ROSEDALE IN APRIL
Chapter Four
Rose DeWitt Bukater dangerously perched upon
the balcony rail outside her room with eyes closed against the approaching
doom. Tomorrow was the first day of April…a new beginning to an end of her
inborn freedom and happiness. Inhaling the fresh clean spring air, Lizzie came
up behind her and placed comforting arms upon her sister’s tight shoulders to
try and sooth her tense frame.
"Miss Rose, you gonna falls and breaks
yo’ neck up here. Come on back down and lets me brush yo’ hair. It’s all in
tangles and you looks a fright!"
"Oh Lizzie…maybe I will fall and end
this all now. Dammit to hell…why does life have to be so unfair?"
"Yes’sum it is. Fo’ some folks mo’ than
others," Lizzie somberly agreed.
"Oh, Liz…how selfish of me. Here I am
feeling sorry for myself when this terrible bloody war is maiming and killing
thousands on both sides. But perhaps something good will come out of it in the
end. We’ll just have to wait and see."
Thrusting off the gloom that was currently
trying to overtake her, Rose took a deep breath and placed her arms around
Liz’s waist, "Now come on inside and let me brush your hair and
tell me about that wedding with Charles. I bet you’re so excited! I’ve talked
with Nanny and we have the prettiest, delicious cake planned and we can use the
decorations from this abominable fiasco that’s going to take place tomorrow
evening. I can’t wait to see you in your veil!"
"Miss Rose, how’s about you
weddin’ on the morrow? You ain’t even got a proper dress yet! Surely you ain’t
gonna wear…"
Before Lizzie could finish her statement, a
fast approaching rider came bearing down the oak alleyway as swift as the
animal was capable of running. Coming to a raring halt, the steed looked on the
verge of collapse; its sides were heavily lathered and its slick-sheen muscles
quivered in strain.
"Whatever in the world…"
"Miss…I have an urgent message for the
Colonel. Is he in?"
"I’ll be right down, Sir!"
Rose scrambled down the veranda and picked up
her skirt, suddenly excited for some inexplicable reason. This just had to be
good news for once. She felt it with every ounce of her being. Reaching
the bottom of the stairs, one of the house servants, Jacob, who was Lizzie’s
younger brother, had already opened the door to let the exhausted rider inside.
His worn boots were dusty from the dry dirt road and he was dressed in drab
civilian’s clothes. Swiping off his hat, beads of perspiration were heavily
rolling down his tired, weary face.
"Jacob…get the man some refreshments. He
looks ready to drop!" Rose directed with deep concern.
"Thank you, Ma'am. It’d be much
appreciative and some water for my horse, if it’s not too much trouble."
"Of course, sir. Now what is this urgent
message?" Rose curiously probed.
"Sorry Ma'am, but I’ve got the strictest
of orders that it must be given directly to Colonel Sterling Bukater."
Abruptly, as if on command, the study door
opened and heavy footsteps could be heard echoing down the hall, coming
purposefully towards them.
"Well, man…I’m the Colonel. Give
me the note," Sterling authoritatively commanded.
As if on second thought, the Colonel glanced
up and impaled Rose with narrowed eyes of slate gray.
"Do you think you could do something
with that hair, daughter, and make yourself presentable to genteel folk? Try
acting like a lady for once. See to it our guest is taken care of, if you think
you can!"
"By all means, Colonel Bukater!"
And with a smart aleck salute, Rose whirled around and stomped angrily away.
Several hours later, Rose could contain her
curiosity no longer. However, upon entering the hallway, several house servants
were hurriedly packing up her father’s two-seater carriage. It was as if he was
finally leaving for Richmond…but the real mystery was…before her wedding?
"Rose! Get in here, now!" the
Colonel’s hard commanding voice bellowed.
"You wish to see me, father?"
Rose’s insides were quivering in anticipation for something had happened. And
whatever it was, it wreaked of good tidings for her.
"The wedding has had to be postponed for
awhile. It seems Major Henley has been gravely wounded but thank goodness it’s
not life threatening. Now don’t get your hopes all up, Missy, and wipe that
satisfied smirk off your face. This changes nothing. For you will marry him; if
not now, then as soon as he makes a full recovery."
"Of course, Father. Well…bless the
Major’s little pea pickin’ heart. I think I’d just cry in my pillow all night
if he should succumb from some nasty ol’ injury. Did one of his own men shoot
him? Too bad…tsk tsk tsk. But it must’ve been a damn Yankee to miss their mark
so. But I digress, I must write the Major a letter of condolence and my
best wishes for a speedy recovery. And by the way, father, may I ask where you
are going?"
