“…and with sincere thanks, we, the people of Lantern, Texas, give this award of valor to Mr. and Mrs. Rounder Addison.”
The crowd gathered at the town hall clapped with thunderous applause as Mayor Burke pinned an ornate, golden pin in the shape of a lantern on Rounder’s suit and Camille’s dress. She squeezed Rounder’s hand and he squeezed back.
Who would have thought they would be together like this?
The ceremony ended and they were soon surrounded by the townspeople who congratulated and hugged them in equal parts. Cyril and Perky also received an award in helping to bring the resurrectionist Carl Fremont and Crawley’s gang to justice. Both men had the arm of a Hammock twin.
When she’d met them a few days earlier as people came to Red’s house to bring goods, and gather gossip, she saw the twins were quite beautiful and of obvious sound mind. To anyone else, they may wonder why beautiful women would want to be with men like Perky and Cyril. But Camille knew. They saw what the men were on the inside, not the outside.
Which is what really counted.
“I am very anxious to have you all to myself, Mrs. Addison,” Rounder growled in her ear as the line started to peter out.
“Are you, sir?” she purred under her breath.
Rounder gazed down with love in his eyes. Uninhibited, unfettered. “Very much so.”
He was a man scarred by a painful past. He’d been led to believe lies about himself and others. It would take more than a day, a week, a month or a year, for him to fully let go of his regrets. During her convalescence, she’d had a chance to help.
“My mother read a scripture to me and I think it applies to you, Rounder.”
“Oh, and what is that?”
“ ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ ”
He’d looked away from her, pensive and unsure. “Father said the need for God was past.”
“We will never be past the need for God. He gave me the ability to help others and to protect you. Do you think it’s mere coincidence?”
“I don’t know what to think.”
“I’ll tell you this much: the color of your soul is beautiful.”
His head whipped back to her. “Camille.”
“I see it,” she said, wonder in her voice at the colors emanated from him. “You’re like burnished gold, brilliant, bright, and pure.”
“Me? Pure? After what I did to my mother. After all the lies I’ve told?”
She nodded, tears beading her eyes. “What’s more, you feel wonderful, like a brush of rain-scented air.”
Rounder blinked, his eyes like emerald gems. “Me? A breath of fresh air, shining like gold? Me, a man who hated himself?”
“You.” She’d nodded. “It’s easy for me to love you when I see you as I perceive God sees you. And to Him, you’re a catch.”
Rounder had taken her in his arms then, careful to not jar her healing shoulder. He’d kissed her long and hard, with a restrained passion that she hoped one day soon to experience for herself.
“I can’t believe I was so afraid of you,” he told her once he released her mouth. “I knew you would be the death of me. And you are.”
“Still your predator, Rounder?”
“My huntress. My temptress. My everything. You destroyed the old me, devoured him completely with your love and honesty.”
“Camille?”
She jerked out of her thoughts to see Red standing before her. “Red.”
“I wanted to say goodbye. I know you and Rounder are heading back to Colorado. Are you going back to the Pinkertons?”
“No. I’ve no wish to follow in the footsteps of my sisters. This experience has been enough to last me a lifetime.”
“What about Rounder?”
“He’s going to resign. We’ve been talking to Cyril and Perky. And, we’re thinking of establishing something they call a ‘funeral home’.”
“Funeral home?”
“Yes, there seems to be a growing need for people to have a place to organize all the intricacies of a funeral. Help the families with the passing of their loved ones.”
Red’s eyebrow arched into her hairline. “Camille, that’s the last thing I expected to hear. Are you sure? I mean, it’s Cyril and Perky.”
She laughed. “We’ll be all right. After all, they both said they’ll always be able to bury your mistakes.”
Red chuckled with her and Camille reached out and held the woman tight in her arms. During her convalescence as her arm healed, she’d had time to think of what to tell her. The cloying sadness still draped her. Did she dare to tell Red that the man she loved was alive and well? And that he’d never forgotten her?
Or should she let the past lie?
Would she want to know if Rounder was alive, when she supposed him dead?
“Red, there’s something I have to tell you,” she said slowly when they drew apart.
Red’s gray eyes gleamed. “Yes? What is it?”
She opened her mouth to say, I know your name is Sorcha. Caleb is alive. He’s my brother-in-law. Instead, the words came out as, “You are the sweetest person I know. Thank you for everything.”
“Don’t be a stranger. You can come back anytime.”
Camille stared after Red as she limped away, wondering if she’d done the right thing. Only time would tell.
“Ready?” Rounder asked.
