Blues Along the River Read online

  “I’m sure everyone’s happy you’re here.” She glanced to the foyer where the pastor and his wife stood. “Let’s go speak to the Lucketts; then you can walk me out to the picnic grove where the ladies are getting the food ready.”

  Reverend Luckett’s face broke into a smile when they approached. “Marcus, I can’t tell you how pleased I am. You’ve been here two Sundays in a row.” His eyes twinkled as he glanced at Victoria. “If you’d moved to Willow Bend a long time ago, Marcus might already be a member of our church.”

  Victoria laughed and gazed up at him. “We’ll have to work on him harder now, I suppose.”

  She cast a glance at him, and he followed her out the church and down the front steps. When they reached the bottom, he stopped. “Were you serious about our walking together to the picnic area?”

  With a sigh, she opened the white lace parasol in her hand and raised it to shade her face. “Marcus Raines, for a man who runs a large plantation, you act like a scared schoolboy. In the last week you’ve been to my home three times counting your visit last Sunday. I think that makes it official that you’re calling on me. Now don’t you think the next step is to let the good people of Willow Bend in on the news?”

  He couldn’t help laughing. His heart felt lighter than it had in years. “Oh, Victoria,” he said, “you’re the most delightful woman I’ve ever known.”

  She held her hand at her waist and gave a quick curtsy. “Thank you, kind sir. And may I say that you’re the most fascinating man I’ve ever known.”

  He could hardly believe what she’d said. He threw his shoulders back and puffed out his chest. “Then let’s go see what the good ladies have fixed for us to eat today.”

  They walked toward the tables that had been set up under the trees in the church yard. He spotted Dante Rinaldi sitting on the ground, surrounded by a group of children. He handed a kite to his son, Vance, and the boys jumped up and ran off. Dante stood and joined one of the groups of men scattered across the yard. With the exception of his encounters with Dante, Marcus had had very few conversations with any of the men. Imbeciles, his father had called most of the planters in the area—except Dante. There was a quality in the man that demanded respect, and even his father had recognized that.

  Marcus glanced at the woman beside him. He didn’t want to think about his father today or the mother he’d never known. He wanted to concentrate on Victoria and the hold she already had on his heart. She was like a breath of fresh air that had entered his life, and he wanted to enjoy every minute he was with her.

  ❧

  “I see Dante and Marcus have settled under that tree where I spread out some quilts. Let’s go join them.” Savannah didn’t wait for Victoria to answer but led the way toward where the men sat.

  Victoria’s skirts skimmed the surface of the grass as she followed Savannah to the spot. She had waited with her food until Savannah had finished helping serve all the children, who were the last to line up at the tables. Now she looked forward to getting to know the woman who had welcomed her into the community.

  The men jumped to their feet as Savannah and Victoria approached. Dante took his wife’s plate and waited for her to sit and settle her skirts before he handed the food to her. Victoria tried to hide her amused smile as Marcus studied Dante’s movements before he turned to her and took her plate in his hands.

  When she was seated on the ground, Marcus dropped down beside her and handed her the food. He’d taken off the black coat he’d worn to church and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt.

  Even when she’d met him on the docks, she’d detected a formality in his manner, and she had seen it during his visits to see her. Today he appeared more relaxed. He seemed to really be enjoying himself, and it made her happy.

  Dante shoveled another forkful of potatoes in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. “This is mighty fine eating. We ought to have dinner every Sunday after church.”

  Savannah chuckled and raised her eyebrows. “You wouldn’t think so if you had to cook.”

  He leaned closer to his wife and patted her hand. “Why would I want to when I have the best cook in the county living in my house?”

  Savannah sniffed and sat up straighter. “Mamie doesn’t live in our house.”

  Dante threw back his head and roared with laughter. “No, she doesn’t. I was talking about you, but I forgot who taught you how to cook.”

  Victoria smiled at the exchange between the two and turned to Savannah. “Who is Mamie?”

