Part 1 Continued.
I began to hear the music. It had been a long time since anyone had played the
piano in the house...and I so desperately longed to enjoy it. You can imagine my
surprise when I discovered the musician was Gideon, and yet despite my
amazement it all seemed quite natural...the music, the time of day, his being there...
(music) "Down in the valley, valley so low hang your head over, hear
the wind blow
Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind blow. Hang your head over, hear the
wind blow. If you don't love me, love whom you please, But throw your
arms round me, Give my heart ease...Love, give my heart ease
Throw your arms round me, give my heart ease"
Entering the room, I said, "I wish you wouldn't..."
He turned at the sound of my voice. "Play?"
"Stop."
Gideon smiled, "I'm not very good." and began to play again.
"On the contrary, it's the instrument that does you disservice.
It's badly out of tune. I'd like to thank you for the other day."
"Sorry?"
"My grandmother's teapot."
He stood and walked towards me, "I understand the importance of saving
those things which are precious to us."
I felt my heart beating as he came closer. "My grandfather gave it to
her on her
wedding day."
Gideon continued to move toward me. "Did he?"
I whispered "Yes" as Gideon gently kissed my lips.
It was as if time stood still. There was no other place I should have been, but locked
in his embrace
As if realizing what we had done was wrong, he pulled away from me,
"I am so sorry, I shouldn't have done that." he said.
"No it was me...I ah...we shouldn't have let that happen."
"It is the music, the light, It is all quite impossible."
I explained. "We are enemies, we are at war."
Gideon replied, " I hate this damn war. I hate what it is doing to our country."
"But it is a fact Gideon, and like the light, and the music, we cannot
ignore it.
You are a Union officer, man I shouldn't even talk to, let alone..."
"Oh, Emily"
"No...no" I turned to run as I heard him say,
"Oh Emily...I hate it. I hate what this war is doing to us!"
---
I could not forget what happened earlier. Jasmine was in the air.
As it enveloped me I thought of Gideon's embrace, strong but gentle.
There was a knock at the door.
"Emily, Emily, are you in there?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"I wanted to know if there is anything else you require of me this evening?"
I started to reach for the knob, "No. nothing. Thank you."
"Well...good night then."
And as I heard his footsteps disappear down the hall, my heart cried out.
The pain of knowing what could never be was almost more than I could bear.
Tears flowed down my face and I thought they would never end.
The next morning...
It was Tuesday, April 22nd, 1884. As I opened my eyes I remembered I was
still not alone in the house, but the soft scent of magnolia blossoms drifting
through open window in the hazy dawn light lulled me back into this strange half
sleep. A half awake place where the line between what is truly real and what is
only a dream is near impossible to ascertain. A presence in my room...was I
dreaming? When I opened my eyes, there was a beautiful daffodil in my hand.
The news had come that the Georgia 24th had shattered the Yankee lines and were
pushing swiftly northward. Gideon's men had already gone to rejoin the Union
forces, preparing for the final battle.
I went downstairs, carrying the daffodil in my hand, thinking of the man who had
placed it there, thinking he had left with his men, and to my surprise, there he was.
I was startled to see him there, "Oh ah, I thought you had gone."
"I thought you were asleep when I came into your room this morning."
"Thank you for this. Why did you stay behind?"
"I had my reasons."
"Which were?"
"I will join my men before the fighting begins, you need not worry about
my honor as a soldier."
"Our men will be coming soon, and if they find you, they will kill you for sure."
"They will have to find me first, and catch me."
"You play with death as easily as you play with your affections, Captain."
"Maybe I'm just not very good at hiding what I really feel."
He moved toward me.
"Don't"
"Oh Emily.."
"Don't come near me Gideon."
" I must, now that you know how I feel. Emily, you feel it too. You do.
I was ready
to ride off with my men this afternoon, but my heart would not allow it."
As Gideon's hand touched my face and he began to kiss me, there was a sound
of horses outside.
"Gideon, hurry! You must hide! Quickly! In here, quickly!" I said, as I opened the
secret tunnel.
The sound of approaching hoofbeats was lost in the pounding of my heart.
I'll never
know how long I stood alone, awaiting with dread the arrival of those men who just a
short time before I would have greeted as my very own salvation.
They entered the house...there were three of them.
"Stop, don't shoot. I'm alone." They had their guns drawn.
"It's a lady."
"Oh thank goodness you are here. You musy be Lt. Tarleton's men of Georgia's 24th?"
"Yes ma'am. There's nothing to worry about now...Miss?"
"Emily. Emily Matthews. I saw some Yankees running East on the old creek
road
from my attic window. I was so frightened."
"We better start a search."
"Search? I already told you there is no one here."
