Whitney

 

THE NIGHT OF THE UPRISING, her father, Rufus, and his men leisurely sat drinking whiskey and smoking cigars in the study. Art Barry mingled with his working staff as if they were his friends. Creatures of darkness find commonality, Whitney thought as she listened to their intoxicated, vulgar conversation drifting from the library.

“Whit?” Knox’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Are we going to play the game with the twins or not?”

“Yes.” She looked from the plate of treats the kitchen cook had prepared for their game night to Kimie, who sat cross-legged on the floor playing with her dolls, waiting patiently.

Jack, who had been outside playing until the sun went down, stomped the mud from his boots on the veranda before stepping into the foyer. Whitney frowned as he paused and closed his eyes before taking a deep breath and entering the library. “Hello, y’all. Sorry to have kept you waiting,” he said, sounding old beyond his years.

Whitney arched an eyebrow. “Jack, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I think it is a perfect night for a carriage ride.” His grin didn’t reach his dark eyes.

“But Jack, we are going to play some games,” Knox said.

“We will later, but a nice ride will help me relax my mind. So I can win.” He smirked with mischievousness at his sudden, brilliant idea to get his own way.

Whitney couldn’t help but chuckle at her dirty-faced little brother. Jack was always missing in action. His love for nature often had him off on a new adventure. She knew in his mind the farther he could be from the plantation, the better, and she couldn’t help but agree. I wish I could take them and run from this horrible place, she grumbled to herself.

“All right, Jack, you win. I will find Thomas and ask him to prepare the carriage.”

He let out a whoop and ran toward Kimie while calling over his shoulder, “Thomas is already out front, waiting.” He grabbed Kimie’s arm, pulling her to her feet. “Come on, Kimie, let’s go.”

Whitney and Knox exchanged a puzzled look. Gathering up a blanket for the children, Whitney handed it to Knox, then placed her straw bonnet on her head and tied the blue silk ribbons under her chin.

“I don’t feel like a carriage ride tonight, Jack.” Kimie stomped her foot. “I want to play with my dolls for a bit longer.”

Jack slightly bent down, as if his three extra inches of height were far greater, and stared into Kimie’s tear-filled blue eyes. “Now, Kimie, this is something your brother wants to do, and you know how Whitney tells us we have to think of others, right?”

“Yes,” she said grudgingly, and pouted.

“Well, what are you going to do about it?”

“I’m going to go on the carriage ride.” Angry, she folded her arms across her chest.

Whitney put her hand over her mouth to muffle her giggles at Jack’s manipulation of his sister. So wrong, but oh, so funny. Knox’s eyes lit up with his own mirth.

Kimie snatched the shawl and bonnet Whitney offered her. Securing her own bonnet, she gave Jack a glare and headed outside.

As Jack had stated, the open carriage stood waiting. Thomas tipped his hat. “Evenin’.”

When all of his passengers were seated and settled, Thomas took his place in the driver’s seat. He hesitated, glancing around the plantation before shouting an order to the horses, and they were off.

Jack slouched low in the carriage seat, his wary eyes unwaveringly fixed on the house. The light of the plantation faded behind them. The carriage lanterns swung back and forth with the swaying of the carriage as they rode along.

Growing concerned at Jack’s suddenly sullen mood, Whitney asked, “Jack, are you all right?”

He leveled a solemn look at her but nodded.

“Are you sure?” She saw panic beginning to surface on his face. “What is it? Tell me.”

He searched her face before saying, “I know something very bad that is going to happen, but it will save a lot of people.”

At his words, Thomas slowed the horses to a stop, “I knowed et, Miss Whitney! Somepin’ bin amiss in de quarters since de river. Lots of whisperin’ dat I was left out of. I got a feelin’ in my bones dat somepin’ ain’t right.”

Whitney gave Jack a stern look. “Jackson Barry, if you know something is happening, you need to tell me now!” She grabbed his arm firmly.

“Ouch! All right.” He squirmed under her gaze before fixing his eyes on her. “On my way to the house, when I passed the big barn, I heard voices coming from it and I stuck out my ear and I heard them say, tonight they were going to end Father and his men while they sat drinking up in the big house.”

“What?” Whitney and Knox said in unison.

“They are burning it and running tonight.” He leaned forward, head down; sobs shook his body. “That’s why—why I made Thomas take us for a ride, so we weren’t in the house when it happened. I couldn’t tell anyone because Father would do horrible things to them if he found out.” The guilt and helplessness overwhelmed him and his sobs became cries of anguish.

Thomas, without waiting for a command, turned the horses back toward the plantation. “Thomas, to the Armstrong Plantation,” Knox ordered. “We will need Bowden’s help,” he said to Whitney.

Fear twisted her insides as the horses ran at breakneck speed toward the Armstrong Plantation. The short distance to Bowden’s homestead seemed to take forever. When they arrived, Knox almost tore the front door off, trying to get in. Whitney and the twins stayed seated in the carriage.

And then Whitney smelled it. It was happening.