What Passes as Love by Trisha R. Thomas

Author:Trisha R. Thomas [Thomas, Trisha R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Historical, Civil War Era, African American & Black
ISBN: 9781542030601
Google: cJQyzgEACAAJ
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
Published: 2021-09-14T23:00:00+00:00

28

Women

My head pounded with fear. I’d sneaked off the minute I heard about the bounty hunter and his men searching the premises. As soon as everyone began to file out of the dining parlor, I went the opposite way, up the stairs and straight to my room. I didn’t bother locking the door. I listened for the heavy footsteps of a man, any man. Whoever came would have only one reason, and that was to take me back to the Vesterville.

If I were found out, a locked door wouldn’t save me. I kept my head pressed against the door, still listening. After no one came and I heard the sound of horses galloping away, I could breathe relief. I still paced the floor. I still wondered what had happened to Cleo and the others, if anyone was harmed.

Staggering steps and the voice of a drunken Timothy came toward the room. I ran and quickly stationed myself in the bed.

He would know the truth about me now. He’d seen the mark on my back, which I had no doubt the bounty hunter knew about and was looking for. The truly telling sign of who I really was. I turned to my side and pretended to be asleep. Timothy crawled from the edge of the bed to lie down fully clothed.

I braced myself. He curled himself behind me. “Darling Lily.” His hand rested on my shoulder. “Are you awake?” he slurred in the darkness. Timothy rarely drank.

I turned and faced him. I waited. I was prepared to apologize for lying to him.

“I’ve thought about things. Maybe, perhaps, it might be better if I didn’t force you to remain with me.”

“What?” I shuddered. “What is this about?”

He removed the hand that had rested on my shoulder. “Ryland . . .” Timothy said in that exhausted way he did when he talked about his brother. “Ryland and I had a chat. He’s wise in this regard. Women. He knows a thing or two. Things I don’t understand. He thinks I am doing you harm, a disservice, by keeping you as my beloved,” he slurred. “I don’t want to keep you from finding love, true love,” he whispered in the darkness.

“I don’t need—I don’t need anything but you. Timothy, what happened out there? A man showed up requesting the slaves line up for inspection, correct? What happened after that?” I asked. I took ahold of Timothy’s chin to stop him from nodding to sleep. “Did someone, anyone, get hurt? Did that man threaten anyone?”

“You deserve love, Lily.”

I was hardly concerned about love when all I wanted was freedom. I pushed my forehead against his. “Timothy, please. Tell me what happened. Just tell me what happened.”

“Something terrible happened this evening. A slave patroller interrogated Mum about stealing a female. Our family, accused of stealing a slave. Mum was humiliated. It reminded me of what a dangerous world we live in. I felt bad for the slaves to be treated that way, stripped down in front of everyone without a shred of dignity.

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