Ransom of Love

by Al Lacy

  Priscilla was seated in her bedroom in her favorite overstuffed chair. Dorena stood at the window.

  “You’re right, Priscilla,” Dorena said. “Since neither Benjamin nor Master Charles seemed upset, I think that whatever they are talking about has to be something good.”

  “I agree. And it has something to do with you.”

  “Really? Why do you think that?”

  “Well, what other connection does Benjamin have with Papa?”

  Dorena thought on it. “None that I know of.”

  As she watched the slaves move about below, Dorena said, “Oh! I’m supposed to tell you that Benjamin really likes the way you styled my hair.”

  “He’s a man of good taste!”

  Dorena giggled. “Of course. He picked me, didn’t he?”

  “That’s proof of it,” Priscilla said, noting Dorena’s sudden concentration on something below. “What are you looking at, honey?”

  “Benjamin.”

  “What?”

  “He just came out the back door and is heading toward the cabins.”

  Priscilla joined her at the window and saw Benjamin walking briskly in the direction of the slave cabins. He spoke to slaves as he went.

  “What do you suppose he’s up to?” Dorena muttered as she watched him moving down the path.

  She admired his straight, broad back and wide shoulders and thought, Oh, how I love him! She watched him until the path carried him out of sight. She turned to her mistress and shrugged her shoulders, saying, “Guess I will just have to wait until he’s ready to tell me what this is all about. But waiting is not one of the things I do best.”

  Priscilla put an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, now, worry wart. Whatever is going on has to be something good.”

  Dorena let out a sigh. “Of course. Well, sweet Priscilla, I’d better get back to work.”

  Dorena’s family was standing on the porch of the small cabin, watching for Benjamin to come around the bend in the path.

  “It has to be about Dorena,” Caleb said.

  “I can’t imagine what it could be,” said Liza.

  “Maybe he wants to become a slave on this plantation so he can marry her,” put in Matthew.

  Caleb chuckled. “Well, son, to tell you the truth, that wouldn’t surprise me. He does love your sister very, very much.”

  “Here he comes,” said Liza.

  Benjamin had two slave boys flanking him as he hurried along the path. He had a hand on each boy’s shoulder and it was evident they admired him. Presently, Benjamin said something to them and smiled. They nodded and came to a stop, letting him move on.

  As Benjamin drew up to the cabin, he said, “How is my favorite family on the whole Moore plantation?”

  “We are fine,” said Caleb. “Especially me. Your coming to talk to us got me out of working for a while.”

  Benjamin laughed.

  “Please come inside, Benjamin,” Liza said.

  Benjamin ran his eyes around the sparkling clean room as he stepped inside. The furnishings were sparse and rather crudely made, but Liza had done a wonderful job of making it a home for her family. A sense of abiding love filled the room.

  As they sat down at the room’s only table, the eyes of Dorena’s family were fixed on Benjamin, waiting for him to speak.

  Feeling somewhat intimidated by the intensity of their gaze, Benjamin prayed in his heart for just the right words.

  “I … I … have something very important to discuss with you,” he began. “You know that I am very much in love with Dorena, and that I adore her with all of my being.”

  When Benjamin finished telling them about Dan Johnson’s offer, and of his plan to purchase Dorena from Charles Moore after Priscilla was married, they sat in stunned silence.

  Benjamin waited for their response, but the silence prevailed.

  Finally, Matthew said, “Benjamin, this is a bit of a shock, as you might imagine. Texas seems a million miles away. But my parents and I are happy about your good fortune and wish you much happiness and success.”

  Caleb cleared his throat. “Matthew is right, Benjamin. We do wish you the very best. We will miss our daughter terribly, but we know she loves you very much. How could we ever stand in the way of her freedom and the fulfillment we know she will find as your wife?”

  Liza’s eyes were swimming in tears. She reached across the table and took hold of Benjamin’s hand. “I agree with everything my husband and son have just said. Dorena’s freedom will be a wonderful thing. We will be happy knowing she is happy.”

