Southern Beauty

chapter 7

ntering the ballroom took Johanna’s breath away. She had been to parties before and they always made her gasp. The scene was a portrait picture of beautiful ladies dressed in their best gowns for the sole purpose of impressing the handsome Citadel cadets that filtered the room. Her senses were bombarded with the smell of tobacco and perfume and music that filled the air. While the musicians played she watched gentlemen approach ladies for their hand at a dance.

“This is how gentlemen treat ladies,” she whispered to herself but aimed at David. She had to smile. This was what the South was all about. What made Southerners complete, what they prided themselves on, hospitality, celebration, and enjoying ones company, she thought to herself. Except, Clarice was here, the evil Clarice, and to top it off, it was her family’s ball.

“I’ll go get us some drinks to cool us off,” Malcolm smiled at her and disappeared into the scenery. Her eyes searched the room for her uncle. She could hear the conversation next to her.

“Can you believe it? Rene Beauregard is here and so is the cadet that shot at the Star of the West, George Edward,” said a young lady to her friends.

“Rene is so handsome,” said another.

“Oh, this is the best ball ever! Look at all the handsome cadets,” said another giddy young lady.

Johanna decided to remove herself from the gossiping girls into another room which seemed to be abandoned of party goers. It was the Beauregard’s drawing room. She noticed a painting on the wall and out of curiosity and boredom decided to examine it closer.

“That was my grandmother’s from Paris,” Johanna surprised by the intrusion, looked in the direction of the speaker.

“Oh, Mr. Beauregard, you startled me,” Johanna said.

Please call me Rene,” he said with a slight bow.

His smile and his presence were a powerful combination, the effect it had on Johanna made her slightly blush.

Johanna had never been introduced to Rene. He had always been shielded by Clarice and away for schooling. She definitely understood what the fuss was all about. He was tall and extremely handsome. Maybe too handsome, she thought to herself. She slightly smiled and looked around the room, realizing they were now alone.

“I fear I do not know who you are, and I thought I knew all the beautiful ladies in Charleston,” said Rene in his charming Cajun accent.

“You mean you courted every beautiful lady in Charleston,” said Johanna, not ready to smile yet.

This made him laugh. “I am not that bad, New Orleans maybe. Are you friends with Clarice?”

“Hardly,” she whispered. I am here for my uncle.”

“And who pray tell is your uncle?” asked Rene intrigued.

She scanned the room once again nervously. “I should go.”

He followed her glance. “Oh, you don’t want to be caught seen with me,” he asked.

“A lady should never be alone with a man she does not know,” she said.

“Well, it appears you knew my name,” Rene smiled, “therefore you must know me.”

“Everyone knows of you Mr. Beauregard, and your reputation with young ladies,” Johanna said in an accusing tone.

This made him laugh again. Johanna couldn’t believe how charming he was when he laughed. It made her smile.

“Very well then, I will only let you pass if you tell me one thing,” he said with a grin.

“And what is that Mr. Beauregard?” Johanna asked.

“Your name,” Rene said.

“David, do you think this is going to work?” asked Jacob.

“Absolutely, I just need you to meet me with the horses,” David said. “Preston, ride ahead and secure a place for us for the night. Use every contact that you can muster. We need this to work.”

“Don’t let that beauty fool you again,” warned Preston. “You know she distracted you out there so the soldier could attack you.”

“I know. I won’t let it happen again,” David more determined to finish his mission and be done with Johanna for good.

“Those are the most dangerous, the pretty ones. They like to spin you in their web and then attack without warning,” Preston smiled.

“I am no Yankee fool, Preston,” David angrier thinking about Johanna’s deception.

Jacob looked at David’s determined look on his face, “I think she must have been as surprised as we all were.”

“Then why would she leave me unconscious, I could have been dead for all she knew,” David gritted his teeth.

“We did hold her prisoner. Maybe she didn’t have a choice,” Jacob trying to give Johanna, who he had grown fond of, the benefit of the doubt.

David frowned at the thought, “There’s always a choice. She made hers. Now I am making mine.”

Johanna left Rene alone in the drawing room and once again searched another room for her uncle or any signs of where Malcolm disappeared too.

“There you are, I thought you found another man to escort you,” Malcolm came up behind Johanna and handed her a cool drink.

“Oh thank you. I am just taking all this in. I never thought I would say this, let alone think it, but I believe I just might miss all of this,” she said.

