The Underground Railroad Brides Collection: 9 Couples Navigate the Road to Freedom Before the Civil War
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If Ruth chose to leave, then their profits would decline.
He doubted Mother wanted that to happen.
“Yes, it’s payday.” He had not discussed when she’d get paid when they originally hired her. He knew she was staying at Tilley’s Rooming House, so he figured she owed for her room and board. He opened the drawer and pulled out a small sack. He quickly counted out her wages and approached her. He pressed the money into her small, flour-stained hands.
Her lips quivered as she counted out the cash. “But Joseph—”
“There’s extra in there for your bonus.”
Her eyes shimmered. She was going to cry? He’d thought she’d be excited about the extra funds. “Thank you.” Clutching the money in her fist, she leaned toward him and pulled him into a hug.
She smelled lovely, like cinnamon and spices. His heart pounded as he returned her hug; her delicate body fit into his arms perfectly. He now realized she cried tears of joy.
“I’s…I’m going to take the bonus money and give it to the abolitionists. I want to do all I can to stop slavery.” She gave him a little nod again and swiped her tears away before rushing back into the bakery.
He blew on his papers and made sure the ink was dry before he folded them into a neat square and shoved them into his pocket. He then made his way back into the bakery and stole a look at Ruth, who placed the freshly baked bread into baskets.
She was a strong, beautiful woman. Prayerfully, if he was patient, she just might agree to court him.
Ruth sighed as Joseph dropped into the empty seat beside her. The oil lamps glowed in the crowded room as Cyrus Brown took the podium. He cleared his throat before speaking. “The runaway slaves should be here in less than a week. We’ve been making all kinds of preparations. We have the supplies on hand, and we figure we will be hiding them underneath the church for a few days before we help them to the next station.” He paused for a few seconds. “We also want to be sure we give the runaways ample provisions to take with them when they go to the next station. We’ve been making sure we have plenty of dried meat, bread, and potatoes for them to take with them on their journey.” He continued to state what they needed to provide.
Her heart swelled. She hoped and prayed the runaways made it here. Oh Lord, please help the runaways to find freedom. Please let them escape from slavery. As Cyrus Brown continued to speak about their preparations, she recalled the funds she’d made from working at the bakery. Joseph had paid her a few days ago, and she still found it hard to believe she’d actually earned her own money. When she’d first received the money, she stayed up half the night, thinking about her funds. She found a loose floorboard and placed her money in her hiding place. Her heart swelled as gladness filled it. This was the very first time she’d ever been paid.
Joseph shifted in his seat, making the pew creak beneath his weight. He looked tired. He’d mentioned to her during their dinner break that he’d been up late the previous night working on his sermon. Far as she knew, his mother still didn’t know about his involvement in the abolitionist movement or about his wanting to be a pastor. Well, he needed to have a backbone and tell his mother. Sure, she’d be upset, but why keep it a secret?
Thankfully, she had not seen Francine in the bakery over the last couple of days. She still wondered about the bothersome woman. She’d caught Joseph watching her all day. She sensed something was on his mind. Well, one thing that had been on her mind was that hug. She could not believe she’d hugged Joseph when he’d paid her wages. His arms had felt big and strong around her. Being held by him made her feel safe, just for a few moments. His large, muscular build, light brown skin, and hazel eyes…She pushed those unwelcome thoughts away. Lord, I’m sure attracted to Joseph, but, there’s nothing I can do about it.
Thomas still hovered in her mind. His death still haunted her dreams, and she recalled how he kissed her when he’d asked for her to jump the broom. Well, she couldn’t focus on that right now. She just needed to be sure she was ready when the runaways came. That was all she was concerned with right now.
“I’d like to close with a word of prayer,” Cyrus announced from the podium. She bowed her head, and her heart skipped when Joseph took her hand. Her hand felt warm and protected in Joseph’s large palm. As Cyrus prayed over the runaways, she took deep breaths and listened to every word that came out of the pastor’s mouth. He ended the prayer, and she and Joseph joined in with their amens.
