Storm Clouds Rolling In Read online

Abby was already seating herself. “Tell me what is going on,” she demanded.

  Carrie nodded. “It was Harriet. I’ve known her all my life.” She paused and took in Aunt Abby’s startled look. “She ran away from Blackwell Plantation. Alfred Blackwell is one of my father’s closest friends.” She paused as she remembered the tears streaming down Harriet’s face. “That man I was talking to - he is Abe Manson, Blackwell’s overseer. They had heard the runaway slaves were in Philadelphia. As soon as I saw him I knew what he was here for.” Her voice caught. “Do you think I gave them enough time?”

  Abby nodded. “You did fine, Carrie. There was just enough time.”

  Carrie stared at the smile on her face. “How do you......”

  Abby took the girl’s hand. “When you looked so frightened, and then darted across the street, I knew something was wrong. Then I got a close look at those men and recognized one of them as a slave hunter. I also remembered your reaction when Harriet rose to speak. I couldn’t figure out the whole story, but I put two and two together enough to send a passing friend back to the meeting.” She smiled warmly. “Harriet and her friends are being taken to a safe place even as we speak.”

  Carrie fell back with a deep sigh of relief.

  Abby squeezed her hand. “Thank you,” she said fervently, her voice choked with tears. She looked deeply into Carrie’s eyes. “Why did you do it, Carrie?”

  Carrie shrugged. She hadn’t really stopped to think through any of her actions. There had been no time. “Harriet was so happy to be free. And she’s gone through so much already...” Her voice trailed off, then strengthened. “I could never have lived with myself if I hadn’t done something to stop it.” Silence fell between them for a moment and then Carrie laughed merrily. Her laughter continued as she saw Aunt Abby staring at her with concern. Finally, she sobered enough to speak. “None of my friends would have recognized me today. I hardly recognized myself. I’ve never been one to utilize feminine wiles.” Mirth overcame her again as she gasped, “I’m really quite good at it you know. It was rather fun!”

  Abby’s laughter rang out with her own, attracting the stares of many passersby. Carrie didn’t care. It felt good to laugh after the tension and heavy feelings that had permeated her entire day so far.

  When both women had regained control, Abby leaned over. “I meant what I said earlier, Carrie. I would love for you to return and stay with me for as long as you would like.”

  Carrie stared at her for a few moments and then nodded firmly. “I am going to talk to my father when I get home. I’m sure he will allow it.” Suddenly the most important thing in the world was to come back to Philadelphia and continue to explore the feelings and thoughts exploding through her mind and heart. And she wanted to be with Aunt Abby - an honest woman who would challenge her and allow her to be herself.

  Carrie took deep breaths of fresh air as Miles skillfully guided the carriage around new potholes that had sprung up since she’d been gone. “It’s so good to be home, Miles.” Carrie meant it. Aunt Abby expected her back within a month but Carrie knew she would never lose her love of the Virginia countryside. This was where a part of her heart would always be. No matter where she went, or what she did, Virginia would always be home.

  “It’s good to have you home, Miss Carrie.” Miles said sincerely.

  “How is everything at home, Miles?”

  “Everything be fine, Miss.” He raised the reins and clucked to make the horses go faster.

  Carrie nodded and relaxed back against the seat. She had been surprised when her father had not been there to greet her, but had been satisfied with Miles’ explanation that he was just too busy on the plantation. Summer was the busiest time of the year -she knew it could be hard to get away. She watched the countryside slip by as she carefully planned just how she was going to convince her father that her returning to Philadelphia was the best thing. She and Aunt Abby had already made so many plans! Her head spun with the thoughts of all that was waiting for her when she returned. Her fear that Natalie would be upset had been completely unfounded. “Oh, pooh, I’m happy for you. But me? All I want to do is get back to the South where I belong.”

  Carrie was ready for a long bath and a good night’s sleep by the time the carriage rolled up the driveway. A long talk with Rose and then a good night’s sleep. That was all she wanted.

  “Welcome home, Carrie.”

