Now, after they have been through so much together, Lucy is committed to Savannah forever. This house is her home, this family, her family. When Master Asher and his wife had died of yellow fever, she had cried with real grief and trembled as well with fear for her own future, but she had not been turned out! Savannah absolutely would not have that, and Miss Savannah had turned out to be stronger than any of them had ever dreamed she would be. Thanks be to the Lord!
Now Lucy and Savannah work together day by day, and Sam and Elijah close by with them. They have all chosen to stay for their own reasons, and they protect and take care of each other. But it is Miss Savannah who holds it all together, for she has the legal say in the house, of course, though by rights the girl will not be 18 for a few months yet. Yet, after that last scandal with the lecherous uncle and the shotgun at the door while his widowed wife and little brats filed out boo-hooing, cursing and swearing…! Lucy still chuckles at the memory. Who woulda thought it of little Savannah? Laud-a-mercy! And afterwards Sam had praised her, laughing his sides off at the memory. “She’s a little pistol, that one!” he said. And so she was. Lucy would give her life today for Savannah, and vice-versa. It is good to have a family, something worth living and dying for.
But so far today no one has pounded on the front door to require that of them. No soldiers have filed through the house terrifying them with guns, no torch has lit the house afire from the outside. There is only the questioning silence.
Savannah, sitting on the floor with the children, stares vacantly in front of her for a few minutes, but her mind is not idle. She is thinking. She is thinking that they must have a meal. She knows no one in the house has eaten anything yet on this day.
Mechanically, she rises and brushes her skirt. “I am going to the barn to see if there are any eggs, Lucy.” she announces. Lucy jumps up in protest. “No, Miss! Don’t go outside!”
Savannah turns around calmly. “We must eat, Lucy,” she says matter of factly.
“But Sam and Elijah are scouting the grounds! Wait till they come back! Tell them to go do it!”
But Savannah is tired, hungry, and angry. She has been held hostage in her own home long enough. “No, Lucy! I am the mistress of this house! And I will feed the family! Stay with the children. Do not leave them alone.”
As Savannah enters the barn with her ready rifle, she hears some strange sounds coming from behind the stacks of hay. Peering behind, she sees the Yankee blue of a soldier’s uniform and gasps, not knowing what to do. The boy is bleeding and moaning. Slowly and carefully, one step at a time, she approaches the soldier.
It is a pitiful sight. He is hurt badly and quickly bleeding to death. “Oh you poor man!” she exclaims, and kneels down near him. Savannah contemplates for a moment. Her job today is the survival of her own family, but now before her is a helpless, suffering human, no more than a mere boy. What should she do? Kill him? Leave him to die? Hide his body? Dear God, what has she come to? Whispering the name of God, she suddenly has a moment of clarity that swells her heart and mind with courage and conviction. She knows exactly what she will do.
Savannah calls for Sam and Elijah to help move the unfortunate boy. Quickly they get him to the house to tend to his wounds. Cleaning and dressing them is difficult. Confused and in pain, the boy is hysterical at first and does not know what is happening. He fights their ministrations for a while, but then mercifully passes out.
For a few days afterward, the boy is pale and unresponsive, but finally he wakes, then sits up, and finally manages to start eating and talking on his own. The first thing he asks Savannah is, “Where am I?” Then, “What happened in the battle?” She tells him she heard the Yanks lost that skirmish and scattered afterward, but Sherman took Savannah. She says it without emotion. She tells him he was badly hurt and must have crawled into the barn where she found him. She goes on to say that she had him brought into the house and has been taking care of him since. She tells him that it was touch and go for a while there, and they did not know if he was going to make it. Then she starts to tell him about his dreams and ravings, but thinks better of it, for it was pitiful. She graciously tells him she is glad he is going to recover.
Gazing at the rested face of the handsome young man, Savannah wonders where he is from and if he has any family. What is his name? But him being a Yankee, maybe it is better not to ask. She walks over to the window, stares out, and says it is a beautiful day. He surprises Savannah by confiding in her.
