Words Heard in Silence (30 page)

"Well, I doubt that will be the case. I think you are the man for the job, Charlie. Now all we have to do is get you through this war in one piece so you can come home to your lady." Jocko gave a quick laugh. "Of all things I thought we would be discussing about the end of the war, this was not among them."

"Jocko? You and I started at the same time. What had you planned to do when your time in the army is up?"

"Colonel C, I have lived in the army all my life and I am sure I will die in the army. I will probably be sent off to some post where they need a hotheaded Irishman to keep the boys in line."

"Well, my friend, if you change you mind, I will find a way to keep you occupied."

"Oh is that so? You think that you and the lady will need a hotheaded Irishman to help you keep the place going?" He smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Or maybe you want me around to protect you from the lady. I know she is almost has hard headed as you are."

Charlie threw his head back and laughed. "My friend, maybe I am just trying to keep you from destroying the morale of the western forces - 'cause none of them will be able to keep up with you. More seriously, the time after the war will be hard - very hard. We could use your charm and your skill."

"Well, I suppose Virginia is just as good a place as any to settle. Some mighty pretty ladies in town that will be husband hunting after the war." He winked. "Might even find myself a lovely just like you did."

"Well, let us see what we can do to help make the end of the war less painful - at least for a few folks."

"I will be right there with you, Colonel C. Just like always."

Charlie slapped Jocko on the shoulder. "Good plan, my friend, good plan. Now, lets go see how the boys are doing at getting ready for winter."

"M
a’am?"

Rebecca turned to find Corporal Nailer and several other troopers carrying various trunks, boxes and crates. "What can I do for you, young Duncan?"

"These things belong to the Colonel, Ma’am. Sergeant Jackson told us to fetch them up here. Where should we put them?"

"Well you may put his command items in the managers office and his personal things at the foot of the steps. I will have Reg take them upstairs."

"Yes, Ma’am."

She held the screen door for the men to pass through, then she stepped out on the porch for a breath of fresh air. She turned when she heard the soft clomping of a horse. Charlie was riding toward the house slowly, obviously enjoying the crisp autumn air.

"Why look at you, Colonel Redmond. Out for a lazy ride?" She smiled as he climbed down from his mount.

"No, Miss Rebecca. I have been out riding fence this morning to see how repairs are coming."

"Are they suitable?"

"Indeed. My boys are doing a fine job."

She held out her hand. "Come, Colonel. Sarah has prepared a wonderful lunch for us."

"If it is all right with you, Miss Rebecca, I will be having my officers in for a meeting after lunch." He said as he wrapped her arm through his.

"I told you that the manager’s office was yours. You may do with it what you will." She gave him a coy smile. "It is only fitting that the gentleman of the house should have his private office."

Charlie stumbled slightly.
The gentleman of the house. I think I like that. A lot.

Shut up! I have pulled this off successfully for 19 years. I am not about to slip now
. "Thank you, Rebecca. You offer me a home and a place when I have not had either for many years. I am more grateful than I can tell you."

I
mmediately after lunch, Charlie adjourned to his new office. The staff officers gathered for their daily meeting, some grousing and some being amused that the Colonel did not join them in the mess, opting for joining the lovely lady instead of his scruffy officers. Overall, Charlie’s choice of luncheon companion did him no harm in the men’s eyes. If anything, they were proud of their Colonel, who had suddenly manifested as a lady’s man. It had certainly squelched the rumors that the Colonel preferred the personal company of men.

Charlie could not help but smile as he heard the quiet whispers between the men as they filed in for the meeting. He hid the smirk with a twitch of his lips.

"Well, Gentlemen. Welcome to my new office. Shall we begin? Company A, report."

The meeting went on as expected. The issues of wintering in, regimental morale and immediate needs were all discussed at length. Finally, Charlie announced that the regiment would hold a gymkhana, a traditional series of competitive events that demonstrated various aspects of horsemanship. Appropriate awards would be made to all of the winners. Charlie’s staff agreed that this would help to meld the troops together into a cohesive team, a critical factor for his patched together regiment.

As he escorted the staff to the door and sent them on their way to attend to afternoon duties, Charlie looked around at the office, piled with boxes of papers, many of which he needed to read and file. It was a long, boring afternoon that stretched into evening and a hastily eaten supper on a tray at his desk.

R
ebecca was upstairs in her sitting room, reading, when Charlie finally finished and came to find her. "All finished with your paperwork?"

"For today," Charlie sighed, taking a seat on the settee to remove his boots. "I learned very quickly when I became an officer that there is never an end to the paperwork. That is one thing I shall not miss about the army." He turned and looked at her. "Actually, I do not think I will miss anything about the army."

"I am sure all your training will come in very handy in getting our farm up and running again."

"I am sure it will. Between knowing how to keep the books and manage insufficient supplies and figuring out how to keep a herd of horses going regardless, I think I might be very good at this."

"I think," Rebecca laid her book aside, "you will be very good at this. I do believe that we will have the finest program in all of Virginia."

"I hope so, dear lady. I would love to give you all of the comforts that you deserve."

"Charlie, having you here with me is the only comfort I desire."

"Beloved, I will do my very best to be here for you. You know that I have responsibilities to see to until the war ends, but I promise, I will come back to you. I will take very, very good care of myself."

For a moment Rebecca’s heart stopped beating, her breath caught in her throat as the thought that Charlie might not come home ran through her mind. She reached over and placed her hands on Charlie’s shoulders. "You must come back to me, Charlie. If you do not……I……I shall not be able to go on. Promise me you will be careful and not take unnecessary risks."

