but'¦"
"But what?"
"My father says there are some who abuse the law. That they treat their slaves as though they were subhuman. That's not right."
"I don't think so either and I can understand why Samuel would be angry about that."
"But?"
"But look at what has happened in our city. This has nothing to do with slaves. To say he will not fight because the Confederacy supports slavery sounds like an excuse to me. There is an army outside with guns. Theyare telling us what music we can and cannot sing, how we may dress. They opened fire on my family right in the middle of Pratt Street!"
"I know," Sally said. "That's why Stephen enlisted." She paused. "And you're angry with Sam because he didn't."
Julia looked at her. There was no need to reply to the last statement. Sally already knew her thoughts.
"You still have feelings for him, don't you?"
Julia sighed heavily. To deny it would be a lie but to acknowledge them was to deny her brother's honor.
"I can understand your dilemma," Sally said.
"You can?"
"Certainly. If my fiancé refused to defend our city I would feel the same."
She saw doubt in Sally's eyes and she knew she was keeping something back. "But?" Julia encouraged.
Sally shrugged. "Perhaps it isn't cowardice."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Sam is a man of conviction. Although it may not be the same conviction you share. It takes courage to stand up for what you believe when no one else believes the same."
Julia sighed once more. "He came to the prayer meeting today."
"What prayer meeting?"
"The one at the church."
Sally looked embarrassed. "I forgot about that. Father must have as well. He said yesterday that we would attend."
"It was only my family, Reverend Perry and Samuel."
"Did he sit with you?"
Julia shook her head. She explained what happened after the service had ended.
Sally's eyes widened. "He said he would honor your wishes?"
"Yes."
"I see."
Finality hit Julia with a thud. The engagement had been severed. Samuel Ward would not be her husband.
"I should have been more open with the others," she said. "I should have told them everything."
"Well," Sally said slowly, "there is no need for gossip, especially from Rebekah." She squeezed Julia's hand. "Things will sort out in time."
She knew Sally was right.
But how much time would have to pass before Julia knew happiness again?
Chapter Four
T he following morning, Sam finished his first class and walked to the third-floor faculty room for a meeting. The assembly had been called unexpectedly and all were eager to learn why. He took a seat amidst his fellow history and rhetoric professors. The discussion of war was already churning.
"It is no wonder that attendance is falling," one man said. "An invading army will do such a thing."
"It will keep many a young man hiding in his root cellar."
"Only because by hiding there he has an excuse not to finish his assignments."
Several of the teachers laughed and the conversation continued to swirl. The staff shared their opinions and concerns of what the coming weeks may hold. Sam did not add to the discussion. His mind kept drifting in and out of focus, somewhere between God and Julia much of the time.
He could not forget the look on her face yesterday as he'd approached her, eyes hesitant and suspicious. Her dark hair had been covered by a butternut bonnet. Sam couldn't help but wonder if she had chosen the color onpurpose, as a statement of her political position. Edward and his fellow Maryland Guard members had left town in uniforms of the same color.
More than anything, Sam hoped that in time Julia would see he was not against her or her family. He wished for
"But what?"
"My father says there are some who abuse the law. That they treat their slaves as though they were subhuman. That's not right."
"I don't think so either and I can understand why Samuel would be angry about that."
"But?"
"But look at what has happened in our city. This has nothing to do with slaves. To say he will not fight because the Confederacy supports slavery sounds like an excuse to me. There is an army outside with guns. Theyare telling us what music we can and cannot sing, how we may dress. They opened fire on my family right in the middle of Pratt Street!"
"I know," Sally said. "That's why Stephen enlisted." She paused. "And you're angry with Sam because he didn't."
Julia looked at her. There was no need to reply to the last statement. Sally already knew her thoughts.
"You still have feelings for him, don't you?"
Julia sighed heavily. To deny it would be a lie but to acknowledge them was to deny her brother's honor.
"I can understand your dilemma," Sally said.
"You can?"
"Certainly. If my fiancé refused to defend our city I would feel the same."
She saw doubt in Sally's eyes and she knew she was keeping something back. "But?" Julia encouraged.
Sally shrugged. "Perhaps it isn't cowardice."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Sam is a man of conviction. Although it may not be the same conviction you share. It takes courage to stand up for what you believe when no one else believes the same."
Julia sighed once more. "He came to the prayer meeting today."
"What prayer meeting?"
"The one at the church."
Sally looked embarrassed. "I forgot about that. Father must have as well. He said yesterday that we would attend."
"It was only my family, Reverend Perry and Samuel."
"Did he sit with you?"
Julia shook her head. She explained what happened after the service had ended.
Sally's eyes widened. "He said he would honor your wishes?"
"Yes."
"I see."
Finality hit Julia with a thud. The engagement had been severed. Samuel Ward would not be her husband.
"I should have been more open with the others," she said. "I should have told them everything."
"Well," Sally said slowly, "there is no need for gossip, especially from Rebekah." She squeezed Julia's hand. "Things will sort out in time."
She knew Sally was right.
But how much time would have to pass before Julia knew happiness again?
Chapter Four
T he following morning, Sam finished his first class and walked to the third-floor faculty room for a meeting. The assembly had been called unexpectedly and all were eager to learn why. He took a seat amidst his fellow history and rhetoric professors. The discussion of war was already churning.
"It is no wonder that attendance is falling," one man said. "An invading army will do such a thing."
"It will keep many a young man hiding in his root cellar."
"Only because by hiding there he has an excuse not to finish his assignments."
Several of the teachers laughed and the conversation continued to swirl. The staff shared their opinions and concerns of what the coming weeks may hold. Sam did not add to the discussion. His mind kept drifting in and out of focus, somewhere between God and Julia much of the time.
He could not forget the look on her face yesterday as he'd approached her, eyes hesitant and suspicious. Her dark hair had been covered by a butternut bonnet. Sam couldn't help but wonder if she had chosen the color onpurpose, as a statement of her political position. Edward and his fellow Maryland Guard members had left town in uniforms of the same color.
More than anything, Sam hoped that in time Julia would see he was not against her or her family. He wished for
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