remain at home." She grinned slyly. "Did you speak with Sam?"
"I did and I apologized."
Her grin widened.
"Don't get your hopes up," Julia said. "I will not change my mind. Not when he is so friendly with the Federal Army."
"What do you mean?"
Julia told her about the soldiers. "Watch what you say around him, Sally."
"Sam would never betray our confidences."
"Perhaps not intentionally but what if the soldiers press him for information?"
Sally bit her lip, considering the thought. She then tugged at Julia's sleeve.
"Come help me serve the cold tea."
They stepped into the parlor. The girls were all in attendance except for Rebekah. Julia wondered if she'd had enough of rebel traitors and decided not to come back. Sally made no mention of her. As she filled up the glasses with the sweet liquid Julia whispered, "Why don't we work on socks today, like Trudy suggested before."
Sally gave her a measured look. "No more lace?"
Julia shook her head. "I'll tell them what happened."
She nodded without question. "Julia has suggested that we return to Trudy's idea and make socks for our soldiers," she said.
The girls all looked at Julia.
"Are you sure?" Emily asked.
"Yes." A lump was growing in the back of her throat. She tried to swallow it back. "Our men need our support. It is the least we can do."
Trudy nodded gravely. "Our brother George left last night for Virginia. I want him to know that we are thinking of him." Her eyes teared up.
Everyone in the room felt the emotion.
Elizabeth shook her head in agreement. "And today is a good day to do so. Rebekah isn't here and we don't have to hear her complain."
"Do you think she will come back?" Emily asked.
Sally shrugged. "I don't know. Time will tell."
"But Julia," Trudy said. "What about your lace?"
Julia drew in a deep breath and pressed forward."There isn't a need for it now because there isn't going to be a wedding."
A gasp went up around the room.
She hastened to explain. Though disappointed, the others offered their sympathy and support.
"I would never have guessed Samuel would side with the Federal Army, not after you were attacked on Pratt Street," Emily said.
"You are a good sister," Trudy said, "standing by your brother. I would be honored to knit socks for his regiment."
"Thank you."
The subject closed and the ladies went to work. Knitting needles clicked all afternoon long. Julia counted every stitch as a prayer for Edward's victory and for Stephen and George, as well.
Watch over them, Lord and please bring them home soon.
Chapter Seven
S am stared at the address in his hand then at the small, unimpressive building across the street. It was red brick with crooked black shutters, not much different than the rest of the buildings on the street. Fell's Point was a working class district, full of shipyards and factories. Frederick Douglass himself had once worked in this part of town. Sam thought about how the man had compared his city enslavement with his experiences on the eastern shore plantations. He had said that a slave's life in Baltimore was much improved. That they were almost freemen.
Almost, Sam thought. And yet, still slaves for life.
Though he had read of the horrors of field life, he still could not fully grasp the hardship of why someone would say city enslavement was the better of the two. The workers who passed Sam on the street, both white and Negro looked weary and worn out from their labors.
Sam crossed the street, not knowing what or whom he would find in the dilapidated structure before him. He knocked on the front door. After a moment it opened partially.
An old woman, dressed fully in black, stared shrewdlyat him. The doorway offered her a measure of
"I did and I apologized."
Her grin widened.
"Don't get your hopes up," Julia said. "I will not change my mind. Not when he is so friendly with the Federal Army."
"What do you mean?"
Julia told her about the soldiers. "Watch what you say around him, Sally."
"Sam would never betray our confidences."
"Perhaps not intentionally but what if the soldiers press him for information?"
Sally bit her lip, considering the thought. She then tugged at Julia's sleeve.
"Come help me serve the cold tea."
They stepped into the parlor. The girls were all in attendance except for Rebekah. Julia wondered if she'd had enough of rebel traitors and decided not to come back. Sally made no mention of her. As she filled up the glasses with the sweet liquid Julia whispered, "Why don't we work on socks today, like Trudy suggested before."
Sally gave her a measured look. "No more lace?"
Julia shook her head. "I'll tell them what happened."
She nodded without question. "Julia has suggested that we return to Trudy's idea and make socks for our soldiers," she said.
The girls all looked at Julia.
"Are you sure?" Emily asked.
"Yes." A lump was growing in the back of her throat. She tried to swallow it back. "Our men need our support. It is the least we can do."
Trudy nodded gravely. "Our brother George left last night for Virginia. I want him to know that we are thinking of him." Her eyes teared up.
Everyone in the room felt the emotion.
Elizabeth shook her head in agreement. "And today is a good day to do so. Rebekah isn't here and we don't have to hear her complain."
"Do you think she will come back?" Emily asked.
Sally shrugged. "I don't know. Time will tell."
"But Julia," Trudy said. "What about your lace?"
Julia drew in a deep breath and pressed forward."There isn't a need for it now because there isn't going to be a wedding."
A gasp went up around the room.
She hastened to explain. Though disappointed, the others offered their sympathy and support.
"I would never have guessed Samuel would side with the Federal Army, not after you were attacked on Pratt Street," Emily said.
"You are a good sister," Trudy said, "standing by your brother. I would be honored to knit socks for his regiment."
"Thank you."
The subject closed and the ladies went to work. Knitting needles clicked all afternoon long. Julia counted every stitch as a prayer for Edward's victory and for Stephen and George, as well.
Watch over them, Lord and please bring them home soon.
Chapter Seven
S am stared at the address in his hand then at the small, unimpressive building across the street. It was red brick with crooked black shutters, not much different than the rest of the buildings on the street. Fell's Point was a working class district, full of shipyards and factories. Frederick Douglass himself had once worked in this part of town. Sam thought about how the man had compared his city enslavement with his experiences on the eastern shore plantations. He had said that a slave's life in Baltimore was much improved. That they were almost freemen.
Almost, Sam thought. And yet, still slaves for life.
Though he had read of the horrors of field life, he still could not fully grasp the hardship of why someone would say city enslavement was the better of the two. The workers who passed Sam on the street, both white and Negro looked weary and worn out from their labors.
Sam crossed the street, not knowing what or whom he would find in the dilapidated structure before him. He knocked on the front door. After a moment it opened partially.
An old woman, dressed fully in black, stared shrewdlyat him. The doorway offered her a measure of
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