“They came in the house?” Sylvester yelled.
Back from a night in the woods, Sylvester had heard the story of Gussie’s arrest and return as he ate. Now his anger spilled over as his mother explained that the posse was looking for him, that they thought he was in company with the supposed assailant of Fanny Taylor.
“Don’t you raise your voice at me,” Sarah warned him, shaking her head. She was holding the coffee pot near his cup, ready to pour, but put it down on the table as she gave him a stern frown.
“I’m sorry Mama,” Sylvester mumbled, as quiet now as he had been loud. “They can’t just come on in here, search our house for no reason.”
“The sheriff can’t do much now, too many men wandering around doing what they want. I think you better leave town son, much as I’m worried about you out there, and you should take these boys with you. Those men will be back today looking for you, try to take these boys again. Better if you and they are gone.”
Sarah, tears in her eyes, looked out over the back yard. The children, thrilled by the freedom granted to them that morning after days stuck in the quiet house, were running in loops around the yard as Scrappy and Rose stood nearby.
“Son, you better get gone. Emma and I can watch over these children. They won’t harm us, just come through and do a bunch of yelling and stomping around.”
She looked back at Sylvester, who was shaking his head and frowning.
“I’ve been all over between here and Sumner, Mama. Mr. Pillsbury has all the men of this town locked up at the mill, drew a dead line down the middle of the yard and told them anybody who crosses it, black or white, gets shot. Thinks he’s keeping them safe, Beauty said, but there’s nobody here to watch their property except a few women and a bunch of children. Mrs. Pillsbury won’t bring Beauty home, says it’s too dangerous. Has her and Cassie King and Mary Bradley there, sleeping in the cellar.”
“She’s right, they’ll be safe there,” Sarah said.
“They, and every one of those men, would be safe at home if the sheriff would do his job,” Sylvester replied, frowning. “Even James, he’s locked up over to the mill. He should be home here with us.
“I’m not leaving here Mama, and these boys aren’t leaving here,” Sylvester nodded at his two nephews. “The sheriff can come and arrest us but that’s the only way I’m leaving.”
“Maybe he will, and I don’t know that I wouldn’t be glad,” Sarah replied. “At least he could carry you all out of here.”
“We’re safer here, Mama. Those people are running around everywhere. Sheriff wouldn’t get us out of Wylly before they’d stop us and have some sport. I’ll take my chances here at home. At least we can keep you all safe. If we have to we can head out for the woods, move through the swamp up to Otter Creek. We can hop the freight car on the train and be out of Levy County quick enough.”
Sylvester pushed back from the table, weariness creasing his face and making him sway as he stood. His face was ashen and for a moment he closed his eyes, rubbing them as if to wipe away his fatigue.
Sarah moved to him, concern in her eyes as she reached to steady him. He opened his eyes, sighed, and smiled at his mother.
“You know I never will let go of a good time, Mama,” he told her.
“You boys, come on, let’s get down to the barn and finish up with those animals,” he told Roy and Daniel. “Then we’ll look around, see what we can do to tighten up this house. Let’s bring in those babies Mama, sun’s up high and those people could be back any time.”
Sylvester, followed by his nephews, moved out on the porch and down the back steps, stopping to swoop Baby up in his arms and whirl her in the air, laughing, before he moved out to towards the barn. He paused by the now empty kennels where his dogs had lived and looked out over their graves, under the apple trees in the orchard. Shaking his head, he moved on, as Daniel laid his hand on Sylvester’s left shoulder and Roy came up to his other side and placed his hand on the right.
Daisy, the old herding dog, had been missed by the posse during Monday’s night of violence. She lay in the sun that Thursday afternoon, her puppies romping around her as she enjoyed the thin warmth of the sunlight. Rose grabbed one of the puppies after she helped Scrappy round up the younger children, and slid it under her coat to sneak in to Queen, despite Sarah’s adamant rule declaring the house as off limits to all animals.
“I’ll bring her back quick,” Rose whispered to Daisy, who wagged her tail and flopped over as some of her other puppies began to jump on her.
“You better hope Grandmama doesn’t find out,” Queen whispered as the puppy romped with her upstairs on their bed. It gave a sharp little bark and both girls shushed it, then started laughing in little whispery chuffs. This made the puppy growl, bent down over its front feet in a bow. They laughed some more as the puppy pranced around on the quilts, chewing at the folds and falling over as it tried to jump over Queen’s legs.
“I’d better take her back out, it’s been a while,” Rose decided, scooping up the fluffy little bundle and slipping her back in her coat.
“She’s so cute, thank you for sneaking her in. I miss old Daisy,” Queen sighed.
“You’ll be better soon, Auntie’s medicines seem to be helping,” Rose consoled her.
