“Let them look,” he said. “I care about you. I don’t care who knows it.”
She shook her head sadly. “You forget where you are. You can fight for a Negro’s freedom, but you are not free to care for one. Not the way you care for me.”
“That’s debatable,” he murmured, “but not now. Will you please wait here while I go to the jail? I won’t be able to think straight if I’m worried about you. I’ll ask the rifleman to stay with you; not to watch you, but as protection.”
Against her better judgment, she agreed. “I’ll stay here.”
A warm, sensuous smile parted his lips. “I’d kiss you, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t know when to stop ’cause God knows I wouldn’t want to. See you soon.”
Thor strode to Jacob. After a brief discussion, the two men turned to her. Jacob’s expression was crestfallen while Thor’s look held longing and determination. She waved at him, and he smiled again before leaving the barn with the other men.
Rifle in hand, Jacob moved to her side. “That’s one good man.”
Willow nodded. “He sure is.”
Chapter Sixteen
Davis’s beady eyes bored into Thor with hatred. Thor returned the stare, relieved that Hammond and Tom stood nearby to watch his back. He glanced at his great-great-grandfather and the reverend. Their faces wore stoic masks as they stared straight ahead. No doubt, his sudden return surprised them. Thor drew in a long breath and directed his speech to the sheriff.
“As I said before, I’m a distant relative of Anders. Some say we could almost pass as twins.”
The sheriff shrugged. “What does this have to do with Mr. Davis’s charges?”
“Davis has confused Anders with me, and I believe he knows it. He’s trying to get back at me by hurting my family.”
“Are you admitting to stealing slaves from this gentleman?” Sheriff Gibson asked.
Thor glanced at Davis. The man’s pale face colored to deep crimson. Something Thor said riled him. The lying jackass had better prepare himself because more of that was on the way.
“No, Sheriff, I’m not admitting to that because Mr. Davis’s charges of slave stealing are false. Well, in regards to Anders, Reverend Brown, and me. We didn’t steal anyone or anything from him—”
“That’s a lie!” Davis jumped from his chair and knocked it over in the process. He stormed across the room to Thor. His hands shot out to grab him. The sheriff raised his rifle between the two men, and Davis stepped back.
“We’ll have none of that. If it happens again, you’ll find yourself in that cell.”
Davis’s eyes cut to Gibson. “You forget who you’re talking to.”
“I know you, or rather your kind,” the sheriff said, “but I’m the law here. You’ll sit down and listen or you’ll answer for it.”
Davis grunted, but offered no further comment. He returned to his seat and continued to stare daggers at Thor. Fury vibrated from the other man. Thor ignored it. Handling his own emotions was hard enough without concerning himself too much with the planter’s obvious rage.
“As I was saying, I haven’t had the time or the inclination to steal anything from Mr. Davis. The fine Southern gentleman offered me the sanctuary of his home. He even was so kind as to allow his daughter to give me a tour of his plantation. In light of such hospitality, only a fool would try to bite the hand that’s fed him. No, Sheriff, I state the truth when I say that I did not take anything from this man. I am also telling the truth when I tell you that Anders and the reverend couldn’t have done the deed either.”
“Do you have proof of that?” Gibson asked as Davis huffed.
“I have witnesses, Sheriff. Anders’s wife just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Anders and the reverend were there for the blessed event. Both Mrs. Magnusen and Mrs. Brown can vouch for them. Besides, I know who the guilty culprit is, and I am surprised that Davis is ignorant of this knowledge.”
“Why would you say that?” Gibson’s expression appeared thoughtful, as if the story intrigued him, and he hung on Thor’s every word.
Thor bit back a smile. He had the sheriff in the palm of his hand, and Davis would have no argument to the contrary. Thor was sure of it. “Because the slave stealer is the son of Mr. Davis’s overseer. I found Grady Falls in the woods with my boy and with one of Davis’s large field hands. While I attempted to reclaim my property, Falls jumped me from behind. The blow left me confused, and I’ve been wandering around in the woods ever since.”
