Storm Clouds Rolling In (9 page)

“What’s that?” Crutchins said, sounding bored and tired.

“My house shouldn’t be a half mile down the road.”
He chose to ignore the fact he would live in constant fear if his house were any closer. “How does Cromwell expect me to keep things under control when I’m this far away? Those niggers are probably hatching up some evil plans right now.”

Crutchins just nodded and pulled the team to a halt.
“Goodnight, Adams.”

Adams climbed wearily from the wagon and turned to continue his bitter tirade.
But with a gentle cluck, Crutchins had his team rolling away before he could speak. Closing his mouth again, he wiped a grimy hand across bleary eyes and turned toward his cottage. He couldn’t blame the driver for wanting to get home. He had heard Missus Crutchins laid a fine meal. The thought sped his steps. His own wife wasn’t that great a cook, but he knew there would be hot food waiting for him. His two boys should be in bed by now. He could sit by the fire and eat in peace. The idea was a welcome one.

FOUR

Abigail Cromwell looked over from where she was seated at her dressing table.

“Robert Borden seems like a very nice young man.”

“He does indeed,” Thomas agreed. He was tired and ready to call it a night, but he remembered the question he had seen appear in his wife’s eyes earlier. Something was obviously still troubling her. He turned and watched her from his position on the bed. She looked lovely in her pale yellow dressing gown. “Come here, Abigail.”

She smiled softly, and rose to join him.
They sat in silence for a few minutes as the cool spring air swirled in around them.

“What’s wrong, Abby?”

“You always know, don’t you?” Abigail managed a smile as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Well, I do tonight.”

“Lucy Blackwell told me something else today.” Thomas waited patiently as she searched for the right words. “Several of their slaves ran away last week.”

Thomas nodded.
Unfortunately, slaves running away was becoming a much more common occurrence. The Underground Railroad was becoming bolder in its efforts to free the slaves. “None of our slaves have run away, Abby. We treat them well. Why would they want to leave?” He chose his next words carefully. “I’ve heard that the Blackwell overseer can be a little rough.”

             
“But that’s not all.” Her voice sharpened with fear. “They were discovered gone after Giles, the stable keeper, discovered a fire in the main barn. He caught it in time, but what if he hadn’t?” Quickly, she made the switch from Blackwell Plantation. “What if it had been our barn, Thomas? What if our slaves decided to kill all our beautiful horses? Think how horrible it would be. Think what it would do to Carrie!” Her voice rose to a hysterical pitch.

Thomas wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
“It didn’t happen here, Abby,” he responded softly, “and it won’t. You’ll have to trust me. Our slaves know we’re good to them. They know that without us they couldn’t survive. Nothing is going to happen.”

Abigail took several deep breaths, seeming to be comforted by his words.
He knew it was more because she
wanted
to believe he spoke the truth than because she really believed him. She wouldn’t have even that small comfort if she could see into her husband’s mind. Thomas could only hope and pray that what he spoke was the truth. There were so many factions at work in their country. So many people determined to free the slaves. So much nonsensical talk about emancipation. The fools didn’t know what they were talking about, but Thomas was afraid their passion would create a situation that would mean tragedy for everyone. Determinedly, he shoved his thoughts aside. He had always protected Abigail from the hard things of life. He would continue to do so for as long as it was possible. “Tomorrow should be a wonderful time.”

The tactic worked.
The idea of the tournament and the ball seemed to erase dark thoughts from his wife’s mind. “Oh, yes, Thomas!
Everybody
is going to be there!

“You mean everybody who is
somebody
,” he responded teasingly, happy to see her focused on something pleasant.

“Well, of course.
You don’t think Lucy would invite any of the wrong people do you, dear? I’m so glad to hear she invited Robert Borden to join the festivities.”

“I am too, dear.
I quite enjoyed the young man.”

“And he seemed to be quite taken with your daughter, sir.”

Thomas stifled a laugh. So she had noticed too. “Really?”

“Don’t pretend innocence with me.
It was written all over his face!”

Thomas laughed and nodded.
“I’m afraid he is rather smitten.”

Abigail had turned to look out the window.
Now she spun to face him again. “Why are you afraid? It’s high time our daughter found a suitable young man. It’s time she grew up.”

Thomas controlled his sigh.
He knew it was too much to hope that Abigail would understand Carrie. Thomas, too, wished for Carrie to find someone to care about her deeply, but he sensed his daughter was anxious to spread her wings. He didn’t think she was considering marriage. He wisely chose to say none of that, however. “Well, we’ll just let things take their course. When the time is right, Carrie will find that special person. Until then, I am going to enjoy having her at home. I’m not anxious to see her leave us yet.”

