Belle

by Beverly Jenkins

  Belle said against his lips, “Your parents are going to kill us.”

  Daniel kissed her back. “As long as they put us in the same grave, we’ll be fine.”

  Belle laughed softly and he did, as well.

  He took a seat on the bench, then with a gentle tug on her hand, directed her onto his lap. Belle felt a bit awkward, but when she looked up, he was smiling. She confessed, “Can you tell I’ve never sat on a boy’s lap before?”

  “I can,” he replied. Her back was as stiff and straight as a piece of Michigan pine. Hoping to ease her nervousness, Daniel softly moved his hand up and down her robe-covered back. “Just want to have you near, Belle, that’s all…” he whispered. “Lean in so I can feel you against my heart….”

  His hushed invitation gave Belle such a case of the trembles, she almost jumped up and ran, but this was Daniel, her Daniel, and she wanted to be held against his heart. Swallowing her jitters, she cuddled close and let herself be enfolded in his arms.

  Once she was settled, and the silence of the night returned, he kissed the top of her hair. “This isn’t so bad, is it?”

  She shook her head. “No.” And it wasn’t. It was wonderful. She felt treasured, sheltered. With him by her side, she had no worries.

  Daniel thought it wonderful, too. In some ways, a bit too wonderful. Belle was so soft and warm against him, he had to take in a series of long, deep breaths in an effort to slow down his body’s natural reaction. All he kept thinking about was how long this next year and a half was going to be. “When’s your birthday?” he asked, hoping such an innocent subject might help calm him.

  She shrugged. “Sometime this summer. I never knew the date.”

  “You should pick one.”

  Belle leaned back so she could see his face. “Can I do that?”

  “Papa does it all the time when he forges papers. If a runaway can have a new name, why not a birthday?”

  “When’s yours?”

  “October twenty-sixth.”

  “And you’ll be?”

  “Nineteen.”

  Belle rested her head against his chest. “Then I’ll pick August the first.”

  He peered down at her. Why?”

  “Because of what you told me about it. Having a birthday on a day when so many slaves were freed seems perfect.”

  “Not to mention folks all over the world will be celebrating that day. Good way to have a lot of parties thrown on your behalf.”

  Belle smiled against his heart. “There is that, too.”

  “Then August first it will be.”

  “Thank you, Daniel.”

  He gave her a tight hug. “You’re welcome.”

  They sat, content.

  A little while later, they knew their time together had come to a close. Daniel asked from above her, “May I walk you home, miss?”

  “Is it that time already?”

  He kissed her hair. “It is.”

  Belle looked up, and with a mock pout said, “But I don’t want to go back.”

  He chuckled. “In a year or so you won’t have to. We can sit like this until dawn.”

  Belle admitted she couldn’t wait. “Do you really think we’ll still like each other well enough to get married?”

  He raised her chin. “I do.”

  “I do, too,” she told him.

  “Then we’re agreed,” he whispered softly and kissed her.

  Belle got back into her room without mishap. She climbed into bed and fell asleep, smiling.

  The next day Belle was so tired she could hardly hold her eyes open at breakfast. Daniel didn’t look much better. After Mr. Best said the grace, Mrs. Best passed Belle the jam pot and said, “You know, the two of you would be rested come morning if you weren’t going up and down ladders at night.”

  Belle froze.

  Daniel spit coffee all over his eggs.

  Mr. Best eyed them both grimly, but didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to.

  Mrs. Best turned back to Belle and Daniel and asked, “Any questions?”

  Both young people answered in unison: “No, ma’am.”

  So that was that; no more sneaking out at night to share kisses and dreams. Belle thought they’d gotten off lightly, or she hoped they had. Daniel did, as well. They could’ve easily been turned to stone.

  seventeen

  A week later, just as Mr. Best had predicted, the great Frederick Douglass canceled his visit to the area, citing other more pressing matters. Daniel was very disappointed by the news. Jojo’s comment was, “You mean I spent all that time sewing on that stupid banner for no reason?”

