Page 84 of Master of Paradise
Jennifer smiled at Beau. "Your sister Juliamust be the envy of everyone with her daddy at the head of theSouth Carolina Cavalry and her brother going to join GeneralBeauregard."
Beau grinned. "I'll tell you a secret. She'sgetting engaged to Ty Caldwell."
Jennifer's mouth fell open. "Why, that'smighty sudden."
Beau nodded. "They want to get married beforeTy rides off to war in Virginia."
"Oh, how romantic!" Jenny cried, pea-greenwith envy. "I suppose just everyone will be marrying theirsweetheart before they go off to war, then they'll have someone athome waiting for them." She gave Beau a speculative look. "You muststay for dinner Beau. Samuel, I hope we're having somethingdelicious tonight."
Beau shook his head. "Sorry ma'am, can'ttonight. Have to make an early start in the morning. But soon as Ienlist with Beauregard and get my uniform fitted in Charleston,I'll come to dinner."
"Now that's a promise I shall hold you to."Jennifer took his arm and walked him to the door. As soon as he'dgone, Jenny turned to her brother. "Brandon, I wonder if we couldhave a little talk in private?"
"Sure honey. I'm stayin' for supper, so I'dbetter go up to the stables and see that my horse is fed andwatered. Why don't you walk with me?"
Outside, Jennifer was blind to the beauty ofthe dogwood and budding magnolias. "Brandon, those slaves up atBlackville will bring nothing if that lunatic Lincoln gets his way.I think you should sell them off for cash before you go running offto Virginia, fightin' some silly war that hasn't even happenedyet."
"Well honey, I should have known where yourpriorities would lie. Just to show you my heart is in the rightplace, I'm going to make out my will and leave that place to you,if anything should happen to me."
"Why Bran, I'm much obliged, I'm sure. Whereare their papers?"
He chuckled. "Always practical. No tears formy demise?"
"Bran, don't be silly, nothing will happen toyou. Where are their papers?"
"In the safe at my house. There's something Iwant in exchange Jenny. There's a pair of twins I had sent from thebreeding farm. I've taken a fancy to them, and when I go up toVirginia, I want you to bring them over here and take care of themfor me."
"Was that one of them I saw you with thatnight?"
"You guessed it. I'll skin you alive if yousell them on me. You can sell any of the others you want to, youdon't have to wait and see if anything happens to me. I trust yourinstincts where money is concerned."
When Nicholas and Amanda were alone, he sawthat her thoughts were in turmoil. "What is it, sweetheart?"
She hesitated, then took a deep breath."Nicholas, I'm so confused. I've been frightened to death that youwould go running off to war, but now I see how reluctant you are,I'm frightened you won't go."
He put a finger under her chin and raised itso she looked him in the eye. "Be thankful I don't join the Union.Slavery is wrong, when all's said and done."
Amanda's eyes were wide and she didn't knowwhether to take him seriously or not. She'd already learnedNicholas was not like other men. She pulled away from him, piquedat his attitude, and he chuckled at her reaction.
He could have sat her down and explained thathis ships would be needed to import military supplies. TheConfederacy would need specie and credit to finance a war, andexporting cotton was the only means of doing it.I've only gothalf the planting finished. I must get the rest of the fields in,then I'll be free to sail the merchant ships.
At dinner it seemed that lines had alreadybeen drawn with the brother and sisters on one side, and Nicholason the other.
Beau Hampden had chosen to join GeneralBeauregard at an auspicious moment. On the night of April 12th theYankees fired the first shots of the Civil War when they took overFort Sumpter in Charleston Harbor. Immediately, General Beauregardwith his newest officer, First Lieutenant Beau Hampden, proceededto shell the Fort until the offending Yankees were removed.
Beau returned home briefly before they rodeNorth to lick the enemy. He was already a full-fledged hero,complete with a nasty powder burn on his cheek. He arrived atParadise the same afternoon as Bernard Jackson. Beau was almostdrunk with the glory of it all, while Bernard was grave-faced withfatigue.
Nicholas sat Bernard on the shaded verandahwith a pony of bourbon.
"Virginia's about to secede. It's been passedand will be signed any day. Lincoln has called for 75,000volunteers, and we have secret information that he has alreadyseized Southern ships in Northern ports, and we know it won't stopthere. He is about to proclaim a blockade of all Southern ports toprevent cotton going out and war supplies and food coming in."
Nicholas whistled. "By God, blockade runnerswill make fortunes, but of course the United States could charge usunder Federal piracy laws."
"You have a ship?" Bernard inquired.
"I own two with Rafe Collins. We convertedthem to steam, thank God."
"Well, I'm on my way to Charleston to raisemoney to help finance this war. Price of cotton hereabouts willdrop drastically as soon as the blockade is announced. I intend toopen a blockade office and buy it dirt cheap. I know some plantershereabouts still got two year's crops in their storage barns."
