anything, and decided to have a talk with Jojo later.
Daniel, on the other hand, knew that the more he stayed around Belle, the less he thought about Francine. “I should go and see how the guest is faring,” he told Belle stiffly. “I’ll see you later.”
That said, he left.
Belle thought his departure so abrupt, she wondered if she’d said or done something wrong. She couldn’t recall anything, so she decided whatever was bothering him must have been caused by something else.
Upstairs in his room, Daniel drew the drapes to close out the early evening sky and turned down the lone lamp. He then took a seat on one of his bedroom chairs. Their visitor was still asleep. The committee would want to interview him once he awakened so they could determine who he was and where he wanted to relocate. Daniel didn’t think his parents had been expecting such a uniquely packaged runaway, otherwise they wouldn’t have gone visiting. The crate’s sender, Mr. William Still, was one of the most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad. His station in Philadelphia had been visited by thousands of runaways and his knowledge of most of the other conductors nationwide made him a conduit not only for fugitives but for the dissemination of news and information relevant to the abolitionist struggle. Jere and Adam were owed a tremendous thanks. Were it not for them, the man might’ve died, never knowing he’d made it to freedom.
In the shadowy silence the man’s rhythmic snoring sounded even and strong, so Daniel picked up one of the many newspapers at the foot of his nightstand to pass the time. He glanced over an editorial summarizing the views of Mr. Abraham Lincoln, a contender for the presidency, but Daniel couldn’t concentrate; Belle kept floating across his mind. Jere and Adam were his best friends and well-known for their success with the ladies, but Daniel hadn’t liked them spinning their smiles around Belle. He doubted she’d ever encountered anyone as smooth as those two, and he didn’t want her to be hurt by their flirting ways. Or at least that was what he told himself. A more honest assessment would center on jealousy, but even though he’d already admitted his attraction to her, he wasn’t ready to own up to jealousy. At least not yet.
Had she ever had a beau, though? he wondered. As shy as she was, he tended to doubt it. He knew that many female captives were already breeding by the time they were Belle’s age, and because importing new slaves had been banned since 1807, slave women were often forced into having more and more babies. Was that one of the reasons she and her father had escaped? Daniel couldn’t imagine his sister having to face such a future. He was glad she’d never have to and as long as they kept Belle safe, neither would she.
A few hours later, Belle knocked softly on Daniel’s partially closed door and stuck her head around it. “How’s our guest doing?” she asked.
Daniel, seated in the soft, shadowy light, set his newspaper aside. “Still asleep.” He never remembered being so elated by one girl’s presence before. He wanted her to come closer and maybe sit with him while he waited for the man to awaken but knew it wouldn’t be proper for her to do so.
This was the first time Belle had ever seen the interior of Daniel’s room. Jojo was right. He certainly did have a lot of books. Dark wood shelves lined the walls. Belle could see him watching her, and as usual it left her a bit flummoxed. Proper young women weren’t supposed to visit a gentleman’s bedroom; she knew that, but she thought it might be all right if she stood here by the door, just for a moment or two. To cover her nervousness, she asked, “Is escaping in a box common?”
Daniel knew why she was choosing to stand in the doorway. Although her innocence touched him, he answered her question in a serious tone. “Not really, though it has been done a few times. First one I heard of was Henry
Daniel, on the other hand, knew that the more he stayed around Belle, the less he thought about Francine. “I should go and see how the guest is faring,” he told Belle stiffly. “I’ll see you later.”
That said, he left.
Belle thought his departure so abrupt, she wondered if she’d said or done something wrong. She couldn’t recall anything, so she decided whatever was bothering him must have been caused by something else.
Upstairs in his room, Daniel drew the drapes to close out the early evening sky and turned down the lone lamp. He then took a seat on one of his bedroom chairs. Their visitor was still asleep. The committee would want to interview him once he awakened so they could determine who he was and where he wanted to relocate. Daniel didn’t think his parents had been expecting such a uniquely packaged runaway, otherwise they wouldn’t have gone visiting. The crate’s sender, Mr. William Still, was one of the most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad. His station in Philadelphia had been visited by thousands of runaways and his knowledge of most of the other conductors nationwide made him a conduit not only for fugitives but for the dissemination of news and information relevant to the abolitionist struggle. Jere and Adam were owed a tremendous thanks. Were it not for them, the man might’ve died, never knowing he’d made it to freedom.
In the shadowy silence the man’s rhythmic snoring sounded even and strong, so Daniel picked up one of the many newspapers at the foot of his nightstand to pass the time. He glanced over an editorial summarizing the views of Mr. Abraham Lincoln, a contender for the presidency, but Daniel couldn’t concentrate; Belle kept floating across his mind. Jere and Adam were his best friends and well-known for their success with the ladies, but Daniel hadn’t liked them spinning their smiles around Belle. He doubted she’d ever encountered anyone as smooth as those two, and he didn’t want her to be hurt by their flirting ways. Or at least that was what he told himself. A more honest assessment would center on jealousy, but even though he’d already admitted his attraction to her, he wasn’t ready to own up to jealousy. At least not yet.
Had she ever had a beau, though? he wondered. As shy as she was, he tended to doubt it. He knew that many female captives were already breeding by the time they were Belle’s age, and because importing new slaves had been banned since 1807, slave women were often forced into having more and more babies. Was that one of the reasons she and her father had escaped? Daniel couldn’t imagine his sister having to face such a future. He was glad she’d never have to and as long as they kept Belle safe, neither would she.
A few hours later, Belle knocked softly on Daniel’s partially closed door and stuck her head around it. “How’s our guest doing?” she asked.
Daniel, seated in the soft, shadowy light, set his newspaper aside. “Still asleep.” He never remembered being so elated by one girl’s presence before. He wanted her to come closer and maybe sit with him while he waited for the man to awaken but knew it wouldn’t be proper for her to do so.
This was the first time Belle had ever seen the interior of Daniel’s room. Jojo was right. He certainly did have a lot of books. Dark wood shelves lined the walls. Belle could see him watching her, and as usual it left her a bit flummoxed. Proper young women weren’t supposed to visit a gentleman’s bedroom; she knew that, but she thought it might be all right if she stood here by the door, just for a moment or two. To cover her nervousness, she asked, “Is escaping in a box common?”
Daniel knew why she was choosing to stand in the doorway. Although her innocence touched him, he answered her question in a serious tone. “Not really, though it has been done a few times. First one I heard of was Henry
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