CLAYTON SHIFTED HIS weight when Emma sagged beside him. He wrapped his arm around her and settled her against his chest. She sighed and he kissed the crown of her head. She fit perfectly in his arms. The new development didn’t sit well with him, but Sophie assured him that despite the fact the laudanum probably made her sleepy, she hadn’t taken enough of it to hurt her.
The trip home took close to thirty minutes. By the time the carriage rolled to the front door, Clayton’s arm tingled after being stuck in the same position for the duration. Jamie assisted Sophie out of the carriage first and then Clayton tried to wake Emma.
Kissing her cheek, he whispered, “Emma, we’re home.”
“Hm?” she grumbled sleepily.
“Come on. I’ll help you down and then carry you into the house.”
Emma smiled behind closed eyes. “Gallantry is alive and well.”
Clayton jumped down and faced the door. As Emma leaned out, she stumbled off the carriage step. “Easy, sweetheart.” Clayton caught her and lifted her into his arms.
She looped her hands around his neck and promptly fell back to sleep. Holding her closer, he carried her inside. Sophie and Jamie had removed their outerwear, and Sophie swept her hand toward the parlor. “Let’s talk for a little while.”
Clayton glanced down at Emma and frowned. “I’m not sure we’ll get much out of this one.”
“Even if she wasn’t under the influence, she’d probably still be asleep.” Sophie glanced up at Clayton. “Clay, don’t worry. Truly, she’ll be fine. She loves to sleep in the middle of it all. I swear that girl can sleep anytime, anywhere. I used to be so jealous of her.” Sophie sighed. “I have to have optimal conditions in order to snooze.”
Clayton followed Sophie into the parlor and sat on one end of the sofa as he kept Emma in his arms. Sophie helped her stretch out with her head on his lap and laid a blanket over her. Emma barely stirred. Clayton stroked her arm as Jamie sat in one of the chairs opposite them. Sophie handed the gentlemen a glass of port and poured some water for herself.
“Clayton, what’s happening with Rose? I agree with Emma and Sophie. I think she’s up to something,” Jamie said.
“I can’t imagine what.” Jamie and Sophie glanced at each other. Clayton frowned. “What are you not telling me?”
Jamie leaned forward. “Do you think she might be spying?”
Clayton shook his head. “No, absolutely not.”
“Clay, you’re part of the War Cabinet. I think she’s trying to find information,” Sophie argued. “Plus, the whole business with Topper.”
“Rose doesn’t know Topper. No,” Clayton snapped. Emma groaned, and Clayton lowered his voice and stroked her arm. “Rose Johnson would never betray our friendship.”
Sophie sighed. “Clayton, think. She shows up unannounced two days after her brother is killed. Wouldn’t it have taken her longer than that if she was traveling from Virginia? All of a sudden, she’s asking all sorts of questions and going through your personal things at home.”
“How do you know that?”
Jamie squeezed Sophie’s knee and gave her a quick nod. Sophie sighed. “Hattie told me.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. She’d just arrived; she was probably searching for something that she needed.”
“In your bedroom?” Sophie asked.
Clayton shrugged. “She may have gotten turned around. Perhaps she thought she was in the guest room.”
Jamie’s eyes widened. “Seriously, Clayton?”
Clayton swore, which seemed to shake Emma from her slumber. She sat up with a groan. “What’s wrong?” she asked, stumbling over her words.
Clayton took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry, Emma. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
She yawned. “Did Jamie give you the note?”
“What note?”
Jamie sighed. “The note from Topper. Emma deciphered more of it.”
Emma rubbed her eyes and nodded as she focused on Clayton.
He shifted to face her. “You did? How?”
Emma shrugged. “Um, I don’t know. Logic, I guess.”
“I took the note to Andrew, Clayton. We were going to speak to you about it tomorrow,” Jamie said.
“I’m exhausted.” Sophie rose to her feet. “I think I’m going to go on up to bed.”
Sophie kissed her sister. “Clayton, why don’t you stay for a little while? I know you and Emma haven’t had much time together.”
“I’ll go with you.” Jamie gave Clayton a quick nod. “Don’t ignore what’s right in front of you, Clayton.”
Sophie grabbed Jamie’s hand and the couple left them alone. Emma folded herself further into Clayton’s arms. “I could stay like this forever, you know.”
He gently cupped her cheek and leaned down to kiss her. Emma wove her hands through his hair as she opened her mouth for him and the kiss became more intense. The blanket slipped lower and her abundant cleavage seemed to beckon Clayton. He ran his fingertips along the neckline of her low-cut dress and she let out a sigh. He broke the kiss a few minutes later and realized how easy it would be to go further.
“Emma, we need to stop,” he said as he breathed heavily.
“I know.” She shifted slightly in order to sit up more.
“Sorry, sweetheart. If we don’t stop now, I’m not sure I’ll be able to.”
“I know.” She let out a frustrated sigh as she sat back onto the sofa.
Several minutes passed before Clayton said anything. “How did you decipher the note, Emma?”
Emma shrugged. “I noticed some of it was written in Navajo.”
