Free Her Captain's Heart by Lyn Cote Page A

you came back?”
    â€œYes.” And with the foolish hope of coming home. But of course, Dace had never been forced to leave town, so he would not understand the feeling of not belonging anywhere or of having lost a home. Matt made sure none of this showed on his face. He would give Dace no chance to see that the events of their shared childhood still had the power to wound him.
    â€œHow do we reconcile? Shake hands? Remain on speaking terms?” Dace asked with a trace of mockery.
    Matt’s neck warmed under his collar. “I don’t think real reconciliation can ever take place. There was hardly a chance before the war. Now there is even less hope.”
    â€œSo why did you come?”
    Matt’s taut spine kept him sitting stiffly. “To fulfill my promise and to be a part of making the South change, even though it doesn’t want to. That is the present matter I came to discuss.”
    â€œHow will you make the South change? By force?”
    â€œForce has already been used. My side won. Congress is moving forward, granting citizenship to former slaves and giving them the right to vote as citizens.”
    Dace just stared at him, tight-lipped.
    â€œI’m hoping that it won’t come to the point where I must ask for Union troops to put down opposition here. But I’m here to form a Union League of America chapter and to get a school built for former slaves and—”
    The sounds of the front door slamming and rapid footsteps alerted the men, and then Dace’s wife rushed into the den. “Dace, you won’t believe—” She broke off at the sight of Matt.
    Matt rose, as did Dace. Of course, he remembered Lirit as a pretty girl, spoiled by her doting father on a nearby plantation. Though around the same age as the Quaker, Lirit looked older, somehow faded and thin and threadbare. “Hello, Lirit.”
    She drew nearer her husband as if Matt were unclean or dangerous. “Dacian, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that you weren’t alone.”
    Matt ignored her obvious rejection. Lirit had never been one of his favorites, unlike Mary, whom he’d adored as a child. The thought of Mary started a fire in his gut. Alec. Where was he now and what had he suffered for running away and hiding?
    â€œMatt and I were just discussing why he’s come back to Fiddlers Grove,” Dace said.
    Lirit glanced at her husband. “You know that he’s building a school for the children of former slaves?”
    Dace nodded.
    â€œWhere did you hear that?” Matt demanded. He’d only told this to Mary, and he doubted Lirit and Mary were on speaking terms.
    Lirit looked at him. “I was just at the parsonage. Your Mrs. Hardy had been there trying to talk the vicar into renting our church building as a school. She actually suggested that white children attend with black children.”
    Matt frowned. White children? “The school is to be only for black children and former slaves.”
    â€œThe Quaker said that she didn’t like to see the white children going without an education.” Lirit’s scathing tone made her opinion of this clear.
    Matt began to leave the room. “I should go—”
    â€œWait,” Dace said, stopping him. “You said you had come on three matters. We’ve only discussed two.”
    Matt sent a doubtful look toward Lirit.
    Taking the hint, Dace touched his wife’s shoulder. “May I have a private moment with Matt?”
    â€œCertainly.” Lirit walked out, haughtily pulling off her gloves. She snapped the pocket door shut behind her.
    Matt and Dace stared at each other for a few heavy moments. “Last night our barn was hit by lightning. When we went to put out the fire, we found Alec Dyke unconscious and hiding in our barn. He’d been beaten mercilessly, and had bruises and cuts all over him. Were you aware that Orrin is probably abusing the boy?”
    Dace looked worried