  “She and her husband were slaves at Cottonwood,” Savannah said. “Even after they were freed and my parents had died, they wouldn’t leave me. When Dante bought Cottonwood, Mamie’s husband, Saul, became the first tenant farmer. Mamie has been my second mother all my life, and now she’s getting older. But she can still cook better than anyone else in the county.”

  Dante nodded. “She sure can. I’m fortunate that Savannah learned from her.” He leaned closer and whispered in a loud voice to Marcus. “Sometimes I slip off to Saul and Mamie’s house just so I can sit down and eat with them.”

  Savannah laughed and glanced at Victoria. “He thinks it’s a secret, but I’ve always known it.”

  Victoria turned to Marcus, who’d sat wide-eyed through the exchange between the couple. “Who cooks for you at Pembrook?”

  Surprise flashed on his face, and he glanced around at those who stared at him. “S–Sally M–Moses,” he stammered.

  Dante nodded. “Oh, I know who that is. She’s the wife of Ben Moses. Her son, James, is a friend of Henry Walton, who lives at Cottonwood.”

  Marcus frowned. “I’ve never understood how they can be friends. Henry’s white, and James. . .”

  “Isn’t,” Dante finished for him. “At Cottonwood we look at each other as equals. The color of a person’s skin doesn’t matter to us. We work together to make all our lives better.”

  “I see,” Marcus said and directed his attention back to his plate.

  “Uh-oh,” Dante moaned and jumped to his feet. “Savannah, it looks like our son is engaged in battle again. We’d better go break up his fight before somebody gets hurt.”

  Savannah jumped to her feet and hurried toward a group of boys who minutes before had been playing together. Now Vance and another boy rolled and tumbled on the ground.

  Victoria laughed. “Poor Vance. I think he’s in for it now.”

  “I think you’re right.” Marcus chuckled.

  They watched as Savannah and Dante pulled Vance off the boy and marched him toward the church. When they’d disappeared around the back of the building, Victoria leaned forward. “Are you having a good time, Marcus?”

  He shrugged. “I guess.”

  The answer made her gasp. She had expected him to say that spending time with her was always fun, but he hadn’t. “Aren’t you happy to be with me today?”

  He set his plate down and nodded. “Of course I am. I was just thinking about what Dante said about the tenant farmers at Pembrook. He acts like they’re almost family. I’ve never known anyone who felt that way.”

  Victoria waved her hand in dismissal. “Don’t think about things like tenant farmers and crops today. I want us to have some fun. You’re always so serious. I want to hear you laugh and tell me what a good time you’re having.”

  “I always have a good time with you, Victoria.”

  “Then you might show it by relaxing a little.”

  He smiled. “I thought I was relaxed.”

  She tilted her head and studied him. “No, I think your problem is that you don’t laugh enough.”

  “I’m a serious person, but I do laugh when something’s funny.” He pushed his plate aside. “I’ll give you a challenge. Make me laugh.”

  She chewed on her lip for a moment before her mouth pulled into a grin. “I could tell you about some of my adventures when I was a child, but you might decide not to call on me anymore.”

  “Were you a mischievous little girl?” He cocked an eyebrow at her
.

  “Oh, worse than that.” She looked over her shoulder, leaned toward him, and whispered, “I was horrid.”

  A tiny smile pulled at his lips. “I can’t believe that.”

  “Oh, but I was. For instance, one time my mother sent me out to gather the eggs from the henhouse. I started back inside with a basketful, but for some unknown reason I walked behind the henhouse, took an egg from the basket, and threw it against the back of the building. I watched the yolk and the whites of the egg trickle down the wood, and it amazed me how slowly they moved. So I threw another one to see if its contents would move faster. Then another and another until every egg in the basket lay broken on the ground.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll bet your mother didn’t like that.”

  “No, she didn’t. But she wasn’t as upset as she was the time I threw a broken plate at her best friend’s son, who was five years older than me.”

  Marcus’s eyes grew wide. “Was he hurt?”

