For the Roses

Chapter 23

God definitely had a sense of humor. Elliott came to his conclusion after observing the behavior of the brothers for an hour or so. Mary Rose's guardian angels were rough and rowdy, argumentative and wary at the same time, and loud. Lord, they were loud. They had the peculiar habit of all talking at the same time, and yet they were all able to hear what everyone else was saying. Elliott felt as if he were sitting in the center of a rally.

He was having the time of his life.

After he'd spoken to the men, they'd come forward to shake his hand. They were hesitant to accept him as part of their family, of course, but Elliott wasn't discouraged. In time they would realize that, like him, they had little choice in the matter. God had pulled them all together, and together they would stay.

He met Adam first. "You're the one who likes to argue, aren't you?" he remarked as he shook his hand.

Adam immediately turned to Harrison. "Did you tell him that?"

"I said you liked to debate," he explained.

Elliott nodded. "Same thing," he announced. "I like to argue too, son. You'll find I always win."

A gleam came into Adam's eyes. "Is that so?"

"You were wrong about the Greeks' motives, you know. I'll have to set you straight."

"I welcome the challenge," Adam responded.

Elliott met Travis next. "You're going to be an attorney," he announced.

"I am?"

"Yes, you are. Harrison says you've a natural ability to sort through quagmire."

Travis grinned. "You just used yesterday's word of the day, sir. I've always wanted to shoot lawyers, not become one."

Douglas shook his hand next. "What did Harrison tell you about me?" he asked.

"That you work magic with your horses. You could make a fortune in England working with thoroughbreds. Animals trust you and that tells me you have compassion. I wondered where my daughter came by hers. Now I know."

Cole waited for his turn. He had already made up his mind he wasn't going to roll over as easily as his brothers had. Elliott had hurt Mary Rose. He should have to pay before they started being hospitable to him.

"Where's the mean one?" Elliott asked.

"Right here, sir," Cole answered before he could stop himself. Then he smiled. " Harrison told you I was mean?"

"It was given with a great deal of admiration," he assured the brother. "I've heard a great amount about you. Some of the remarks were made by a young lady named Eleanor. She seemed to believe you would try to shoot me and told me to be careful around you. As to Eleanor," he continued. "I was wondering…"

Cole raised an eyebrow. "What's that, sir?"

"Would all of you mind taking her back?"

The brothers shouted the word no at the same time. Elliott laughed. So did Cole, "Sir, you're stuck with her," he said then.

"She's happy there," Mary Rose insisted. "Father, you must be hungry. We've already had our supper, but we'll sit with you while you have yours. Take a chair now. You must be weary from your journey."

She didn't wait to hear his agreement but hurried on into the kitchen. She couldn't quit smiling. She was going to have to get down on her knees and give God a proper thank you for helping her father.

Harrison caught her around the waist and pulled her up against him in the hallway. He leaned down and kissed her ear.

"It's good to see you happy again," he whispered. "Turn around and make me happy. I need to kiss you."

She put her heart into the task. She wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and drew him down for a long, passionate kiss.

One wasn't enough, and it wasn't long before they both realized that if they didn't stop now, they wouldn't stop at all.

She was breathless and flustered when she pulled away from him. She was just the way he liked her to be.

"You made him understand, didn't you? Thank you, Harrison."

"No, you made him understand when you left. You gave it all up, and once he realized what you considered valuable, he began to understand. I'm happy he's here too, sweetheart. I've been looking for an edge."

"For Adam?"

Harrison nodded. "Elliott won't let me miss anything. He's the edge I need."

"Let him have his supper before you tell him about Adam. I don't think he'll feel like eating… after."

Harrison knew the brothers wouldn't mention it to Elliott. He went back to the table and sat down next to Cole. Adam was seated adjacent to Mary Rose's father. They were talking about the sleeping arrangements.

Cole grinned at him. Harrison should have known something was up. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like it either, because Cole only smiled when he had sorry news to give.

"It's already been decided, Harrison. He's taking Mary Rose's bedroom. You two can sleep in the bunkhouse. You'll have more privacy out there."

"When you were out of the room," Travis told him. "We voted."

Harrison wasn't about to sleep in a bunk bed with his wife. He started to argue, but was waylaid when Mary Rose came back into the dining room. She didn't look happy.

"Cole, Samuel's waving his butcher knife at me again. He won't let me feed Father. Do something, for heaven's sake."

"I'll do something," Harrison roared. He started to stand up. Cole shoved him back down.

"Now, Harrison, he'll only cut you if you go in there. He's not quite ready to like you yet. I'll go."

Elliott looked stunned. "Someone's in the kitchen with a knife… threatening my daughter?"

"Yes, sir," Cole answered on his way to the door. He paused to draw his gun, cock it, and then shoved the door open.

"Samuel, you're sure a trial to my patience," he bellowed.

"Good Lord." Elliott couldn't think of anything more to say.

Harrison relaxed. He turned to Elliott and smiled. The man looked completely befuddled. "They pay him a wage too. Makes you want to pound your head against something hard, doesn't it, sir?"

Elliott nodded. Harrison burst into laughter. Honest to God, there was never a dull minute at the ranch. Adam shook his head and looked sheepish. He guessed maybe to outsiders it did seem crazy to put up with Samuel.

"Samuel's our cook," he explained.

Mary Rose stood tapping her foot against the floor while she waited. Cole finally called to her. She let out a little sigh and went back into the kitchen.

Her father was given a proper supper a few minutes later. The men drank coffee while they waited for him to finish. Mary Rose took his empty plate back into the kitchen.

