"Ladies and gentlemen, I offer you a toast this evening." He turned to face Rebecca, his heart in his eyes, his voice ringing with the sureness of total conviction and devotion. "To our gracious hostess and, as some of you know, after the 28th of next month, my most beautiful and beloved wife, Rebecca."
There was an instant of hesitation, and then the room resounded with one word. "Rebecca."
She turned, a bright smile on her face, as she once again clung to Charlie’s arm and said, "Yes, General Redmond and I are going to be married."
Charlie took her hand and bowed deeply, drawing her fingers to his lips. He looked into her eyes and smiled, silently mouthing one word. "Mine."
Her quiet response was simply, "Yours."
Charlie turned back to the assembly of guests, most of whom were applauding politely, some of whom were grinning broadly and a few of whom were looking rather pole axed. "Ladies and gentlemen, let us adjourn to supper. And for this one night, forgive me my manners, but I would like to escort my bride-to-be."
Rebecca walked slowly next to Charlie as they made their way through the crowd toward the dining room. As they approached the door, Jocko’s eyes met Rebecca’s. He gave her a little wink.
--*--
Monday, January 2, 1865
Rebecca sat in her parlor, making one list from the several that had been made by the ladies who were helping her with the wedding. She was pleased to see they were willing and even excited about helping her. Most of them had gotten over their initial shock of seeing her with Charlie and were beginning to see them for what they truly were; a couple in love. The differences between North and South were becoming very blurred for these ladies.
She looked out of the window from her place at her desk; she could see Charlie with a couple of his troopers. They were working with one of the horses that had received a nasty bruise during the competition. She watched as Charlie took the lead and put the beast through various paces to determine if and when it would limp on the injured leg.
A light knock at the door brought her attention away from the window. "Come in." She turned in her chair and was surprised to find Jocko standing in the doorway. "Sergeant Jackson, come in. What can I do for you?"
"Well, ma'am, I think it is more a matter of what can I do for you. I understand you are making plans for the wedding. I thought you might like my assistance."
"That would be wonderful." She rose from her seat and poured him a cup of tea. "Please come sit with me so we can talk."
Jocko looked a little uncomfortable as he sidled over to the chair and tucked his cap in his belt. "Thank you, ma'am. I know you want to do this wedding right and all, and I thought maybe my knowing the military side of things would be helpful."
"Very helpful, Sergeant. It is important to me that Charlie has a wedding proper for his standing in the Army and his future standing here in Culpeper. I want everything to be perfect." She placed his cup on the table in front of him then retook her seat. "I would be grateful for your support."
Jocko took a sip of tea. "Good tea, ma'am. Dark like the stuff I had as a child." He cleared his throat. "Well, ma'am, I am not sure what you want. Military weddings can be anything from very, very quiet and private to very formal. I think General C would prefer to go to the more private end."
"Then that is what we will give him. Perhaps you would be willing to work with Mrs. Cooper, as she is handling the details for the ceremony? I know I am having a devil of a time getting any information from Charlie about what he wants. I ask him a question and he says, ‘‘Whatever pleases you, dear.’ I swear to you, Sergeant, there are some days I want to choke him." Her chuckle with the statement made it very clear to Jocko it was a threat made with love and a goodly amount of frustration.
"Ah, as you may know, ma'am, getting married was not something General C thought about very much, as he was not one who, ah, was on the list of available gentlemen, if you know what I mean? So I think he may be a little stymied here. As a single gentleman, he has not had much experience with planning parties and such."
"I am sure." She looked seriously at Charlie’s friend and companion. "You do know that I love Charlie dearly?"
"I know he thinks you do. I know he is head over heels with you and I know if you hurt him, I swear I do not know what I will have to do to keep him together."
She reached out and laid her hand over his. "Jocko, I promise you, I do love Charlie. I would never hurt him. I will spend the rest of my life caring for him and protecting him."
Jocko stood up and walked over to the window. Looking out, he could see Charlie and several other troopers working with a couple more injured horses. Charlie, the officer, the soldier and the man he knew, was in his element. But Jocko knew what lay underneath. He turned back to Rebecca. "And what about her –– the woman? How do you feel about that, Mrs. Gaines?"
"I love her."
Jocko thought for a few minutes. "Well, so you say." He walked back over to the chair. "So, ma'am, here is a list of the officers I think should attend, and a copy of the standard protocols for a small, second marriage to a man of Charlie's rank. I checked the protocol manual before I came."
She took the list and tucked it away. "Thank you." Then she looked at him with a look that only a frustrated Southern woman could muster. "You do not believe me, do you?"
Jocko looked the woman in the eye. "Ma'am, this has all been really quick. General C's been alone for a long time - in fact he thought he would always be alone and always be in the Army. Then you came along and all of a sudden, he is ready to settle down, marry you and be a da to these bairns from who knows where. So I am wondering, when he comes back from the last battle, with his heart on his sleeve, will you be here? What if he is injured or maimed? Will you still want your beautiful boy?"
"Yes, I know it has been quick. But sometimes, when two people come together, there is just something that compels them to be with each other. My parents were that way. My father fell head over heels for my mother the first time he saw her and courted her diligently for two years before she finally agreed to marry him. But my father always said, he knew from the moment he set his eyes upon her face there was no other in this world for him."
Rebecca stood and looked out of the window at Charlie, who was gently petting and soothing the injured horse he was treating. "That is how I felt the very first time I saw Charlie. I did not understand it at the time, but thinking back on my father’s words, now I do. There is no other for me. And it is not just the image, Sergeant Jackson. It is very much the woman I love."
She turned to face him. "I do not care how Charlie looks when he returns home. All that matters to me is that he does." She approached the Sergeant, standing over him to make perfectly sure he was clear on the next thing she was about to say. "I will not care if Charlie is wounded. I will not care if he is maimed. I only care that he returns home alive."
Rebecca retook her seat. "I know you are one of Charlie’s dearest friends and I know you are only concerned for him. I value that, for Charlie needs his friends at his side. I had thought you and I were on our way to becoming friends, Sergeant Jackson, but if you do not believe in my sincerity of feelings for Charlie, then I cannot believe that is the case. I do appreciate your help with the wedding and I will have Mrs. Cooper consult you about further plans." She sipped her tea. "Good day, sir."
"Ah, ma'am, I think I may have managed to join a clan I usually do not associate with. The Clan O'Blivious. You have my most profound apologies. I allowed my natural skepticism to overwhelm the evidence before me. And Charlie is going to have his hands full, I can see." With a sweeping bow, Jocko continued. "I do hope, madam, that you and I can be more than friends - that we can be allies."