Mississippi Brides

by Diane T. Ashley,Aaron McCarver

  “Did you ask Him about the timing?” Ma waved her hand before Caroline could form an answer. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.” She sighed again. “But I’m not sure the two of you are interpreting God correctly, and I’m worried you may be making the worst mistake of your life.”

  Caroline moved toward the sofa, confidence surging from some deep place inside her, carrying her to unprecedented heights of self-confidence. “Stop worrying, Ma. I know we’re doing the right thing.”

  “ ‘Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.’” Rev. Pierce recited the words slowly as though testing each one. “ ‘What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.’ ”

  The words reverberated in the nearly empty church with authority. There simply had not been time to have a large, lavish wedding. And with the war drawing nearer to the city, those who could afford to were leaving for what they hoped would be safer havens. Even Hampton had not been able to attend, although he had assured both Luke and Caroline that he was not jealous. And then he’d gone to great length to describe the latest lady to catch his attention.

  Luke swallowed hard as Caroline’s father closed his worn copy of the Bible and looked down on them with a gentle smile. How has all this come to pass in such a short period of time? His heart raced a little faster at the thought. He took a deep breath and turned to his bride, lifting her veil with careful movements. This was his first act as a married man, and it signified that the woman in front of him was now his responsibility.

  For a moment it felt as though he looked into a stranger’s face, but this was Caroline Talbot, née Pierce, the new mistress of Shady Oaks Plantation and the woman who would help him fulfill his responsibility to his family. Where was the calm serenity that had initially drawn him to Caroline? She looked like a frightened child, one who had lost her parent. Her chin quivered slightly, betraying her fear. He squeezed one of her cold hands reassuringly, rewarded by a wan smile that he returned. He could almost feel the tension draining away from her shoulders, and his ability to ease her fears somehow made him feel more confident in his choice.

  “Let us pray.” Brother Pierce’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

  Luke bowed his head but did not close his eyes. He had been very attentive to Caroline and her family’s beliefs while courting her. But the time for pretense was over. Religious beliefs were reserved for women and children and of course ministers. Luke was well aware of the fact that real men had to make their own way in this world.

  He was surprised to catch the warning frown and shake of the reverend’s head as the older man cleared his throat before beginning to pray. At first Luke thought the frown had been aimed at him for his lack of piety, but a rustle behind him betrayed the real target to be the irrepressible Tory. Her duties as chaperone for her older sister were now over, but he had the feeling she would continue to be a distraction for all those around her. Another reason he, his bride, and his grandmother should depart as soon as possible.

  He would bet Tory was nearly dancing in the aisle behind them with poorly repressed glee at the marriage of her elder sister. And why wouldn’t she be excited? Caroline had snagged one of the most eligible bachelors in Warren County, maybe in the whole state. His head dropped a bit closer to his chest at the immodest thought. But it’s true. Even with the privations of this war, Grandma and I are very comfortable. I can afford to provide anything Caroline could possibly need. I only hope things remain the same.

  “And may they serve as a source of love and strength to each other and the focal point of a Christian household. Amen.”

  Luke looked up and, at a nod from the preacher, turned to his wife. He bent and dropped a kiss on her right cheek before turning with her to face the few people seated behind them—his grandmother and the other two ladies of the Pierce household. Grandma was crying again. She had hardly stopped since he announced his intention to marry Caroline. He noticed Caroline’s mother was also dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, but her tears seemed joyful rather than cheerless.

  He wished he could believe Grandma would soon recover and put a happier face on the situation for his sake and for the sake of his new bride. After all, Grandma was the one who had pushed him to find a wife. She would have to find a way to live with the woman he’d chosen…whether it was the one she wanted or not. And that was the real crux of the problem. Grandma had wanted Marianna for a granddaughter-in-law. In her estimation Marianna Lister, the granddaughter of her personal crony, would make a better wife and mother than the girl standing next to him.

