silly question!â
âOne of the girls in my class said she thought someone from her family was related to some royalty.â
âOh?â
âDo you think she might be lying?â
âMaybe.â
âWhy would she lie about her family?â
âMaybe sheâs stretching the truth, or itâs just wishful thinking.â
âWas there anyone really special in our family?â
âEveryone was special.â
âYou know what I meanâreally good or really bad.â
âWe were all pretty good,â said Florence, âmy family.â
âThatâs the truth,â agreed Delia.
âI wonder if someone from way back in our family liked to ride horses, like I do.â
âPerhaps, but I think their horses were used for work back then, not pleasure.â
Felicia closed her eyes and imagined riding long ago. Her billowy skirt would make it hard to sit up on the saddle. Maybe sheâd drive a carriage. Sheâd sit up on a special seat, long reins in hand. The horse would respond to her gentle tug, and they would set off on a pleasant journey, trotting along a sun-dappled lane.
âHow about way back in the olden days?â Feliciaâs pen hovered over the pad.
âSome of that information just disappeared over the years,â said Florence, âbut we do have some things in that old trunk I have. I know my grandmotherâs grandparents came up from Virginia before the Civil War.â
âHow did they get here? Maybe they rode horses.â
âI doubt it. They would have been on the run, and itâs unlikely they could afford a horse, unless someone gave them one.â
âWhat were they on the run from?â
âFrom slavery, sweetie.â
âHow would they know where to run to?â
âThey probably received some help. There was a system of helpers called the âUnderground Railroad.ââ
âThey took a train?â
âThe Underground Railroad was a kind of secret network of people helping other people escape slavery and come north to Canada, where they could be free,â Florence explained.
âI hope someone gave them a horse so they didnât have to walk. It must have been hard,â said Felicia. âJust imagine.â
âYes,â said Delia, âjust imagine.â
CHAPTER 21
Flower
FLOWER STOOD with her
parents as they said good-bye to the Pembertons. Gabriel peeked over his
motherâs shoulder at everyone. A rectangular wooden wagon with one harnessed
horse waited in the drive. Cleo said to their protectors, âThank you for all
your kindness.â
âWe are only doing our dutyâ¦what we believe is
right. Go in safety and help others like yourselves.â
When the family was settled in the wagon, the
driver clucked and slapped a rein. The horse responded, pulling it forward with
a lurch. Flower watched as the Pembertons slowly receded into the distance, then
turned and aligned herself against her motherâs side. Samuel lay behind them on
a pallet of hay. He moaned at each bump in the road.
Within two hours they reached the Simonsâ and were
welcomed by the doctorâs wife. âCome in, all of you, and rest a while. Iâve
prepared a small lunch.â
They followed her into the kitchen, except for
Samuel, who was led into a separate room so the doctor could attend to his
wound. Flower stood at the kitchen window, watched as the driver filled a pail
of water for his horse. He chatted with the animal, stroked its side as it
sucked up the liquid, and then placed a handful of hay on the ground at its
feet.
Mrs. Simon looked up as the driver entered the
kitchen. âThereâs a pump in the yard for washing up.â He bowed his head, his
dusty hat clutched in both hands, and made an abrupt turn. When he came back
into the room, he spread his hands out for her to see, like a small boy.
âThatâs better. We love our horses, but