  “Father!” Carrie jumped from the carriage and ran up the stairs to embrace her father. Then she pulled back in alarm. The lines around his eyes were deeper than ever and his eyes were deeply troubled - almost afraid. “Father, what’s wrong?”

  Thomas hesitated. “Your mother...” He paused and struggled to control his voice. “Your mother is very ill.”

  Without another word, Carrie turned and ran up the stairs.

  TWENTY-THREE

  “Mama!” Carrie cried as soon as she reached her parent’s bedroom door. She knew without entering the room that her mother was seriously ill. Nothing else could have imprinted the deep fear in her father’s eyes.

  “Shh...” Rose raised her finger to her lips. “She’s finally sleeping,” she whispered. She handed the huge peacock feather to another house servant standing close by, then walked over to where Carrie stood staring at her mother. The house servant immediately began fanning the sleeping woman.

  Carrie allowed Rose to lead her from the room and back down the stairs to where her father was still standing on the porch where she had left him. As soon as she saw him, she broke away from Rose and ran to him. “Father! What is wrong with Mother?” she demanded.

  Thomas turned weary eyes to her. “We don’t know yet. The doctor has been called but he hasn’t been able to get here. I hear a lot of people are sick.”

  “How long has she been like this?” Carrie asked sharply.

  “Four days.”

  “Four days? And the doctor hasn’t been here yet?” Carrie fought to think clearly. She knew her father wasn’t good with medical emergencies. He seemed to fall apart when those he loved became ill. That was why she and her mother had always taken care of the medical needs on the plantation. She laid her hand gently on her father’s arm , and then turned to Rose. “How did this start?” she asked.

  “Your Mama complained of a bad headache a few days ago.”

  Carrie frowned. For all her genteel southern ways, she could endure a great deal of suffering without complaint. She must have been in intense pain to have complained.

  “She was helping some of the house servants cut out dresses for some of the children in the Quarters,” Rose continued, “but she finally laid it down and went up to her room. I was worried about her so I went to look in on her an hour or so later. She had fallen across the bed without getting under the covers and was burning up with a fever. Later, she started mumbling to herself and thrashing around.” Rose had fear in her eyes when she looked up at Carrie. “I’ve done everything I can, Miss Carrie. All the things I’ve seen you and your Mama do when one of us is sick. I can’t get the fever to come down.”

  Carrie nodded and started back up the stairs. “How soon was the doctor called?”

  “We sent Miles to Richmond that very first day,” Thomas answered.

  Carrie whirled around to stare at her father. “Miles knew? He didn’t tell me?”

  “I didn’t want to worry you until you got home.”

  Carrie groaned. “I could have perhaps found the doctor in Richmond. At least I could have brought back some kind of medicine.” She opened her mouth to say more – the pain in her father’s eyes stopped her. She bit back any more words, climbed the stairs, and entered the sick room. She moved closer to her mother’s still form and laid a hand on her parched, burning forehead. Her heart sank. “She’s had a fever like this for four days?”

  Rose nodded silently. “I’ve tried to get her to drink, but she mostly just thrashes around and knocks it out of my hand. I haven’t been able to get much into her.” She paused. “Miss Carrie
, I’m glad you’re home. I’m real worried about your Mama.”

  Carrie turned to Rose with a faint smile. “I’m glad I’m home, too, Rose.” She wrapped her arms around her friend and gave her a hug. She needed Rose’s strength. Then she straightened and started barking orders.

  In short order she had a tub full of chopped ice brought up from the ice house. Buckets of cold water drawn from the well were poured into it. Great strips of sheeting were torn and brought to the room. Only then did Carrie begin to work, ordering everyone but Rose out of the room.

  “Your father wants to know if you want his help.”

  Carrie shook her head firmly at Sam who had suddenly appeared at the door. “Tell him I’ll keep him posted.” She didn’t add that he would just be in the way. Sam nodded and pulled the door shut.

