Chapter Twenty-Seven

Tyler tugged the white gloves Adelaide had loaned him from Hiram’s wardrobe and offered his arm. “Miss, Beecher, will you give me the honor of escorting you to the dance?”

Cory took his arm. He was lucky no one else was available. She agreed with Beth. A woman deserved a little romance. Tyler’s passion for her was evident in his kisses, but he had yet to declare his love or propose marriage. She was going to hold her ground until he did.

They joined the line of men and women outside the double doors of the church. The music filtered outside as couples climbed the steps for the promenade.

Once upstairs, Cory and Tyler joined the others and marched counterclockwise around the room. The holiday gave everyone an opportunity to wear their best, and social manners dictated gloves on both men and women to prevent any skin to skin contact. Women bared plenty of flesh with off-the-shoulder gowns, some cut daringly low. Couples danced gracefully around the room, the ladies’ bell-shaped gowns tilting with the rhythm of the violins in a rainbow of colors. The lead couple joined with another couple and the four of them circled the room before joining up with the next four to form a line of eight.

The promenade was followed by a social mixer where all the men were on the inside of a large circle and the women on the outside. Dancers completed a series of steps and changed partners. They repeated the steps with each new partner around the circle. The social dance was followed by a couple’s dance. Tyler twirled Cory around to the waltz and nodded toward Beth and Douglas. “I’m confused. Didn’t Beth turn Douglas down already?”

“You were the one who said a man sometimes had to propose more than once.”

“So she didn’t mean to turn him down?”

“She longed for romance, and he gave her logic and reason.”

He frowned. “And now she doesn’t want romance?”

“Every woman dreams of romance. You heard how Beth gushed about Jane Austen.”

“And Douglas said it was nonsense.”

“I don’t think his opinion will keep Beth from reading it.”

“Why not forsake Douglas instead?”

“She loves Douglas more.”

He shook his head. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Cory studied his face. “I thought you were a slave owner, and I fell in love with you against my better judgment.”

Tyler stumbled. “You what?”

The words had come out in a natural defense to prove her point. It was too late to take them back. “You can’t stop dancing in the middle of the floor.” She apologized to the other dancers.

“But you said you loved me.” Tyler grabbed her hand and glanced around. He pulled her toward the main doors.

“Where are you taking me? The dance isn’t over.” She stopped protesting when she saw Adelaide standing in the doorway. Something awful had happened. Adelaide’s bonnet was askew, and her face was ashen.

They rushed to her side. “What is it?”

She spoke barely above a whisper. “The chasers have them.”

Cory looked at Tyler to see if he had heard. He bolted down the stairs. She and Adelaide followed.

Buck rode into the center of the square. Tess was seated in front of him, her face set in stone. She clutched Adam in her arms. She wasn’t nursing the baby, but her dress was open in the front. Buck withdrew his hand, and she clutched the opening tight.

Clyde rode in after him and yanked on a rope attached to his saddle. Noah stumbled onto the grass. Cory screamed. Noah was bound with a rope latched around his wrists. His clothes were torn and dirty. Blood streamed from the cuts and scrapes on his arms and legs. His face was bloodied and swollen. Noah collapsed when the rope slacked.

“Noah!” Tyler ran to him and knelt by his side. Cory followed.

Noah looked at them through swollen slits. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

Tyler pulled his knife from his boot and cut the rope binding Noah.

“Papa!” Cory looked around the growing crowd.

“He’s getting his bag.” Jem had quietly appeared by her side. “I’ll fetch some water.”

“Tess.” Noah struggled to sit.

Tess had a swollen eye and dried blood on a split lip. Cory looked at Buck. “Let her go!”

Edward stepped out of the shadows.

“We found them,” Buck bragged.

“This is how you treat a woman and baby? I bet Reggie would be proud.” Cory reached for Adam in Tess’ arms. He wailed as his mother handed him over.

“I think I’ll keep this jezebel with me.” Tess struggled to get down, but Buck held her tight against his chest.

Tyler left Noah’s side and strode toward Buck. “What did you do to her?”

“I was guarding her ’til we return to Virginia, right, Mr. Vandal.”

Tyler grabbed Edward by his coat. “You let him rape her?” His fist connected with Edward’s face and blood spurted from his nose and down his white shirt.

Clyde jumped from his horse, tackled Tyler, and pinned his arms to his sides. “Go ahead and hit him, Mr. Vandal.” Edward cracked Tyler across his jaw.

Tyler lifted his legs, braced himself against Clyde’s thick body, and mule kicked Edward in the chest. He flew back and landed on the ground.

