Holding the dripping gown in front of her, Olivia hurried down the stairs.
Maggie turned from the stove. “I see you’re wearing Matthew’s britches again.”
Carefully smoothing the wrinkles out of the dark cotton dress, Olivia nodded. “I didn’t wash this last night. But then it wouldn’t have dried. The rain was cold, wasn’t it?”
“We’re getting into fall. I been looking at the trees every day, and I see them changing color. Worries me that we won’t make Canada before snow. I ain’t been in snow, but they tell me it’s miserable.”
Olivia nodded. “Crystal and I spent a winter in Boston. After beautiful Mississippi, it was horrible. I’ll never live in the North again. Snow and cold, and then more of the same.”
She heard a chuckle and turned. Caleb shook his head. “Don’t say that, Missy—could be just what’ll happen to you.”
“I intend to leave for home just as soon as this trip is finished.”
“You’re not goin’ to stay and help up North?” Maggie looked shocked. “Here I thought—”
Hastily Caleb said, “Maggie, will you make some coffee for us? Send it up to the cabin by Livie.” He went upstairs and Maggie carried the coffeepot to the stove.
“Must be something going on up there.” She jerked her head toward the hurricane deck.
“Could be,” Olivia murmured. As she continued to smooth the wrinkles out of her wet clothing, she recalled the way Caleb had interrupted Maggie.
Going to the stove, she asked, “Maggie, what made you think I would stay in the North?”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Missy, we’ve just been conjecturing. Seems we all thought you and Alex make a good pair. He sure enough seems to want you around.”
“Because he forced me to stay on the boat? Maggie, that’s simply an indication he doesn’t trust me to keep my mouth shut.”
“The coffee’s done. I’ll put the whole load in this box for you. Might be someone’ll want a piece of fried bread with it.”
Olivia picked up the box. “Are there mugs, too?”
She climbed the stairs to the hurricane deck and found the cabin door was ajar. Olivia pushed it open and went in. Charts and maps were spread across the table. Alex was seated in front of them, busy writing. He looked up. “Thanks for bringing the coffee. Caleb must’ve forgot.”
“No, he told me to. Where is he? I saw him go upstairs.”
“Pilothouse. He’s staying with Matthew. There’s a tricky section coming up.”
“I’ll take coffee up,” Olivia said. Alex nodded and bent over the charts. Quickly she filled the mug and left the room.
In the pilothouse she found Caleb sprawled on the bench with his red cap over his eyes. “Sleeping! I thought you wanted coffee,” she taunted.
He shoved the cap aside and grinned, “Alex did. You’re neglecting your job. Thanks for the coffee.”
“My job is to carry coffee?”
Matthew eyed her. “You wear out my trousers, and then what do I wear?”
“Brother dear, by then you’ll be buying clothes for both of us, and it had best be soon.”
“We’re getting close to Pennsylvania.”
She looked at Matthew. “Are you going home with me?”
He grinned. “Not unless I can convince Crystal she should come, too.”
Olivia frowned. “Don’t push. I have the distinct impression that Crystal wishes you would stop bothering her.”
“Off and on she feels that way. But I’m winning. You’ve noticed she didn’t get off at Cincinnati.”
“You know as well as I that she’s committed herself to seeing that Joseph gets into Canada.”
Matthew nodded and leaned forward to peer at the river channel. “Caleb, come tell me what you think about that dark line I’m seeing. Is it a snag?”
Olivia slipped out and closed the door. For a moment she faced the wind. Feeling the prickle of cold against her skin, she shivered. “Maggie is right; fall is coming.”
She stopped in the doorway of the cabin. “More coffee?” Alex shook his head. She lingered.
Looking up he said, “Why don’t you come in and close the door; it’s getting cold.”
“What are you going to do during cold weather? You can’t keep this up all winter can you?”
“No. But I’ll be able to get in another trip before ice jams the rivers.” He threw her a quick teasing look. “Want to come?” She snorted. He chuckled. “Just thought I’d ask.”
He continued to make notes while Olivia walked restlessly around the room. She discovered he was watching her. “You could read a book or something.”
“Your Bible?”
