ROSEDALE IN APRIL
Chapter Twenty-Seven
At dusk Corporal Brock Lovett, the Union
Mounted Cavalry rider, mysteriously sent into Jefferson on an urgent errand by
the Captain finally arrived back at Rosedale Plantation. Mauve dusted clouds
lazily floated across a bluish gray sky as streaks of amber burst onto the
western horizon from the setting sun. On one hand, the soldier was thankful
that he successfully conquered the race back to headquarters before darkness
had descended upon the countryside; however on the other hand, the Corporal
inwardly cringed for his main mission had been a complete failure. And the
Captain wasn’t gonna like it not one damn bit! Finding his commanding
officer in the makeshift encampment amongst the pecan grove authoritatively
issuing final orders before the long arduous trek on the morrow, he wearily and
dreadfully guided his gelding in that direction. Yet before the exhausted
albeit leery man could dismount, an impatient and anxious Captain Jack Dalton
had spotted him and purposefully marched over.
"Well, Corporal Lovett, where the hell
is he?" Jack balefully blasted with arms set akimbo.
"Sorry, Captain Dalton. He refuses to
come." Brock guiltily responded.
"And did he give a reason,
Corporal?" Jack angrily shouted causing the hackles to rise up on the
soldier’s neck in trepidation.
"Yes, Captain Dalton, he did. Father
Andrews claims that church protocol dictates you must first convert to
Catholicism while attending catechism classes." Uh-oh, as Brock feared,
the Captain was more than pissed judging by his hostile body language
that the entire squadron had come to know since serving under his command!
Clearing his throat, the Corporal nervously stammered in continuance,
"Also…there’s…uh…one more thing, Captain Dalton."
Jack quirked a dark ominous brow at the
Corporal causing his courage to falter, yet Brock let the next words rush out
before he had time to think and change his mind.
"The priest admonished that you should
have personally approached him about the nuptials especially since Miss Bukater
doesn’t have a male guardian anymore, Captain…uh…Sir."
"But there’s no time for that
shit! I bet if the son of a bitch had enough damn gold in his offering plate,
he’d be more than happy to conduct the ceremony!" Jack balefully barked.
"Sorry, Captain Dalton! I tried my best
to persuade him otherwise, but he stubbornly wouldn’t budge on the
matter." A sheepish Corporal Lovett tried defending yet unjustly felt that
he himself was solely responsible for the Captain’s ire for there wasn’t a man
in his unit that savored displeasing Captain Jack Dalton whether it was
intentional or not.
"Never mind, Corporal. You’re
dismissed." Aggravated and waving his hand in a flourish, Jack’s nostrils
flared as his jaw line ticked with an obvious quiver before spinning around and
kicking up a cloud of dust in a fit of temper viciously swearing, "Damn
the man to hell!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" A scolding
Sergeant Ryan clucked his tongue at his best friend’s hot display of temper.
"Don’t you know that to defame a priest is blasphemous, Jack? You
Protestants just have no respect for us Catholics! The Father was only stating
what is religiously proper…merely doing his job. But moreover, do my ears
deceive me or am I only imagining what I think I just heard?" Tommy
disbelieving interjected as he chewed on a piece of straw.
"You heard right, Tommy. Why the surprise?
You really don’t know me at all, do you?"
"Of course I do and you damn well know
it!" Tommy objected then lit a cigarette and offered it to this best
friend before harmlessly probing. "But you and Miss Rose are on opposite
sides of the spectrum both in this war and on a more personal level. You two
can’t get any more different, my friend! Northerner versus
Southerner…Protestant versus Catholic. A true example of opposites attracting,
I suppose! But notwithstanding, that’s a very noble gesture, Jack. What
honorable and respectable man wants his first born to be brought into this
world as a bastard, right?"
"Indeed, and I feel so God damn
helpless, Tommy." Taking several halted paces while taking a long drag of
the cigarette, Jack suddenly impaled Tommy with a heated glare. "That
despicable label put on an innocent child infuriates me especially when I’m
the guilty party here! I try to do the right thing but his holiness condemns me
for not being Catholic? Hypocritical…" Jack savagely cursed under his
breath and forcefully exhaled a stream of smoke before adding,
"Nevertheless, it looks like I’ve failed to rectify the…situation. Christ
Almighty!" Jack bit out and angrily flicked the cigarette into the
distance before dragging a hand through his overly long tawny hair in self
disgust.
"Maybe not. Perhaps Rose will marry
someone else later on after we’ve gone to at least give the child a name."
