"There is no joke waiting to be played, Charlie. Please, do not think like that. Just think of what you are doing as the things any husband would do to protect his wife and family. You will come home."
"My love, I would do anything to protect you and our home. I think that perhaps watching Montgomery’s end today may have put me in a morbid mood."
"I am sure it did. The house has been rather subdued today. But, you, my dear Charlie, are going to come home when this war is all over. We will breed the best horseflesh in the state and we will raise a herd of children. Little girls who will grow into fine women and boys who will be kind and gentle like their father."
Charlie raised his head from her lap and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure, Rebecca? Are you really sure you want me as your husband? Are you willing to spend your life with someone who is fundamentally a fraud –– a woman who passes as a man? Are you willing to raise a family that is not of your own body? Those are all prices you must pay to spend your life with me. Are you willing to withstand the scandal if I am discovered?"
She ran her fingers through his hair. "First, you are not a fraud. You are kind, loving, and caring. There is nothing fraudulent about that. I fell in love with you, none of that matters to me. It is your heart and spirit I adore. The body makes no difference to me."
She caressed his face. "As for the children, why do you think one needs to be born of my body for me to love it? I hope you can see I love Em as much as if she were born of me. That also does not matter."
She straightened and drew a deep breath. "And if you are discovered, well then we will still stand together, and, if it must happen, we will move away from here and start anew." She smiled. "I hear the West is a fascinating place."
Charlie could not help but chuckle at the tone of Rebecca’s voice. He looked at her and asked, "So you will marry me on the 28th?"
"Of course I will. You need not worry. I will be there."
"So have you started planning the wedding? Is there anything you want me to do or assist you in?" Charlie crossed his fingers –– all he really wanted to do was to buy the rings, show up in his dress uniform, and settle down to a quiet life with his wife. He suspected that was not all he would be required to do.
"Well, actually, Grace and I have put together a small," she held the thumb and finger apart just a bit, "list of items we will require to make me a suitably lovely bride for my dashing General. If you could pick these things up while you are in Washington, it would be wonderful."
"Of course, dear. I would be happy to run whatever errands you need me to."
She smiled. "Good." She was not sure, but she thought she might have seen a brief flash of panic in his eyes. "So, tell me, my love, who will be at the wedding?"
Charlie’s eyebrows rose. "Um, whoever you wish to invite. I suppose Richard and Elizabeth and Whitman and Samuelson, my senior officers and your friends from town?" Charlie’s voice rose to an unusual squeak. Guests were not on the list of things he was accustomed to defining.
"Charlie, this is our wedding. I want to make sure the people you care about are at the ceremony as well. What about friends in Washington? Surely there must be a few."
Charlie’s forehead crumpled in concentration. "Well, I suppose General Sheridan and perhaps McCauley might want to attend. Maybe General Grant as well; he probably would not attend, but would feel slighted if we did not invite him. I do have a friend there, but somehow I suspect you would prefer she not attend."
"Mrs. Armstrong?"
"Yes. But I can understand entirely if you would rather I did not invite her." Charlie was flushing an interesting shade of pink.
"Charlie, she is your friend. If you would like, please extend her an invitation. I am sure I would find her to be a delightful woman. Besides that, I do owe her a certain amount of thanks."
Charlie looked at Rebecca with some curiosity. "You owe her thanks?"
"Yes, if it were not for her tender caring for you, we might not have found ourselves at this place."
Charlie had the grace to blush even more deeply. "Well, a certain amount of respect is due to one’s teacher," he laughed. "And we have certainly both benefited and will benefit even more as we grow closer."
"I know." She licked her lips, trying not to sound like a jealous wife. "So, while you are in Washington will you 'call' on Mrs. Armstrong?"
"I believe I should. If nothing else, I think I owe her the respect of telling her about our marriage personally. Do you have a problem with that, dear? You know I am totally yours now. All that is, or will be, between Mrs. Armstrong and myself is friendship, rather like my friendship with Elizabeth." Charlie had a slightly uneasy feeling about Rebecca’s understanding of his friendship with Lizzie.
"No, of course not. You should see your friend. I was just curious."
"Rebecca? What are you thinking of, dear?" Charlie was rising rapidly growing uneasy.
"Oh, Charlie I am not thinking anything. I was just wondering if you would see her." She smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe sow the last of your wild oats. Before your oats become mine."
Charlie looked at Rebecca. For a second, his expression was that of a cornered rabbit. Then all of the implications hit him fully in the funny bone. He started laughing, a big, full belly laugh. In fact, he laughed so hard he slipped from his kneeling position and abruptly sat on the floor. Between guffaws, he managed to gasp out, "My…… wild…… oats…… are…… already…… yours…… and…… yours…… alone. I…… am…… just…… waiting…… for…… your…… permission…… to …… sow…… them."
Rebecca smiled and joined Charlie on the floor, slowly pushing him back until, with some amount of difficulty and fussing with her dress, she managed to straddle his waist and pin his wrists to the floor as she leaned over him. She was about to tease him further when the door opened and Elizabeth and Richard came in.
Without missing a beat, Elizabeth commented. "I find them doing the strangest things."
Richard nodded. "Indeed."
Rebecca looked over. "Good evening, Charlie and I were just discussing planting methods."
Chapter 23
Saturday, December 31, 1864
Rebecca watched intently while Em toddled ahead of her as they made their way into the kitchen. She was pleased to see the child head directly to a small table and chair Duncan had fashioned for her. As soon as she was seated, Sarah gave her a cookie and a cup of fresh milk.
"Tank you, Sar." Em grinned so broadly that she showed two new molars that had almost completely come in.
"You are welcome, Miss Emily."
Rebecca could only smile at the child she was beginning to love as if she was her own. She had taken over as primary caretaker for her since Constance’s condition had continued to deteriorate with each passing day. She was exceptionally proud at how well mannered little Emily was becoming under her and Charlie’s gentle care.
"Good morning, everyone." Rebecca immediately checked the stove and the dishes being prepared for the open house that would take place the next day. Reaching for a spoon to taste one of the pots, she found her hand smacked by Sarah.
"Not yet, Miss Rebecca, ‘‘tis not ready." The cook smiled and just shook her head.
"Is everything going to be ready by tomorrow?"
Reg just shook his head at Rebecca’s nervousness as he continued to unpack a crate of dishes that General Charlie had ordered down from Washington. "Of course it will, Miss Rebecca. Beulah, Tess, and the others are working on the house and me and Sarah is getting everything else ready."
Rebecca smiled, taking a seat at the kitchen table. She sighed, knowing she was being nervous for nothing. "I am sorry, Reg. This is just that for the first time in many years that Redmond Stables has hosted a New Year’s party. I want everything to be perfect. We need some relief after the unpleasantness of Major Montgomery’s execution."