Thor rubbed a finger over the lower part of his head until he found the bump. He lowered his head toward the sheriff. “See that. That’s where the thieving bastard clobbered me. Damn near killed me.” He straightened and looked around. “Where’s Falls now? I got a word or two I wanna say to him, and I want him held on charges of trying to steal from me!”
The sheriff glared at Davis. “Well? Where is he? You got a couple of dozen men out there, bring him in.”
Davis stiffened. “He’s not out there,” he muttered.
“Where is he?”
“He’s on a business trip for me. I don’t know when he’ll be back.”
“That’s mighty convenient.” Sheriff clucked his tongue. “Where did you send him?”
“Different places. I don’t see how that matters. You cannot take
his
word over mine! I aim to see justice is done!”
“So do I!” Thor yelled back. His fist pounded the desk for effect. “Get Falls back here!”
“I ain’t talkin’ about Falls,” Davis snarled. “You know damned well who I mean.”
“You sure as hell can’t be talking about me,” Thor countered, his voice dangerously low.
“My daughter—”
“Do you really want to bring her into this?” Thor asked quietly. “She tried to poison me. I’m willing to let bygones be bygones, but I can change my mind.” He looked at the lawman. “Sheriff, in addition to Grady Falls, add Miss Leah—”
“Enough!” Davis stood. “You’ve disrespected my daughter once. You won’t do it again.” He kept his dark gaze trained on Thor as he said to Gibson, “Charges dropped.”
Davis turned on his heel. The planter’s boots clomped across the floor. Storming out the jailhouse, he called to his men, “Saddle up! We’re headin’ back!”
Relief took Thor’s breath away. His plan worked. He pulled it off!
“You’re free to go.” The sheriff unlocked the jail cell and opened the door. “Sorry about the mix-up. I didn’t know Miss Eva gave birth. Congratulations, Anders.”
“Thank you.” Anders turned to Thor. “Thank you, too. I knew you weren’t gone for good.”
“I’m glad I wasn’t.”
Brown patted Thor’s back. “You did good, Thor. Real good.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Hammond called from the doorway, “Y’all got a way home?”
“We can double up,” Thor told him. “I have a horse and Willow does, too. It won’t be a problem. Thanks, Hammond.”
The young man smiled and paused at the threshold to allow Willow entry. She rushed to the reverend.
He closed his arms around her and hugged her. “I’m free to go. Thor told that sour-bellied planter a thing or two, and it’s over now. Let’s go home.”
Thor and Anders followed them outside. The night held a strange feeling, almost surreal. Upon Davis and his men’s departure, the town had settled, returning to its normal routine. A few of Brown’s supporters lingered to congratulate him and Anders on their victory. Half an hour passed before the quartet finally reached the two horses.
The reverend joined Willow on one horse while Anders rode with Thor. They left town in silence. A sensation of camaraderie settled over them, reminding Thor of how good his pro team felt after they won a game. A party usually followed, and they celebrated well into the night. This feeling went deeper than that. He did more than throw a successful pass or score a touchdown. He saved lives. His chest swelled with overwhelming emotion.
“What went on with you and that planter’s daughter?”
Anders’s low voice came right behind Thor’s ear and jarred him from his thoughts. “Nothing really. She was interested in me romantically and wasn’t too happy when her feelings weren’t returned.”
“You said she tried to poison you.”
“I exaggerated a little bit there. She slipped a drug in my drink to knock me out.”
“You said she had feelings for you. Then why would she do something like that?”
“She was angry.”
Thor didn’t mean for his response to sound blunt, but he didn’t want to go into details to satisfy Anders’s curiosity. The other man didn’t recognize Willow as a woman the same way Thor did. An explanation would only irritate them both. Thor decided to let things be. Knowledge of the whole truth was none of Anders’s business.
“Did she see you with Willow?”
