you marry me? I don’t mean some day, I mean now. Today, or this week. Will you be my wife, and send me off to war the happiest man in South Carolina?”
Stunned, Livvie stared at him, tears still falling. Then a huge grin spread across her face, and she flung herself to her knees and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh yes, Rafe Colton! Oh yes, I most certainly will! It will be the greatest pleasure of my life!”
Three days later they were clattering up the road to Charleston in Rafe’s cart, a borrowed horse trotting happily along. Old Norah had never been the same after the hurricane, and Rafe didn’t want to take any chances on this trip. This trip was going to make him a man. He was marrying the most beautiful girl in the world, and he was joining the militia. All in one day. He wondered what his own daddy would think and if he would be proud.
He frowned, thinking of his mama. He’d told her all his plans, laid them out for her while he sat on her bed. Nackie had propped her up on her pillows, a soft cotton shift and a quilted dressing gown keeping her thin frame warm. She’d looked at him, and seemed to recognize him. She even tried to smile. But the effort was too much, and she never spoke, even when he said goodbye. Nackie had shaken his head and clapped Rafe on the shoulder as they walked out into the hall.
“Now don’t you worry none, Mistuh Rafe. I been takin’ care of Miz Mariah for over twenty years now. She be jus’ fine, and you’ll come back with your purty bride one day, and see how we been takin’ care since you been gone.”
“Livvie’ll read my letters to you, so you’ll know what I’m doin’.” He knew the freed negro couldn’t read, and it was obvious his mama wasn’t going to peruse any letters he sent. “And I’ll send my pay, whenever they give it to me. I won’t need to keep much for myself, so you and mama can mostly have it all. I hope the house don’t fall down on your head whilst I’m gone.” Both men laughed.
When they got to the front steps, they stopped awkwardly. Rafe turned to the old man and gave him a fierce hug. “You’ve got the wagon, and Norah. Fat lot a good she’ll do you. Livvie will get the cart back to you tomorrah.” He smiled.
“We’ll be just fine, Mistuh Rafe, don’t you worry none. You go marry that purty lady, and come back to us when you can. We’ll be waitin’ right here.” Still, Nackie had tears in his eyes as he said goodbye.
Now, sitting next to him in his cart, was his bride. She’d told her mother she was going to spend some time with her sister, and met Rafe at the edge of town. He reached over and took her gloved hand, kissing it. She smiled up at him.
“You’re sure this Justice of the Peace will do the ceremony?” she asked, for the sixth time.
“He’s Mr. Greene’s cousin, and it’s all arranged,” he assured her. “And Jory, the timber foreman, will ride back from Charleston with you, make sure you get home and the horse gets returned.”
She nodded, but she was still nervous. “What if someone sees us on the road?” she asked after a few minutes.
“Not much we can do about that. I ain’t got a closed buggy, and your daddy didn’t see fit to loan you his. You can lie down back in the back if you want,” Rafe teased.
Livvie looked back at the wood planks making up the floor of the cart. They were splintered and warped, with wide gaps between some of them. She made a face. “No, thank you kindly. Only in an emergency, then.” She put her arm through his and sat contentedly.
After awhile they were near her sister’s land. She knew that her sister wasn’t there, as the house hadn’t been rebuilt yet. Gardner’s main priority had been the fields, and with the wet winter, they had only recently started building up from the former foundation. She supposed she might see her brother-in-law, but, like as not, he was far out on the land, inspecting fences and the small cotton plants. If she did see
Stunned, Livvie stared at him, tears still falling. Then a huge grin spread across her face, and she flung herself to her knees and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh yes, Rafe Colton! Oh yes, I most certainly will! It will be the greatest pleasure of my life!”
Three days later they were clattering up the road to Charleston in Rafe’s cart, a borrowed horse trotting happily along. Old Norah had never been the same after the hurricane, and Rafe didn’t want to take any chances on this trip. This trip was going to make him a man. He was marrying the most beautiful girl in the world, and he was joining the militia. All in one day. He wondered what his own daddy would think and if he would be proud.
He frowned, thinking of his mama. He’d told her all his plans, laid them out for her while he sat on her bed. Nackie had propped her up on her pillows, a soft cotton shift and a quilted dressing gown keeping her thin frame warm. She’d looked at him, and seemed to recognize him. She even tried to smile. But the effort was too much, and she never spoke, even when he said goodbye. Nackie had shaken his head and clapped Rafe on the shoulder as they walked out into the hall.
“Now don’t you worry none, Mistuh Rafe. I been takin’ care of Miz Mariah for over twenty years now. She be jus’ fine, and you’ll come back with your purty bride one day, and see how we been takin’ care since you been gone.”
“Livvie’ll read my letters to you, so you’ll know what I’m doin’.” He knew the freed negro couldn’t read, and it was obvious his mama wasn’t going to peruse any letters he sent. “And I’ll send my pay, whenever they give it to me. I won’t need to keep much for myself, so you and mama can mostly have it all. I hope the house don’t fall down on your head whilst I’m gone.” Both men laughed.
When they got to the front steps, they stopped awkwardly. Rafe turned to the old man and gave him a fierce hug. “You’ve got the wagon, and Norah. Fat lot a good she’ll do you. Livvie will get the cart back to you tomorrah.” He smiled.
“We’ll be just fine, Mistuh Rafe, don’t you worry none. You go marry that purty lady, and come back to us when you can. We’ll be waitin’ right here.” Still, Nackie had tears in his eyes as he said goodbye.
Now, sitting next to him in his cart, was his bride. She’d told her mother she was going to spend some time with her sister, and met Rafe at the edge of town. He reached over and took her gloved hand, kissing it. She smiled up at him.
“You’re sure this Justice of the Peace will do the ceremony?” she asked, for the sixth time.
“He’s Mr. Greene’s cousin, and it’s all arranged,” he assured her. “And Jory, the timber foreman, will ride back from Charleston with you, make sure you get home and the horse gets returned.”
She nodded, but she was still nervous. “What if someone sees us on the road?” she asked after a few minutes.
“Not much we can do about that. I ain’t got a closed buggy, and your daddy didn’t see fit to loan you his. You can lie down back in the back if you want,” Rafe teased.
Livvie looked back at the wood planks making up the floor of the cart. They were splintered and warped, with wide gaps between some of them. She made a face. “No, thank you kindly. Only in an emergency, then.” She put her arm through his and sat contentedly.
After awhile they were near her sister’s land. She knew that her sister wasn’t there, as the house hadn’t been rebuilt yet. Gardner’s main priority had been the fields, and with the wet winter, they had only recently started building up from the former foundation. She supposed she might see her brother-in-law, but, like as not, he was far out on the land, inspecting fences and the small cotton plants. If she did see
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