Tommy offhandedly shrugged while audaciously testing the waters to determine if
his friend was attempting to marry the Dixie belle for honor’s sake…or out of
love as he rather suspected. Although Tommy was fully aware that he was
treading on very dangerous ground here; nonetheless, he remarkably let his
tongue do the lashing overly curious as to Jack’s truest intent…and
consequently stilling himself for the forthcoming storm about to erupt.
"Shut the fuck up, Tommy! We can’t even
talk anymore without you shooting your damn mouth off. Why are you always
playing devil’s advocate with me?" Boring cold blue shards of steel into
cool green eyes while forcefully jabbing a finger at Tommy’s chest, Jack
ominously warned, "Hear this, Sergeant! No man and I mean no man
will be a substitute father to my child! Is this in any way
unclear?" And Jack furiously stomped off towards the manor house leaving
Tommy yet again scratching his chin in deep thought. However, Tommy had
his answer…and grimaced.
"Well, my friend as I suspected, the
notorious Captain Jack Dalton has lost his heart to the Rebel lady! Looks like
I’ll have to work double time guarding your back in the months to come! Can’t
have that baby born fatherless…now can we?" Tommy softly vowed proudly
watching Jack cover the distance between himself and his ladylove.
"Sergeant Ryan, is it really true that
Captain Dalton made a bambino with Miss Rose?" Nearby an overly curious
Private Fabrizio di Rossi had overheard the whole volatile exchange. Since the
incident at Diamond Bessie’s Brothel with his Captain and Miss Bukater,
Fabrizio had wisely kept his distance. However, his willpower continued to be
tested each and every day while they resided at the plantation and he was
actually quite relieved to be leaving in the morning. For Rose was like the
apple in the Garden of Eden…tempting as sin and hard as hell to ignore.
"Looks like that’s a fact, Pup. But
don’t you go blabbing it everywhere. Gossip is sure to spread as it is and I’m
absolutely positive that the Captain doesn’t want his and Rose’s business
bandied about under the circumstances." That said, Tommy playfully ruffled
Fabri’s dark hair before leaving off to take over making preparations for their
departure certain that Jack had other matters to attend with their beautiful
hostess.
To himself, Fabrizio solemnly mused,
"And I will watch over the Captain’s welfare, too, for the wee bambino and
it’s Mama, my first love. If Miss Rose can’t be mine, then the Captain must
have her now more than ever."
*****
Soul haunting piano music drifted in the
evening breezes as Jack approached the sprawling mansion. Only one angel could
perform such a beautiful, mesmerizing song and he followed it like a moth drawn
to a flame. At the opened French doors, he stood absorbing the mystical moment
inside his aching heart. Cast in shadows, he secretly watched and listened,
both hesitant to interrupt her playing yet afraid not to, needing to savor
every last second in her divine presence. On the final note, he silently
swaggered over and gently took Rose by the hand pulling her from the bench, his
smoldering azure eyes saying everything…and with hands intertwined, they
mounted the fabled stairway to heaven’s gate.
As the master’s chambers door softly closed,
Rose slowly turned impaling Jack’s heart to the core with soulful emerald eyes.
Cupping his hands on each satiny smooth cheek suffused with peach, he bent and
lingeringly kissed full ruby lips stealing both their breaths away with its
urgency. As it deepened with passion, he stroked her back with one hand and ran
his fingers through the hair at her neck with the other clutching her tighter
and tighter as if to draw her inside his body…to have and to hold. Poignant
treasured memories ensued in slow motion…as it should be. Everything that had
gone before was culminated into this most spectacular rhapsodic moment in time.
For both realized that this night might possibly be their last together and it
would have to last a lifetime. Each special touch embraced chills of sensation
that magically enhanced each caress. As Rose reached back to unlace the ties of
her dress, Jack whispered, "Let me, mia."
Rose sucked in her breath at the emotions
searing throughout her body. Her heart felt like it might burst at any second
while tears threatened to spill down her cheeks…her jaws aching from forcing
them back. She wanted, no needed so badly, to tell him of her undying
love but if she allowed herself to voice it, she knew with a certainty that
she’d collapse into a babbling idiot. So she followed her heart…and loved him
with her eyes and her body…and Jack innately knew.
As the dress whispered to the floor, a rush
of coolness prompted goose bumps across her skin…and Rose involuntarily
shivered. And when Jack at last stood nude, he drew her to him and warmed her
with his body.
