“What are you doing here?” Stumbling to cover the disappointment she must have heard in my voice, I took her hands and kissed her on the cheek. But her smile faded all the same. “I mean, of course, it’s wonderful to see you, but it’s quite a long trip from Montgomery.”
Mrs. Paschal stepped toward me and offered her hand, which I took immediately. “Mr. Paschal had some business to complete with your father that needed his attention, and Vanessa and I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see you. All of you.”
I glanced at Mother and studied her for a moment. She never was very good at disguising her plots, and this one stunk to high heaven of her meddling. But perhaps it was true. I had seen Mr. Paschal’s name in the ledger I’d found in Father’s office. Perhaps they did have some business to attend to, and maybe it wasn’t as underhand as it had seemed from that book. Still, I had to wonder, how did she know I’d be coming home today?
Mother reached over and hugged me. “Thank the Lord you came home,” she whispered in my ear. Then she pulled away and took Mrs. Paschal by the elbow. “Come, let’s get some tea and leave these two lovebirds to talk.”
As soon as they left the room, my nerves tightened. Something strange was going on. “Vanessa, how long have you been here?”
“We arrived yesterday, late in the afternoon. Your mother said you were helping your brother with some repairs to his house and had to stay there last night.”
I nodded, deciding the truth would be difficult to explain. “Would you like to take a walk?”
“That would be nice.”
I ushered her out the door, and we headed around to the back of the house for the path that encircled part of our property. A cool breeze whipped up the dry leaves, and it occurred to me I should’ve asked if she needed a coat. “Are you cold?”
“Not too much,” she said. “It’s a beautiful day. The trees are magnificent this time of year. I think the bright yellow is my favorite. How about yours?”
I hadn’t even noticed the trees, and had no desire to talk about them. I shoved my hands in my pockets and tried to think of what, if anything, I should say about Ruby.
“I’m sorry I haven’t called in a while,” I said. “Things have gotten rather intense around here.”
“Yes, I’ve heard.”
“What have you heard?”
“Your mother says you’ve been spending a great deal of time at the jail with Ruby, and that you went behind your father’s back to pay her bond. He’s very upset.”
That was an understatement. “Father and I have never exactly gotten along. You know that. But it’s worse than ever over Ruby’s situation.”
“Why are you sacrificing so much for her?” She stopped and looked me right in the eyes. “Matthew, are you in love with her?”
And there it was, the direct question, with no room to avoid the truth. “Listen, I want to be honest with you, but I hope you’ll give me a chance to explain. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”
Her eyes widened. “So it’s true.”
“I can explain everything. I do care for Ruby deeply. She’s a very close friend—”
“Who you haven’t spoken to in over four years, but suddenly is the most important person in the world.” She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “Have you loved her all this time? Is she the reason you don’t ever come home to see your family?”
“No, it’s not that. I can’t explain everything—”
“You just said you would explain everything! So which is it? You can explain, or you can’t explain?”
I was getting this all wrong. I hadn’t been prepared for this conversation. I still wasn’t even sure of what I wanted. Everything was so complicated. “I just meant that I would try to explain, and that I would be honest with you.”
“Are you breaking off our engagement? Are you destroying our future for some farm girl who’s probably a murderer?”
“Now hold on a minute! I’m trying to be honest with you. And she didn’t murder anybody.”
Vanessa uncrossed her arms and took a long, deep breath. “Look, you’re just confused. Coming home makes you crazy. We both know that. You just need to get away from here and get some perspective.”
“I can’t—”
“You said you’d look for jobs in Montgomery. Daddy can give you work until something better comes along.”
“Vanessa—”
“We can move past this. Once you get away from all this, you’ll see—”
“Vanessa! I’m not leaving. I promised Ruby I wouldn’t leave her again, and I’m not going to break that promise.”
She stared at me, silent and unblinking, while the leaves swirled around us. I felt sick. How could I have handled this so poorly? At last she took a step back and hugged her arms around her waist. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back, as if she was soaking up the last warmth of the sun.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “You’re a beautiful, kind, and gracious woman. I don’t deserve you.”
Vanessa lowered her head and opened her eyes. The pain and confusion I saw in them was almost unbearable. “I…I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe this is happening.” She turned and glanced at the house behind us. “I’ll speak to Mother this evening, and we’ll be gone tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“What?” she said, with a strange, high-pitched laugh. “Should we stay here? That’s absurd.”
“You’re still friends. We’re all still friends. My family, and yours. It doesn’t have to be such an awful thing, does it?”
She sucked in a breath and smiled, though I could tell it was forced. “Of course. We’re all still the best of friends. The best.” Then she spun on her heels and headed back up the path for the house.
As I watched her go, I wondered if maybe I shouldn’t have just stayed at the Graves’s farm. I had a feeling that things at this house were only going to get worse.
