Part 12 (1/2)
”No one,” I said with the wave of my hand. ”I was just, um . . .”
Winston looked over at the cold soot in Livie's fireplace. ”Where she at, miz? I been wonderin' why I haven't caught a glimpse of her for de better part of a day.”
An understanding glimmer filled his eyes, and I knew I must trust him. ”She's disappeared,” I blurted out. ”She is upset about Fatima, and I fear Aunt Augusta will notice her absence.”
Winston swallowed hard. ”This is bad, miz. This is mighty bad.”
”Please help me cover for her until I can figure out where she has gone.”
”I'll do what I can here in de Run,” he said, rus.h.i.+ng over to spark a fire in her hearth. ”Smoke risin' from her chimney will mark her as present, but no slave goes missin' fo' long. Ol' Winston can't fool a paddy roller or hound when a runaway is cornered.”
When I returned to the house, I lingered on the front porch, watching for James, who occasionally came up to the stables to check the condition of the work shoes secured on the horses. My heart sank when I remembered he had been hired out for the week to shoe the horses at the Henderson plantation. Their farrier, Casey, lost a finger while replacing a wagon wheel before Christmas, and Uncle Mooney was more than happy to make a little extra money on James's sweat and expertise. His absence troubled me because had he been here on the plantation, Livie would have sought comfort from him and he would have calmed her. My biggest fear was that in her desperation, Livie went looking for him. The Henderson plantation was at least eight miles by wagon, and if she was caught off our property, the repercussions would be unstoppable. Mercy was an unknown ent.i.ty to slave patrollers.
”Hannalore, what were you doing in the slave quarters?” Aunt Augusta must have seen me through the window and wasted no time in confronting me.
”Elijah alerted me to a brush fire on the hillside. I was the first person he encountered on his search for help.”
”Where is Livetta? She should be with you to offer her a.s.sistance. As your personal servant, she is expected to be at your side to intervene in urgent situations.”
”That's my fault, Miz 'Gusta,” Winston said, appearing unexpectedly from behind me. ”With Esther Mae busy in de root cellar, I asked Livetta to fetch my jar of poultice from de cabin. She saw de fire too, and had a bucket o' water on it before Miz Hannah had to lift a finger. She went to change her drenched wool stockings, but will be back directly. Do you want me to send her yo' way?”
I held my breath at Winston's bold bluff.
”That won't be necessary,” Aunt Augusta uttered after brief hesitation. ”As long as you have seen her. I have yet to cross paths with her and was concerned she was s.h.i.+rking her duties. I will be in my room, balancing my accounts, and have no use for meaningless distractions.”
”Yas'sum.” Winston glanced at me like a soldier barely dodging a bullet. ”I'll make sho' you is not disturbed.”
I grew more frantic upon realizing how easily our charade could unravel. Time was of the essence, and now I had implicated Winston in my scheme. The weather had turned colder and the ring around the yester moon promised snow. With most of the day still ahead of me, I decided to take matters into my own hands. If Livie was not in Mud Run, I tried imagining where she might go for refuge. She was not familiar with the people and surroundings beyond the plantation; therefore, she would not wander far. Suddenly, it occurred to me. The cave! The cave! Yes, the cave where I first hid her after she had been shot. I should have thought of it sooner. Yes, the cave where I first hid her after she had been shot. I should have thought of it sooner.
With Aunt Augusta immersed in financial matters, I was confident I could move without suspicion. I navigated the upper field against the cutting wind, which eased once I penetrated the wooded hillside. Within the harbor of trees, I sprinted up the path toward the peak. I pushed on with frigid air clawing down my throat and burning my lungs. The waters of Emerald Cove were sculpted into frozen perfection, with the exception of a thin line of water trickling down the frosty cliff towering above me. By the time I reached the evergreen hollow, the bleakness that enveloped me p.r.i.c.kled my skin with cautious anxiety. Trees staggered and moaned against the a.s.sault of icy gusts whipping across the peak. My heart leapt when I caught a glimpse of shadowed swirls riding the wind. Unsure, I squinted to focus on the air moving across the treetops. There it was again, clearer this time. Gray smoke twirling from the stone ridge. She's here. She's here.
When I reached the mouth of the cave, I removed my cloak so it would not be dirtied as I crawled in the entrance. Inside the air was moist and cool, but a large blaze in the fire pit threw off a warm glow at the center of the cave. There was no movement except for the lapping flames; however, two ashcakes on a flat rock near the fire told me what I needed to know.
”I know you are here.” Livie did not answer, but a soft scuff of feet drew my attention to the far shadows.
”All is fine,” I said to rea.s.sure her. ”You never have to hide from me.”