  By now, Belle’s reading and penmanship had improved markedly, but neither skill was as proficiently performed as she would’ve liked, so she kept working by reading newspapers, magazines and antislavery pamphlets supplied by Daniel and his parents.

  She was also sewing. Mrs. Best had been correct: the dress Belle had made her for the ball was the best bit of advertising Belle could have imagined. Belle had three gowns under way, and three more on order. She was so busy, she hardly had time to breathe, let alone figure out a way to sneak off and meet Daniel.

  One evening after supper, Belle came to the Bests with a proposal: “I’d like to invest in a sewing machine.”

  They both looked surprised.

  “A sewing machine?” Mrs. Best asked.

  “Yes, here’s an advertisement in the Godey’s Lady’s Book.”

  Mr. Best took the book from Belle’s hand, then he and his wife read it. Mrs. Best asked Belle, “Did you see how much it will cost, dear?”

  “Yes, ma’am, but it says I can pay over time at two dollars a week. I just have to send a little bit of money now.”

  Mrs. Best confessed, “I’ve never heard of such a thing, paying over time.”

  Belle hadn’t either, but she was surprised they hadn’t; she’d assumed this paying over time was a common practice here in the North.

  Mrs. Best read a bit more. “It says here this Mr. Singer is the first businessman anywhere to offer a plan of this sort. Do you have any money saved, Belle?”

  “Yes, ma’am, I do. Jojo’s also offered to be an investor, and I can pay her back when my business improves.”

  Mr. Best chuckled. “You’re going into business now?”

  “Yes, sir, as soon as I can get the machine. I’ve more dresses to make than I can handle alone, so I thought a machine might help. That way I wouldn’t have to turn anyone away.”

  Mrs. Best said, “Belle, I’m proud of you. I don’t see why she can’t order the machine, William, do you?”

  Mr. Best shook his head. “Neither do I. As long as this Mr. Singer is a straight arrow, I say send him the money, Belle, and I’ll make you a sign to put out front.”

  Belle stared. “Then it’s all right?”

  Mrs. Best looked puzzled. “Of course, dear.”

  Belle hastened over and gave each of them a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she chanted happily. She then ran up to her room to get started on her letter.

  Daniel ended up writing the letter to the Singer Company on Belle’s behalf because Belle thought his handwriting so much better than her own. Daniel posted the letter the next day. Belle was so excited she doubted she’d be able to sleep until after the machine arrived.

  The next morning, Belle came down to breakfast to find Jojo eating at the table alone. Confused, she took a seat and asked, “Where’s everyone?”

  “Outside. Papa’s taking Dani fishing.”

  “Fishing?”

  “Yep.”

  “Where?”

  “Canada.”

  “Canada?”

  Jojo laughed. “You sound like one of those talking parrots I saw in Boston once when I was little. Just like you, it repeated everything a person said.”

  Belle ignored that. She instead went to the window that looked out over the side of the house. Sure enough, Daniel and his father were filling the wagon bed with gear. Mrs. Best was standing
off on the side, supervising, it seemed. Belle asked Jo, “Do they go to Canada often?”

  “Every few years or so, but Dani doesn’t want to go this time. Papa’s making him. I think they’re going so they can talk.”

  “About what?”

  Jojo popped a piece of muffin in her mouth. “Do Mama and Papa know that you and Dani were sneaking out at night?”

  Belle remembered that Jojo had been at Trudy’s the morning Mrs. Best put a stop to their midnight meetings. “How’d you know about that?”

  “I heard you the first night. I thought it was so romantic,” she added dreamily. “Who would’ve ever thought my brother could act like Romeo?”

  “You heard us?”

  “Sure. I’m right next door, remember, and if I heard you, I know Mama did. She’s a very light sleeper.” Jojo then asked again, “So do they know?”

  Belle answered glumly, “Yes.” She and Daniel had thought themselves so clever, but they hadn’t been at all.

