I was still nervous as I went outside and moved through the darkness toward the barn. Despite my resolution, despite the belief that right was on my side, I felt a tremulous quaking inside as I stepped into the pitch-dark barn and groped my way over to the shelf where I had placed the hammer and chisel earlier on. Chickens were roosting in the barn. They stirred noisily as I ran my hand over the shelf, finally locating the tools. I had been framed and sentenced for a crime I hadn’t committed, and now I was committing a crime which, legally at least, was far more serious.
Clutching the tools, I left the barn with its fetid smell of old leather and hay and stole silently away toward the shed. There was too much moonlight, and the shed was far too close to the slave quarters. The horses moved restlessly in their stalls as I passed the stables and an owl hooted, giving me quite a turn. The front of the shed was bathed in luminous silvery moonlight and spread with lacy black shadows that shifted and swayed as the tree limbs moved in the breeze. Peering up at the sky, I could see that the moon was about to disappear behind a bank of clouds. I waited.
Each minute seemed an eternity, for time was of the essence. Elijah couldn’t risk hiding them in his secret room, not in such close proximity to Shadow Oaks. He would have to transport them to a farm some fifteen miles away and then return to his own farm before morning. He couldn’t afford to be away from his place, come morning, with so much suspicion already directed against him. It would take most of the night for him to accomplish his mission, and every minute that passed was cutting his chances of getting back before first light.
Wisps of cloud floated over the face of the moon, and the gleaming silver began to fade. In a few moments there was a deep velvety blackness, the cover I needed. I stepped to the door of the shed, inserted the edge of the chisel between the wood and the edge of the hasp and began to tap with the hammer, afraid to risk making too much noise. I couldn’t have taken the keys, for Derek kept them in the pocket of his breeches, and even had it been possible I couldn’t have risked it. This must look as though Adam himself had broken loose with Cassie’s help. The hasp must be torn loose, the wood splintered as I was splintering it now.
It was slow work. My nerves were frayed, and I was dreadfully impatient. Taking a deep breath, I gave the chisel one mighty blow. It rang out loud and clear as though a blacksmith had struck his anvil, but the hasp tore free, at last. I opened the door and stepped inside the shed. It was pitch-black and smelled of damp and rotting feed sacks and tar. I couldn’t see Adam, but I could feel his presence. I could feel his fear and humiliation. He moved. I heard his chains clanking.
“Who—who dat?” he growled. Although his voice was deep and harsh, there was a slight tremor that hadn’t been there before.
“It’s me, Adam. I’m going to get you out of here.”
“Miz Marietta? You done come to—to help me escape?”
“That’s right. I have everything arranged.”
“No, ma’am, I cain’t let yuh do dat. It’s too dangerous. Th’ master would—if he wuz to find out, he’d—”
“Don’t argue, Adam!”
“You’s an angel, a beautiful angel, and I’m thankful for what yuh wanna do, but I cain’t let yuh. Th’ master’d be wild with anger. He’d whup you, Miz Marietta. He’d—”
“He isn’t going to find out. I’m going to have to pick the lock on your shackles, Adam. It shouldn’t take long.”
The moon came out from behind the clouds then. The shed filled with a misty silver haze. I could see Adam crouching on the floor, iron bracelets on both wrists, the chain fastened around a wooden post. He stood up as I approached, shaking his head. Taking a hairpin from my hair, I took hold of one of his wrists and inserted the pin in the tiny hole the key fitted into. Adam watched, scowling darkly.
“You ain’t never gonna undo ’em with that li’l pin, Miz Marietta. It’d take all night.”
“Don’t bet on it,” I retorted, and at that moment there was a sharp click and the bracelet opened, freeing his wrist.
“How—how’d you do dat?”
“There was a girl on the—the prison ship, a girl named Angie. She claimed there wasn’t a lock made she couldn’t pick with a hairpin, and she taught me how to use one. We’ll just leave that other one locked for the time being. We must hurry—”
“Miz Marietta, I jest cain’t let yuh—”
“Cassie’s waiting for us beside the barn,” I interrupted. “Both of you will be in a safe place before the night is over.”