  Caleb gripped Benjamin’s other hand with his work-worn hands and said, “We will be proud to own you as our son-in-law.”

  Nearly an hour had passed when Charles Moore heard a light tap on the library door.

  “Yes?”

  The door opened and Evelyn looked in. “Benjamin is here to see you, dear.”

  “Send him in, honey.”

  Benjamin thanked her and stepped into the room. Before Evelyn closed the door, she smiled at her husband and said, “You two have my curiosity up. I didn’t even know Benjamin was on the place till he passed through the kitchen a while ago. Mind if I ask what’s going on?”

  “After Benjamin and I talk here for a little while, honey, we’ll probably be having a family meeting. I’ll let you know shortly.”

  “Very well, mystery men. See you later.”

  When the door was closed, Charles invited Benjamin to sit down, then said, “All right. Let’s hear it.”

  “Sir, Dorena’s family reacted exactly as you thought they would. They have put their blessing on our plan and our upcoming marriage.”

  “Wonderful! You look like a very happy man.”

  “You’re right about that, sir. Superbly happy! The Lord is working out what looked to be impossible.”

  “He is a marvelous and powerful God, Benjamin. His love for His born-again children is so great that He delights in bringing about the impossible in their lives.”

  “Yes, and I praise Him for it, sir. And I also have warm thoughts toward Mr. Dan, who was willing to be God’s vessel to bring all of this to pass.”

  “You will be very happy working for Dan, Benjamin. The man has a deep love for you.”

  “And I for him, sir.”

  Charles left his chair and went to the desk in the corner of the library. He picked up a sheet of paper. “I drew up this written guarantee for you. The only thing I left blank was the amount of ransom to be paid for Dorena.”

  Benjamin nodded and let his eyes run the lines.

  “As you can see, I am guaranteeing that you can purchase Dorena any time after Priscilla gets married.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “When we agree on an amount, I will fill it in and sign the document.”

  Benjamin handed the paper back.

  “The price I have in mind, Benjamin, is four hundred dollars. Does that sound fair to you?”

  Benjamin smiled. “Very fair, sir. Dorena is worth more than all the money in the world, but I appreciate the reasonable price. I will plan on paying four hundred dollars for her.”

  “Good!” Charles sat down behind his desk. “I’ll just fill in the amount and sign it. If you should not be able to come up with the money by the time our daughter marries, Dorena will be held here for you until you can. It’s all stated here in the agreement, as you’ve just read.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  When Charles had signed the document and blotted it, he put it in an envelope and gave it to Benjamin. “There you are, son.”

  “Thank you, sir. May God bless you abundantly.”

  “He has in many ways, Benjamin. One of those is by bringing you into my life. You have been a blessing to me.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Benjamin said, pressing the envelope firmly over his heart.

  “You wait here,” Charles said. “I want my family to know all about this.”

  Moments later, the library door opened and Charles came back, leadin
g Evelyn, Priscilla, and Lewis.

  When everyone was seated, Charles told them about Benjamin’s plan to go to Texas and work on Dan Johnson’s cattle ranch. He asked Benjamin for the document and passed it around to his family. When it was handed back to him, he ran his gaze over their faces and said, “I just wanted you to see this agreement I made with Benjamin and make sure you understand it.”

  “I understand it, Papa,” Priscilla said, “and I think it’s wonderful. Dorena and Benjamin deserve a life together.”

  “And I appreciate you being fair with him on the price, dear,” Evelyn said. “From what you said about the wages Dan is going to pay him, he should be in a position to ransom Dorena as soon as Priscilla and Craig get married.”

  Charles turned to his sullen-faced son. “Do you understand the agreement, Lewis?”

  “Yeah. I understand it.”

  “Good. Now, Dorena needs to be told about this. Priscilla, where is she?”

  “In her room, Papa.”

  “Will you go fetch her, please? I want to give her and Benjamin some time together so he can tell her all that has transpired. Then I want all of us to meet with them. Take her to the small parlor. Benjamin will be waiting for her there.”

