Shifted By The Winds

by Ginny Dye

  Robert stepped out of the crowd and held out his hand. “May I accompany you, my knight?”

  Amber giggled as she nodded. “But of course,” she managed to say demurely. “I would be honored.”

  Carrie choked back a laugh. The preparation committee had been very thorough in prepping Amber for the evening.

  Amber seemed to nearly glide as Robert tucked her hand through his arm and led her to Thomas. Thomas smiled warmly as he took Amber’s hand and turned her to face everyone. Other than a collective gasp when she had walked out, everyone had remained silent. Carrie felt as if someone had cast a spell on the evening.

  “Ladies and gentleman, I present to you Amber, the Conquering Knight of the Cromwell Tournament.”

  Carrie pushed aside the thought that Gabe and Polly needed to take a last name as she joined in the warm applause and cheering. Thomas reached into a box behind him and pulled out a crown woven of tobacco leaves, interspersed with bright yellow and white flowers.

  He held it high and placed it in Amber’s hands. “Madame Conquering Knight,” he said solemnly, “you are now to choose the King of Love and Handsomeness for the evening’s festivities.”

  Carrie chuckled, knowing just how appalled Southern aristocracy would be with their rendering of the tournament and ball.

  Robert edged up beside her. “Do you think the Blackwells are turning in their graves?” he whispered, his voice laced with humor.

  “Absolutely,” Carrie whispered back as she saw Amber’s eyes sweep the crowd before she held the crown high in a display of sheer triumph. “The whole day has been perfect.”

  “You were amazing on Granite,” Robert whispered. “Should I tell you that my money was on you?”

  “At the very least, you should not tell me if your money was actually on Amber,” Carrie teased, stretching up to kiss Robert on his cheek. “That little girl deserved to win. She was truly amazing.”

  “She was, wasn’t she?” Robert replied, love and pride coating his words.

  Amber’s voice stopped their talking. “I was planning on winning the tournament,” she began, pausing to wait for the laughter to die down, “so I’ve had a lot of time to decide who would be my king. Robert told me choosing my king should not be taken lightly if I won.” Her eyes sought out Robert. “I thought about Robert because he’s taught me almost everything I know, and he let me ride Eclipse…”

  “I didn’t let you ride him,” Robert called. “You won the right in a bet.”

  “Well, yes, that’s true,” Amber responded. “But you were a good loser!”

  Laughter rolled through the crowd again, but Amber raised her hand to silence them, looking every inch the Conquering Knight. “I thought about some boys at school because there are a couple I’m watching real close.” She had to pause again when mirth interrupted her. “Anyway, after I thought about that a while, I realized who I wanted to crown king. Next to Robert, my brother, Clint, has taught me everything I know. I know most people believed Carrie would win, but my brother kept telling me I could do it. After a while, I guess I started believing him.”

  She held the crown high in the air. “I guess this crown is going to look funny on my brother, but I can’t think of anyone I would rather crown the King of the Cromwell Ball!” she said loudly.

  Clint was laughing, but he had a look of deep pride and love on his face as he strode forward. He stepped in front of Amber, bowed deeply, and then knelt in front of her so she could place the crown on his head. “I am honored to be your king, O Conquering Knight.”

  Amber placed the crown on his head, her eyes glowing with happiness, and then she held out her hand. “May I have the honor of the first dance?” she said sweetly.

  Carrie knew this ball wasn’t going to resemble any she had been to, but she was still startled when the musicians broke into a lively rendition of the Juba, instead of the waltz she had danced with Robert when he won. She glanced at Louisa standing on the other side of the clearing with Perry, both surprised and pleased to see both of them smiling as they watched the proceedings.

  “Not so fast,” Thomas called, waving to the musicians to stop playing as he moved back into the center of the circle. “We still have to select the kings and queens-in-waiting.”

  Amber dropped her eyes. “Sorry, I forgot about that part.”