“You—you sure you wanna do this, Miz Marietta?”
“Of course I’m sure. Come. We—we’ll have to be careful. No one must see us, not even one of the other slaves. No one knows about this but Mattie. I—I was afraid one of the others might talk.”
Adam hesitated just a moment, and then he followed me to the door. We stood waiting for the clouds again, and when it was dark enough we hurried out of the shed and toward the barn, Adam gripping the chain in his hand so that it wouldn’t rattle. Cassie was waiting for us in the shadows, clutching a large bundle in her hand. She dropped the bundle and sobbed and hurled herself at Adam. He crushed her to him so fiercely that it seemed her bones would crack. Cassie continued to sob, her shoulders shaking. Adam held her away from him, scowling.
“Hush dat bawlin’, woman! You wanna wake up all them niggers?”
“I—I’m jest so happy.”
“Did anyone see you, Cassie?” I asked.
Cassie shook her head. “Not a soul, Miz Marietta. I snuck into our cabin like a thief an’ moved around quiet as could be. I—I waited till no one was stirrin’ ’fore I slipped out here. Dat Caleb, though—he done gone past a minute ago on his way to th’ half-moon house. He’s likely to be comin’ back—”
Before she had finished speaking we heard the boy sauntering back toward the cabins, shuffling his feet and humming to himself. He moved with infuriating slowness, seeming to deliberately dawdle. The owl hooted again. Caleb stopped and cocked his head.
“Where you at, hoot owl?”
Although we were deep in the shadows, the moonlight spilled over the rim of the clouds again, and we could see the boy clearly. He frowned, peering at the trees in an effort to locate the owl. As minute followed minute and he still didn’t move, I thought I would scream. Adam sensed my alarm and muttered a curse beneath his breath. Caleb’s ears actually lifted. He whirled around to peer into the shadows concealing us, his eyes wide with fright, his mouth hanging open.
“Wh—what dat? Who—who dat I hear?”
“He mustn’t see us, Adam!” I whispered frantically.
Adam nodded and reached down to pick up a rock. He hurled it across the yard. It hit the trunk of a tree with a sharp impact. Caleb jumped at least a foot and whirled back around to face the direction of the noise, his back to us now. Adam darted out of the shadows and fell upon the boy from behind, clapping a hand over his mouth and slinging an arm around his throat. Caleb struggled violently, flailing his arms, kicking his legs out, but it was futile. Adam reared back, lifting the boy off the ground, his arm tightening brutally, and in a moment or so Caleb went limp, his whole body sagging as Adam dragged him over to where we were standing.
“You—you didn’t—”
“Naw, I didn’t kill him. I jest squeezed mighty hard till he lost all his fight an’ went out. His neck’ll be sore, but he’ll be all right, should be comin’ round in jest a few minutes.”
“He’ll raise an alarm—”
“Reckon he would,” Adam agreed. “There wuz a rope in dat shed. I’ll take him back dere and tie him up good—reckon I’d better gag him, too, or he’ll squeal like a pig. There’s some rags on one of th’ shelves.”
“Hurry, Adam,” I urged.
Adam heaved the boy up and slung him over his shoulder as though he were a bag of potatoes, then moved quickly toward the shed. Cassie and I leaned against the side of the barn, waiting. She was shivering with fear, and I took her hand, squeezing it tightly. I was frigh
tened myself, my calm resolution completely gone now, replaced by a nervous apprehension I found difficult to control. The moon disappeared again. The yard was shrouded in darkness. Adam returned so silently that both Cassie and I were startled when we heard the chain rattle quietly directly in front of us.
“Lawd!” Cassie exclaimed. “You done scared me half to death.”
“I tied him up real good, Miz Marietta,” Adam told me. “He wuz startin’ to come ’round just as I got done. He opened his mouth to yell an’ I crammed a wad o’ rags in it and tied a gag ’round him good and tight. He ain’t goin’ do no squealin’, ain’t goin’ no place, either.”
“I—I suppose he’ll be all right.”
