The Bride Price Read online

  John waved back and the two men came running. David removed his hat and gave Amelia a warm smile. “Where’s he at, missus?”

  “In the back paddock, just past the garden.”

  Amelia led them to where her father knelt over James. It appeared he was speaking to him, but Amelia couldn’t figure out if the soldier was answering.

  Mr. Powell raised his head. “Oh, good. Move him into the south guestroom upstairs, and then one of you go for the doctor.”

  “Yessuh,” David responded. He and John picked him up and did as they were instructed.

  Amelia followed them inside and heard the sputtering of her mother from behind David. “What do you think you’re doing with that man?”

  “Mama, he’s a wounded soldier. Daddy told them to take him up to the south room.”

  “Oh, for goodness sake.” Her mother waved her hands towards the stairs. “Make it quick, then.”

  “Yes’m,” they mumbled and hurried up the stairs.

  When Amelia tried to follow, her mother grabbed her arm. “You will not be alone with them.”

  “Mama, he needs help.”

  “Young lady, you’re barely sixteen. You may not go into a room alone with a man and two Negroes. What would people think?”

  Amelia wanted to scream. “That I’m a good Samaritan, and willing to help a soldier who has obviously put his life on the line for our Union.”

  Her mother huffed. “Well, you’ll wait until the doctor has seen him and then you’ll let Della tend to him. John may assist…he is her son after all.”

  Amelia lowered her head. “Yes, mama.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Christine was a willing hostage for well over two hours as Sophie regaled her with stories of the future. “Do you think you could help me find my way back?”

  “I have no idea where to begin,” Christine said.

  “Perhaps where Nona found me?” Sophie widened her eyes in hope. “By the stables?”

  A knock at the door interrupted their conversation and brought Nona, followed by Betty and another servant, laden with trays.

  “Hi, Nona.”

  Sophie and Christine moved to help with the food.

  “You both missed dinner.”

  “Thank you.”

  Nona ushered the servants from the room and then turned to Sophie. “I’ll leave the tray. You should eat and then rest. You’ve had a very emotional day.”

  Sophie nodded and then Nona left the girls alone again. Christine prepared two plates and, with a sigh, Sophie forced herself to choke down a few bites of chicken and fruit.

  “Tell me more about Jamie.” Christine wiped her mouth with her napkin.

  Sophie’s heart warmed as her thoughts wandered to her husband, and she couldn’t help but smile. “He’s the most amazing man.”

  “How did you meet?”

  “We met at a college function. He was singing, and I was instantly lost.”

  “He sings?” Christine asked.

  “Yes, incredibly. We used to sing together, actually.”

  “I’d love to accompany you on the piano sometime.”

  Sophie grinned. “I would like that.”

  “Sorry, I’ve veered from our topic. Please, continue.” Christine sipped her drink.

  “Well, Jamie took me bowling on our first date.”

  “What is first date?”

  “A first date.” Sophie chuckled. “I suppose it would be similar to a ride in the park, or a private dinner, once courtship has been offered.”

  Christine nodded, so Sophie continued, “It was the perfect date. Especially when we said good night.”

  Christine raised an eyebrow in question.

  “I was beyond excited because he’d asked me out again, and we had plans to see a local band the next night.”

  “What is a band?”

  “Right. Um, a performance with musicians. People pay to see musicians perform, but we don’t dance to the music—well, not the way you do in this century.”

  “You can explain that another time.”

  “Thank you.” Sophie smiled.

  “So, after you said good night, what happened?”

  Sophie’s hand found its way to her chest. “I had just closed and locked my apartment door when I heard a knock.” Sophie blinked back tears as the moment came rushing back. “I opened the door and suddenly he was there, arm around my waist, and a hand stroking my cheek as he kissed me.”

  “The scoundrel!”

  Sophie sat forward. “No, no, he wasn’t. He was the perfect gentleman. It’s just different in my time.”

  “How different?”

  “It’s hard to explain. Sex before marriage is acceptable, even expected, so Jamie and I were considered strange.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, we chose to wait until marriage to consummate our relationship.”