Supper that evening was about the most awkward meal I’d ever sat through. Mother and Mrs. Paschal chatted away as if nothing was going on, while Vanessa sat beside me in complete silence. Father hadn’t spoken one word to me since he’d arrived home just before supper. Though he did take the opportunity to shoot daggers at me with his eyes every now and again. He and Mr. Paschal both remained quiet, so the women filled the conversation with gossip. As I listened to their chatter, I began to get the impression that Vanessa had not yet mentioned our conversation to her mother.
“Well now,” Mrs. Paschal said as she glanced around the table. “Since we’re all here together, we could get a few things settled about the wedding.”
I felt Vanessa stiffen. I’d been right. Why hadn’t she said anything?
Mother’s face beamed over at me. “We’re all so excited! What do you think of having the wedding in Cullman? I mean, you still have family in these parts, and we’d love to host an engagement party!”
Mrs. Paschal shot a glance at Mr. Paschal. “I hadn’t thought of that, honestly. Of course, there are some beautiful locations around Montgomery for a wedding reception. And it would make a lovely trip for you and your family.”
The two women shared polite smiles, but I could see Mother’s disappointment. I didn’t want to think how upset she was going to be when she found out there wasn’t even going to be a wedding. My head pounded, and I couldn’t swallow another morsel.
I pushed away from the table and stood. “I, uh…think I’m coming down with a headache. I’m going to head up to my room and rest for a bit.”
“Oh honey, are you not feeling well?” Mother said.
“Sit down,” Father commanded. “You’ll stay until we finish our meal. Then you’ll accompany me to the library for a smoke. That should set your head straight.”
I didn’t miss the pointed look he gave me with that last sentence. I sat back down, resigned to endure uncomfortable conversation about a wedding that wasn’t going to happen, followed by an argument that would mos
t likely resolve nothing. Thankfully, everyone finished eating soon afterward, and Mother and Mrs. Paschal departed for the sitting room to continue their grand plans.
I took Vanessa by the elbow before she could leave with them. “Why haven’t you said anything?”
She looked up at me with weary eyes that seemed a bit puffy. She’d been crying. “I, I don’t know. I didn’t know what to say. She’s so happy.” She looked like she might start crying again, so despite the awkwardness of the situation, I pulled her into my chest.
“Don’t worry about it tonight,” I said. “Why don’t you go lie down? We can deal with all this in the morning. There’s no rush.”
She relaxed against me and mumbled into my chest. “Thank you.”
Then she turned for the door and headed into the sitting room. I took a moment to steel myself for what waited for me in the library. But when I arrived, I was surprised to find Mr. Paschal smoking with Father. Apparently he meant to torture me further with anticipation. I should have seen that coming.
“Come in,” Father said, handing me a cigar. “It’s about time you joined the real men in a smoke.”
“I prefer not to,” I said. “You know what the doctors say about my lungs.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I was under the impression you had superhuman lungs that were miraculously healed.”
My face flushed hot. “I think that was meant as a joke, not as permission to smoke.”
He took the cigar and placed it back in the humidor on his desk. “Very well then. We can still attend to important matters. Take a seat.”
He gestured to the large wingback chair next to Mr. Paschal, who puffed gently on his cigar like he had not a care in the world. I got the impression that I was the only one in the room who didn’t know exactly what was going on.
Father took the leather armchair across from mine, sucked on his cigar, and then leaned back and crossed his legs. “Now, let’s clear the air about your latest business transaction.”
“Certainly,” I said, though I was surprised we were going to do this in company. “Why don’t you explain to me why there was land purchased in my name without my knowledge?”
“Son, you are still very inexperienced in life and in business. There are rules about taxes and property that are frankly, beyond your understanding.”
“So educate me.”
He sucked on his cigar again and blew the smoke toward the window. “That would take quite some time, and I don’t want to bore Mr. Paschal with our family business. But here’s what you need to understand. Mr. Paschal has been kind enough over the last couple of years to do business with me. He and I support each other in many ways—financially and personally. The land you’re so interested in, wasn’t exactly yours.”
“The name on the deed said otherwise,” I said.
“If you want to play ball with the big boys, son, you have a lot to learn.” He paused and considered me. “I admit, I was angry when I realized what you’d done. But I must commend your decisive action, uninformed as it was. It’s precisely what I would’ve done at your age.”
I glanced at Mr. Paschal, who still appeared only mildly interested in all this. “Look, I understand you’re upset with me, but I did what I had to. You had no right to take the money out of my savings account. Seems to me things are pretty even.”
He leaned forward and shook his head. “Oh no, son. That’s where you’re very wrong. You see, Mr. Paschal and I had plans for that land in the future. Plans that had the potential to make a good deal of money. So you didn’t just cost me what I paid for the land, you cost me and Mr. Paschal every penny we would’ve earned in the future.”
“Then go down to the Building and Loan and buy it back. I’m sure it will still be worth about the same.”