“There will be other balls to go to in Virginia,” Malcolm said.

“I know, but it won’t be quite the same,” she said.

“Well it could be if you let me escort you to every one of them.” He smiled at her, that adorable smile that made a dimple form on his cheek. She tried to ignore his comment.

“Sometimes I feel like everyone is staring at us. Do you feel the same?” He glanced around the room and noticed a group of young ladies were whispering and gawking at them.

“No, not at all,” he looked back at Johanna.

She smiled back at him.

“Oh, there is Rene. I would like you to meet him, he’s a good friend of mine,” said Malcolm.

“Oh, but I have already.” It was too late. Malcolm pulled her in Rene’s direction without waiting for Johanna’s answer.

“Rene, it’s great to see you,” Malcolm shook his hand.

“Malcolm, thought you were with the North and Lee?” Rene questioned with a smile.

“Oh I am, with Lee that is. I actually have taken on a new assignment for him,” he looked down at Johanna. “Meet my new charge, Johanna Lee.”

“Oh, we have met earlier. I think I scared her off though, she wouldn’t tell me her name,” Rene smiled at Johanna triumphantly. “I know it now.”

“Hands off Rene, there are plenty of women here to choose from and Miss Lee is not one of them.”

Rene laughed. Johanna was extremely uncomfortable with the men who were talking to each other as if she was not in attendance.

“Excuse me, I am going to see a friend I just noticed across the room,” and Johanna gracefully yet quickly left their presence.

She couldn’t believe men behaved this way, and she couldn’t believe they were behaving this way towards her. No one ever paid attention to her like this. Not ever. It was a mix of excitement and one of confusion. She hadn’t really seen a friend; she just needed to get away. She thought maybe air would help her clear her head.

Johanna gazed into the moonlit sky as she stood on the balcony overlooking the garden. She could hear the whispers of ladies gossiping about Rene’s good looks and wondering if he would show up at all since he had left West Point. Johanna laughed to herself about the nonsense of women. Little did they know if they would actually go into the ballroom they would find him there searching for his new conquest.

She focused on the music playing behind her in the ballroom where Malcolm was left a moment ago with Rene chatting like school boys. A soft breeze tickled the nape of her neck. Her heart never feeling such conflicting emotions, David was on her mind again. She closed her eyes and began to think back of the moment he had kissed her. It seemed so long ago, but in reality only a couple of days. Where had he gone? Had he felt it too? There was no moment of the day that went by that she didn’t think of him. He probably went back to his family, to his life without her, to the girl his mother wanted him to marry. She wouldn’t even entertain the thought of him being dead from Malcolm’s blow.

“No,” she thought, “I will not ruin my sweet memories of a stolen moment with disappointing realism.” She willed herself to only think of the most romantic experience she had ever had, the only romantic experience she had ever had. And the sad thing was it was someone with she vowed to hate. She kept her eyes shut to bring the moment closer to her, David closer to her. And then she heard a voice of familiarity.

“Southern Beauty, my head still hurts from the knockout kiss you gave me,” David said.

Johanna’s eyes fluttered open, but she was too afraid to turn around. Was this her imagination or was David behind her? She stared into the heavens silently praying he was indeed standing behind her, yet conflicted with feeling afraid for her uncle. She held her breath, and she gripped onto the railing of the balcony with her gloved hand to prevent herself from falling, for her legs felt like they were going to buckle beneath her.

David walked up to her, afraid to touch her for she might disappear like his reoccurring dreams of her. I love her. I love her. His hand slowly reached her shoulder, hesitating, and then put it down again at his side.

The men had been keeping their eye on Johanna from afar. There were times when David planned his approach, but the opportunity to be alone with her seemed wouldn’t present itself. When scoping the town, David’s luck changed when a young lady invited him to a ball. While the men had kept an eye on Johanna, David spent his time playing up to his new interest to make sure Johanna was included in the invitation. The night of the ball, the men decided to warn David of her new relationship with a southern soldier blossoming, which included meals together and reading books by the fireplace. The soldier seemed to never leave her side. David was already angry with her. Had that moment in the rain not meant anything? Had the entire time they were together mean nothing to her?

David was alarmed to find that this same man had escorted her to the ball. He wondered if it was that easy for her to move on to another suitor. Maybe if she knew that after he came out of unconsciousness, he and his men followed in a frantic pace to retrieve her. He kept thinking. And then he caught himself once again. “What am I saying? I am not a suitor. I am only after the map. She is a vixen, a siren in disguise. She tricked me. How could I feel anything for her?”

