morning, the front door burst open and Julia emerged on her husband’s arm, followed by a throng of family and friends seeing the newlyweds off in a cascade of tossed flowers. As Gabriel opened the carriage door and Ulys helped Julia inside, Jule waited nearby, ready to dash back inside for any essential thing Julia might suddenly decide she could not travel without.
“Jule, I do wish you could come with me,” Julia lamented through the carriage window after she had settled into her seat. “I’d feel so much braver with you there, so far from home.”
Jule managed a smile, though she was not feeling particularly brave herself. Except when Julia was at school—and even then she had returned to White Haven often—she and Julia had not been parted since they were tiny girls, holding hands as they scampered along the length of the piazza, ginger and cream. As soon as the carriage pulled away, everything would change. “I think Captain Grant can look after you just fine,” she said.
“Yes, but—” Julia glanced over to make sure Ulys was busy speaking with the driver and wouldn’t overhear. “Dare I trust him to fix my hair?”
Jule’s smile deepened. “That’s not for me to say, but I did put a bottle of that fragrant pomade you like so much in your satchel, brewed up fresh yesterday. It’ll keep your hair as smooth and glossy as mink, so it won’t matter how you arrange it.”
“Oh, thank you, Jule. I’m embarrassed to admit I nearly forgot—I have a gift for you too.” From her reticule Julia took a new lace handkerchief tied in a bow around something small, which she passed through the window. “A token of my gratitude for all you did to make my wedding day so wonderful.”
Jule weighed the lace bundle in her palm, starting in surprise as several coins clinked together enticingly. “I’m very grateful,” she said carefully, “but I wonder if I might ask another gift of you instead.”
Julia’s brows drew together in puzzlement. “I suppose so, but you know, those coins are gold. You could likely buy whatever it is you want.”
In a sudden, unexpected surge of anger, Jule was tempted to ask what price Julia would set for her freedom, hers and Gabriel’s—but of course, that would be up to the old master, and he was notoriously tightfisted. “What I’d truly like,” she said instead, “is that India mull muslin dress you meant to marry in before Mrs. O’Fallon gave you that fine lace gown.”
“You want my dress?” Julia echoed, surprised. “But it’s much too large for you.”
“I know how to take it in.”
“Well, of course you do, but what occasion would you possibly have to wear—” Julia gave herself a little shake. “Of course you may have the dress. Take the dress, and the money too. You’ve earned them both.”
Jule stared at her, momentarily speechless. She had never heard a Dent admit that any of their servants had earned anything, except punishments—but Julia was a Dent no longer. “Thank you, Mrs. Grant.”
Julia gave a little start. “Oh, my goodness. Mrs. Grant. That’s who I am now.”
Captain Grant gave the order for the carriage to start, and as Gabriel took the reins in hand, Jule caught his eye and mouthed the words,
Hurry back.
She had something very important to ask him, but she already knew how he would answer.
Chapter Three
A UGUST –O CTOBER 1848
J ulia snuggled close to Ulys as the carriage sped them to the riverfront, where they boarded a steamer that would carry them down the Mississippi to Cairo, Illinois, and then northeast up the Ohio River. She had never traveled farther from White Haven than St. Louis, and she marveled at the magnificent grace and speed of the boat as it powered through the water. Hour after hour, she enjoyed sitting alone with Ulys, watching the green countryside and thriving villages in passing. Sometimes Ulys would read to her, to “save her eyes,” as he said, and she in turn would sing to him, low and
“Jule, I do wish you could come with me,” Julia lamented through the carriage window after she had settled into her seat. “I’d feel so much braver with you there, so far from home.”
Jule managed a smile, though she was not feeling particularly brave herself. Except when Julia was at school—and even then she had returned to White Haven often—she and Julia had not been parted since they were tiny girls, holding hands as they scampered along the length of the piazza, ginger and cream. As soon as the carriage pulled away, everything would change. “I think Captain Grant can look after you just fine,” she said.
“Yes, but—” Julia glanced over to make sure Ulys was busy speaking with the driver and wouldn’t overhear. “Dare I trust him to fix my hair?”
Jule’s smile deepened. “That’s not for me to say, but I did put a bottle of that fragrant pomade you like so much in your satchel, brewed up fresh yesterday. It’ll keep your hair as smooth and glossy as mink, so it won’t matter how you arrange it.”
“Oh, thank you, Jule. I’m embarrassed to admit I nearly forgot—I have a gift for you too.” From her reticule Julia took a new lace handkerchief tied in a bow around something small, which she passed through the window. “A token of my gratitude for all you did to make my wedding day so wonderful.”
Jule weighed the lace bundle in her palm, starting in surprise as several coins clinked together enticingly. “I’m very grateful,” she said carefully, “but I wonder if I might ask another gift of you instead.”
Julia’s brows drew together in puzzlement. “I suppose so, but you know, those coins are gold. You could likely buy whatever it is you want.”
In a sudden, unexpected surge of anger, Jule was tempted to ask what price Julia would set for her freedom, hers and Gabriel’s—but of course, that would be up to the old master, and he was notoriously tightfisted. “What I’d truly like,” she said instead, “is that India mull muslin dress you meant to marry in before Mrs. O’Fallon gave you that fine lace gown.”
“You want my dress?” Julia echoed, surprised. “But it’s much too large for you.”
“I know how to take it in.”
“Well, of course you do, but what occasion would you possibly have to wear—” Julia gave herself a little shake. “Of course you may have the dress. Take the dress, and the money too. You’ve earned them both.”
Jule stared at her, momentarily speechless. She had never heard a Dent admit that any of their servants had earned anything, except punishments—but Julia was a Dent no longer. “Thank you, Mrs. Grant.”
Julia gave a little start. “Oh, my goodness. Mrs. Grant. That’s who I am now.”
Captain Grant gave the order for the carriage to start, and as Gabriel took the reins in hand, Jule caught his eye and mouthed the words,
Hurry back.
She had something very important to ask him, but she already knew how he would answer.
Chapter Three
A UGUST –O CTOBER 1848
J ulia snuggled close to Ulys as the carriage sped them to the riverfront, where they boarded a steamer that would carry them down the Mississippi to Cairo, Illinois, and then northeast up the Ohio River. She had never traveled farther from White Haven than St. Louis, and she marveled at the magnificent grace and speed of the boat as it powered through the water. Hour after hour, she enjoyed sitting alone with Ulys, watching the green countryside and thriving villages in passing. Sometimes Ulys would read to her, to “save her eyes,” as he said, and she in turn would sing to him, low and
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