“I know, it’s only been a few days but it seems like forever. Maybe Grandmama will let me come down for supper, I feel so much better. See? No more cough.” Queen breathed deeply to show the improvement in her breathing.
“I’ll ask her,” Rose promised as she went out to return the puppy to its mother.
The last few hours of daylight were quiet, with little movement out on the road. Few people passed by and fewer vehicles. Those that did pass were people from Rosewood, and each called out a greeting as they passed. Sarah and Emma decided that the children could return outside for a while before dinner, and they shrieked with happiness as they ran around playing. Rose appreciated the chance to get some fresh air, and forgot for a few minutes the awful events of the past few days as she chased Baby and Charlene through the side yard and around again to the back.
Sarah did allow Queen to come down for the evening meal, which improved not only Queen’s spirits but cheered up her brother as well. He smiled and hurried over to her when she came in to the kitchen, leaning on Rose’s arm. Daniel took her from Rose and helped her to sit, leading her to the chair next to him.
“You’d think I was gone forever the way you’re fussing,” Queen complained, but she was grinning at her brother and patted his arm as he sat.
“I was wondering if you were going to spend the whole winter in there,” Daniel teased his sister, but the concern he had felt was evident in the way he tucked her shawl around her shoulders and helped her lift the serving dishes as they were passed around the table.
“Well, our girl looks a whole lot better,” Sarah smiled at Queen. “It’s good to see you here at the table.”
Sylvester was especially solicitous of Queen, calling her “Your Majesty” and offering her more helpings of food every few minutes.
“What can I get you, Sugar, I haven’t had a chance to spoil you all week,” he teased. “You want some tea? Need another shawl around your shoulders? You go get her a nice hot brick,” he ordered Mary, “And come on over here, rub her feet for her.” Everyone laughed at his bossiness, even Marlene who was his pet and usually jealous of his attention to the other cousins. But Sarah sent Queen back up to bed right away when the laughing gave her a coughing fit.
“Aw, now you made me get sent off,” Queen teased her uncle as Rose and Daniel helped her from the table.
“You’re lucky, I’ll probably get a whupping for making you laugh, won’t I Mama?” Sylvester replied, looking with a sad frown at his mother.
“You probably should get one, but your Auntie wouldn’t ever let me,” Sarah replied, winking at Emma.
“He was always such a sweet boy, always so good,” Emma smiled.
Everyone laughed and hooted at that, Sylvester most of all.
“You always were sweet on me, Auntie, never could see anything but good in me,” he said as he moved over to embrace his aunt.
“Nothing but good to see,” she said as she hugged him.
“Go on up,” Sarah told Queen, and the three young people passed out of the kitchen and into the hall, Queen bundled between her brother and Rose.
“And no more puppies in that bed,” Sarah called after them as they started up the stairs. Rose and Queen burst out laughing.
“Did you bring a dog in the house?” Daniel asked, unbelieving. “Grandmama would skin my butt if I did that!”
“We’ll have to feel lucky this time, she’s going easy on us since I’ve been sick," Queen replied. “I wouldn’t try it again for a while.”
Once Queen was tucked in and ready for sleep, Daniel and Rose returned to the kitchen to help wash up and prepare the younger children for bed. When they and Scrappy had everyone tucked up and quiet, they headed back downstairs.
As they came down into the hall, Emma was quietly helping Gussie upstairs to bed. She had eaten little at dinner and had become teary eyed at the sound of raucous laughter during Sylvester’s fooling. Emma had been holding her and reassuring her all evening. Emma held Gussie’s arm as they came to the bottom of the stairs.
“Sweet dreams, you two,” Emma told Daniel and Rose, but didn’t move away from Gussie, who was clinging to her.
“Good night Auntie. Good night Aunt Gussie,” Rose told them as she reached to hug both women. Gussie shied away, looking frightened. She moved closer to Emma, who held her around the waist as she guided her up the first few stairs.
“Don’t worry, she’ll be better tomorrow,” Emma whispered down to Rose. She and Gussie moved slowly, Emma murmuring reassurance to her daughter-in-law as they passed up the stairway.
The hall was quiet, cool and dimly lit from the lantern on a table at the foot of the stairs. Rose shivered a little in the cold air.
“Let’s get back, it’s freezing away from the stove,” she told him, shivering.
“Rose,” Daniel whispered, and held her back in the hall until they were alone.
He reached out for her and pulled her close. They stood for a moment, silent. Rose listened to his heartbeat, strong and steady.
“Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” he whispered. “Sylvester and Grandmama know what to do.”
“I’m not worried when I’m here, I’m not scared when I’m here with you,” she replied, and turned her face up to his as he bent to kiss her.