He whispered in her ear, he broke the silence, “My precious Southern Beauty, I waited an eternity to be with you, may we never part again.” David wanted to say but couldn’t. Instead he made himself cold and agitated, “You will no longer be in the way. You either produce that map, or your uncle dies tonight.”

He handed her the Blackwood’s Magazine although he still had in his possession the cigar box.

Johanna had never heard him so angry before. She felt frightened. “Oh David,” she gasped and turned to face him, “I waited so long. Is it really you?” She would not dare say what she was thinking. So she stepped away quietly, and looked him over. “What are you doing here?” She was surprised by his attire. He was not wearing his Union uniform, but a new Confederate one. “You didn’t convert did you?” She questioned with raised eyebrows.

He couldn’t help but laugh at her observation and her question. It broke the tension between them and the seriousness of the moment.

“Never, do you think they would let me in here wearing mine? I would have been shot on sight. Besides, I just got friendly with a young lady in town and she invited me. She is a little persistent.” He flashed a confident smile, with an almost arrogant stance.

“A young lady?” she questioned a little taken back.

“You might know her?” He asked, still trying to gauge her.

Johanna swallowed hard as her heart plunged. “No, I probably do not. Everyone I know has too much self-respect to even want to come within ten feet of you.” She looked at him accusingly.

“Ahh,” thought David, he hit a sore spot with her, she does care about me. So he continued, “Well, it didn’t take much to charm her. She seems to like men in uniform.”

Johanna didn’t answer. She was seething with jealousy.

“Anyway, she is very pretty. I think she wants to introduce me to her father? Isn’t that crazy?” David kept trying to push her into some kind of emotion.

This was unbelievable she thought to herself. Johanna couldn’t trust what she was hearing. Who could this girl be? Had he not felt anything? Who was this mysterious woman? She couldn’t think of this anymore, it hurt too much. She felt like she had been punched in the stomach. She looked at him in disgust.

Her temperature rising along with her voice, “Why did you come here?” She decided it was best to ignore his ramblings. It only hurt her more and ruined the only remembrance she had of romance that wasn’t written in a book.

David knew he must have gone too far, so he tried to backtrack and get back the look in her eyes when she first saw him, but it was too late. She stood in a cold stance and continued her glare.

“I’m sorr,” he was trying to apologize but she interrupted him.

“Well, it seems you have found some other poor girl to use to get what you wanted. What did it take, a day to move on or a couple of hours?” Did she just say that aloud? Johanna surprised herself. “Why did you even come back here?” Johanna tried desperately to hold back her tears, but when one slipped down her frosted cheek, she turned towards the garden once more. David was about to touch her hand and bring it towards him, when a man suddenly interrupted them.

“Miss Johanna, is this man bothering you?” Malcolm Graystone came out onto the balcony, interrupting what it looked like, a lover’s quarrel. Johanna cleared her eyes and turned to him.

“No Mr. Graystone. I’m fine,” she said.

“I’m sorry, and you are?” he inquired toward David, who still hadn’t turned in Malcolm’s direction until now. David nodded. Malcolm’s eyes widened and then he composed himself with a smile. He turned to Johanna. “May I have the next dance?”

“Yes, I would like that, thank you.” And she passed David and held Malcolm’s arm toward the dance floor. She couldn’t look back. She was mortified she had given away her secret jealousy. On the dance floor Malcolm interrogated Johanna.

“Who was the gentleman?” Malcolm asked.

“He was no gentleman,” she said. “He was the one you bashed in the head with your gun, and now I would like to do it myself,” she wanted to say. Instead she lied. “Just someone who was sure of himself that I would be interested in a dance, I guess he didn’t want to take no for an answer.” She had no idea why she continued to protect him.

“I see, how quite peculiar,” said Malcolm.

“What’s that?” asked Johanna.

“Oh, he looks familiar,” he said, “but I am not quite sure where from.”

“I know why he looks familiar to you,” she thought. They were interrupted by General P.G.T. Beauregard himself.

“Hello, Private Graystone, it’s so nice to see you again. I see you’ve retrieved the package,” he looked at Johanna and smiled.

Malcolm smiled back and excused himself from Johanna to make it a private conversation.