“Be a mite uncomfortable’s all. ’Fore I come back, I stuck that hasp back up, pressed th’ nails back in th’ holes so’s it looks like it did ’fore you broke in. Ain’t no one goin’ suspect nuthin’ till they gets right up to it. Reckon they’re goin’ get a surprise.”
“I imagine so. We—we’d better go while it’s still dark. Mr. Jones will be waiting for us in his wagon up the road a ways.”
We moved quickly and silently past the slave quarters, Adam holding the chain securely, Cassie clutching the bundle. We moved past the side of the house and down the drive through layers of blessed darkness. I stumbled once. Adam clasped my arm firmly. My eyes were growing accustomed to the darkness now, as were theirs, and we were able to move even faster, almost running. The moon came back out as we reached the road, but the trees growing on either side afforded excellent cover. Shadow Oaks safely behind us, we slowed down, finally stopping for a moment to catch our breaths.
“I’d better unlock that other bracelet now,” I said. “You don’t want to drag that chain around with you.”
I performed the task with great ease. Cassie was as startled as Adam had been earlier.
“How you do dat, Miz Marietta?”
“Adam will tell you about it later on,” I replied.
Adam hurled the chain and bracelets across the road. They landed in the ditch with a noisy clatter.
“I—I feels like—like a free man,” he said, and there was awe in his voice. “I ain’t a slave no longer.”
“You are free, Adam,” I told him. “You and Cassie both. Your child will be born up North. You’ll find a job and earn a living and—and everything is going to work out fine.”
“’Cause o’ you, Miz Marietta,” he said quietly. “You’s a great lady, an’ we’ll always be grateful—”
“Here,” I said, reaching into my pocket and withdrawing the money. “You’ll need this.”
“You—you stole that from th’ master!” Cassie exclaimed. “Lawd, Miz Marietta, if he finds out—”
“He won’t,” I assured her. “We’d better move along now. The wagon should be up there around the bend.”
We hurried along, keeping to the shadows. Elijah had pulled the wagon off the road, and it was almost invisible in the shadows. Had one of the horses not shied, we might have passed it. The preacher climbed down and waited for us to join him.
“We’re a little late,” I told him. “There were—complications. No one saw us, though. This is Adam and his wife, Cassie. Cassie, Adam, this is Mr. Jones. He’s going to drive you to a farm fifteen miles from here. The man there will hide you, keep you safe until he can take you farther on. A whole lot of people will be helping you in days to come.”
Cassie began to sob. She flung her arms around me and held me close.
“I—I hates to leave you,” she wailed. “You’s been so good an’ kind. Ain’t never known a lady like you. I’m goin’ worry ’bout you—”
“There’s no need to worry, Cassie. Just—be happy.”
Cassie nodded, hugging me tightly. Elijah Jones took her arm gently and helped her up onto the wagon seat, climbing up beside her. Adam stood looking at me, and then he took both my hands in his and squeezed them. He was moved, too moved to speak. There were tears in my eyes, and I smiled a tremulous smile. When he let go of my hands, I touched his cheek with my fingertips.
“Take care of her, Adam. Take care of yourself, too.”
“I’ll do dat, Miz Marietta. We—we’s never goin’ forget you.”
“Come on, boy,” Jones said impatiently. “We’ve got no time to dawdle.”
Adam climbed up beside his wife and curled his arm around her shoulders. Jones took up the reins and clicked them, and the horses moved back onto the road, into the moonlight. In a moment the wagon was moving rapidly down the road as the horses broke into a fast gallop. Cassie turned around to wave, and I waved back, although I was still in the shadows and knew she couldn’t see me. I could hear the horses’ hooves pounding, hear the wheels spinning after the wagon rounded the bend, and then the noise grew fainter and fainter until finally there was just the raspy song of the crickets and the soft crackle of leaves rustling.
I walked slowly back to the house, sad, exhausted, proud of what I had done. Derek would be in a rage, and he would be in a desperate situation financially, but I felt sure he could work that out somehow. Adam and Cassie were going to be together, and that was all that mattered at the moment. As I entered the kitchen, I thought about Caleb tied up out in the shed, wishing I could help him. It was out of the question, of course. He would simply have to be uncomfortable for a while. I went on upstairs and paused to peer into Derek’s room. He was still sleeping soundly. I stood there in the doorway for a moment or so, watching him sleep, knowing I had betrayed him, and finally I moved wearily down the hall to my own room, dreading the morning to come.
