Tennessee, 1862. Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Edwards hates her personal slave, Anna. Elizabeth has never given much thought to the plight of the slaves on her father's plantation; instead, she focuses on pretty dresses and horses, and dreams of the young man she wants to marry. But Elizabeth's world collapses when she is told she must marry her cousin to keep the plantation in the family. Elizabeth takes out her anger on Anna, who finally snaps and reveals that Elizabeth and she have the same father. Anna is brutally whipped the next day, and Elizabeth is horrified. When she tries to confide in her mother, she finds her secretly kissing Elizabeth's tutor. Elizabeth now feels she has nothing and nobody. She changes her attitude about Anna and asks her to run away with her. They are overheard by two stable hands, Fred and Sam, who have heard of a safe house on the Underground Railroad. The four of them set off, planning to reach Canada. Will they all make it to Canada alive? Does Anna truly forgive Elizabeth, or is she just using her? Is it possible to find love on the run?

Plantation Children

Tuesday August 28 to Wednesday August 29 1862


“It’s time,”he whispers,even though there is no one around to overhear.I pick up the rifle,unsure if I should take it with us.


“Will you have use of this?”I ask Gabriel.


“I’ve never used one before.I hope we don’t need to use it on the train,”he says.


I decide to give the rifle to Jacob and Abram.I’ll keep the reticule with my clothes,and place Anna’s book back inside.The frying pan and matches may be of use to us,but hopefully we won’t be in a situation where we’re back out in the woods with no other means to survive.I don’t want to be completely empty-handed when we arrive to Canada,but I also don’t want to take anything that isn’t necessary.


Anna helps me with my decision and takes the pan and matches from my hands.“Let’s take them just in case.We’ll get our cloth bag back to put them in.”


Chapter 35