She stood up and took a deep breath. Joseph stood up beside her. He focused on her, his hazel eyes serious. “Ruth, can I—”
“Ruth. Joseph.” Cyrus ambled over with his walking stick. “I wanted to talk to the two of you.” He cleared his throat. “Joseph, since you want to be considered for the pastorship, I think it’s best if you be there when the runaways arrive. You can help minister to them. I’ll come and find you as soon as they get here. Do you know your whereabouts over the next few days?”
Joseph nodded. “Pastor, I’ll either be in the bakery or at my home. I doubt I’ll be elsewhere.”
Cyrus focused on Ruth. “What about you, Ruth?”
“Me, Pastor?”
“Yes. I figure we should find you too. I think you should help minister to the runaways. I’ve received word that they’ll often have to forage for herbs when they’re on the run. I’ve heard you have a passion for drying herbs and cooking with them. Do you have some dried herbs to spare for the runaways?”
“Oh, Pastor.” Her heart swelled. “Yes.” She mentally thought about all of the herbs she’d dried. Miss Tilley’s herb garden was thriving, so she could easily dry more herbs to replace what she’d donate to the runaways.
Joseph frowned. “I didn’t realize they’d need herbs.”
She turned toward Joseph. She’d need to explain this to him. “Yes. They’s…They need them to help them to be healthy. They can also provide some nourishment.” She went on to explain that echinacea could help them not to get sick and that mint could help an upset stomach. “They can use the herbs for tea too.”
She focused on Cyrus. “I’s…I’ll be at the rooming house or at the bakery over the next few days.”
Cyrus nodded. “Good. I’ll be sure to come fetch you as soon as they arrive so that you can assist them.” He gave them another nod before making his way toward another church member.
“I hope the runaways make it. I’ve been praying about them whenever I think about them,” Joseph commented.
Ruth nodded. “Me too. I really want to help them find freedom.” She also wanted to tell them about her own journey from Maryland to Philadelphia. Of course, she was not an escaped slave, but she had a lot to share about how she’d made a new life for herself, getting paid to bake bread and helping the abolitionists.
Joseph touched her elbow. “Ruth, before we were interrupted by Cyrus, I was about to ask you something.”
“Yes?”
“May I walk you to your rooming house?” He balled his hands into fists, and his light brown skin reddened. He looked nervous, nervous as a schoolboy. What in the world did he want to speak with her about?
Chapter 7
Joseph eyed the food-laden table. He’d successfully transformed the bakery into a nice dining space for himself and Ruth. The crude wooden table had a cloth laid over it. He’d closed the shutters on the windows so the early evening light wouldn’t shine on them.
He needed total privacy this evening. The only other person who knew about his private supper with Ruth was Cyrus. He’d wanted Cyrus to know where to find him and Ruth if the runaways arrived this evening. He’d also confided to the elderly pastor about his feelings for Ruth, and Cyrus had encouraged him to make his feelings known to her. If Ruth shared his feelings, then he knew they had a rocky road in front of them. Once Mother found out how he felt about Ruth, she’d have a fit. He could imagine her bony shoulders shaking with rage when he made his intentions known to her.
He lit the candles and eyed the chicken and ham he’d prepared as
soon as Mother had left for the day. She had a charity meeting to attend, and he imagined Francine would be there too. He could imagine Francine speaking with Mother, upset that he’d not asked her to the charity ball. He closed his eyes and imagined Ruth in a fancy dress. Her dark hair would be uncovered, and he imagined her loose curls would dangle down her slim back. She was so pretty, he didn’t think she needed the face paint that some women used. She looked perfect just the way she was.
After the abolitionist meeting the previous evening, he’d escorted Ruth to her rooming house. He asked her to supper, and she surprisingly agreed. His request had startled her. He could tell by the way her eyes widened. Well, he was tired of hiding his feelings, and now it was time to do something about it.