"Better be safe Miss Matthews...there are a lot of stragglers hiding out,
but don't
worry now. If there any Yankees in this house, we'll find them."
As they went upstairs, I ran to Gideon.
"Gideon?"
"Where are they?"
"They are upstairs searching the house."
"Emily I don't want to run from a fight."
"I won't have you killed. If they find you here, they will kill you for
sure. Just
stay in here a little while longer-promise me that! Please."
"I promise"
The men came back downstairs..."Well gentlemen, just like I told you,
there isn't a
Yankee in the house! So, I bid you good day and thank you for your concern
and
and kindness."
"We've got to check this room first. Let's get to it, Miss Emily--just
one more
moment of your time."
They started their search. "Anything?" "Nope all's clear in here."
"I would have known if I had an infestation of Yankees in my own home,
now
wouldn't I?"
"Look here! Something strange...By rights, there ought to be 4 to 5 more
feet to
this room when you look at it from the outside!"
They were close to finding Gideon! I had to do something quick...
"Miss Emily! Get some water!"
"oooh. Oh my goodness...thank you." The three concerned soldiers were
hovered around
me.
"Are you all right, ma'am?" they asked.
"I'm fine really. I don't know what came over me. I felt so..so lightheaded
and, I, well, I must
have fainted. But if you gentlemen will permit me my privacy after my display
back there,
I feel that what I really need is a little solitude and quiet. So if that
is not too much to ask of
you brave, young men..."
"If you're feeling alright?"
"Oh I am fine. Look at me. You see, I'm as fit as the proverbial fiddle
and now that I
know that our troops are surrounding me, now I can, well I can breathe rest
easy. So,
thank you so much for your concern and kindness. I'll never be able to forget
you."
"Okay ma'am. You take care now."
"Oh thank you."
"Be careful now, ma'am."
"Oh certainly, thank you, thank you men. I never will be able to repay you!"
Finally, there were gone. I ran to where Gideon was hiding.
"Gideon! Gideon, it's all right! You can come out. You're safe, you're
safe, they're
gone!"
We kissed and Gideon said, "Thank you my love. Thank you."
"You called me...you called me your ..."
"My love. You are."
The look in his eyes and the softness in his voice made me realize he was
my one
true love.
"I love you too, ever since you first came through that door," I got
closer to him,
removed his hat and our lips met.
As we kissed, Gideon swept me of my feet and carried me upstairs.
------
As I lay there in his arms, I felt safe, happy...I had never known this kind of
happiness.
|
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Gideon spoke first. "You saved my life."
"Just now?"
"That was the second time....What is it?"
"I can never go back. In a matter of just a few short days, I can not
imagine my life
without you. But, we will always be together, won't we? Tell me that is so,
please?"
"I wish I could"
"I don't understand. I thought you said you loved me."
"Oh Emily. I do love you. God knows I love you...but I have to leave. "
"No."
"Just for a little while..."
"I don't want you to go," I pleaded.
"A man with no honor is not a man. When dawn breaks I must be with my
men on the
battlefront."
"Gideon..."
"Emily please listen. Listen carefully. Our vows have already been made
this night. By all
the strength in me, nothing will keep us apart. Nothing will keep me from
you. When the
last shot is fired, and the battle is through, look for me, I'll be here."
He gently kissed me again, and I knew he spoke the truth.
---
As I watched him dress in the cold half moonlight with the flicker of dying candles, I felt a
piece of him slipping away into the night-already gone to meet his destiny, but he stood
before me still. Soon, he was at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in his uniform.
"It's time"
"No," I said, praying he would stay with me.
He turned to me. "You're cold, you should be back in bed."
"I'm fine Gideon..just hold me."
Embraced in each other's arms, "Be brave for me my love. I need you to be brave for me."
"Come back to me," I whispered.
"Nothing on this earth can keep me from you. You know that don't you? You feel it?"
"Yes" I said, crying.
We kissed as he moved toward the door. I heard him say, "Remember this night."
As he started to leave, I called out to him "Gideon, I love you!"
He stopped, "That will bring me back to you."
"Gideon!" I ran to the door.
"I love you Emily. I will always love you."
He stood there with a single tear in his eye, removed his glove and touched my lips
with his gentle hands "Til then...". I stood at the doorand watched him ride away.
"Goodbye my love. Goodbye."
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Continue Reading Emily's Diary
Back To:
Steve and Kayla: An Unforgettable Love Story
The Diary was originally transcribed by Carole Baquet, and I thank and credit her. I merely typed it up and put it online.
**FYI :Some sentences of the diary were written by Carole to describe the scenes from Emily's point of view, and were not "spoken" on air. However, most of the transcript above did air onscreen.
Pictures above by Rabet