"I'll be a while. I have to make up with Samuel. He's going to make me beg. I just know it."

"You going to tell him?" Cole asked Harrison with a nod towards Elliott.

"Yes. Sir, we're all a bit irritable these days. You see, next Friday…"

Adam interrupted him. "I'm going to be tried for murder." Elliott blinked, but it was the only outward reaction he showed to the news. "Did you do it?"

"Yes, sir."

"That's the last damned time you're going to admit it, Adam," Harrison snapped.

"Don't curse, son."

"Yes, sir."

"Were there extenuating circumstances?"

Adam nodded and then proceeded to give him a full explanation. Elliott listened intently without once interrupting.

" Harrison, are you prepared to defend him?"

"Not quite yet, sir, but I'm getting there. I still have quite a lot of work to do."

Elliott gave him a piercing look. "Do you have a specific plan of action?"

"Yes."

"Will I like the approach you're going to take?" he questioned.

Harrison stared right into his eyes when he answered him. "No, sir, you won't like it at all."

Elliott nodded. "I need paper, pen, and ink. We're going to start all over again, Adam. Harrison, I would like to see your notes."

"Tell us your gut feeling," Cole requested. "Do you think…"

Elliott slammed his hand down on the table. "I won't have it. That's what I think."

He leaned back in his chair and waited while Harrison went to get the writing supplies and his notes.

No one said a word. They all knew Elliott was thinking about the case, and they didn't want to interrupt him. Mary Rose came back into the room and joined them at the table again.

The silence continued. The air became charged with anticipation. The brothers and their sister sat on the edge of their chairs while they waited to hear Elliott's opinions. They all felt something was about to happen but couldn't explain why. They just knew.

When Elliott finally spoke, he addressed Adam. His voice was whisper soft and somewhat chilling.

"He's the best there is, you know. I almost pity your accusers. He won't show any mercy, not in a courtroom, and not after the grievous insult done to his family. Oh, yes, I almost pity them."

Goose bumps covered Mary Rose's arms. "Didn't you train him, Father?" she asked.

"I taught him the law. He has his own unique way of arguing it. He's brilliant, yes, but he's also ruthless. He becomes a predator when he walks into court. I've seen him, watched him, and I'll tell you now, there have been a few instances when I've actually feared him. I would never go up against him. You see, I've only just figured out what he's going to do, and when he's finished, your accusers may not be able to get out of this town alive."

Harrison came back into the dining room a few minutes later with his notes and the writing supplies for Elliott. He noticed the silence immediately. They were all staring up at him, and he knew something significant had happened. He waited for someone to tell him.

No one said a word. And then he noticed something else. He saw it in Adam's eyes.

Hope.

Mary Rose saw very little of Harrison during the next week. He and Douglas went into town together on Monday and didn't return until twilight. Douglas had the five rental horses from the town's stable with him. Neither her husband nor her brother explained why they'd taken the horses.

On Tuesday Travis accompanied Harrison into Blue Belle. They both looked grim when they returned home. Harrison made love to her that night. He was far more demanding than usual. He did things to her she hadn't thought were possible, and she climaxed three times before he gave in to his own fulfillment.

On Wednesday Harrison spent all day going over his notes. The next morning Dooley rode out to the ranch to pass along the news that Judge Burns got tired of fishing and was back at Belle's house again. Elliott was anxious to read the evidence against Adam, but Harrison didn't take him into town until almost eleven o'clock. He was fully occupied taking care of his sick wife.

She'd been throwing up since ten. She tried to get him to leave, insisting she was fine, really, but then she'd start in gagging again, and Harrison got all worked up.

She started feeling better an hour later. She knew she looked like hell. She was draped over the bed, flat on her stomach with her hair hanging down over the side. Harrison squatted down beside her while he mopped her brow with a cold damp cloth.

"This is all my fault, sweetheart. I hurt you last night, and now…"

"You didn't hurt me… well, you did, but it was a nice kind of hurt. I liked it. I've been feeling nauseated for several days. It isn't your fault. It's the trial. I can't help fretting about it."

Douglas came in the bunkhouse to check on his sister.

"Where the hell have you been?" Harrison demanded. "She's been sick for over an hour now. Do something, for God's sake."

Douglas was a bit taken aback by the fury in Harrison 's voice. "She scared you, didn't she? She doesn't get sick very often. I'll take care of her. She's got some color back in her face. I think she's already recovering. Dooley's getting ready to leave. Didn't you want to talk to him?"

"Your sister is going to have to promise me that when I get back this afternoon, I'll find her in bed. Give me your word, Mary Rose, or I'm not going anywhere."

She let out a dramatic sigh. "All right. I'll be in bed."

He lifted her hair away from her face so he could kiss her. Then he let it drop back down again.

Douglas waited until he'd left before broaching a rather delicate subject.

"Do you know what this is all about?" he asked.

"I'm sick. That's what it's about."

He sat down on the side of her bed. "What kind of sick? Did you eat something that made you ill?"

"No. I'm just worked up about the trial, Douglas."

"Could you be pregnant?"

The question astonished her. She had to think about it a long while.

"Have you missed your monthly?"

She turned beet red in less than a minute. "You're embarrassing me. You're my brother, for heaven's sake. You shouldn't ask such personal questions."

"Have you?"

"Yes."

"How many?"

"Two… no, three."

Mary Rose lifted her head off the pillow. "Do you think…"

She couldn't go on. The wonder of it all was just settling in. A baby. She might really be having a baby. She was suddenly overwhelmed with joy.