  “I can understand why when you have such a perfect king waiting to dance with you,” Thomas responded. “Will you call the top five competing knights up here, Amber? Do you remember the last five you vanquished on your way to victory?”

  Amber’s eyes lost their embarrassed look as she nodded confidently. “Carrie. Susan. Robert. Moses. Clark. Will all of you please come join me?” She smiled mischievously. “You might not have won, but you still get to be with me.”

  A fresh wave of amusement swept through the waiting crowd.

  “Gloat this year, Amber,” Carrie said as she walked forward with Robert. “But next year is coming. I will be ready.” And she would be. She could hardly believe she had held her secret in all day. She had enjoyed every minute of the Harvest Celebration, but she was eager for the day to end so she could tell Robert she wasn’t leaving. Yes, Amber was definitely going to have competition next fall.

  Carrie watched as Robert chose Abby to be his lady-in-waiting. Moses pulled Rose out of the crowd. Susan selected Mark. Clark solemnly announced his wife, Cassie Lou, was to be his lady-in-waiting. Carrie walked forward as Thomas beckoned to her. “I can think of no one I would rather have as my King tonight than you, Father.”

  Thomas smiled proudly and held out his hand. “I am honored,” he replied. He bent down to talk softly. “I’m not sure I’m your best choice for the Juba, however.”

  Carrie laughed as the musicians burst into loud music. “We’ll both do the best we can,” she murmured, watching Moses and Rose closely as they began to move around the floor. The Juba Dance was originally from West Africa, but it had become a plantation dance during the slave gatherings when no rhythm instruments were allowed due to fear of secret codes hidden in the drumming. “Watch Rose and Moses, and Clark and Cassie Lou. Do what they do.”

  She and her father laughed their way through the first dance. They exchanged helpless looks as Rose and Moses circled them, stomping their feet and slapping their arms, legs, chests and cheeks.

  “Come on,” Moses teased. “You’re not too white to pick up the Juba!”

  Carrie rolled her eyes, but by the third dance, when everyone had joined in the celebration, she and her father had fallen into the rhythm. “This is fun!” she cried.

  Robert and Abby moved closer. “Speak for yourself,” Robert muttered. “How in the world are you making your feet and arms do that?”

  “My question exactly,” Abby cried with exasperation.

  Carrie released her father and grabbed Robert’s hand. “Father, you teach Abby. I’ll take care of my clumsy husband.”

  “Clumsy?” Robert sputtered. “You’ll regret that!”

  “Only if you can figure out how to make your hands and feet work at the same time,” Carrie teased. By the time two more dances had been played, Robert was keeping up with her.

  Robert was laughing as the music swelled around them. “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m graceful, but at least I look like I know how to dance!” He looked at her with sudden suspicion. “How did you learn how to do that so quickly?”

  “You mean other than the fact that I’m a natural dancer?” Carrie asked demurely. She chuckled when she saw the threatening look in her husband’s eyes. “I had the privilege of seeing Master Juba in action while I was in Philadelphia.”

  “Master Juba?”

  “His real name is William Henry Lane. He is actually one of the first black performers in the country. His show was amazing.” She paused as she remembered. “I had seen the Juba Dance on the plantation for years, though of course my mother wouldn’t let me dance it. When I saw Master Juba, I went home and practiced what I had seen until I didn’
t feel totally awkward. Having the music with it makes it much easier.”

  “I knew you had a secret advantage!” Robert crowed as he stomped around her and slapped his legs.

  “That’s not the only secret I have,” Carrie teased.

  “Oh, really?” Robert murmured in her ear. “Don’t you know you shouldn’t keep secrets from your husband?”

  Suddenly Carrie couldn’t stand it another second. “Come with me!”

