by Ginny Dye
“I might. Just who am I speaking to?”
“My name is Warren Hobbs.”
Carrie almost laughed aloud with relief. “Hobbs! Is that really you? I thought your voice sounded strangely familiar.” There was another shocked silence. She could imagine Hobbs’ frustration at his need to stay hidden in the bushes.
“Do I know you, ma’am?” came the careful reply.
Carrie was impressed with his cautiousness. He wasn’t going to give away anything unless he had to. This time she did laugh aloud. “This is Carrie Cromwell, Hobbs. I met you when you were wounded after the battle.”
She heard a gasp and then saw the shadowy outline of a face staring through the bushes. “You’re all right! I’ve been worrying myself sick that I wasn’t going to make it to the plantation on time. The lieutenant would have never forgiven me.”
Carrie smiled to herself. Evidently Robert had sent him after her. Then she frowned. “Hobbs, wait right here. I’m going back to get some clothes for you. I passed a little house not too far back. I’m sure there was no one there.”
“You think there are clothes there, ma’am?” Hobbs’ voice was almost pathetically hopeful.
“I’m going to find out,” Carrie said firmly.
“Are you sure it’s safe, ma’am?”
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “I’ll be back soon.” She wasn’t nearly as sure as she sounded when she turned around to retrace her steps. Granite bobbed his head in protest of the change in direction. He, too, knew there could be danger lurking behind them, but she really had no choice. She couldn’t leave Hobbs standing in the woods with nothing on, and he certainly couldn’t show up in Richmond like that.
Her heart was pounding as she slowly rode up to the deserted little house. She stopped and listened for several long minutes before she dismounted, gritting her teeth against the pain in her shoulder and edged quietly toward the house. Once she got inside, there might not be enough light to find anything. Her hand trembled as she reached for the doorknob. The door opened easily under her touch. Fighting to control her desire to turn and run, she edged into the tiny room and then stood motionless, trying to steady her breathing. Finally, she was convinced there was no one in the house.
Willing her eyes to adjust to the darkness, Carrie gazed around the room. Finally, right next to where she was standing, she thought she detected the outline of a coat or something on the wall. She reached out and encountered the rough feeling of wool. Quickly, she grabbed whatever it was and pulled it toward her. It was indeed a coat. More groping produced a pair of pants and what seemed to be a shirt. Carrie clutched them under her good arm and left the house. She pulled Granite next to the porch so she could mount, knowing her shoulder wouldn’t allow her to swing up. Moments later he was trotting down the trail. He, too, was eager to make up for lost time.
When Carrie came even with where she thought they had been before, she called softly, “Hobbs?”
“I’m right here, Miss Cromwell. I was afraid you might not be able to find me again.”
Carrie spoke quickly. “I have some clothes for you. I’m going to throw them down and ride several yards ahead. Let me know when you’re dressed.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” came the fervent reply.
Carrie waited, staring in the darkness and fretting at the delay. She felt better riding under the protective covering of darkness.
“I’m here, Miss Cromwell. And I got to tell you. I don’t know that I’ve ever been this embarrassed. I was supposed to be rescuing you. Now here you are rescuing me.” Hobbs’ voice was deeply chagrined.
Carrie felt a deep sympathy for him. She remembered his devotion to Robert. She was sure he had jumped at the chance to do something for his lieutenant. Then she remembered what he had said earlier about the man who had jumped him. “You said your attacker was a slave hunter?”
“Yes, ma’am. The fool even told me his name before he attacked me. A fellow by the name of Adams.”
Carrie’s lips thinned. “I take it he didn’t want you to reach the plantation.”
“No, ma’am. He wanted me to turn back and let him go on to the plantation to warn you. When I refused, he let me have it.”
Carrie flushed with anger. Once she told her father this story he could not possibly be angry with her for throwing Adams off the plantation. A small smile replaced the anger. She chuckled, “I guess it’s true that God knows how to turn the bad things to good, Hobbs.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind,” Carrie said briskly. “How do the clothes fit?”
