Souls Aflame

by Patricia Hagan

  Julie stood silently beside Derek in the cold November wind, staring toward the large, white-walled three-story building a block away. Julie saw that the windows were barred and began counting the ones on the third floor. Fifteen. An equal number on the second floor. Only eight on the first level, with five doors at varying intervals. To the far right, a porch extended from one entrance. She assumed that would be the one they should enter to inquire if Myles was still there.

  She squeezed Derek’s hand as she asked, “Can we go in there now? I can ask to speak to Thomas, and—”

  “Hell, no,” he all but shouted, then lowered his voice as a few people walking by turned to stare curiously. “Can’t you see all those guards walking around? Those aren’t tree branches they’re carrying. Those are guns. And if we walk toward that door, they’re going to start asking questions.”

  “I have a right to ask to see my cousin.”

  She felt as though her fingers were surely going to be crushed as he squeezed her hand angrily. “I told you I’d handle this. We aren’t going to just walk in there. If Myles is in there, still alive, we’ve got to plan his escape. That’s going to take help, and it’s also going to take time. I’ve got to get some men together who are willing to help.”

  “And where are you going to find them?”

  “Leave it to me. But we’re going to need money. Any man who joins an escape attempt at that prison, or any prison, knows he’s putting his life on the line. He’s not going to do that for free. He’s going to have a price, and it will be high.”

  She was suddenly afraid. “We don’t have any money! Captain Meade’s wife had to give me this dress because there was no money to even buy clothes for us. And if he hadn’t loaned you a bit, we’d be completely destitute.”

  “Trust me,” he said wearily, impatiently. He gave her a tug as he turned back the way they had come, along the docks. She did not move. He sighed. “Julie, come along now. We can’t arouse suspicion, and some of those guards are starting to look this way.”

  She was about to let him lead her away, but just then she glimpsed the face of a prisoner at one of the windows on the third floor, peering out through the bars. From where they stood, she could not make out his features, but still her heart leaped with what she knew was only foolish hope. “There’s one of the prisoners,” she cried, pointing. “It could be Myles, or he might know Myles—”

  Then her hand flew to her mouth in horror as one of the guards spotted the prisoner, quickly pointed his rifle, and began firing. Julie screamed, and Derek quickly put his arms about her to lead her away. She was stumbling, shuddering with terror. “Dammit, you listen to me.” He shook her hard, guiding her as fast as he could. “He probably didn’t hit that prisoner. I’ve heard the guards take pot shots when one of the Yankees looks out. Sometimes they get killed, but not often. And if Myles is still alive, he’s learned by now not to go looking out windows, or he wouldn’t be alive. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  Some of the horror was passing, and being replaced by anger. “I can’t believe Thomas is one of the officers there. He’d never allow such a thing to go on. He was always gentle and kind—”

  “And he’s a soldier now. An officer. He’s all grown up and trained to be a full-fledged Yankee-killer. It’s war, Julie, and people change.”

  She jerked out of his grasp. “I’m going back there and demand to see him. He’ll tell me if Myles is still there, and then we can plan the escape. I won’t rest easy till I know he’s alive.”

  “He’s alive, Julie.”

  She had taken a few steps in the direction of the prison but turned to stare at him incredulously.

  “You heard me. Myles is alive. I had someone check that out for me the first day we arrived. It cost me a keg of rum, but I swiped that from Captain Meade,” he grinned. “Now come along.”

  They turned from the waterfront. Light snow was beginning to fall from ominously gray skies. Julie asked where they were going but Derek just kept plodding ahead, refusing to answer her questions.

  Soon it was snowing quite heavily, and they were caught up in an alabaster world. Any other time, Julie thought miserably, she would have been enthralled, but she was too lost in thought to enjoy the beauty around her. Derek noticed she was shivering as her dress and shawl grew damp. He put his arm about her, drawing her close, and she did not pull away.

  Suddenly he slowed his pace. They were standing in front of a large, two-story house. “Who lives here?” Julie demanded as Derek led the way up the snow-covered walkway to the wide front porch. “Why are we stopping here?”