  Carrie pulled Robert away from the dancing until they were encompassed in darkness, but the beat of the music still pulsed around them. She remained silent as she continued to make her way down the path she knew like the back of her hand. Robert followed willingly. She began to relax as the music faded behind them. By the time they reached her intended destination, the music was only a faint hum in the distance. She stopped on the banks of the river, breathing in deeply as she listened to the swish of the water against the shore and gazed up at the stars forming a gleaming canopy overhead. Robert wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, but he seemed content to remain quiet.

  “I have something to tell you,” Carrie finally said after the river and the night had worked its magic on her.

  “I have something to tell you, too,” Robert replied, his voice thick with satisfaction.

  “You first,” Carrie said, curious to know what he was hiding, although she was fairly sure she knew what it was.

  “Oh no,” he said. “You were the one who pulled me away from the dance. You have to talk first.”

  “But I am next in line to the Conquering Knight,” Carrie protested. “You must do my bidding.”

  “Nice try,” Robert shot back, “but you only came in second. Now that we have left the circle of the Cromwell Ball, you are nothing but a lowly wife. You must speak first.”

  Carrie laughed, joy almost bursting her heart. She threw her arms around her husband. “I love you!”

  “That’s your secret?” Robert asked, puzzled. “I’m pretty sure I knew that. I’ll hold it close to my heart, however. It will help when you leave.”

  Carrie heard his teasing voice, but she also felt the pain hidden behind his light words. She was suddenly more aware than ever how much he missed her. “And what if I was here to tell you every day?”

  Robert went still and stepped back to peer into her face. “What are you saying, Carrie?”

  Carrie gazed up at him, wishing it wasn’t too dark for him to see all the love in her eyes. She could only hope it was coating every word she spoke. “I’m not going back to school, Robert. At least not now. I’m staying here on the plantation.” She couldn’t see the expression on his face, but she felt him remain very still.

  “Why?”

  Carrie recognized the sound of reluctant hope in his voice. She needed to give him an answer he could hold onto, but she wasn’t ready to talk about the possibility he couldn’t have children. “I know I want to be a doctor, Robert, but my heart is telling me to stay here on the plantation for now. I love being in school, but I miss you and the plantation every single day I am away from here.” She could feel Robert staring down at her, and she could almost see the questions in his eyes. “I am going to run the clinic and learn as much as I can about homeopathy. Abby knows a homeopathic physician in Richmond. I’m sure she’ll set up a meeting.”

  “Does she know you’re staying?”

  “I’ve told no one but you,” Carrie said. “Well, Rose…she was with me last night when I decided.”

  Robert drew a deep breath. “You’re sure? Might you change your mind?”

  Carrie knew he was protecting his heart from possible disappointment. She laughed and pressed close to him. “I’m not changing my mind,” she assured him. “I’ll send a letter to Philadelphia tomorrow and let them know my decision. And then I’m going to go riding with you every day and wait for the first snowfall. Though I must warn you, I may never get out of bed that day. I spent all last winter dreaming of being snuggled up with my husband on a snowy day!”

  Robert clutched her close to him for a long moment and then threw his head back with a joyous laugh. He picked her up and swung her in a circle around him before lowering her to the ground to claim her lips in a passionate kiss. When he finally released her, he continued to hold her close. “Carrie…” he whispered.

  “So may I take this as a sign of approval?”

  “You’ve made me the happiest man alive,” Robert assured her. “I’ve been dreading the day you were going to leave again.”

  Carrie felt a twinge of discomfort. “The day will come…”

  Robert held a finger to her lips. “Of course the day will come,” he said. “I want you to be a doctor almost as much as you want to be one. I will support you when you decide it is time to move forward, but for now I’m simply going to celebrate having my wife with me.”

  Carrie sighed and pulled his head down for another long kiss. “I love you,” she whispered. Then she pulled away, her hands still on his face as she remembered. “What do you have to tell me?” She could feel Robert’s face split into a wide smile.

  “Do you know why Mark and Susan are here?” he asked.

  Carrie hesitated for a split second before deciding not to let him know she knew the reason for their visit. She wanted him to have the joy of revealing it. “I assumed my father invited them for the Harvest Celebration.”

