stubborn, and she was not going to marry this man. She knew women had little more rights than slaves, but she also knew she was a fighter. Wade must be out of his mind to think she would marry him-she'd see them both dead first.
The other guests were watching her. She slowly forced her hands to relax at her side. She had to control herself and think. Maybe later, when her grandfather was sober, she could talk to him. If he knew how Wade had harmed her in Philadelphia, he would change his mind. As she took her grandfather's arm and proceeded to the dinner table, her mind raced for a way out of Wade Williams's clutches.
Chapter 13
Perry remembered little of the dinner party. The guests talked around her, unmindful of her distress. Even as they said good night Perry was so consumed by her hatred of Wade Williams that she only muttered short farewells. In her mind she plotted what she would say to her grandfather when they were alone and, if that failed, what she would say to Wade.
With the hall finally empty, Perry turned to face her grandfather. 'I can't marry Wade tomorrow.' She fought to keep her voice calm.
His eyes were blood red with drink and anger as he stared at her. 'You will marry him tomorrow. We've talked it over and we think a fast wedding will cause less problems.'
'But what of Andrew? Can't we wait until he returns?' The old man shook his head.
Perry could feel herself losing control. 'You promised you wouldn't hurry me. I'm not ready to marry.'
'Ready or not, the time has come, my dear.' He reached to pat her shoulder but almost lost his balance and had to grab the banister to keep from toppling.
Wade appeared in the study door. From his smirk Perry knew he'd been listening. 'Nothing will change the fact that tomorrow is your wedding day.' He handed her grandfather another glass of brandy. 'All brides are nervous the night before.'
'This is not the night before. I don't know how to say it any plainer. I am not marrying you tomorrow.''
Wade's laughter chilled the warm night air. 'You'll learn in time not to challenge me, but I swear you will be my wife tomorrow.''
Perry looked from her drunken grandfather to the insane captain before her. There was no reasoning with either of them. She turned and stormed up the stairs. She had to stall for time. Her first thought was to fake illness, but she decided against that ploy. Wade might bring the preacher to the house.
The only other alternative was to get away. But where could she run? John and Mary Williams might help, but they were Wade's aunt and uncle. The only other place was Kingston. She had enough money saved from her shopping trips to last her a few days, and then she could take a job in one of the many reopened shops. Wade probably would not bother to follow her, but if he did, it would take him at least a few days to find her.
Taking a deep breath, Perry tried to calm the urgency in her voice as she opened her bedroom door. 'Noma, help me dress. I must leave tonight.' Perry ignored the black woman's shocked expression. 'Pack a few things in a traveling bag.'
Noma faced her mistress without showing any sign of following the orders she'd been given. Age lines materialized as she wrinkled her face in disapproval. 'What are you talking about, Miz Perry? You're not ridin' off in the middle of the night. No, sir!'
'Noma, you don't understand. Wade Williams plans to marry me tomorrow,' Perry said over her shoulder as she struggled to remove her evening dress.
The older woman's face lit up, as bright as a firefly's bottom on a moonless night. 'Marry. Well, my, my…' Seeing her mistress frown, she added, 'Now, Miz Perry, you just nervous about marry in' and I knows how you feels. But marriage is the best thing for you. To a fine man like Mr. Williams too.' Noma's mind was already whirling with plans for Perry's future. She reached toward Perry to hug the girl.
Jerking free, Perry stormed toward the wardrobe. 'I'm not marrying Wade Williams. I have some say in the matter. I will not!' She stopped, realizing she had no time to argue with Noma. An hour's delay might mean the difference in Wade catching up with her before she could get to Kingston. She opened the wardrobe door and pulled out her riding clothes. 'I wish everyone would stop treating me like a dim-witted child. He's no good. There's bad in him, more bad than I have ever seen in a man. I've seen it. I wish I had time to take you with me, but I know how you hate riding, and I must travel fast. Wade will return in a few hours to take me to the church. By then I'll be miles away. I'll send for you as soon as I get settled in Kingston.'
Noma tried again, pointing her chubby finger. 'Now, Miz Perry, I knows how you is when you sets your mind to something, but this time being stubborn ain't goin' to do you no good. Every woman needs a man, and you's doin' right nice with Mr. Williams.'
Perry's anger showed from the tip of her slender foot to the flashing in her eyes. 'I'm getting dressed and riding to Kingston tonight. Nothing you say will stop me.'
Noma walked slowly to her small room. 'You can't do this, Miz Perry. You can't ruin your life,' she mumbled as she went into her room and closed the door.
Perry knew Noma would always see her as a child, and she had no time to make her understand. She quickly removed her evening clothes and tossed them unceremoniously across her bed. Ten minutes later she had packed a small bag and dressed in her mother's riding habit of midnight blue. She barely glanced at her reflection as she pulled her long black curls behind her neck and tied them with a blue ribbon..
It would be a long ride, but by dawn she'd be out of Wade's reach and free once more. Glancing at Noma's closed door, she longed to say good-bye and beg Noma to follow in a few days, but she wanted no more argument. Noma would come to her senses soon. She would just have to trust Perry's judgment this time, or at least accept it.
Resolution set her face as she lifted the bag and moved toward her bedroom door. She glanced back, taking one more look at her mother's lovely room. She felt close to her mother, saddened because she might never be able to return. Her grandfather would be so upset, he might never open his doors to her again. That was a chance she knew she must take.
As Perry turned the doorknob, opening the door into the hall, she realized it would be very awkward if she encountered anyone as she left the house. Wade was probably still in her grandfather's study drinking. She silently removed her hand from the knob. Instinctively she turned to the balcony doors. As she stepped into the night air, fear's cold fingers touched her. The ground and freedom awaited twelve feet below. Perry remembered hearing that years ago, when her mother had chosen this very route, there had been thick vines of ivy climbing close to the balcony. Her grandfather had torn them down in anger at his daughter's elopement.
Perry found the fear of staying far greater than her fear of being hurt in a fall from the balcony. She dropped her bag over the edge, hearing only a muffled thud as it landed in the tall grass. Taking a deep breath, she climbed over the rail and lowered herself until she hung by her hands. Closing her eyes tightly, she dropped onto the grass.
Cool, damp grass broke her fall, and for a moment she marveled that she had broken no bones. Then, slowly rising to her knees, she groped for her bag. Within seconds she was moving, unseen, to the stable. She would saddle her own horse, lor she had no wish to trust one ot the stable boys Wade had hired.
A sense of freedom and excitement filled her as she threw the latch on the barn door and stepped inside. In a few hours she would be free of Wade's evil presence. She would no longer have to endure his constant stare or hear his harsh voice. She could stay in Kingston until her brother returned. He would put a stop to Wade's crazy ideas. Andrew had seen Wade before. He know how evil the captain was without needing proof.
A low, yellow glow welcomed her from a lantern hanging in the center of the barn. Perry moved beside it and twisted the wick higher to push the darkness into the corners. As the lantern swung free on her fingers the shadows seemed to move toward her, then back with each swing of the light.
Perry hurried between the stalls, anxious to select a horse and be gone. As she pulled the first stall gate open she heard the horse's hooves stamp in front of her and the faint shuffle of footsteps behind her.
She froze, listening for any sound that might indicate danger, but only the soft melody of night blended with the wind. The horse settled down and the barn grew as silent as a crypt. Perry slowed her breathing and thought, for a moment, that she smelled brandy in the air.