  Priscilla hoisted her skirts and ran up the stairs in a very unladylike fashion. She drew up to Dorena’s room and knocked loudly.

  Seconds later, the door came open.

  “Come on!” she said breathlessly and grabbed Dorena’s hand. She kept a tight grip and pulled Dorena toward the staircase.

  Half-stumbling, Dorena said, “Priscilla, what has taken hold of you?”

  “You’ll see, honey! You’ll see!”

  “Has this got to do with Benjamin?”

  “Yes! I told you it would have to involve you and that it would be good. It is exceptionally good! Come on! Papa is going to give you and Benjamin some time together so he can tell you about it, then Papa wants the family to talk to both of you.”

  Benjamin was standing in the center of the room when Priscilla fairly pushed Dorena into the parlor, kissed her cheek, then said to Benjamin, “When you two are ready, come to the library. We’ll be waiting for you there.”

  Nodding, Benjamin said, “We will be along in a little while.”

  Priscilla backed out and closed the door behind her.

  Dorena stood like a statue, hardly daring to breathe.

  Seeing her perplexity, Benjamin quickly closed the gap that separated them and took both of her shaking hands in his own strong ones.

  “Let’s sit down, sweetheart,” he said.

  He led her to a small settee and sat beside her. Looking into her eyes with adoration, he said, “I have some very good news.”

  Dorena nodded. “It must be, the way Miss Priscilla was acting.”

  “It involves our future together, darlin’. You know that Mr. Dan is leaving Friday for Texas to begin his new life as a cattle rancher.”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, he talked to me in private this morning, and that’s where this story begins …”

  When Benjamin had brought her up to the moment, Dorena sat with her head bowed.

  Myriad thoughts raced through Benjamin’s mind while he studied her, waiting for her reaction. Little did he know that Dorena was taking time to thank the Lord that truly “with God, all things are possible.” Then he saw tears trickling down her cheeks. They dripped off her chin and splattered on their clasped hands.

  Finally, Dorena raised her shining eyes. “Nothing in this world would make me any happier than to spend my life with you, wherever it may take us,” she whispered in answer to the question burning in his brown eyes.

  Benjamin wrapped his powerful arms around her delicate form and they held on to each other for a long moment.

  Then Dorena drew back and looked into his eyes. “I will do everything possible to be the best cowboy’s wife there ever was,” she said.

  Benjamin kissed the tip of her nose. “I have no doubt about that, sweetheart. And you will be the very best because you are the very best, and the most wonderful lady in all the world.”

  When Benjamin and Dorena walked into the library, the Moores, minus Lewis, stood to their feet.

  Priscilla dashed toward Dorena and took her in her arms. “Oh, I’m so happy for you! Of course, when the time comes for us to part, I will miss you something awful!”

  Dorena hugged her tight. “And I will miss you in the same way.”

  She set her teary gaze on the head of the Moore family. “Mr. Charles, how can I ever thank you for being willing to let Benjamin ransom me?”

  “You don’t have to, dear. Just seeing you with so much joy on your face is thanks enough.”

  Evelyn went to Dorena and kissed her cheek, saying, “I’m glad we get to keep you a little longer. I’m going to miss you real big myself!”

  “I will miss you, too, Miss Evelyn. You and Mr. Charles both. You have been so good to me.”

  Charles smiled. “Well, I guess we all should get back to what we were doing. I just wanted us to rejoice a little together once Dorena knew the situation.”

  Priscilla embraced Dorena again. “I know you and Benjamin will have a wonderful life together in Texas.” She kept her arm around Dorena’s waist as she turned to look at her father. “Papa, you’re the best papa on the face of God’s green earth.”

  Charles grinned. “I hope I can always make you believe that, sweet daughter.”

  The Moores left the library in order to give Benjamin and Dorena a few more minutes together.

  When the door closed, Benjamin took her in his arms once more and said, “Truly, the Lord has blessed us, sweetheart.”

  “Oh yes. Isn’t it wonderful when we see His hand working in our lives?”

