Canaan's Legacy

By Donna F. Phillips

This is the story of a family during the civil war with a time travel beginning and end. The story centers around the young plantation daughter and the ravages that the war presents. She is forced at an early age to deal with these atrocities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Oct 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781489744098

Donna F. Phillips

Donna Phillips has had various interests and experiences in her life that add to the creative world in this novel. She is a mother and grandmother.

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Copyright © 2022 Donna F. Phillips.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-4406-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4405-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4409-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022917083

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 09/12/2022

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

1

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Carrie Miller was angry—no, she was furious—as she drove her little red convertible along the country roads leading to Fairville. The scenery was breathtaking, with wooded areas and beautiful, lush fields of green grasses, white balls of cotton, and soybeans, but she was not in a mood to enjoy it.

She could not imagine what was so important that her mother and grandmother had summoned her to immediately come to the old family place, but she knew the way by heart. She’d spent the summers there as a child.

The old place, known in the Civil War era as Oaklawn, had sat empty for several years. Perhaps her mother and grandmother had finally decided to sell it. They should have done that years ago; now, Carrie was sure that it was not in good shape. I guess I’ll see how bad it is when I arrive, she thought.

As she got closer to Fairville, memories started to flood over her. She remembered spending lots of time at the skating rink and the five-and-dime store soda fountain. Later, as a teenager, she had worked at that same soda fountain, serving mostly teenagers younger than she was. Then her mother had moved them to yet another city, and she had to make all new friends again.

Turning onto the lane that led to Oaklawn, Carrie noticed that the trees lining the lane were huge. Some were dead and sorely needed to be removed. As the old mansion came into view, it took her breath away, even in its state of disrepair. It was a majestic place, no matter how decrepit it had become. The outbuildings looked the worse for wear and were all but falling down.

Carrie parked her convertible by the side of the house and got out. She looked around at the vast grounds as memories came to her. She remembered running across the wide, expansive lawn to the grove behind the house and wandering through the rose garden on the side. She also remembered going to the stable to saddle her pony, Lucy, and riding her across the meadows.

Now, though, the stable was falling down, and the lawns and gardens were overgrown and in shambles. She walked to the side of the house and entered the glassed-in porch that was attached to the kitchen. More memories invaded her as she thought of helping her grandmother prepare meals and bake cookies in the kitchen.

As Carrie entered the kitchen, though, she was shocked to find that it had recently been renovated. There were gleaming new cabinets everywhere and the very latest in appliances, including a huge dishwasher. This renovation certainly will make the place sell better, Carrie thought.

She called out to her mother and heard her distant answer. Within a few minutes, her mother and grandmother appeared, somewhat breathless.

What on earth are you doing? Carrie asked them. Are you finally getting this old place ready to sell?

Oh, dear, we were just polishing the paneling in the library, her mother explained.

And no, we are not getting this place ready to sell—quite the opposite, her grandmother said.

Carrie was totally confused. What do you mean? You aren’t getting the place ready to sell? I can see that you renovated the kitchen, which would improve the selling price greatly, but there’s so much that needs to be done.

"Why, dear, we are going to make Oaklawn into an exclusive getaway retreat or a bed-and-breakfast. Your grandmother and I have pooled our money from the sale of the business, and we think we can get it ready in a few months. And we are well aware of all the repairs that need to be done. We’ve been working on them for several weeks now and are making progress. As you can see, the kitchen has turned out wonderfully. We cleaned all of the paneling in the dining room and library, and now it gleams again. Some of the floors had to be refinished, but the others just had to be cleaned and coated with polyurethane. And we are working on the upstairs rooms now.

We’re adding four bathrooms, so that all the bedrooms will have one close. Of course, the bedrooms will share facilities, but it will work out fine. We are also going to add on to the back of the house, where the little bedroom is, for your grandmother and me to have as our own quarters. And the pond is going to be cleaned out, enlarged, and stocked with fish. The stables are too bad to save, but we figured a new, smaller barn would do, with maybe four or five horses for riding. We are going to bring Oaklawn back to life, with some semblance of the old plantation.