  “I’ve got to leave you someplace, Julie, to make sure you don’t get in trouble while I’m gone.” He began to bang on one of the glass-paned doors so hard that it rattled.

  “What do you mean? While you’re gone where? I’m not staying here…”

  He ignored her and continued to knock. Then they heard the sounds of footsteps from within. The door opened, and Julie found herself staring at one of the most painted-up women she had ever seen. Her cheeks were a flaming orange, and her lips, the color of blood. Long yellow hair streamed down her back, and she wore a thin green silk wrapper that revealed she wore nothing underneath.

  “Derek Arnhardt, you old son of a gun,” she shrieked happily, throwing her arms around his neck. “It’s been so damn long, I thought you’d died, or worse, gotten married!”

  “You know me better than that, Opal.” Derek dropped Julie’s hand to lift the woman high in the air and whirl her around as she giggled shrilly.

  Julie stared at the rich furnishings inside, the magnificent crystal chandelier which hung from the ceiling. Her mouth dropped open as she saw the paintings of naked women on the walls. The air was heavily scented with perfume.

  Derek set the woman down and yanked Julie into the house. Her head jerked around at the sound of voices from above. A man was walking down the stairway, smiling as though quite pleased with himself. Above him, leaning over the railing, there was a woman painted up as gaudily as Opal, and Julie glanced away as she saw her bare breasts hanging out of her lace wrapper.

  “You’re the best I’ve ever had, you big, old stud,” the woman called to the man. “You come back to see me, you hear?” Her laughter sounded artificial to Julie’s ears, but the departing man grinned broadly. He blew her a kiss and scurried out the front door.

  “…and I must go to Wilmington on business.” Julie cocked her head to catch the tail end of what Derek was saying. “I want you to take good care of her while I’m gone.”

  Julie’s emerald eyes flashed at Derek and the woman in turn, then she snapped, “You aren’t leaving me here. I know what kind of place this is. It—it’s a whorehouse!”

  “Hey, you watch your mouth,” Opal whirled about angrily. “I run a nice business here. You can’t call none of my girls whores. They’re all ladies—”

  “Whores, harlots, prostitutes! It’s all the same. I’ve no intention of staying here.” She turned toward the door, but Derek caught her arm and spun her about to press her back against the wall. Placing a hand on each side of her shoulders, he pinned her in front of him, leaning forward to flash that arrogant smile she hated.

  “Calm down, misty eyes,” he said lazily, confidently. “Opal here is one of the nicest madams in town. She runs a good, clean business, and she’s selective of her customers. They don’t get in unless they’re recommended. Now she’s agreed to look after you while I go to Wilmington to get the money we need. I’ve got some hidden there.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Julie said.

  “No. You’d slow me down. And I can’t afford the price of a hotel room. Besides, you might get in trouble. I can’t risk leaving you alone.”

  “I’ll be fine by myself. Derek, I can’t stay here, in this place.” She gave Opal a cold look. “What if she sends a man to my room? Am I supposed to earn my keep?” she added icily.

  Opal snorted. “Hell, who’d want you? You’re green as hell. I c
an look at you and tell you don’t know a damn thing about pleasuring a man, not the way my girls do.”

  Derek shifted his gaze to Opal. “She knows how to please me, and she belongs to me. Remember that. You get any funny notions and I’ll break your neck.”

  Opal tossed her head as though unfazed by his threat, but Julie could see she was unnerved. “I said you didn’t have to worry,” she snapped, placing her hands on her hips and letting her wrapper fall open to expose her breasts. Derek didn’t even glance at them, turning instead to Julie.

  “She’ll give you a room of your own, and that’s where you’ll stay till I return. I’ll try to make it as fast as possible, but with this weather, I may be slowed down.”

  Julie looked about helplessly, floundering, not knowing whether to scream or cry. “You—you can’t do this to me, Derek. You can’t leave me in a place like this. God, why are you doing this to me?”

  He pulled her outside onto the porch, telling Opal they would return in a few minutes. Then, ignoring the frigid weather, the snow swirling about them, Derek tried to explain to her, “You’d be stupid enough to try to get Myles out of that prison by yourself. I saw the look in your eyes when you were there, staring up at those windows. No, I can’t take a chance on leaving you alone.”

