Redfield Farm: A Novel of the Underground Railroad Read Free Page A

Meeting, I knew her time with us was short. A young fellow from Osterburg came along—tall, red faced, good humored. His name was Noah Poole, and he was a Friend. That was a good thing. Amos Redfield didn’t hold with his daughters marrying out.
    Anyway, it wasn’t long before Mary was gone off to Osterburg to be a wife, and not long after that that she was also a mother. So I was left in charge. I thought it temporary, thought I’d be married by the time I was twenty, but I was wrong. I learned ‘temporary’ can be a very long time.
    Rachel never did step up. Bless her, she just came for the fun. I would have liked more help. Sixteen is young to shoulder it all. Rachel wasn’t a bad sort—not a mean bone in her body. But she never saw what was right in front of her. The work, I mean. She could sit down beside a pile of clothes to be ironed and tell you all about her visit with Cousin Eva Blackburn and never take notice. Everybody liked her, so I kept still, but I can tell you it was hard.
    Now when Papa claimed his seat at the table there was no one at the other end. Three sons on one side, three daughters on the other. Then, one spring evening in 1847, Ben gave out with an announcement.
    “Papa,” he ventured.
    Amos looked at him. “Ben.”
    “I’m ready to plan to wed.”
    “Ready to plan or ready to wed?” Jesse chimed in.
    Amos didn’t respond. Losing a son on a farm was serious business. He looked at his plate. Around the table Ben’s announcement was greeted with giggles from the girls, a whoop from Nathaniel, and more teasing from Jesse.
    “You old fox, Ben!” he grinned. “I saw you and Rebecca Finley eyeing each other, but I thought marriage was a long way off!” He jabbed an elbow into Ben’s ribs.
    Ben reddened. “Well, I’m twenty-five. Best get started,” he muttered.
    I agreed. It had been a long time coming, too. How was I supposed to get married with both of my older brothers still single? At nineteen, I had designs, but it wouldn’t seem right to just up and leave. Anyway, I said I had designs. Didn’t say anyone else had.
    Amos nodded gravely. “Where do thee think thee will take up?”
    “Conway has his farm for sale. Plans to go west. I’ve got some money saved. I can pay for half now and half in three years. He says it suits him.”
    “Ain’t much of a farm,” Amos observed.
    “I plan to make it a horse farm. Raise horses, breed ’em, sell ’em. There’s lots of pasture land, and on the big field I could grow oats.”
    Amos smiled. “Specializing, are thee?”
    Ben looked down. “Yes, sir. Rebecca’s brother, Elias, wants to go in with me.”
    “Is he putting up any money?”
    “Not yet, but he’s got some breeding stock. That working pair of his is as fine a team as I’ve ever seen.” Ben’s eyes lit up when he talked about horses.
    “You gonna have riding horses, too, Ben?” The idea of horses to ride, not just for work, appealed to Nathaniel.
    “I’d like to. Maybe later.”
    “Enough of this horse talk, Ben. You just said you were getting married,” quipped Rachel. “When?”
    “We’ll announce our intention at Meeting this week, so it‘ll be about two months, if all goes well.”
    “Two months! Are you sure you can wait, brother?” Jesse teased.
    Ben reddened again, and I smiled to myself. Having Ben and Rebecca Finley living a half mile away was a fine arrangement. But having Rebecca’s brother, Elias, working with Ben was even finer. Elias was part of my design. We’d known each other all our lives, and been paired off in the minds of many since Mary wed. We were friends, but I hoped someday we’d be more than that.
    Amos moved back from the table, stood and offered his hand to Ben. “Be fruitful and multiply” was all he said before taking his hat from a peg by the door and stepping out into the spring evening.
    Rachel, Betsy, and I rose and cleared the table. I handed Nathaniel a bucket to fetch in water from the spring. Jesse clapped