  Victoria grinned. “I thought he looked good with a two-inch gash over his eyebrow.”

  A soft laugh rumbled in Marcus’s throat.

  “But I suppose the worst thing I ever did happened when my parents and I visited Uncle Samuel when I was about six years old. I was bored and wanted to go home. I’d been whining all day, and my mother was about to lose her patience. Finally, I told her if they weren’t going to take me to Mobile, I would go on my own. She told me she was going to spank me if I didn’t quit nagging. I went in the bedroom, crawled under the bed, and hid.”

  “What happened?”

  “They missed me and started looking. I heard them calling, but I didn’t say a word. After they checked the bedroom and didn’t see me, they went back to the store to look for me. I fell asleep. When they couldn’t find me, my mother became upset. She was afraid I’d run away. Then she began to think things like I’d fallen in the river and drowned. The whole town turned out to look for me. When I woke up and crawled out from under that bed, they were so glad to see me. That is, until they realized I’d been hiding.”

  “And?”

  “And my father gave me the worst spanking of my life. I never pulled that trick again.”

  Marcus threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, Victoria. You are the most interesting woman I’ve ever known. I don’t think anyone’s made me feel this good in my whole life.”

  Victoria watched him for a moment before she spoke. “Maybe it’s good I’ve told you these things, Marcus. My mother has always told me I’m too impulsive. I do things and think about the consequences later. You may not like that in a woman.”

  His hand inched across the quilt, and she slid hers toward it until their fingertips touched. “I like everything about you. Don’t ever change. You make me happy.”

  She glanced across the yard and saw Savannah and Dante returning. She jerked her hand away, picked up her plate, and took a bite. He did the same, but Victoria noticed that he smiled as he ate. She hoped what he said about her making him happy was true, because she’d been happier since she met Marcus than she could ever remember. She could hardly wait to see where their relationship would take them.

  ❧

  An hour later with all the food eaten and the dishes cleared away, the congregation drifted into groups across the picnic grove to spend an afternoon visiting. Marcus and Dante had left the tree where they’d been sitting while Victoria and Savannah helped clear the tables. She caught sight of Marcus standing next to Dante in a group of men beside the church. At times a loud voice would erupt from within the circle, but she couldn’t make out what was being said.

  Seated on a quilt again, Victoria placed her arms behind her, flattened her palms, and leaned back. “What do you suppose those men are talking about?”

  Savannah chuckled and smoothed her skirts. “The main topic of conversation around here is the weather. Our crops depend on whether we get too much or not enough rain. We can’t control it, so we talk about it.”

  Victoria studied Marcus, who appeared to be taking in everything that was being said. She didn’t see him participate in the exchange, and she wondered why. She smiled at Savannah. “Life in a farming community is so new to me. It may take me some time to get used to it, but today has been a great start. I can’t thank you and Tave enough for planning this outing so I could meet everyone.”

  Savannah stared past Victoria’s shoulder. “Speaking of Tave, here she comes now.” Savannah patted the empty spot on the quilt beside her. “Come and join us.”

  Tave dropped onto the quilt and sighed. “I don’t mind if I do. Martha Thompson caught me just as I was about to come over here. I thought I’d never get away from her.”

  Victoria narrowed her eyes and stared at the women seated in chairs near the tables where the food had been earlier. She tried to remember which one was Martha, but it was no use. Remembering all of their names had proven to be a bigger task than she thought.

  Victoria frowned and turned back to Tave. “Is something wrong with Martha that makes you dislike her?”

  Savannah grinned and leaned closer to Victoria. “Now don’t misunderstand. We love Martha. She is always the first to be there when someone is in need. But sometimes it seems like she may have an ulterior motive.”

  “What?” Victoria asked.

  Tave sighed. “She wants to be the first one to get all the facts about everyone’s personal business.”

  “Oh,” Victoria said, “she’s the town gossip. Did she want you to tell her something today? Is that why you couldn’t get away from her?”