OK, so is this what was so important that you had to drag me away from my work at my busiest time? Carrie asked. You could have just explained this over the phone, and I could have come later to see it. Do you really think that this can be a success? The hotel business is one of the hardest ones there is, and you are out in the middle of nowhere. What will be the enticement for people to come here? I don’t believe you two have thought this through. Have you compiled any kind of a prospectus on what it will cost to get this up and going? And then, what kind of expected revenues will you have?

Of course, we have done all that. You forget that your grandmother and I owned our business for years, and we were quite successful, as you know, her mother said. Fairville itself is being revitalized, as I’m sure you noticed on the drive in. They are adding all sorts of little shops and eateries, which will attract people. They are hoping to model it after Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and you know what a success that town is.

But I still can’t believe that you insisted that I come here immediately to tell me this. I could have told you on the phone how crazy I think this is.

Oh, honey, this is not the only reason we wanted you to come right away. The other reasons are in the attic, her grandmother said.

The attic? What could possibly be so important in the attic that I had to come here? Carrie asked.

Well, you’ll just have to come up with us and see.

The three of them set off for the attic and the treasures that were in store for them there. Carrie vaguely remembered playing there as a little girl and thought it just had old furniture in it. As they reached the top of the stairs, her mother lit an oil lamp and led them into the main area, where she lit another lamp, both of which giving an eerie glow to the room. As Carrie glanced around, she saw various pieces of furniture, such as old dressers, rockers, and a beautiful old cradle. She touched the cradle and thought of the babies it must have held.

Her mother must have read her thoughts because she said, That cradle was handmade, and it was the one that your great-great-grandmother and her brother used. Then, your great-grandfather and grandmother were rocked in it. Somehow, I was never put in that cradle. Perhaps it was forgotten, but it is still sturdy and ready for another baby. I was hoping it would be yours someday.

Whoa, Mom, I’m not ready for any of that stuff yet. I’m only twenty-six years old. I have my whole life ahead of me. Maybe someday I’ll be ready, but not now, Carrie said emphatically.

Well, I hope you don’t wait too long. Your grandmother and I would like to have a child to spoil again, her mother told her.

Honey, you see this old trunk here? her grandmother asked. We found so many things in here, and that is why we needed you to some back. Come over here and let us show you.

Well, OK, but then I must head back to the city, Carrie said.

Carrie sat down on a cleared spot, and her grandmother gently opened the lid of the trunk—and it was like looking at a treasure trove from an antique store. There were old hats with all sorts of feathers and plumes on them. There were some old watches, some dainty and small; others were pocket watches of gold with their fobs. There were dresses of the finest silks, laces, and embroidery which Carrie was sure were very fashionable in their day.

There were a couple of journals from the plantation business dealings, and then there were journals that must have been written by a female because the writing was so petite and feminine. There were baby items too.

Finally, her grandmother pulled out a small velvet pouch. She caressed it lovingly as she said, We found this quite by accident when we were looking through this old trunk. And this is the reason we called you home. Inside this pouch is a beautiful locket, with a note written by your great-great-grandmother. Gently, her grandmother extracted the note and handed it to Carrie.

The note read,

This locket was given to me for my sixteenth Christmas by my love, Justin Arnold. Shortly after giving it to me, he left for the War between the States, and I wondered if I would ever see him again. I have cherished this locket all of my life, and now I leave it for the next young lady in the family whose name begins with C. Cherish it as I have.

Canaan

Carrie refolded the piece of paper and took the locket from her grandmother. It was a beautifully etched gold locket. It had been preserved very well in the velvet pouch. Hesitantly she opened the locket and found two pictures inside—old tintypes that were somewhat hard to make out. One was of a young girl with dark hair and eyes; she bore a striking resemblance to Carrie. The other was a young man with light hair.

So this is Canaan and Justin, Carrie mumbled.

