Thor bit back a smile. He had the sheriff in the palm of his hand, and Davis would have no argument to the contrary. Thor was sure of it. “Because the slave stealer is the son of Mr. Davis’s overseer. I found Grady Falls in the woods with my boy and with one of Davis’s large field hands. While I attempted to reclaim my property, Falls jumped me from behind. The blow left me confused, and I’ve been wandering around in the woods ever since.”
Thor rubbed a finger over the lower part of his head until he found the bump. He lowered his head toward the sheriff. “See that. That’s where the thieving bastard clobbered me. Damn near killed me.” He straightened and looked around. “Where’s Falls now? I got a word or two I wanna say to him, and I want him held on charges of trying to steal from me!”
The sheriff glared at Davis. “Well? Where is he? You got a couple of dozen men out there, bring him in.”
Davis stiffened. “He’s not out there,” he muttered.
“Where is he?”
“He’s on a business trip for me. I don’t know when he’ll be back.”
“That’s mighty convenient.” Sheriff clucked his tongue. “Where did you send him?”
“Different places. I don’t see how that matters. You cannot take his word over mine! I aim to see justice is done!”
“So do I!” Thor yelled back. His fist pounded the desk for effect. “Get Falls back here!”
“I ain’t talkin’ about Falls,” Davis snarled. “You know damned well who I mean.”
“You sure as hell can’t be talking about me,” Thor countered, his voice dangerously low.
“My daughter—”
“Do you really want to bring her into this?” Thor asked quietly. “She tried to poison me. I’m willing to let bygones be bygones, but I can change my mind.” He looked at the lawman. “Sheriff, in addition to Grady Falls, add Miss Leah—”
“Enough!” Davis stood. “You’ve disrespected my daughter once. You won’t do it again.” He kept his dark gaze trained on Thor as he said to Gibson, “Charges dropped.”
Davis turned on his heel. The planter’s boots clomped across the floor. Storming out the jailhouse, he called to his men, “Saddle up! We’re headin’ back!”
Relief took Thor’s breath away. His plan worked. He pulled it off!
“You’re free to go.” The sheriff unlocked the jail cell and opened the door. “Sorry about the mix-up. I didn’t know Miss Eva gave birth. Congratulations, Anders.”
“Thank you.” Anders turned to Thor. “Thank you, too. I knew you weren’t gone for good.”
“I’m glad I wasn’t.”
Brown patted Thor’s back. “You did good, Thor. Real good.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Hammond called from the doorway, “Y’all got a way home?”
“We can double up,” Thor told him. “I have a horse and Willow does, too. It won’t be a problem. Thanks, Hammond.”
The young man smiled and paused at the threshold to allow Willow entry. She rushed to the reverend.
He closed his arms around her and hugged her. “I’m free to go. Thor told that sour-bellied planter a thing or two, and it’s over now. Let’s go home.”
Thor and Anders followed them outside. The night held a strange feeling, almost surreal. Upon Davis and his men’s departure, the town had settled, returning to its normal routine. A few of Brown’s supporters lingered to congratulate him and Anders on their victory. Half an hour passed before the quartet finally reached the two horses.
The reverend joined Willow on one horse while Anders rode with Thor. They left town in silence. A sensation of camaraderie settled over them, reminding Thor of how good his pro team felt after they won a game. A party usually followed, and they celebrated well into the night. This feeling went deeper than that. He did more than throw a successful pass or score a touchdown. He saved lives. His chest swelled with overwhelming emotion.
“What went on with you and that planter’s daughter?”
Anders’s low voice came right behind Thor’s ear and jarred him from his thoughts. “Nothing really. She was interested in me romantically and wasn’t too happy when her feelings weren’t returned.”
“You said she tried to poison you.”
“I exaggerated a little bit there. She slipped a drug in my drink to knock me out.”
“You said she had feelings for you. Then why would she do something like that?”
“She was angry.”
