Neither Bound Nor Free by Nina Coombs Pykare

Author:Nina Coombs Pykare
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2014-02-12T00:00:00+00:00

thirteen

A moment later Calvin led Sarah back to her chair and pulled one up beside her. She didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved. But perhaps it was best this way. There were so many obstacles before them, so many problems to be overcome before they could marry.

“I must behave myself,” Calvin said tenderly. “Your mother trusted me.” He looked toward the door. “Albert said your father has gone to the Gordons.”

“Yes,” she said. “And I doubt that he’ll be back for a couple more hours.” She smiled at him and reached out to touch his sleeve. “We must make the most of it.” She made a face. “Once Papa knows you’re here, I suppose he’ll have the Gordons over again. And then you and I will have no time to talk.”

Calvin nodded. “There is so much I want to say to you.”

She felt the heat rising to her cheeks and the words burst from her, “But first it’s my turn.”

“Of course,” he said gravely. “What do you want to tell me?”

“I want to ask you,” she said, “that day at the cabin I wanted to ask you, but I had to leave.”

“Ask me anything you like,” Calvin said. “I have no secrets from you.” And his dark eyes gazed into hers with such tenderness that she felt wonderfully special.

“I told you about Mama, and about her hearing Reverend Rankin preach. But I want to know how you—” Her voice dropped to a whisper and without thinking she glanced at the door. “How you became an abolitionist?”

“I guess it really happened,” he said, “that day at the auction house—when I saw poor scared-to-death Willie trying so hard to be brave.” He reached out and took her fingers in his own. His strength seemed to flow through them to her. “Oh, I was already an abolitionist in principle, but when I saw that child, trying so hard to be brave, something snapped inside me.” He smiled ruefully. “I certainly had no idea of buying a slave that day. I was after a counterfeiter and I’d traced him as far as Richmond. But I saw Willie look at Gordon. I saw the little fellow’s knees trembling. And then my mouth opened, and out came my bid.” He squeezed her fingers. “I was probably more surprised than anyone.”

“You were the answer to our prayers,” she said. She looked at him, just looked at him. He was here! He was really here.

He nodded. “I felt that God was behind what I did that day. I didn’t understand why I was doing it, but I felt God was behind it.”

She smiled. “Oh, Calvin, I’m so glad you’re a believer. Now tell me about your family. I want to know about your growing up.”

His eyes darkened with sadness. “I grew up when I was seven.”

“Seven?” she asked in surprise.

“Yes. My father had a fondness for alcohol, you see.” He paused, and a grimace of pain crossed his face. “Well, more like a passion. And one rainy night, befuddled by drink, he was run over by a wagon.

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