  “I won’t stay,” she bristled with anger. “I’ll run away, Derek—”

  He laughed, which only made her even more furious. “I thought of that. Opal has guards around to keep her customers and her girls in line, so she’s well equipped to make sure you stay put till I get back.”

  Leaning forward, he attempted to kiss her, but she jerked to one side. His lips brushed her cheek and he chuckled. “All right. Be angry with me. But when I return and all this is behind us, you’ll learn not to turn away from me. I’ll make you into the most loving and obedient mistress a man ever had.”

  “You’ll die trying!” she cried, pushing at his chest, but he was holding her tightly. “I’ll never let you touch me again. Never. I was a fool to think I cared. I hate you!”

  “You only think you hate me, because you aren’t getting your way. You’ve finally met a man who won’t give in to you merely because you happen to be quite beautiful. We have an understanding, remember? I get your brother out of prison, and you become my mistress.”

  “You can forget our understanding, as you call it. I don’t want your help.”

  “Ah, but you have to have it.” He reached out to squeeze her bottom, then released her. “Now I have to be on my way. Don’t give Opal any trouble, or she may charge extra for your keep.”

  He opened the door as he spoke. Opal heard the last remark and spoke up quickly. “She won’t give me no trouble. I got ways of dealing with uppity little snits like her—”

  Abruptly Derek spun to face her, and Julie knew from past experience that he was infuriated to the danger point. He shook his fist in the woman’s face and ground out the words, “If she’s harmed in any way, I swear to God I’ll kill you and anyone else who touches her. You heed me well.”

  Opal shrank back, retreating a few steps into the room and smiling nervously as she whispered, “Now, Derek, you know I’ll do exactly as you ask. We’ve been friends a long time, and you know me—”

  “And you know me,” he retorted menacingly. “I don’t make idle threats. Take care of this girl. She means a great deal to me.”

  Later Julie was to remember his words with pain…how he did not say: “I love her,” but rather, “She means a great deal to me.” She would remember, and ache, and hate herself for caring even that much.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Julie was awakened by the sound of someone fumbling with the outer locks on her door. She sat up and stared in surprise at the young girl who entered. She wore a taffeta dress of shocking pink; it dipped low in front. Her honey-gold hair was coiffed in ringlets, pulled back, and tied with a black bow. Despite the heavy make-up she wore, her heart-shaped face looked quite immature.

  “Hello. My name is Garnet.” She spoke in a breathless voice. “Actually, my real name is Annie, but Opal makes all her girls use fancy names. Garnet does sound fancy, doesn’t it? Opal says her clients would rather ask for Garnet than Annie. I say they don’t care as long as they get their money’s worth.”

  She was carrying a tray, and she walked over and set it down on the bedside table. Placing her hands on her hips, she looked up and said, “Well, I see Opal fixed you up just fine. This is one of the nicer rooms, reserved for special clients.

  “Hey, I saw him!” She suddenly broke into a wide grin. “That man who brought you in yesterday. He’s really handsome! And what a body! I’ve never seen a man built so big—and proportioned just right too. And those eyes!” She made a smacking sound. “He’s a fine one, he is!

  “This room’s a lot bigger than mine,” Garnet murmured. “I like the drapes too. Red velvet. Pretty, aren’t they? One thing about Opal. She don’t run no cheap joint. That’s how she gets away with charging big money from the men who come here.”

  She looked from the tray to where Julie sat, still staring at her, open-mouthed now. “What’s wrong? That’s a steak that Opal had the cook send up. And a bottle of wine too. Your man said you was to receive the very best. You really should eat. You’ve got nice teats, but you’re on the skinny side. Some of the girls are jealous of how pretty you are. Me, it don’t matter. Of course, I’d like to have a man like yours in my bed, but I ain’t the jealous kind.”

  She took a deep breath, bosom heaving, and shook her head in exasperation. “You’re a quiet thing, aren’t you? You going to just sit there and stare at me? I figured you’d be grateful for some company. Hell, you been locked up in here since yesterday.”