  “As it should be,” Christine said.

  Sophie smiled at Christine’s pursed mouth and blushed cheeks. Her expression was reminiscent of Jamie’s very proper, very Baptist, grandmother. “Is this too much information?”

  “No, just unfamiliar. I’ve never witnessed affection between a man and a woman, and we certainly don’t discuss it. Please, continue.”

  Sophie chuckled sadly. “Jamie’s kiss was amazing. I had never been kissed like that before and, believe me, he never disappointed in that regard. Even five years later, his kisses can make my legs weak.”

  A quiet squeal brought Sophie’s eyes back to Christine, who was bright red and fanning her face with her hand. “Oh, my, my.”

  “Sorry, Christine, I’ve talked your ear off.”

  “Nonsense. It’s refreshing.”

  Sophie laughed out loud. “I can see how refreshed you are. Your face is beet red.”

  Christine cleared her throat. “Well, we’ll just need to find a way for you to move on.”

  “No, Christine, you don’t understand. I can’t live without him. I am his Ten-Cow woman.”

  “He called you a cow?”

  Sophie nodded. “Reverently.”

  Christine settled her head against the chair as Sophie shared the fable.

  “There is a story of a farmer with three daughters. One was fair-haired and lovely, and her hand in marriage was exchanged for a high price of seven cows, eight chickens, and five pigs. His second born was equally pretty as the first, but her hand came for far less a price at five cows. Then the youngest, a quiet young maiden, not particularly pretty, but sweet. The old farmer feared his youngest daughter would never marry and he’d be stuck with her. So he set her price at one cow and the runt of a sow’s litter.”

  Christine wrinkled her nose. “She sounds positively homely.”

  Sophie chuckled. “One day, a young man came to the farmer and told him he had fallen in love with his youngest daughter and he would do anything to marry her. The farmer informed him of the bride price and the suitor left without comment. A year went by, and although both his other daughters had married, his youngest remained at home, pining for her young man.”

  “You’d think she would have married someone else by then.”

  Sophie raised an eyebrow. “Is romance lost on you, then?”

  Christine lifted her cup to her mouth. “Sorry, continue.”

  “Anyway, the farmer and his wife weren’t sure how they were going to break it to their daughter that, obviously, her young man just didn’t feel she was worth the one cow and piglet. When the maiden had lost all hope, her young man came. With ten cows in tow. He’d also brought with him, three goats, six pigs, and twenty chickens. The girl’s father met him at the door, and the young man said, ‘I believe you have highly undervalued your daughter. Here are ten cows, which is what I believe she is worth.’”

  Tears slipped down Christine’s cheeks, and she pulled a handkerchief from her cuff to wipe them away. “My word, Sophie. How romantic.”

  “I know. I feel sometimes I take that for granted.” Sophie frowned.
“His love for me is overwhelming at times.”

  “I also lost my husband.”

  Sophie gasped. “You did? Oh, Christine! I’m so sorry.”

  Christine held a hand up. “I’m only telling you because I’m proof that life will go on.”

  “How did he die?”

  “He was killed at Shiloh.”

  “April 1862,” Sophie whispered.

  Christine’s eyes widened. “Yes, that’s right.”

  Sophie gathered her dishes and set them on the bureau as Christine continued her story.

  “A wonderful man, handsome and kind. Peter became my world. We were married for three years before the war started, and when it did, I truly thought it would be over quickly and he would come back to me. My brother, Andrew, was his closest friend, and they decided to join together.” Christine got a faraway look on her face. “Such a difficult time.” With a sad smile, she faced Sophie again. “Our little girl, Eleanor, had just died from influenza. She was only two years old and the grief was overwhelming. I think Peter tried to forget, so when the opportunity came to join the Union, he jumped at it.”

  “That makes sense,” Sophie said as she turned from the bureau to face Christine.

  “A few days after the battle at Shiloh, I volunteered at the hospital and received word that Andrew made it to Charleston, despite severe wounds. I convinced Michael to travel to him, and harder still, persuaded him to take me. I was still quite surprised we were even notified.”

