss Sarah Carter. Put your best party dress on. We’ll let ’em see a retired Rebel and his lady friend.”

Sarah stared back at him—the old Tom that she remembered so well. She smiled. “I’ll be ready.”

On the victory celebration day, Sarah was surprised when her mother presented her with a new party dress. It was pale green with dark green trim; and, despite her weight loss from her illness, it fit her well. She had slipped it on and was brushing her hair when Leah passed her bedroom door.

“It’s time to go, Sarah.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Sarah finished her hair, took one last look at herself, and touched the simple pearl earrings that she wore, a gift from her parents.

She was feeling much stronger now, able to go down the stairs without help.

She found the rest of the family waiting in the parlor.

Leah was putting a coat on Esther, who was protesting loudly. Ignoring the wails, Leah fastened the coat and then picked her up. “There, now you’ll be nice and warm.”

Ezra came in, wearing a new suit—a dark gray suit with a new, shiny white shirt and a black string tie.

“Why, you look downright handsome, Ezra!” Sarah said.

Ezra beamed. “Thank you, Sarah, and you look right pretty yourself. That’s a new dress, isn’t it?”

“Yes, do you like it?” Sarah turned around and
accepted everyone’s compliments. Then her brow wrinkled. “So are we ready to go?”

“Just about,” Ezra said, a mischievous look on his face. “I’ll go get Tom.”

As they stood waiting, Sarah said, “Your dress looks real nice too, Ma.”

“I’m glad you like it. It’s just an old one I made over, you know.”

Silence fell over the room. Sarah was perplexed, for there seemed to be a strange feeling of—expectation?—among the occupants. Morena came over and felt her dress, and she took the girl’s hand and patted her blonde hair. “You look real nice, sweetheart,” she said. She herself had made Morena’s dress. It was a cranberry color, and Morena looked like a doll.

Ezra came back. “Well, I guess we’re all ready to go,” he said, but he crossed the room to stand beside Leah, then faced the door.

Sarah looked toward the hallway, expecting Tom. But something was wrong. She realized suddenly that she was waiting for the tapping of his crutches on the floor. She did not hear them, however, so was startled when Tom, wearing a new light blue suit, appeared in the doorway.

And then she gasped. “Tom,” she whispered, her eyes turning wide. “Tom, what—”

Tom walked across the room toward her, and there was a joyous light in his dark eyes. His walk was a little awkward, but nevertheless he was walking without the crutch.

Sarah looked downward and saw, instead of a pinned-up trouser leg, a shiny black boot! The left boot just like the right one!

“Oh, Tom!” She threw her arms around him. “I’m so happy.”

“Well, I’m glad I’ve found a way to get a hug out of you!” Tom winked over her shoulder at Sarah’s parents. Then he reached down and tapped the left boot. It made a wooden sound. “What do you think about your hired hand, Ezra, now? Ezra and I been working on this for a week.”

“How’s it feel, Tom?” Ezra asked.

“Feels fine, Ezra. You did a great job.” Tom turned to explain to Sarah. “Ezra went all the way into Lexington to where they make things like this. He took along the measurements and the cast he’d made, and when he came back we had to practice with it.”

Tom walked across the room. He spun around and said, “Look! How about that?”

“It’s wonderful!” Sarah’s eyes were like diamonds. Then there were tears in them. “Thank you, Ezra,” she said. Then she turned back to Tom and held out her hands. “This
will
be a victory celebration, Tom. For you!”

It was a victory celebration indeed, for everyone in Pineville had been alerted that young Tom Majors had recovered in more ways than one. The news that he would no longer serve in the Confederate army, but would remain at Pineville for the duration of the war, had gone through the whole community.

Some had scoffed, saying, “You can’t convert a Confederate Rebel.” But after people talked with Tom and saw his earnestness, most accepted him. After all, he had grown up in this town. He and his family had been well liked and respected. And also
it had become a mark of decency to take a young man at his word.

The high moment of the night for Sarah came when Tom said, “Well, I guess it’s time to try this leg out for sure. You remember this song they’re playing?”

Sarah remembered. It had been played at the last party they attended together.

The fiddler was grinning and nodding at him as if to say, “It’s your turn, Tom.”

“So may I have this dance?”

Sarah caught her breath. She had not thought Tom quite so daring, but she whispered, “Yes.”

The music was slow, and Tom was steady on his feet. He smiled down at her. “Everybody’s watching.”

“And I know what they’re seeing,” Sarah whispered. “One of the bravest men I’ve ever known.”

“No, they’re seeing one of the prettiest girls in the world.”

When the fiddling stopped, there was a wild burst of applause.

Tom held up his hands. “Thank you very much. It pleases me to see that things can be restored.” The room grew very still as he added, “My father and my brother, Jeff, and I—we all love this place and think of it as home.” He paused. “I’m looking forward to the day when the fighting is over and we can all be one people again. I’m grateful that God spared my life, and I’m thankful for people like you who are willing to forgive.”

A muted “Amen” ran through the crowd, and Tom whispered, “Come on, Sarah, let’s go outside before I start blubbering.”

He closed the door behind them, and they walked slowly to the edge of the porch. Far off, the mountains were highlighted by moonlight, their tops turned to silver.

Quietness lay over the outside world. Inside, the music began again.

After several minutes of silence, Tom said, “You’re still my girl, aren’t you?”

“I always have been, Tom, and I always will be. And one day soon, I’ll be Sarah Majors.”

“It’s what I’ve wanted for a long time. And I thank God for bringing us to this place.”

The music played on. At the hitching rail, the horses chomped on the short, dead grass. Sarah and Tom turned and went back inside.