A Light to My Path by Lynn Austin Page A

pen to make their selections.
    On their last day in Savannah, Massa Coop sold Big Amos. It happened so quickly that Grady didn’t even have a chance to say good-bye to his friend. One minute Amos stood near Grady in the yard, the next minute Massa Coop handed over the big slave to a new owner. Grady felt the loss like a blow to the stomach. But he held back his tears as he remembered Amos’ words on the first day they’d met: “Don’t you let them white folks hear you cry! Don’t you ever give them that power over you.”
    As he watched Amos’ new owner lead him and four other slaves away, Grady slowly became aware of Massa Coop and William eyeing him from the other side of the gate. “Come over here, boy,” Coop finally said. Grady approached warily.
    “Is he still sick?” Coop asked William.
    “No, Massa. He’s much better now. Back on his feed again.”
    “Good. Bring him inside.”
    Grady’s heart pounded wildly against his ribs as he battled a new surge of fear. The guard unlocked the gate, and as soon as Grady walked through it, William planted his hand on his shoulder. The gate banged shut behind them. Grady gritted his teeth, determined not to let anyone know how terrified he felt. William never let go of him as they followed Massa Coop down the street to his hotel. A Negro porter held the lobby door open for Coop, but William steered Grady around the building to the servants’ entrance in the rear, then up the back stairs.
    Grady had no idea what was going to happen to him or why Massa Coop wanted him. Facing the unknown filled him with such dread that he could scarcely breathe. William must have noticed his distress as they labored up the steps because he stopped and turned to him when they reached the door to Coop’s hotel room.
    “Ain’t nothing to be afraid of,” he said gruffly. “Long as you pay attention and do what you’re told, ain’t nothing bad gonna happen.”
    “I ain’t afraid,” Grady lied.
    “Good.” William knocked lightly on the door, then led the way inside. Massa Coop hadn’t arrived yet.
    Grady took a few steps into the room, then halted. He had never been in a place like this before, had never seen a canopied bed or curtained windows or a red plush armchair or a beautifully patterned carpet like the one on this floor. He’d lived in the loft above the kitchen with five other slaves all his life and had never been allowed inside the Big House where Caroline and her father lived. He wondered if those rooms had been as fine as this one.
    “You know how to build a fire?”
    Grady jumped at the sound of William’s voice. William gestured to the fireplace where the coals smoldered.
    “Well? Do you?” he asked when Grady didn’t reply.
    “Yes, sir,” he replied, his voice squeaky with fear. He used to keep the kitchen fire going while Esther cooked, and he’d tended the fire in the scrub house whenever Luella did the wash.
    “Then do it,” William said.
    Grady pulled two pieces of firewood from the box, then knelt by the hearth and carefully stoked the coals, blowing on them and rebuilding the fire the way Eli had taught him. By the time Massa Coop arrived, the flames blazed nicely, warming the room. William hurried to Massa’s side as soon as he walked through the door, helping him with his coat and hat. Grady watched, scarcely able to breathe as Coop sank down in the red plush armchair by the fire, his long legs outstretched.
    Grady dropped his gaze as Coop stared at him with his cold, penetrating eyes. “Come over here, boy,” he finally said.
    Grady edged closer on trembling legs. Coop pointed to his boots. “Pull them off for me.”
    Grady bent and lifted his master’s foot. He tugged as hard as he dared, stumbling backward and nearly landing in the fire when the boot finally flew off.
    “Anyone ever teach you how to polish boots?” Coop asked.
    “Yes, sir,” he said, recovering his balance again. Every night before he went to bed it had been his job