  “How did they know about him, or for that matter, you?”

  “Andrew and Peter purchased disks they wore around their necks. They had their personal information engraved on them. We had never heard of anything like that before but were grateful.”

  The first dog tags.

  Sophie leaned forward. “What happened?”

  “They brought my brother in unconscious, his face badly bloodied and shrapnel in both his knees. Apparently, he’d escaped a group of Confederates who captured several of his unit. He stole a horse and made it to safety.”

  Sophie gasped. “Incredible.”

  “Or, stupid.” Christine clasped her hands in her lap. “Andrew remained unconscious for several days after we arrived, but when he woke, it fell to him to tell me Peter had been killed. Andrew told me that as he rushed to Peter’s side, a canon ball exploded in front of him, and his legs were so damaged, he couldn’t move fast enough to get to Peter. Andrew still feels guilty about it. The physical limitations from his injuries are a constant reminder. He also has some scarring on his face and walks with a limp.”

  “How sad,” Sophie whispered.

  “Oh, there’s nothing sad about my brother. He’s the strongest man I know.”

  “What happened to Peter?”

  “All I have is a letter and medallion that Andrew managed to grab. I had to say goodbye to a ghost.”

  “Christine,” Sophie said sadly.

  “My only regret is that we didn’t have any other children. When Ellie died, the thought of getting pregnant and losing another baby was just too much. I have a marker for Peter next to Ellie’s grave on the little hill, overlooking Mama’s house.”

  Sophie and Christine sat in silence for several minutes and then Christine stood. “I should take my leave.”

  Sophie stood as well. “Thanks again for the great talk.”

  Christine smiled. “Try to get some untroubled sleep. You deserve a reprieve.”

  “If I can find a way back to Jamie, that just might happen.”

  “We’ll try tomorrow.”

  “Thank you.”

  Sophie changed and climbed into bed. Her head spun with too much information, her heart beat with too much emotion. As she closed her eyes and forced herself to think of happier times, she melted into the memory of Jamie.

  * * *

  “Good morning, Miss Sophie. Time to rise and shine.” Betty opened the drapes, waking her later than usual to help her dress.

  Do they make everyone chipper in this century?

  “Good morning, Betty.”

  Nona poked her head in. “Good morning, dear, did you sleep well?”

  “Like a baby.”

  “Oh that’s wonderful.” Nona smiled. “Would you like to join me for breakfast?”

  “Yes, Nona, breakfast would be lovely.”

  Sophie finished dressing and then followed Nona, who appeared to be in a fine frenzy this morning, downstairs. They ate a quick breakfast, then Nona dragged her along for what she called her morning constitutional.

  A tour of the grounds revealed an expanse of land Sophie had never experienced, and she wondered how long someone could be lost on their property before they were found. Nona explained that Richard Madden shared a certain section of acreage and Sophie listened distractedly. At that precise moment, he appeared before them, sitting on a beautiful Thoroughbred gelding, no less.

  “Good morning, ladies. What a pleasant surprise seeing both of you here.”

  Sophie ignored him.

  “Good morning, Richard. I’m showing Mrs. Ford the grounds. I thought she might like a brisk walk to start the day. Are you off to the hospital?” Nona enquired.

  “Not right this minute, but I’ll be meeting Michael there later to check on a few of my men,” he replied as he continued to stare at Sophie, who covertly observed him as he conversed with Nona.

  He wore a tan pair of breeches, a basic white shirt, and nicely tailored jacket. His hat was tilted slightly over his eyes and she couldn’t help but notice strong hands outlined beneath soft, kid gloves. Since he didn’t make an effort to speak directly to her, Sophie chose to stay quiet. She didn’t particularly like him, and every time she opened her mouth in his presence, she said something unpleasant.

  Once Richard finally rode away, Nona and Sophie made their way back to the house. It was past time for lunch and there was still a lot to do before the party. Sophie, emotions still raw from the day before, tried to figure a gracious way out of the event but had no luck coming up with a viable plan.