Thor didn’t mean for his response to sound blunt, but he didn’t want to go into details to satisfy Anders’s curiosity. The other man didn’t recognize Willow as a woman the same way Thor did. An explanation would only irritate them both. Thor decided to let things be. Knowledge of the whole truth was none of Anders’s business.
“Did she see you with Willow?”
“Of course, she saw me,” Thor bit out. “Willow was with me down there. You know that.”
“You know what I mean.” Anders grunted. “With the way you’re waltzing around the question, I can guess the answer. That Davis girl didn’t like losing a white man’s affection to someone like Willow.”
“You mean to a black woman, and yeah, Leah didn’t like that I preferred Willow’s company to hers.”
“Is that all you prefer? Just her company?”
Thor’s grip on the horse’s reins tightened. The mare protested with a loud snort. His hand stroked the horse’s mane as he soothed the horse with cooing noises. “I think we’d better drop this conversation.”
“She’s a pretty girl,” Anders continued as if he hadn’t heard the warning in Thor’s voice. “Smart, too. She has a lot of spirit, and even though she tries to hide it, I know she doesn’t like me. She adores Eva, and that’s enough for me. But when it comes to you…Willow shines like a brand-new penny on Easter Sunday.”
Thor gritted his teeth. “What are you getting at?”
“You want her,” Anders said bluntly. “But you know you can’t have her; at least not permanently. If you care about her at all, you’ll let her go. Some men think there’s nothing wrong with bedding a Negress, but I think it’s ungodly—”
“Because she’s not white?”
“No, because knowing a woman, any woman without benefit of marriage, is wrong in the eyes of the Lord. I don’t talk about religion much. The reverend and I don’t agree on too many things,” Anders admitted, “but when it comes to the Bible and the Lord, Reverend Brown is a good authority. He doesn’t want Willow hurt, and whether you believe it or not, neither do I. She’s a special girl, and she’s been hurt enough. Don’t add to it.”
“I don’t want to hurt her, but I can’t just let her go either.”
“Thor—”
“No, hear me out.”
“There’s nothing you can say that can change things,” Anders insisted with a hint of impatience. “You and Willow cannot be together. Society won’t allow it. The folks in these hills are generous to a fault, but they wouldn’t stand for it. You’d be shunned and the Browns would be, too, because they raised her. For everybody’s sake, you must accept it and move on.”
“What if—”
“There are no what ifs. Only what is. You can work together for the fight to end slavery, but that’s all. You cannot be together as man and woman.”
Thor swallowed hard. Anders was right. He and Willow couldn’t be happy in 1860, but 1985 presented a different possibility. Being without her was unimaginable. Living near her and not being able to hold her would be a merciless kind of torture. His invitation to join him in 1985 went unanswered when last he asked her. Thor fully intended to ask her again and hoped this time, she’d say yes.
Anders became quiet with his declaration, and Thor welcomed the silence. The lack of conversation gave him time to think about Willow. He’d already mentioned the future and its unlimited range of choices. She could pursue any goal, and he would assist her wholeheartedly. Financial and emotional support were hers for the asking. He would be there for her as l
ong as she wanted him.
What if she doesn’t trust me?
Her trust in him seemed lacking. Without trust, there was no way in hell she’d go with him to 1985. She would have to give up the Browns and her friends to be with him. Cal said he needed to offer her more than money and a college education if he planned to bring her back with him. Thor hated to admit it, but maybe Cal was right. Then there was Anders’s warning.
Making love with Willow wasn’t the brightest thing he ever did. Without protection no less. That was just brilliant. Shit!
He glanced to his right. She and the reverend were engaged in a deep discussion and neither noticed him. He couldn’t help but think that right now she could very well be pregnant with his child.
Thor couldn’t leave without her with that possibility hanging over his head. Like all Magnusens, family meant a lot to him. Returning to the future, wondering if he left a child behind in the past, went against his very soul. He refused to do it. If she wouldn’t come with him, he’d have to stay with her.