“Of course, she saw me,” Thor bit out. “Willow was with me down there. You know that.”
“You know what I mean.” Anders grunted. “With the way you’re waltzing around the question, I can guess the answer. That Davis girl didn’t like losing a white man’s affection to someone like Willow.”
“You mean to a black woman, and yeah, Leah didn’t like that I preferred Willow’s company to hers.”
“Is that all you prefer? Just her company?”
Thor’s grip on the horse’s reins tightened. The mare protested with a loud snort. His hand stroked the horse’s mane as he soothed the horse with cooing noises. “I think we’d better drop this conversation.”
“She’s a pretty girl,” Anders continued as if he hadn’t heard the warning in Thor’s voice. “Smart, too. She has a lot of spirit, and even though she tries to hide it, I know she doesn’t like me. She adores Eva, and that’s enough for me. But when it comes to you…Willow shines like a brand-new penny on Easter Sunday.”
Thor gritted his teeth. “What are you getting at?”
“You want her,” Anders said bluntly. “But you know you can’t have her; at least not permanently. If you care about her at all, you’ll let her go. Some men think there’s nothing wrong with bedding a Negress, but I think it’s ungodly—”
“Because she’s not white?”
“No, because knowing a woman, any woman without benefit of marriage, is wrong in the eyes of the Lord. I don’t talk about religion much. The reverend and I don’t agree on too many things,” Anders admitted, “but when it comes to the Bible and the Lord, Reverend Brown is a good authority. He doesn’t want Willow hurt, and whether you believe it or not, neither do I. She’s a special girl, and she’s been hurt enough. Don’t add to it.”
“I don’t want to hurt her, but I can’t just let her go either.”
“Thor—”
“No, hear me out.”
“There’s nothing you can say that can change things,” Anders insisted with a hint of impatience. “You and Willow cannot be together. Society won’t allow it. The folks in these hills are generous to a fault, but they wouldn’t stand for it. You’d be shunned and the Browns would be, too, because they raised her. For everybody’s sake, you must accept it and move on.”
“What if—”
“There are no what ifs. Only what is. You can work together for the fight to end slavery, but that’s all. You cannot be together as man and woman.”
Thor swallowed hard. Anders was right. He and Willow couldn’t be happy in 1860, but 1985 presented a different possibility. Being without her was unimaginable. Living near her and not being able to hold her would be a merciless kind of torture. His invitation to join him in 1985 went unanswered when last he asked her. Thor fully intended to ask her again and hoped this time, she’d say yes.
Anders became quiet with his declaration, and Thor welcomed the silence. The lack of conversation gave him time to think about Willow. He’d already mentioned the future and its unlimited range of choices. She could pursue any goal, and he would assist her wholeheartedly. Financial and emotional support were hers for the asking. He would be there for her as long as she wanted him.
What if she doesn’t trust me?
Her trust in him seemed lacking. Without trust, there was no way in hell she’d go with him to 1985. She would have to give up the Browns and her friends to be with him. Cal said he needed to offer her more than money and a college education if he planned to bring her back with him. Thor hated to admit it, but maybe Cal was right. Then there was Anders’s warning.
Making love with Willow wasn’t the brightest thing he ever did. Without protection no less.
That was just brilliant. Shit!
He glanced to his right. She and the reverend were engaged in a deep discussion and neither noticed him. He couldn’t help but think that right now she could very well be pregnant with his child.
Thor couldn’t leave without her with that possibility hanging over his head. Like all Magnusens, family meant a lot to him. Returning to the future, wondering if he left a child behind in the past, went against his very soul. He refused to do it. If she wouldn’t come with him, he’d have to stay with her.
* * *
Willow rested her head against Reverend Brown’s broad back and closed her eyes. The steady beat of the horse’s hooves nearly lulled her to sleep, but Brown’s recount of Thor’s speech in front of the sheriff kept her captivated. She wanted to know everything.
“What did the sheriff do then?”