by Betty Bolte
"I'm sorry I don't have time for an appropriate parting." Something inside insisted she start on the adventure without further delay. "I'll send you word of my progress when I can. For now, Jack and Jemma are packing the carriage so we can be on our way with all haste."
"I'm relieved you're taking Jack as a minimum." Lucille glanced at Richard and then back to Evelyn. "We'll walk back with you and then see you off."
"I'm grateful for all you both have done for me, and I'll always love you no matter where this path takes me."
She quickened her pace, eager to put the town behind her now that she'd made the most important decision in her life. As long as he didn't elect to deviate from his stated route, or perchance dawdle in some out of the way place, eventually she'd catch up to him.
Chapter 37
Two hours after returning to her parents' house, Evelyn climbed aboard the carriage with Jemma holding Jim beside her. Jack rode a sturdy dark brown gelding, leading the way out of town, following instructions from Benjamin as to the direction Nathaniel had planned to take. The urgency continued to build in her chest as they trotted away from town and toward her man.
Time dragged with each passing mile. The hallmarks of the town gave way to gently rolling hills and forests. Immense herds of deer bounded away from the noisy conveyance. Foxes paused to stare at them before darting into the trees. Red-tailed hawks soared high above, their piercing cry sounding like a warning.
Every hour they rested the horses for a few minutes, themselves dismounting and stretching cramped legs and backs. The hard wheels of the carriage did nothing to absorb the shock of ruts and rocks, rattling their bones and teeth with each jolt. Little Jim fussed for the first hour before crying himself to sleep. Thereafter he seemed to have grown accustomed to the monotony. How far behind Nathaniel had they fallen? How many days of the bumpy ride would she have to endure before she could put her arms around him?
Late afternoon found them approaching a small town grown up around where two roads crossed. In truth, the town consisted only of a handful of buildings, including a tavern, millinery, and an apothecary shop.
"I suggest we ascertain whether we can find lodgings in the tavern." Slowing the horses to a walk, Evelyn studied the group of buildings. "If we go on, we may not come across another place to eat or, worse, sleep for hours."
Jemma tried to quiet the fussy boy. "Jim's tired and hungry, so I agree with you."
"Sure enough the safest plan," Jack said.
Steering the horses toward the tavern, Evelyn halted them. Jack dismounted and moved to hold the bridle of one. Evelyn climbed down and shook out the wrinkles from her skirt. "I'll be back in a jiffy."
She strode around the carriage and through the door to the tavern, the sound of conversation and a musical pipe meeting her ears. She hesitated inside to allow her eyes to adjust to the dim interior. The large room boasted five tables with chairs, a bar running down the left side, and a small stage where a lone piper played. Along the right wall, a set of stairs led up to the second floor.
"Hello, Miss." An elderly woman stumped toward her, a cane banging the floor with every other step. Her dried apple face featured merry green eyes and a welcoming smile of yellowed teeth. "What can I get you?"
"My friends and I are seeking a hot meal and beds for the night. Can you help us?"
The woman peered over her shoulder toward the entrance. "I don't see any friends."
Evelyn stiffened at the suggestion she might be lying to the woman. "They are waiting outside with the horses."
The woman bobbed her head several times. "I have a room and supper for you. If you've got any of them slaves along with you, you be sure they find a spot in the loft at the livery next door. No room for the likes of them in here."
"My friends will be needing supper as well." She'd not reveal Jemma and Jack's status to the woman, especially since it would be modified before much longer. "We'll tend to our mounts and then return. Thank you for your hospitality."
She spun on her heel and marched outside, glad for the cooler air on her heated cheeks. "There's a livery over there where we can put up the horses and carriage for the night. And a hot supper waiting inside."
"Is something ailing you?" Jemma bounced Jim on her leg as Evelyn stepped back up into the carriage and Jack mounted his gelding.
"Some people prove irritating when they treat others with disrespect." She picked up the reins and slapped them on the horses' haunches.