“If you want.”
“No, thanks.”
“Know it all, huh?”
“You are insufferable.”
“Maggie thinks we make a great pair.”
“Oh, she’s told you, too. Matchmaking. I happen to feel differently. You realize, don’t you, if I’d any idea what I was getting into, I’d never have listened to Lem.” As soon as she said the words, she put her hand to her lips.
She caught her breath as he dropped his pencil and leaned across the table. “Lem? What—” She watched dismay change to comprehension. Slowly he stood up. Studying her from head to toe, he said, “The youth with your cousin! I thought you were a b—” He sat down and wiped his hands across his face. “I really walloped—”
“Me.” Her voice was icy, and suddenly she began to enjoy his embarrassment.
“Olivia,” he came around the table and she faced him with her chin tilted. “I honestly don’t know how to apologize. It isn’t enough to say I’m sorry. My dear,” he begged, “I’ve never struck a woman in my life.”
“Until now. I shan’t forget it.”
“Then you won’t forgive me?”
“Not enough to get within six feet of you on purpose.” She turned and walked out of the cabin.
****
After the evening meal, Alex addressed the group. “We are getting very close to our destination. At the moment we don’t know enough about the situation ahead of us to make hard and fast plans, but I want to tell you what we hope will happen.”
A ripple of excitement swept around the table. Looking at the bright faces, Olivia felt her own heart lift. Tandy got to her feet. “Alex, we will never in our lives be able to say what you mean to us. But thank you for what you’ve done.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he said with a tight grin. “We may be approaching the hardest part of the whole trip. And don’t forget, I’m as new at this as you are.
“One of the first things we will do is divide the group and place a leader over each group.” He paused to take a deep breath before he continued. “The reasoning behind this is that there is a possibility we will be separated. I hope this won’t happen, but in the event, we want to be prepared.”
“Leader? What’s his job?”
“Be father and mother and lover.” In the silence, Alex continued, “Whatever must be done for each other, must be done within the group. We will have to depend on each other and stick together. If one reaches Canada, we will all reach Canada.”
“Alex, are you going, too?”
“Certainly. I can’t rest until the job is completed.”
“And the ladies?”
“No. They will either stay at a station on the way, or they’ll be free to leave.”
“Station? Is this part of the Underground Railroad, Alex?”
“It is. The most important part. In Mississippi, we dared not admit this, but in Ohio and Pennsylvania—”
Caleb chuckled. “We stick out like a sore thumb. Except at night, then they can’t tell whether we are black or white.”
“We don’t have to go underground.”
“To the contrary,” Alex said slowly. “There is still need for the utmost caution. We’ll move at night and not consider ourselves safe until we’ve reached Canada.”
Jess turned to Alex. “Are you saying they still catch slaves in Ohio and Pennsylvania?”
“I’m afraid so.” Slowly Alex added, “The Fugitive Slave Act is still in effect. In order to be law-abiding citizens, the Northerners are obligated to turn runaway slaves over to the authorities.”
“We’ll never make it.” Jeb stated flatly.
“You’ll be surprised,” Alex murmured, “how colorblind some Northerners are. There’s only one problem; you don’t know which ones are colorblind and which aren’t.”
Alex got to his feet and spread a map on the table.
“I want you all to study this. Those who can’t read, ask questions. See these circled spots? Every spot represents a station. I’ve written landmarks, towns, and names around each spot. These are your lifelines.”
He paused, and in the dusk, Olivia watched him look into each face. Pointing to a dot on the map, he said, “We are headed for this place—it’s called The Willows. The family name is Cooper. This is just off the Ohio River, in Pennsylvania. Now this little town is New Castle, but if it is impossible to reach this place, we can go to any of the other points and be assured of help. Now, come. I will divide you into groups with a leader. You are now a family group with responsibility for each other.”
Taking a shaky breath, Olivia got to her feet. “Crystal, I think this is the end of the trip for us.” She added, “We might as well go to the cabin and make plans of our own. Coming, Amelia?” As they started up the stairs, Olivia looked back. The excited voices and the huddled figures made her sharply aware of her solitude. For just one second, without willing it, her eyes sought out the figure of the man at the head of the group. Despite the darkening shadows, she saw the gleam of a golden earring, and again she wondered.
