Read Online Indigo by Beverly Jenkins - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Beverly Jenkins
Tags: Fiction, Historical fiction, Romance, Historical, adult romance, African American, african american romance, African American women, multicultural romance, American History, multicultural fiction, American Romance, African American Fiction, Multicultural Women, African American History, Underground Railroad, Historical Multicultural Romance, HIstorical African American Romance, Beverly Jenkins
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surroundings."
He smiled. "Are you trying to rush my recovery so I'll be out of your hair, Miss Wyatt?"
His teasing made her lower her eyes, then say, innocently, "I simply thought you might be more comfortable."
He laughed, the first time she'd heard him do so so robustly, and she liked the sound.
Galen said, "I'm fine here. In the house I may be seen."
"No one will see you. There isn't a house for miles. Besides, Shoe is holed up south of here, down in Monroe."
"It isn't Shoe I'm worried aboutâit's the good citizens of this town."
Hester shook her head at his continued harping on the trustworthiness of her neighbors. "The few good citizens who are aware of your presence here have vowed to keep you safe. Trust us."
When he didn't reply, Hester added, "Galen, I know we are strangers to you, but aren't you a stranger to the people you bring north?"
He nodded.
"So, if they can trust you, you should trust also. Believe me, you will heal better up in the house."
"And your reputation? Won't there be some old church biddies quacking about you being compromised?"
"I don't know where you're from originally Galen, but on the Road here, we women don't always have the luxury of worrying about our reputations when there's work to be done." She paused, then added, "Besides, the reverend from the church knows you're here, and even if he didn't, I'm of the opinion that slavery's reputation is far more sullied than mine will ever be."
Galen could see the flash of determination in her eyes. He sighed visibly in surrender. "All right, Miss Wyatt. You win."
Hester's smiled triumphantly.
The next day, Hester showed Galen up to the attic room. "This room was originally built by my great-grandfather Ellis," she explained. She crossed the portal and opened up the drapes and windows to let in fresh air and light. The morning sun revealed fine dark wood paneling the walls from floor to ceiling.
Galen looked around. There were large windows all the way around the big bedroom. The wood floors and walls gleamed with the care they'd been given. There was a big canopied four-poster bed. The four-poster, the largest bed Galen had seen in quite some time, would surely give him a more restful sleep than the thin pallet on the cot in the cellar room. There was a desk, a beautifully polished wardrobe, and a screened area that he assumed disguised the chamber facilities. "All this wood reminds me of a ship."
Hester agreed. "He apprenticed on a whaler as a young man. After the war, he came to Michigan and sailed the lakes on a merchant vessel. He loved the sea."
Galen's eyes swept over a big black bathing tub inlaid with mother of pearl. Its exotic beauty captured his attention. "Where did you acquire this?" he asked, walking over to view it more closely. The work was exquisite and the tub's circumference appeared large enough to accommodate a man his size quite comfortably.
"My grandfather brought it back from Arabia on one of his last sea voyages."
"Looks like it might have belonged to a sheik's harem."
"It certainly appears lavish enough," Hester said with a smile. "But I wouldn't know. Once you're healed, feel free to use it if you like. There's a drain beneath it, and a pipe which takes the water out of the house. You still have to haul the water up here however, so it hasn't been used on a regular basis in many years, though Aunt Katherine did use it occasionally."
Galen looked around the room again, then walked over to gaze out of the small, lead-paned windows at the world spread below. On the window seat he saw an eyeglass. He picked it up and, after lengthening it, held it to his eye. He was treated to a commanding view of the countryside. "That's quite a view," he told her. He swept the area a moment longer then set the glass back on the window seat.
"It's one of the reasons I want to put you up here. You can see the approach from any direction."
"The other reason?"
Hester walked over to the wall behind the big four poster
He smiled. "Are you trying to rush my recovery so I'll be out of your hair, Miss Wyatt?"
His teasing made her lower her eyes, then say, innocently, "I simply thought you might be more comfortable."
He laughed, the first time she'd heard him do so so robustly, and she liked the sound.
Galen said, "I'm fine here. In the house I may be seen."
"No one will see you. There isn't a house for miles. Besides, Shoe is holed up south of here, down in Monroe."
"It isn't Shoe I'm worried aboutâit's the good citizens of this town."
Hester shook her head at his continued harping on the trustworthiness of her neighbors. "The few good citizens who are aware of your presence here have vowed to keep you safe. Trust us."
When he didn't reply, Hester added, "Galen, I know we are strangers to you, but aren't you a stranger to the people you bring north?"
He nodded.
"So, if they can trust you, you should trust also. Believe me, you will heal better up in the house."
"And your reputation? Won't there be some old church biddies quacking about you being compromised?"
"I don't know where you're from originally Galen, but on the Road here, we women don't always have the luxury of worrying about our reputations when there's work to be done." She paused, then added, "Besides, the reverend from the church knows you're here, and even if he didn't, I'm of the opinion that slavery's reputation is far more sullied than mine will ever be."
Galen could see the flash of determination in her eyes. He sighed visibly in surrender. "All right, Miss Wyatt. You win."
Hester's smiled triumphantly.
The next day, Hester showed Galen up to the attic room. "This room was originally built by my great-grandfather Ellis," she explained. She crossed the portal and opened up the drapes and windows to let in fresh air and light. The morning sun revealed fine dark wood paneling the walls from floor to ceiling.
Galen looked around. There were large windows all the way around the big bedroom. The wood floors and walls gleamed with the care they'd been given. There was a big canopied four-poster bed. The four-poster, the largest bed Galen had seen in quite some time, would surely give him a more restful sleep than the thin pallet on the cot in the cellar room. There was a desk, a beautifully polished wardrobe, and a screened area that he assumed disguised the chamber facilities. "All this wood reminds me of a ship."
Hester agreed. "He apprenticed on a whaler as a young man. After the war, he came to Michigan and sailed the lakes on a merchant vessel. He loved the sea."
Galen's eyes swept over a big black bathing tub inlaid with mother of pearl. Its exotic beauty captured his attention. "Where did you acquire this?" he asked, walking over to view it more closely. The work was exquisite and the tub's circumference appeared large enough to accommodate a man his size quite comfortably.
"My grandfather brought it back from Arabia on one of his last sea voyages."
"Looks like it might have belonged to a sheik's harem."
"It certainly appears lavish enough," Hester said with a smile. "But I wouldn't know. Once you're healed, feel free to use it if you like. There's a drain beneath it, and a pipe which takes the water out of the house. You still have to haul the water up here however, so it hasn't been used on a regular basis in many years, though Aunt Katherine did use it occasionally."
Galen looked around the room again, then walked over to gaze out of the small, lead-paned windows at the world spread below. On the window seat he saw an eyeglass. He picked it up and, after lengthening it, held it to his eye. He was treated to a commanding view of the countryside. "That's quite a view," he told her. He swept the area a moment longer then set the glass back on the window seat.
"It's one of the reasons I want to put you up here. You can see the approach from any direction."
"The other reason?"
Hester walked over to the wall behind the big four poster
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