A loud knock sounded at the door. He’d locked the door earlier, so he figured it was Ruth. He opened the door and smiled. Ruth sported the dress she’d worn to church last Sunday. She also wore a fancy bonnet; it was red, and a pattern of flowers decorated the headpiece. She clutched her battered reticule as if she were nervous. He finally found his voice. “Ruth, so glad to see you. Come in.” He took her hand and guided her into the room.
Ruth’s hand warmed as Joseph led her into the bakery. Her mouth dropped open when she spotted the fancy meal. Candles flickered in the semidarkness. She blinked, her mind spinning. Well, when Joseph asked her to come to supper, she wasn’t sure what to expect. She’d spoken with Miss Tilley after the abolitionist meeting the previous night. The schoolmarm had advised her to speak with Joseph and tell him the truth about her background. “There’s no need to keep secrets from him any longer.” The older woman had then reminded her that the only reason she’d initially told her to keep her background a secret was because she was concerned about Elizabeth Adams’s reaction.
Joseph’s mother could be quite intimidating, that was for sure. But Ruth could handle her. But she honestly didn’t know if she could handle the growing attraction between herself and Joseph. “This…looks so nice, Joseph.” She still struggled to use proper speech, but Miss Tilley had been great with her lessons. She’d advised her to think before she spoke, giving her time to recall the rules of English. Thinking first proved tiresome, but she’d been improving, and that was the important thing.
“Thank you, Ruth. Come and sit down.” He led her to the table and helped her into a chair. He sat across from her, still holding her hand. He bowed his head. “Lord, thank You so much for Ruth’s company tonight. Please allow me to open my mouth and say the right words to her. Please also be with us as we share this meal together. Please, Lord, be with me as I continue to work toward my pastoral endeavors. And Lord, please be with the runaways as they make their journey to Philadelphia. Amen.”
Ruth squeezed his hand. “Amen.” They feasted on flavorful fried chicken, fried ham, flaky biscuits slathered with butter, and fresh peas. Ruth resisted the urge to lick her lips. Miss Tilley had also been teaching her proper table manners, but sometimes Ruth longed to forget those proper etiquette rules and just be herself. Was it possible to be proper about everything as a second nature?
“What’s the matter, Ruth? You were frowning.” Joseph gathered their dirty dishes.
She ignored his question. “You…Do you need help with the dishes?” She figured he was going to take them back to the kitchen to wash them.
He stopped gathering their dishes. “No, I want to know what you were thinking a few seconds ago.”
She inwardly winced. She’d come to tell him the truth about herself, so maybe this was a great time to start.
“Why don’t we have dessert before you tell me what’s on your mind.”
Oh, so he had dessert too? He abandoned their table and went behind the counter. He returned with a yellow cake. A thin glaze was drizzled over the top of the confection, and cherries decorated the top. He sliced two generous pieces and plopped them onto their plates. She wanted to eat the cake with her fingers. Instead, she followed Joseph’s lead and sliced into the cake with a fork. The moist, delicate cake melted on her tongue. Sweetness exploded in her mouth.
“Joseph, this is so good. I likes it.” She inwardly groaned. In her excitement she’d forgotten about her proper English, but Joseph didn’t seem to notice as he ate his cake.
“Thank you.”
She was a great bread baker, but cakes were not something she made very often. Her master only allowed them to bake cake for birthdays and holidays. They each ate two pieces of the wonderful cake. Afterward, Joseph served up some hot coffee with milk and sugar.
“So why were you frowning a few minutes ago?”
Could she open herself up and be completely honest with him? She sighed and looked into his hazel eyes. The candles flickered in the darkness, and she figured she needed to be honest with him. Joseph had been kind to her. She realized she actually trusted him. She took a deep breath. “I’s…I was thinking about the table manners Miss Tilley has been teaching me. Your food was so good, I wanted to eat it with my fingers.”
He laughed. The loud, wonderful sound filled the small bakery. His eyes twinkled as he looked at her. “I understand. Mother still chastises me about eating fast, and I’m a grown man.”
Ruth nodded.
He took her hand. “So why has Miss Tilley been teaching you table manners?”