Abigail fell silent.
When he put it that way, there was really nothing she could say.

Thomas smiled and blew out the light.
He had scored a victory.

Moses pulled his wool blanket closer to his chin and snuggled down against the early spring chill.
At least Sarah had been right about some of the things she had said. The slaves at Cromwell were at least treated a little better. His bed back at the Smith Plantation had consisted of a few hard boards nailed to a support coming off the wall. Here there was actually a rough horsehair mattress to soften the familiar boards.

The sweet potatoes had been another surprise
. He could still taste them. He could hardly believe they still had some this time of the year and had been amazed when one of his cabin mates told him Cromwell allowed them to store vast quantities to take them through the months in between harvests.

“You all right, Moses?”

Moses recognized the rough tones of Jupiter, one of his cabin mates. Jupiter wasn’t much older than Moses and had lived all his life on Cromwell Plantation.

“Yeah.
I be all right.” He was not about to tell Jupiter of the tears choking his throat and the pain that seemed to be pulling his heart in two. Where were his mama and Sadie? How were they being treated? Would their new overseer beat them? What about June? What was going to happen to him? Stifling the groan that rose to his lips, Moses rolled to face the wall.

“It’s better here you know,” Jupiter said quietly.
Silence stretched for several moments before he continued, almost as if he was speaking to himself. “We’re still owned like animals—and treated like animals—but at least we get treated pretty good.”

FIVE

Carrie glanced up at Robert Borden shyly as he looked out over the early morning mist hovering over the fields. Normally, she would have been focused on the beauty of fresh green trees glimmering in the mist but not today. Robert looked incredibly handsome astride Granite. The Thoroughbred’s gleaming iron coat was the perfect background for his dark good looks. She let her eyes drink in the sight before she cast them back down to the carriage where she sat waiting with her mother for her father to join them. She was uncomfortably aware of her mother’s speculative gaze and could only hope her cheeks weren’t as red as she feared they were.

The early morning air was crisp
, but the lap rugs Miles had carefully placed over them kept them warm. Miles had then given his assistant, Charles, a stern lecture about being careful with the carriage and horses. Carrie was glad they were getting an early start. She didn’t want to miss a minute of the festivities and it would also give Granite a rest before the tournament began.

“You look quite handsome this morning, Mr. Borden.”

Robert turned to smile down at his hostess. “Thank you, Mrs. Cromwell. You are looking quite lovely yourself. The blue of your gown brings out the beauty of your eyes, ma’am.”

Abigail smiled graciously.
“Thank you. I hope you do well in the tournament today, Mr. Borden. There is quite stiff competition I understand.”

Robert inclined his head modestly.
“I will do my best. The wonder of it is that I have such a fine animal to ride. Your daughter has been quite generous. I’m afraid, though, that she may have been too generous. The offer of one’s horse is no small matter. I’m afraid I may have been remiss in accepting such an offer.”

Carrie raised her head quickly.
“Oh no, Mr. Borden. I truly wish you to ride Granite.” She met his eyes briefly and then looked back down quickly, but not before she caught his warm smile. Carrie felt her cheeks flush even hotter but kept her eyes resolutely fixed on her white gloved hands. She knew she was behaving in a silly manner, but she simply didn’t understand the confusion she was feeling. Last night had been fine. Robert Borden had been just another houseguest. Somewhere in the night her feelings had changed. She had planned on meeting him in the barn this morning but couldn’t bring herself to do it. All her casual confidence had vanished. Her fists clenched of their own accord. It was that silly dream! Never before had she had such a dream.

She
had been in her secret place
,
dressed in a flowing, simple white gown, and seated on her boulder with Granite munching grass behind her. Suddenly Robert was there, appearing out of a fine mist bordering the opening. She rose to meet him. Neither spoke, but held each other in a warm embrace. They stood there for what seemed like forever, locked in each other’s arms. Slowly, Robert held her away and gazed down into her face. Then he lowered his head, his lips drawn near to hers...

A stirring in the room had startled her awake.
Carrie kept her eyes squeezed shut until the servant ignited a blazing fire in her fireplace and then slipped from the room. Spring was here, but the mornings were still chilly. The blaze would feel good as Rose got her ready for the day. Carrie only opened her eyes when her room was once more empty, but then fixed her stare on the filmy canopy over her bed and didn’t move. What could such a dream mean? She had never dreamed such a thing about a man before. In fact, she couldn’t remember
ever
dreaming about a man. Confused by the sudden tangle of her emotions, Carrie lay still as her face flooded with color and her heart beat a faster rhythm. She talked sternly to herself until her feelings and thoughts were once more under control.