Chapter 21 #2
“Well, forget it, then.” Morning Fawn cast the moccasin pieces into her basket and stood.
“I’ll sneak out of my room before dawn. You come to get me dressed like always and tell them I’m sick in bed having a hard time with my monthly and want to be left alone.
That’ll scare them all away.” She crossed the rough-hewn planks to the loom.
“But I’ll still need the set of clothes.
Men’s clothes. George’s or someone else’s.
I could steal Devon’s, for that matter. Those would fit me better anyhow. ”
“Men’s clothes? What the devil for?” Lucy gaped at her as if she’d lost her mind. “You’re going to get yourself locked in the attic and laudenumed.”
“I’ll take my chances. I’ve had enough sitting around here while my uncle and Nick Moyer plan out my life and the man I care about gallivants off to Alleyton every chance he gets.
I want them to get their sticky fingers off my life, and I want Devon Reynolds to look me in the eye and tell the truth about what he’s up to. ”
“You got a lot of wants.”
Morning Fawn threw her arms open wide. “If I had any sense, I’d grabbed one of those horses in the stable some night and ride out of here and never come back.”
“But you ain’t going to do that.” Lucy’s voice dipped. “You’re going to stay here and win that man of yours.”
“I’m done with sitting around parlors. I’m going to sneak into Alleyton, dressed as a man, and spy on him.”
“You’re what?”
“You heard me.”
“So you’re determined to get yourself in trouble?”
“My uncle won’t be back for a few days.”
“You don’t think your aunt and Thea will tattle?”
Morning Fawn lifted her chin. “Sometimes trouble is worth the cost. But if everything goes well, no one will know. Only you, me, and George.””
Lucy sputtered and pumped away at the treadles, ramming the beater bar after every shot of the shuttle.
Aunt Mamie’s singing voice carried in from the shed.
Morning Fawn rubbed her hands over her arms. “I understand if your answer’s no.”
Lucy blew out a breath. “You is risking yourself for me and Ned. I reckon I can do the same for you.”
Morning Fawn touched her shoulder. “Only, we should do it the second way, with you pretending I’m in my room in bed.”
“And what if you’re discovered missing…or get dragged back here by the sheriff or somebody?”
“You can tell them I was there the first time you looked, but the other times, you figured I was sleeping under the covers, and you didn’t want to disturb me.”
Lucy mumbled and halted her work. “No, we’ll do it the first way.
” She swatted at a fly. “We’ll go on the picnic.
I’ll act likes I was all innocent. That you ordered me to stay with the food while you went on a walk alone.
And I waited and waited ’cause I do what I’m told.
And I had no idea you had done sneaked yourself a horse during the night and left it there with plans to ride off to Alleyton to visit Mr. Moyer.
I’ll say ‘Mr. Moyer’ ’cause that’ll make them more pleased. ”
“Bravo.” Morning Fawn clapped.
Lucy jabbed her hand to her hip. “If yous get yourself laudanumed, it ain’t my fault. Just make sure you’re allowed out of the attic in time to help with my weddin’ on Christmas Eve.”
Morning Fawn gave her a quick hug, then jumped back as footsteps sounded outside the door.
Thea sashayed in with her nose scrunched up so tight, it was a wonder she could breathe. “Might have known I would find you down here, cousin, dear, mingling with the help.” She hunched her shoulders inward as if the very air might contain a contaminant.
“Working on my sewing. Learning about weaving.” Morning Fawn crossed her arms and cast a glimpse toward her sewing basket. If LeBeau got wind she was working on moccasins, he’d probably confiscate the leather. “I’m surprised you even know the way here.”
Thea smirked. “I know plenty. Know your prince charming is headed up to Alleyton tomorrow to visit his girl. I might have him drop me by Bealah Brown’s on the way.”
Morning Fawn’s jaw clenched so tight her words came out muffled. “Fine by me. I reckon you’ve forgotten it’s Mr. Moyer who is set on courting me.”
“It’s amazing what greed for land can motivate a man to do.” Skirts lifted high, Thea strutted over the loom.
Let the remark pass. Morning Fawn pressed her lips shut and stepped between Thea and Lucy lest her friend be the next victim of the venom.
Thea poked her finger at a thread. “You messed up, girl. The pattern doesn’t call for purple there. I knew I should have someone else working on my shawl.”
“Sorry, miss. Won’t happen again.” Lucy lowered her head and curtseyed.
“I distracted her.” Morning Fawn crossed her arms.
“That’s what comes of being friendly with the servants.” Thea marched over to the table, picked up a pair of shears, and returned.
“Don’t you dare.” Fawn’s shoulders arched toward her ears.
Lucy shuffled her foot beneath Morning Fawn’s skirt and stepped on her toe. A warning to let it be.
Thea lowered the sheers and snipped through a length of waft. Frayed threads fluttered down as the shuttle tumbled against a treadle. “Maybe next time, you’ll get it right.”
Morning Fawn clenched her hands, but Lucy’s foot mashed harder.
Thea hummed as she exited. “See you at supper, cousin.”
Steam practically hissed through Morning Fawn’s teeth as the door shut. “I could have stopped her.”
“Maybe you could have.” Lucy sighed. “But then she would have gotten at me a half a dozen ways when you weren’t looking. Best not to show her how much you care.”
“We can’t go through with the plan. I can’t put you at risk.”
Lucy grabbed Morning Fawn’s arm. Her lip trembled.
“We’re going through with the plan, all right.
My life would be like this even if you had never showed up on this plantation.
My only hope of it being different is you and Lieutenant Reynolds.
We’re both going to show Miss Thea her bossin’ only goes so far.
And when you have that man of yours, you and he sees if you can help me and mine. ”
When. As in, it really could happen. For all she knew, she’d already lost Devon. But she wouldn’t fail Lucy. “When I get away from here, I’ll find a way to help you escape as well.”
Dear Lord in heaven, please let it be so.