“Oh, my delivery is not quite complete, but I am sure the package will be delivered in a few weeks time. I am confident that my goals will be achieved by the end of the delivery,” said Malcolm.

Not interested in their conversation anyway, Johanna made her way across the room. She felt considerable relief when she spied her dear friend Mary Alice.

“You have truly surprised me! It’s so nice to see you out.” Mary Alice hugged her. “I can’t believe you would come to Clarice’s ball.”

“It’s not her ball it’s her family’s ball. Actually, I came with someone,” Johanna pointed to Malcolm who had been still involved in conversation with Beauregard. “He’s over there.”

“I guess you don’t need me to set you up, you did fine on your own,” Mary Alice laughed impressed with her friend’s companion for the evening. “Where did you find him, and does he have a brother?”

“Oh, he came and rescued me from a terrible situation and a dreadful man,” said Johanna.

“You must tell,” Mary Alice intrigued now.

“Another time Mary Alice, I must find my uncle. Have you seen him yet?” Johanna asked.

“No, not yet, but I will let you know if I do. Did you hear that Clarice’s mysterious lover is here at the party? I haven’t seen him yet, but I heard he is the most handsome man in the room.” She looked at Johanna’s agitated state. “Of course until you came with Mr. Graystone.”

Johanna smiled back at her. “You are truly a good friend, Mary Alice.”

“Oh no, she is heading this way,” said Mary Alice.

“Who is?” By the time Johanna glanced away to see who was approaching them, Mary Alice slipped away.

“Hello Johanna,” Clarice said with a bit of arrogance.

“Ah, Clarice,” Johanna nodded with a slight bow.

“It’s so nice to see you out,” Clarice lied. “It’s been awhile.”

“Well, thank you, you have a lovely home.” Johanna followed.

“It’s not as nice as the one in New Orleans, but it is charming. It is Parisian decor. You probably recognized it, actually, you probably feel more at home here. Anyway, I am surprised to see you.” Clarice said.

“Oh?” Johanna questioned ignoring Clarice’s jab about her family.

“Well, since you have been in that little depression of yours, secluded from everyone, a lot has happened.” Clarice said.

“A lot has happened where?” questioned Johanna.

“Oh, not with the conflict, I don’t waste my time on depressing thoughts like that, it would ruin one’s day, don’t you think? No, I mean a lot has happened to me.” Clarice proudly announced.

Oh great, here she goes, thought Johanna.

“Yes?” Johanna asked although she didn’t want to know, equally annoyed with Mary Alice for leaving her stuck with Clarice and her nonsensical talk.

“Oh yes. You might not have heard yet,” she steps closer and lowers her voice to a whisper,” but I am soon to be engaged.”

“Engaged!?” Johanna gasped.

“Keep your voice down. My papa doesn’t know yet,” Clarice said.

Stumbling over her words, still in shock, “You committed to only one?” Johanna mockingly asked.

Clarice laughs. “Oh, it is very easy when you’re in love. I am sure you someday you will know what I mean.” Clarice slams Johanna.

“Who could he possibly be?” Johanna now extremely annoyed by her remarks.

“Oh, you wouldn’t know him, he is new to the regiment,” said Clarice.

“A soldier?” Johanna choked on her words.

“Oh yes. I only just met him but he and I knew right away we were meant to be together.” Clarice announced with pride.

“That’s so nice for you.” Johanna said with slight sarcasm.

“I am sure you will be invited to our wedding,” said Clarice.

“Oh, thank you very much. I will look forward to it.” Johanna lied.

“Please do not tell anyone what I’ve told you. I want us to tell my papa tonight. I guess there really isn’t anyone for you to tell is there? I have more guests to talk to so I must leave you, goodbye.” Clarice gets one more jab in.

“He’s here?” Johanna asked in vain. Clarice had already begun to mingle and gossip with the other guests.

Johanna cannot figure why she would be so interested in finding who this new soldier is in Clarice’s life. For some reason it vexed her. She wanted to know who he was. Who would possibly trust her? He must not know her very well.

“She is truly evil isn’t she?” Mary Alice stepped back into Johanna’s sight.

“Thanks a lot,” said Johanna.

Mary Alice laughed, “I knew you could handle her yourself. You always could.”

“Can you believe the nerve of her? She truly thinks she is the only one that has ever been in love,” said Johanna.

“Are you in love Johanna?” Mary Alice questioned.