“My name is William. I followed my father into the war. He’s a general, Miss. We’re from Boston…I guess my family is what you call well-to-do, but I really want to make it on my own, not just do as my father says.” He chatters to her candidly, like a naïve schoolboy on a country picnic.
When he pauses, she stands there, unmoving. “So!” she thinks. “A Yankee boy is, after all, just a boy like any other boy!” As Savannah gazes silently out the window, William notices the way the sun hits her golden hair just right, and as she turns around to look at him, he takes in her green piercing eyes and full coral lips. He is mesmerized by the way the light is shining over Savannah.
William tells her softly, “You look lovely standing there like that.” Caught off guard, Savannah starts, then recovers and replies, “Well, Yankee, I reckon you are a boy just like any other! You need your rest! I will come back later to check on you.” Though she cannot imagine why, she finds herself blushing, so she quickly goes out of the room and down the stairs to meet Lucy in the kitchen.
“That Yankee boy is starting to talk now!” she exclaims, as if he has done something outrageous.
Lucy barely looks up.
“That a fact?”
“I also found out his name, which is William.”
“Well, I reckon he has to have some name or other,” replies Lucy.
Savannah adds with a little derisive laugh that he told her how lovely she looked! Unexpectedly, Lucy reacts strongly to that, slapping her hand on the table.
“He should not be here! Lordy, just think what might happen if the Yanks find him in this house! Or worse yet, the Rebs!” Then, suspiciously, she adds, “But it seems he does have a liking for you, Miss.”
Savannah laughs darkly. “You need not fear that danger, Lucy! That Yankee is in no condition for liking anything right now but rest! Anyways…he is a gentle boy, Lucy.” As she speaks, Savannah walks out the back door to go fetch some water. Lucy follows, not willing to let the subject drop.
“Even though he may be hurting, soldiers that has not been with a woman in months…Well, Miss, you knows the way they are! You be careful around him!”
They pull the bucket up from the well and Savannah replies darkly, “Yes, I know how they are. But, he is a gentle boy, Lucy! He is shy.”
“A shy Yankee! Not likely!” retorts Lucy.
Walking back from the well, Savannah begins to think about William and the way he looked at her. She begins to imagine him standing there in front of her, his eyes of blue and hair of yellow. She remembers the build of him, his strong arms and muscular chest, and she remembers when he first looked at her when he first awoke. She shakes her head and says to herself, “Stop that now, Savannah! You can’t be thinking like that!”
Savannah then brings the water into the house, pours a beaker for William, and puts it on a tray with a small bowl of hot cornbread and beans. Perhaps he will eat a little today. As she climbs the stairs to the sickroom, she cannot help but think about what William said to her last time she was with him.
He is lying there on the bed. He tries to sit up but cannot, so she goes to help and feels his muscular body while she is propping him up. She steals a quick glance at his blue eyes and he steals one back, then looks away quickly. He would not for the world show disrespect to this kind young lady who has staved his pain, and, he knows, saved his life. But why? For he is the enemy. Yet, he mistrusts her not.
Quickly Savannah gives him his food, hoping he does not notice her nervousness. She is turning t
o walk out the door when he says, “Must you go already? Can you not sit and have some dinner with me?” Savannah turns to him, looks straight into his eyes, and says, “I cannot stay. I have chores to tend to. Moreover, my dinner is waiting downstairs in the kitchen where I eat with Lucy.”
He looks at her wistfully and says, “Very well, if you must go.”
Savannah turns towards the door and says, “I will be back later to pick up your dinner plate when you’re done.” She walks out the door and closes it behind her.
Downstairs with Lucy, Savannah is very quiet. Lucy asks her what is in her mind. Savannah does not reply.
Lucy says, “I know what Savannah is thinking about! Savannah is deep in thought about William. She is paying no mind to what Lucy is saying to her!”
Lucy snaps her fingers in Savannah’s face. “Now, hear this, Missy! You’re not a child! You cannot be messing with that solder upstairs! He is not from round these parts and you is asking for big trouble!”