  He believed he’d made the better choice. Marianna might seem a little more poised, but she was also more spiteful and forward than Caroline. No, it was Caroline’s quiet manner and serenity that had drawn him almost from the first time he’d seen her. Luke knew what he was doing. Caroline had the morals and character to make a perfect wife and mother.

  Luke pushed back a lock of his hair that had fallen across his forehead before placing his hand over the small one trembling on his arm. “My heart and devotion are yours, dear wife.”

  She offered a shaky smile at the reminder of her new status. “I can hardly believe it.”

  He had to lower his head to hear her words, and he could not resist kissing her cheek once again. A hint of lilac tickled his senses as he breathed it in. Like so much else about his new bride, the scent was understated and subtle, only appreciated by those closest to her. She was so different from the other girls he’d met.

  A brief pang struck at him as he thought of the girl in Tennessee, but he pushed it aside. He’d made his choice. Amelia was his past, Caroline his future.

  His grandmother stopped crying long enough to snap open her fan and ply it with sufficient force to raise a small breeze. “Now that it’s done, shall we go back to the hotel for the wedding breakfast? Luke, you know we’ll need to get on the road soon if we are to arrive at Shady Oaks before nightfall.” She shuddered. “I don’t want to be caught on the roads after dark. There’s no telling what dangers might overtake us.”

  “It’s a shame you cannot stay in town for a day or two more.” Caroline’s mother stood and brushed a bit of lint from the flounce of her wide skirt.

  “Now Abigail”—Brother Pierce raised an eyebrow—“we have talked about this at great length. Luke needs to go home and settle Caroline and Mrs. Darby before he has to report back to his unit. There is no time to waste since General Grant seems to have his troops on the move once more.”

  “You’re right, of course.” Mrs. Pierce reached for her cloak and drew it around her shoulders. She smiled at her husband, her love for him evident on her face. “It’s just so difficult to say good-bye to our little girl.”

  Brother Pierce patted her shoulder. “She’s in good hands.” He began moving around the large room, blowing out the candles now that the ceremony was finished.

  Tory ran up to where Luke and Caroline stood, threw her arms around her sister, and drew her away from Luke’s side as they all gathered their wraps. Luke could hear her excited comments about the beauty of the ceremony as he helped Brother Pierce blow out the remaining candles.

  “You will be good to my little girl,” said his father-in-law, his voice carrying easily across the empty room. “I agreed to this marriage against my better judgment, you know.”

  “Yes, sir,” Luke responded politely. Inside, he was rather surprised. He’d known Brother Pierce had reservations because of the brevity of their courtship and possibly also because of his rather evasive answers to the reverend’s probing spiritual questions. Even though he was a Christian, Luke had not spent much time studying the Bible. He was a good man and felt sure he would go to heaven when he died. That was enough, wasn’t it? Especially since he had no desire to don a pair of wings and strum a harp in the afterlife. He’d been baptized when the time was right. Wasn’t that what Christ demanded of His followers? “I appreciate your allowing us to be married.”

  “I went to God with my concerns but c
ould not find in my heart any particular reason to refuse my daughter’s wishes. She seems to believe you have a good heart, and I pray you will care for her.”

  Luke bit down on his tongue to keep from giving the man an abrupt answer. He’d always been taught to respect his elders, but what did Brother Pierce think? That he was going to mistreat Caroline? On the contrary, he could offer her more than most husbands, especially now that he was the owner of Shady Oaks. He had a beautiful home, several hundred acres of crops and woodland, a thriving cane mill, and secure social standing. Caroline would never want for anything. Wasn’t that enough? What more did Brother Pierce expect from his son-in-law? “I promise you Caroline will be loved and cared for to the best of my ability.” He endured Brother Pierce’s direct stare, his chin high.

  Finally Brother Pierce nodded and turned toward the carriage where the ladies awaited them.

