She had, however, promised that as soon as Tony's letter arrived she would, if it was still possible, forward Dinah and the child to him, supplying her with money for the journey, and giving her the papers freeing her from slavery which Vincent had duly signed in the presence of a justice.When the letter came, however, it was already too late.Fighting was on the point of commencing, all intercourse across the border was stopped, the trains were all taken up for the conveyance of troops, and even a man would have had great difficulty in passing northward, while for an unprotected negress with a baby such a journey would have been impossible.
Mrs.Wingfield had therefore written four times at fort-nightly intervals to Tony, saying that it was impossible to send Dinah off at present, but that she should be despatched as soon as the troubles were over, upon receipt of another letter from him saying that his address was unchanged, or giving a new one.These letters were duly posted, and it was probable that one or other of them would in time reach Tony, as mails were sent off to Europe whenever an opportunity offered for them to be taken by a steamer running the blockade from a Southern port.Dinah, therefore, still remained at the Orangery.She was well and happy, for her life there was a delightful one indeed after her toil and hardship at the Jackson's; and although she was anxious to join her husband, the knowledge that he was well and safe from all pursuit, and that sooner or later she would join him with her child, was sufficient to make her perfectly contented.
During Vincent's illness she had been his most constant attendant;for her child now no longer required her care, and passed much of its time down at the nursery, where the young children of the slaves were looked after by two or three aged negresses past active work.She had therefore begged Mrs.Wingfield to be allowed to take her place by the bedside of her young master, and, after giving her a trial, Mrs.Wingfleld found her so quiet, gentle, and patient that she installed her there, and was able to obtain the rest she needed, with a feeling of confidence that Vincent would be well attended to in her absence.
When Vincent was well enough to be about again, his sisters were surprised at the change that had taken place in him since he had started a few months before for the war.It was not so much that he had grown, though he had done so considerably, but that he was much older in manner and appearance.He had been doing man's work: work requiring vigilance, activity, and courage, and they could no longer treat him as a boy.As he became stronger he took to riding about the plantation; but not upon Wildfire, for his horse was still with the troop, Colonel Stuart having promised to see that the animal was well cared for, and that no one should ride upon it but himself.
"I hope you like Jonas Pearson better than you used to do, Vincent," Mrs.Wingfield said a day or two before he started to rejoin his troop.
"I can't say I do, mother," he replied shortly."The man is very civil to me now-too civil, in fact; but I don't like him, and I don't believe he is honest.I don't mean that he would cheat you, though he may do so for anything I know; but he pretends to be a violent Secessionist, which as he comes from Vermont is not natural, and I imagine he would sing a different tune if the blue coats ever get to Richmond.Still I have nothing particular to say against him, except that I don't like him and I don't trust him.So long as everything goes on well for the Confederacy I don't suppose it matters, but if we should ever get the worst of it you will see that fellow will be mischievous.
"however, I hear that he has obeyed your orders, and that there has been no flogging on the estate since I went away.In fact, as far as I can see, he does not keep anything like such a sharp hand over the slaves as he used to do; and in some of the fields the work seems to be done in a very slovenly way.What his game is I don't know; but I have no doubt whatever that he has some game in his mind.""You are a most prejudiced boy," Mrs.Wingfield said, laughing.
"First of all the man is too strict, and you were furious about it;now you think he's too lenient, and you at once suspect he has what you call a game of some sort or other on.You are hard to please indeed."Vincent smiled."Well, as I told you once before, we shall see.Ihope I am wrong, and that Pearson is all that you believe him to be.I own that I may be prejudiced against him; but nothing will persuade rue that it was not from him that Jackson learned that Dinah was here, and it was to that we owe the visit of tho sheriff and the searching the plantation for Tony.However, whatever the man is at heart, he can, as far as I see, do you no injury as long as things go on as they are, and I sincerely trust he will never have an opportunity of doing so."During the winter Vincent had made the acquaintance ef many of the Southern leaders.The town was the center of the movement, the heart of the Confederacy.It was against it, as the capital of the Southern States, that the efforts of the Northerns were principally directed, and to it flocked the leading men from all parts of the country.Although every Virginian family had some of its members at the front, and a feeling of anxiety reigned everywhere, a semblance of gayety was kept up.The theater was opened, and parties and balls given, in order to keep up the spirits of the people by the example of those of higher rank.
These balls differed widely in appearance from those of eighteen months before.The gentlemen were almost all in uniform, and already calicoes and other cheap fabrics were worn by many of the ladies, as foreign dress materials could no longer be purchased.