"What happened?" Jack urged his horse to walk along beside the carriage.
"The proprietress made a point of saying slaves are not welcome within her establishment." She parked the vehicle at the open door of the livery as a tall man emerged from the depths of the stable. "But to sleep in the loft here at the livery. Pshaw! I'll not tolerate such treatment of my friends."
"Don't be getting in trouble over Jem and me." Jack swung his leg over the saddle and dropped to the ground. "We be used to how folks don't want to be around us. I'm willing to sleep over here, keep an eye on our horses and such."
"If you want to, that's one thing. After you have some supper, though." Evelyn climbed out of the carriage, retrieved her travel bag, and then walked over to introduce herself to the owner.
He stood a head taller than her, with brawny arms and wide shoulders. "Good evening, Miss. My name's Bert Jameson and I run the place. What can I do for you?"
"Do you have stalls for three horses and a place to park the carriage overnight?"
"Yes'm, I can help you." He started to turn away to go inside.
"I'd like to let Jack handle settling the horses, while I take care of my son, if you don't mind." She could hear Jim making more noise, the beginnings of a crying fit related to his hunger.
"Fine, fine. We'll manage between us. You can run along, Miss...?"
"Mrs. Hamilton."
"Very good. Rest well this evening."
"Come, Jemma. We'll go on to the tavern and retire to our room to feed the boy before we meet Jack for supper."
Evelyn strode next door to the tavern with purpose fueling her pace, Jemma nearly trotting to keep up. She pushed open the door and ushered in her charges, letting the door swing shut behind them. The woman, a frown on her face, thumped over to where Evelyn and Jemma paused.
"I said no slaves, Miss." The woman shook her head, disgust plain on her face.
"Jemma is no slave. She is my maid."
A gasp came from Jemma's mouth before she slapped a hand over it, flashing a look of joy at Evelyn.
The woman lifted gray brows in surprise. "I'm no fool. I have eyes to see what's before me."
"Then you can see this young woman is a free black, who happens to help me take care of my little boy."
The woman wore doubt like a winter coat. "If you tell me you're saying the truth, I'll believe you. But don't be lying to me."
Lifting her chin, she gazed at the woman for several moments. "I do not lie."
"Very well. I'll show you up to your room so you can refresh yourselves before supper."
Following after the woman, Evelyn glanced behind her at Jemma who smiled back, her elation illuminating her entire face. Evelyn chuckled to herself as she climbed the stairs behind the old woman. Now they had something to celebrate over supper. She longed to continue the journey, to lessen the distance separating her from Nathaniel. But darkness forced her to wait until the sun shone on the morrow to press on.
Chapter 38
Showers served only to darken his mood. Nathaniel rode Jingo along the puddle strewn road, heading south on the third day toward Savannah, Georgia, where he'd been advised to turn west. With good fortune, he'd find other adventurers to band together for safety and company. The sound of Jingo's hooves as they plodded along the sloppy thoroughfare became as rhythmic as the ticking of a clock, an underlying reminder of the distance increasing between him and his heart, Evelyn.
He'd not expected leaving her behind to be easy. Not for a moment. With each hoof beat, tho
ugh, his heart sank much like sand flowing through an hourglass. In one direction, with no hope of being turned over to begin again. His Monmouth hat channeled the warm rain onto the shoulders of his light cloak, treated to encourage the water to flow off rather than soaking through to wet his coat and shirt. He glanced over his shoulder at the ponied horse, following docilely alongside his mount loaded with his bed roll, tent, and various supplies necessary for the journey.
He approached the bustling city of Savannah, riding slowly along the road into the center of town. He passed farms with crops of cotton and rice on his way. Hogs and chickens roamed freely along the streets. Carriages and wagons rattled and jangled through town. The combined scents of the ocean, of unwashed bodies, and of the droppings of the animals nearly gagged him.