  Garnet cocked her head to one side, and her voice took on a sympathetic note. “You been crying, ain’t you? Didn’t you know that makes wrinkles? A girl with looks like yours should try to take care of them, you know.”

  “You…you haven’t given me a chance to say much,” Julie whispered, her stomach rumbling as she looked at the steak and wine. “Thank you for bringing me the food, Garnet. I am hungry, and most grateful for the company.”

  Garnet slapped her hip and laughed raucously. “That’s more like it. Opal says you’re a priss, but I don’t think so.”

  Julie pulled the tray onto her lap, then picked up a knife and fork and began cutting the meat. “What’s a priss?” she wanted to know.

  “Oh, you know—prissy, conceited, putting on airs. She says you think you’re too good to be in a place like this. Hell, we’re just working girls. Sure beats starving to death like the rest of the South. Richmond’s a big place. Busy too, it being the capital of the Confederacy and all. And, like I said, Opal runs a nice place. We get officers here. And merchants. Lots of rich men. They don’t want to go looking for their loving down at those waterfront rat holes. They’re afraid they’ll get the pox along with their pleasure.” She giggled, then added, “They know Opal’s clean too, and she keeps her girls that way.”

  She drew up a high-backed chair of gold brocade and sat down daintily, careful not to muss her skirt. She watched Julie eating for a few moments, then asked, “How come that man of yours is keeping you locked up? I don’t know why in hell you’d want to run away from him.”

  “There’s more to it than that,” Julie told her, still a bit wary of this strange girl but grateful for the company. “My brother is in Libby Prison, and I want to get him out. Derek says he’ll help me, but I don’t altogether trust him anymore. And he’s afraid if he doesn’t keep me locked up, I’ll try to get my brother out by myself. And I probably would.”

  “Libby Prison, huh?” Garnet reached over and picked up a piece of Julie’s steak with her fingers and popped it in her mouth, smacking her lips happily. “Mmmm, that’s good. We don’t get steak often. Opal’s tight with her money when it comes to food. Says we girls have to stay slim too.

  “Libby Prison,” she went on thoughtfully. “That’s that old warehouse the
y call the Black Hole. What’s he doing in there? It’s a Yankee prison. Is he a deserter or a traitor?”

  “Neither!” Julie cried sharply, then went ahead and told her the whole story. It helped, she realized, to talk to someone, and despite the girl’s brittleness, she did seem friendly. Also, in the back of her mind she was already formulating a plot for an escape of her own, and a friend just might come in handy, she reasoned.

  Garnet slapped her thighs when Julie finished. “Wowee, that’s some story. So your man is Derek Arnhardt, the infamous Captain Ironheart everybody’s heard about, huh? And he wants to make you his mistress. Well, you could do a lot worse. I think Opal wants him, though, ’cause she don’t like you.”

  Julie blinked. “I had that feeling. Why doesn’t she?”

  “I told you. She says you’re a priss. And she says she don’t know what he sees in you. She’s like me, I guess, chomping at the bit to be his woman and wondering why you’re having fits and wanting to run away. Besides, your brother’s probably dead by now if he’s been in that place as long as you say.”

  Julie’s heart was wrenched painfully as she whispered, “Myles is strong, both in mind and body. If anyone can survive, he can. And Derek told me he found out that he’s still there.”

  “So how would you go about getting him out?”

  Julie told Garnet about Thomas. “I sing a little,” she confided. “I’d just go there and tell my cousin to set me up to entertain the officers and guards with my singing. Then I’d find a way to get Myles out. I’d learn my way around the place, and I’d find a way. I promise you that, Garnet.”

  “Sounds like fun,” the girl giggled. “If there was any money in it, I’d help you.”

  “You would?” Julie’s eyebrows rose in hopeful surprise.

  Garnet eyed her suspiciously, then said, “I’m just teasing. I’ve got a good thing going here, and I ain’t going to louse it up. But don’t worry. I won’t tell anything you told me to anybody. Now I got to be going before Opal really gets mad.”