"I think I'm going to become an uncle," Douglas said. He patted her on her shoulder and smiled down at her.

"We can't tell Harrison. Don't tell anyone until I'm certain, Douglas. My husband has enough to think about. He'll be happy about my news, but he might become distracted. We can't have that."

Douglas agreed. Harrison left an hour later to take her father over to Belle's house so he could look over the evidence against Adam. Then he went back into town again. He spent the day there and didn't return to the ranch until suppertime.

He went directly to the bunkhouse to make certain Mary Rose was where he'd left her. He took one look at her and knew she'd gotten out of bed.

She wasn't about to admit it.

"Did you rest all day, sweetheart?"

"Yes, I did."

He smiled. "You stayed in bed?"

She smiled back. "You should be happy with me," she answered, which wasn't a proper answer at all. "You didn't think you'd find me in bed, did you? I could tell you were surprised. How did your day go?"

He decided to force her to lie outright. She hadn't yet. She'd evaded his questions. She looked damned proud of herself too.

"Did you rest in bed all day?"

She didn't miss a beat. "Now, why would you ask me that again? Don't you believe me, Harrison? You'll have to trust me, I suppose."

He shook his head. His sweet wife had completely disregarded his instructions. He didn't know what he was going to do about that. He let out a loud sigh. There really wasn't a damned thing he could do about it. She was stubborn and willful, and unless he tied her down to the bed, she'd do what she thought best.

"Just promise me that when you feel ill, you'll rest. All right?"

She sat up in bed. "Why don't you believe me?"

He didn't answer her. "I'm going up to the house. You might want to put something on your face before you join me, sweetheart."

He knew she'd ask him why, of course, and he couldn't wait to tell her. He started counting to ten as he opened the door and started out.

"Wait," she called out. "What's wrong with my face?"

"It's sunburned."

She wasn't the least bit contrite, but she was thoughtful. He'd give her that much. She waited until he'd pulled the door closed before she started laughing.

Was it any wonder why he loved her?

Everyone had just finished supper when Alfred Mitchell came riding down the slope.

"Stranger's here. Take a look, sir. Is he one of your relatives?"

Elliott squinted out the window. "Can't tell from this distance, but I don't believe I know the man."

"Then it's Alfred Mitchell. Harrison, do you want us to wait inside while you talk to him?"

"Yes."

"Offer him some refreshment," Mary Rose called out.

She wasn't sure if Harrison heard her or not. He'd already gone outside. Harrison didn't wait for the attorney on the porch. He went down the steps and kept walking. The two men met halfway across the meadow.

Mitchell let out a loud groan when he dismounted. The two men shook hands and introduced themselves.

"You look worn out," Harrison remarked.

Mitchell nodded. He looked up at Harrison, for Mitchell was quite a bit shorter. He appeared to be several years younger as well.

"I am worn out," he admitted in a slow southern drawl. "I've gotten what you asked for, but I also bring you some terrible news. Can we walk while we talk? I'd like to work the cramps out of my backside before I ride back to my campsite."

"You're welcome to stay the night here, Alfred."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to keep quiet about what's happening if I do stay. I've made camp close to town. I think I'll stay there tonight, if you don't mind my being unsociable."

"You'll have to testify tomorrow," Harrison reminded him.

"Yes, I know. I'm eager to do so, sir. Very eager to tell what happened."

Harrison and Alfred started walking toward the mountains. Mary Rose watched from behind the screen door.

Harrison was strolling along with his hands clasped behind his back for several minutes, then he suddenly turned to Mitchell.

"You can't hear anything from here," Douglas whispered behind her back.

She jumped. " Harrison doesn't like what Mitchell is telling him. Look how rigid both men are. I don't think it's good news, Douglas. It's bad."

"The only bad thing would be that Mitchell didn't get the signed papers, Mary Rose, and you can see Harrison 's holding something in his hand. My guess is that Mitchell couldn't get Livonia to sign one."

Harrison and Alfred continued to talk for over twenty minutes. Mary Rose thought the conference was over when they turned and started walking back. She went outside and stood on the porch to wait.

Alfred shook Harrison 's hand and climbed back up in his saddle. Mary Rose almost called out to the man to invite him to stay for the night. Harrison turned toward her, and when she saw the look on his face, she couldn't have spoken a word to anyone. Her husband looked devastated.

He walked closer, then stopped and stood there staring at her.

He wanted her to come to him. Mary Rose didn't hesitate. She ran to him.

He didn't say a word to her, but took hold of her hand and turned around again.

They walked clear across the meadow before he stopped.

"I'm going to lie tomorrow."

Her eyes widened. "You're going to lie in court?"

He didn't answer her. "I won't lie to you unless you give me permission to."

She didn't know what to say. They started walking again, their heads bowed, as each thought about tomorrow.

It only took Mary Rose a few minutes to understand. "You would never lie in court. No, you'd never do that. It's unethical… and so, you're going to lie to my brothers. You'd like to lie to me too, but you…"

"I promised you I would never lie to you again. I won't ever break my word."

"Unless I give you permission."

"Yes."

"All right."

She turned and smiled at him. "I trust you. Do what you must. Now isn't the time to worry about me."

He was humbled by her. He closed his eyes and slowly nodded. "Thank you."

"For trusting you?"

"And loving me… and being who you are."

"Kiss me, and I'll know you mean it."

He did just that.

They walked back to the house in silence. "I'm going for a ride. Do you want to go with me?"

"You need to think about things. I think maybe you need to be alone now."

He kissed her again and then went to the barn. Mary Rose leaned against the porch railing and watched.