  Robert laughed. “You, my darling wife, are a horrible liar.”

  “What?” Carrie protested. She soon joined him in laughter. “I don’t know why I even try. I suppose it is a good thing that I can’t hide anything from you,” she said, hoping she would do a better job of hiding her suspicions from him. She needed to make sure they never had a conversation about having children.

  “So you know they came to see the crop of foals…”

  “And they are going to buy all of them!” Carrie cried. “All of them!” She pulled away from him, grabbed his hand, and began to dance on the beach. Robert laughed and joined her, spinning her in circles until she was gasping for breath. “I can’t breathe,” she finally cried, dropping onto the closest boulder on the shoreline.

  “All of them,” Robert said slowly. He turned to stare out over the river as a fish splashed in the distance. “I guess Polly was right. I should have listened to her and the rest of them who kept insisting someone would buy the horses.”

  Carrie didn’t need to see his face to know his eyes were gleaming with happiness and satisfaction. “You’re on your way,” she said. “Other buyers are going to see them, and they are going to realize their prejudices are only making them miss out.” She knew Robert was watching his greatest dream come true. She pushed away the thought that she was letting go of her greatest dream. She wasn’t letting go, only setting it aside for a time to do what she believed her heart was telling her to do. She would understand why at some point, but right now she was willing to trust the pieces would fall into place at the exact right time. And she was going to hold close the joy of being exactly where she wanted to be.

  Robert pulled her to him and pressed his lips against her hair. “Do we have to go back to the dance?”

  Carrie pretended to consider the question. “I doubt they will miss us,” she finally said. “Do you have something else in mind?”

  “The house is probably empty,” Robert answered as he ran a hand down her cheek.

  Carrie jumped up from the rock. “What are we still doing down by the river then?”

  “My thoughts exactly,” Robert said, throwing his head back in another joyful laugh.

  Rose sensed the trouble before she could identify it. She stopped dancing and turned slowly, looking for what she was feeling.

  Moses cocked his head. “What is it?”

  Rose shook her head. “I’m not sure, but something doesn’t feel right.”

  “I’ve been feeling trouble all night,” Moses admitted reluctantly. “I was hoping nothing would come of it.”

  Rose took a deep breath an
d continued to scan the crowd. Her stomach tightened when she saw a small group of four women sitting beneath a tree, their heads close in intense concentration. Morah was in the middle of them, her face a mask of pained frustration and fear.

  Moses’ eyes followed hers. “What is going on?”

  “I’ll find out,” she replied as she stepped away.

  “Wait,” Moses said tersely.

  It was Rose’s turn to follow his gaze. Her stomach clenched even more as she recognized the husbands of the four women standing together. She could tell by the expressions on their faces that they were angry. Their eyes were full of a dangerous fury that made her nervous. “You watch the men,” she said. “I’ll go talk to the women.”

  “What are you going to say?”

  “I have absolutely no idea,” Rose admitted. She walked around the edge of the clearing and settled down on the blankets the women were sharing. “Good evening.”

  Morah looked at her with desperate hope. “Hello, Rose.” Her voice was quiet and unsteady.

  “What’s going on here?” Rose asked, relieved when she saw Moses step closer to the men. Their faces tightened with belligerence, but she was sure they wouldn’t do anything. They were all seasonal workers who were counting on Moses for a reference letter the next day, and they were also surrounded by people who would do anything for her husband.

  “Oh, our men are pouting because we won’t dance with them,” one of the women replied.

  Rose eyed the men again. They weren’t pouting. They were obviously trying to contain their anger in the midst of so many people. “Why won’t you dance with them?”

  “Because they ain’t treating us right!” Morah said defiantly. “We thought about what you said at that meeting. We all decided we would make our stand here at the dance. We’re letting them know that if they don’t treat us right, we ain’t going to just keep being dutiful wives.”