Yes, my dear, that’s your great-great-grandmother. The resemblance is a little uncanny, don’t you think? her mother asked.

It’s sort of creepy, if you ask me. Why, after all of these generations, would I look so much like her?

Well, I have no idea, but you are one who was supposed to have this locket, as the note plainly reads. I just hope it will mean something to you, as it apparently was very special to Canaan.

It is a beautiful locket, and yes, I will cherish it, even though I never knew her. It’s a beautiful piece of jewelry.

I hope it means more to you than just a beautiful piece of jewelry. After all, it is part of your heritage, Grandmother said.

All right, now that we have done Canaan’s bidding, let’s go downstairs and fix something to eat, her mother said. I know you must be starving.

Good idea because I’m hungry, Grandmother chimed in.

The three of them left all of the attic treasures intact, except for the locket and note that Carrie had in the velvet pouch. Once back in the kitchen, Carrie’s mother and grandmother began preparing a light lunch for the three of them. Carrie wandered out the back door while they did so. She looked around at the now overgrown lawns and gardens. She could only imagine that when the plantation was at its best that it was lush and beautiful. Perhaps her mother and grandmother could restore it and make this a profitable business; she just didn’t know.

The three of them ate lunch and talked of Carrie’s job and her life in the city. Of course, the two older women wanted to know if Carrie had a special man in her life. When she emphatically told them no, they were dismayed. Again, that maternal instinct in both of them came out, as they hoped for grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After they finished with lunch, Carrie’s mother and grandmother took her on a tour of the house, showing her the things they had already done. It was amazing how spectacular everything looked. The bathroom additions were well underway and would soon be finished. Carrie was truly impressed with what they had done.

Finally, Carrie told them that she had to go but promised she would come back when the rush at her work was over, perhaps at Thanksgiving. After tearful hugs and kisses from her grandmother and mother, Carrie set off down the walk to her little red convertible. She climbed in and started the engine and then waved one last time as she turned the car around and started back up the lane.

She had placed the locket in its pouch on the seat beside her. As she drove, she glanced over at it every once in a while to make sure it was still there. Something about the locket and the story of Canaan and Justin intrigued her; she could not get them off her mind. She sped along, retracing the route she had just driven that morning. Now, though, it was getting toward dusk, and a fog seemed to be setting in.

The car hummed as she drove through the farmlands, and all she could think of was getting back to the city. Carrie didn’t see the deer at the side of the road before it started across in front of her. She swerved to miss it and went off the road in a field, her head hitting the steering wheel before she blacked out.

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The mist hung heavily in the air, concealing everything, like a veil that covers the face of a bride. It was difficult to see more than a few steps in front of her as Canaan made her way home across the meadow. It was already later than she had anticipated, and she feared having her father find her coming in at this hour. Being the daughter of a man like Jacob Matthews meant being afraid to cross him in any way, but being as strong-willed as she was made it almost impossible not to do so.

Her father was a large man with a broad chest and shoulders, deep-set eyes that seemed to look right through you, and a head of thick, wiry hair. When he stood before you, it seemed that he was truly a giant. His stature gave him a feeling of power, which he exerted in everything he said and did. He had come from a wealthy family and had built Oaklawn from a mediocre plantation to a showplace among all plantations; this again symbolized the power he liked to hold over others. The vast acres of the plantation were of the most luscious ground for hundreds of miles. Its fields and rolling meadows were covered with the softest and most beautiful grasses, resembling the finest emerald velvet that stretched for miles and miles. Also gracing the estate were hundreds of acres of the most beautiful trees of every variety of oak. These trees provided Jacob with a more-than-adequate amount of monies to run this magnificent plantation. The trees were cut upon reaching maturity and processed for shipping in the small sawmill, which was on the most southern tip of Oaklawn. Jacob was meticulous in his care of the trees and planted new trees constantly to replace those take out and to account for those that either died or did not prosper. Even the sawmill itself was a symbol of the power and wealth that Jacob possessed, as it was the most modern and cleanest mill anywhere around.

