Dulcie's Gift

“Do you think Aunt Bessie has been all the way to China?”

Dulcie smiled. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised.”

“Just think,” Starlight said with a sigh. “She has led such an exciting life, and I’ve never been anywhere except Charleston. And, of course, this island.”

Dulcie glanced out the window, her gaze drawn to the figures working in the distant field. “Papa used to say it doesn’t matter where you live. It’s how you live that counts.”

It was dinnertime. Upstairs in the hallway Clara clutched Dulcie’s hand so tightly her knuckles were white from the effort. She and Fiona were about to be presented to the household, and she was plainly nervous. Dulcie gave her a reassuring smile, and when Fiona and the others joined them, the group descended the stairs.

As they entered the dining room, Cal, Barc and Dar were standing to one side of the room talking among themselves. All three men had, as usual, changed from their work garb into white shirts and dark suits.

Aunt Bessie, already seated at the head of the table, wore a gown of black satin, with a rope of iridescent pearls that shimmered in the candlelight. Her hair had been swept up into an elegant knot secured with jeweled combs.

Dulcie led Fiona and Clara to her chair and said, “Aunt Bessie, this is my friend, Fiona O’Neil. And this,” she said, keeping her hands on the little girl’s shoulders to lend her courage, “is Clara.”

“At last we can be formally introduced,” Aunt Bessie said. “I am pleased you feel strong enough to join us.” She made an elegant, sweeping gesture with her hand. “May I present my nephews, Calhoun, Barclay and Darwin.”

The three men nodded stiffly.

“Come and sit,” Aunt Bessie invited. “Miss O’Neil, take the seat beside me. I should like to hear more about the adventure that caused your injury.”

Fiona shot a glance at Dulcie before taking the proffered chair. She was aware that the three men had suddenly taken a keen interest in her conversation as they seated themselves.

“Aye,” Fiona said softly, “’Twas indeed an adventure. When the storm broke above us, I thought we’d breathed our last. Imagine my surprise at waking up in a fine bed surrounded by such luxury.”

“Will your family not be worried?” Aunt Bessie asked sharply.

Fiona’s brogue thickened. “I’ve no family here in America. And no one to worry over the likes of me. Only Dulcie and Starlight and the children. We look out for one another.” Her loving gaze swept all of them.

The Jermain family saw that affection returned in the eyes of their guests.

Aunt Bessie summoned Robert, who entered carrying a silver tray. When he lifted the domed lid, the room was suddenly filled with the fragrance of roast turkey with sage dressing and wild rice.

“Robert can work wonders with wild game,” Aunt Bessie boasted as he circled the table.

Dulcie was grateful for his presence. Though she had warned Fiona and Clara about Aunt Bessie’s sharp tongue and keen powers of observation, she was not eager to see the little girl go through the same interrogation as Fiona. She was, in fact, determined to keep Clara as far away from Aunt Bessie as possible.

As if reading her mind, the older woman pinned Clara with a look and asked, “And how about you, child? Are you also without family?”

“This is my family,” Clara said solemnly. “Dulcie and Fiona and Starlight, and Emily and Belle and…Nathaniel.” The little boy’s name was spoken reluctantly, as though she regretted having to consider him family.

“And no one searches for any of you?”

“Searches…?” Clara turned wide eyes on Dulcie before lowering her head to stare at a spot on the table.

Robert chose that moment to pause beside Clara’s chair.

“Help yourself, little missy.”

When her hands began to tremble, Dulcie took the serving fork and filled Clara’s plate and then her own.

“Thank you, Robert,” she murmured. He would never know how grateful she was for that little interruption. Or had he done it deliberately?

As he took his seat at the table, Dulcie turned to Aunt Bessie. “I hope you don’t mind if we ask a blessing upon our food?”

“Do you really believe He can keep track of so many of us, Miss Trenton?” Without waiting for a reply the older woman turned to her middle nephew. “Would you like to lead us in prayer, Barclay?”

“I’m out of practice,” he said as Dulcie and the others clasped hands beneath the tablecloth, “but I’ll do my best.” He paused. “Heavenly Father, bless this charming company, especially the two who have been given the strength to finally join us, and bless this fine food, which You have so generously provided.”

“Amen,” chimed in the others.

“I see your oratorical skills did not fail you,” Aunt Bessie said dryly. “Now if only you could pass them along to your brothers.” She turned to Cal. “How is the planting coming?”

“Slow.” He dragged his gaze from Dulcie, who had taken great pains to soothe the anxious little girl beside her. There was more going on here than met the eye. All of them were afraid of something or someone. He pulled his thoughts back to his aunt’s question. “The storm ruined one field of seedlings. That set us back about a week or more. Looks like another storm is brewing. If it hits, we’ll probably have another washout.”

“What we need are a dozen more field hands,” Barc said wryly. “Dar and I can’t keep up with Cal’s plowing. He’s like a man possessed, working from sunup to sundown. I believe he’d work through the night if he could.”