Indignantly Savannah answers, “What makes you think I would be thinking about that Yankee upstairs? I have no interest in him except how much longer it will take him to get better and get up and get out of here!” Savannah gets up from the table and walks over to the kitchen pump to get some fresh water.
Lucy looks down at her dinner plate and says in a low voice, “You need not lie to me, girl! I know when a woman is thinking of a man! You has that glazed look in your eyes!”
Suddenly very peeved, Savannah turns on Lucy. It is the closest thing they have ever had to a fight. “I know not to bother with him! He is nothing but trouble for us! Here as soon as he is well, he will go! Never you mind about that!”
A look of satisfaction came on Lucy’s face. “Good, then you would not mind if I go get his dinner plate that you brought up to him in a few minutes now, would you, my dear?”
Savannah glares and says, “No, go ahead! Why should I mind if you collect that man’s plate?”
But before Lucy can go get William’s plate, there is a knock at the door. Lucy goes to the door and answers it. There stands a Rebel soldier in uniform. He asks to speak to the head of the household. Lucy tells him to wait and goes to fetch Savannah from the kitchen.
“What is wrong Lucy? You look like you have seen a ghost!”
“Miss Savvy, there is a Reb at the door, and he wish to speak to you! Be careful, Honey-child!”
Savannah’s heart thumps in her breast and she replies loudly, “I’ll take care of our guest, Lucy! He probably just needs some water!” In a whisper she tells Lucy, “You just keep quiet and stay in the kitchen!”
Savannah then heads to the front door to see what the southern soldier wants. The soldier tells Savannah more details about the battle with Sherman a few days ago, which they ultimately lost. Sherman has moved on and left a small division to patrol the town, but a few straggling Yankee good-for-nothings are wandering about the countryside. They may be very dangerous! He is checking in the area for those soldiers. He goes on to ask if any Yankee soldiers have been on her land yesterday or today.
Savannah draws a deep breath and tries to look very wide-eyed. “Oh, how happy I am to see you, Private! Thank God it’s over! I have two little babies in this house and we have been hiding in the house terrified for days! Only today have I had the courage to go out the door. But I really can’t imagine why our house was spared! Has Sherman really moved on?”
The Private glances at Savannah’s lovely face and form for one appreciative second, then goes on sincerely.
“Oh Ma’am, my heart does go out to you! And what a blessing that your house was spared, but I must tell you much of your fields have been set aflame! But of course, it is December and that won’t really do much damage. In fact, the ashes may help fertilize the next spring crop if you can get one in. Sherman did most of the damage he could do to the harvest crops behind us. There is no telling how things will be by planting time, though, Ma’am. I have to tell you, it’s not over at all! We are losing this war. You must prepare to move your family, for the worst may be yet to come. When the Confederacy is dismantled altogether, there will be lawlessness everywhere!”
The Private gazes into Savannah’s beautiful eyes and wants nothing more than to please her. It was for such southern beauty as this that he fought a war. In his mind, he dismisses his order to search every building for the Yankee fugitives. He will not offend Savannah by ransacking her home.
“Miss, have you no men on the premises to protect you at all?”
Savannah’s survival instinct comes suddenly awake.
“Yes! I have several loyal field hands, thank the good Lord, and my grandfather and an uncle! And with the grace of the Lord, my husband will be returning soon! He is a Captain,” she adds. For many reasons, Savannah does not want this soldier or any of his comrades to think she is alone and to come back to her house to “protect” her.
He looks a little disappointed but says, “Oh Ma’am, that relieves me greatly! Be on the watch for lone Yankees, deserters, and looters from now on! You may want to think about barricading your windows!”
“Thank you, Private, I will see about that today!” Savannah says brightly and bravely. Then she leads him to the well to refresh himself and his horse.
“Mighty grateful, Ma’am, and now I will be on my way to make my report! What is left of our sorry division is checking on the well-being of everyone abouts here, as well as searching for those dangerous Yanks!”
