The Mirk and Midnight Hour (29 page)

“As soon as I can, I’ll come back for you.”

This was serious. For just a moment I was frightened by the grown-up thing he was saying, but then the fear ceased and only joy remained. I traced the line of his jaw with my finger and was amazed at my own boldness. “There’s so much we don’t know about each other. You don’t even know my favorite color.”

He bent his head to kiss the center of my palm. “Blue.”

“You’re just guessing that because of this dress, but yes, it is. The shade like shot silk, where the color looks blue in one light or lavender or silver when the silk ripples in another light. And I bet yours is blue too.”

“How did you know?”

“Only because anytime I’ve ever known a gentleman’s favorite color, it’s always been blue.”

“I don’t need to know every single detail about you, Violet, because I know
you
. Your soul shines through. I’m the luckiest fellow in the world, my shining girl.”

“And I’m the luckiest girl.” I snuggled up against him. “So tell me, what was your favorite plaything when you were little?”

We murmured back and forth. He bent his neck so that our foreheads rested against each other, and I nestled within the circle of his arms. When Seeley finally noticed, from across the fire, he grinned with satisfaction, as if our coming together was an enchantment he’d cast.

He loves me
.

A sweetness swept through me the moment I awoke the next morning. My mouth couldn’t stop curving upward. I couldn’t run off to Thomas until I had paid a visit to Anarchy, but the minute that was accomplished …

Before going downstairs, I quickly scrawled an entry in my journal so I would remember the date. I didn’t dare even mention Thomas’s name in case someone somehow found it; I wrote only of my delight in my lovely secret.

Laney noticed my general glow at breakfast. “Those must have been some mighty fine dreams you had last night.”

“The best.” I touched my lips and then slathered molasses over a biscuit. Why did I feel ravenous when people in love were supposed to shun food? Maybe that was those poor, unfortunate girls in
unrequited
love. “In fact, I’m so cheerful you may have to begin calling me Sunny Junior or Sunny the Second or something like that.” I took a big bite.

As if on cue, Sunny Senior breezed in, decked out in a smart, plum-colored traveling ensemble. “I declare,” she said, pulling on her gloves, “I’m itching so bad to get out of this war-weary-dreary place and over to somewhere civilized I can’t even tell you. Maybe I won’t come back. Take care of Mama if you never see me again.” She tweaked my hair.

“You do realize that the civilized territory you’re entering is Yankee-occupied?” I asked.

“Yes, I know, I know.” Sunny waved her hand dismissively. “But can’t you at least allow me to enjoy buying some fun things we haven’t been able to get for ages? Don’t worry, Vi-let. I was jesting; I will return, and I’ll bring back all sorts of boring Confederate boots dangling from my hoops, so I
am
doing my itty-bitty part for the Cause.”

“Come on, Sunny,” Dorian called from the hall. “We need to get going if we’re to make it back before midnight. And it’s best to catch the pickets early.”

Sunny’s eyes twinkled. “Oh, the danger of it all. Wish me luck.”

She pranced off before I could wish it.

Laney and I shook our heads.

“Bless her heart,” Laney said.

“Bless her heart.” As I finished a second biscuit, I tried to decide how much to tell Laney. I had to let her know about meeting Sparrow because she’d probably learn of it sooner or later. However, I didn’t want to make too much of it, or more mysteries might get revealed. There were getting to be more and more secrets between Laney and me, which was distressing, but I couldn’t share them. “By the way, I’m fixing to go over to Anarchy’s. Seeley and I have run
into Sparrow a couple times recently and I’m a little worried; Anarchy doesn’t keep her close enough. Not with the VanZeldts and the war dangers all around.”

Laney wrinkled her nose. “That wild child won’t come to any harm. She’s more at home in the woods than in her own bed. Aunty would never cage her up. Go talk to her if you want, but it won’t do any good.”

“You don’t want to come, do you?” I hoped she wouldn’t. More explanations might be required.

Laney hesitated. “Nope,” she said finally. “Cubby’s a mite puny today. I’d best keep him inside. Tell her hello from me and that I’ll come see her soon.”

