thee as I should.” She scratched her eyebrow and brushed a strand of hair aside. Her fingers trembled, and she hoped he hadn't noticed. “When I heard the scripture this morning, I realized I don't want to be a grudge holder or have unforgiving thoughts linger in my heart. I want to be obedient to the Lord. Please know that I forgive thee and will not begrudge thee for thy past.”
“I'm sorry, too.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at the ground. “I was hoping we could come to some kind of truce for the success of this mission. In spite of what thee must think of me, I've a sincere desire to serve the Lord and see slavery abolished, and I'll do anything in my power to help the cause of freedom.”
“That's why I've come to admire thee so much.” She offered a smile, hoping she wouldn't come to regret those words.
“Does this mean thee is willing to follow my lead in the wilderness? I don't want thee feeling like I'm bossy, but I need to know I can depend on thee.”
“Bruce Millikan, I'll always speak my mind. If I don't agree with thee, I'll tell thee. I do not blindly follow any man.” She took another deep breath. “But I promise to consider thy viewpoint if I'm tempted to defy thee.”
A week later, Bruce rode up to Pastor John's house. The slave couple, Marta and Jim, had arrived with a Quaker from South Carolina on his way to market. Unable to stay, the man dropped them off and headed back south.
Bruce tethered his horse to a tree in the front yard. The Saferight's wagon was also parked out front. He walked around the side of the house toward the brown barn, where he heard voices. Flora laughed at something. The hearty sound lifted his mood. He hadn't known what to expect the next time he saw her. After her genuine confession at Meeting on Sunday, he couldn't help wondering if she would change her mind once she had more time to reflect on her decision.
His respect for her had risen a notch. He still wasn't convinced that she was the most experienced midwife for this mission, but it seemed he had been overruled on that matter. Now he would just have to make the best of it, and he had no doubt he could do so with the Lord's assistance.
Shadow barked, running out to greet him. Bruce smiled and bent to rub the dog between the ears. The excited animal circled him, shaking his tail in approval.
“Good to see thee.” Pastor John stepped out from the shade of the barn entrance and extended his hand. Flora followed with her sister, Irene, and both her parents. They all nodded with greeting smiles. Bruce took John's hand in a firm grip and then shook Will Saferight's hand.
“Allow me to introduce thee to Marta and Jim. They arrived last night,” John said, stepping aside and gesturing to a young black couple.
Marta didn't look much older than fourteen or fifteen. She gazed up at him with hazel eyes, a mixture of hope and trepidation lingering in her expression. He imagined she didn't trust people very easily. Her round belly protruded from a thin, malnourished frame in a ragged gray dress. Bruce swallowed in discomfort, wondering how she'd made it this far. Her frizzy black hair had escaped a single braid as if she had been through a difficult trip.
Blinking back a bit of moisture and swallowing his compassion, he offered a smile. “Glad to meet thee, Marta. I'm looking forward to helping thee.”
Next, he glanced at the man standing beside her. His skin was much darker than Marta's, and he stood a few inches taller than Bruce. His dark eyes held a hard glint as he assessed Bruce, looking him up and down.
“Glad to meet thee as well, Jim.” Bruce offered his hand.
Jim stared as if he wasn't sure he wanted to touch it. He scratched the side of his head, covered with bushy hair. Something flickered in his eyes, and he tilted his long face, giving Bruce a better view of his wide nose and full lips.
In an awkward silence, Bruce started to pull his hand back when Jim finally extended
“I'm sorry, too.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at the ground. “I was hoping we could come to some kind of truce for the success of this mission. In spite of what thee must think of me, I've a sincere desire to serve the Lord and see slavery abolished, and I'll do anything in my power to help the cause of freedom.”
“That's why I've come to admire thee so much.” She offered a smile, hoping she wouldn't come to regret those words.
“Does this mean thee is willing to follow my lead in the wilderness? I don't want thee feeling like I'm bossy, but I need to know I can depend on thee.”
“Bruce Millikan, I'll always speak my mind. If I don't agree with thee, I'll tell thee. I do not blindly follow any man.” She took another deep breath. “But I promise to consider thy viewpoint if I'm tempted to defy thee.”
A week later, Bruce rode up to Pastor John's house. The slave couple, Marta and Jim, had arrived with a Quaker from South Carolina on his way to market. Unable to stay, the man dropped them off and headed back south.
Bruce tethered his horse to a tree in the front yard. The Saferight's wagon was also parked out front. He walked around the side of the house toward the brown barn, where he heard voices. Flora laughed at something. The hearty sound lifted his mood. He hadn't known what to expect the next time he saw her. After her genuine confession at Meeting on Sunday, he couldn't help wondering if she would change her mind once she had more time to reflect on her decision.
His respect for her had risen a notch. He still wasn't convinced that she was the most experienced midwife for this mission, but it seemed he had been overruled on that matter. Now he would just have to make the best of it, and he had no doubt he could do so with the Lord's assistance.
Shadow barked, running out to greet him. Bruce smiled and bent to rub the dog between the ears. The excited animal circled him, shaking his tail in approval.
“Good to see thee.” Pastor John stepped out from the shade of the barn entrance and extended his hand. Flora followed with her sister, Irene, and both her parents. They all nodded with greeting smiles. Bruce took John's hand in a firm grip and then shook Will Saferight's hand.
“Allow me to introduce thee to Marta and Jim. They arrived last night,” John said, stepping aside and gesturing to a young black couple.
Marta didn't look much older than fourteen or fifteen. She gazed up at him with hazel eyes, a mixture of hope and trepidation lingering in her expression. He imagined she didn't trust people very easily. Her round belly protruded from a thin, malnourished frame in a ragged gray dress. Bruce swallowed in discomfort, wondering how she'd made it this far. Her frizzy black hair had escaped a single braid as if she had been through a difficult trip.
Blinking back a bit of moisture and swallowing his compassion, he offered a smile. “Glad to meet thee, Marta. I'm looking forward to helping thee.”
Next, he glanced at the man standing beside her. His skin was much darker than Marta's, and he stood a few inches taller than Bruce. His dark eyes held a hard glint as he assessed Bruce, looking him up and down.
“Glad to meet thee as well, Jim.” Bruce offered his hand.
Jim stared as if he wasn't sure he wanted to touch it. He scratched the side of his head, covered with bushy hair. Something flickered in his eyes, and he tilted his long face, giving Bruce a better view of his wide nose and full lips.
In an awkward silence, Bruce started to pull his hand back when Jim finally extended
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