XI
It was after eight o’clock, and Derek still hadn’t come in. The slaves had had their breakfast much earlier, had already gone out to the fields. Ben Randolph would be arriving around nine-thirty or ten, and I thought it would be wise to go ahead and prepare breakfast and take it up to his room on a tray, as it would seem suspicious if I let him sleep too long. I would awaken him and be very concerned, disturbed that he had slept so late, inquire if he were feeling bad.
The bacon sizzled and curled as it cooked. I broke eggs into a bowl and whipped them with cream, getting them ready to scramble. The biscuits were baking in the oven, the coffee filling the room with a rich, aromatic smell. It was a beautiful day, the sky a hazy blue-white, sunlight pouring down. I was unable to appreciate the splendor. I hadn’t slept at all, had tossed restlessly in my bed, plagued with apprehension. Just before dawn I had heard a wagon on the road and knew it must be Elijah returning. Cassie and Adam were safe now, I told myself, and now I must brace myself for the repercussions.
I took the bacon up, drained most of the grease from the skillet and poured the eggs in. I had just finished scrambling them and was putting them on the plate when I heard footsteps in the next room. My hands began to shake. My throat was dry. I fought to control myself as Derek sauntered into the kitchen.
“I—I was just coming up to awaken you,” I said. There was a slight tremor in my voice. “I was beginning to worry—thought you might be ill. I can’t remember your sleeping so late—”
“Don’t know what came over me,” he replied. He frowned, shaking his head. “I just seemed to pass out last night.”
“You were very tired,” I said quietly. “I—I came to your room before I went to bed. You were all sprawled out. I straightened you up and put a quilt over you.”
“I figured you must have.”
I took a pot holder and opened the oven door, removing the biscuits. Derek stood watching me, still a bit groggy, his hair spilling untidily over his brow. There was a tiny nick on his jaw where he had cut himself shaving, and he still wore the breeches he had slept in, his white shirt tucked loosely into the waistband.
“Are you feeling all right?” I asked.
“Feel fine—just a bit dazed. Haven’t slept that long in months. I suppose I needed it.”
“You’ve been under a great deal of stress.”
“Guess that’s it,” he agreed. “I’m rave
nously hungry.”
“Breakfast is ready. I’ll just set a place in the dining room—”
Derek sat down at the battered old wooden table. “I might as well eat in here. Where’s Cassie?”
“I—she didn’t come in this morning, and—well, I didn’t go get her. She was naturally upset. I thought I’d just let her stay in her cabin for a while until—until it’s all over.”
“I don’t imagine she’d be much help to you this morning, anyway,” he replied, leaning back in his chair as I placed the plate of food in front of him. “I’m sorry about all this, Marietta. I know how you feel.”
“It’s—I suppose it’s something that can’t be helped.”
“If there were any other way—”
“I know, Derek.” I set butter and strawberry jam on the table. “You don’t have to justify yourself.”
“Indeed I don’t,” he retorted, frowning again.
I poured coffee for him and began to clear things up as he ate. When everything was put away and the dirty dishes were stacked on the drainboard, I poured coffee for myself and leaned against the drainboard, sipping it. He ate slowly, savoring the food, eating three biscuits with jam after he had finished the eggs and bacon. I refilled his coffee cup, hoping to keep him away from the shed as long as possible. Poor Caleb still hadn’t been discovered, was still bound and gagged and no doubt terrified.
Derek finished his last biscuit, took up his coffee cup and leaned back in his chair, looking much better than he had earlier. The grogginess was gone, the shadows under his eyes less pronounced. He sipped his coffee slowly, gazing at me all the while. That didn’t help my state of mind one bit. I was totally wretched, consumed with guilt when I thought of what I had done to him. I knew he would never forgive me if he discovered the part I had played in Adam and Cassie’s escape. Derek set down his empty cup and yawned, stretching his arms out.
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