“Well, let’s just say there’s plenty of room in here.”
Carrie’s laughter rang through the woods. It was good not to be alone any more. The woods weren’t nearly so scary with someone else there. But the need to reach Richmond was still critical.
Hobbs stepped forward. “If you’ll give me a hand up, I can swing up beside you.”
Carrie hesitated, once more aware of the pain raging in her shoulder. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Hobbs.” Now that the newest excitement was dying down she found it harder to hide the pain in her voice.
“Are you okay, Miss Cromwell?” Hobbs asked sharply.
“I was shot during my escape,” Carrie stated calmly.
“Shot?” Hobbs cried in a horrified voice.
Carrie tried to sound matter-of-fact. “It’s nothing that can’t be taken care of when we reach Richmond. We just have to get there.” She paused and thought for a moment. “I guess we’ll have to backtrack to that little house again. You can use the porch to get on behind me.”
Hobbs followed her to the house, and within minutes they were once more on their way toward safety.
Carrie was less than a mile from Richmond when the last trail dumped her out onto the main road. She hated to ride even that far in the open, but she saw no other choice. “Where are the military blocks, Hobbs?” she asked.
He peered over her shoulder, careful to stay far enough back to not touch her. “Not too much farther,” he replied. “I’m afraid we may have a hard time getting past them.”
“We’ll get past them.” She had come too far to be stopped by a roadblock. The pain in her shoulder was becoming unbearable. The long night had taken its toll. Speaking softly, she urged Granite into a canter. She still imagined that pursuing Union soldiers could break from the woods at any moment.
Minutes later, they rode to within view of the block.
“Halt!” A harried looking soldier stepped out in front of them, his rifle drawn.
Carrie pulled Granite to a stop.
The soldier looked at both of them curiously. “I need to see your pass, please.”
Carrie stared at him but noticed he wasn’t really looking at her. He seemed to be studying Hobbs instead. But he didn’t seem to be alarmed. It was more as if he were trying to keep from laughing. “I’m afraid I don’t have a pass,” she said crisply.
Immediately he frowned and was all attention. “I’m afraid I can’t let you enter the city, ma’am,” he said courteously but firmly. Then he stared at her as if he had just been shocked into reality. “You’re a woman?” he asked incredulously.
“I’m afraid so, soldier,” Carrie replied. “And I have just escaped from my plantation, which is even now being raided by Union soldiers. I really don’t care to continue sitting here. I would like to go to my father’s house.”
The soldier continued to stare at her. She realized how ludicrous she must look in her father’s clothes. Finally he shook his head. “I’ll have to get the lieutenant.” He turned crisply and walked away to a small building set to the side.
Carrie’s wild hope that the lieutenant might turn out to be Robert was dashed as soon as a short, portly man hurried from the building. He stared in the direction the guard was pointing and then ambled over. “May I help you?” His tone wasn’t quite as courteous as the guard’s.
“I understand from your guard that a pass is needed to get into the city.
I don’t have one. How do I go about procuring one, Lieutenant?”
“Just why do you want into Richmond, ma’am?”
Carrie flushed at the patronizing tone in the officer’s voice. She was tired, hurt, and running very low on patience. “See here, officer. I know we look a little unusual, but then our circumstances have been a little unusual. My name is Carrie Cromwell. My father, Thomas Cromwell, works with Governor Letcher. Until yesterday morning I was running my father’s plantation. It now happens to be in the hands of Union soldiers.” She didn’t wait to find out if he believed her or not. “The man behind me is one of your own soldiers. Lieutenant Borden sent him out to escort me back from the plantation. He was attacked on the way and barely escaped with his life.” She paused. “Now, may I please enter the city?”
The lieutenant shook his head. “I’m not saying I don’t believe your story, ma’am, but things are pretty tense around here right now. Our jails are filling up with people not too loyal to the Confederate cause. I’m going to have to do some checking to verify your story.”