Coming to a juncture of two thoroughfares, he halted Jingo and the ponied gelding to one side and contemplated what he should do next. Strangers flowed past him, barely flicking a glance in his direction as they hurried about their business. The steady rain increased, making him decide to find lodgings for the evening. Soon at any event. A quick look around revealed a tavern halfway down the block of street stretching to his left. If he turned right, he'd be starting on the westward portion of the road to the Yazoo lands and his fresh start. Yet he didn't urge his horse to walk on. He stared glumly up and down the street, undecided and unhappy.
He'd faced the hardest decision in his life mere days before. While he packed his belongings and prepared for the trip west, he'd shoved aside the ache in his chest. He couldn't allow himself to dwell on the shooting pains stabbing his heart whenever Evelyn crossed his mind. He'd done the right thing for her. Not for him. He pressed his right hand to his left breast, attempting to ease the discomfort in his heart. Or was it his soul? Either way, he teetered on the brink of despair.
The first two days of the trip had proved uneventful. Dry dusty roads and bright blue skies inviting him to urge Jingo into a ground covering trot. Eager to begin, he smiled at others who traveled the same road, walking, riding, or in various forms of wheeled vehicles. The terrain didn't vary much as he went south along the coastline. He'd hoped the faster he put space between him and Evelyn, the sooner he'd begin to recover from his broken heart. He had quickly discovered he'd been very wrong. When he awoke on the third day to find a gentle summer rain falling, his view of the adventure dimmed.
He and Jingo picked their way for six hours in the rain, slipping on the muddy roads. As a result of the effort Jingo and the ponied horse had to make with the sloppy footing sucking at their hooves, Nathaniel made frequent stops to let the horses rest and drink from a rushing stream. Thus, the sun was well on its way to bed for the day when they had arrived in Savannah.
A shudder rocked his shoulders, Jingo flicking an ear back in query of his abnormal behavior. A wash of urgency flushed through him, leaving him shaky. Or perhaps he was hungry? No, not hunger. Then why did the need to go home overtake his senses with a desperate grip?
It was one thing to have a desire to be at home, but a larger question needed to be answered. Where was his home? He'd left two behind in Charleston, the one in town and Evelyn's manor.
A chill worked across his back and down his spine. "I know where home is."
Jingo swiveled both ears back at his statement. Then he stamped one hoof, as if in agreement of Nathaniel's realization. The horse shifted its weight, angling to the left as he cocked his right hind leg. Obviously, he'd come to end of his patience for dithering on the next move and had decided a nap proved in order.
Was Jingo onto something, though? All Nathaniel had to do was turn his head around and ride back to Charlestown, back home to Evelyn.
He looked right, peering down the long road leading out of town and away from civilization. Away from Evelyn. Away from his home.
"Should I go to her, Jingo?"
The horse tossed his head, jangling the bridle and flapping the leather reins in Nathaniel's hands.
Nathaniel barked a laugh, several elderly matrons glancing sharply at his sudden burst of sound. He tipped his hat to them as they hurried along the side of the street.
"Do you think she'll welcome me into her life again?" Nathaniel gathered the reins, making better contact with Jingo's sensitive mouth, preparing to act on his idea.
The roan waggled his head, a fly pestering his ears, but Nathaniel interpreted the action for himself. "I don't know either, Jingo, but we're going to find out."
Tugging on the left rein, Nathaniel urged Jingo to turn back toward Charlestown. If they traveled at a faster rate, they'd reach town all the more quickly. Heading north, Nathaniel pressed Jingo into a trot, mindful of the treacherous footing for both animals, but anxious to close the distance he'd inserted into his relationship with Evelyn. The reward for abandoning his dream? Evelyn. If she'd have him.
Chapter 39
The next morning as the sun neared its zenith the carriage rattled and bounced behind the pair of trotting bays. Evelyn didn't dare go faster on the rough and rutted road though her heart urged her to increase their pace. Given that Nathaniel, mounted on a single horse and ponying another, would make far better time, thus pulling farther and farther away from her party. The rains of the previous day had done nothing but slow their progress, and increase her concern over being too far behind her man.
