AllFreeNovel
Share Us
They went inside and closed the door.
Chapter Seven
“The damn Jeffries, what are they doin’ here?” Luke demanded as soon as they were in the barn and Luke began to pace. His fist was doubled, his pacing impatient and his brow furrowed.
“I told ya they’ve been comin’ around.” Joe glanced at Luke’s fisted hands. “You better settle down, boy. We gotta think our moves through. Those boys will kill us sure if we don’t. And we can’t save Hattie if we’re dead.”
“What do they want?” Luke paced up and down as Joe lit the lantern.
Joe shook his head. “Now you ain’t that dumb, you knows what they want. You still ready to fig
ht them no matter what, ain’t you?”
“Joe,” Luke loomed at him with a frown, “they’ve been tryin’ to get this land for a long time. You know that. Now they are messin’ with family.”
“Luke, I love ya like my own…but have you thought this through…lovin’ a Negro woman here in Alabama, it don’t mean nothin’ but sorrow…”
Luke studied him for a moment. “She hasn’t said one thing about my arm, not one thing. Acts like it ain’t even gone. How many other women you figure would act that way?”
“Yes sir…she didn’t make no fuss about you not havin’ an arm when you asked for work, did she? But you know there’s gonna be a heap of trouble because of the two of you.”
“Yeah, I know all that, but we could leave Alabama.”
“Leave Alabama? Where you gonna go?”
“I got an idea. If it works out, everything will be alright, Joe.”
“Do you love her that much?”
“I think I’ve loved her ever since I laid eyes on her. I kept telling myself I was a fool, but in my heart, I couldn’t change the feelings.”
“Good Lord…”
After a long silence, Joe smiled and scratched his head.
“Well, I’m glad you set me straight on that, so I know how it is. You’re in love with her. Ain’t the land the Jeffries want so much now. They figure they can get that as soon as the sheriff forecloses on her for back taxes. Which’ll be next month. Frank wants her,” Joe said solemnly. “He’s made it pretty clear. Aww he don’t love her, he jest wants to take her down a notch; maybe two notches.”
“Has she ever encouraged his attention?” Luke asked, his frown still marring his better features.
“Does it matter?” Joe suddenly asked, watching Luke’s reaction carefully.
“Hell yes, it matters. If she wants him too, then I’ll stay out of it, as long as it don’t involve the farm. But if she don’t…then I’ll stand beside her all the way,” Luke hollered. “I may not be able to tell her how I feel, but I can damn sure show her.”
“You know, when you first told me, I thought, naw…that ain’t no good, he’ll get over her. But Mr. Lee, I can see fer myself, you two belong together.”
“Yeah…now if I can just work something out and her agree to it.”
“After all this time…you still love her?” Joe asked. “It’s real between you and her?”
“More than ever. I can hardly keep my hands off her, Joe.” Lee smiled. “But I’d never take the advantage unless she felt the same. Quit lookin’ at me like that. I’m human. I admit it. She’s beautiful I admit. But I’d never do anything to hurt her, you gotta know that. I’d never force myself on her or take the advantage unless she wanted me to.”
“That’s not the problem. The problem is, she’s black and your white, and even if you do love her, what you gonna do about it? In this state, they’d just about hang you for what you are thinkin’.”
“I know. That’s one reason I can’t tell her. Not yet. Not ‘til I figure out what to do.”
“What’s the other reason?”
“They’d hang her too.”
