Chapter 8

The day had come, cold and drizzling like the night before. Adeline didn’t want to walk up to the chapel, but she wanted to be able to help Elim get the men ready for inspection. His outburst yesterday had taken her by surprise and explained most of his behavior. She had wanted to hug him again but knew she wasn’t getting away with that twice. He had looked so forlorn. She knew she had to do all she could to help him.

She dressed and went down to check for letters. There hadn’t been any more since the ones she received when she first arrived. But when she reached the bottom of the stairs, Elim stood at the front desk instead of Millie. His jacket was dotted with raindrops and he held his cap in his hand.

“Elim, what are you doing here?” She winced. He had not told her she could call him by his first name. Maybe it was the surprise of seeing him here that made her forget her manners.

“I wanted to catch you before you came up to the fort. The ground in front of the chapel is a muddy mess. And I wanted to talk to you.”

She motioned him toward a sitting room, and Millie bustled past them as they walked down the hall. “Can I get you anything, miss?”

Adeline looked at the drops of rain on Elim’s face. “Some tea, please.”

They took seats at the small table where she and the Hunters normally took their breakfast. “I’m glad you asked for tea. My hands are freezing.”

She reached across the table and grasped both his hands in hers. They were cold, but quite a bit bigger than hers. He flinched at her touch and then relaxed. “What did you want to talk about?” she asked.

“Your family.”

She stiffened at his response, one she had not expected. “What about them?”

“Douglas told me you were looking for them.”

Her mind went back to the day they had set up the tents. Private Douglas was there when she’d asked the mother and son about Westwood Estates and Ashton Place. “I am.”

He leaned forward and shifted so he was holding her hands now instead of her holding his. “You told me that your father died in Philadelphia. What other family do you have?”

She took a deep breath, the pain of the memory threatening to steal the air from her lungs. “My mama and my little brother, Michael.”

“But how—” he began.

Adeline let her shoulders sink. “When I was twelve, my parents decided that my father would run to the North. He was to find work, buy his freedom, and come back for us.” She let out a short laugh. “Unfortunately, they decided to keep that a secret from me.”

Elim was now rubbing small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. The intimate motion seemed to be unraveling this story she didn’t want to tell. “He didn’t make it, did he?”

“He did. And so did I.”

He tipped his head. “I thought you said it was a secret.”

“I could tell that something was going on. I saw them setting food and other rations aside. My father made himself a sack to carry everything. But the most telling thing was he would leave his boots outside the front door every night.”

“And you noticed.”

She nodded, her head feeling heavy. “In the week leading up to my father’s departure, I would stay awake for as long as I could. Somehow I knew that whatever was going to happen would happen at night. On the night he ran, I heard him creep across the floor, move something, and go out the door. I, however, had a plan of my own. I crept out behind him.”

Elim leaned back in his chair and let out a hard breath. “Did you realize what was happening?”

“No.” Her voice warbled on the word. Oh, if only she had known. “And he didn’t know I was behind him until he was well away from the plantation. He had no choice but to take me with him.”

“Oh Adeline.”

“I can’t imagine how worried my mother must have been. We came across an Underground Railroad station and one of the conductors promised to get word to my mother that I had run with my father. When we got to Philadelphia, my father got a job and I went to school. Once my father died, I came back to find them, but I have no idea where they are. One of the runaways in The Bottom told me that Ashton Place was burned down and the slaves are all gone.” She finished the story with an exhale, spent from the telling of it. Her guilt thickened the air around them.

Elim squeezed her hands. “Surely you don’t blame yourself. You were a child.”

“Being a child didn’t make things any easier for my father. He had to work twice as hard to support me too. Sometimes I think he worked himself to death. I complicated his plans to earn enough money and buy all our freedom.”

“You’ll find them. You are an intelligent, brave woman. I have no doubt you will.”

The confidence in his voice nearly brought her to tears. “I pray so.”

“What is your plan?” he asked quietly.

“The newspaper advertisements I placed haven’t produced any results. Neither have the letters I wrote to several abolitionist organizations. I came here because I would be closer to the plantation and thought that might increase my chance to get information. I have a little money to try and buy their freedom. But I don’t even know how long ago Ashton Place was burned down.”

He leaned closer to her. “If the plantation burned, there may not be anyone there to accept your payment.”

She let out a huff, clearing her head. “What I do know is that Mama and Michael and I will go back to Philadelphia until this war is over. Together.”