“Check all you want, Lieutenant,” Carrie said quietly. “My father lives at 318 26th Street. His office is in the Capitol building if you don’t find him at home.”
Hobbs spoke up then. “All you have to do is go get Lieutenant Borden. He will be able to identify us.”
The Lieutenant smirked slightly. “Lieutenant Borden is a very busy man right now. Or did you two not know there is a war going on?”
Carrie flushed with anger, but she managed to bite her tongue. It would do no good to antagonize the man any further. He had a thankless job. “We will wait while you verify our stories,” she said quietly.
The lieutenant nodded sharply and turned away. Suddenly Carrie was overwhelmed with exhaustion. She had had very little sleep for three days and no food for the last thirty-six hours. “Let’s get off, Hobbs. We can sit over on those rocks while we wait.” She felt Hobbs slide off behind her and then followed suit, thankful for Hobbs’ supporting arms that eased the pain of her shoulder. Every muscle ached from riding so many hours bareback. When she looked at Hobbs, however, she momentarily forgot everything else.
“Hobbs!” she cried. Then she bent almost double from laughter, mindless of the pain.
“I realized quite a ways back that I must make a very interesting looking fellow,” Hobbs finally admitted.
Carrie nodded. Hobbs could easily pass for a clown. The pants were purple and hopelessly huge. If he weren’t holding them they would have slid right down. The red shirt was almost as bright as the kelly green coat that was at least four sizes too big on his lanky form. Everything had gaping holes; there must have been a large rat population in the old house. Carrie tried to control the twitching of her lips but failed miserably.
Finally, Hobbs smiled reluctantly, then looked down, and managed a chuckle. In moments they were both laughing uproariously. Carrie grabbed her sides as the laughter released the tension and pain that had been building to a crescendo.
“What seems to be the problem here?” she heard a commanding voice ask.
Carrie gasped and spun around.
“These two people claim to know you,” the lieutenant said in an exasperated voice. “I’m sorry to bother you.”
Robert nodded and walked over closer to where Carrie and Hobbs were waiting. Suddenly his eyes narrowed. “Hobbs?” he asked sharply. He took a step closer. “Carrie?”
Carrie pulled her hat off and allowed her long black waves to tumble down her back. “I reckon it is, Lieutenant,” she said with a grin. Then to her chagrin, she began to cry.
Robert held his arms out, and she walked into them, forgetting for a moment the bullet lodged in her shoulder. When he grabbed her to him, she cried out in pain.
Then she fainted.
CHAPTER FORTY
MAY 15, 1962
Carrie fought her way back to consciousness, mindful of the voices flowing around her. Vaguely, she became aware of something soft surrounding her. As the voices continued, she could identify them. Her father’s concerned voice was the loudest. Then Robert’s deep tones answered him. Finally a female voice joined in. It was Janie. Carrie had a dim memory of falling into Robert’s arms. How had she gotten here? Where was here?
She forced her eyes open, blinking against the light as she fought the dizziness that still threatened to overwhelm her. A cold cloth lay on her forehead, and another was used to gently wipe her face.
“I think she’s coming around,” Janie said softly.
The cool cloths helped. Carrie was finally able to make the spinning shapes stand still. “Where am I?”
Her father stepped forward. “You’re home, Carrie. In your bedroom.”
“The plantation?” Carrie murmured, still confused.
“No, dear. You’re with me in Richmond.”
Carrie frowned at the anguished pain in his voice. “I’m okay, Father.”
Thomas managed a cracked laugh. “You’re going to be, my hard-headed, wonderful daughter. You’re going to be.”
Robert stepped forward then. “Do you remember fainting?”
“A little.”
Robert smiled. “You didn’t warn me you were carrying a bullet in your shoulder before I hugged you. I have to admit you scared me to death. I thought it was my hug that made you faint.”