  Carrie moved over and pulled all the covers off her mother. The first thing she had to do was bring the fever down. She pulled the soaked nightgown off and then directed Rose to drench the sheet strips and wring them out. As Rose passed them to her she carefully wrapped all parts of her mother’s body with the cold cloths. She worked relentlessly, stopping only long enough to wipe the sweat dripping from her forehead. As soon as she finished wrapping her mother’s body, she would start all over again, replacing hot cloths with new, cold ones. She lost all track of time.

  “Are you hungry, Miss Carrie?” Rose asked at some point.

  She shook her head impatiently. “We need more ice. Please send Sam to bring more.”

  The evening wore on as she continued her battle. As darkness fell she imagined that the sheets weren’t getting hot quite as fast, but by now she was too tired to really tell. Her movements were automatic. Wrap. Unwrap. Wrap. Unwrap.

  It was past midnight when Abigail opened her eyes. “Thomas?” she said weakly.

  Carrie spun from where she was kneeling next to the tub. “Mama!” Leaping up, she flew to her mother’s side and laid a hand on her forehead. “Your fever has broken!” she whispered joyfully, her fatigue forgotten.

  Abigail stared at her uncomprehendingly. “I’ve been sick, haven’t I?” She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again with effort.

  “Yes, Mama. You’ve been sick,” Carrie confirmed. “But you’re going to be okay now.” She wondered at the truth of her own words. She had seen what a fever like her mother’s could do to a person. She had brought it down, but had she done so soon enough?

  Her mother spoke again, her words slow and halting. “You’re - home. I’m – glad…”

  “I’m home,” Carrie agreed softly. “You need to drink some water, Mama.” She reached out and took the glass Rose was holding out to her. She controlled her shudder when she lifted her mother’s shoulders to steady her. How had she become so frail and thin in just four days? Her heart was heavy when she gently lowered her mother back down on the bed. The fever had already done a lot of damage. How much would have to wait to be seen.

  “Your father is outside the door, Carrie. Sam went to get him.”

  Carrie nodded and went to open the door. “The fever has broken, Father.”

  Tears filled Thomas’ eyes. “I knew everything would be okay as soon as you got home, Carrie.”

  Carrie said nothing about her misgivings. Words would not change the situation. Only time would tell. “She needs rest, Father.”

  Thomas nodded. “I’ll only stay a few minutes.”

  Carrie stepped back. “I’m going down to get some fresh air. When I come back I’m going to see if she can drink a little broth. She has lost a lot of strength.”

  Carrie stayed on the porch just a few minutes, gulping in the cool night air. She could hardly believe she had arrived home that afternoon. She gave one long look north and then turned to re-enter the house.

  Rose glanced up at the light still shining from the Cromwell’s bedroom before she soundlessly slipped into the woods. Carrie had been home for two days. During that time she had rarely left her mother’s side. The fever had tried to creep back several times, but her determined friend had fought it off. Her mother was eating a little, but her tiny frame had begun to look emaciated. She knew Carrie was deeply concerned. Rose shook off her thoughts as she walked quietly through the woods. There were other people who were depending on her. She prayed Carrie would not call for her and find her missing.

  “That you, Rose?”

  “Yes, Moses,” Rose whispered back. She smiled when his towering form appeared by her side. Just his being there made her feel more confident. She waited until they were deep in the woods before she spoke again. “Are the others in place?”

  Moses nodded. “They’ll be only a few minutes behind us. They’re all meetin’ in the school ravine. They’ll wait there for us.”

  Rose smiled in the darkness. Moses had been working so hard. He had mastered reading in only a few weeks and devoured everything she could get to him. It wasn’t much, but she did the best she could. He also made sure she corrected him on his speech. In only a few months he hardly resembled the defeated man who was brought to Cromwell from the slave auction. Rose had grown to depend on him, but he had never spoken his heart again after the night Jamison had come. She was content in what they had.

  Her face grew more serious as the two slowed their pace and crept quietly toward the road. Moses had insisted they come early. “In case it’s a trap,” he had said. “I trust Jamison but it never hurts to be careful.” He figured if a trap was going to be laid, it would be done just before the slaves were supposed to meet the wagon on the road. They intended to be there to watch.