Harrison came out just a minute later. MacHugh was by his side. The stallion wasn't wearing a saddle or a halter, but he stayed right by Harrison 's side as they crossed the meadow.

Harrison suddenly turned to the animal, grabbed hold of his mane, and swung up on his back. MacHugh went into a full gallop up the first slope.

"He rides like an Indian," Travis remarked. "Where's he going?"

"To think."

"Your father would like you to play the piano. Are you feeling up to it?"

"I'm fine," she said although it wasn't true.

Playing would help her forget about her worries, she decided, and so she went inside and sat down on the piano bench.

Her father was standing close, eagerly waiting.

"What are you going to play, daughter?"

Her brothers had seen her expression when she walked into the parlor. They knew exactly what she would play.

"The Fifth," they all told him at the same time.

And so she did, over and over and over again.

It was sunny and bright Friday morning. Mary Rose was disappointed to see blue skies. She wanted a good storm with thunder and lightning, because she thought bad weather might keep some of the curious in their own towns where they belonged.

She rode with her father in the covered buggy. Neither one of them felt like talking. She spent her time praying and worrying about Adam and Harrison. Her brother's nightmare was finally taking place, and she was powerless to stop it.

It was all up to Harrison. God help him. He'd looked so grim when he joined her in bed. He'd held on to her all through the night.

She tried to talk to him before they got dressed, but he cut her off before she'd even gotten started. She wanted to tell him she loved him and she trusted him, and that no matter what happened today, she would go right on loving him and believing in him. Harrison wouldn't listen. He was abrupt and distant. She became really scared then, but as he was leaving, he turned and gave her the most wonderful and surely the meanest order she'd ever heard.

He told her he'd put a gag in her mouth if she said or did anything to make him feel good. And if she told him she loved him, he just might lock her in a closet and leave her there all day.

"In other words, you don't want to be distracted."

He nodded.

They left for Blue Belle an hour later. Harrison led the family, and Travis rode shotgun.

Harrison stopped the procession just outside of town.

"Mary Rose? Do you feel all right? I don't want you throwing up in court."

"I won't throw up," she promised him.

"Adam, I read somewhere that slaves weren't allowed to look directly at their owners until they were ordered to do so. Was that true?"

"Yes. It was considered insolent… uppity. Why'd you ask me that question?"

"Because I forgot to ask you last night," he snapped. "When you sit down at the table in court, I want you to stare at Livonia 's sons. Keep your expression bland, but let them know you're staring at them. Look at one brother all the while he's testifying. Look him right in the eyes, Adam. When the other one gets up there, do the same thing. When I give you the nod, let them see disdain on your face."

"They'll hate it," Adam warned him.

Harrison nodded. "I hope so. Does everyone else remember what I told you?"

He waited until they nodded and then gave them one last piece of information.

"Don't believe anything you hear from anyone while you're in court."

"Not even you?" Mary Rose asked.

He repeated his earlier statement. He wasn't going to tell them he planned to lie, because he had no such intent. He didn't want them finding out bad news until after the jury had been sequestered by Judge Burns.

"No matter what I say or do, don't look surprised or angry. You hear me, Cole?"

"I hear you."

"Let's get it done."

Harrison led the way down the last slope and across the flat into town. It was slow going down the main road because a large crowd had already gathered. None of the gawkers would be allowed inside the storefront until Judge Burns opened the doors for them.

It was a mixed group of people waiting. Some yelled encouraging cheers, while others tried to drown them out by shouting filthy obscenities. Mary Rose tried to pretend she couldn't hear, but it was a difficult task at best.

The crowd separated so that they could go forward. Mary Rose held on to her father's arm and let him guide her inside.

Judge Burns was already seated behind the table at the end of the room. He faced the door. He motioned the family to come forward. Chairs of every sort from households around Blue Belle had been carried in and placed in neat rows facing the judge. A wide aisle led down the middle.

About fifteen feet away from the judge's table on the right side of the storefront were two rows of chairs, six in each, for the jury.

"You can take your seats now. Hello, William," he called out to Mary Rose's father. "I didn't see you standing behind all those tall boys of yours. It's a hell of a sorry day, isn't it?"

"Yes, Your Honor. It certainly is."

" Harrison, that suggestion you gave me yesterday and tried to make me think it was all my own idea? Well, I've decided to go along with it because it makes good sense to me. I don't want a bunch of strangers in here. They'll only disrupt me, and then, by God, I'll have to start in shooting. Can't abide chaos in my court. Cole, get on up and hand me your guns. I'll look after them for you. The rest of you boys do the same. Mary Rose? You carrying a pistol?"

"No, Your Honor."

"All right then."

The judge waited until all the Clayborne guns had been placed on his table.

" Harrison, Morrison's agreed to help me figure out which ones live in Blue Belle or in a ten-mile circle around the town. No one else is getting inside, especially that no-account vigilante group from Hammond. I'll head on outside in a minute. First, I got to ask you what objections you have to any of the jury members. Do you mind women along with the men if I decided to pick one or two? I might be ornery enough to do it."

Harrison smiled. "I don't have any objections to letting women sit on the jury, Your Honor. Whatever you decide will be fine with me."

"Well, now, that's mighty accommodating. Anything you don't cotton to?"

"No, Your Honor. I've compiled my own list of people who live in and around Blue Belle. I've taken the liberty of putting a check mark next to the ones who came from down South."

The judge grinned. "Any ringers in this here list of yours?"

"Excuse me, Your Honor?"

