“No, of course not.” Savannah thinks about how much the money will help with her goal. “It is more than generous of you. How soon does your Mother wish to leave?”
“Two weeks. Can you make that work?”
“Yes. I’d like to spend some time over the next two weeks getting to know your Mother’s schedule and requirements.”
Henrietta thinks for a moment, “Would it be possible for you to stay here the week before you depart? I’d pay you for the extra time. We are to leave for our honeymoon straight after our wedding.”
“That’s understandable and will give us time to get to know each other.” Savannah leaves with a smile and a promise to return on Sunday after church. Time to go home and plan her trip.
Chapter 5
“It’s kind of you to see me on such short notice, Senator Young.”
“It’s always informative, Fred.” He reaches out and shakes hands with the young man. “I’m sure the editor of the A.C publishing house has more to do than speak to me.” Sharp grey eyes stare down the younger man. Senator Young is not a man to be trifled with.
“You’re going to want to sit down for this Senator,” Fred glanced at the closed door nervously, before pulling out the tintypes.
“I received these paper images and more from a photographer named S.E. Ward, out of Pennsylvania. He was inquiring about publishing a book of war images taken by himself and another photographer. I thought you’d like to see them.” He slides the images across the desk.
The Senator glances down, and his face pales before he slowly lowers into his chair behind his desk. “Who else has seen these?” He doesn’t look up from the images in front of him. The two photos show him standing beside a wagon full of weapons, but it is who he’s shaking hands with that causes such concern.
“No one, it came to my desk first.” Grey eyes snap to his. “It is good that I caught this, Senator, or it could cause a great deal of trouble for your campaign,” Fred suggests.
“Call me Buren, Fred.” He sits back slowly, “I’d like to think we were friends.”
“Absolutely, sir. I believe you will make an excellent Secretary of State.” Fred smiles with relief.
“Yes, I would.” Buren runs a hand over his silver tinted black hair and stares at Fred. “You should know that as Secretary of State I’d need someone I can trust on my payroll. What does an editor get paid these days?” Buren goes to the liquor cabinet and grabs a bottle of brandy and two crystal glasses.
Fred smiles, “Well enough, I suppose.”
“I’ll double it,” Buren slides the glass full of golden liquid to Fred and grins when he picks it up and sips it.
“What exactly do you want me to do?”
“Let’s not play coy, Fred. You’ll do whatever I tell you to do, starting with finding this Ward and the other photographer. Find out how many more images he has. I want them destroyed and if necessary... you figure out the rest.”
“In the letter, he states the other photographer died during a battle,” he draws out the letter and slides it to the Senator.
After reading it he glances up, “We should follow up on that too. According to this, his family is in Iowa. Make sure he doesn’t have more images floating around. Send a letter showing interest in the book but require exclusive rights to all images. Offer an advance on the book. You’re an editor I’m sure you can figure the rest out.”
“Of course, a hundred dollars should sweeten the pot.”
Buren nods and goes to the safe on the wall behind a painting and opens it, withdrawing an envelope of cash. He counts out a sizable sum and tosses the envelope to Fred. This should cover your fees and the advance for the book.”
Fred counts the cash, and his smile fades. Three hundred dollars! “Let me makes sure I’m clear, Senator, you want all the images of you selling guns to Confederate soldiers destroyed and Ward silenced.” Fred finishes his drink and sets the glass down with a solid thunk on the cherry desk. At the Senator’s nod, Fred rises, “Consider it done.”
Chapter 6
“I thought you were home for good this time, Savannah,” Glenn says from the doorway of her room. He watches his sister pack and frowns when she glances at him but doesn’t stop.
“I am home, at least I will be once this job is complete.” Savannah grabs her two camera bags and tucks them into the bottom of the trunk followed by Oliver’s two canvas bags of tin-types that she developed along with her own bag of images. The majority of her tintypes will stay here. Glenn gave her the original homestead as a place to work and store her photography.
Glenn moves to help her when she struggles to lift the next one. “They’re heavier than I expected.” She steps back to watch him.
“Why are you taking all of this with you? Why not just mail them and be done with it?”
“As I explained to all of you at dinner, I made a promise to Oliver…”
“I know that Savannah, but you could wait until I can go with you.”
“No. I won’t have you change your plans on my account.” Savannah steps close to her brother and looks up into his eyes. He’s a changed man since his marriage