I found Anarchy in the middle of her herb garden, stooped over mint plants, cutting sprigs and dropping them in a bag. The clearing seemed full of light, with the sun overhead now. The air was heavy with scent and buzzing with fat, happy bees.

Winding grass paths led to Anarchy, edged by rosemary bushes, lavender, and marigolds. She straightened with a discernible crack from her back and gave a delighted cackle when she saw me. “That you, li’l Miss Violet?”

“It is. How are you, Anarchy?”

“I feels right pert. You come for herbs or just a little visit?”

“I need to talk to you about something.” I glanced around. “Is Sparrow here?”

Anarchy wagged her head. “That baby gal ain’t never here. No, sir. She come in late last night and runned off early this morning. She be magic with the wild animals. Gots an old, wise, healing spirit to
her. I don’t never know what she’s going to bring home next. Foxes, possums …” Anarchy’s wiry frame stiffened with pride. “Finds hurt critters and fixes them. Knows all the cures. Even some I don’t know. You got any squirrels needs fixing?”

“No, ma’am. But if our Goblin gets torn up in another fight, I’ll be sure to bring her to Sparrow.”

“Here”—she indicated a rough wooden bench against the wall of her little house—“set yourself down. Don’t mind me keeping on snipping—got to labor while the sun shines—but you go on and talk. No, don’t try to help. I got my own way of doing things. You want a little mint to chew? Cleans the teeth. That be why I still got my own.” She grimaced to show crooked yellow teeth.

I smiled and accepted a pinch of the green leaves. Anarchy was the sort of person you had to smile at, with her clear, bright bird eyes and sticklike limbs, her iron-colored corkscrews of hair bobbing beneath a scarlet silk turban, and her giant, brightly flowered calico apron that seemed to have swallowed her whole. Once, when I asked her how old she was, she had made some quick calculations with her twisted fingers and said, “I be over ninety, but don’t know exactly how far over. Don’t matter none, anyhow; I reckon the good Lord done forgot I is still here and He’s going to leave me forever.”

I rolled the mint between my fingers. “I hope Sparrow didn’t run back to where she was last night.”

“What you mean, ‘where she was last night’?” Anarchy gave me a sharp look. “How’d you know where she was at?”

Without explaining why Seeley and I had been roaming the woods so late, I told about the VanZeldts and her granddaughter joining in their dancing. “Sparrow used to be afraid of them, but
she’s not anymore. They aren’t the sort of people she ought to trust. They’ve been kind to me, but … I can’t trust them. I was thinking maybe you could keep her close to home for a while.”

Anarchy left her weeding and came to sink down on the bench beside me. “Uh-uh-uh. That Sparrow do love tunes. Might as well try to pin down one of Lord Jesus’s own sparrows. I heard of them Van-whosits, but ain’t never set eyes on one. Probably ain’t no harm in them. I’m just a root woman, so I don’t know all things about hoodoo, but I does know it gets used for good same as bad. Still, ain’t no reason for my baby gal to mosey around no conjure folks.” She rubbed her chin. “You say she ain’t a-scared of them no more? Well, then I reckon I just better make her a-scared again. I’ll tell her tales of the bocor—that’s a conjure priest who dabbles in dark magic—who stayed at my plantation when I was a child. It’ll put the fear in her right quick, bless God.”

“Aunt Permilla’s stories about hoodoo sure made Laney and me careful of it.”

I stayed a few more minutes before I took my leave, hoping I could still make it out to the Lodge.

As it turned out, I couldn’t go to Thomas that day. One task after another kept me at Scuppernong. After supper Miss Elsa demanded that I distract her.

“I haven’t been able to paint,” she said, her voice plaintive. “My muse eludes. I’m so nervous and at loose ends with Anna Bess and Dorian gone.”

And so I spent the whole long evening trying to divert Miss
Elsa. All the chatting was my responsibility, as she was absorbed in painstakingly sorting her mountains of embroidery silks into shades, while Seeley was kept busy with his horses. In spite of her plea for company, my stepmother didn’t actually seem to hear a word I said or notice my presence. However, when I started to rise, she said tremulously, “No, don’t go. I can’t bear to be alone tonight.”

