IN THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED we enjoyed all the finest things New York had to offer, from the theater and upscale restaurants to the museums. We shopped until we had filled several extra trunks for our journey home. The twins had a complete new wardrobe. Kimie, with a fashion sense like her big sister, found great delight in her new clothes. Jack, being Jack (and a boy), grumbled at the endless wandering of stores. Whitney treated him to a new toy to occupy him, which also kept his complaints to a minimum.

Our last few days in New York, we visited with Whitney’s Auntie Em, who showed immense enjoyment of our company. Father remained in the city, attending to his affairs. Our time with Aunt Em ended too soon for all of us. We headed back to the hotel to prepare for our trip home.

When we arrived at the hotel, the front desk clerk handed me a message. I unfolded the stationery and read the brief, neatly scripted note.

 

Miss Willow,

I know you will be heading home soon and I’d like the honor of meeting with you one more time. If you could meet me at the same coffeehouse as before, I would like to ask you a few questions. I will be there at two o’clock.

Ruby Stewart

 

“Who is it from?” Whitney asked.

“It’s from Ruby. She would like to meet with me at the coffeehouse. She said she has some questions for me.” I lifted a brow in curiosity at Ruby’s last-minute request.

The ear-piercing squeal of the twins as they raced around the lobby demanded our immediate attention.

“Jack, Kimie—come here this instant!” Whitney demanded.

The twins came meekly to her side. Whitney’s exhaustion was evident. I watched her as she spoke firmly to her brother and sister on the manners expected of them in a public place. I admired the maternal love she had for her siblings and how she had taken full responsibility for them when they had no one else. One word described my dear friend, and it was “selfless.”

“Why don’t you all stay here? Mary Grace could use the rest and these rascals can relax and play in their room,” I tousled Jack’s hair. He grinned up at me, thrilled at the idea of not having to follow us on another outing.

He turned to Whitney and bobbed his head up and down. “Please, Whitney. Like Willow said, we need to rest. You girls pretty much wore out my good shoes with all your shopping.”

Whitney and I exchanged a glance. The corners of our mouths turned up.

“I insist, Whitney,” I said. “You are wiped clean of energy, and it would do you all some good to rest a spell.”

I saw the conflicting emotions zigzag across her face—relief, yet uncertainty.

“It will be fine.” I smiled, lightly resting my hand on her arm.

“You’re right. These twins will be the end of my youth.” She laughed.

The doorman signaled a hansom cab and it rolled to a stop. The doorman helped me into the cab, and I was off.

The driver helped me out at the coffeehouse. I paused to smooth my cream-colored taffeta dress while I peered through the windows. I saw Ruby. She gazed out the window, but her eyes seemed to be focused far away.

Lifting the hem of my gown to avoid the grime on the cobblestones, I strolled to the door and stepped inside. I showed myself to Ruby’s table.

“Good day, Miss Ruby,” I said as I seated myself.

“Oh, Miss Willow.” Her eyes focused on me and she grinned sheepishly. “Thank you for meeting me on such short notice.”

“Not to worry,” I said. “You said you had some questions for me?”

Ruby nodded and paused while composing what she wanted to say. But instead of speaking, she looked at me bleakly and her eyes sought mine.

“Ruby, ask me whatever you like. What is troubling you so?”

“It’s your eyes. I’m wondering if I’ve seen them before, but when I was a little girl.”

“My eyes?” I frowned, perplexed. “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“As I mentioned to you, I don’t recall my past before I came to New York. My childhood came to me in dreams and visions I can’t piece together. They plagued me for years before disappearing altogether. When you walked into the restaurant, I had an eerie feeling I had met you before. Your face looks so familiar, but it’s your eyes that have haunted me since we met. You see, in my visions I see a woman with the same deep green eyes. All these years, I’ve thought that my subconscious was trying to tell me something, but I’ve forced the thoughts away because they were too confusing and frightening to deal with. After meeting you, my turmoil has returned.”

Stunned, I swallowed hard, uncertain what to say. I could not give her the answers she sought. “What is this woman doing in your visions?” I asked, hoping to help her sort out her thoughts.

“It’s dark…we are running in a thick wooded area…it’s damp and cold. I hear the barking of dogs and men shouting. As the scenes play out, I’m filled with a fear so great I can’t move. The woman and child are running frantically, trying to escape the men and their dogs. During these visions, I am looking through the eyes of the child. In the next vision the woman and the child are hiding in tall bushes or grass, and the child is sobbing. The woman pulls the child to her and tries to calm her. Besides a direct view of the woman’s eyes, that is all I see of her.

“It’s the same visions over and over. In other dreams a man appears to me—like the woman, always the same man. He pats my head affectionately and his infectious laughter makes me laugh. Then when my dreams turn to nightmares, he rides in like a black knight and hums a tune that soothes all my fears. When I wake I’m drenched in sweat and tears, feeling a longing so deep, I can’t eat or sleep for days.” Ruby stopped and regarded me with tortured eyes.

“Do you think your mind is putting bits and pieces of your escape together?”

“That is what keeps rolling around in my head. It makes sense that someone helped me escape. How could a child so young make it all the way to New York alone? But then again…maybe it’s not my story at all. Maybe it’s me longing to know where I came from, and I’m pushing myself to make these visions my own past. Maybe this vision had to do with you coming into my life, and our lives will become intertwined in helping the slaves to freedom.”

I came to understand her confusion as she voiced her thoughts. “What of the black knight? What significance does he play in these dreams?”

“Maybe he is my father…or maybe he is my Prince Charming.” She tried to laugh playfully, but it didn’t ease the confusion on her face.

“I’m sorry, Ruby, that I can’t be of more help.”

Her eyes grew sad. “It’s all right. How could I expect answers from you about a past that has nothing to do with you? It’s almost a relief to reveal the craziness in my head aloud to someone.” She smiled softly.

As we boarded the train to return to Livingston, my mind returned to the conversation I’d had with Ruby. I knew how daunting unanswered questions could be, and how they could nibble away at your mind. As the train pulled out of the station, I glanced out my window and sent voiceless well wishes to my newfound friend, and the hope that she would find the answers she sought.