"My trip was very successful, darling. I brought all of the things that you ordered with me on today’s supply train. I called on Lizzie Armstrong and she assisted me with the adventure at the haberdasher’s."
"How is your friend, Charlie? Well I hope. I'm glad you had assistance. I wondered if you would feel somewhat befuddled by that."
"She also gave us a rather personal wedding gift. I hope you will like her when you meet her. She does not seem to expect you will be willing even to meet her."
Rebecca drew back and looked at Charlie. "A gift? What kind of gift? I would love to meet her. She is your friend and important to you. I will admit to a certain amount of jealously at first, but I am well over it."
"Thank you, love. I felt sure that you would, but she is rather notorious as a courtesan and I was concerned you would find her beneath you."
Charlie neatly avoided the issue of the gift.
"Never. She is your friend and I would like her to be my friend and know our home is always open to her."
Charlie pulled Rebecca closer and kissed the top of her head. "Can you imagine what a visit from my dear Lizzie would do to Mrs. Williams? The poor woman would faint dead away."
"Oh then, Charlie, we must have her down as soon as possible."
Charlie chuckled, hugging Rebecca tighter and getting comfortable for the irresistible call of sleep.
--*--
Rebecca awoke the moment that Charlie stirred in the morning. She hummed as she rolled over and opened her eyes to see him shrugging into his robe.
"I suppose it is back to work as normal?" she questioned even as she ran her hand over the covers silently inviting him back.
"Well, darling, I have been gone for most of a week. I rather think that Richard would appreciate me showing up and relieving him of the hard part, "he smiled, "the decisions."
Charlie walked around to Rebecca's side of the bed and stroked the soft skin of her shoulder peeking out from under the covers. "On the other hand, after a day of travel, I might be forgiven for sleeping in a little."
Rebecca drew a deep breath and closed her eyes in frustration as she remembered something very important. "Oh no, Charlie, we do need to get up and you need to find Richard, Elizabeth, and Jocko. We had an ‘‘incident’ while you were gone."
Charlie stopped. The tone of Rebecca's voice told him clearly he was not going to like what he was about to hear. "Would you care to tell me the basics? Prepare me for what I will have to face?"
She pulled herself up and gestured for Charlie to hand her the robe from the foot of the bed. Once she slipped into it, she sat up and took his hand. "While you were gone, Jocko went to see Mrs. White. When he arrived, he found her beaten and……" she paused, lowering her eyes then lifting them again. "Davison and his men. They raped her."
Charlie rolled his head back and stared at the ceiling for a moment. He drew a deep breath. "Damn. How is Mrs. White?"
"When she first got here she was bitter, hurt, angry, and scared. But under Elizabeth’s tender ministrations and Jocko’s constant attentions, she will be fine. I am going to let her stay here with us. I am taking in another stray my dear, but she shouldn’t be alone any longer and she will be a delightful addition to the house."
Charlie drew another deep breath and blew it out through puffed cheeks. "She is certainly welcome, and I am sure Jocko will be pleased to have her here. Do we have enough room for her?"
"This is a big house, Charlie. For now we will put her in the room we had been using for the Major. Then once you and Elizabeth leave, I will rearrange the bedrooms. But we are fine."
"Has Richard found Davison and his men?"
"I know he has patrols out looking for them, but you will have to ask him for the details."
I did not tell you last night for the most selfish of reasons. There was nothing you could do, and I needed you. But I know you need to
Charlie ran his hands through his hair. This was not the kind of thing one enjoyed coming back to. Upset civilians would blame the army, and there would be a very sensitive issue about jurisdiction to deal with when the men were captured. "Darling, why did you not tell me this last night?"
"I am sorry. I should have let you tend to this last night when you returned, but I was so happy to see you and there was nothing you could do past what Richard was already doing." She looked down at the rumpled sheets. "And I needed you. I truly am sorry if this has caused a problem."
"Darling, I would not trade last night for anything. If necessary, I will happily respond to any suggestion I was derelict in my duty by pointing out that my duty to my wife and family comes before my duty to country."
Rebecca’s brow rose as she considered him. This was certainly a change in priorities for the officer. He had always made it quite clear that his duty to the Army was the more important thing. She smiled and caressed his cheek. "I am delighted to hear that. Let us get on with our day Charlie. You have this issue to deal with and I have a feeling that in very short order, Little Em will be tearing down the walls to find her Papa."
Charlie kissed Rebecca's forehead. "Yes, dear. Why do I suspect that one of the things you are going to have to do when you rearrange the rooms is to set up a nursery?"
"It is all ready being seen to. Duncan and some of the other men have fashioned furniture, the ladies are making blankets, and a few have been making clothes. At a later time, when you are in need of a good laugh, I will show you my attempt at booties."
"You have been crocheting? My, how domestic of you. Please do not ask me to do the same." Charlie smiled at the homey exchange, but a part of his mind was already elsewhere: considering the implications of a band of ex-Union soldiers raping and stealing their way through Northern Virginia.
"I would not, Charlie, do not worry. I am afraid I shall give it up as well. Unless Jack needs socks for the spring campaign."
"Well, dear, as much as I would love to stay with you this morning, clearly duty calls."
Charlie went through his morning routine quickly, as he needed to get to Richard as soon as possible and find out the status of the situation with Mrs. White and Davison . He pulled on his simplest uniform and headed out to the Officer's Mess. There he found Richard savoring the first cup of coffee of the day.
"Good morning, Richard. I hear we have a major problem to deal with."
"You could say that, oh fearless leader."
"So, have we caught them yet?"
"If we had, we would not have the problem. Charlie, I have had details out around the clock since Jocko brought Mrs. White back. There are indications they are still in the area, but they are well trained soldiers; they know how not to be found."
"Have you wired the other commands to tell them to be on the lookout?"
Richard tried not to look annoyed. He failed, "yes, Father."
Charlie looked at Richard. "Doing it again, am I? I am sorry, my friend. Have you gone so far as to initiate a door-to-door sweep? And, no, I am not asking because I doubt you, I just want to know what has and has not been done. You, my friend, are not the one who has to go talk to Mayor Frazier."
"It is all right Charlie. This whole mess has us all on edge. The men are bound and determined to find these devils. Our troops have actually come to respect these citizens and they are hopping mad over this. I have had men out in all the communities providing sentry duty. They started house to house yesterday. And I have all ready had to deal with not only Mayor Frazier, but also the Reverend and Mrs. Williams. Charlie, are you sure you want to come back here after the war? Would it not be easier to move Rebecca and the children to say, Paris?"
"Oh, shall I assume the ever gracious and gentle Mrs. Williams presented a certain challenge for even your charm?"
"Charlie, I’d rather face Lee and his entire army while under the command of George Custer, than spend even one more day with that woman."