“I wanted to learn to read, write, and speak proper. She been teaching me table manners too.”
He raised his eyebrows. Thankfully, he didn’t interrupt her. “Joseph, I was a slave. My master set me free when he died.” He squeezed her hand, as if encouraging her to continue. She told him all about her master’s death and her journey from Maryland to Philadelphia with the help of the abolitionists. She mentioned how Cyrus helped her to find the job at the bakery, and she also told him about Thomas’s untimely death. “Joseph, I was in love with Thomas. I still am…I still dream about him. I sometimes think the Lord wants me to be single for the rest of my life and help other people escape slavery.”
He frowned, and his hazel eyes no longer sparkled, but he continued holding her hand. “Ruth, you can’t—”
A loud banging on the door shattered the silence. Joseph dropped her hand and rushed to the door. He unlocked it and opened it. Cyrus Brown stood at the door, his balding head shining amid the streetlamps. Leaning on his cane, he poked his head into the bakery and spoke to both of them. “The escaped slaves are here. We need your help.”
Ruth blew out the candles and joined Cyrus and Joseph at the door. Looked like it was going to be a long night.
Joseph opened the door to the secret room underneath the church. Ruth eyed the five occupants. A tall, lanky white man was laid out on a pallet in the corner, snoring. She assumed he was the conductor. Two boys, both looking to be around ten years old. A man and a woman. The couple held hands and the woman rubbed her stomach. They sat on the pallets on the floor and leaned against the wall.
They guzzled water from tin cups. Ruth narrowed her eyes, unsure of how hard their journey was. “Don’t drink too fast,” she advised them. She feared if they drank a lot of water too quickly, they might get sick.
They nodded, and she poured more water for them. They sipped it and then nibbled on bread, their dark eyes tired. She and Joseph and Cyrus ministered to the runaways for an hour before more church members arrived. The church members agreed to stay with the runaways so that Joseph and Ruth could leave.
“I’ll be back tomorrow,” she commented. Ruth wanted to tell the runaways about her experiences in a new place, and she hoped she could provide some guidance for them. She also needed to bring the herbs Cyrus had requested. The runaways were supposed to stay for a few days before continuing their journey toward Canada.
Before she and Joseph left, they joined hands with Cyrus and the other church members. They formed a circle around the slaves and the sleeping conductor. They bowed their heads. Joseph cleared his throat. “Lord, we come before You today to seek help. We want to help these people escape to Canada. Please let Your Holy
Spirit guide them. Please protect them and help them to stay strong and healthy during their journey. Amen.” His voice boomed throughout the room and the sleeping conductor opened his eyes for a few seconds before falling back to sleep.
Joseph touched each of the runaways before he led Ruth out of the church. Her heart skipped when he held her hand as they made their way toward the street. Fatigue weighed upon her like a ton of bricks, and she sighed. Lord, please help me to get a good sleep tonight. I don’t want Elizabeth to get angry with me when I can’t stay awake to bake the bread tomorrow.
“Joseph!” Elizabeth’s stern voice pierced the dark night, causing Ruth’s heart to thud.
She rushed toward them, her mouth pressed tightly, and her bony shoulders shook with apparent rage. She glared at their joined hands. “What is the meaning of this?”
They’d barely left the church when Joseph’s ma appeared. How had she found them?
“Mother, what do you want?”
“I saw Francine at the charity meeting, and she told me about the church where you’ve been worshipping. She claims you’re involved in the abolitionist movement. Is that true?”
“Mother, we can talk about this later. I—”
Elizabeth screeched, tears coursing down her cheeks as she again eyed their joined hands. She rushed away.
“Joseph, you need to go after your ma.”
“But I want to be sure you get home.”
She gestured down the street. “I’s be okay.”
He shook his head. “I’ve only seen Mother this angry once in my life. You cannot talk to her about anything when she’s so upset. I must wait until later to speak with her.”
Ruth disagreed—he needed to go after his ma. She chewed her lower lip as he held her hand while escorting her to the rooming house.