  “Then that’s probably why Papa’s taking Dani fishing.”

  All Belle could think was that Daniel was in trouble because of her. She had to try and set things right. She hastened to the door.

  Jojo called, “Where’re you going?”

  “I’ll be back.”

  Outside, Mr. Best was seated atop the wagon, reins in hand. Daniel was seated at his side. When Belle ran up, she looked first at the unhappy Daniel and then at his father. “Mr. Best?” she said.

  He nodded down at her. “Morning, Belle.”

  She hazarded a glance Mrs. Best’s way, acknowledging her, before responding, “Good morning, sir.” Then gathering her courage, added, “Sir, if you’re going to punish Daniel for what we did, you should punish me, too. It was just as much my fault as his.”

  He paused for a moment to survey her, then asked, “Oh, so were you putting up ladders outside of his window in the middle of the night, too?”

  Belle dropped her eyes. “No, sir.”

  “Then I guess you’re not as much at fault.”

  Belle remained silent.

  Mr. Best then told her, “Belle, I appreciate your willingness to share the blame. Daniel and I are going fishing because we have some talking to do—about a lot of things, but I’ll bring him back in one piece. Don’t worry.”

  Belle smiled.

  Mrs. Best walked up, draped an arm around Belle’s waist, and gave it an affectionate squeeze. “Tell them good-bye, Belle, dear. They need to be going.”

  Belle looked up at Mr. Best, and said, “Good-bye. Have a good time.”

  Then she turned to Daniel. “Bye, Daniel.”

  He gave her a small smile. “Bye, Belle.”

  As the wagon pulled away from the house, Belle’s heart missed him already.

  On August the first, Belle awakened at dawn to the knowledge that it was her birthday. She sat up. She hadn’t told anyone else in the Best family that she’d chosen this day on the calendar to mark her birth; only Daniel knew. Most of the folks in the community were going over to Canada today to celebrate the historic August First. Belle was looking forward to the trip, not only because it was a holiday, but because Daniel and his father were planning to meet them there.

  Daniel had been gone five days now: five days without his smile; five days without his encouragement; five days without seeing him when she wanted. Jojo said absence makes the heart grow stronger. Belle didn’t agree.

  To celebrate the holiday, the Best women were going to drive over to Canada with the Morgan brothers and their mother, then ride home with Daniel and his father. When the Morgans arrived, they helped load all the food, quilts and other paraphernalia needed for the out-of-doors celebration onto the wagon. By 7 A.M. they were on their way to Detroit.

  They reached the docks a bit after half past eight, and Belle couldn’t believe the sheer number of people waiting to be ferried across the Detroit River to the Canadian shore.

  Looking around in wonder, she remarked, “I never imagined there’d be so many people.”

  As Adam eased the team into the ferry line, Mrs. Best said, “This is a small crowd really. In Harrisburg, Ohio, back in ’49, two thousand folks came together for August First. Blacks and Whites.”

  There weren’t two thousand people here today, but Belle would be willing to bet there were several hundred. Everywhere she looked she saw black and brown faces of all shapes and sizes and in all manner of dress. She saw well-dressed families and families dressed in rags. Many of the celebrants were children; others were elderly; some were in large church groups, while a few sat atop their wagons all alone. Just as Mrs. Best had noted, there was also a smattering of White abolitionists in the crowd. Out on the river, a small flotilla of canoes and rafts filled with passengers headed downstream to the Amherstburg docks. According to Mrs. Best and Mrs. Morgan, the main gathering would be held on a farm not far from there. Amherstburg had a sizable fugitive and Canadian Black population, and many on the docks hoped to be reunited with friends and family.

  As Adam moved the team up a spot in the line, Mrs. Best added, “There are probably quite a few runaways hidden in with the crowd, too. A group this large provides a perfect opportunity to move freight, and with so many people here, no slave catcher in his right mind would dare start a search.”

  Jeremiah cracked bitterly, “Not unless they want to be found floating in the river later.”

