Page 111 of Master of Paradise
Amanda was at a loss. "Going where,Bran?"
"Back to my troop, of course," he saidmatter-of-factly.
She sat down with a thump as all the breathleft her body. "You cannot go back!"
"I can and I must. Honey, you don'tunderstand. I'm a cavalry officer. It's what I was trained to do,more, it's what I was born to do. Amanda, I've never been much goodat anything my whole life, but I'm a damned good cavalry officer!For the first time I feel good about myself-- I'm doing somethingthat's worthwhile."
Amanda gave him her blessing and insisted hetake Sunblood. It was the only thing she could think of that wouldhelp to preserve his safety, and the fervor of his words convincedher that he must do this thing.
Once he left, Bernard had a relapse and tookto his bed, and Jennifer scolded her again and again for aiding andabetting Brandon in his headlong ride for Glory.
Amanda was now very swollen with the childshe carried, and did not move as quickly as before. One morning aConfederate Troop rode in with requisitions to commandeer all mulesand horses for the army. Old Joe tried to stop them from takingSunblood's colt and got the butt of a rifle for his interference.Young Ben, the only other field hand left at Paradise, struck theCaptain a blow. It was a total mistake. The Captain was a Southerngentleman and saw his duty clearly when a black slave attacked him.He simply drew his revolver and shot him.
"You scum!" Amanda screamed, clutching herbelly. He ignored her and started to lead Miss Louise from herstall. Amanda sprang forward and grabbed her mare's bridle. "Youbastard, you bloody bastard! You'll not have her for a war horse.Not unless you shoot me too!"
The Captain was embarrassed that a Southernlady in her condition was brangling with him in front of hismen.
"My God, I thought it was the Bluecoats wehad to fear!"
He let go of the bridle and remounted hishorse. "Ride out!" he ordered his men. "Keep those mules inline."
Mandy knelt beside Old Joe and they examinedBen, but there was nothing they could do. Seeing this innocent boylying dead and fearing Nicholas had suffered the same fate, sheimagined it the sharpest pain she would ever have to endure. Amandawas wrong.
Four months later, at the end of February,she went into labor. Nothing on earth had prepared her for theagony of it. After fourteen hours, she became delirious andimagined she was her mother who would be confined to a chair forthe rest of her life.
She could hear Jenny and Mammy Lou whisperingin anguished tones that she was 'too young' and 'too small' and asthe pain washed over her in waves, she desperately wanted to die sothat she and her son could go and join Nicholas.
Finally in desperation, they sent for OldJessie who administered one of her potions. Mandy floated away toParadise where Nicholas awaited her with outstretched arms. She wasfamiliar with Paradise; it had a gazebo and a maze, and areflecting lake with swans, all set amongst flowers that wouldbloom forever.
Gradually something began to intrude itselfupon the serenity. She tried to ignore it, but the noise wasbecoming so insistent that reluctantly she tried to focus on whatit was. She opened her eyes and realized it was a baby crying. Thenshe realized it was her baby crying!
Her face filled with tenderness as she beheldthe tiny creature with the black curls and turquoise eyes. "LittleNicholas," she crooned as Mammy Lou helped her lift him to herbreast.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The working of Samuel's mind was very like amaze, for if he went along a path of thought and came to adead-end, he patiently retraced his steps and persistently set offalong another trail. He had never heard the expression 'When inRome', but instinctively knew if he was to travel North, he woulddo best to become a staunch Northerner and Unionist. He wasn't surewhere to begin, but gradually he wound his way to Washington, theheart of the Federalists.
The only person he knew who had a connectionwith Nicholas was Pamela, so he began a search for her, not knowingexactly why, but following his instincts.
It didn't take him long to locate her. It wasthe title that made it easy. Lady Pamela Peacock, widow of the lateLord Harry Peacock, had been set up in a fashionable townhouse inthe District of Columbia, where she enhanced the glittering socialscene that overflowed with high-ranking government officials. Shehad parlayed what she had seen on her recent stay in the South,embroidered somewhat of course, into a cushy little arrangementthat suited her down to the ground.
When Samuel gave her the news of Nicholas, hecould tell it was the first she had heard about it. She assured himthat if her step-son was being held in a Union Prison, she would beable to find out. She bade him return the following week.
Pamela lost no time in ascertaining that theAlabama had been sunk by the Union ship Kearsarge, and then shefound out that the prisoners were still being held in the Port ofAnnapolis because there had been an outbreak of smallpox.
Pamela scanned the list of prisoners but sawno Nicholas Peacock listed. Then she examined it more closely, nameby name. There was only one name on the list similar to Peacock; aCaptain Leacock, listed as a British Merchant Seaman.
The government official who was keeping her,guilelessly arranged for Pamela to be taken to the prison when hediscovered she was looking for her step-son. It took her only a fewslight manipulations to interview the prisoner alone.
Nicholas was brought before her handcuffed,and his two guards assured Lady Pamela they were right outside thedoor if she needed them. He was heavily bearded and the clothes hestood in were threadbare.
Pamela arranged the skirts of her expensivesilk gown and gave him her most seductive, slow smile. "So, mydarling Nicholas, we meet again."
His eyes held a slightly amused light thatonce more the tables had turned, and the advantage was once againon her side. And yet, he was shrewd enough to realize she hadn'tcome for nothing.I must hold some card of value.
"Pamela." He bent his head in a mocking bow."What is it you want?"
She ran her tongue about lips suddenly gonedry. "You", she said plainly, putting her cards on the table. "Iwant you, Nicholas, and I am in a position to do things for you. Ican get you paroled to me, which will allow you virtual freedom,"she tempted.