As he clasped her slightly trembling hand and
pulled her down into the sheets with him, he tenderly made love to her as if
she were made of fine porcelain with a gentleness and worshipful reverence that
brought unbidden tears to her watering eyes. Holding him as close and tight as possible,
she opened up to his virile masculinity and pulled him inside her…all of him.
"Don’t let it end, Captain. Love me like
this forever." Rose softly whimpered.
Branding her with eyes of deepest ocean blue,
Jack huskily vowed giving in to the words that had held his heart captive yet
had been withheld from her for weeks, "I do love you,
mia…endlessly…forever."
"Say it again, Captain. I need to hear
you say it over and over…" Rose tearfully begged between labored gasps for
air, helplessly succumbing to the dearest words ever spoken.
"I love you…I love you, I swear
that I love you, mia." Squeezing her hand inside his, Jack then released
his love in a soul scorching climax unlike no other that had ever came before
that lifted him above the heavens then plunged him back down to earth with such
a force that twisted his soul inside out….strangling him in it’s intensity.
Both moaned their ecstasy inside each other’s mouths…hearts beating to a swift
rhythm in unison. As their breathing slowly returned to normal, Rose threaded
her fingers through his hair forcing his lips to hers once more.
"Again…don’t ever stop loving
me." Rose emotionally murmured as she helplessly drowned in pools of
starry blue then unabashedly took possession of his mouth to taste him. The delicious
exclusive taste of Jack whom she would never tire or get enough of.
And throughout the star-studded May night,
Jack physically and spiritually loved her leaving no room for wavering doubts
…for tonight was the time of a binding everlasting union between twin souls
that knew no bounds. For neither time nor distance could ever destroy the
greatest of eternal loves found in the kindred spirits of Captain Jack Dalton
and Rose DeWitt Bukater.
Few words were spoken throughout this magical
night together…none were needed. Legendary in its beauty…a reverent night that
dreams are made of. And although Jack inwardly contemplated telling her of his
failed attempt to summon a priest, he finally decided that well meant
intentions would never be good enough for Rose. But despite the dire
consequences seemingly thwarting their new found happiness at every turn,
Captain Jack Dalton swore that Rose DeWitt Bukater would be his wife…one
day…one way or another. And his child shall wear his name…someday.
At one point as Rose lay quietly nestled in
the Captain’s encompassing arms, Jack pensively sighed, "You know, I’ll
never be able to look at a simple rose quite the same again, mia. Every time I
see one, it’ll be you that I see and think of."
Softly smiling, she rose up on her knees as
long silky tresses of copper tickled his sweat slicked bronze chest. Running a
finely tapered finger across kiss swollen lips, she breathed, "And I,
Captain Dalton, will never be able to peer at a blue sky without thinking of
your eyes that have melted my heart with their moonstone magic…and a damn dirty
Yankee at that!"
"Well you gypsy rebel hussy…come
here!" Jack playfully giggled like a young juvenile and began to tickle
her senseless. And that’s the way it progressed throughout the night.
Sleepless…not wanting to waste the treasured minutes in the throes of slumber,
they played and loved...fiercely then tenderly. Never closer or more
emotionally compatible as the reviled bandit of time tragically stole the
precious seconds away.
Dawn broke painted with ramparts of scarlet
and with it…ugly reality crept in. Rose was filled with so many emotions, she
couldn’t say a thing. Biting her lip until she tasted blood to keep from
weeping, Jack glanced down at the beautiful woman in his arms instinctively
knowing she was fighting a great battle within.
"I have to go now, mia." Jack
heaved a deep pained sigh.
Shaking her head, barely a whisper was forced
out, "I…know…but I can hardly bear it."
"Shh…" Jack softly touched his
thumbs to her colorless lips and then replaced them with a hungry mouth that
marked her with the most spiritual kiss ever given…straight from the soul. And
when he couldn’t prolong it any longer, his lips gingerly drifted to her
abdomen and he gently kissed his unborn child growing inside…and at that
precise moment, Rose knew that he knew. As huge tears welled up in glittering
jade eyes, Jack stared at them.
"Don’t you do that, Rose. You
have to be strong…now more than ever. For me and our baby…and I promise…"
"You can’t promise anything, Captain,
not as long as this damn war rages on. Can you promise that you’ll come back to
us?"
"I’ll always be with you, Rose.
Regardless of what destiny holds in store for us…in our child, we’ll always go
on."
"Then you know about the baby?"
Rose finally found the strength to ask but in a choked whisper.
"Yes…and I’m so sorry for..."