"Having you to come back to is the best incentive I could possibly have for being very, very careful. They will not call me Lucky Charlie any more, they will call me the cowardly Charlie." He laughed gently and pulled her into his arms, "My dear, I will do everything in my power to come back to you. I want to have time to explore our relationship, and to discover all that is possible for us."

She sighed, nodding at his reassurances. "I know you will." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "But we have a while before you will have to leave. So there is no need to worry about it now."

"Do I have you to come back to? I hope so with all my heart." Charlie released his hold on her, and slid from her side on the settee. Holding her hand in his, he knelt at her feet.

"You know you do, Charlie. Please do not doubt that."

He looked up at her. She was struck by the look of fearful hope in his eyes. "You know that I love you with all my heart."

"And I you, my dear Colonel."

He swallowed, hard. Clearly, whatever he was trying to say was not easy.

"Charlie?" She was worried about his color, suddenly he looked very pale.

The voice spoke up.
Charlie, you fool. Why are you even...

"Rebecca. Mrs. Gaines. Dear lady. I do not have a lot to offer."
God, help me. This is so much more difficult than facing a charging line of pike men.

"What is wrong, Charlie? Please tell me."

He looked down at her hand, so small and delicate in his own.
D
amn. I do not even have a ring. "
Rebecca." He drew a deep breath. "When I return after this war is over, would you... would you consider doing me the honor..." His throat closed for a moment.

Rebecca looked at him expectantly. She did not want to assume what he was going to say but that giddy feeling in the pit of her stomach was back. "Yes?"

"Would you consider doing me the honor of being my wife? I know that someday a real man may come along that will meet your needs, but until then, please. I would do whatever you want, be whatever you ask of me, whether that be friend or lover. Please?" There. It was out. The scariest thing he had ever done was over. And the nasty little voice had stayed quiet. Now all he had to do was wait.

She smiled, cupping his face in her hands; she leaned forward, placing a kiss to his lips. "Yes. Yes, Charlie, I would be honored to marry you, but on one condition."

He looked at her, waiting to learn her condition. She had seen that expression on his face once before - the look of a child who did not know if they were going to be hit or hugged. Yet, for all of that, there was hope in his face.

"That you never speak of stepping down again. I love you, Charlie. I want you. There will be no other."

A look of wonder dawned on his face as her words slowly seeped into his brain. He caught both of her hands, pressed them together and covered them with light kisses. "Thank you. I love you so, my dear, dear Rebecca." He turned the palms of her hands up, and placed reverent kisses in each one. "I love you."

He pulled the small garnet ring from his little finger, the only thing he had of his mother and gently placed it on her finger. "I am sorry, but I have not had time to go to a jewelers to get you a ring. This was my mother's; would you wear it until I can get something more appropriate?"

Her hand covered her mouth as she gasped. "Oh, Charlie, I love you, so very much, but I cannot take a ring that belonged to your mother."

"Why not? When we marry, everything that is mine will be yours. And you already own my heart and soul."

"Charlie, that ring belonged to your mother. You should keep it close to your heart."

Charlie smiled at that. "Rebecca, if it is on your finger, it will be closer to my heart than it could ever be on my hand."

Rebecca was beyond words. Very gently, he leaned forward and gathered her into his arms. They stayed like that for long moments, his kneeling form embracing her gently. Finally, the awkwardness of the position forced them to shift. But the tenderness remained. It was a night of tender caresses and softly whispered words of love.

C
harlie rose early, as was his habit. The illness that had plagued him had also kept him from his regular routine of exercise, something that was critical to maintaining his public deception. The work uniform that he habitually wore for running in was clean, much to his relief. He disliked taking any chances.

He ran the longer version of his circuit, behind the stables, around the small pond, up Gaines Run, back down the other side of the pond and back across the stream. It was roughly ten miles, across sometimes rough country. It felt spectacular, with the cool air keeping him from overheating too badly, but not so cold as to be uncomfortable. He missed the morning officer’s mess, because of the duration of his run. As he approached his office thinking that perhaps Beulah could bring him something from Sarah’s now fully functional kitchen, he was quite startled to notice the Reverend William’s carriage approaching not the main entrance to the house, but the side entrance to his office.

He stood, waiting for the carriage to stop, flushed, sweaty, hair disordered by the wind, wearing the tight britches and short tunic that were his regular clothes for running. He forgot that the britches showed every detail of his anatomy, including the padding he used to sustain his masculine image. To the two women in the carriage, he was indeed the image of a stalwart man in that moment.

Mrs. Williams sniffed. "He just stands and waits, in all of his dirt."

Grace Cooper was much more realistic, "What would you expect him to do, see us coming and run to get a bath and clean clothes?" To herself she thought,
my, my Rebecca, I do see what you mean. He is absolutely delicious looking
.

Charlie stepped to the side of the carriage, and offered a hand to the ladies. "Good morning, ladies. If you care to come into the office, I will send for some tea. To what do we owe this early morning visit?"

Mrs. Williams ignored Charlie’s hand and his offer. "Colonel, we will not stay. I just wanted to let you know that we are starting to get an influx of refugees from your
war. What are you going to do about it? We have no resources to take care of these…… these waifs."

"Refugees? How many, ma’am?"

Mrs. Cooper cut in, fully aware of how little information Mrs. Williams could convey when she was on one of her righteous streaks. "Colonel Redmond, in the past twenty-four hours, we have seen seven groups of refugees, mostly women and children, come to the steps of the church looking for sustenance and shelter. We have given them soup and a roof in the form of the church, but with winter coming on, we cannot care for these people. Since you so generously offered to help, we hoped you would be able to do something."