Tyler slipped free from Clyde and threw a punch that connected with his battered face. The blow opened a fresh cut above his eye. Buck dismounted and pulled Tess down with him. He shoved her toward Edward, who had staggered to his feet. Buck pulled a knife from his boot.

Tyler redrew his own knife as he braced for Buck’s attack. Clyde wiped the blood from his eyes with a dirty kerchief and drew a gun from a holster on his hip.

“Put it back.” Adelaide pressed the barrel of her pistol against his back.

Cory looked at Clyde. “She won’t hesitate to blow a hole clear through you.”

He shoved his gun into the holster.

People backed up as Tyler and Buck faced off and sidestepped into position. They jabbed their knives at each other and dodged in return.

Cory put her arm around Tess, who fumbled with what remained of the buttons on her dress. She bounced Adam on her hip to calm his cries. “We’ll fix your gown.”

Tess burst into tears. Cory embraced her to comfort her, but her arm trembled with rage. She stared at Edward, who pinched his nose to stop the flow of blood. She felt no sympathy. It was one thing for men to beat each other senseless, but how could Edward, who claimed he was a gentleman, allow such brutality against a woman?

Cory covered her mouth to stifle a scream when Buck lunged with his Bowie knife. Tyler dodged the blow. Buck stumbled into the crowd with his momentum, and a few women screamed when they were jostled by the crowd gathered to witness the fight. The men shoved Buck back at Tyler. Buck waved his knife at Tyler’s midsection to gut him. He cut Tyler’s coat, but Cory saw no blood. It didn’t diminish her fear for his life.

Buck was older, a more experienced fighter, and Tyler was a big target. She gasped when Buck tripped Tyler, and he fell. Buck jumped on him, but Tyler’s strength kept him from stabbing the blade into his flesh. He knocked him off and rolled to safety. They staggered to their feet to face off for the next round.

Sheriff Lane Carter broke through the crowd and waved his rifle at the combatants. “Put the knives away. This is a holiday. I won’t tolerate anyone disturbing the peace.”

Tyler stepped back and turned toward Noah. Buck lunged, but Sheriff Carter knocked Buck on the side of the head with the barrel of his gun. Buck crumbled in a heap. He turned toward Clyde. “Are you going to give me any trouble?” Clyde shook his head.

With Tyler’s safety no longer a concern, Cory joined her father. Sterling was examining Noah, and Jem washed dirt from his wounds.

Tess took the cloth from Jem’s hands. “I’ll tend him.” She knelt on the ground and gently took Noah’s arm and scrubbed at the rocks and dirt embedded in the torn flesh. He touched her swollen cheek.

“We lost our way in the woods,” Noah whispered hoarsely to Tyler, who knelt by him. “I had to ask for directions. It must have been the wrong person. He led Clyde and Buck to our hiding spot.”

“Noah fought them, but they threatened to kill the baby,” Tess sobbed.

Cory turned to Edward who stood a few feet away. “You said they could kill the baby?” Her voice trembled. “No wonder you don’t understand why Reggie made Tess leave.”

“She can make more brats.” Buck turned to Clyde. “She’s got nice tits.”

Noah struggled to rise, but Sterling held him down. “Wait,” he whispered. “Let him impress his audience.”

Cory looked around at the crowd. She knew some of them were abolitionists. Some of them were part of the Underground Railroad. They worked in secret, but members rallied publicly when necessary.

“Hey, we were doing our job,” Clyde defended when the crowd advanced. He looked at Edward. “Old man Cyrus always let us have the women as part of our reward.”

“And what happened to Noah?” Tyler demanded. “It looks like you beat him and dragged him down the street. I want these two men arrested for assault,” he told the sheriff.

“You can’t put us in jail!” Clyde argued. “He wouldn’t give us the girl without a fight. If Buck hadn’t grabbed the brat and held a knife to his throat, we’d still be fighting.”

Lane pointed at Noah. “Is this man a runaway?”

“No.”

“He aided this woman and her child,” Clyde said. “He knew they were runaways.”

“Did you know they were runaways?” the sheriff asked Noah.

Tyler spoke. “Don’t answer.”

He turned to Tyler. “Who are you?”

“I’m his lawyer.”

Lane turned to Edward. “What’s your part in this?”

“I own this woman and her child. My chasers helped me recover them.”

“We don’t mind a man peacefully recovering his property, but a fight means you’ll all be in front of the mayor tomorrow morning.”

Edward pointed at Noah. “I want charges brought against this man for helping a runaway.”