“Don’t worry, Matthew,” Mr. Paschal said, his voice deep and gravely from the smoke. “Your father and I are several steps ahead of you…on many things.”
What was that supposed to mean? The whole conversation was beginning to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I didn’t want to have anything to do with whatever the two of them were concocting. I suspected it was less than ethical, if not outright illegal. I stood to leave.
“Well, I suppose with that being cleared up, I’ll head off to my bedroom.”
“Sit down,” Father said. “We have another matter to clear up as well.”
“Look, I’m not a child anymore. I’m done talking with you. All you want is control over every aspect of my life.” I turned and took a few steps for the door.
“You know your little farm girl is going to be convicted for murder, don’t you?”
I turned back around. “I’m not going to be baited into another argument about Ruby.”
Father gestured toward his guest. “Don’t you think Mr. Paschal deserves to know what you’ve been up to? How you’re running around town making his daughter look like a fool?”
Heat shot up my neck and face as I tried to think of any reasonable explanation. Mr. Paschal scowled at me, his dark brow protruding as if he could rip me to shreds. Maybe Mrs. Paschal was still in the dark, but Mr. Paschal was completely informed.
“I’ve spoken with Vanessa, sir,” I said to Mr. Paschal. “I haven’t hidden anything from her, and I’ve tried to treat her with the utmost respect.”
Mr. Paschal blew out a puff of smoke and turned his icy glare to Father. “I’m tired, Patrick. I’m going to leave you to handle this situation properly. It may require methods best kept between you and your son.” He buried his cigar in the ashtray beside him. Then he stood and walked past me without another glance.
“What methods is he referring to?” I asked once the door had closed.
Father glared up at me, his contempt no longer masked by manners. “You are a stupid, arrogant boy. You have no idea what you’re doing.”
I threw my hands out. “Once again, why don’t you enlighten me?”
He stood and made his way around the large cherry desk, dropping his cigar into the ashtray and leaning onto his fingers, his usual pose for scolding me. “I’ve done everything I could to provide a secure future for you, but you’ve made it clear you have no desire to be a part of this family. I’m going to explain this to you in terms even you will grasp. If you abandon your responsibilities to Vanessa and your promises to the Paschal family, and you continue to publicly embarrass both of our families, I will have no choice but to completely cut you off.”
“What makes you think I want anything of yours?”
“Not only will you be cut off, but I will do everything in my power, which you know to be substantial, to ensure that Ruby is put away for life, if not sent to the electric chair.”
I took a step back, unable to believe what I was hearing. “You’d condemn an innocent person just to spite me? Are you insane? Do you have no integrity at all?”
“You can judge me all you want, but the facts are what they are. And I will follow through with my promise.”
“So now you have the power to convict people of crimes?” I yelled. “You’re a monster!”
“From what I understand, the girl is far from innocent. And the fact that you would associate our good family name with someone who carries on with Negroes is appalling. And this isn’t the first time. Now, I tolerated your behavior several years back because your mother assured me it was simply a period in your life you’d outgrow. But this is far more serious. And I will not tolerate it this time.”
I stepped forward and made sure to meet his gaze with all the force I had. “Ruby didn’t kill anyone, and I intend to stick by her side every step of the way until she’s proved innocent. You may have some sway in this community and Cullman, but you cannot thwart God. If anyone has ever had God on their side, it’s Ruby Graves.”
I turned and strode toward the door, refusing to engage in his game any longer. As I pulled the door open he called across the room. “You will regret this decision, Matthew. It will cost you more than you can bear.”
Chapter Fourteen
Ruby
When Matthew’s car arrived back in our driveway the very same night, I had to admit I was glad. Having him nearby for the past few days had been like a dream, and I hadn’t wanted to wake from it. Oh, I knew it was pointless. My affection for Matthew had always been more rooted in my dreams than reality. But it was a nice distraction from the quicksand that surrounded me. His steady presence kept me from going under the weight of the bleak future I faced.
In fact, things between us had been so easy lately, I didn’t think twice about going to him with my request the next morning. After breakfast, I followed him out the back of the house under the pretense of getting the broom for sweeping. He and Asa had planned to head off into the trees for the morning to find more wood for the coming winter. I put my hand on his arm before he went down the stairs.
“Can I ask you for something?” I said.
“Sure.” His easy smile warmed my heart. “What can I do for you?”
“I’d really like to know how Samuel’s doing, and see Hannah and Isaac.” His face dropped to a frown, making me pause. “I, uh, I was hoping you might drive me out—”
“Have you completely lost your mind?” Matthew looked around like someone might be spying on us. Then he grabbed my elbow and pulled me down the stairs toward the clothes line and lowered his voice. “Absolutely not. What if someone sees you? Have you even thought about that?”
“Of course, but who would see me? No one cares about where I go, especially in Colony.”
“Ruby, you can’t be that naive. There are people in this town that want to see you put away for life. Why do you think your mother went after her brothers? For entertainment? You can’t give the Klan anything!”
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