  Luke followed him, feeling somewhat bruised by the older man’s inquiry. Apprehension about the future assaulted him, making his heart thump unpleasantly, but Luke pushed it away. He’d made the right choice. His life was finally headed in the right direction. He and Caroline would be a perfect couple—the envy of all who knew them.

  Chapter 8

  I hope you are not a slugabed.” Mrs.—“Grandma Darby” had taken great pleasure in filling their time in the carriage with tales of Shady Oaks Plantation. “Breakfast is served at seven thirty promptly. Anyone who is late will have to wait until noon.”

  Caroline could not bring herself to say anything, so she nodded her understanding. It was so difficult to think of calling Luke’s starchy relative Grandma. Calling her Grandmama or Grandmother seemed more fitting. But that is what Luke usually called her, and he insisted she do the same.

  “I hope we find everything in order when we get to Shady Oaks.” Mrs.—“Grandma Darby” tucked a stray wisp of her graying hair into her chignon. “I told Luke to send a note to the overseer, directing him to have the slaves properly dressed and ready to meet you.”

  Although she had never been a poor traveler, Caroline was beginning to feel unwell. She had known her new family would own slaves, but she had not considered the reality of treating other human beings like property. She put a hand over her stomach, hoping to calm it.

  “You needn’t look so disapproving. Your parents have made their abolitionist leanings apparent. I blame people like them for this war.” The older woman nodded sharply as though agreeing with herself. “Slaves are a necessary part of running a plantation as large as Shady Oaks. As long as they are not abused, it is a system that benefits both slave and planter. And we take good care of our slaves. They are practically part of the family.”

  Caroline refused to argue with her grandmother-in-law before arriving at her new home. She thought of her grandfather Jeremiah LeGrand, who had ended slavery at the plantation in Natchez. Maybe her brother, or even Pa, could give her advice on how to convince Luke and his grandmother to free their slaves and still run a successful plantation.

  “You’re not much of a talker, are you, girl?”

  A headshake was answer enough.

  “I declare, I don’t know what my grandson sees in you.”

  Caroline sucked in her breath. “I suppose you’ll have to talk to him about that.”

  “She speaks at last.” The older woman’s smile did nothing to make Caroline feel better. “I was beginning to think you were either mute or an imbecile with a pretty face.”

  The carriage slowed before making a sharp turn. Grandma Darby turned her attention to the scenery outside the carriage. “It won’t be long now. I can hardly wait to lie down in my own bed.”

  Caroline wondered if the hotel had not offered comfortable accommodations, but she was not going to ask and have to endure a homily on “The Evils of Staying Away from Home.” Not after she’d had to listen to other similar lectures for the past three hours.

  If only Luke had ridden inside the carriage, everything would have been different. But he’d decided instead to ride his favorite stallion, Spirit.

  It had seemed reasonable this morning when he’d suggested that his two favorite ladies could use the time to get better acquainted. Caroline had even agreed with him. What a mistake that had been. It was only by remembering the warnings in Proverbs about the pitfalls of anger that she had managed to endure the pointed barbs of Luke’s grandmother. She prayed Grandma Darby would warm to her once they all settled in at Shady Oaks.

  The carriage came to a halt, and Caroline got her first glimpse of her new home. Adjectives like huge, grand, and overwhelming came to mind. Ma’s family plantation in Natchez would fit in one corner of this enormous estate. The entrance to the house was some twelve feet above the ground, upheld by a ground floor dotted with narrow windows. A pair of graceful, curved staircases reached upward from the ground to the center of a deep, wide porch boasting a row of whitewashed rocking chairs. Square white columns, at least ten in number, soared from the porch to the roof, supporting a balcony on the second floor that was as wide as the porch below it. The balcony, the porch, and the staircases were encased in black iron railing, another example of the opulence of the estate.

  “Oh, my.” What had she gotten herself into? Suddenly Caroline understood why her parents had begged her to wait before tying herself to Luke. Why had she not listened to their advice? She could not imagine trying to run such an imposing household.

