Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott

Author:Rosslyn Elliott [Elliott, Rosslyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Two

BEN CAME IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN DOOR, CLOSing it quietly behind him. It was barely dawn, but there had been business to attend to.

He smelled bacon and fresh bread. “Do you need help with breakfast?” he asked his mother, who was putting a pot of coffee on the stove.

“No, thank you.” She looked up at him and cocked her head. “Why are you dirty?”

He looked down at his clothing. He was smudged with grime, and a few pieces of dried grass ornamented his clothing, leaving green stains on his white shirt.

“Nothing I may discuss.” He brushed off his shoulder and trousers.

“Did our friends go with Mr. Lawrence?” he asked his mother.

Frank Foster and the Abrahams had still been in the barn when he left this morning, but when he returned, the three flowers in the window vase were gone. The flowers were the Hanbys’ signal to one another that there were railroad “passengers” hidden in the barn. If the flowers were gone, that meant the three fugitives were on their way.

“Safely off to Sinai.”

“I wish I had known. I would have gone to wish them Godspeed.”

His mother removed the bacon warming in the stove and brought it to the table. “They must all go to Canada now. The risk of staying is too great. Mr. Lawrence will report back to us when he returns.”

The table was set and breakfast was ready.

“I’ll call the others,” Ben said.

His father’s voice drifted in from the parlor. “It’s all right, Ben, I’ll wake them up.” His father crossed into view, turned on the landing, and headed up the stairs with a spring in his step.

One by one, the children wandered downstairs and assembled in the kitchen. Samuel sat on Ann’s lap. Lizzie and Willie perched on opposite ends of the bench, where they would not be tempted to get into mischief. Amanda and Jenny positioned themselves between the smaller ones and helped serve food from hot plates. Anna sat at the foot of the table, distracted and grumpy looking. She was not an early riser.

“Where’s Cyrus?” Ben’s father asked.

His mother wiped her hands and went to her seat. “He went out to do the stalls an hour ago, but he should have been back by now,” she said.

“Well, I suppose we must eat without him.” His father pulled up a chair. He folded his hands to pray. “Shall we say the blessing?”

The kitchen door opened and Cyrus came in.

His mother froze in the act of folding Sam’s hands, staring at her son. Cyrus was covered in dust and grime. A large bruise darkened the side of his face, which also bore several scratches. His lip was swollen and streaked with red.

He refused to meet anyone’s eyes and limped up the stairs in sulky silence.

Lizzie asked curiously, “Why is Cyrus—”

“Shush!” their mother said. She glanced at Ben with reproof.

He did not care what she thought. “Will you pass the biscuits?” he said to Amanda. He took one and began to butter it, trying not to look too satisfied.

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