****
Olivia, during the following week, observed the change in the people and commented on it. “Tandy, it’s as if there is a whole new adventure starting.”
“’Tis. Just like Alex say we are to do. We’re becoming family, and we’re learning to look forward and make plans.” Looking at Olivia she said softly, “For the first time in our lives, we make the plans. Sure, we are told to stick together and help each other. But that’s good. See, not a one of us has ever been alone before.”
Humbled by the woman’s excitement, Olivia said, “We’re the ones who will be the losers. We will miss the good times, the children. I suppose even the worry of each day.”
Wisely Tandy nodded her head. “It’s a wrenching. People just don’t part easy. And we know it’s going to be hardship ahead. That’s part of freedom. Alex tells us sometimes the hardest part of life is learning to not expect all easy times. He calls it creating our own heaven on this earth.”
“What does he recommend?”
Tandy frowned. “Livie, why don’t you ask? You all the time come around saying, ‘What does Alex say?’ ‘What does Alex think?’ Go ask him.”
****
Amelia finally reached through Olivia’s jumbled emotions. Coming into the cabin one evening she stated, “Alex says we’ll be in Wheeling by noon tomorrow. He showed me the map. The fellows are talking about finding a place to dock for a day or so. Said something about spying out the land. I declare, they’re starting to sound like Joshua’s men.”
“Joshua?” Olivia questioned, turning from the porthole. “Who is he?”
Amelia paused, pursed her lips, and said, “For a churchgoing Christian, your Bible education has been sorely neglected.”
“Oh, that one. Bible.” She moved restlessly around the cabin. “Amelia, have you made plans?”
“I’m going to stay in Pennsylvania for the winter.”
“What are you going to do? Oh, I shouldn’t be so nosy.”
Surprisingly Amelia laughed. “Alex says he’ll put in a good word for me. See, I decided to give the straight life another try.
“Crystal—” She turned a mocking smile on the girl as she walked into the cabin. “You aren’t the only one who’s learned a lesson by the steamboat explosion. You’re all looking at the reformed dancehall girl. Think God will be impressed if I start by helping the slaves get into Canada?”
Olivia frowned. “I don’t know. Somehow that sounds like all the wrong idea. But then, if you’ve talked it over with God, like Alex says, well, I suppose it’s all right.”
Abruptly the smile slipped from Amelia’s face. “I wasn’t serious. But I do feel I need time to plan my life a little better. I’m too inclined to jump into things.” She winced, and Olivia waited. Looking at her, Amelia said, “Jump—you know, like off burning ships.”
“Oh, Amelia,” Crystal said with a catch in her voice. “Please be serious.”
“More problems?” Amelia asked slowly.
“Yes,” she said with a sigh. “It’s Joseph. I’ve planned this trip just for the purpose of taking him as far north as possible and then giving him his freedom. Now he doesn’t want to go into Canada. What shall I do?”
“Given all we’ve been exposed to during the past two and a half months, this is unbelievable,” Amelia said slowly. “Crystal, why doesn’t he want his freedom?”
She shrugged and turned away. “I guess you could call it faithfulness, or laziness—I don’t know,” she mumbled as she began to pull pins out of her hair.
After a moment Amelia looked at Olivia. “What are you going to do?”
“Take the first steamboat south. I’ll go home.” Olivia paused as the picture of home washed across her mind. The gentle, lovely picture seemed dim and far away. She strained to feel the familiar tug of family and friends, but the backwash left her moving restlessly around the cabin. “Imagine,” she said dryly, “having to decide what dress to wear! I’ll even have my choice at breakfast instead of porridge, porridge, and porridge. I’ll go for a walk, and I won’t fall in the water when I step out my front door.” She stopped.
Crystal said, “I don’t think you are any more interested in returning home than I am.”
“Right now it does sound boring,” Olivia admitted. “Even too secure and ordered. But I don’t have anything else in mind.”
Amelia pulled off her shoes. “Well, you don’t need to decide before morning. Do you object if I go to bed now?”