Cromwells. “She was indeed a special woman.”
Thomas shook himself as if to bring his thoughts back to the present. “That she was,” he said briskly. “I floundered for quite a while, trying to find something to live for. Leaving Carrie with the plantation...” Again he paused. “Well, it wasn’t fair to her.”
“Carrie is content on the plantation, sir.”
Thomas leaned back in his chair. “That’s enough of that, young man.”
“Excuse me?” Robert asked in confusion. “Enough of what?” Did Carrie’s father not even want him mentioning her name? What had he been told? Suddenly, the blood began to roar in his ears. He had had such hopes...
“Enough of calling me sir. You are a lieutenant in the Confederate Army. You are not a boy. I would appreciate it if you would call me Thomas from now on.”
Robert leaned back with a rush of relief. “Whatever you say... Thomas.”
Thomas nodded, not seeming to have noticed Robert’s momentary panic. “And I know Carrie says she is content. I also know the depth of my daughter’s ability to dream. She is on the plantation because it is her duty, not her love. When duty no longer demands her presence, she will move on to follow her dreams.”
Robert merely nodded, knowing Thomas was right. Carrie’s shining green eyes, and glistening black hair rose up to taunt him. It was her aliveness that had drawn him from the moment he had first laid eyes on her. She radiated a life and exuberance that seemed to explode from her. She also knew what she wanted. Her independence and strong will had proven to be a magnet for him. Until...
“Why the frown, my boy?”
Robert flushed. He wasn’t sure he was ready to talk about his feelings. He looked up and saw the genuine look of caring and warmth shining from Thomas’ eyes. Thomas knew how Robert felt about his daughter. And he had told Robert the secret... He still harbored a hope that Thomas could help him see a way out of this mess. Robert managed to shrug lightly, knowing Thomas would see right through it. “I’m hoping you can help me understand your daughter.”
Thomas gave a short laugh and leaned back again. “Understanding most women is a difficult thing. I think Carrie stands in a class of her own.” He paused then hastened to add, “That’s what makes her so special.”
Just then the waiter arrived with their meal. Robert waited until the food had been set on the table before he responded to Thomas’ statement. “Carrie is special indeed.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I asked her to marry me. The night before I left for Charleston.”
Thomas looked at him sharply. “I didn’t know that,” he said simply. Then he waited for Robert to continue.
“She wouldn’t have me.”
“I know Carrie loves you!” Thomas protested.
Robert shrugged. “Yes - she told me she loves me. She said she couldn’t marry me because of slavery.”
Thomas took a deep breath and leaned back. “Maybe you should explain a little more.” He looked down at his plate heaped with food. “While we eat, of course. I suspect you haven’t had a meal like this for a while. Letting it get cold would border on criminal.”
Robert forced a smile, along with several forkfuls of food, while he allowed his mind to carry him back to the night he had sat on the steps of St.
Thomas shook himself as if to bring his thoughts back to the present. “That she was,” he said briskly. “I floundered for quite a while, trying to find something to live for. Leaving Carrie with the plantation...” Again he paused. “Well, it wasn’t fair to her.”
“Carrie is content on the plantation, sir.”
Thomas leaned back in his chair. “That’s enough of that, young man.”
“Excuse me?” Robert asked in confusion. “Enough of what?” Did Carrie’s father not even want him mentioning her name? What had he been told? Suddenly, the blood began to roar in his ears. He had had such hopes...
“Enough of calling me sir. You are a lieutenant in the Confederate Army. You are not a boy. I would appreciate it if you would call me Thomas from now on.”
Robert leaned back with a rush of relief. “Whatever you say... Thomas.”
Thomas nodded, not seeming to have noticed Robert’s momentary panic. “And I know Carrie says she is content. I also know the depth of my daughter’s ability to dream. She is on the plantation because it is her duty, not her love. When duty no longer demands her presence, she will move on to follow her dreams.”
Robert merely nodded, knowing Thomas was right. Carrie’s shining green eyes, and glistening black hair rose up to taunt him. It was her aliveness that had drawn him from the moment he had first laid eyes on her. She radiated a life and exuberance that seemed to explode from her. She also knew what she wanted. Her independence and strong will had proven to be a magnet for him. Until...
“Why the frown, my boy?”
Robert flushed. He wasn’t sure he was ready to talk about his feelings. He looked up and saw the genuine look of caring and warmth shining from Thomas’ eyes. Thomas knew how Robert felt about his daughter. And he had told Robert the secret... He still harbored a hope that Thomas could help him see a way out of this mess. Robert managed to shrug lightly, knowing Thomas would see right through it. “I’m hoping you can help me understand your daughter.”
Thomas gave a short laugh and leaned back again. “Understanding most women is a difficult thing. I think Carrie stands in a class of her own.” He paused then hastened to add, “That’s what makes her so special.”
Just then the waiter arrived with their meal. Robert waited until the food had been set on the table before he responded to Thomas’ statement. “Carrie is special indeed.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I asked her to marry me. The night before I left for Charleston.”
Thomas looked at him sharply. “I didn’t know that,” he said simply. Then he waited for Robert to continue.
“She wouldn’t have me.”
“I know Carrie loves you!” Thomas protested.
Robert shrugged. “Yes - she told me she loves me. She said she couldn’t marry me because of slavery.”
Thomas took a deep breath and leaned back. “Maybe you should explain a little more.” He looked down at his plate heaped with food. “While we eat, of course. I suspect you haven’t had a meal like this for a while. Letting it get cold would border on criminal.”
Robert forced a smile, along with several forkfuls of food, while he allowed his mind to carry him back to the night he had sat on the steps of St.
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