Carried Forward By Hope (28 page)

Moses interrupted. “I thought you were a
financial
analyst.”

Jeremy smiled. “I am, but that means understanding the forces that control the finances. So far, President Johnson is looking like he’s going to be tough on the South and make sure they adhere to the terms of surrender.”

“You sound like you doubt that will continue.”

“Let’s just say it would be out of character based on what I’ve learned so far,” Jeremy responded. “President Johnson is a Southerner who was a slave owner. That can never be forgotten. He fought to maintain the Union, but he fought equally hard to maintain slavery. Only time will tell what he does now.”

Moses leaned forward and stared into the distance. “What is that?” he asked tensely. He saw clouds of dust and heard frantic yells, but he couldn’t tell what was going on.

Jeremy tightened his lips and continued to drive forward.

Moses’s lips tightened in fury when they got close enough to see. A group of what looked to be former slaves had been surrounded by a group of white men on horseback. Their tattered uniforms identified them as former Confederate soldiers.

“Where you niggers think you’re going?” one yelled.

Moses groaned as he saw the stark terror on the faces staring up at the horsemen. He opened his mouth to say something, but Jeremy put a hand on his arm.

“Don’t.”

“We can’t just do nothing!” Moses protested.

Jeremy kept his hand on his arm. “They’re not doing anything but scaring them right now,” he said. “Just the two of us won’t be able to stop them. If we challenge them, they may hurt them just to prove they can.”

“And what if they decide to hurt them anyway?” Moses asked angrily.

“You headed into the big city?” another one of the men yelled. “You think you’re going to find your big opportunity?” he sneered.

The group continued to stare at the horsemen silently.

“Just wait,” Jeremy urged. “If they try to hurt them, of course we’ll step in to try to stop it.”

Moses clenched his fists and teeth as he stared at the scene playing out before him.

The veterans continued to taunt the band of freed slaves, spinning their horses around them in circles until the dust caked their faces and covered their clothes. They finally seemed to tire of their fun.

“Let’s get out of here!” one of them, a thin man with straggly black hair and sallow skin, finally yelled. “These people are so stupid they can’t even talk. They’ll get to Richmond and find out soon enough that no one wants them there either.”

Whooping and hollering, the men on horseback finally wheeled and galloped off.

Moses watched them with disgust. He was also aware of a feeling of gratitude that Thomas had insisted on Jeremy and the wagon.

Jeremy drew the wagon up next to the group. “You people okay?”

They simply stared at him, fright still shining from their eyes.

Moses stepped off of the wagon. “It’s alright,” he said. “You’re safe now.”

“Until the next group comes along,” one of the men finally ventured. “Dey ain’t the first that come after us.”

Moses scowled. “If you keep moving you can be in the city before dark.”

“Where should we go?” the spokesman asked. “You know anythin’ about Richmond?”

“Enough,” Moses responded. “Listen carefully, because you don’t want to go in the wrong area.” He told them the route to take to get to the black quarter. “If you don’t get there before dark,” he cautioned, “stay in the woods until tomorrow morning.”

“So Richmond ain’t no better?” one tired looking woman asked as she held tightly to the hand of her little girl.

“It’s better,” Moses assured her, “but it’s not safe in certain areas at night.”

“I thought the army be there to take care of things.”

“They are, but they can’t be everywhere at one time. Once you get to the black quarter, you need to find one of the churches. Tell them Moses Samuel sent you.”

The man opened his eyes wide. “You be someone important?”

Moses shrugged. “Not really, but I’ve made it a point to know everyone down there. Until recently I was a Union soldier.”

The frightened looks turned to excited smiles.

“So we gonna find us some good jobs?” the woman asked. “Does the army got food for us?” She stared down at her little girl. “We ain’t had much to eat since we done set off from the plantation.”

Moses sighed. He’d heard this story hundreds of times in the last weeks. “They’ll help you,” he assured them, “but you’ll have to find work. It won’t be easy because the city is filling up, but you’ll have to keep looking. The government won’t always be there. It’s up to all of us to make the most of the freedom we’ve been given.”

The man who had spoken first scowled. “What you know about being a slave?” he sneered. “You and your fancy talkin’.”

Moses eyed him. “I was a slave for the first nineteen years of my life. I have the lashes to prove it. When I got a chance to escape, I took it. When I got the chance to learn to read, I took it. When I got the chance to learn how to speak correctly, I took it because I want to take advantage of my freedom and I want things to be different for my family.”

His gaze swept the group that had lost their suspicious looks. “Nobody can change the fact that you were slaves and had years stolen from you. But only you can change what comes next. If you sit around waiting for things to be handed to you, your life won’t be much different. When you get to Richmond, go to school. Learn how to read and write. Learn how to talk. It will make the rest of your life a lot easier.”

Moses looked at the sun sinking toward the horizon and knew they needed to keep moving. They would also need to find a safe place before it got dark. “I wish you the best,” he said, and turned to climb back into the wagon.

“Thank you, Mr. Moses Samuels!” one of the women called out.

Moses waved his hand as Jeremy moved the horse forward.

“That was something,” Jeremy finally said. “Rose told me you’re a natural leader, but I haven’t had a chance to see you in action before now.”

Moses shrugged, thinking about what Captain Jones had said. “I just want to be a farmer.”

Jeremy laughed. “I reckon you learned a long time ago that what we want and what we actually get aren’t usually the same thing.”