"I hope we can catch him up before he leaves Savannah." Evelyn glanced at Jemma perched on the hard seat beside her. "Hang on to Jim so he doesn't bounce out of this blasted vehicle."
"I've got him, don't fret." Jemma clasped the young boy on her lap so he faced the horses' haunches. "He's enjoying himself."
Evelyn smiled as her son's little hands patted Jemma's arms. "He's growing so fast. Isn't it amazing to watch children grow into little people?"
"He'll be walking before you know it."
"I appreciate you coming with me, Jemma. You were under no obligation to embark on this adventure." After the incident at the tavern their first night on the road, Evelyn vowed to act as if Jack and Jemma were freed blacks so they'd be treated with more kindness.
"It seemed the right thing for me to do, since I've grown fond of you and the little one." Jemma shifted her grip on the baby. "I'm happy to look forward to being my own person, free to do what I please."
"You've earned the right to be free." Evelyn slowed the team to a walk, steered the horses around a hole in the road, and then clucked to pick up the trot again. "Father proved very understanding by not only arranging for the Sullivan brothers to acquire the manor but also by giving me you and Jack."
She looked over her shoulder and smiled at the slave as he rode a gray gelding beside the wagon. The powerful man had a kind heart and an even disposition, thus proving to be a good travelling companion. "I'm glad you've come with me, as well, Jack. When we leave the state, I'll keep my promise to free you both. Then you'll have options as to what your future holds."
The lanky young man tipped his black felt hat with a grin. "The new lands hold more potential for me, so I thank you for freeing me and for the opportunity to escort you to your man."
"I agree with all my heart." Jemma grinned. "He'll be surprised to see you chasing after him, if we can catch him."
Failure to find Nathaniel would be devastating. She'd be adrift in an ocean of strangers and strange lands. She'd be faced with the choice of returning to her parents' home where she'd most likely never be allowed to forget her huge mistake. Or worse, left with the dilemma of how to provide for her son in an unfamiliar town. Given the awful possibilities either choice brought to mind, she had only one course of action to pursue.
Evelyn smacked the traces on the horses' rumps as the road smoothed out for a distance. "Don't you worry. We'll find him eventually."
"What will the brothers do with such a big house?" Jemma asked.
"They'll likely rebuild the barn as a racing stable. I wish them better luck with the place than I ever had."
"They say those men are gifted, so mayhap they
will enjoy success in their endeavor." Jemma chuckled and shifted the boy on her lap. "I'm wondering what we'll find as we continue our journey into the unknown lands."
"I want to find Nathaniel and then worry about the rest." Too many facets of the situation came with risk and danger, let alone uncertainties about the best way forward. As long as she remained focused on what needed to happen as events transpired, she had to believe they would survive and thrive no matter where they landed.
"Looks like we're approaching another town," Jack said, standing up in his stirrups to stretch for a couple strides before resuming his seat. "Might we stop for a while to refresh ourselves?"
"We all need a rest, including the horses. A short one at any rate." The anxiety pulsing through her veins with each beat of her heart wouldn't permit a longer break in their exodus. Evelyn slowed the horses as they entered the small town's limits. Much like every other town they'd passed through, if you could indeed call the small clusters of buildings a town, Milltown featured a tavern, bank, general store, and other necessary businesses. She spied the livery and soon parked the carriage nearby. She wrapped the reins around the brake and stepped down. "Jack, would you see to the horses, please? We'll meet you at that tavern across the way, the Flying Horse."
She grinned to herself at the swinging sign, featuring a flying white horse. Pegasus. The symbol of her own search for freedom from a life stuck in one place. A life without love. Was it a sign of the success of her mission? She shook the whimsy off as superstition and pivoted to wait for Jemma to clamber out of the carriage and join her on the street. The woman took a moment to adjust Jim's baby dress and then her own, causing a rush of impatience to flow through Evelyn.