Free Redeeming Gabriel by Elizabeth White Page A

Candy.” He scratched his chin. “He give me back my newspaper bag and bought me some oysters.”
    “What was he doing with my—your bag?”
    “Dunno. But he give it back to me when I told him where you live. He shore is a nice man.”
    Nice was not a term Camilla would have applied to the devious reverend. “Do you know where he is?”
    “He’s staying at that big old hotel down on Govermit Street.”
    “The Battle House?”
    “Yes’m. But he ain’t there right now. He’s gone in the hospital.”
    Camilla caught her breath. “He’s hurt?”
    “Naw!” Virgil guffawed. “He ain’t in the hospital. He’s just visiting. He ast me if I could get him some carbolic spray, so I did.”
    “Carbolic spray?” Camilla frowned. “Where would you get that?”
    “Oh, I can get most anything if I got something to trade for it.” Virgil looked anxious. “I wished I’d knowed you needed some—I done give it all to the rev’rint.”
    “Never mind. I suspect he’ll know what to do with it much better than I would.” Camilla slapped her gloves against her palm. “Virgil, I’m going to the hospital. Would you do something for me?”
    “You want a ride, Missy? Candy would be pure honored—”
    “No, no, thank you.” Camilla hid a smile. “All I want you to do is go down to the wharf and find out if there’s any news about Jamie’s ship. See if he made it to port last night.”
    “Yes’m. Shore will. Missy?”
    Camilla halted in the act of stepping down onto the boardwalk. “What is it, Virgil?”
    “Candy shore thinks you look a huckleberry above a persimmon in that there Jerry-bald shirt!”
     
    The entire city of Mobile seemed to have gone military-crazy. Gabriel paused outside Barton Academy where, as far as he could tell, people lined Government Street clear down to Royal. The Friday review was a sight to see. Patriotic fervor was high; Confederate flags fluttered from balconies and stretched across carriageways, and women had even sewn tiny replicas into the sleeves of their dresses or appliquéd them onto their hat bands. The opportunity to watch the regiments posturing and drilling was too good to miss. His next report would be filled with squadron numbers and names of commanders.
    “It’s nice to see you looking hale and hearty this afternoon, cousin.”
    Gabriel turned and gave Delia Matthews a mocking bow. “Are you enjoying the reviewing of our brave troops?”
    “Oh, indeed.” She slanted a provocative look from under heavy lids. “My stay in the city has been most profitable.” She glanced down at the small burlap sack in his hand. “What’s that?”
    After meeting Crazy Virgil at the riverfront, Gabriel had come downtown with the prized carbolic spray. He hoped he wasn’t too late to save the little girl.
    But Delia didn’t need to know he’d been wasting time chasing down chemical compounds for medicinal purposes. “It’s a…gift for someone. I’m about to make a hospital visit.” He frowned as he examined Delia’s conservative bonnet, high-necked dress and practical shoes. If not for the lush figure and dramatic beauty of her face, she would have blended in with the mostly female crowd. “I trust you’re behaving yourself?”
    “I am the soul of decorum.” Delia yawned. “The women you sent to keep an eye on me have been most diligent. It took some ingenuity to give Mrs. Chambliss the slip this morning. She wanted me to go with her to a quilting bee!”
    Gabriel laughed. “You should’ve gone with her. You might have learned something.”
    “I already did learn something before—bunch of gossip-mongering biddies that they are. Word is, the riverboat raises anchor at first light tomorrow. Time’s up, cousin.”
    “You can’t go yet.” Drawing close, he lowered his voice. “I could write most of that paper again, but certain things in it can’t be safely duplicated. Give me two more days.”
    “I can’t, Gabriel.” Delia’s eyes softened. “I’m