Beyond the Valley by Rita Gerlach

Author:Rita Gerlach
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

20

At the brink of a hilltop, Alex looked down at the yawning mouth of the Potomac River. Along the shoreline, a whitewashed tavern stood on a grassy slope that leveled off to a sandy plain.

Less than a quarter mile from the tavern, a tobacco barn appeared to slate gray in the fog. Beyond it, a dock jutted out into the water, and alongside the weathered pilings a few boats were moored. It was a harrowing place, where suffering souls were bought and sold like livestock. It represented the evil and greed rooted in the hearts of the men who dealt in such a business. Sickened by it, Alex tightened his grip on Charger’s reins and thought of Sarah. He pictured her shackled, led across the wharf, for all eyes to ogle. What had they bid for her? How much had Woodhouse paid? It grieved his heart to think of the humiliation and abuse she had suffered.

He moved his horse down the hill, rode beyond the tavern. He heard laughter within as he passed by. With the tobacco barn in full view, he waited to see if anyone would approach him, ask his business there, ask who he was.

All along the base of the structure, tall grass and weeds intertwined. Horses tethered to posts rippled their coats against the cold and snorted. He turned up the collar of his coat and rubbed his gloved hands to warm them. Then he nudged Charger on.

Close to the door he dismounted. He pushed it open and stood for a moment surveying those within. Torches and lanterns dazzled his eyes. On the far side, a man sat at a table, quill poised in his hand. He dipped the tip into an inkwell and scribbled across a sheet of parchment. The man before him handed coins to a treasurer. He plopped the pieces into a wooden coffer, shut the lid, and smiled.

Drawing off his hat, Alex strode toward them, his boot heels sinking slightly into the soft dirt floor covered with straw. He stopped in front of the table and the man writing glanced up.

“May we help you, sir? The bidding hasn’t begun but we just accepted an early offer.” The writer’s bushy black brows shot up. “A patriot. I can see your uniform behind your coat, sir. You are far from the fighting today, and without a regiment?”

“I am a field surgeon on leave for a short time.”

The man set the quill aside. “You are in need of laborers at your home?”

“A doctor has little need of slaves.”

“Then perhaps you need a woman to follow you into the field and tend to your needs? Wait over there and you will see the best stock first. Wenches from England, and right under the British fleet’s nose.” The man chuckled.

He wished he could have said exactly what he thought, but he held his tongue. Wisdom in his choice of words was required if he were to discover anything about Sarah. “I am seeking neither. I need information regarding a recent sale for Mr.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.