  “I suppose I should not be surprised at your reaction.” Luke’s grandmother gathered her things as she prepared to get out of the carriage. “I’m beginning to think the reason you don’t talk much is because you have very little going on in that mind of yours.”

  The door opened, and Luke peered in at her. “Welcome to your new home.”

  Caroline wanted to throw her arms around him and beg him to never leave her alone with his grandmother again. Instead she waited her turn to disembark.

  Luke continued holding her hand as he led her up the iron staircase. “I know you and Grandma are weary, but it’s important for you to meet your staff before retiring.”

  It felt good to walk, even though Caroline dreaded having to meet the large group of slaves who had formed a line three people deep that stretched from one end of the front porch to the other. Mostly women, they were a veritable wave of white mobcaps, brown dresses, and white aprons. The men were dressed in brown coats, each with a single row of buttons and a detachable white collar. She felt the weight of their shy glances as her husband led her to the housekeeper, recognizable from the ring of keys she wore at her waist. The woman curtsied as Luke called her name. Caroline smiled and nodded her head while wondering how she would ever keep all their names straight, much less direct their various activities.

  Luke didn’t stumble a single time, however. He moved from one to the next, patiently telling her the slave’s name and area of responsibility. At the end of the line waited a couple whose hands were linked. They were standing a little apart from the others. Caroline knew there must be some significance for their separation from the rest of the staff.

  Luke indicated the girl with his hand. “This is Dinah. She’ll be your personal maid.”

  Stifling her immediate discomfort at the idea of a personal servant, much less one who was bound in slavery, Caroline hoped their relationship would instead be one of friendship. She would like to think she would have at least one friend here—besides her husband, of course.

  Dinah dropped a quick curtsy, a wide smile betraying her sunny disposition. “Whatever you want, missus, you just tell Dinah about it and I’ll take care of it.”

  “Thank you, Dinah.” Caroline wondered if Dinah had a stash of courage somewhere in the huge mansion.

  “And this is Hezekiah. He is both my manservant and Dinah’s husband.”

  Hezekiah bowed. “God bless you, ma’am.”

  “Thank you, Hezekiah.”

  “All right, everyone, it’s time to get back inside.” Luke’s grandmother clapped her hands. Caroline had almos
t forgotten the older woman was outside. “We will expect our supper at the regular time, Mabel.”

  Which one was Mabel? Ah yes, the short, round woman who had tied a kerchief on her head instead of wearing a cap. She nodded. “I’ve been cooking all day, ever since Master Luke sent us a note saying all of you was coming home.”

  “Good.” The two women went inside discussing the menu.

  Luke took her hand in his. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” She squeezed his large hand, thankful her introduction to the staff was over. “I cannot believe all of those people are slaves.”

  “Yes, well, I can understand your surprise, but Shady Oaks would not be successful at all if not for their hard labor.”

  Hand in hand, they walked to the iron rail that framed the porch. A cold wind blew past leafless oak trees and made her shiver.

  “Are you cold?”

  Caroline shook her head. She wanted to savor this moment with just the two of them. She could and would conquer her fears. “Do you not suppose the plantation could be profitable if you hired people to work in your fields instead of buying slaves?”

  The look he tossed her was as cold as the wind buffeting them. “I never want to hear that kind of abolitionist talk from you again, Caroline. You may not realize how tense everyone already is. If you come in here and start fomenting rebellion, we are liable to have our home burned down while we are still abed.”

  Eager to see love in his eyes instead of the ice now filling them, she nodded.

  “Good. That’s settled then. We will never speak of it again.” He put an arm around her and drew her head onto his shoulder. “Don’t disappoint me, Caroline. I have great faith in you, but you will have to adapt to the way we do things here.”

  After a while she shivered again, and Luke insisted on taking her inside. He made sure Dinah had a warm bath ready for her before leaving his wife in the hands of Hezekiah’s wife.