Read Online Northern Light by Annette O'Hare - Free Book Online Page A

beginning. He was once a cruel, vile man who treated no one with respect, especially not the slaves in his care. The song tells a bit about his harrowing experience in a fierce storm and how God saw fit to deliver him through it. The verse says, ‘ Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come; ’tis grace that brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.’”
    “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. It sounds to me as if this great man of faith had no problem with the slave trade.”
    “Well, lass, I don’t know why he didn’t immediately quit what he was doing, but I do know that many years after his conversion, he admitted to how sorry he was, and he supported the abolition of slavery in Great Britain.”
    “That’s all well and good, but you still haven’t answered my question. If it was OK for the people in the Bible to own slaves, why is it wrong for the South to own them today?”
    “Miss Margaret, surely ye remember the story of Moses delivering the children of Israel from the hands of the Egyptian pharaoh. God commanded him to do it because He’d heard the anguished cries of His people. They were sorely oppressed slaves under their masters and begged for deliverance. Don’t ye think the Negroes feel the same way?” Thomas’s words were spoken with peace.
    Margaret was drawn into his way of thinking, to what he said. But she couldn’t give in quite yet. “But, that’s different! Those were God’s chosen people, and they didn’t deserve to be slaves to the pharaoh.”
    “So yer saying the African people deserve to be slaves?”
    “Why don’t you just mind your own business and go back inside the house before some foot soldier sees you and drags your Yankee tail end to the fort!”
    Thomas put his hand over hers.
    Margaret wanted to yank it away, but his touch was much too wonderful to resist.
    “Miss Margaret, yer papa told me all the horrible things you’ve been through. I know all about how ye had to up and leave yer home in New Orleans. And I know about ye losing yer fiancé. I…I just want to tell you how very sorry I am for the pain my presence must be causin’ ye. I would do anything to ease yer burden.”
    His lovely, lyrical voice, the way he spoke those words, was like a soothing balm to her heart and yet they also burned like salt in a fresh wound. Part of her wanted to fall into his warm embrace and sob for all she’d lost. But he was a Yankee, the cause of her loss. She jerked her hand away. “Mr. Murphy, you’ve never felt pain like I have.” Her voice sounded bitter, even to her.
    “Aye, but I’ve felt plenty of pain in my life and…”
    Tears welled up. Giving him the pleasure of seeing her cry wasn’t something she would allow. “I don’t want to hear anything more you have to say!” She hiked up her skirt and leapt over the fence, running down the long trail toward the bay.
    “Miss Margaret, wait. I’m sorry. Please don’t run away!”
    The sounds of the bay and a long walk would help soothe her bitter soul. She only hoped there weren’t any more injured Union soldiers to run into on her way. And he wouldn’t dare take the chance of following after her.

9
    Margaret’s heart pounded. The farther she ran from Thomas Murphy, the better she felt. The wind stung her cheeks, which already burned with the anger inside her.
    Whitecaps bounced on the bay in tune with the swaying breeze, unaware of her bruised ego. Her bare feet sank into soft sand at the edge of the dunes. The roof of the Stoltze place came into view. She slowed her pace. Her cheeks were wet from the tears she’d shed. Pulling the apron to her face, she wiped them away. Stupid Yankee! What could he possibly know about my pain…or about the slaves…or why the South went to war in the first place? He doesn’t know anything. “O Lord, how can I hate someone so much and at the same time want him to hold me in his arms and protect me? Father God, why have You done