Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia (69 page)

“A surprise?” Andrea started to stand, glancing
toward the balcony.

“Hold on,” he said, grabbing her hand. “It’s
your wedding present.”

“My wedding present? But I haven’t anything for
you.”

“If you will come here—” He pulled her back to
the bed.

 “You are insufferable, Colonel Hunter.” Andrea
pretended to be offended. She sat down beside him and spoke in a serious tone.
“You need not treat me like a princess, Alex. All I need is this.” She put her
hand on his heart.

Alex took a deep breath and his eyes instantly
moistened. “Oh, Andrea, my love,” he said, kissing her hand tenderly. “That is
yours. Above all else, I give my heart—and my soul—to you for all time.” He
gazed down at her right hand then, at the other ring that to this day she had
not removed.

Andrea saw the look and her eyes went up to meet
his. “I can remove it, if you wish.”

“No, my darling. His memory is part of both of
us. It pleases me to see you wear it.”

Andrea’s gaze drifted back to the balcony door.

“Very well,” Alex said, giving in. “I can see
you are determined. And I know better than to stand in your way.” He started to
heave himself up to a sitting position, but Andrea stopped him with a hand. “Do
not push yourself.”

“I am much stronger today,” Alex replied, though
he held his side painfully. Andrea pushed pillows behind him, and when he was
comfortable, they watched Zach lead a large, black, unruly horse into one of
the front paddocks. When he released the horse, it bucked and squealed, then
took off at a gallop across the field.

Andrea put her hand over her mouth in amazement
at how closely he resembled Justus, then looked down at Alex with tears of
happiness in her eyes. “That is my wedding present?”

“He has been declared unsuitable for military
service, a little too high strung. I believe he may be a perfect match for
you.” In silence, they both watched the horse prance around the pasture for a
few moments, then Alex looked over at Andrea. “A paragon of beauty.”

 “Indeed he’s simply splendid,” Andrea agreed.

Alex took her hand and pulled her down to him.
“Who said I was talking about the horse?”

Andrea’s face blushed at the seductive look in
his eye, causing her to turn back toward the field. “I cannot wait to ride
him.”

“The creature is very wild,” Alex warned her.
“Stubborn and willful.”

“Now are you speaking of the horse or your
bride?” She threw her arm around his neck.

“H-m-m. Now that you mention it, I suppose you
do share some of the same… 
qualities
,” he replied, doubling his arms
around her.

Andrea smiled at his humor, but worried about
the strained look upon his face. “I fear you are overexerting yourself. You
need to save your strength, or we will not be able to wed.”

Alex laughed. “Trust that will not happen, my
dear. We shall be married if I have to say my vows from bed.” He leaned forward
to kiss her on the cheek, but paused when his lips met the moisture there. “What’s
wrong?”

Andrea spoke with her head pressed against his
chest. “I fear I’m not worthy of the honor of becoming your wife,” she sobbed.
“How can I be worthy of a man such as you?”

“My dear Andrea.” Alex tightened his embrace.
““I would not forego the title of your husband for any other earthly one you
could bestow!”

Andrea took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of
him. “Promise you’ll never leave me, Alex,” she whispered. “I could not bear
it.”

He grew quiet and she lifted her head.

“I can promise I will not leave willingly,” he
said, forcing a smile.

“But if you do, I will follow you wherever you
go. I will not leave your side.”

“I may order it.” Alex stroked her face with a
wistful smile on his lips.

“Then I shall countermand your order.” Andrea
ran her fingers through his wavy hair, delighting in the sensation of touching
the man she admired and loved with all her heart.

“I had no idea I had taken such a headstrong
woman as a bride.”

“Come now, Colonel.” Andrea looked down at him
with mirthful eyes. “Surely I gave an adequate indication of my traits before
now.”

“Yes, I suppose you did.” He laid his head back
on the pillow with a deep sigh and closed his eyes.

“Would you like me to clean your wound and
change your dressing?” Andrea tried to keep the concern from her voice. With
his eyes closed, Alex looked pale and strained. She could see he was in much
more pain than he pretended to be.