”You alone?” The deep, husky voice of a man shot my heart up into my throat. Fright toppled me backward, stumbling for the cave entrance. In an instant, two large arms clamped around me and dragged me deeper into the cave. My scream echoed off of every wall. I kicked and flailed my arms, desperately trying to break free, only to have the arms clench me tighter. The man bellowed in my ear, but I could not hear him over my own wail. We tangled fiercely, tripping over each other into a heap on the ground. He scrambled on top of me and clamped his hand over my mouth, smothering my cries.
”Stop howlin', girl! I ain't gonna hurt you.”
My sight was clouded by terror, but the tired eyes looking down at me hinted at no danger or ill will. They searched me for recognition, and once I stopped screaming, the hand lifted from my mouth.
”It's me,” the voice whispered. ”Marcus.”
”Gracious be.”
They were the only two words that burbled from me as we lay there nose to nose. Marcus looked exhausted and panicked, in part because of my unexpected appearance. His face had matured with the shadow of a beard, but his copper eyes grew soft as the warm mist of our breath rolled between us. He s.h.i.+fted off me and rose to his feet. The proper reaction to our physical interaction should have been outrage, but instead I flushed with embarra.s.sment when he offered his hand to help me up.
”Didn't mean to be rough, but you was like a wildcat, girl. You all right?”
I straightened my disheveled dress. ”I am fine, but you scared me half to death.”
Marcus chuckled. ”I about jumped out o' my hide right along with you. My heart is still bangin'.”
The shock of the moment finally eased enough for my throat to unclench. ”You look different.”
”So do you,” he said.
”Your eyes,” I said, looking beyond their dark gaze and sensing the fort.i.tude within. ”Like you've seen a dozen years in ten months' time.”
”There is a lot to see when you is treadin' new territory. 'Spect the same goes fo' you. Your eyes is more knowin' and growed- up since I last looked in 'em.” His plump lips tugged into a half grin. ”More alive and s.h.i.+nin' with gumption.”
He gestured to the flat rock near the fire. Settling in the amber glow, we paused to take stock of each other. He measured me with uncertain eyes, as if determining if the trust we once shared was still intact. It had been nearly a year, and once again I unexpectedly stumbled into his lap when all he wanted was to remain out of sight. I was a threat by virtue of my presence. I, on the other hand, was completely at ease, probably because he crept into my thoughts nearly every day.
”I ain't afraid o' much,” he said, his face as vulnerable as a little boy's. ”But I's scared as a stray pup to ask you this question. What happened to my Livetta?”
”Have you seen her?” I asked hopefully.
”You mean she ain't round here no more?”
”No . . . I mean, yes,” I fumbled, forgetting Marcus had no clue as to Livie's fate after he left her in my care. ”What I mean to say is, she has been here with me, living at Hillcrest.”
I melted at the joy and relief that brightened his face. I had forgotten how much his protectiveness moved me. A swell of emotion warmed me like finding a long-lost friend. I decided not to alarm him with Livie's disappearance unless absolutely necessary.
”She's been doing well, Marcus.” I smiled as the wall between us fell away. ”She has been safe and healthy. We tricked my aunt into believing Livie was a gift presented to me by Colt. He drew up false papers.”
I told him about Livie's recovery from her gunshot wound and her time at Hillcrest. He nodded approvingly as I described the caring relations.h.i.+p she found with James, and how he stayed with her after the disappointment of thinking Marcus had returned, only to learn it was a mysterious runaway from West Gate. Marcus leaned closer with great interest.
”What do you mean by mysterious mysterious?”
”Well, the hounds were sent after him, but I took measures to confuse them in their tracking. The man was not brought back; however, there was no mention of a runaway announced. It was like he never existed.”
”Where is this shed you is talkin' about? The one where the slave boy run from.”
”It's by the dog pen on the back lot of my uncle's plantation.”
Marcus took it in and considered it. ”As long as I know Livetta is safe, I don't wanna chance sneakin' around here. The signs ain't right. The deep o' winter is harsh and I gots'ta keep movin'. Only pa.s.sed this way to find out if she is still here. I'll be back when my journey turns north again.” His eyes glimmered with soft appreciation. He reached to touch my arm, then stopped as if being scolded by an inner voice. ”Thank you fo' lookin' after her, Miz-”
”Don't.” I held up my hand to stop his formality, and accidentally brushed his lips. ”Please call me by my name. It's Hannah.”
”I remember,” he said, letting his words form against my trembling fingertips. I eased my fingers away in sheer terror at how natural it felt. We were both in unfamiliar territory, causing us to hesitate and wonder at each other. A thousand thoughts danced in his eyes, yet he remained where he was, hands at his side.
”You won't never know how much it means to me that you kept yo' promise about Livetta. It was a mighty big risk, and you could o' turned yo' back on the lot of us.”
”I do not deserve thanks,” I said, humbled by his appreciation. ”Since Livie has been here with me, I have been happier than I have been for a very long time. I feel more like the woman I really am, instead of acting the empty role of a girl designed by people I hold no respect for.”