The manor house stood in majesty in a clearing atop a small hill. Its enormous size was overwhelming and gave one a feeling of awe when viewing the house from the winding, tree-lined lane that led to it. Built from the finest wood and stone available, it was a two-story house of a modified colonial style, with a small porch to the front at the entrance and a larger one on the side that faced an elegant terraced garden of the most beautiful roses and gardenias. This garden was a delight to Canaan, who relished walking along the stone paths and breathing in the heady scents of the varieties of the flowers. It was here that she did most of her daydreaming and planning for the time when she would be a wife and mother.

The interior of the manor house was breathtaking. The rooms were large and expansive, some carpeted in the finest wools, luxurious in color and feel; of course; they were the finest carpets available in the world. The furniture was massive to match the room sizes but glorious in texture and quality of wood and fabric. Even the heavily brocaded and velvet curtains reflected the elegance that belonged to a house of its type. The sitting room was somewhat smaller than the other rooms but opened onto the vast side porch and gardens by huge French doors, thus giving it an appearance of being much larger than it was. The library had walls of solid golden-oak paneling that stopped midway up the wall, and at one end, a fireplace stood ready to warm the room. Many fine volumes of all types of literature lined the shelves of the bookcases and added a touch of elegance to the room.

To one side sat a massive desk of the same golden oak as the paneling and bookcases. Above the desk, a portrait of Jacob’s father hung in memory to the one who had started the mighty Matthews empire. Behind and to the side of the sitting room and library was a small room used by the servants to serve guests when the family entertained. It contained various pieces of service equipment, as well as sewing supplies for the ladies of the house. The entry hall was a grand sight with its beautiful tiered crystal chandelier of hand-cut prisms, through which you could see the curving stairway that led to the second floor in myriad colors. The dining room, also used as a ballroom, was huge but could be divided into a smaller one by long red-velvet curtains and movable panels of golden oak. When only family members were present, it gave the appearance of a more intimate dining room, if you could consider it intimate with a table that sat sixteen people. When the Matthews family entertained, the curtains and panels were removed, revealing an expansive room that was vast enough to hold tables of food and drink, a band, and room for dancing. It, too, was decorated with two shimmering crystal chandeliers such as the one in the entry hall, only these were larger and more elegant. Complementing the chandeliers were candelabras of the finest silver adorning the furniture in the room.

The kitchen was the largest and best equipped in that part of the country, being big enough that ten or twelve servants could easily work in it at one time. It contained shelves and shelves of the finest crystal and china, and there were drawers upon drawers of highly polished ornate silver. The pantry was to the back of the kitchen itself and contained more food than was imaginable.

The upstairs of the house echoed the same quality as the first floor. The master bedroom was large enough to accommodate a big canopied and curtained bed, a magnificent dresser, a bold armoire, and chairs and a table that were placed in front of the fireplace. Closets of fine oak and cedar graced one side of the room, and long, curtained windows were on the other side. Opening from the side of the room between the closets was a small hallway, where the hip bath and linens were stored. This hallway connected to another large bedroom on the other side. The master bedroom was done in shades of peach, yellow, green, and white, giving it the appearance of a spring garden party.

Canaan’s room was almost as large as her parents’ room and was situated on the opposite side of the house. It was arrayed with tiny pink rosebuds on fields of pure white with touches of pink in the accessories that adorned the room. The furnishings in the room were similar to those in the master bedroom, the only difference being that the design of the furniture was a bit more delicate and lighter in color.

There were five bedrooms in all, each larger than average and decorated with taste. Two of the remaining three were supposedly guest rooms, but Canaan knew that her father used one of them most of the time. The last room had belonged to Canaan’s brother Caleb before his banishment from the plantation. This room had not been touched since Caleb left, and no one was allowed to enter it.

Canaan paused for a few moments to catch her breath, if that was possible with as hard as her heart was beating, before letting herself into the house. Once inside, she noiselessly closed the front door