  Tave nodded. “I’m afraid she didn’t want to know anything different than what every other woman here today is dying to find out.”

  “And what’s that?”

  Tave glanced at Savannah. “What in the world have you done to get Marcus Raines interested in you?”

  The question stunned Victoria, and she stared at her two new friends. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Savannah arched her eyebrows. “Come now, Victoria. Marcus is almost a recluse out at Pembrook. His whole life revolves around that plantation. He hardly ever comes to town, and when he does, he completes his business and hurries home. He doesn’t accept invitations, and he doesn’t extend any. All of a sudden, you show up in Willow Bend, and Marcus is a different person.”

  “How is he different?”

  Tave scooted closer to her. “Daniel has been the pastor at the church for nearly three years now. He’s prayed for Marcus ever since he’s known him and invited him to church every time he’s seen him, but he never would come. You arrive, and he’s attended for the last two Sundays.”

  “Not only that,” Savannah added, “but he came to Cottonwood last Sunday to talk to Dante. He wanted to know what he should do to get to know you better. Dante advised him to speak with your mother and uncle and ask their permission to call on you. Did he do that?”

  “Yes,” Victoria murmured.

  “How many times has he been to see you?”

  “Three.”

  Stunned expressions covered the faces of both women. “Three?” Tave said. “I’ve never heard of him going to see anybody once, and you say he’s been to visit you three times.”

  Victoria’s face warmed, and she directed her gaze to the quilt. She ran her hand over one of the squares that made up the quilt top. “He’s only been to see me twice, but I counted last Sunday when he came to ask permission to call on me.”

  Savannah laughed. “He must have gone straight there after leaving Cottonwood.” She leaned forward and patted Victoria’s hand. “I would say you have yourself a serious suitor.”

  Tave’s eyes narrowed. “And what do you think about that, Victoria?”

  She squirmed under the intense scrutiny of Tave’s eyes. “I. . .I really don’t know. I suppose I feel honored that a man who owns a large plantation would be interested in me. I don’t have any money, and I’m not sophisticated. I have no idea why he’d like me.”

  Tave glanced at the
men across the yard and back to Victoria. “Be careful. No one knows Marcus well. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  Victoria laughed. “I won’t be.”

  “There’s something else that concerns us, Victoria.” Savannah glanced at Tave and took a deep breath. “Marcus isn’t a believer. That may seem like a small thing right now, but it can cause big problems if your friendship with Marcus gets stronger.”

  “He’s been to church for the last two Sundays. That should show you that he’s not a bad person.”

  Tave sighed. “I’m not saying he’s a bad person, but he’s told Daniel several times that he has no need for God in his life. The Bible warns Christians not to become yoked to unbelievers. You really need to be careful. Hasn’t your mother ever discussed this with you?”

  Victoria shook her head. “No. My father often spoke to me about choosing friends who were believers, but my mother has always been concerned that I would marry a man who could provide for me.” She smiled. “Besides, Marcus is a friend. It’s not like he’s asked me to marry him.”

  Savannah narrowed her eyes and leaned forward. “You can never tell where a friendship will lead. Be careful, Victoria. I wouldn’t want to see you get hurt.”

  Victoria sighed. Marcus was handsome, and he was rich. And he was attending church with her. What more could she want?

  She was sure, however, that her new friends only had her best interests in mind. Both women possessed a gentle quality that made her feel as if she’d known them forever, and they seemed genuinely concerned about her relationship with Marcus.

  She glanced over at the group where Marcus still stood. As if he felt her eyes on him, he turned and stared at her. A smile creased his mouth, and her heart pumped. In that moment, she knew it made no difference what her new friends said.

  Since the moment she’d seen him on the dock, he’d been in her mind, and he said he’d thought about her. If that was true, she had been offered an opportunity like she never would have imagined. All she had to do to escape her lifetime sentence as a clerk in a general store and become the mistress of a great plantation was to make Marcus Raines fall in love with her. Something told her that wouldn’t be too difficult.