* * *
Willow rested her head against Reverend Brown’s broad back and closed her eyes. The steady beat of the horse’s hooves nearly lulled her to sleep, but Brown’s recount of Thor’s speech in front of the sheriff kept her captivated. She wanted to know everything.
“What did the sheriff do then?”
“He pushed the barrel of his rifle between them. Davis wanted to knock Thor flat on his backside for speaking the truth! Gibson wasn’t having it.”
She sighed. “I wish I could have seen it.”
The reverend patted her hand where it gripped the sides of his overcoat. “Some things aren’t for the eyes or the ears of a young woman. You shouldn’t have been in town at all.”
“I couldn’t stay hidden, worrying about you both. I’m sorry they hurt you.”
“Cuts and bruises heal, child. It’s of no consequence. I know the dangers of my calling, and I’m prepared for it. You’re too young to sacrifice.”
“I’m not a child,” she gently reminded him.
“I know. You and Thor did a good thing, going after Big Nat. Those children appreciated it; he did, too. I’m proud of you.”
His quiet statement left her speechless. He was so angry with her before. She never expected him to say her actions pleased him. And he was proud of her, too? Tears of happiness welled in her eyes.
“Thank you.”
“A stubborn old fool like me doesn’t deserve thanks. Elijah asked me to look after you. Olivia and I have done the best we can. I wish we could have done better.” His deep voice faltered, and he took in a deep breath. “We always loved you like you were ours. From the first time we saw you, just a tiny little thing lying in Bessie’s arms, our hearts opened to you. I just want you to know that.”
The tears spilled and flowed freely down her cheeks. “I always knew, and I’ve loved you, too.”
He laughed suddenly. “Listen to us. A person would think our actions never showed the truth.” He squeezed her hand. “Olivia and I always knew, child. Always. We’ve been saving up for you to go to that school in Ohio. Oberlin would be a fine place for you to further your education. There’s only so much we can teach you from Olivia’s collection of Shakespeare. We want you to follow your heart.”
“What if my heart is pointing in a different direction?”
His back stiffened, and he released her hand. “Not to Thor.”
“I care about him, Reverend. He asked me to go with him.”
“To the future,” Brown grumbled. “What did you tell him?”
“I didn’t give him an answer. When he asked, I wasn’t sure if he meant it.”
“And you’re sure now? What kind of life can he give you in his future?”
“Freedom to live the life I want. He said that in nineteen hundred and eighty-five choices for me are limitless. No one would bat an eye at seeing him and me together. He said I could have a life that would make my parents proud of me. You and Miss Olivia, too.”
“I don’t know what to say about this. It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind.”
“I haven’t, but I have been thinking about it. What he’s told me is better than anything I’ve ever dreamed.”
“Would Olivia and I see you again?”
“I think so,” she said. “That’s where Thor went after Grady Falls knocked him in the head; back to his time.”
Brown turned his head to the left toward Thor and Anders. Willow’s gaze drifted in that direction, too. She understood the reverend’s misgivings. Her concerns were the same. She’d miss the Browns and Eva terribly.
Willow expelled a low breath. Why did life have to be filled with complications? Before Thor came along, she knew exactly what she wanted and where she wanted to go. Oberlin College promised fulfillment of all her dreams and goals. She could pursue a degree while aiding in the Northern abolition movement. Thoughts of having her own family were put on hold. It was something she would consider later.
Just looking at Thor brought the thoughts to the forefront of her mind.
Her gaze wandered as her hand let go of Brown’s coat to press against her flat belly. Right this very moment, a new life could be forming inside her. The notion both excited and terrified her. She directed her attention to Thor again and found him staring at her. The moon provided enough light for her to note the expression on his face. He looked as confused as she felt.
Suddenly, gunfire broke the silence. The horses neighed in protest and reared back. Willow clutched Reverend Brown to keep from falling. Then a voice rang out, consumed with venomous hatred and self-righteous indignation.
“Get down off them horses!”