"Never you mind. I spoke out of turn. I know how you operate, now that I've watched you pontificating in my courtroom in Hammond. You wouldn't stoop to buying anyone off. I'll be happy to use your list. It will make my job sorting everyone out much easier. I'm making John Morrison foreman. You got any objections to that?"

Harrison pretended to ponder the matter. He didn't want Judge Burns to know what a piece of luck it was. Adam had come to Morrison's aid when the roof of his store caved in. He hoped to God Morrison remembered.

"No, Your Honor. I have no objections. Morrison's an honest man."

"If everyone's ready, I'll let folks trickle in."

"Your Honor, will you have someone stand in front of the door to keep everyone else out?"

"I will," the judge answered.

"I'm expecting an important telegram. If it arrives…"

"I'll see you get it. That's cutting it a little short, isn't it, Harrison?"

"The telegram will help, but it isn't needed to present my case."

Burns stood up. "I'm bringing in those southern boys last. Since they're witnesses against Adam, I'll sit them over on the other side of the defendant. I put the two chairs at an angle so the jury and the crowd can get a good look at them."

Harrison waited until the judge was on his way down the main aisle before joining Adam at the table. He sat down, leaned close to the brother, and whispered something into his ear.

Mary Rose couldn't hear what her husband said, but she was able to see her brother's reaction. Adam looked astonished. Then he smiled. It was the first time in weeks he'd shown any joy. She couldn't imagine what Harrison had said to him.

Her husband leaned back in his chair. He wouldn't look at her when he asked her once again if she was feeling all right.

"Yes," she whispered.

Harrison had ordered all of them to keep quiet during the trial, and so, when the first man walked in and went directly to the chairs reserved for the jury, everyone hushed.

There weren't any women sitting on the jury. Mary Rose recognized most of the men, but she couldn't remember some of their names. None of the twelve was smiling. They all had solemn expressions, which she thought were appropriate, given the seriousness of the case they were going to hear.

Lionel and Reginald Adderley were the last two men allowed inside. They stomped their way to the front and took their seats.

Both of the men had blond hair. Reginald was older than his brother by several years. He had gray streaks in his closely cropped beard. His eyes were hazel but with more yellow than green in them. He reminded her of a lizard.

His brother was just as ugly. His eyes were brown. His skin was pasty like his brother's, suggesting to her that neither brother had ever worked outside a day in his life.

Dooley was given the duty of guarding the door. Billie was told to spell him.

Harrison continued to stay seated until Burns got to the end of the aisle. Harrison immediately stood up. So did Adam.

So no one else moved. The judge seemed pleased by the deference Harrison and Adam were showing him.

"With Your Honor's permission?"

Burns guessed what he was asking. He eagerly nodded. "Wait until I get on in the storeroom," he whispered. "This is gonna be a first, and I want to enjoy every minute."

Adam started to sit down. Harrison wouldn't let him. "Stand," he whispered.

Harrison waited until the judge had disappeared into the storeroom, and then called out in a loud, booming voice, "Hear Ye, Hear Ye. All rise. Court is now in session. Judge John Burns is presiding."

The crowd immediately got out of their chairs. The judge peeked around the corner to make certain everyone was standing, then strutted into the courtroom, looking as pleased and proud as a peacock. He obviously loved formality and rarely got it.

He took his time going to his table and taking his seat.

"All right. Sit yourselves back down.

"I'm only going to say this once, so all of you hear me good. I won't tolerate shouting or cheering or making any other noises while my court is in session. This here is sacred ground right this minute cause of me squatting on it. First, I'm going to tell the jury the evidence against Adam Clayborne. Then I'll call two witnesses."

The judge paused to take a drink of water.

"John Quincy Adam Clayborne has been charged with murdering Walter Adderley. Adderley was the man who owned Adam during the slaving years. Adderley's sons brung me letters the Clayborne family had written to Adam's mother, Rose. Now Rose still lives down south on that same plantation with Adderley's wife, Livonia.

She takes care of her 'cause the woman's plumb blind. In six or seven of the letters, there's mention of Adderley's death. Ain't nothing damning though. Adam don't admit to killing Adderley, but he does admit to being in the house when Adderley died, and Adam also admits in writing that he ran. I'll question Adam all about that when he takes the stand. He is taking the stand, isn't he, Harrison?"

"Yes, Your Honor, he is."

"Fine. Now I got one last thing to say to you, jury. I want to see justice done here today. If any of you have already made up your minds that Adam's guilty, raise your butts off them chairs and get on out of here. A man's innocent until proven guilty, and I ain't allowing no man to railroad him.

" Harrison, it's your turn now. You got something you want to say to the jury?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Harrison answered.

He stood up and walked across the room so he could face the twelve men.

"My client has been accused of a crime he didn't commit. If you listen to all the testimony, you will give Adam his freedom. Open up your hearts and your minds, rid yourselves of any feelings you might have regarding the color of his skin, and see that he gets a fair hearing. Abraham Lincoln believed in equality, and so did hundreds of thousands of valiant young men who willingly gave their lives so that slavery would be abolished. Don't mock the memories of those courageous men. Remember how they died and why. Adam's life is in your hands, gentlemen, and I will prove to you, without a doubt, that he is innocent."

Harrison turned and slowly walked back to the table. Mary Rose thought he was finished. She had to force herself not smile. She was so proud of her husband. His speech had impressed her, yes, but it was the extra touch he'd added that made it more forceful. There was a very, very subtle western drawl blended in with his deep resonant Highland brogue. She didn't think anyone else noticed the change in his speech though, and she thought she knew why he'd done it. He wanted the jury to think of him as one of their own.