“How would you know how to read Navajo?”
“I don’t. I just know a word or two.” Emma narrowed her eyes. “Why do I feel as though I’m being interrogated?”
“I’m simply confused. I don’t mean to make you feel like a suspect.” Clayton took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
Emma pulled her legs onto the couch and stretched out on her back with her head in his lap. “Tell me about Tim.”
“What would you like to know?”
She reached up and stroked his cheek. “Whatever you’d like to tell me.”
Clayton swept her hair from her forehead. “Our parents had small plantations next to each other. We were unique in that we shared the slaves and their quarters.”
Emma frowned. “You had slaves?”
“My parents had slaves.”
“How many slaves did you own?” She tried to keep the disgust out of her voice.
“About a hundred between the two families.”
Emma covered her mouth with her hand.
“Sweet, Richard and I freed every one of them before we sold the property. He and I never agreed with the holding of human beings in bondage.”
Emma nodded, visibly relieved.
“Our families had been there for what seemed like forever. My father was born in the main house and all of us were born there too. Our two families tended to overlap each other with children. Richard was born, then Anthony, then Timothy, then me. They had another brother who died when he was just six, then came our baby sister Lillian, followed two months later by Rose.”
“How sad,” Emma whispered.
“We were with each other day in and day out, with the natural order of ages falling into place. I think Richard and Anthony butted heads the most out of all of us. They are polar opposites when it comes to politics, trade, women, you name it, and they constantly argued. I was closer to Tim. He was like a brother to me, and we chose the same school to attend and had the same friends. 1853 was the year it all changed. Tim and I arrived home to find that a typhoid breakout had ravaged our plantations, along with a few others in the vicinity. Our parents succumbed quickly to the disease, so did Lillian.”
Emma wrapped her hand around his forearm. “What about your friend’s family?”
“The Johnson’s came through, except for their mother. Rose wasn’t home. She’d been sent off to boarding school before this all happened, so she was safe. But we lost everything.”
“I’m so sorry.”
He forced a smile and shook his head.
“What did you do after that?”
“Richard and I decided to move to Pennsylvania, away from the memories and away from the slavery we so objected to. We freed the slaves, as I said. All that survived, anyway, and sold the plantation. Tim and I kept in touch through the years, but we didn’t see each other again for close to five years. I saw the three of them just before Lincoln was elected, but haven’t seen any of them since.”
“Wow.” Emma smiled. “When you tell a story, you tell a story.”
He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. “I should go.”
Emma sat up. “I feel like we haven’t spent enough time together.”
Clayton rose to his feet and held out his hand. “I know. It’s been a long and exciting day, but we’ll have more time tomorrow.”
“How will that happen with Rose here?”
He tweaked her nose. “I will work something out, Emma.”
“When do you have to leave?”
Clayton grimaced. “Soon. I received a wire today from Christopher. Now that Richard’s doing better, the President will not allow further leave.”
Emma’s eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to tell you until tomorrow. I wanted to make tonight unforgettable.”
She sighed and followed him into the foyer. “Well, you succeeded,” she grumbled.
He slid his coat on and wrapped his scarf around his neck. “I’ll say goodnight here, sweet. It’s cold outside.”
Emma raised her head for one of his unforgettable kisses and then he was gone.
* * *
The distant sound of gunfire brought Emma out of her slumber. Then her door flew open and Sophie’s voice cut through the rest of the fog. “Emma, get up.”
“What’s wrong?” she rubbed her eyes and yawned.
Sophie rushed to her bedside table and lit the lamp. “We’re not sure, but we need to get dressed and be ready for anything. Wear your jeans. We might need to make a quick run.”
Emma pushed her fatigue away and jumped from the bed. Splashing water on her face helped a bit, and she threw her clothes on as fast as she could. Her heart raced, unused to being jarred awake by guns.
“Emma, are you decent?” Jamie called from the hallway.
“Yes. Come in.”
He stepped inside and handed her a pistol.
“Wh-what? Why?”
“Point and shoot, Em. You’ll only get one chance. Try to remember that it pulls slightly to the right.”
Emma’s hands trembled as he showed her how it worked. “Am I really going to need this?”
“I hope not. Grab as many blankets as you can and follow me.”
Emma slid the gun into the waistband of her jeans and pulled the quilts from her bed.
Sophie bumped into her in the hallway, a bundle of bedding also in her hands. “We’re going to prepare the basement just in case we need shelter. There are escape options from there.”
“What’s going on?” Emma’s voice shook and she tried to clear the fear away.
“We don’t know. The guns aren’t supposed to come this close. It’s possible rebels have broken through the Union lines.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. Just follow Jamie’s lead. We’ll figure it out together.”
Emma grabbed Sophie’s arm. “Jamie’s a CEO, not a freakin’ Green Beret!”
“Shh,” Sophie hissed. “I understand you’re scared, but remember where you are.” Sophie softened her tone. “Follow me, sissy. We’ll be fine.”
Emma nodded and forced back her tears. She followed Sophie down the stairs and toward the back of the house. The stairway to the basement had two entrances: one outside underneath storm doors, and one in the kitchen. A group of servants headed for the kitchen and the girls followed.
