“Nothing,” Garrett replied, tamping down the glee brought on by Spring’s startling declaration. “I thought you’d be upstairs resting after all you’ve done today.”
“I’ll do that in a moment. Wanted to speak with you first. Is there somewhere more private we can sit?”
Garrett sighed. He’d had enough of his father for the day but wanted Hiram to get whatever it was he had off his chest now rather than later. “There are chairs out back. We can talk there.”
Outside, they took seats in the old armchairs set in a cleared portion of the grassy field. It was early evening and the sun was making its wayacross the snowcapped mountains. Hiram said, “I have to admit the scenery is outstanding.”
“Glad we can agree on something.”
His father smiled before asking with serious curiosity, “Why her, Garrett?”
He shrugged in response. “From the moment we met, something about her settled into me that I can’t dislodge.” He again told the story of his rescue. “I’d’ve probably died had she not come along during that storm.”
“So your life’s been in danger twice since you arrived, and you still want to live here?”
“I do.”
“Makes no sense.”
“It doesn’t have to, does it?”
“I suppose not. but you’d be better off back home where you aren’t in danger of being killed by blizzards or guns. Tell me about the ambush.”
So for the next little while they talked about his fight with Matt Ketchum on the night of the Cale party.
The telling left his father both angry and afraid for him. “I appreciate you coming to Miss Lee’s aid, but men of the race have been killed for less, Garrett.”
“True, but the color of his skin doesn’t allow Ketchum to spit in my face.”
“I’ve endured more.”
“I understand, but when do we reach the point of saying: No more?”
His father didn’t respond.
Had the country wanted him to remain subservient, it should never have let him enlist in the navy. Being able to see the world and the possibilities it held as a free man had removed the scales from his eyes. “Although the law may never reflect it, we are not less in any way, and I refuse to believe that I am simply because others do.”
“You’re right, and that fire you have inside would be good in a courtroom.”
“And more than likely get me killed. I don’t have the desire nor the patience to argue laws that only one race has to abide by. There are men back East far more skilled at that than I.”
“So you want to move here.”
“I do, and no disrespect but this is my life, not yours.”
There was sadness on Hiram’s face as he looked out into the field. “Forgive an old man for wanting his son by his side so that he knows he’ll be safe.” He met Garrett’s eyes. “The thought of you being here and out of my sight is something I’m having trouble with.”
“Why?” Garrett asked softly. “We were apart when I went into the navy.”
“But I knew Quincy would keep you safe. I suppose this need to hold on to you is tied to our being slaves. I was sold as a babe, and to this day have no idea who my parents are. When you were small and it looked like you’d grow up to be big and strong like me, I did everything in my power to keep you from being sold. Men of our stature were worth small fortunes on the block. When it became certain that Master McCray was going broke, he wanted to sell you, but I begged him not to sell us separately. I took on work in his fields hoping to help increase his profits. Fannie volunteered to be auctioned off if it meant you and I could stay together.”
Garrett never knew that. His heart ached.
“Neither of us wanted our only child to grow up and not be raised by at least one of us, so you’d know how much you were loved. I’ve watched over you, guided you, comforted you from the nightmares you had after Fannie was sold. I know you’re a grown man, Garrett, but turning you loose is difficult.”
“You raised me well, Hiram, and I will never not appreciate your love and care. I’m going to move here, but I will visit, write—send you wires. You aren’t losing me. Please don’t think that you are.”
“My head knows that but my heart...”