"Sorry? No, please don’t ever be
that, Captain." Rose tearfully interrupted.
"You misunderstood, Rose, what I
meant was…"
"Captain, I know what you meant
and I’m not regretful so don’t you dare be sorry for the time we’ve
shared and the life that we’ve made. I wouldn’t change it for anything."
"I couldn’t have said it better, mia.
Just always remember that I cherish you and our baby with every thread of my
being…always. I just wish…I wish…so many things."
Fighting back the hysterics threatening to
overwhelm her, Rose reached around her neck and shakily unclasped the St.
Mary’s necklace to place it around Jack’s neck. Raising a brow, Jack balked,
"No, mia. I couldn’t. It means too much to you…"
"So do you, Captain. Someday I hope to
get it back…somehow…and we’ll know that you made it. Perhaps it’ll somehow
protect you."
"Thank you, Rose. I’ll wear it
always…always." Jack softly promised with heartfelt conviction.
Life had never brought a more gloomier hour
for the two lovers. As emerald green eyes misted and sapphire blue pools began
to water, suddenly Jack gallantly bowed at the waist to try and make light of
the hurt-filled good-byes for both their sakes, "Miss Bukater, I can’t
thank you enough for your overly generous southern hospitality. Unfortunately
and regrettably, I must now bid you adieu...until we meet again."
Graciously curtsying, Rose extended her hand
into Jack’s and forced her lips into a smile although her heart was breaking in
two, "And you, Captain Yankee have been pretty hard to take at times. But
truthfully, I shall miss your Yankee ways sorely. Godspeed…and watch out for
those Rebel bullets. But most of all…come back to us."
The playfulness suddenly ended like a death
toll, as Jack fiercely yanked her into his arms ravaging her mouth in the
deepest most passionate farewell kiss ever given or taken between two departing
souls…and time stood still. As a hesitant knock sounded on the chamber door,
Jack reluctantly tore his mouth away. Lifting his hat from the night stand,
Jack placed it on his head and with one last glance that told the tale of his
heart’s song, he walked out into the hallway…and as the door softly shut behind
him…Rose covered her quivering mouth before crumbling to her knees in silent
wracking sobs.
It was Sergeant Ryan that had the dreaded
duty of retrieving his Captain from Rose’s room and immediately glimpsed the
familiar bright blue eyes dangerously watering. Jack heavily leaned back
against the door letting out a deep sigh as he closed pain stricken eyes
against the torturous grief-stricken moment and chewed his bottom lip.
Affectionately placing a consoling hand on Jack’s shoulder, Tommy thoughtfully
attempted to comfort his best friend.
"Jack, do you need more time? If so,
I’ll give the orders for a temporary delay."
"Stupid question, Sergeant!" Jack
interjected looking askance at the man that had always made him see the other
side of the equation. And remarkably, he respected and held Tommy in deep
regard for all his insight although he could be exasperating as hell at times.
"Time…funny thing about elusive time. Impossible to prolong or halt…or
even rush. But mainly, there just never seems to be enough of it once
you find what you want and need out of life." Jack philosophically
revealed with a obvious catch in his throat.
"Sorry, Jack, you know my big Irish
mouth sometimes overrides my good sense. Hey, but you have a surprise waiting
for you downstairs at the front door."
Not able to meet his friend's eyes, Jack’s
throat and chest were locked so tight that he thought he might pass out from
the lack of oxygen; therefore, he simply nodded and reluctantly descended the
staircase glimpsing one last time at the closed door. At the bottom of the
stairs awaiting their departing guests were Nanny and Jacob. With her wrinkled
hands on broad hips, the black governess suddenly held out a basket of food.
"Cap’un and Missah Tommy…Iz stays up
most of the night to cook dese for ye. Deys pecan pies and cookies when yaw
gits a sweet tooth fo’ some of Nanny’s desserts. Sho’d last quite a piece ifn
youse don’t shares."
"Well thank you, Nanny. You’re a doll.
I’ll be more than glad to take those off the Captain’s hands. Even though I can
hardly button my pants anymore for those mouth watering midnight snacks. But
I’ll never eat another pecan pie that comes close to yours!" Tommy
amicably bragged as he hugged the good hearted woman tight in farewell.
However, it was all Jack could do to take another deep breath and force out,
"Take care of her, Nanny. She’s gonna need you more than ever…uh…real
soon."
"I bees dere fo’ Miz Rose till deys lays
me in the ground, Cap’un Yankee. Reckon wez gonna miss you Yanks rounds dere.
