Glory Over Everything (36 page)

“Oh, we might as well stop playing!” she pouted.

“Why?” I asked.

“Look at what you did! Are you intentionally letting me win? And before, when I said that I was coming home on Sunday, you didn't say anything kind.”

“I didn't? Forgive me, Miss Adelaide,” I said. “Of course it will be wonderful to have you home again. I'm having one of those days when I can't seem to get my feet on the ground.”

She tilted her head to look at me. “I'm surprised to learn that about you. You are always so sure of yourself.”

“It is all a fine act, Miss Adelaide,” I said.

“You mustn't feel bad,” she said. “Even I have days when I don't feel myself.”

“Is that right?” I teased.

“Yes, especially since Mother . . .” Her eyes welled up. “I miss her, you know, but I daren't say so. Father and Patricia are both so unhappy. I must stay strong for them.”

“I understand,” I said.

“And one mustn't dwell on sadness,” she said. “As Father's friend would say, ‘A stiff upper lip, don't you know.' ” She mimicked well an English accent. We exchanged a smile and then returned to the game. Under an hour later, as I was preparing to leave, word came that Bill Thomas was waiting outside to see me. My heart racing, I headed to the stairway, where I ran into Sukey. She reached out as though she wanted to say something, but I didn't want to keep Thomas waiting and shook my head. “Later,” I whispered, and left.

The man was standing in the shade of the house, one foot resting casually on a back step. “Mr. Thomas,” I greeted him as cheerfully as I could. “It is good to see you again.”

He nodded in response, then took off his hat, wiped his forehead with his sleeve, and ran a hand through his thick blond hair. He replaced his hat, then studied me while setting it right.

“Are you ready to do business?” I asked.

He looked down at his feet. “What kinda business you wantin' to do?” He leaned over and slapped at some dust on his pant leg.

I knew that I had one chance. “I'll get right to the point. I want to buy that woman Sukey and the boy Pan. I'll give you what you ask.”

“ 'Fraid you wantin' two that's not for sale. I have a few others you can have a look at.” He eyed me with a smile.

From the upstairs rooms, I heard Addy call out for Hester and wondered if Thomas knew that Hester and Sukey were likely at the open window, listening to our conversation.

“It is the two from the hospital that I am wanting,” I said.

“They ain't for sale.”

“Name the amount,” I said.

“They are not for sale,” he said.

“All right. Then I'll settle on Pan.”

“Nope. Not for sale.”

“And what if I were to tell you that he was stolen from me?”

If I expected a surprised reaction, it was not forthcoming. He remained as composed as ever. “And you have papers on him?” he asked.

“He was free! He didn't have papers.”

“So you say.” He smirked.

“Look,” I said, anger seeping in, “if you don't sell him now, I will return with papers that say he is free, and then you'll get nothing for him. Why not just sell him to me, and that will put an end to all of this!”

“Why you wantin' him so bad? Seems you got some other kind of interest in him. You get yourself with a nigra? He your boy?” I glared at him, and when his blue eyes glinted with pleasure, I realized I had lost. Nothing material would substitute for the deep satisfaction that his power provided him. Threats were all I had left.

“Unless you sell him now, I make a promise that I shall keep. Stealing Negro children from Philadelphia is illegal, and if you do not hand him over to me now, I will prosecute you. I will not stop until I see you—”

“I've heard enough! The boy is already sold.”

I took a step back to stare at him. “So he is no longer here?”

“Trader's comin' by to pick him up.”

“You've actually sold him?” I asked, moving closer again.

“That's right,” he said. “Once he's gone, I'll forget I ever saw him. Funny thing is, everybody on this place is gonna forget about him, too. You come back here with those papers, nobody's gonna know who you're talking about.”

An armed overseer, fingering his gun, watched from a nearby position. Thomas scanned the fields. Finally, he looked back at me. “I take it, then, that you don't have no interest in any of the others?”

“You know who I want!”