  They peered out of the bushes, scanning the road and the surrounding bush. Great banks of clouds obscured any moonlight that would betray their actions. Flashes of heat lightening competed with the luminescent flashes of lightening bugs. Rose forced herself not to slap at the mosquitoes leaving their mark on the exposed parts of her body. The night, still simmering with the heat of the day, wrapped itself around her like a wet cloak. She fought to control the nervous pounding of her heart. Finally, she tugged at Moses’ arm. They had to go get the others.

  Moses nodded. He seemed satisfied. No one was waiting in the murky blackness. If their friends were going to escape, tonight would be the night. He held Rose’s hand as they walked back through the night. He knew the wooded trails as well as she did now.

  When they broke into the school clearing, eight sets of frightened, yet determined eyes, met them.

  Jasmine, carrying nothing but a small bundle of clothing, rose to greet them. “Is everythin’ alright?” she asked anxiously. Then she looked closely at Rose. “Where be your other clothes? Mr. Jamison done told us we could bring some extra, didn’t he?” she asked with a worried frown.

  Rose nodded reassuringly. “Yes, Jasmine.” Then she took a deep breath. “I have something to tell all of you,” she said softly. “I... I won’t...” she gulped, trying to force the words out. Now that the time had come, the pain of being left behind was almost unbearable. “I won’t be coming with you,” she finally forced out in a barely discernible whisper.

  A shocked silence fell on the group of soon-to-be fugitives. Jasmine was the first to speak. “What you talkin’ bout, Miss Rose? What do you mean you ain’t comin’ with us?”

  “Rose can’t leave her mama.” Miles spoke in a soft voice that expressed admiration and understanding of her pain all at the same time.

  Rose turned to him with a grateful smile. “Miles is right. My mama needs me. I can’t leave her now. But that’s alright,” she said, summoning a brave smile. “My turn will come sometime.”

  Sadie’s troubled voice broke into the stillness of the night. “You be knowin’ this all along, Rose?”

  Rose nodded. “I thought it would make it easier for all of you if you thought I was going to escape with you. You’re doing the right thing,” she said earnestly. “Jamison can be trusted. I will be back here praying and believing for you.”

  The little group gazed around at each other in concern
. They had counted on Rose being with them.

  Miles was the first to speak. “So be it,” he said firmly, then turned to Rose. “We’ll miss you, girl. But I know you’re makin’ the decision best for you.” He turned to the others. “We have to git goin’. This is our chance to be free. We can’t do nothin’ to mess it up. We’s going to be free!”

  The strength of his words flowed into the rest of the group. Their backs straightened, and one by one, they all nodded.

  “You’ll always be right smack in the center of our hearts, Rose.” Sadie spoke for all of them. “You done taught us how to read and write. Cause of you we can do somethin’ wid our lives when we make it to Canada. Thank you!”

  Rose made no effort to hide the tears running down her face. She hugged each one and then stepped back. “We need to be going,” she said firmly. She turned and led the way back down the trail.

  “She’s better isn’t she, Carrie?”

  Carrie looked up at her father standing next to the bed where his wife had just drifted back off to sleep. “She’s better,” she agreed. She would not burden her father with her fear.

  “The doctor said you worked a miracle bringing her temperature down.”

  Carrie frowned. “He couldn’t tell me what caused it.” Actually, the visiting doctor had deeply frustrated her. His examination had been perfunctory and he seemed stymied by his patient’s sudden onset of sickness. His manner had been brusque and uncaring. She had tried to justify his behavior by saying he was tired and overworked, but still it had grated on her. Her desire to be a doctor had risen steadily while she had watched him work.

  Thomas continued to stare down at his wife. “How long before she is back to normal?”

  “I don’t know, Father.” Carrie didn’t know what else to say. She knew from all of her reading in the medical journals that a high fever sustained for as long as her mother’s could be very serious. She reached out a hand and patted his arm. “I’ll do everything I can.”