Course some mo’ dan others." As their eyes locked, Jack sensed the black
woman was cognizant of his hidden meaning…realizing then and there that the
promise he had made at Lizzie’s wedding whereby he’d take care of Rose had been
tragically broken…for now at least…and the guilt and misery intensified more
than he thought he could stand.
Finally lil’ Jacob got Jack’s undivided
attention as he determinedly tugged on the dark blue uniform coat. As the
Captain squatted down to get eye level with the boy, he patted his dark curly
head and somehow managed to crookedly smile.
"Cap’un…here’s m’ slingshot dat de tooth
fairy gives me. Might needs it fightin’. Nanny sez Iz too little to go wid
youse to war. Not fittin’ fo’ boy heroes in dis bad ole’ war, Miz Rose sez! Iz
wanted to volunteers to be one of dem drummer boys…but Miz Rose sez I cantz.
And Iz always does what Miz Rose sez so she wontz switch m’ britches."
Jack almost lost his tight restraint but
managed to take the toy and stash it in his coat pocket before thankfully hugging
the boy close. He thought of refusing it but knew it was given from the
heart…like the necklace hanging around his neck burning his heart where the
gold medallion rested. The distant memory of Rose and himself making their way
into the moonlit night to leave the trinket at Jacob’s bedside brought another
flood of emotions to the surface…damn, he couldn’t take much more
sentimentality and with the greatest effort to hold on to his fragile
composure; he muttered his gratitude a bit more shortly than felt.
"Mount up." Jack unnecessarily
barked from the front raised verandah for every Union soldier was already in
formation…patiently waiting for their commander.
"Uh…Cap’un Daw’un…" Sam, the
overseer interrupted before Jack could mount his horse and be gone. "Miz
Rose tells mes to gives de Duke to youse." Big Sam led the sleek stallion
to Jack’s side and tied it to the hitching post.
"What, Sam? I can’t take Rose’s prize
stallion…" Jack protested in surprise.
"She sez yesterdays at de barn to makes
youse take him, Cap’un. Sez ye might needs Duke fo’ a spare mount or ifn ye in
a hurry, might needs two ho’ses to git somewheres lickety split if ye bein’
chased. And ye kin outruns anybodys on de Duke heres."
"Please extend to her my undying
gratitude, Sam. But more importantly, it’d be a great burden lifted if you’d
just take care of her and Rosedale for me after I’m gone." Jack
outstretched his hand and as Sam grasped it, their eyes met in mutual
understanding.
"Sho’nuff, Capt’un. And Iz makes sho dat
no Yanks sits no torch to it jest like befo’!" Sam teasingly chided.
"You do that, Sam! God forbid that
another bastard might come along and upset your peace around here again. By the
way, did I ever tell you that I regret my hot headed foolishness…"
"Nawssum, Capt’un…reckons youse ain’t
gots to. Miz Rose forgives ye…dats what matters most of all."
One furtive poignant glance at the
second-storied balcony and Jack hurriedly mounted his fresh gelding and
expertly tied the Duke behind them. Digging his heels into the steed’s flanks,
he rode out leading the army column down the grand oak alley of Rosedale
Plantation. With each step he took, Jack felt himself being dragged from Rose
like a slave in chains. And then, suddenly without warning, he heard it. The
most wondrous and coveted glorious sound he had ever needed to hear in his
entire lifetime, "J-A-A-A-C-K!"
Whirling his horse around on a silver dollar,
the Cavalry unit obligingly split into dual columns allowing their Captain to
ride in between them back to the manor house one last time. Each grinning
soldier respectfully saluted as he rode past…and patiently waited…as Jack’s
cracking heart virtually leapt out of his chest and into his constricted throat
at the sound of his given name from the stubborn lady of Rosedale.
High upon the widow’s walk, Rose stood with
her hand to her mouth blowing one last kiss for luck and smiling through salty
tears.
"Say it again, Rose. I need to
hear you say it again." Jack excitedly yelled as their shared love was
unashamedly revealed to the entire Northern Army regiment.
"Jack…Jack…Jack! I love you, Captain
Jack Dalton!"
The widest smile that ever graced the
Captain’s lips curled upwards revealing even pearly white teeth as moisture threatened
glowing sapphire eyes. A huge grin that exuded radiance, happiness…and an
ecstatic reflection of an answered prayer. Jack forcefully clenched his hand to
make a fist and placed it over his heart for Rose to see before gallantly
tipping his hat then spun his steed around one last time…leaving the other half
of his soul behind…for duty, honor and country.