  That didn’t mean the slave catchers weren’t in attendance, though; they were. Belle spotted the mounted Otis Watson and a few of his dirty-skinned men watching ominously from the fringes of the crowd. The evil grin on Watson’s cadaverous face sent chills up Belle’s spine. She didn’t look his way again.

  An hour or so later, after ferrying across the Detroit River, the Best party drove onto the farm where the celebration was taking place. Speakers were up on the makeshift podium, and hundreds of people were seated on the grass, atop quilts and old blankets, listening raptly. Once Adam found a place to park, his passengers carried all their belongings to a spot nearby. With their mothers’ blessings, the young people took off to explore, but Belle kept looking around for Daniel. She couldn’t wait to see him again.

  The tables of food appeared to be a mile long. Cakes, cookies, and all manner of dishes wrapped in cloths and newspaper were on display and would be eaten later. The area was cordoned off by rope to ensure there would be no nibbling ahead of time, so Jojo and Belle handed their food contributions to one of the smiling, white-dressed women keeping watch, as did Adam and Jeremiah.

  The annual parade had already begun by the time they made their way across the field, but they did get to view most of it. Belle once again marveled at all the people, and at the procession of antislavery-society members carrying colorful banners passing by the applauding and enthusiastic onlookers. First came the Canadian contingents representing societies in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Buxton. The Americans came next, shouting slogans and singing songs. Groups from Battle Creek, Cleveland and Chicago passed by for review, as did folks from Dayton and Toledo, and an all-children clan from Detroit’s Second Baptist Church.

  After the parade, everyone drifted off to sample the other entertainment, such as the choir competition and the contests on the game field. Belle and Jojo laughed at the greased pig competition and were participants in the sack race. Jojo and Jeremiah won a ribbon. Belle and Adam came in next to last.

  By late afternoon, they wove their way back to their blanket, and much to Belle’s delight, there stood Mrs. Best talking with Mr. Best, and Daniel was standing beside them. When he glanced up and saw Belle, she couldn’t decide whose smile was bigger. Lord knew, she wanted to run and throw her arms around him, but in such a public place with hundreds of folks milling about, she had to settle for the smile.

  “Hi, pest,” Daniel said, greeting his sister first.

  “Hi, yourself. Did you catch a lot of fish?”

  “Sure did.”

  He smiled Adam and Jeremiah’s way, then finally
turned his eyes on Belle. Everything Daniel felt for her rushed to fill his heart. “Hello, Belle.”

  “Hello, Daniel. I—we missed you.”

  Jojo cracked, “Speak for yourself.”

  The Morgan brothers laughed.

  Without taking his eyes from Belle, Daniel asked his sister, “Isn’t there somebody here who needs their hair done?”

  Jojo, seeing that they only had eyes for each other, said, “I can take a hint. I’m going.”

  “Good,” Daniel told her.

  Belle looked up to find Mr. and Mrs. Best and all the Morgans watching. She found the scrutiny highly embarrassing.

  Mr. Best said, “Daniel, why don’t you take Belle over to hear some of the speakers?”

  Daniel didn’t have to be told twice. Hiding his exuberance, he asked Belle. “Would you like to go?”

  Her happiness equaled his, but she forced herself to respond calmly. “Sure.”

  And off they went.

  Belle couldn’t tell who spoke or what they spoke about. All she knew was that she and Daniel were together again, and for her, nothing else mattered.

  They were standing at the back of the crowd surrounding the podiums when Daniel reached into his pocket. “I have something for you.”

  The gift was small and wrapped in tissue paper. A happy Belle took it from his hand. When she opened the paper, she found a small, gold-colored locket inside. “Oh, Daniel.” She gasped softly as she held it up. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Happy birthday.”

  Belle went still. This was the first birthday gift she’d ever received in her seventeen years on earth, and the magnitude of what the little locket represented brought tears to her eyes.

  Daniel saw the waterworks, and said, “Aw, Belle, why are you crying? You know I don’t like it when you cry.”