“Something tells me you didn't come here just for that boy. What I'd like to know is what you're doing here, anyway? When you started askin' for Sukey, now, that got my attention. Why her?” He peered out from under the brim of his hat. “Something's just not sittin' right. I've got to tell you, soon as you came over here looking for that boy, I've been wonderin' if you're actually from Philadelphia. I got a man in town lookin' into you right now. From the start, somethin' about you don't feel right to me.” Casually, he placed his hand on top of the gun slung from his waist. “Now, Mr. Philadelphia, you got time to get your horse, and you got time to get up on him. Then I'll give you enough time to ride out. But I'm warning you right now, don't come back!”

I had no weapon, and even if I had, I was outnumbered. My chest pounded with impotent rage as I walked down the brick path that led me out of the garden and past the hospital. Was Pan still there, or had they already taken him?

I spurred my horse for home and pounded into Mr. Spencer's yard, where he and Sam were standing outside the barn. Fury had me lose good sense. “Thomas already sold the boy!” I shouted. “And he told me to get off the property!”

The two stared up at me.

“The boy was mine!” I continued to shout. “Months ago he was stolen from me! He was free, but he was under my care.”

Mr. Spencer looked grim. “I was beginning to wonder about your interest in the boy,” he said, then turned to Sam. “Hitch up the farm wagon. We've got to get over there.” He hurried toward the house and waved me with him. “Help me get the wagon fitted out so we can fetch Addy.”

I didn't understand his need to remove his daughter. Surely Thomas would not harm the girl. “He was upset, but he won't involve Addy,” I said as we pulled pallets, pillows, and blankets from the house and heaped them into the wagon to create a soft nest in which to cradle the patient.

“I've seen Thomas when he's riled. He takes it out on others, and I don't want her on the place if that starts to happen.”

When we finished, Mr. Spencer climbed up on the wagon alongside Sam. “Do you want me to come?” I offered, but Mr. Spencer gave me a grim look.

“You stay here, and when I get back, we'll talk this through. Right now I've got to get over there.”

Sam slapped the reins and set the two horses off at a trot. Before they were out of sight, I went into the house to begin packing. With Thomas's men asking questions about me in town, I had to leave as soon as possible. With a sick heart, I realized that I would have to leave Pan behind.

A
DDY WAVED TO
us with her good arm as the wagon rolled up to where Patricia, Clora, and I waited on the front steps. Sam pulled the team to a stop, and Mr. Spencer leaped down with more agility than I had seen previously. As he made his way back for Addy, the pounding of hooves and then a stream of dust alerted us to two approaching riders. One of the horses, a dark brown gelding, galloped forward and was brought to an abrupt halt in front of the wagon. From atop the horse, Bill Thomas glared down at Mr. Spencer. “I'm missing the boy!” he shouted. “They're tellin' me he's gone!”

I stared, disbelieving.

“And which boy is that?” Mr. Spencer sounded as angry as I had ever heard him.

Thomas looked over at me. “Should I be askin' you?”

My look of surprise was genuine. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“That boy Pan!” he said. “What do you know about him runnin' off?”

I had the horrifying thought that if Pan had escaped, he might have come looking for me. Was he hiding somewhere on this property? “I know nothing,” I said as calmly as I could. “I thought you said he was sold.”

The other rider spoke up. “He was meant for me. I just come for him!”

Thomas swung himself off his horse. “I don't suppose you'd mind if we have a look around.”

Mr. Spencer turned red in fury. “You doubt my word? Go on! Take a look through the barns. And while you're at it, you may as well search the house!” He turned to me. “Mr. Burton, do you object to this man going through your room?”

“Not in the least,” I said. But was this wise? Was it possible Pan had found his way into the house?

“Then, Mr. Burton, I ask you to accompany Mr. Thomas to see that everything is left as he found it. I will wait out here with my family.” Mr. Spencer turned back to Addy. “It's all right, dear. As soon as this invasion is over, we'll get you in the house.”

The trader, accompanied by Sam, went to search the barns. When Thomas climbed the steps to the house, I followed, while Mr. Spencer shouted after us, “Thomas, I'll tell you now, you have one chance to do this. You insult me with this accusation! I am not a thief, and neither is my guest! This one time you have my permission for access to my property, but I warn you, it will not happen again!”

