By “servant,” she meant slave. “My family has never owned slaves.”
The women eyed her with suspicion. “Are you an abolitionist?” one of them asked.
“Surely not,” said another, “or Jesse would never have married her.”
Diamond rested her knitting on her lap. She wanted these women to accept her, but could not condone slavery. “I’ve always disliked the institution of slavery, but I stay out of politics. Until I met Jesse, I considered myself neutral.”
“And now?” Mrs. Verdine asked, looking down her long nose.
“I pray for my husband’s safety and a resolution to the conflict.”
Her answer didn’t sit well with the older woman, who sniffed genteelly. “Anything short of victory for the South is unacceptable.”
And just like that, Diamond suddenly knew exactly what she would write to Jesse. She’d show him what a narrow escape he’d had almost getting Mrs. Verdine for a mother-in-law.
* * *
When Jesse reported for duty he was pleased to find himself among familiar faces, especially his buddy Cole. He had served with many of the men at New Madrid. There were even a few, like him, who had escaped from Island #10. Casualties had been low during the retreat from the island, but the Union had captured thousands. The Confederate Army had listed Jesse as missing since there were no reports of his death or capture. His new commander, Major Campbell, shook his hand and welcomed him to the regiment.
“Clever escape, crossing the lake,” he said. “I have a handful of other men who did the same.”
“I had help.”
“Yes, I read your report. Met a damsel in distress, she nursed you when you were sick and then you did the honorable thing and made her your bride. Quite a tale.”
The account minimized Diamond’s contribution, but Jesse let it slide. Unlike Jesse’s father, Major Campbell had accepted his explanation for delaying his return to duty without criticism and seemed to feel he had acted responsibly. It didn’t hurt that the South could use every able-bodied man it could get. Campbell knew Jesse could have disappeared into the general population with few people the wiser.
He soon found himself back on picket duty with Cole, who slapped him on the back and called him a dark horse.
“What do you mean?”
“I never took you for a ladies’ man even though the girls line up for your pretty face.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you do. Are you ever without a dance partner at a party?”
“Are any of us?” Jesse asked.
Cole laughed. “Guess not, now that men are in short supply. But you were never without a partner even before the war.”
Heat rose in Jesse’s cheeks. He supposed he had always been popular with the ladies but had never given much thought to settling down before joining the army. “Nearly getting killed changes your priorities.”
“Your sister still hung up on that foreigner?”
“Finn is as American as we are. He was born in Minnesota.”
“He’s not a Southerner.”
Jesse couldn’t argue with that. His sister’s beau had moved to Missouri and bought some land, intending to raise horses. He was a vocal opponent of slavery, which hadn’t earned him many friends, and now fought for the Union. “She still hopes it will work out, but he needs capital and we’re cash poor.”
“So I still have a chance?”
“Stay away from my sister,” Jesse said, only half-joking. He and Cole had been in enough scrapes together that he wanted someone more steadfast for Janet. But the war was taking its toll on Cole the same as everyone else. Neither of them were the carefree young men they had been when they had signed up. Janet could do worse.
“Guess Amy is now free.”
“I never had a claim on her. Our fathers cooked up that scheme.”
“Not sure she would agree.”
“I don’t want to talk about Amy. Bad enough I left my wife in her clutches.” The more Jesse thought about it, the more certain he was that Amy had seen Diamond entering the backyard and kissed him on purpose.
Cole told Jesse about the skirmishes he’d fought in since they parted at New Madrid and Jesse filled Cole in on the loss of Island #10. Eventually, they ran out of things to talk about and the boredom of picket duty sank in. They had seen no signs of the enemy, but it grew difficult to stay alert when nothing ever happened. He quickly grew re-accustomed to the endless drilling, the poor food and the stink of the latrines. Still, Jesse couldn’t complain. Every day without a battle brought them one day closer to surviving the war. He was almost glad he couldn’t tell his friend there would be three more long years of fighting. The knowledge wore on him and stifled his morale. It was better if his companions continued to think the war would end soon. It gave them hope.
A couple of weeks after he returned to active duty, Jesse received his first letter from Diamond. He carried it back to his tent and tore it open. The small canvas structure was about the only place to find anything resembling privacy and escape from the constant barrage of male voices. Diamond’s loopy, nearly illegible handwriting filled the fine paper.
Jesse,
I hope you are well. I worry about you, but Janet says you are lucky and will make it home. I had my first meeting with the sewing/knitting circle and am making you a pair of socks. I think they consider me half Yankee, so I’m not popular, but you will be glad to know I’m learning to hold my tongue.
With your brother Jack and Janet’s beau both fighting for the North, your family is barely tolerated, anyway. If it wasn’t for you and your father, I’m sure I wouldn’t be welcome. Mrs. Verdine can’t comprehend why you would marry me instead of her daughter and looks at me like I’m an insect she would like to squash.
Your father entertains at least once a week and
