The Belle of Nauvoo - Book One

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

The family allowed us to sleep late, but there was so much noise and sunshine about that we could not help but awaken. Lorin shook my shoulder. “Lovina!”

I opened a sleepy eye at him.

“Are you angry with me, Dearest?”

I rolled over. “Angry? Because you were asleep?”

“Yes. Whoever heard of a bridegroom missing his wedding night?

“We are at war. That qualifies as an unusual circumstance.”

“I love you,” he whispered. “Come here.” I went into his arms and felt heaven. Truly the sunshine streaming through my window portended a wonderful new day.

“Vina, Papa’s leaving!” my sister called. Throwing on a robe over my fancy bedclothes, I dashed down the stairs.

An indescribable sadness shadowed each countenance, and I had never seen Father so despondent. How could there be so much joy in this world and yet so much sorrow, all at once? Why did they have to take my father away? He had done nothing wrong.

Father solemnly climbed upon his white horse, Sam.  Other men were waiting for him upon their horses. I could see down Main Street that people were lined up along the road to watch them ride away, early as it was. Many were in tears, as was Father. I’d never seen him so sorrowful to leave us – not when he rode to Carthage the month before, and not even when they jailed him in Missouri.

When they had gone, Mother went to bed with her sorrow. Sending Father to trial for destroying the press was much harder than sending him with his brother the month before. This time he too was on trial. The question hung in the air: Would they return? I cooked Lorin some corn mush and fed some to the children, then sent him off to work. I found much consolation in my new wifely duties. I was truly a wife now! I moved my trunk and wardrobe into a room in the Mansion and made a bit of a home for Lorin and me. How proud I was of my new quilts and sheets! And Mother gave me a small watercolor she had brought from England to hang on my wall. I moved Lorin’s few things into the room and mended and straightened out his clothes tenderly. I held my half-finished wedding dress in my arms, and then hung it away for better days.

“Some soldiers is come to take our arms!” Jane Manning cried out in the hallway.

I rushed from my new room. Surely this was not true! How would we defend ourselves from the mob? “Remember Far West!” hung upon my heart. What more could they do to us? We had been slandered and bullied and degraded. Would they also leave us defenseless?

I saw Lorin drive a wagon out to help collect guns and powder from the troops scattered about. It was only the state arms that they could lay claim to. I breathed a sigh of relief. Only God knew how grateful we were that we owned plenty of other ammunition.

Father and Uncle Joseph returned to Nauvoo shortly after the arrival of the division of state troops. Father seemed in much brighter spirits. The state troops under Captain Dunn were orderly and respectful and earned a degree of our trust. When the weapons were collected and locked into the basement of the Masonic Hall, Lorin came back briefly to confer with Uncle Joseph about what to do to cover the loss of the state-owned munitions. We were now short over two hundred weapons. Turning to me, Uncle Joseph took my hand and asked me a question. “When I heard you covenant to cleave unto your husband, did you mean it with all your heart?”

“Yes,” I said in considerable surprise.

“Come what may?”

I looked into those prophetic eyes that knew me so well and could see right through my very soul. “You know that for the truth,” I replied. I could not imagine not keeping that covenant. He squeezed my fingers. “I am going to ask Lorin to do one last thing for me. It will prove difficult. Will he have your unqualified support?”