Moses stared at him, not wanting to think about it, but also not able to deny the glow of satisfaction he felt when he had been able to help that group. “I did the leadership thing in the army,” he finally said. “I’m done.”

Jeremy just smiled and moved the horse into a brisk trot. “We can sleep in the wagon tonight. May threw in some blankets and a huge basket of food.”

Moses smiled, looking at the back of the wagon for the first time. “Bless May’s heart,” he said gladly. “I’m starving.”

Carrie was standing on the porch when her father walked out with two mugs of steaming coffee in his hands.

“Want some?” Thomas offered.

Carrie smiled and reached for a mug gratefully. “After three years of drinking cups of liquid that didn’t remotely resemble coffee, it is still such a joy to drink the real thing.”

Thomas nodded. “I’m grateful our stores are filling up with product again, even if they are ridiculously expensive.” He took a big sip and stared out over the city. “You’re sure this is what you want to do?”

Carrie nodded. “I’ve thought it through a hundred times. Robert is not getting any stronger here. He’s already lost all interest in living, and every day seems to take him a little further from me. The only time he speaks is during the hideous nightmares he has every night. He’s closing down,” she said desperately.

“Are you sure he can manage the trip out to the plantation?”

Carrie shook her head. “No, I’m not,” she admitted, “but I am quite sure he will die here if I don’t get him out of the city. I have to take the chance.” She turned to her father. “Do you think I’m wrong?”

“No,” Thomas said firmly. “Hope is so often the only thing that keeps us alive. I fear this house has become nothing but a symbol of despair for Robert because of the memories it holds from the war. He can’t get away from them. I believe you’re doing the right thing.”

Carrie leaned against him, so grateful for his strength. Her father had been home only a week, but already his eyes were brighter. The reality that they were leaving for the plantation in just an hour had brought a glow to his face that she hadn’t seen in years. “You’re really glad to be going home…”

“Yes,” Thomas said gratefully. “I truly never believed I could feel the plantation was home again, but it’s all I want now.”

“You won’t miss your work here in Richmond?”

Thomas shook his head. “I’ve had enough of politics to last a lifetime.” His face creased with thought. “This country will only reunite when people stop seeking the Republican answer, or the Democratic answer. The only one that counts is the
right
answer. It’s just not important who is to blame for the past. I find I simply want to live my life taking responsibility for my part of the future.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Aunt Abby said fervently as she stepped out on the porch to join them. “I couldn’t help overhearing the last thing you said. I can only pray more people on both sides of this equation will make the same decision.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Thomas replied ruefully, but then smiled. “Good morning, Abby.”

“Good morning!” she said brightly as she slipped an arm through Carrie’s. “I can’t believe that after all the years of hearing about your wonderful plantation, I’m actually going to get to see it for myself.”

Carrie grinned, visions of racing across the fields on Granite filling her mind and blanking out all other concerns. “You’re going to love it!” Suddenly she couldn’t wait to get on the road. “Do you think Miles is almost done packing the wagon?”

Aunt Abby nodded. “As long as he can get it all in. May keeps handing him baskets of food.” Amusement danced in her eyes.

“We’ll be out there this afternoon,” Thomas protested. “We don’t need that much food.”

“May is determined that no one will have a moment of hunger,” Aunt Abby replied. “When I suggested she might be overdoing it, she waved a spoon at me and told me to get out of her kitchen. That’s when I decided the front porch was safer.”

Carrie and Thomas laughed with her, and then Thomas grew thoughtful. “I’m very lucky to have those two. I still feel badly about leaving them here at the house without a salary.”

“Don’t,” Carrie said, repeating what she had already said to her father before. “They talked about this before you even came home. You are leaving them with a home and a garden that will supply their needs. It will give them time to figure out how they want to live their future. When they want to do something else, they know they can just tell you. By that time, you may know more about what you want to do with the house.”

“It just feels so odd,” Thomas murmured.

“Life is going to feel odd for a long time,” Aunt Abby agreed. “Nothing is as it used to be.”

“For you either?” Thomas asked.

“It’s almost like the circle of life,” Aunt Abby admitted. “My family is here in Virginia. I never thought I would return here — certainly not open a factory.”

“Your family must be very proud of you,” Thomas said.

Aunt Abby sighed. “One could hope,” she replied, “but they have just never understood my independence and my determination to run my husband’s business. They told me I was bringing disgrace to the family name.”

“They can’t still feel that way!” Thomas exclaimed.

Carrie saw the shadow fall over Aunt Abby’s eyes. “The letter that came yesterday,” she said. “It was from your family?”

Aunt Abby gazed at her and nodded. “You would think by the time I reached middle-age that I would no longer care about my family’s impressions of me, but I find it still stings,” she admitted, her forced laugh not reaching her eyes. “They told me I am doing nothing but bringing further disgrace to the family name by bringing evil Northern money down here. Losing the war was bad enough, but now my kind and I are coming down to rub their noses in it.”

Carrie reached for her hand. “I’m so sorry.”

Aunt Abby took a deep breath and shook her head. “Don’t be. I’ve been hearing this for years. I have made the decision each time to live my life. How they feel about me is not my responsibility.”

“Now I know why you and Carrie get along so well,” Thomas said blandly.

Aunt Abby laughed merrily. “We
are
very much alike.” She looked up at Thomas, shading her eyes from the sun. “Does that bother you?” she asked quietly.

Thomas shook his head immediately. “Not at all. After years of living with Carrie, I find submissive women quite boring!” He held out his arm. “Care to join me for breakfast, Abby?”