Nathaniel’s head came up. “I could help,” he said around a mouthful of sweet potatoes.

Barc’s eyes warmed with amusement. “You’re not quite what I had in mind, lad.”

“But I’m a good worker. Tell him, Dulcie,” the boy pleaded. “Tell him I could help.”

She studied his earnest expression a moment before saying softly, “Indeed you could, Nathaniel. In fact—” her voice rose with excitement “—we could all help with the planting.”

“It isn’t fit work for women and children,” Cal said sternly.

“But—” Dulcie began.

“I quite agree,” Aunt Bessie said emphatically.

From the tone of her voice, Dulcie knew the subject was closed.

“And furthermore,” the older woman went on, “I have repeatedly instructed you children to speak only when spoken to. I hope I should not have to remind you again.” She stared pointedly at Nathaniel. “Especially when your mouth is full.”

“Yes’m,” he said, ducking his head.

“Robert,” Aunt Bessie said sharply, “we will take our coffee and dessert in the parlor.”

With that command, she swooped from the room on Cal’s arm, leaving the others to follow in her wake.

When they entered the parlor, Fiona decided to ask about the portrait above the fireplace. “Who are these handsome people?”

“Our parents.” Barc’s tone was warm with affection.

“Cal looks like his father,” Starlight said.

“Indeed he does,” Aunt Bessie agreed. “And he was named for him. My brother, Calhoun, was a well-respected judge here in the Carolinas. Barclay and Darwin more resemble their mother. Catherine was a true lady, educated in the finest schools and a much-loved teacher herself. From the day she married my brother, she became my best friend. I miss her every day.”

“Have they been…gone long?” Starlight asked hesitantly.

“Three years now. Catherine followed Calhoun to the grave by less than a month. I will always believe she died of a broken heart.” Aunt Bessie sighed. “Brought about, not only by the death of her dear husband, but by the fact that all three of her sons were off fighting, and not one of them could be here in her hour of need. That damnable war,” she muttered as she sank into an overstuffed chair and was rewarded by a gasp from little Clara at her profanity. Her voice rose. “I shall never forgive those Yankees for what they did to my beloved South.”

“Not all of the destruction was done by Yankees,” Dulcie said sharply.

“What sort of traitorous talk is that, girl?” Aunt Bessie rounded on her. “Did you see what General Sherman did to our land? He ordered his soldiers to burn our crops, kill our flocks and level our buildings.”

“I am aware of that,” Dulcie said. “But I still say there were many who contributed to our downfall. And not all of them outsiders.”

“You are quite right.” Cal’s words, spoken softly, had everyone turning to him. “There is no one alive in this country, North or South, who was untouched by the war.”

“I suppose so.” Aunt Bessie sighed, her sudden flare of anger deflected by her nephew’s words. “And I have no right to complain, for our little family is intact.”

Robert moved among them, dispensing coffee and milk and small plates on which rested thick slices of cake drizzled with raspberry preserves.

Clara, perched on a chaise between Fiona and Dulcie, stared long and hard at the precious cake on her plate, as if unable to believe her eyes.

“You mean I can eat all of it?” she whispered.

Cal, overhearing, watched as Dulcie assured the little girl that she could. When the child’s cake had been devoured, Dulcie offered hers, as well, but Clara shook her head solemnly.

“It wouldn’t be fair,” she said.

Dulcie dared not argue with Clara’s rigid sense of right and wrong. To appease her, she ate half her cake, then coaxed Clara to eat the other half by insisting that she was too full to eat another crumb. Soon the child’s eyes fluttered closed, and she leaned her head on Dulcie’s shoulder.

“Come, Clara,” Dulcie whispered.

Before she could rouse the child, Cal scooped her into his arms. “If you’ll lead the way, Miss Trenton, I’ll carry her. I think she’s had quite enough on her first day out of bed.”

“Thank you.” She lifted a candle from the table.

As she started toward the door, Fiona said, “There is no need to return for the other children, Dulcie. Starlight and I can see the children to their beds.”

“I bid you all good-night then,” Dulcie called from the doorway.

She led the way up the curving staircase, her heartbeat accelerating with every step. She pushed open the door to Clara’s room, set the candle on the nightstand and drew back the covers, then stepped aside so that Cal could deposit the sleeping child in bed. Bending, she tucked the covers around Clara’s shoulders and brushed a kiss over her forehead.

She straightened and turned. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Cal didn’t say a word. He merely stared at her in that deep, penetrating way that made her scalp prickle with discomfort.

Alarmed, she picked up the candle from the nightstand. “I will say good-night now, Mr. Jermain.”

She was startled when, as she headed toward the door, he stopped her with a hand on her arm and blew out the candle, leaving them in only the faint light from the hallway. The candle slipped from her fingers and would have fallen to the floor had he not caught it and set it on the chest of drawers.

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