“No, Doc will do it later.” His voice sounded
casual and indifferent.

“You do not trust me?” she asked, half-jokingly.

“I trust you, Andrea.” He took her hand and
kissed it, though his eyes remained closed. “With my life. Forever.”

She gazed at his countenance intently. “But you
wish Doc to do it.”

He turned his head away. “Yes. I wish Doc to do
it.”

This time
his voice was not so casual and the indifference sounded more like despair.

“That love which breaks the heart that was whole,

shall join together, and make whole the heart that is
broken.”

– Francis Warrenton Dawson to Sarah Morgan Dawson, 1873

Andrea stood in the shadows on the balcony and
watched the men riding in, her stomach churning with anxiety. She had never
really thought of the prospect of meeting them as the wife of their leader. And
now she was not really sure she wanted to.

Even after all had gathered and Alex had been
helped downstairs to greet them, she remained in her place of refuge.

“You lost, young lady?” Carter came up behind
her. “The Colonel’s beginning to think he’s been stood up by his bride.”

Andrea stared at her feet. “I-I do not know how
to face them,” she stuttered, “you know, Major—those I stood against.”

Carter put his hand on her shoulder. “You need
not fear them.”

“But they know, do they not?” Andrea whispered
the words. “Who I am? Who I was?”

“I believe it is common knowledge among them.
But you have fairly won their regard and their esteem. That, and the knowledge
their commander admires you is enough for them.”

Andrea looked into his eyes to see if he told
the truth. “Come,” he said, holding out his arm. “You’ve been out of your
husband’s sight for too long. He will soon grow impatient enough to come
looking for you.”

Andrea nodded and allowed herself to be escorted
down the stairs. When they entered the dining room doorway, there was a sudden
hush, and then three-dozen chairs scooted across the floor as everyone stood.

Andrea’s eyes swept the room. When they at last
fell upon the bold gaze of her husband, she found herself blushing like a
schoolgirl rather than feeling any apprehension about his men. Dressed in his
military finest, he appeared every inch the stalwart, valiant officer he was
reputed to be. He nodded with evident deference and respect at her entrance,
and she returned the action with a look of fervent devotion.

Carter escorted Andrea to his side, while Alex
continued to devour her with his eyes. After bending down and placing a
reverential kiss upon her brow, he put his hand gently on the small of her back
and turned toward his men. “Gentlemen,” he said, “and you, too, Murdoch—”

The men began to laugh. “Gentlemen, we are
gathered here to celebrate my newest promotion, to a place and title of honor
of which I feel I am unworthy—husband. Allow me to introduce my wife, Mrs.
Andrea Hunter.”

The men clapped and raised their glasses in
toast to their leader who, for the first time in a long time, wore a wide and
contented smile. “And this, gentlemen,” he said, pulling Andrea closer to his
side and looking at her for a long moment. “This I would not trade for a
thousand victories.”

“To love,” said one, causing glasses to tinkle
up and down the long, glittering candlelit table.

Andrea’s heart began to beat at a normal pace
while she half-listened to the conversations going on around her. All related
to some heroic deed that had been performed by, or had involved in one way or
another, her husband. Dropping her eyes to the table, her gaze came to rest on
the strong hand that rested upon hers. That hand, she mused, which in time of
battle wielded the terrible power of death in but one finger, now wore a band
of gold that pledged his life to her.

Alex must have noticed the contemplative look
upon her face. He squeezed her hand, leaned over and whispered so only she
could hear. “Dear wife, my heart and soul are wrapped around that finger.”

Andrea looked up at him, eyes suffused with a
mist she quickly blinked away. It seemed to her incredible, and frankly
unbelievable, that a man so strong and powerful as the one who sat beside her
should wish to call her by that title.

When all had finished eating and the drinks
began to flow, Andrea struck up a conversation with the red-headed boy they
called Murdoch, who she sensed had caused his commander more than a little
consternation.

“So, Mr. Murdoch, were you on the kidnapping
raid?” Andrea asked innocently, referring to Alex’s expedition into the enemy
hospital camp to retrieve her.

