gracefully and give them time together. Just then Lucy made a surprising request. “I wonder, would it be acceptable for Carolina to spend the holidays here in Washington?”
York and Carolina both exchanged a look of surprise. York stroked his chin a moment. “Given the sorrow of our home, I believe it would do her good. She’s lost too much weight and could stand with some fattening up. I know the food in your home well enough to know it has that effect on folk.” He patted his midsection, but both women could see there wasn’t an ounce of fat to be had on him.
“Would you like to stay on here in the city?” Lucy asked Carolina. “We have several spare rooms, and I would happily put you up in one of them. That would give us both a chance to get to know each other better and to further our new friendship.” Lucy’s eyes twinkled as she added, “Besides, you definitely won’t feel as though you’ve dropped off the face of the earth while in Washington City.”
Carolina was touched by Lucy’s offer and couldn’t imagine anything she wanted more than this. It would be wonderful to break away from the plantation and all its sorrow. Not to mention that Virginia was still snubbing her quite seriously, and Georgia’s tirades were beginning to weary Carolina considerably.
“I’d be very honored, Miss—Lucy,” Carolina said.
“It’s settled then,” Lucy replied, linking her free arm with York’s.
“With you in charge, how could it be otherwise?” York commented, a light of love clearly visible in his expression.
Lucy looked up at him, and Carolina felt a tightening in her chest at the radiant look on Lucy’s face. This must be true love, Carolina thought, and while she was happy for her brother, her own heart seemed to ache with an emptiness she couldn’t ignore.
11
Manipulating Fate
Virginia yanked at the hopelessly knotted thread of her embroidery. She was angry, hurt, and betrayed. Betrayed by the very family who should even now be considering her needs uppermost. After all, she reasoned, she was the one who’d had to give up her wedding to James Baldwin. Of course, her father had suggested she keep the details of their broken engagement a secret. James had given her a letter of dismissal; at least that’s what Virginia called it. The letter spoke of honor and how deserving she was of true love, love that James felt he could never give her. And why not?
James’ answers had been vague at best and otherwise nonexistent. His heart and interests lay elsewhere, he had penned. What malarkey! In order to save face, Virginia had little choice but to announce to the world that she had broken the engagement. She was heralded as the young woman who sacrificed her own happiness to care for her grief-stricken mother. Unfortunately, that attention was short-lived, and now no one even bothered to call upon her and see how she was faring. And it was all because James Baldwin had deserted her. Oh, but how she longed to smear his name and reputation with the blackness that enshrouded her heart. But of course that was impossible without impugning her own reputation as well.
Still, James’ betrayal was nothing compared to her own family’s. The attention she had hoped to receive for her “sacrifice” was swallowed up in Penny’s needs and their mother’s wavering sanity. And to make matters worse, York had taken Carolina to Washington City for a party at the White House, and no one had even bothered to ask her if she’d like to go. Joseph had explained that the invitation was a personal one, not merely inviting any family member York might choose, but that the President had specifically requested Carolina.
Glancing up, Virginia watched as her mother faithfully tucked the covers around Penny and felt her forehead. Penny, now weakened further by a chest cold that wouldn’t seem to pass, said nothing. Margaret, however, chattered on and on, mostly about nonsensical matters.
“When you are well we shall
York and Carolina both exchanged a look of surprise. York stroked his chin a moment. “Given the sorrow of our home, I believe it would do her good. She’s lost too much weight and could stand with some fattening up. I know the food in your home well enough to know it has that effect on folk.” He patted his midsection, but both women could see there wasn’t an ounce of fat to be had on him.
“Would you like to stay on here in the city?” Lucy asked Carolina. “We have several spare rooms, and I would happily put you up in one of them. That would give us both a chance to get to know each other better and to further our new friendship.” Lucy’s eyes twinkled as she added, “Besides, you definitely won’t feel as though you’ve dropped off the face of the earth while in Washington City.”
Carolina was touched by Lucy’s offer and couldn’t imagine anything she wanted more than this. It would be wonderful to break away from the plantation and all its sorrow. Not to mention that Virginia was still snubbing her quite seriously, and Georgia’s tirades were beginning to weary Carolina considerably.
“I’d be very honored, Miss—Lucy,” Carolina said.
“It’s settled then,” Lucy replied, linking her free arm with York’s.
“With you in charge, how could it be otherwise?” York commented, a light of love clearly visible in his expression.
Lucy looked up at him, and Carolina felt a tightening in her chest at the radiant look on Lucy’s face. This must be true love, Carolina thought, and while she was happy for her brother, her own heart seemed to ache with an emptiness she couldn’t ignore.
11
Manipulating Fate
Virginia yanked at the hopelessly knotted thread of her embroidery. She was angry, hurt, and betrayed. Betrayed by the very family who should even now be considering her needs uppermost. After all, she reasoned, she was the one who’d had to give up her wedding to James Baldwin. Of course, her father had suggested she keep the details of their broken engagement a secret. James had given her a letter of dismissal; at least that’s what Virginia called it. The letter spoke of honor and how deserving she was of true love, love that James felt he could never give her. And why not?
James’ answers had been vague at best and otherwise nonexistent. His heart and interests lay elsewhere, he had penned. What malarkey! In order to save face, Virginia had little choice but to announce to the world that she had broken the engagement. She was heralded as the young woman who sacrificed her own happiness to care for her grief-stricken mother. Unfortunately, that attention was short-lived, and now no one even bothered to call upon her and see how she was faring. And it was all because James Baldwin had deserted her. Oh, but how she longed to smear his name and reputation with the blackness that enshrouded her heart. But of course that was impossible without impugning her own reputation as well.
Still, James’ betrayal was nothing compared to her own family’s. The attention she had hoped to receive for her “sacrifice” was swallowed up in Penny’s needs and their mother’s wavering sanity. And to make matters worse, York had taken Carolina to Washington City for a party at the White House, and no one had even bothered to ask her if she’d like to go. Joseph had explained that the invitation was a personal one, not merely inviting any family member York might choose, but that the President had specifically requested Carolina.
Glancing up, Virginia watched as her mother faithfully tucked the covers around Penny and felt her forehead. Penny, now weakened further by a chest cold that wouldn’t seem to pass, said nothing. Margaret, however, chattered on and on, mostly about nonsensical matters.
“When you are well we shall
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