"So tell me, Elizabeth, how did you and Colonel Redmond meet?"
Elizabeth glanced at Charlie, a little concerned over inadvertently revealing more than perhaps the Colonel would like.
"It is all right, Elizabeth. She knows." There was a calm self-assurance in the statement that was a testament to Charlie’s faith in this woman’s discretion.
One eyebrow rose with that knowledge. What is there between these two? Charlie only came to me because of absolute necessity and then I thought I would have to drag it out of him. Yet he has only known Rebecca for a few days and yet he speaks of her knowing with so much confidence. Has our good, austere and isolated Colonel fallen?
"To be honest, we met as doctor and patient. Charlie was injured and needed help. He sought me out, hoping I would understand and keep his trust. From there, we became friends."
As the three of them sat and chatted politely over breakfast, Beulah escorted Colonel Polk into the room.
"Good morning, Miss Rebecca, Doctor Walker, Colonel." Polk’s manners were still impeccable. He stood there, fidgeting with the brim of his hat.
"Please join us, Colonel." Rebecca motioned to Beulah to get the Colonel a cup of coffee.
"Thank you, Miss Rebecca." He turned to the physician. "Did you sleep well, Doctor? I was concerned about you last night. You seemed so exhausted. You know," he admonished, "if you wear yourself out, I would not –– you will not be able to help any of the men," he finished rather lamely.
"Thank you for your concern, Colonel. I truly appreciated your waiting for me last night and escorting me back to the house." She smiled very gently at the slightly flustered officer. "Your concern and care for me, Colonel, is always appreciated."
Rebecca watched these two, then glanced at Charlie. The look on his face almost made her giggle. He had leaned back in his chair and was watching the two of them like a satisfied, well fed cat. The look of benign amusement in his eyes, coupled with the small smirk that twisted his lips immediately conveyed the message. Elizabeth and Polk? Well that had possibilities. The stab of jealousy receded, and instead Rebecca thought that perhaps, just perhaps, Elizabeth would be someone she could talk with.
Elizabeth and Polk came to something of an impasse, with neither of them willing to move forward in their conversation nor willing to break their eye contact. Charlie raised an eyebrow and decided to break the tension.
"Polk, I am glad you are here. I have a couple of issues I would like to discuss with both you and Dr. Walker." The two broke their gaze and looked at Charlie inquiringly. Rebecca hid her smile behind her coffee cup.
"We have a couple of morale problems to deal with. First, Dr. Walker, I have orders to try to build bridges to the civilian community. President Lincoln is aware that this war cannot continue for too much longer. The end is inevitable." Both Polk and Elizabeth nodded their agreement, as did Rebecca. "He wants us to do whatever we can to lay a groundwork of relationship with the civilian populations that will make the reconstruction of the Union as painless as possible, given the antipathy of the situation."
"I would like to offer the people of Culpeper County access to our medical services, plus what ever else we can provide them. Can you organize such an outreach effort, Doctor?"
"Well, I can certainly organize the resources. But I have no relationship with the people here. I have not lived in the area for years, and when I did it was down in Charlottesville." She turned to Rebecca. "Perhaps, Mrs. Gaines, you could assist in this process? Surely providing medical care for your neighbors is not an issue related to which side of this conflict you support, but instead can be framed in terms of being a good neighbor."
She nodded, placing her cup on the table. "I would be delighted to help Elizabeth. There are many good people here who just need a helping hand to get back their good standing. But I must warn you. There are some very sharp beaks in Culpeper."
"Excuse me?"
The Colonel laughed. "Miss Rebecca is referring to what she like to call the biddie brigade."
The doctor and Polk, both burst out laughing. Charlie looked to Rebecca, but did not even pretend to try and hide the grin on his face.
"Oh you!" She scolded, giving him a playful slap to the hand. "The doctor will think awful things of me if you tell such stories."
"Then dear lady, do not say such things." He teased, causing further laughter from the guests.
Elizabeth glanced down to the table, noticing that Rebecca had not moved her hand from Charlie’s and that he had wrapped his fingers around hers. They do not even know they are holding hands. What they have is so natural they do not even notice. Oh Charlie, you have found yourself quite a lady here. Be strong and hang on to her.
Charlie turned to Polk. "What about ways that the men can create some relationship with the locals? Would you think they would accept help in getting their properties back in shape for the spring? Perhaps checking and fixing fencing, roofing, barns and such? I would think the men might actually enjoy doing things like this, as it is certainly better than sitting around being bored and they might find it comforting to be able to do something familiar."
"I also think it would be a good way to help erase some of the lines that have been drawn between the original troops of the 13th and the men from the 49th that we have used to build the regiment back up to full force."
"Your opinions are most welcome. Miss Rebecca, what do you think about the citizens’ willingness to accept such support?"
"As I said before," She moved her hand from Charlie’s to pour him another cup of coffee. An action that went totally unnoticed by Charlie, but most certainly did not by Polk and Walker. "There will be those who will gratefully accept the help. Then there will be others who will be obstinate and half-witted."
She continued fussing with his coffee, adding just a touch of milk then stirring it in before placing it back in front of him. It was all Elizabeth could do not to laugh out loud when she watched Charlie pick up the cup without even looking at it. He just knew it would be there.
Oh dear, Charlie. You have managed to fall in love. She glanced at Rebecca, who was watching Charlie. And she adores you.
"Well, Polk. I think you have your work cut out for you in terms of building civilian relationships. On a different subject, I am concerned about some of the issues that raised themselves the other day. In particular, how common is Montgomery’s attitude among the men?"
"I have asked the company commanders to feel this issue out, but because of the sensitivity, I wanted to have the reports given verbally. I expect to have the information at today’s staff meeting."
"And the issue of the integration of the men into a solid team?"
"That is also on today’s agenda."
"Then, my friend, we need to go hear what our officers have to tell us."
"I will bring them around to your office just at one o’clock, after the noon mess, Sir."
"Oh, I am not going to be using the overseer’s cottage as an office after all. I will be using the office here in the main house. Why do not you use the overseer’s cottage as your facility, and put the quartermaster in with you. That would probably be more convenient for you, my friend."
"Well, I am not going to argue about an office with a real roof and a good clean-burning hearth. Thank you, Sir. Where shall I have the staff assemble then?"
Charlie knew that Rebecca was listening in on their conversation. He looked at her and received a smile of confirmation. "Ah, I will have Beulah show you on your way out. Oh, and have the dispatches brought to me there."
Charlie turned to Dr. Walker. "Perhaps, Elizabeth, you will join me for lunch and give me your views on the state of our infirmary and our injured?" She nodded her acknowledgment, and smiled at Rebecca. Polk was waiting at the door to escort her to the infirmary. "Until later then, my friends."