I led Thomas through the house, and each time he peered under a bed or opened a cupboard, my heart hammered. But Pan was not found, and Thomas's fury was palpable when we left the house. I stood next to him on the porch as he surveyed the property, and my eyes followed his when they rested on the wagon.

Adelaide was propped up with pillows and quilts and looked quite comfortable, but when Thomas suddenly jumped off the front porch and strode toward the wagon, she grabbed hold of her arm and stiffened. Hester had already stepped down and stood next to Clora and Patricia, but on Thomas's swift approach, she clutched the girls to her. When I moved forward, Mr. Spencer stopped me with a glance and a quick shake of his head. Thomas reached the wagon and began to yank at one of the quilts. Addy's shrieks were so piercing that he stepped back. “Daddy! Daddy! He's hurting my arm! He's hurting my arm!”

Mr. Spencer clapped his hand on Thomas's shoulder. “You will not hurt my daughter!” His voice was so dangerous that I did not recognize it. “You have accused me of thievery, you have searched my house, and you have insulted my guest. But you will not assault my daughter. She is ill, and I will harm you if you do not leave at once.”

Addy's wrenching sobs filled the air. “My arm, Daddy! My arm! Make him go away, Daddy! He's hurt my arm!” When Patty began to screech for her sister, Thomas moved away, but he shot me a last look before mounting his horse.

Addy's cries continued as the two rode away, though they quickly ceased when the riders were no longer in sight. Patricia, concerned for her sister, began to climb into the wagon. Mr. Spencer caught her by her waist and set her down beside Clora. “Hester, I need you to take Clora and Patty up to Addy's room and wait for us there. Make certain the girls stay with you. I might have to carry Addy up, and I don't want to trip over anyone.”

Addy exhaled after Hester quickly ushered the two young girls away. “Oh, Daddy!” she said, her face blotched pink from crying.

“You were brave, my dear. Very brave,” her father said. “But now let's get you into the house.”

I came forward to help just as Addy moved her feet to the side and pulled back the pink and green quilt. “Are you all right?” she whispered, looking down into the wide eyes of a frightened boy.

I stared at Pan in disbelief. I was about to shout my relief when Mr. Spencer barked out, “Cover him up!” and Pan ducked under the covers once again. “Boy! Can you hear me?” he asked.

A muffled “uh-huh” answered him.

“Listen to me,” Mr. Spencer said. “First we will get Miss Addy into the house. You stay right where you are, and we will drive the wagon into the barn. Later we'll roll you up in blankets and bring you into the house. You hear me?”

The “uh-huh” was barely perceptible. I could have wept in relief at knowing Pan was with us.

As we helped Addy from the wagon, she looked at me and gave a thin laugh. “Oh, Mr. Burton, I was so frightened for the poor boy! My legs still feel weak,” she said.

“I don't wonder,” I said, offering her a grateful smile. What bravery she and her father had shown! But why had they risked so much? What was Pan to them? Yet now was not the time to ask.

“Do you want me to go to the barn with the wagon?” I asked Mr. Spencer.

“No, I'll go with Sam. It's best that you go inside. Can you take Addy in? Hester is waiting for her in her room. The two younger girls know nothing about this,” he warned.

“I understand,” I said before offering Addy my arm and leading her into the house.

She sighed when we came to the inside stairway. “I don't know if I am strong enough to climb all of those stairs, Mr. Burton. I believe I might be too weak.”

“Miss Adelaide, do I have your permission to carry you?” I asked.

“You do,” she said, and when I scooped her up, she dropped her head against my shoulder. Her hand rested softly against my chest. “This is really quite romantic,” she said, sighing again, and in spite of the trauma of the day, I fought back a chuckle.

“Well, today you are a heroine,” I said.

“Do you think so, Mr. Burton?” she asked as I carried her to her room.

“Indeed I do,” I said.

The patient was welcomed into her room with great fanfare. As Hester settled her on her bed, Addy pulled her down to whisper in her ear: “Did I do well, Hester?”