  Michael surprised them by joining them for a late lunch and just as the three of them were finishing up, the butler showed Christine and Elizabeth into the dining room.

  “Good afternoon, family.”

  Both women wore smiles from ear to ear.

  “What are you up to, Teeny?” Suspicion hovered in Nona’s voice.

  “Whatever do you mean, Nona?” Christine feigned innocence. “I’m not up to anything.”

  Nona’s eyebrows puckered. “Well, my dears, I don’t have time to figure out exactly what you two are up to, as I have a party to plan. Just try not to make a mess. That’s all I ask.”

  “Us?” Elizabeth and Christine said, in unison.

  Christine grabbed Sophie’s hand and pulled her from the dining room. Elizabeth seemed as giddy as a teenager. Sophie was intrigued and slightly worried at the same time.

  “What are you two up to?” Sophie asked as they entered her bedroom.

  “Nothing, really. Trust us,” Elizabeth replied.

  “Famous last words, as they say.”

  “Who says?”

  “Never mind.” Sophie pulled Christine aside. “We’re supposed to look for that place, remember?”

  “I have already been there, without luck. However, we haven’t much time to prepare for the party. We’ll look again tomorrow.”

  Sophie sighed in frustration but didn’t feel as though she had much choice, and nodded her agreement. Christine had Betty prepare a tub for Sophie and poured scented oil into the water just as Elizabeth came into the room carrying a load of packages.

  “What have you got there?” Sophie asked.

  “A surprise. Now climb into the tub like a good girl and stop asking questions. All will be revealed in due time.”

  Sophie felt a bit squeamish about undressing in front of virtual strangers, but they turned their backs and waited for her to get into the tub. The water covered every inch of her and she decided her momentary exhibition w
as well worth her embarrassment. She hadn’t had a proper bath since her arrival, and this was heaven.

  The girls helped Sophie wash her hair. There was so much of it, after all, it took the three of them to manage it. Faster than Sophie would have liked, Christine held up a huge towel for Sophie, and she stood reluctantly and stepped out of the tub, before sitting in front of the fire so that Elizabeth could style her hair.

  The girls had a blast. They talked and giggled like teenagers and Sophie felt like she had two new sisters. She just wished Emma could be here to join in the fun. She would love Christine and Elizabeth.

  Sophie took a deep breath. For whatever reason, she was now in 1863, preparing for a night of fun without Jamie. She thought it strange how she started to comprehend all of this from that first moment of true pain, when she saw the soldier that wasn’t Jamie, and now she was in the midst of an intense moment of pleasure that couldn’t be dismissed.

  Once Elizabeth was done with Sophie’s hair, Christine opened the package on the bed and pulled out the most exquisite ball gown Sophie had ever seen. Burnished copper silk caught the light from the fireplace as Christine shook the skirts out and Sophie was in awe – until Christine held up the bodice. With a low neckline and what appeared to be a very tiny waist, Sophie let out a nervous giggle. “I can’t honestly see how that will ever fit me.”

  Christine smiled. “That is why we have this.”

  When she held up the corset, Sophie groaned. Wrapping the contraption around her waist, Christine tightened it, and Sophie declared she was more evil than Betty, once the deed was done. The girls helped Sophie get into the dress and then pulled out the matching slippers.

  Elizabeth led her to the full-length mirror and Sophie didn’t recognize herself. The bodice came to a point over the full hoop skirt, and was off the shoulder, with short sleeves. She giggled a little when she looked at her cleavage, spilling over the top of the dress. She and Emma always called cleavage, ‘Cleveland.’ Her mother was a bit embarrassed about discussing breasts with them and made up the nickname.

  Well, mom, this is Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and all surrounding areas.

  Elizabeth created a masterpiece with Sophie’s hair as she wove copper ribbon in and out of her curls. Sophie knew Elizabeth wasn’t sure what do to with the front of her hair, since unlike women in the Civil War period, Sophie had bangs. Elizabeth ended up sweeping them to the side and it created such a soft effect around Sophie’s face, she felt somewhat ethereal. She was too afraid to move.