"I'm going to tell you a little bit about John Quincy Adam. I'll start by telling you why his mother gave him the name. Some of you might recall your history and already know John Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the United States. That isn't why Adam's mother so admired the man though. She'd heard a story about President Adams and found out later it was true. After Adams retired from being such a fine president, he went back on home, thinking he'd lead a nice, peaceful life, and he did just that until he heard about a shameful incident going on in our very own country. In 1835 or about, some Spanish pirates kidnapped fifty-two Africans and headed for Cuba. Two Cubans purchased all of them and headed for the sugar plantations to sell them. Well, now, the Africans didn't much like the notion of being slaves, so they revolted. They killed one of the crew too. When the ship reached Long Island, the Cubans had them tossed in jail and charged them with revolt and murder.

"Now, why do you think the incident bothered President Adams so much? Slavery was legal back then, wasn't it?"

Several of the jurors nodded.

Harrison 's western drawl become a little more pronounced as he continued. "I sure was confused, I'll tell you, so I went and looked it up and found out why it was wrong. Slave trade with other countries had already been outlawed by 1835. A lot of other countries put the same law into effect too. So here's the law. A black man born in America in 1835 would be a slave, but it was illegal to bring slaves into our country from outside.

"Well, now, President Adams couldn't help but get riled up about it. He believed everyone should obey the laws they had all gone to so much trouble to write down. He didn't keep quiet about his opinion either. No, sir, he didn't. His friends told him to stay away from the issue because it wasn't popular to argue in defense of a black man. Of course that only got Adams more riled up. Know what he said?"

Several jurors shook their heads. "He said, 'May I walk humbly and uprightly, on this and all other occasions, flinching from no duty, obtruding no officious interposition of opinions, and prepared to meet with firmness whatever obloquy may follow the free expression of my thoughts.' Now, what he meant was that the law was the law, and he guessed he was going to have to kick a few backsides if he had to in order to protect his country's honor. The law is the law. If one or two men disregard it, and no one does anything about it, well then, pretty soon there's more and more folks willing to bend the rules to suit them. Before you know it, all the rights the forefathers gave us in the Constitution are plumb ignored… even yours."

Harrison paused to stare at each one of the jurors before continuing. " Adams was seventy-four years old, but age and ill-health didn't stop him from marching into the Supreme Court and having his say. He defended those black men, and when he was finished, the Africans were sent back home where they belonged. The law is the law. Adams remembered that. I want all of you to remember it too. Adam's mother sure did admire the gumption of President Adams, and that's why she gave her son his name.

"My client was born into slavery. The law said that's what he was from the minute he took his first breath. He lived and worked on Adderley's plantation. Now Walter Adderley didn't think much of his slaves. He didn't think much of his wife, Livonia, either. I can prove what I'm saying. I have signed documents from southern white men who remember seeing Livonia all beaten up. Her husband liked drink, and when he got drunk, he got mean. He was a big man, over six feet tall. His wife was a little bit of a thing, around five feet on tiptoes. She certainly couldn't defend herself against her beloved…" Harrison sneered the word as though it were a blasphemy, "husband. Walter Adderley beat her pretty regularly according to all the accounts I gathered. He liked to hit her about her head. She's blind now, and the doctors all say the blows her beloved"-he sneered the word once again-"husband gave her caused the condition. Do any of you think it's all right to beat your mama or your wife?"

Harrison knew he wasn't supposed to ask questions, and before he could be reprimanded by the judge, he hurried on. "No, sir, it makes you plumb sick to think about it, doesn't it?"

Every single one of the jurors nodded. Harrison held them in the palm of his hand. He wasn't about to let them get away.

"It made Adam Clayborne sick too. Livonia wasn't the only woman who got regular beatings. Adam's own mama took her share. She tried to protect her mistress, you see, and one time she got her nose broken for her interference.

"When Adam was around thirteen years old, he heard terrible shouting going on inside the house. Livonia was calling out for help. Adam went on in to see what was wrong. He didn't like what he found. His mistress was down on the floor. Her beloved husband was kicking her. You'll hear Adam tell you all about it, of course. He knew Adderley was drunk 'cause he reeked of whiskey, and so he put his arms around his waist and pulled him back. Adam wasn't big for his age, so Adderley was able to shrug him off. He started in on Livonia again, and again Adam pulled him back. Adderley lost his footing then. He tumbled across the floor and went headfirst into the mantel. Adam didn't kill him. No, he did not. Drink and meanness destroyed Walter Adderley. Why did Adam run? Because his mistress begged him to run, that's why. She knew what would happen if her sons found out. Adam was a slave, remember, and slaves were never allowed to touch their masters. He'd be killed by those sons for doing a kindness and trying to keep their own mama alive."

Harrison turned around and started back to the table. He suddenly stopped. His voice turned hard, angry. "If a man ever was in need of killing, Walter Adderley surely was. Any man who beats a woman ought to die. Adam didn't kill him though. The evidence I've collected and will show you will prove his innocence. I'll tell you one thing though. If I were wearing his shoes, and someone, even my father, was beating on my mama, I don't believe I would have been honorable. I think I'd have to kill him if he raised a hand against my mama. Yes, sir, I would."

John Morrison and two others gave quick nods.

Every one of the jurors remembered his own mother. In most instances, mamas were sacred to their sons. None of them liked Walter Adderley much now.

It was just the beginning. Harrison wanted them to hate the man, and then he would slowly turn that hatred toward the two sons.