  “It sure is.”

  “I am so thrilled we can now become husband and wife. Though I will miss my family, I want to live on that ranch in Texas because that’s where you will be, my darling.”

  A LARGE CROWD WAS MILLING ABOUT Charleston’s railroad terminal as Dan Johnson and his family stood beside the Atlanta bound train. He embraced each member of his family while Benjamin remained a couple of steps away.

  When Dan released Alexander from his embrace he turned to Benjamin and said, “As soon as I can see my way clear to meet the salary I have promised you, I’ll let you know.”

  Benjamin nodded, fighting the hot tears. “That will be fine, Mr. Dan.”

  “In the meantime, you enjoy your times with Dorena.”

  “I will, sir. She’s looking forward to becoming a Texan herself.”

  “Good.” Dan’s eyes met Benjamin’s misty gaze, then he opened his arms and embraced him.

  “Keep me up to date on things, won’t you, Benjamin?”

  “I will, Mr. Dan. I can hardly wait to be riding the range on the ranch for my best friend.”

  The conductor was calling for all passengers to board.

  “Something else, Benjamin. When you go to work for me on the ranch, you will no longer call me ‘Mr. Dan.’ It will be just plain Dan.”

  “That will take some time getting used to, but I like it.”

  Dan picked up his overnight bag, told his family good-bye, and hurried toward the train.

  Dan Johnson’s trip had him traveling across South Carolina into Georgia, where he changed trains in Atlanta. From there he traveled to Mobile where he got on a train that would stop in New Orleans, then go on to Houston.

  When he boarded the train at Mobile, he had gotten acquainted with Roger and Frances Galloway, who were in their midfifties. Roger was owner of a meat packing plant in Houston, and between Mobile and New Orleans, he showed great interest in Dan’s new venture into the cattle business and asked him to contact him once he was marketing his cattle.

  No one had been sitting beside Dan on the run between Mobile and New Orleans, but when the train took on passengers, he looked up to see a lovely young woman about his age pause and look down at him. She had a small overnight bag
in one hand.

  “Pardon me, sir. Is this seat taken?”

  Dan was instantly on his feet. “No, ma’am. You are welcome to sit here. I’ve been riding by the window. Would you like that seat?”

  “It really doesn’t make any difference.”

  “Well, you sit there. I’m sure you will enjoy it.”

  “All right. Thank you, sir.”

  “May I place your bag in the overhead rack for you?”

  “Why, yes. You are very kind.”

  While Dan was putting the bag overhead, the young woman smiled at the Galloways and sat down facing them.

  When Dan was seated beside her, he said, “I’m Dan Johnson, Miss—”

  “Stephanie Lanford, Mr. Johnson.”

  Dan gestured toward the couple across from them. “Miss Stephanie Lanford, meet Roger and Frances Galloway. They’re returning home to Houston from Mobile.”

  Stephanie and the Galloways greeted each other, then she turned to Dan. “Where are you from and where are going, Mr. Johnson?”

  While Dan was explaining his background and his new venture into the cattle business, the train lurched and began to roll out of the station.

  Soon they were out of New Orleans, rushing past swampland, misty bayous lined with moss-draped cypress trees, and large patches of magenta flowers.

  Frances set kind eyes on Stephanie. “We haven’t heard about you, dear. Where are you from, and where are you going?”

  “Well, Mrs. Galloway, I am from a little town a few miles north of Mobile called Creola. And I am on my way to Galveston to get married.”

  “Galveston,” Roger said. “Your young man lives there, I presume?”

  “Yes, sir. He and his father are in the boat sales and repair business.”

  “Well, Galveston is a good place to be in that business.”

  “They are doing well at it, sir.”

  “How soon are you getting married, ma’am?” Dan asked, thinking of his own intention of finding the right woman and making her his wife.

  “Next Saturday afternoon.” Excitement showed in her eyes.

  “How long have you known the young man, dear?” Frances asked.

  Stephanie’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Well, ah … not very long, actually. We … ah … have corresponded by mail a lot.”