Lane looked around. “Any other charges?”

Tyler looked at Tess. “Did Clyde or Buck force you?”

“He touched my breasts. Nothing more.” She wrapped her arms around her chest and looked away. Noah brushed a tear from her cheek.

“I have two cells,” Lane said. “I can put the men in one and the woman in the other.” He took Clyde’s weapons and picked up Buck’s knife from the ground before claiming his gun.

Buck pointed at Noah. “You put him in with us, and he’ll kill us.”

“I can’t put him in with her,” Lane argued.

Tess stood. “But he’s my husband.”

Lane surveyed his prisoners. “I guess you can share a cell. Never locked up a baby before.”

Tess reached for Adam, and Cory handed him over.

Lane nodded toward Noah. “How is he doing, Doctor Beecher?”

“I’ll need to do some more patching, but I can do it in the jail cell.”

“Then let’s head to the Town Hall,” Lane said. “And everyone else can return to the dance.”

Maureen placed a blanket around Tess’ shoulders. “We’ll gather some things for you.”

“I’ll help Papa.” Cory picked up her father’s medical bag and joined the group walking to the Town Hall.

****

Noah, Tess, and Adam were in one cell with Buck and Clyde in the opposite one. A single frame bed with rope supporting a straw-stuffed mattress was placed in each cell. A chamber pot and a stool were the only other furnishings. The municipal jail usually housed drunks and offenders of minor transgressions. The more serious crimes were tried at the county courthouse in Akron. If a county judge found Noah guilty of aiding a runaway, he’d face federal charges.

“I hope this helps.” Cory placed a cradle on the floor. “How is Adam doing?”

Tess put a clean diaper on him. “He’s scared. He’s old enough to know something isn’t right.”

“Poor little guy.” Cory soothed him with a smile. “You should be thinking of nothing but a warm meal and a big hug.”

Adam stopped fussing and stared at Cory’s face.

Noah sat at the foot of the bed while Sterling finished stitching a gash in his head. His wounds had been cleaned, his bruises leeched, and cuts sewn up. “I must look a mess.”

“I found you something to wear.” Tyler tossed him a shirt.

Noah stood. He grimaced as he put on the shirt.

Cory noticed he had no lash marks on his back common on slaves. It supported Tyler’s words about Noah never being treated like a slave.

“You men need me to take care of anything?” Sterling asked Clyde and Buck.

“You’re not putting a leech on me,” Clyde told him. “I’ll live with my bruises.”

Sheriff Carter allowed Maureen and Jess to enter the jail area and bring trays with plates loaded with chicken, cornbread, and pie for the prisoners.

“Looks good.” Noah handed a plate to Tess and took one. “Thank you for feeding us.”

“Plenty of extra food from the picnic,” Maureen said. “Would you like coffee to drink?” She turned to Jess. “Bring a pot.”

“Why are you treating them so nice?” Buck demanded from his cell.

“You don’t deserve to be treated any better than the animals you are,” Cory argued.

“It’s our job to capture runaway slaves.” Buck scraped his spoon against his plate and shoved food into his mouth. “We do whatever we have to do.”

“Assaulting a woman and threatening to kill her baby!” Cory turned away. She didn’t want them to see the tears threatening to spill.

Her mother took her into her arms. “Let it go, Cory, or the hate will consume you.”

“I want them to be punished for what they did.”

“Let the law punish them, but you have to forgive them.”

She was shocked. “Why?”

“Hate can eat a person up.” Sterling packed his bag. “I’ve seen it become an obsession that festers and spreads like gangrene. Forgiveness cleanses the wound. That’s one of the most important lessons we learn in life.”

She looked from her mother to her father. “I know you’re right, but knowing and doing is too difficult for me.”

“Doing the right thing isn’t meant to be easy.” Maureen collected the dishes. “Are you coming outside for the fireworks?”

Her father closed his medical bag and put on his hat.

“I think I’ll stay here.” She shrugged. “They don’t have much to celebrate. I don’t think I could enjoy it.”

“You can’t spend the night,” Maureen said. “Adelaide will be with us. Don’t keep her waiting too long.”

Cory hugged her parents. “Thank you.”

“Come along, Jessie,” Sterling told Jess. She filled Clyde’s coffee cup and followed her parents. “Leave the coffee pot with Sheriff Carter. He may need it tonight.”

After her parents left, Edward came in. He was wearing a clean shirt. His nose was swollen but his face was clean. He stopped and talked with the sheriff.

“I’m going to see what’s going on.” Tyler headed for Edward.