When Davy opened his eyes the next morning he frowned. He did not want to tell Harriet and her father he had decided to leave. Climbing down the ladder he saw Griffith and his daughter already at the table eating breakfast. Harriet looked up and smiled.
“Well, hello, sleepyhead,” she said.
Griffith looked over his shoulder at him, his eyes solemn. “Good morning, Master Davy.”
Grinning his best, he joined them, loaded his trencher with biscuits, eggs and ham in thick slices. After a few minutes of happy banter about how the air had turned crisp much earlier in the season than usual, Davy became quiet.
“I have to leave,” he said in a whisper.
“What?” Harriet asked.
“Master Davy has to leave, dear,” her father said. “I’m sure he doesn’t want to nor has he made his decision lightly.”
“You’re right, sir,” he replied, nodding in agreement. “When I went to the store yesterday afternoon Mister Goodell made it clear that he ain’ goin’ to give up this missin’ captain matter any time soon. I think it’d be best for everyone if I left. With me gone, I don’t think Constable Franks will poke around no more.”
“So you’re disappearing,” Harriet said, only just concealing her anger. “After living with us, and working for us and—and making me fall in love with you—“
“Harriet,” her father interrupted. “I told you I’m sure Master Davy didn’t come by this decision easily.”
“Besides,” Davy continued, looking down at his trencher, “I miss my ma and sisters sorely.” He looked up at her. “I told you, Harriet, how much I miss my ma. You know that.”
“Yes, I know.” She pinched her lips in consternation.
“The reason I left in the first place was ‘cause I was scared of gittin’ a beatin’. I’m too big for that now.” He paused to see if Harriet had a comment; she did not. “And I imagine they need me. Pa’s always in debt for one thing or another, and I’ll have to work it off.”
After a few minutes of silence as they ate, Griffith pushed aside his trencher, stood and announced, “Of course, you’re right, Master Davy. The sooner you leave the better. Goodell or Franks might show up again at any time, and it’ll be the devil to pay for sure.”
“I guess you’re right,” Davy mumbled.
Putting his hand in his pocket, Griffith pulled out a couple of dollar coins and handed them to him. “I wish I had more to give you, but I seem to—“ His voice trailed off as he looked out the window. “Why don’t you two young people go for a walk in the woods while I put together your bundle? Be careful no one sees you.”
Davy and Harriet went outside, looked down the path toward Christiansburg and walked up the hill into the trees. At first she resisted holding his hand but relented when they stopped under their favorite tree. No words were exchanged, but he watched her face as it twisted with pain. She burst into sobs, falling into his arms, alternately hugging him and hitting him with tight fists.
“Please don’t leave me! Why do you have to do this? What am I going to do? I can’t live with father without you. He’s—he’s so sick and I can’t take it all by myself.” Tears flooded down her cheeks, and strands of blonde hairs matted on her face.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I’m really sorry, but I can’t stay.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Your pa and me, we lied to you about Captain Stasney.”
Wiping her eyes, she peered at him with curiosity and asked, “Lied?”
“The captain chased me into the woods.” He nodded further up the hill. “Way, way up there. I tripped, and he was about to attack me when your pa jumped on his back. After a big tussle, he killed ‘im.”
“That’s self-defense,” she said. “Constable Franks can see that.”
“Not after we lied for the past two days.”
“So that’s that.” Sighing, she stepped away to lean against the tree.
As he looked at her sad blue eyes, askew blonde hair and pink lips, Davy had an idea which sprang from his mouth before he had a chance to consider it too deeply. “Come to Tennessee with me,” he said. “We can git married in Morristown. I’ll hire myself out to a farmer and make money so we can set up housekeepin’. I love you so much. Come with me. There’s nothin’—nothin’ but problems here for you. We’ll be so happy.” He held his head close to hers. “Please say yes. Say yes.”
“No.” Her voice was soft but firm.
Davy stepped away.
“Father needs me too much.” She looked him in the eyes with serious determination. “Before all this broke open, Mister Goodell, who was trying to be helpful, I suppose, told me all about mercury poisoning. Father is slowly going mad, and he’s going to die. I have to be here to take care of him.” She smiled with sad irony. “Unlike some people I know, I can’t run away.”
“You don’t hate me, do you?” He took her hand. “I don’t think I could take it if you said you hated me.”
“How could I hate you when I love you so much?” She squeezed his hand.
“I’m sorry about your pa.” He paused. “Have you given much thought about what you’ll do after he—well, you know, after he—“
“Get married, I suppose,” she replied without much emotion.
“No,” he said. “Miss Dorcas, she’s a nice lady. Go live with her. She can teach you how to make dresses.” He held her in his arms with tenderness and whispered, “Please don’t marry nobody you don’t love.”
“If I can’t marry you,” she said, her voice cracking, “it doesn’t make any difference who I marry.”
He kissed her soft lips, choking back tears. They hugged in desperation because it was for the last time.
“Harriet!”
They turned to see Griffith standing at the bottom of the hill, looking around nervously and waving the packed bag.