It was still a black man up against two white men. The odds weren't in Adam's favor yet. Harrison was going to turn the focus. People who didn't know any better tended to hate anyone different from them, and Harrison was assuming that while the jurors might be sympathetic to Adam, they'd hang him all the same.

Unless there was someone else they could hate more.

His next task was to get all of them to like Adam. His voice took on a story-reading tone when he said, "I'm only going to take another minute of your time. I think you ought to know a little about Adam Clayborne. Fact is, I think you have to be real curious about all of them. The Claybornes don't like talking about themselves. They're private, just like all of you, but I think you should hear how they all got together and formed their own family.

"After Walter Adderley died, Adam went to New York City. He slept in an alley with three other boys. Douglas and Travis and Cole were younger than Adam was, so they looked up to him to take care of them. It was quite a responsibility for a thirteen-year-old boy to take on, wasn't it? Well, he'd saved every one of them from near death, and he figured he'd go on doing just that until he got caught and taken back down South. He was scared all right, but not because Walter Adderley had died. That was his own accident, not Adam's doing. Adam was scared because he'd touched him when he'd put his arms around his waist. He knew they'd kill him for that insolence. Yes, sir, trying to save a mama would have been called insolent."

Harrison paused to shake his head. "Well, now, one night they found a basket someone had thrown into the trash. Rats were climbing all over the thing, but Adam was able to get the basket away from the vermin. Little Mary Rose was inside. Like Travis and Douglas and Cole, she'd been thrown away. Lots of kids roamed the streets back then because their daddies didn't want them around any longer. Some were gathered up, tossed on trains, and sent west. Others died of starvation. Well, now, little Mary Rose was just four months old. The boys didn't want to take her to an orphanage because they knew what went on inside those places, and they all believed she wouldn't last long. They wanted her to have a chance at life. And that's when they decided to all take the name Clayborne and head west, where people have such fine morals and values. It took them a long while, but they made it to Blue Belle. Adam was the only one who could read, his mama had taught him how, and so he taught his brothers. They wanted to be educated for their sister. They wanted her to have a good life, you see. They had help too. Sweet Belle made little dresses for her and showed her how to be a little girl. Then families started settling into the area, and pretty soon Mary Rose had friends to play with. And family. She had family, just like everyone should be entitled to. The boys scrimped and saved and did without so she could have piano lessons. When she was old enough, they sent her to a boarding school in St. Louis. None of them had an easy time of it. No, sir, they didn't. But they had neighbors helping, and whenever one of their friends was in trouble, every one of the Claybornes came running to help.

"Mary Rose knows all about how she was found. She gets mad when one of her brothers calls her Sidney. It was the first name they gave her until they found out she was a girl. She was bald, you see, and so, because the boys were so young themselves, they figured she had to be a boy."

The jurors were smiling now. Harrison decided he'd said enough. "So now you know how they became a family. Mary Rose wasn't the thread that held them all together though, like the brothers believe. No, Adam kept them united. He's honorable and honest and good-hearted. If he'd killed someone, he'd be the first to admit it. Remember that, gentlemen. You're judging an honest man. Listen to what he has to say. Thank you."

There was a thunderous round of applause as Harrison took his seat. Even Judge Burns clapped for him.

He nodded to Harrison, took another gulp of water, and then called John Quincy Adam Clayborne to the stand.

Adam moved to the chair at the end of the judge's table. He sat as straight as a general.

"Did you kill Walter Adderley, Adam?" the judge asked.

"No, sir, I did not."

"Tell me what you recollect of that day."

Adam did just that. He spoke in a low voice. The room was as quiet as an empty cathedral, and the people in the back rows barely had to strain to hear his every word.

Adam left out the fact that he'd struck Adderley in the chin. The blow hadn't done any damage. The big man he was trying to get to leave Livonia alone didn't even flinch when he'd hit him. Besides, Harrison had told him to keep that information to himself.

"I got one last question to ask you before you go back to your chair, Adam. How come your mama didn't come here to live with all of you after the war was over and all the slaves were freed?"

"Mistress Livonia was almost blind back then and very dependent on my mother for every little thing. If you knew my mama, you'd understand she couldn't have turned her back on the helpless woman. She stayed on to take care of her."

"Livonia Adderley has two sons sitting right over there. Didn't they help their mother?"

"No, sir, they didn't."

"All right. You can get on back now."

The judge waited until Adam was sitting down at his table before he called his next witness. "Lionel Adderley, it's your turn to talk. Sit yourself down in the chair. I'll ask you questions as we go along, and when I'm done, Harrison will have his turn questioning you. What's all that commotion going on at the door, Dooley," he shouted.

"It's Miss Blue Belle, Judge. She's saying you told her she could come on in."

"Let her in then," the judge bellowed. "She can squeeze herself in next to Travis on the aisle there."

Everyone paused to watch Blue Belle stroll down the aisle. She smiled at the judge and sat down where he directed her.

"Thank you, Judge," she called out.

"You're welcome, Blue Belle. You sure look pretty today in your blue dress."

"Judge, honey, you know I always wear blue. I'm glad it pleases you."

He nodded, then turned to Lionel. He and Harrison both noticed the disgust on the southerner's face. Lionel was staring at Blue Belle while he sneered.

The judge's back arched in reaction, and his lips puckered.

"Tell me what you know, Lionel. Be quick about it."

"My brother and I found the nigger's letters to his mother. When we read them, we knew Adam had killed our father."

"Hold on now. I just read those same letters, and I didn't come away with that notion."

