Sarah's Ground (9781439115855) by Ann Rinaldi Page B

old. Mr. Lincoln wanted Robert E. Lee, but he went with the South instead. Mr. Lincoln will not keep General Scott as commander in chief for long. But he is that now. And he met with me. Me! And I have his word, his order, and no one shall doubt me
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Eight
    T wo days later a letter came from the Accotink post office, the closest to Mount Vernon. It was from a Mrs. Merrick, written for Mrs. Lincoln! Addressed to me!
    My hands shook as I opened it. Everyone stood around, just inside the front door, in the foyer.
    Was she going to rescind General Scott’s order? Remonstrate with me? Why did I regard her as my older sister, Fanny? Why was I afraid?
    â€œOh!” My hand flew to my mouth. “She wants to come here! She wants to see Mr. Washington’s home! Oh dear!”
    The others became all excited. I regarded it with dismay.
    â€œWhat is it?” Upton asked me when the servants had left the foyer.
    â€œI can’t meet with her.”
    â€œBut why?”
    â€œIt would be construed as a political act.”
    â€œMeeting the wife of the president?”
    â€œAs a representative of the Association, I can’t greet the wife of the president of the United States. That was onething Miss Cunningham told me to keep in mind, not to favor one side over the other.”
    â€œIn heaven s name, meeting the woman would be favoring the North over the South?” He was incredulous.
    I sat down on the nearest chair. “I’m afraid so.”
    â€œWell then, what do we do? Tell her she can’t come?”
    â€œNo,” I said, “but I’m afraid you’ll have to meet with her.”
    â€œBut she knows you are the lady in residence here.”
    â€œDoes she?” I asked bleakly.
    â€œBelieve me, everybody in Washington knows by now. What will you be doing, then, while I meet with her?”
    â€œHiding,” I said.
    He smiled. He does have a lovely smile. “I have to admire your gift for politics.”
    â€œIt isn’t a gift. It’s common sense. First thing you know, I’d have the Southern regents on me. Then the newspapers.”
    He sighed. “Well then, I’ll do the honors. I’ll meet with her and take her on the tour. You had best be out of sight.”
    What if she knows of me?
I wondered.
What if she and General Scott have spoken? What will he think? Will he go back on his word and send troops here?
    Is this what politics is?
I asked myself.
If so, I hate it. It’s a dirty mens business
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    If the Federals run the war the way they have run this expedition for Mrs. Lincoln, they will most likely lose. Mrs.Merrick requested use of our boat for Mrs. Lincoln and her party. I said absolutely not.
    Mrs. Merrick wrote back a rather nasty note, reminding me how full the boat would be with important people. And that we might, considering the poverty they heard we were in, like some of that Republican gold! The nerve.
    I wrote and said no again. If Mrs. Lincoln came, she must come as an ordinary person. Furthermore, it should be kept out of the papers and not made into a circus.
    Where am I getting the mettle for this? I don’t know. Where does one get the mettle for anything?
    I don’t like Mrs. Lincoln anyway. Not many people do. They say she is bossy and short and fat and acts like Cleopatra and that she makes poor Mr. Lincoln crazy.
    I shall develop a dreadful cold in my bones and go and see Dr. Anderson in Alexandria on the day they arrive.
    It rained today. So they couldn’t come.
    The Lincoln boys have the measles, so another note has come round saying they can’t come.
    They came today. I took some cabbages and some roses to town to sell and went to Dr. Anderson and got some medicine for my cold.
    Upton served as host. He welcomed them. He of the impeccable Virginia manners. He showed them the banquethall, George Washington s bedroom, the gardens. He gave them the royal tour and shared his own humble supper with them, his