The group of travelers sat still. Their heads turned in different directions, searching for the owner of the voice. The light from the moon and stars revealed only so much. Anyone hiding in the trees would be impossible to see. The reverend patted Willow’s hand.
“Do as he says.”
Brown slid from the saddle and caught Willow as she jumped down. Anders and Thor joined them in the middle, with the horses walling them in on both sides.
Brown called out, “Who’s there? If it’s money you want, you’ll have to try elsewhere. We have no worldly goods here.”
“I have money,” Warren Eugene Davis spat as he stepped from behind an oak. “I didn’t come here for that.”
“What did you come for?” Thor asked. “We agreed to let bygones be bygones. Stop it now before someone gets hurt.”
“Hurt?” Davis repeated, his voice thick with sarcasm. “You say that word to me after what you did to my daughter. What kind of a fool are you? I could kill you where you stand.”
“No!” Willow cried and crossed in front of Thor. He gripped her shoulders and tried to push her away. The heels of her boots dug into the ground, and she wouldn’t budge.
“Move!” Thor growled.
“No!”
“Listen to her! She knows I come for you both.”
“You sonuvabitch!” Thor tried to circle around Willow. She blocked him with her body.
Brown called out. “They’re not going anywhere with you.”
“You’re right about that.” Davis cocked his pistol and aimed. “She’s going straight to the devil while he wallows in hell on earth.”
The click of the trigger echoed in the forest. Thor grabbed Willow around her waist just as the reverend jumped in front of her. The shot rang out suddenly like the crackle of lightning on a clear, spring day. Brown crumbled to the ground at Willow’s feet. She screamed and fell to her knees.
Another click sounded and something heavy fell on top of her. Her spectacles fell from her face. The images blurred. A second emission of gunfire reverberated around her. Hands pushed her face down. The rapid-fire noises ceased and silence hung in the air. Willow shuddered.
Thor’s scent filled her senses. He breathed heavily against her ear. “Are you okay? Were you hit?”
“No. You?”
�
�I’m fine. Here are your glasses.” He shoved the spectacles into her hands and slowly rolled off her. “Anders?”
“I’m here. How’s Brown?”
She pushed the glasses on and looked around. Reverend Brown lay sprawled on the ground right beside her. She went to the reverend and cradled his head in her lap. Blood poured from the open wound in his chest. He stared at her with a peaceful smile on his face. Her hands moved frantically, tugging on his shirt and overcoat.
“No, child,” he said in a barely audible whisper. “Let me be.”
“I have to stop the bleeding!”
“It’s too late,” Brown whispered. “Be still, and listen. Don’t you hear it? Angels on the wings of doves; simply beautiful.”
“No.” Her body shook with sobs. “I don’t hear anything. Be quiet. We will take you home, and Miss Olivia will patch you up. Good as new.”
His head shifted from side to side. “Ssh, it’s alright, Willow. Tell Olivia I love her. I love you, too. Be happy, child. Follow your heart.”
His eyes closed, and his head fell to the side for the last time.
Chapter Seventeen
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” Willow said, her voice hoarse, “is how the saying goes. You never really know what it means until you have to face it.”
She and Thor knelt at the grave of Reverend Mitchell Brown. The peaceful tranquility of the woods reminded her of the home she left behind. For a brief moment, she closed her eyes, inhaling the essence of her new world and reconciling it with the old. The scent of pines trees wafted gently in the early fall morning. Birds engaged in conversation. Their happy chirping aided in lessening her sorrow. Golden rays glowed as the sun made its usual ascent into the wide, blue sky. A cool breeze blew brown and red leaves, causing them to swirl in front of the headstone. A shudder went through her. Thor wrapped his arm around her shoulders, instantly warming her.
“It’s colder than usual this morning,” he said. “We can head for the cabin anytime you’re ready.”
His words registered in the far recesses of her mind, but she wasn’t ready to act on his suggestion. Before she could say hello to his time, she had to first say goodbye to hers.
Love Lasts Forever Page 24
