'Yes, I know. I'm eager to do so, sir. Very eager to tell what happened.'
Harrison and Alfred started walking toward the mountains. Mary Rose watched from behind the screen door.
Harrison was strolling along with his hands clasped behind his back for several minutes, then he suddenly turned to Mitchell.
'You can't hear anything from here,' Douglas whispered behind her back.
She jumped. ' Harrison doesn't like what Mitchell is telling him. Look how rigid both men are. I don't think it's good news, Douglas. It's bad.'
'The only bad thing would be that Mitchell didn't get the signed papers, Mary Rose, and you can see Harrison 's holding something in his hand. My guess is that Mitchell couldn't get Livonia to sign one.'
Harrison and Alfred continued to talk for over twenty minutes. Mary Rose thought the conference was over when they turned and started walking back. She went outside and stood on the porch to wait.
Alfred shook Harrison 's hand and climbed back up in his saddle. Mary Rose almost called out to the man to invite him to stay for the night. Harrison turned toward her, and when she saw the look on his face, she couldn't have spoken a word to anyone. Her husband looked devastated.
He walked closer, then stopped and stood there staring at her.
He wanted her to come to him. Mary Rose didn't hesitate. She ran to him.
He didn't say a word to her, but took hold of her hand and turned around again.
They walked clear across the meadow before he stopped.
'I'm going to lie tomorrow.'
Her eyes widened. 'You're going to lie in court?'
He didn't answer her. 'I won't lie to you unless you give me permission to.'
She didn't know what to say. They started walking again, their heads bowed, as each thought about tomorrow.
It only took Mary Rose a few minutes to understand. 'You would never lie in court. No, you'd never do that. It's unethical… and so, you're going to lie to my brothers. You'd like to lie to me too, but you…'
'I promised you I would never lie to you again. I won't ever break my word.'
'Unless I give you permission.'
'Yes.'
'All right.'
She turned and smiled at him. 'I trust you. Do what you must. Now isn't the time to worry about me.'
He was humbled by her. He closed his eyes and slowly nodded. 'Thank you.'
'For trusting you?'
'And loving me… and being who you are.'
'Kiss me, and I'll know you mean it.'
He did just that.
They walked back to the house in silence. 'I'm going for a ride. Do you want to go with me?'
'You need to think about things. I think maybe you need to be alone now.'
He kissed her again and then went to the barn. Mary Rose leaned against the porch railing and watched.
Harrison came out just a minute later. MacHugh was by his side. The stallion wasn't wearing a saddle or a halter, but he stayed right by Harrison 's side as they crossed the meadow.
Harrison suddenly turned to the animal, grabbed hold of his mane, and swung up on his back. MacHugh went into a full gallop up the first slope.
'He rides like an Indian,' Travis remarked. 'Where's he going?'
'To think.'
'Your father would like you to play the piano. Are you feeling up to it?'
'I'm fine,' she said although it wasn't true.
Playing would help her forget about her worries, she decided, and so she went inside and sat down on the piano bench.
Her father was standing close, eagerly waiting.
'What are you going to play, daughter?'
Her brothers had seen her expression when she walked into the parlor. They knew exactly what she would play.
'The Fifth,' they all told him at the same time.
And so she did, over and over and over again.
It was sunny and bright Friday morning. Mary Rose was disappointed to see blue skies. She wanted a good storm with thunder and lightning, because she thought bad weather might keep some of the curious in their own towns where they belonged.
She rode with her father in the covered buggy. Neither one of them felt like talking. She spent her time praying and worrying about Adam and Harrison. Her brother's nightmare was finally taking place, and she was powerless to stop it.
It was all up to Harrison. God help him. He'd looked so grim when he joined her in bed. He'd held on to her all through the night.
She tried to talk to him before they got dressed, but he cut her off before she'd even gotten started. She wanted to tell him she loved him and she trusted him, and that no matter what happened today, she would go right on loving him and believing in him. Harrison wouldn't listen. He was abrupt and distant. She became really scared then, but as he was leaving, he turned and gave her the most wonderful and surely the meanest order she'd ever heard.
He told her he'd put a gag in her mouth if she said or did anything to make him feel good. And if she told him she loved him, he just might lock her in a closet and leave her there all day.
'In other words, you don't want to be distracted.'
He nodded.
They left for Blue Belle an hour later. Harrison led the family, and Travis rode shotgun.
Harrison stopped the procession just outside of town.
'Mary Rose? Do you feel all right? I don't want you throwing up in court.'
'I won't throw up,' she promised him.
'Adam, I read somewhere that slaves weren't allowed to look directly at their owners until they were ordered to do so. Was that true?'
'Yes. It was considered insolent… uppity. Why'd you ask me that question?'
'Because I forgot to ask you last night,' he snapped. 'When you sit down at the table in court, I want you to stare at Livonia 's sons. Keep your expression bland, but let them know you're staring at them. Look at one brother all the while he's testifying. Look him right in the eyes, Adam. When the other one gets up there, do the same thing. When I give you the nod, let them see disdain on your face.'
'They'll hate it,' Adam warned him.
Harrison nodded. 'I hope so. Does everyone else remember what I told you?'
He waited until they nodded and then gave them one last piece of information.
'Don't believe anything you hear from
'Not even you?' Mary Rose asked.
He repeated his earlier statement. He wasn't going to tell them he planned to lie, because he had no such intent. He didn't want them finding out bad news until after the jury had been sequestered by Judge Burns.
'No matter what I say or do, don't look surprised or angry. You hear me, Cole?'
'I hear you.'
'Let's get it done.'
Harrison led the way down the last slope and across the flat into town. It was slow going down the main road because a large crowd had already gathered. None of the gawkers would be allowed inside the storefront until Judge Burns opened the doors for them.
It was a mixed group of people waiting. Some yelled encouraging cheers, while others tried to drown them out by shouting filthy obscenities. Mary Rose tried to pretend she couldn't hear, but it was a difficult task at
