Page 58 of Christmas at Carnton

Just as their father now loved them.

“I never would have dreamed, Aletta, that an abandoned factory could feel so much like a home.”

Aletta turned to Kate beside her. “Neither did I, at first. But when Jake shared his dream with me, when he told me the idea that God had put into his heart, I knew this was where we were supposed to be. And it’s perfect for us. We still need to renovate the upper floor, which we hope to very soon. We want to use that to welcome and house wounded soldiers as they’re finding their way again.”

“Aletta?”

Hearing her name, Aletta turned to see MaryNell coming in through the business entrance, the swell in her friend’s belly just beginning to show. Robert Goodall had returned on furlough in late January and—Aletta smiled to herself—come October, little Seth would have a new baby brother or sister. MaryNell had chosen wisely. And as it turned out, she’d managed to keep their house too. Without the least assistance from Herbert Cornwall.

Once Emmett and Kate had left, and MaryNell had delivered yet another stack of orders for artificial limbs before heading home, Aletta and Jake took a moment to eat lunch together with the children at a front table.

Aletta’s gaze drifted upward, as it so often did, to the newspaper clipping now framed over her workbench. The article Jake had written that appeared in the Nashville Banner shortly after Christmas. She read the first couple of paragraphs, already knowing them by heart, and a swell of pride for her husband moved through her.

“These women of the Women’s Relief Society—these genteel, courageous females who fight a battle men have yet to endure—aren’t merely knitting socks and sewing quilts as I’d first imagined. They’re knitting this community together in a way it hasn’t been before, and they’re emboldening the hearts of their husbands and sons and fathers and brothers to surge ever forward in the battle for freedom and in the defense of love and honor for country. They’re bearing each other’s burdens and losses, sharing what they have with others who have none, and bringing fresh hope to thousands of soldiers in the Confederate Army. And, in the process, they’re strengthening the very lifeblood of this town. Of this wounded nation. Something that never could have been accomplished if people had simply given money and then gone on their way, as I first, very mistakenly, recommended. I’ve never been more grateful to have been shown the error of my ways, and to have been a part—albeit, a small one—of an effort so noble, so rich with self-sacrifice that it hearkens with encouragement not only for the present . . . but for all eternity.”

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Dear friend,

Time is precious, and I appreciate you sharing yours with me—and with Jake and Aletta, the McGavock family of Carnton, Tempy, their cook, and the rest of the people from Franklin.

Jake and Aletta’s characters are compilations of historical accounts I’ve read about sharpshooters from the Civil War and also of the many women who were widowed during the war. Their diaries and letters tell stories of immeasurable heartache and courage, and of faith in Christ who saw them through it all. So many of these women never received the opportunity to bury their husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers who fell on the battlefield. Because so many of the bodies lacked proper identification and were hastily buried. Tragically so.

Tempy’s character is based on the real Carnton cook—an older African American woman—who was, indeed, left behind when all the other Carnton slaves were moved to various locations during the Civil War. Her real identity and name have been lost to time, but she came vividly to my imagination when I learned what little I could about her. And she’s a character I look forward to including in the three upcoming Carnton novels, as are John and Carrie McGavock and their children, Hattie and Winder.

Women’s Relief Societies were prevalent during the Civil War, both in the North and the South, and the activities I included in Christmas at Carnton are based on historical accounts of these societies and the enormous good they undertook to accomplish. One of those tasks being to provide artificial limbs for the wounded soldiers. When you’re next in Nashville, I invite you to visit Carnton Plantation in Franklin, Tennessee. Not only to tour the home, but to walk the grounds and learn more about this slice of American history.

If you’re part of a book club reading one of my books, I’d love to join your meeting via Skype for a twenty- to thirty-minute call. Visit the Bonus Features page on my website and click “For Book Clubs” for more details. Also, if you love making recipes from novels, visit the “Novel Recipes” link on that same page for more recipes.

Finally, you met two secondary characters in this story who are also from the pages of history—Captain Roland Ward Jones and Miss Elizabeth Clouston, the McGavock’s nanny. Captain Roland Jones was wounded in the Battle of Franklin in December 1864 and was brought to Carnton, along with scores of other soldiers, which served as a hospital for the wounded. He and Elizabeth (Lizzie) met that night, and I look forward to sharing their real love story with you in the first installment of the Carnton novels.

Each month I offer exclusive giveaways to my newsletter friends. So be sure to sign up for that when you’re visiting my website. I love hearing from you . . . so please, let’s stay connected.

Much love until then,

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

With gratitude to . . .

My family for supporting me in ways beyond measure.

Joanna Stephens (Carnton Curator) and Elizabeth Trescott (Carnton Collections Manager) for reading the first draft of this novella and for lending their historical expertise on Carnton and the McGavock family.

My editors Daisy Hutton, Becky Philpott, and Ami McConnell for asking all the right thought-provoking questions and for helping to bring the heart of this story into greater clarity.

Kristen Ingebretson for the gorgeous cover!

Natasha Kern, my literary agent, for your continual support and awesome friendship.

To my readers for embracing yet another historical setting and cast of characters, many of them taken from the pages of history. I treasure our connection and hope to see you at Carnton in Franklin, Tennessee, someday soon!

To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through whom, because of his sacrifice, those who belong to him never truly have to say goodbye to each other. Only, goodbye for now—until we’re all finally gathered Home. Thank you, Lord, for meeting me on the page, yet again. All glory is yours.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What happened to Aletta—being widowed so young, already a mother and with another child on the way—was the norm rather than the exception during the Civil War. Over 620,000 soldiers were killed during the course of the war. Could you empathize with Aletta and her challenges? Her choices? Have you experienced the loss of a spouse? Could you relate to her grief and her difficulty in accepting the truth about her husband’s death?

2. MaryNell, Aletta’s friend, also faced a difficult choice. What did you feel toward MaryNell in her circumstances? And toward Aletta as she realized what decision her friend was facing?