Carrie managed a weak smile. Then she reached her hand out to touch Robert’s. Robert grasped hers and gazed down at her tenderly. Then she turned to look at Janie.
“We got all the bullet,” Janie assured her. “When Hobbs told us about your brave escape, I went straight to Dr. McCaw. He was happy to take care of it.” Then her voice grew stern. “He also said you are to take it easy for a few days. He has become quite aware of your independent spirit. He also said he would not be responsible if you insist on being foolish.”
Carrie’s laugh this time was genuine. “Lying in bed seems like a welcome idea right now. I’ll try not to cause anyone any more trouble.”
Thomas put his hand on her forehead tenderly. “You will never be trouble, Carrie. I’m just glad you’re okay. I’ve been sick with worry.”
Carrie gazed at the deep lines on his face and knew he was telling the truth. Her heart saddened at the knowledge of the pain he had been forced to endure. “I’m sorry, Father.”
Thomas shook his head. “There is nothing to be sorry for. Hobbs explained the situation to us. I’m very proud of you, dear. I can lose the plantation and survive. I could not survive losing you,” he said roughly. He made no attempt to hide the tears in his eyes.
“Granite?”
“He’s fine, Carrie,” Robert said. “Well fed and watered. He’s trying to figure out what he’s doing in the stable behind your father’s house. I think he’s making friends with the carriage horse. It will do his highness good to mingle with the common class,” he said with a grin. Then he turned to Janie. “Why don’t we leave Carrie and her father alone for a few minutes?” He looked at Carrie then and added, “May I come back in to see you? Will you feel like it?”
Carrie nodded. “I would like that.”
Carrie and Thomas sat quietly for several minutes, content to merely look at each other and know they were together again. Carrie’s head was becoming clearer.
“Father, I need to talk to you about something.” She had made her decision during the long night. The deception she had carried on for so long may have been necessary, but she could not now live with her father without telling him the truth. She would not let her fear of his reaction torment her any longer. It was time for truth.
Thomas frowned. “You sound very serious, Carrie. Can’t this wait till later?”
Carrie shook her head and took a deep breath. “I have been lying to you, Father. I can’t do it any longer.”
Thomas looked at her closely and then sat down in the chair next to her bed. “Tell me about it,” he invited.
Carrie poured the whole story out. About Adams attempting to rape Rose and how
she had subsequently thrown him off the plantation. How Moses and Rose had helped run the plantation. How she had helped them and others escape and simply turned her back when others left. She told him everything, holding nothing back. Finally she drew to an end. “I understand you will probably be very angry. I have hated every minute of this deception. I know what I’ve done has hurt you. For that I am very sorry. But...”
“But you have acted according to your beliefs,” Thomas finished for her.
Carrie nodded, unsure of how to take her father’s words. She had watched the full range of emotions explode over his face while she had talked. Disbelief. Anger. Sympathy. A struggle to understand. Sorrow.
Thomas reached out for her hand. “Lying to me was wrong, Carrie. But,” he added in a firm voice, “I would have done the same thing if I had been in your place.” He paused. “You know I don’t agree with your position. I can, however, appreciate your commitment to your belief.” He stopped again. Then he continued. “What you have done has cost me greatly. Yet, I know now that it would probably have come to pass anyway. Slaves are running away everywhere. Other slaves are being set free by the Union soldiers; many have been escorted to freedom.” His voice became bitter. “I was going to lose everything I’ve worked for one way or another.”
Carrie watched him quietly, uncertain of what to say. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.
Thomas squeezed her hand. “What is done is done. I’m sure we’ll have more to talk about, but for now, knowing you are safe and here with me is simply enough. I forgive you because I love you. We will deal with our differences because we love each other. That’s what counts.”
Carrie smiled through the tears rolling down her face. “I love you,” she said softly. A huge burden had been lifted. Their love would survive their differences.
“And I love you,” Thomas replied tenderly. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead then stepped back. “I believe there is a lieutenant who wants to talk with you.”