He stops and looks around him. “You know, Sherman’s men burned most of the plantation homes around here. Many other people in Savannah, Ma’am, did not fare as well as you.”
On hearing this, Savannah feels nothing. The suffering people he describes had once been her neighbors and best friends. But now it is nothing.
“God bless you, soldier! Our prayers are with you!” she cries, and folds her hand piously. She is aware of her duplicity, but yet knows she must do and say whatever is necessary from now on. She no longer has the dubious luxury of morality or even religion.
The poor, tired, dirty soldier touches his hat and smiles a sincere, reassuring smile as he rides away. Savannah feels a stab of guilt and says a quick silent prayer for this one lone soldier, but she feels no other emotion. She has been through too much for that.
Lucy is waiting anxiously inside the foyer when Savannah re-enters the house. Lucy whispers fiercely,
“You see Miss, he is not supposed to be here and he will cause nothing but trouble for us!”
Savannah reassures Lucy once again not to worry, for once William is well enough, she will indeed send him on his way. But in the back of her mind, she is beginning to wonder if they might not be safer with him than without him.
“I am going to go get his dinner plate and check on him now, Lucy!” she says with authority.
Lucy looks at Savannah and reminds her that she was the one who was going to do that. Savannah says distractedly, “Oh yes, that is right.”
Savannah tells Lucy she is going to bed then, and she will see her in the morning. Lucy tells her goodnight. Savannah goes up to her once glorious bedroom, now shabby and elegant at the same time. It has a sitting table made of silver with a Victorian mirror on it. Her closet is full of useless, entail long fitting dresses that hang off the shoulder. Savannah never really did like those big old gowns anyway, did she? She can’t remember. Her bed is large with four posts, which have the most gorgeous but fading silks hanging from each corner. The bedding is the best cotton, now beginning to grow thin.
Savannah sits at the dressing table, looking in the mirror, and lets her hair down as she begins to get ready for bed. She cannot help but think about William. She starts to comb hair, long lovely hair, that no husband has ever touched, or ever will. But what about a good man, a kind man? Someone who could take care of them? Could it be possible?
The way he looked, and his masculine body! She closes her eyes and allows herself to imagine him kissing her, just once. Tenderly. Shyly. How would it feel
?
She finishes combing her hair and decides to look in on William to make sure he is sleeping comfortably. As she is walking down the hall, she hears something coming from William’s room. She opens the door a crack to look in on him to make sure all is well, and sees him trying to stand up on his feet. Quickly she runs into the room to help him. Embarrassed, William blushes and stutters that with her pardon, he needs to go to the “bathroom,” as the Yankees call it, to make use of one of her fancy chamber pots.
The fine mansion left to Savannah by her modern and efficient father was well equipped with flushing chamber pots and hot and cold running water in every washing room. Thinking of it, Savannah feels that old surge of pride and confidence instilled in her by her excellent childhood upbringing. That pride was all she had left in these humbling and stressful times. Since then she may have been compromised, manhandled, humiliated, and snubbed, but at least her family lived in dignity with clean and delicate sanitation—something, she remembered with pleasure, her former friends had envied! Being orphaned in wartime had taught Savannah that jealousy is a cruel and even more than cruel thing. That lesson had hardened her heart and washed away all pretense forever. For false affection and loyalty she had no use at all. She would never mistake an enemy for a friend again…or vice-versa.
Savannah tells William she will help him. She tells him to lean on her as she puts her hand around his waist. He then puts his hand around her shoulder. She brings him to the bathroom and he hobbles inside.
Though she hates to ask, she must!
“Can you manage on your own in there?”
William does not turn around but says firmly,
“I am fine now, Miss!”
Tactfully she closes the door and waits outside for him to finish so she can help him back to the bed when he is done. He opens the door and seems surprised to find her waiting for him.
“You did not have to wait for me. I would have made it back!”
Forbidden Plantation Passions Ebook, Parts 1, 2, and 3 Page 2