When Millie brought the tea, she released his hands, noting that they were quite warm now. “We need to cast a wider net,” Elim said as he poured tea into her cup then his. “I will write to some of the other colored units and have them ask around. I can also help you question the runaways in The Bottom. Just because you haven’t found out any information doesn’t mean someone doesn’t know something. Maybe we can even take a trip to Ashton Place.”

Her jaw dropped in surprise. “You would do that to help me?”

“Yes. There may be something at the site that will point us to your mother and Michael. I doubt your owners simply gave up the land because of the war. They may even have a small crew there still working the land.”

“I never thought of that.” Of course she didn’t, because she never had a solid plan. She acted more on impulse. Like she did on the night she’d run with her father. She looked back up at Elim. “Why are you helping me?”

“Because you helped me and my men.”

Real hope bloomed in her mind. Elim was the perfect person to plan with, his methodical mind seeing things that her worried one couldn’t. This mission was her own, but it couldn’t hurt to accept a little help from him. It was no more unusual than accepting help from the other people she’d questioned.

He talked and she studied his face, enjoying seeing an emotion other than anger or worry on it. He realized she was staring and stopped talking. “What?”

“Your heart is showing again.”

Elim lined up the men on the parade field, his nerves jittery. Major MacDonald stood to the left at a perfect vantage point. The men had stayed up late polishing their boots and buttons and putting in a little extra practice. They had done so without Elim asking. They understood how important this was. Not only was their section’s status in danger, but so was their freedom.

Although he was ready for this to be over, Elim’s mind drifted to how things would change if they passed. They could be sent to another fort, one closer to the fighting. Or into a battle straightaway. He and his men may have to kill or be killed. He looked at each man, knowing how hard it would be to lose any of them to battle. As much as he wanted to add his strength to the fight for freedom, he didn’t want this for his men. The alternative, staying out of the battle, was just as undesirable. For the first time in their lives, they could do something about their bondage. None of them was going to give up that chance, even if it came with great danger.

Elim moved to stand in front of his section. The men’s faces were serious and concentration furrowed their brows. Good. They were as ready as they could be. Adeline had constantly reminded them that their best was all they could do. He had repeated those words to them yesterday. If they did their best, they would pass with no problems.

A flash of blue to his left caught his eye as he prepared to give the first command. He stole a glance in that direction.

Adeline stood off to the side of the practice grounds with Chaplain Thomas. She was angled half facing the chaplain, but it was clear she was watching them. Elim sucked in a breath. She had come to support him. When their eyes met, she offered him a wide smile and he felt the strength in her faith in him and the men.

“Attention!”

The men snapped into place in one fluid motion and Elim nearly cheered. He took them through each command, keeping his voice strong. The men, in turn, followed each command so well that no one would believe they were the same men as a month ago. He could see their pride. They knew they were getting it right, and their confidence increased with each command.

But they were not safe yet. They reached the harder commands. Elim steeled himself and gave the “March!” command.

The group moved almost perfectly. There were a few who were a half a step behind the others, but they quickly corrected themselves. Elim led them in a short march around the parade field, bringing them back to the starting position.

He wanted to beam. “Rest!” It seemed as if the whole squad exhaled.

Elim left the men in position and walked over to Major MacDonald. The major stood with a surprised look on his face. Elim tipped his head down to hide his grin. “Sir,” he said but dared not say more.

“Not bad, Corporal.”

Elim relaxed a little more.

MacDonald looked over Elim’s shoulder at the men. “You must have worked these men hard. You’ve all earned a half-day pass. Congratulations.”

Elim grinned. “Thank you, sir.”

The major dismissed him, and he walked quickly to his men. He didn’t want to tell them about the major’s praise until they were back at their tents for fear of their reactions. He wanted to jump and whoop. He knew the men would feel the same. But he gave them an approving smile.

Chaplain Thomas and Adeline met them a few yards away. Chaplain Thomas smiled at him. “Your men look good, Corporal.”

Elim beamed. “They did well today.”

Chaplain Thomas nodded and turned toward the tents. Adeline moved closer. “So?”

“We passed.”

He saw the joy bubbling on her face. She was always loud with her praise. “Shh,” he said with a chuckle.

“Right.” She fiddled with her dress.

Once they were back at the camp, Elim informed the men that they had passed the inspection. They let out a loud cheer, confirming that Elim had done the right thing telling them the news away from the parade grounds. They whooped even louder when they learned they had earned a half-day pass.

As they talked about how they were going to use their passes, Elim already knew how he was going to spend his and who he was going to spend it with. He shouldn’t. A relationship between the two of them couldn’t be. It could lead to great pain. He knew this, but it didn’t change his plans.