“You mean the ‘wildcat’ raid. Why almost all of
us was involved in that one.”

 “
Murdoch
!” Alex said sternly,
overhearing the conversation.

“The wildcat raid?” Andrea gave Alex a sideways
glance. “Do tell.”

The man, or rather boy, continued. “The Kulnel
said we was gonna go catch a wildcat. Said he needed more than the average
number of men, because—”

“Murdoch!” Alex tried again to put a stop to the
story as hearty laughter rolled through the room.

“’Cause this wildcat was smarter than most men,
more cunning than a fox, and meaner than a—”

“Murdoch!” The men broke out into convulsive
laughter.

Andrea pretended to be offended. “Never mind. I
do not wish to know anymore.”

“And,” the boy continued, obviously enjoying the
spotlight, “the Kulnel said he was going to capture this wildcat, if he had to
lose every man and horse in the Command in the process.”

The room grew silent. Andrea stared, unblinking,
straight ahead, then looked up into her husband’s eyes. She had known the risk
he had taken that day. She had never realized how very much he had been ready
to sacrifice.

“I should have known you men would start trouble
with my bride,” Alex said, turning back to his guests and trying to make light
of the situation.

“It wasn’t us,” one yelled. “It was Murdoch!”
Again the group roared.

When next Andrea looked over at Alex, she
noticed he held his side, though he still wore a strained smile upon his face.

“It’s been a long evening,” she said standing,
“perhaps it’s time for us to call it a day.”

“Yes, my dear, I think you may be right.”
Leaning heavily upon her, they walked to the door and bid each guest goodbye
one by one. Hunter watched with apparent contentment as Andrea grasped each
hand, looked each man in the eye, and repeated each name.

“Your husband knows the roll so well he can call
it in his head,” one of the men said. “Perhaps, in time, you can do the same.”

Andrea laughed. “I shall never try to best my
husband in the war department.”

“I appreciate the compliment Mrs. Hunter,” Alex
said kissing her hand. “But let it not be disputed that you outrank me
everywhere but on the battlefield.”

When Andrea got to the last man, she threw her
arms around Carter’s neck. She felt him nod in a signal to Alex behind her,
while squeezing her with a heartfelt hug. When he released her and she looked
at her husband, she could read nothing on his face. Yet she knew the
communication had meant something of significance.

Taking Alex’s hand, she turned toward the
stairs, dismissing the scene. It was too late to begin trying to decipher the
secret language between Alex and his second-in-command, and she was too tired
to try.

“Ah, one more minute,” Alex said. “I’ve… asked
the men to wait outside. There’s something I need to tell them. I’ll be right
up.”

“Are you sure? You look so tired. Do you wish me
to wait?”

“No. No.” He waved his hand. “Carter will help
me up the stairs. Go on.”

Andrea obeyed, but looked back, confused, when
the door closed again. There was something wrong, something she felt now more
so than could identify. And when she heard the front door close a half hour
later and walked out on the balcony to watch the men ride off, her suspicions
were confirmed. Gone was the festive attitude of just an hour before. There was
no joking, not even any talking. Although she waved cheerfully at those passing
beneath her, they seemed intent on avoiding her gaze. Some nodded sadly in her
direction, while others stared straight ahead as they rode silently toward the
bridge and into the night. Every countenance reflected a calamity that thus far
she had no knowledge.

Andrea pushed away any thoughts of foreboding.
The night had been too magical, her life too wonderful, her future too
incredible to worry about such mysteries now.

Chapter
69

“O! you gods, why do you make us love your goodly gifts,

 and snatch them straight away?”

– Pericles, Shakespeare

Andrea continued to stand on the balcony and
breathe in the cool evening air, even after hearing Alex talking in hushed
tones in the room behind her. Shrugging away the shadow of apprehension that
continued to pursue her, she concluded the men were just tired. Now that she
thought about it, so was she.

Opening the door quietly in case Alex was
already resting, she overheard him talking to Doc—not Carter—his voice solemn
and low. “I will tell her.”