Eventually I began to mend Miss Ruby Jewel’s collar. After tying off the last thread, I escaped long enough to put Seeley to bed, and had barely returned to the sitting room when Sunny flung open the door and announced, “Home at last.”

Miss Elsa leaped to her feet and threw her arms around her daughter, weeping. “Oh, you’re safe! Thank the Lord!”

Sunny pushed her away with an “Oh, Mama.” She dropped down on the sofa, skirts spread wide. “We had a highly successful smuggling venture. Dorian says I took to it like a duck to water. But you would not believe how tired I am.” She giggled. “Or how much fun we had!”

I blinked as she held up a particularly pretty new reticule, black velvet with delicate, opalescent blossoms. “Isn’t this delicious? Fish scales—that’s what the design is made with; can you believe it? The second I saw it, I had to have it, so my darling Dorian got it for me. No one else around here has ever imagined such a thing, and Mary Clare will be green with envy. She’ll probably try to make one herself. Can’t you just picture—and smell—her huddled amid a pile of trout, scraping off scales?”

Miss Elsa fluttered over her daughter. “It’s charming. And you’ve a delightful new hat.” She tilted her head in admiration.

Only then did I notice that Sunny’s head was adorned by a beguiling wide-brimmed confection with a plume that dipped down to tickle her cheek.

“Isn’t it, though?” she said. “Dorian bought it too. And everything I admired in those stores—real stores, not what we’ve got down here—he said he’d buy once we’re married.” She gave a sigh. “Why, a girl can hardly stand the anticipation of such spoiling.”

“So,” I said, yawning, “you bought a hat, risked your life, and didn’t get shot even once.”

“Oh, my poor sister, were
you
worrying about me too? Well, you needn’t have. The pickets were impudent, but amusing. One of them told me they never even consider shooting ‘purty little Secesh gals,’ just the old ugly ones. Wasn’t that a shocking thing to say? And probably every one of them with an adoring sweetheart left behind—soldiers just can’t help being fickle, being so far from home and all.”

“Shocking. And you know you loved it.”

“Of course. After that he asked if all the Mississippi ‘gals’ were as brave and pretty as me, and I didn’t know how to respond to that, I was so flustered. I feared Dorian would be seething with jealousy, but he seemed in a dandy mood. Didn’t mind in the least. Which made me angry at first, but then he was so adorable afterward that I forgave him. He can seem heartless at times, but when he’s being sweet, it’s obvious he doesn’t intend it. I’m so wild about him I can’t begin to think clearly.” She slumped against the back of the sofa and absently stroked the plume of her hat. “Why, I believe I’d do anything he asked me to do and it wouldn’t be my fault; I absolutely couldn’t help it.”

She bolted straight up. “Oh! And we bought everyone surprises. Run outside, Vi-let, and ask Dorian for yours. I warn you, he’s a little tipsy—honestly, you should’ve seen how fast he drove home. I declare, my heart was in my mouth. But don’t mind him. I can’t wait another minute for you to see your gift.”

Why not?
I stood. “So exciting,” I said. “It’s been forever since I got a present. And, Sunny—I really am glad you made it back all right.”

Dorian stood between porch and wagon in an island of lantern light, stretching his arms above him. If last night Seeley had resembled an elf, tonight Dorian, with his bronze skin shining golden, also appeared otherworldly—like some confident, dangerous young god. Then he raised his face, and the quirk of his mouth and the gleam in his eye showed him more satyr-esque than godlike.

As I descended, the smell of whiskey rose up the steps. Dorian looked me up and down and his smile was too intimate. He stumbled slightly approaching me. He was downright drunk.

“Cousin Violet,” he cried, reaching up to capture both my hands, “coming to welcome the wanderer home.”

“I came out,” I said, “because Sunny says y’all brought me a present and she’s eager for me to see it. I’m eager to see it too, actually.”

“And I thought you were simply anxious for my safe return.” His speech was slurred.

“Oh, I wasn’t worried. You’ll always emerge from any scrape unscathed.”

He burst out laughing. “You know me well. Survival is one of my talents.” He looked at me in a way that made me nervous. “Another is that I don’t rest till I get what I want.”