Free Love Lasts Forever by Dominiqua Douglas Page A

she replied, “Mr. Anders won’t allow it, and I won’t ask Miss Eva. She’d say yes, I’m sure of it, but it wouldn’t be right of me to ask. Now, please, let go.”
    Thor flinched as if she struck him. My great-great-grandfather won’t allow her to feed three hungry kids? What kind of man was he? The stories he learned at his Gramps’ knee led him to believe that Magnusen men were honorable, compassionate, hard-working men. If so, where did Anders fit in? He couldn’t have been included in the tales Thor’s grandfather once told.
    Reluctantly, he dropped his hand from her elbow and nodded. “I understand. Tell me the way, and I’ll take them to the reverend’s.”
    “I can’t let you do that. This is not play, Thor. If a patroller catches you with them…”
    “You said they rarely come this deep into the forest,” he reminded her when her voice trailed off. “Besides, it’s less dangerous for me than you. I could lie. You couldn’t.”
    “But you don’t know these woods—”
    “I grew up here,” he said softly. “I can find it. Just tell me where his place is and if there are some special words I should use. I’ll get them there safely, Willow. I promise.”
    “Miss Eva wanted to speak with you,” she attempted one final protest.
    Her stalling tactics irritated him, but he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. She was a beauty when her hackles were raised. “Eva can wait. They can’t.”
    “But what should I tell her?”
    “Tell her you couldn’t find me. That’s why you were gone for so long. You looked for me and gave up. When I come back, I’ll tell her that I went for a walk and got lost.”
    A look of alarm streaked across her face. “What if you do get lost?”
    “I won’t.” One hand lightly cupped her cheek. His voice dropped to a low whisper meant for her ears only. “I won’t get lost. I’ll get them to the station master safe and sound, and I’ll return before nightfall. You’ll see me tonight because I’m not about to miss one of Mr. William Shakespeare’s sonnets as read by Miss Willow Elkridge.”
    A soft sigh passed from her lips and the dewy-eyed expression on her face was almost Thor’s undoing. To his relief, she fought for control over the attraction they shared and won. After taking a deep breath, she gave him directions to the Brown farm. With his wary charges at his heel, Thor became a shepherd. He looked over his shoulder once to wave at Willow before leading the trio of runaways into the woods.
    A wry chuckle rumbled from his chest as realization set in. A former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons was now a conductor for the Underground Railroad. If only his Pop and Cal could see him now.

Chapter Five
    The trail to Reverend Brown’s place reminded Thor of the path to his father’s favorite fishing hole. Of course, a century brought some changes to the backwoods hideaway, but not many. Sugar maples with their low branches populated the way just as he remembered, except these weren’t as tall as the ones he knew. Dark green leaves, with a hint of red and gold along the edges, tapped Thor’s shoulder as he walked under the trees. Fanning the foliage aside with a wave of his hand, he glanced over his shoulder at his solemn charges.
    The two younger children regarded him behind eyes bright with unrestrained curiosity while the oldest boy kept his face void of expression. Offering the trio a friendly smile, Thor’s footsteps slowed until he walked beside the children. “How long have you been on the track?”
    “A while, sir,” the oldest answered.
    “You’ll reach your Promised Land soon. What are your names? Y’all can call me Thor.”
    Regret hit him as soon as the words left his mouth. The first meeting with Willow came to mind. At first, her refusal to call him by his first name seemed coy. In hindsight, he understood her caution. In his desire to put the children at ease, he probably did the opposite. He opened his mouth to