"Um." The Colonel wasn’t fooled in
the least. Her eyes were literally dancing green stars at the minute he had
announced Cal’s injury. But he’d set her straight once and for all. "I’m
departing for Richmond on an urgent summons from Stonewall Jackson. I just want
to assure you that Cal’s injury is not mortal. He will recover and be coming
after you as soon as he’s made a suitable convalescence. You’ve just had a
leave…that’s all. And Rose, while I’m gone, continue to try and conduct yourself
as a proper lady if that’s in any way possible. Cal expects to marry
respectability and you owe that to him as a wife is supposed to honor her
husband. Is this in anyway unclear?"
How many times had she heard that deplorable
statement and how many times did she have to throw it back in his cowardice
face? But her heart was too full of…she just couldn’t find the right words
right then. Even her stepfather’s harsh, uncaring words could not tap down the
sizzling sensations flooding throughout her body at that moment.
"I’ll try, Colonel. Before you
leave, could you have the messenger deliver a letter to the Major for me?"
"I will." The mild shock and
suspicious mind roiled in the Colonel’s conscience. She was taking this quite
too matter-of-factly. Not in the least bit really interested in the severity or
circumstances surrounding the Major’s unfortunate mishap. He didn’t trust her
in the least. Something was amiss…but what?
Rose literally skipped up the stairs with a
face radiating of vitality and a perpetual glow as if she’d just been asked to
dance by the most handsomest, eligible bachelor in the entire Confederate
States of America. It was all she could do to contain the squeals of giddiness
as she closed her chamber’s doors and literally jumped upon the bed and bounced
like a naughty child.
Lizzie stood with arms akimbo, shaking her
dark head in stark surprise and admiration.
"Lawdy have mercy, Miss Rose. Wassa done
hap’n now?"
"Liz! Oh my God, Lizzie!" Rose
excitedly leaped off the bed and grabbed her sister by the hands to spin her
around and around in what could only be derived as simple, silly childish
antics.
Giddily giggling in glee. "Liz…I’ve been
saved! Good God almighty saved from total damnation and hell’s fire! Somebody,
somewhere has answered my prayers! If I ever get the chance to meet the dark
angel of a man responsible for putting a bullet in Henley, I’ll get down on my
hands and knees to worship him for all the rest of the days of my life! I swear
it!"
"I don’t have time to talk right now.
I’ve got to compose a letter to the Major…a letter that will ensure my future
independence…now let’s see…what to say…"
"Miss Rose…I’z don’t thinks no letters
fo’ the best!"
"Oh hush, Liz! Now help me get this
down! It’s got to be just right so as not to encourage the bloody bastard to
darken my doorsteps again! You know, really destroy all that male egotistical
pride!"
Chewing on the end of her pen, Rose began to
write with a flourish.
Dearest Major Henley, March 31, 1863
It is with sincerest regret that I inform
you of my sudden change of heart. Upon receiving the terrible news of your
dilapidating injury, I find that I am unable to go through with your and my
father’s arrangement of marriage. I feel it is my duty to inform you quite
honestly that I am a woman of ravenous bodily appetites and can only be
appeased by one that meets the physical requirements of a true marriage.
Stamina and virility are of the utmost of importance to a woman of my character
and breeding. Regrettably, I feel this maiming may have taken away all that
witty charm and physical strength that a real man must possess to satisfy my
passionate lust for the body’s pleasures. I know this sounds rather brash and
quite unsuitable for a mere woman to be addressing to her former betrothed, but
in all truth…this is what I want. But mostly, this is what will be.
But don’t despair, I’m sure you will find
another fellow northerner that will share you life in the near future. Someone
who is more compatible to yourself and is as harsh, bitter, and cold as your
Yankee northern winters.
I choose to remain,
Rose DeWitt Bukater
Rosedale Plantation
Jefferson, Texas
Mischievously, Rose applied the wax and
stamped the letter with the figurehead of a rose seal for security. Satisfied,
Rose turned around and glimpsed into the stunned, shocked countenance of her
pale half-sister.
"Miss Rose! You jes’ can’t send dat
letter to da Yankee! I’z got bad misgivin’s bout dis…I feels it in my
heart!"
"Lizzie? Are you going to make me sorry
that I taught you to read? Fiddle dee, Liz…let me enjoy my victory. Do you
realize the odds of this happening on the eve of my wedding day? Did you not
pray for this miracle? Somebody loves me up there, Lizzie. I feel like I’m
walking in the clouds!"
As Rose dreamily whirled around in a daze,
Lizzie couldn’t help but slightly grin for her sister’s good fortune. But
something inexplicable pricked at the edge of her subconscious being. Some
mysterious foreboding of a still impending doom…that was vastly approaching.
Involuntarily, Lizzie shuddered.