Camille looked up at her husband, seeing the golden glow of his soul leaping like sunburst. Beautiful, she thought.
“Ready.”
EPILOGUE
The doorbell rang. Marianne, on her way to Archie, stopped to answer it.
On the doorstep was a lovely young Negro woman with dark, luminous skin and startlingly gray eyes. Instantly Marianne guessed this had to be the fourth sister of the Bradford family, but she didn’t want to make any assumptions.
“Hello there. May I help you?”
The young woman looked at her, distrustful. “Are you Marianne Chapman?” The woman’s gray eyes scoured over her form, as if she were some type of insect.
“I am.”
“And this is the Pinkerton Agency, where my sisters, Arielle, Brielle, and Camille have all come?”
“Yes. You must be Danielle.”
“And you must be very, very quiet.” The woman’s gray eyes hardened like chips.
Marianne blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
A swift movement and then Marianne was staring into the black hole of the barrel of a gun. In a low, tight voice, Danielle warned. “Listen to me, very carefully. If you make a sound or say one word, I will shoot you. Do you understand?”
THE END
Author’s Note
If you’d like to read more novels regarding some of the African American struggles after the Civil War, feel free to browse any of my good friend, award-winning author Piper Huguley’s, books. A professor of United States Literature at Spelman, Mrs. Huguley’s inspirational books give the reader soul stirring plots, historical fact, and of course, romance flourishing through all obstacles.
Brutus Bradford and Roseline, though not a story of their own, were inspired by the writings of Vanessa Riley. Writing historical romance featuring interracial couples is her forte and I know you’ll enjoy them as much as I do.
I hope you enjoyed An Agent for Camille. In researching this book, I came across anti miscegenation laws. These laws have been enacted all over the world to prevent marriage between different ethnic groups.
In the states of Colorado and Texas, anti-miscegenation laws stated whites were prohibited from marry Blacks and Native Americans. In the course of the time frame of the novel, the anti-miscegenation law went through a period of repeal during the turbulent years of Reconstruction. I couldn’t find out when the repeals in Texas happened so I kept the timeline fluid where the characters are aware of the laws but no one, besides raising an eyebrow, would mention it.
Historically, some of the stat
es didn't have anti-miscegenation laws because there were few occurrences of mixed marriages. It didn't mean that it wasn't frowned upon; it just didn't happen very often to warrant a law.
In some states, such as Colorado, if the persons were non-residents were in a mixed marriage, the marriage was considered valid. Or, say, if they were a resident, went elsewhere and got married in another state that allowed it, and came back, the marriage would still be considered valid. In Texas, if you were a resident and you went elsewhere to marry and then came back, the marriage was void. If you were a non-resident, it wasn’t specifically stated. As far as I could find anyway.
It wasn't until later that the laws tightened. Those who broke the law, according to the state, could spend years in prison for marriage outside of one's ethnic culture. Others had high fines (according the value of currency at the time) or both.
However, in 1967 in the court case Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court declared all laws regarding anti-miscegenation unconstitutional.
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About the Author
Parker J. Cole is an author, speaker, and radio show host with a fanatical obsession with the Lord, Star Trek, K-dramas, anime, romance books, old movies, speculative fiction, and knitting. An off and on recovering Mountain Dew and marshmallow addict, she writes to fill the void the sugar left behind.
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Works by Parker J. Cole
Edgy Christian Romance Novels
The Sins of the Flesh Series:
Many Strange Women (Book 1)
The Other Man (Book 2)
Vengeful Vows (Book 3)
Sweet Inspirational Novels
Michigan Sweet Romance Series:
The Cure
Time to Say Goodbye
Contemporary Romance
Java Cupid Series
Java Blend
Sweet Historical Romance Novels
Silverpines Series:
Wanted: Man of Honor
Wanted: Stonemason
Wanted: Fire Chief
Lantern in the Window Series:
Lantern of Hope
Lantern of Charity
The Proxy Bride Series
A Bride for Sterling
A Bride for Valentin
A Bride for Wen Hui
The Pinkerton Matchmaker Series
An Agent for Arielle
An Agent for Brielle
An Agent for Camille
Short Story Collection
Wish Upon a Strawberry Shortcake
Thriller Novel
Dark Cherub
Sci-fi Fantasy Romance Series
Crowns and Worlds
The House of Haddaway
Anthology Works
Birds of Passage Anthology: April and Mr. Grim
Realms of Our Own: Godforsaken
WRITING AS PARKER PAYNE
Ascent of the Gem Bearers Series
The Druid’s Spear (Book One) with Lee Thornton III
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