Maneuvering down the dark narrow steps was difficult at best, but with her hands full of blankets, Emma found it especially hairy. She bumped into Sophie as she took the next steps and heard her sister’s frightened gasp. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I caught myself.”
Emma grimaced. “Do you know where you’re going?”
“Sort of.”
Emma frowned. “Great.”
Mary’s voice cut through the grumbles of the staff as Emma stepped off the last step. “Blankets over here, please.”
Mary Jones was the Wade’s cook and could only be described as a genius with food. She was tall and thin, and Emma had agreed with Sophie’s opinion that she reminded her of a flamingo. She had the countenance of a strict governess and her dark brown hair, peppered with gray, added to the severe persona.
Emma couldn’t see in front of her feet, so she had no idea where “over here” was. Before she could ask, her arms were relieved of her burden and she was staring up into the face of Clayton. She let out a breath of relief. “Thank you.”
He handed the blankets off to one of the staff and then led her to a somewhat secluded corner of the basement. “I can’t stay, sweetheart. I just wanted to make sure you were safe.”
She grabbed his hand. “What’s going on?”
“We’re not entirely certain. If you are instructed to come down here for shelter, do not leave until I collect you.”
“But—”
He squeezed her hand. “Emma, promise me.”
She nodded. “I promise, but what are you going to do?”
“Clayton!” Jamie called.
Clayton kissed her cheek quickly. “I have to go. Stay with Sophie.”
He took off toward the storm door entrance and rushed up the stairs. Emma glanced around the room and located her sister standing at the bottom of the stairs, ushering people to where they needed to be. Emma joined her. “What can I do?”
“Find out from Mary if she’s gathered enough food and water for everyone, please.”
“Okay.” Emma turned and made her way to Mary, who was giving orders to a few of the maids. “Mary?”
“Yes, Miss Wellington.”
“Sophie wants to be sure you have all the food and water that you need.”
Mary nodded. “We’ll be fine for several days.”
Emma gasped. “Several days? You don’t really think it’ll come to that?”
“One can certainly hope not.”
Emma’s heart raced. “Well, if you need help with anything, please let me know.”
“Sally – put those candles over there, not where we can start a fire,” Mary snapped and rushed to assist the maid.
“I’ll just be over here, then. In the corner. Counting the cobwebs,” Emma grumbled and sat down on an upturned crate.
Sophie joined her a few minutes later and held out her hand. “The snow’s started, so it’s going to get much, much colder. Let’s hang out in the parlor. The fire’s been stoked, and I’ll bet Mary’s organized something yummy to eat.”
Emma gave a half-smile and stood. “Okay.”
Sophie led her up the stairs and into the main hallway. “How are you holding up?”
Emma shrugged. “Fine, I guess. I wish I knew what was going on.”
“You never were good with surprises.”
Emma snorted. “We’re calling this a surprise situation?”
“Maybe not. I know how you feel. The staff have everything under control, so we just get to sit back and be good little girls, which means, don’t interfere.”
Emma sighed. “Where’s Nona?”
“She’s probably directing traffic… or planning a party of some kind for when this is over.” Sophie took her hand and squeezed. “Everything’s going to be fine, Em. It’s probably nothing, and the guys will have it all sorted before we know it.”
“Jamie’s optimism is rubbing off on you.”
Sophie sniggered. “Not really. I’m just trying to say something positive out loud. Secretly, I think these men are going to burn the house down.”
Emma groaned as they stepped into the parlor. “Let’s hope we get out before that happens.”
“Sophie?”
Sophie grabbed Emma’s hand and squeezed as they both stalled at the sound of Topper’s voice from the other side of the room.
“Topper! What are you doing here?” Sophie rushed to the window.
“Those men are after me.” Topper slid from behind a heavy curtain. “I didn’t know where else to go.”
“Where have you been?”
“I hid in the silo at the edge of town.”
Emma gasped. “I was right.”
“You better not have done this just to make your uncle angry.” Sophie grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the window. He started to sit down, but Sophie shook her head. “You’re filthy, bud. Nona will kill you if you get dirt on her settee.”
Emma smiled sympathetically. “Are you hungry?”
Topper nodded. “Starved.”
“I’ll fix you a plate.”
Sophie squeezed his chin. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” Topper leaned away from her hand. “Just hungry.”
Sophie crossed her arms. “You could have been killed, Christopher. What were you thinking?” He shrugged and Sophie narrowed her eyes. “You’re going to have to start talking now. I’m not going to let you keep a secret that causes all this chaos. When Jamie gets back, you’re going to tell him everything.”
“It won’t make any difference.”
“If you’re in danger, he can help…” she raised a finger in accusation, “…and if this was just a game to irritate your uncle, then that’ll be an entirely different conversation.” Sophie flopped onto the sofa. “You cannot wish this away.”
Emma handed Topper a plate. “Here you go.”
Topper smiled. “Thank you, Emma.”
A door crashing just outside the parlor brought Sophie to her feet.
“Tear the house up, men! Find him!” a loud voice boomed.