"The nigger admits running, doesn't he? He grabbed hold of my poor daddy too, didn't he? He knew the punishment for touching a white man, but he did it anyway. He should die for his murder and his insolence, and I'm here to see that he does. I'll admit he didn't write down that he killed my father. My brother and I went to our mother to find out exactly what happened. You've got the paper we wrote the facts down on as she told us the truth, and then we put a pen in her hand and she signed it. She says the nigger killed my father. That's all the proof you need."

"It's damning evidence all right," the judge agreed. "Were there any witnesses to your mother's confession?"

"Yes, my brother Reginald was there… and the nigger's mother. She didn't count though. A southerner knows better than to trust anything a nigger says."

Harrison could feel the hate oozing out of the man. He looked at the jury to see how they were reacting. They seemed uncomfortable, for several squirmed in their chairs, but they didn't hate Lionel Adderley. Yet.

It was time for him to go to work.

"It's your turn, Harrison."

He leaned close to Adam. "Don't believe a word I say. If I nod, you'll know I'm lying. Tell your brothers and sister, but don't let anyone else hear you."

Harrison made a lot of noise scraping his chair back to distract anyone from overhearing Adam speak to the family.

He walked to the judge's table first. "Well, now, maybe that's damning evidence, and then again, maybe it isn't. We're going to have to see about that, aren't we?"

"We surely are."

Harrison turned to Lionel. He stared at him a long half minute. He wanted the jurors to see the look of repulsion on his face.

His voice was mild and mellow when he began his interrogation. "I like to think I'm like my father, God rest his soul. He was a good man. Are you like your father, Lionel?"

"I suppose I am. I'm his proud son."

"Well, then, you admire him."

"Yes. Everyone admired my daddy."

"What happened after he died? Did things change around the plantation?"

"The war came. That's what happened."

"I'll bet you think your daddy could have stopped it from happening. You think so too, don't you, being such a proud-of-your-daddy son and all."

"We'll never know, will we?" Lionel sneered. "He might have stopped it. He would have made a difference in our lives though. We lost everything and Daddy never would have let that happen."

"How old were you when your daddy died?"

"Seventeen."

"And your younger brother? How old was he?"

"Twelve."

"Seventeen's old enough to fight. Did you sign up for duty, Lionel?"

"No, but only because I have a physical ailment that prevented me from serving in the Confederate Army."

"What might that ailment be, Lionel?"

"Do I have to tell, Judge?"

"Yes, you do."

"My feet," he snapped. "They're flat. I broke the arches. I can't walk long distances."

"Flat feet kept you out of the Confederate Army?"

"Yes."

Harrison didn't believe him. He knew no one else in the courtroom did either.

"Did your father ever strike you?"

"No, never."

He was lying again. Harrison walked over to the table, picked up a Bible, and held it out for Lionel to see.

The judge hadn't bothered with the formality of swearing everyone in. Harrison decided to correct that error now.

"When this court was called into session and Honorable John Burns walked inside, it was more than showing him the respect he's due. It was the signal to everyone here that what was said from that moment on would be truthful. I don't have any patience with perjury. You're wasting the jury's valuable time as well as the judge's. I now ask you once again, did your father ever strike you?"

Lionel shrugged. "A slap every now and then. Nothing like…"

Harrison leapt on the opening. "Nothing like what he did to your mother?"

"She provoked him," Lionel shouted. "A man's wife should be obedient. Mother knew that. She liked to pick fights with him. She knew he had a temper."

"Were some of the fights about you boys?"

"Maybe. I can't say."

"You can't? Well, now, I've got a signed statement from one of your neighbors who happened inside your house one day and saw you and Reginald hiding behind your mama's skirts while your father beat on her. She let him pound away so she could protect you."

"I was very young."

"You were sixteen. Almost a man. You were already bigger than your mama."

"You make it sound worse than it was."

Lionel turned to the judge. "My daddy's behavior isn't on trial here. That nigger boy is. Do your job and remind your attorney."

"Don't you go telling me my job," Burns growled.

"That's telling him, honey," Blue Belle called out.

The judge smiled. " Harrison?" he said then. "I guess you know where you're headed."

Lionel was on edge. Harrison decided to let him relax a minute before he went in for the kill. He nodded to the judge before turning to the witness again.

"I agree with you, Lionel. Your daddy's behavior isn't on trial. Are you an honest man?"

"Every southern gentleman is an honest man."

"Was Livonia 's confession forced? Did you coerce her into signing the paper?"

"I most certainly did not. She wanted to tell. She'd held it inside for a long time. She was afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"The nigger taking care of her. My mother knew that if she told, the nigger mama would kill her."

"Disregard that last stupid remark, jury. He's speaking what he can't know for certain," the judge ordered.

"If Rose was as mean as you paint her to be, why didn't she kill your mother a whole hell of a lot sooner and leave?"

"She didn't have the guts, that's why. She had opportunity. She was too stupid to know it."

"You weren't around your mama much after your father died, were you?"

"It was difficult to watch her losing her sight. My brother and I stayed in the main house. She and her nigger moved into a cottage on the edge of the property."

"Did you take over for your father?"

"I tried."

Harrison nodded. He walked over to the jury and looked at them. "Here's the way I see it. Lionel says his mother's confession wasn't coerced, and he expects all of you to believe him. He's white, after all. We should believe him over Adam, shouldn't we? Well, now, I think maybe I ought to find out if Lionel is telling us the truth. If he lies about one thing, he's gonna lie about another, isn't he? That's the way I see it. Yes, sir, I do. Lionel, what do you think of our little town?"

"I like it just fine."

"You like the people here?"

"Yes, I do. They're very pleasant."

"Did you spend a lot of time this past week in town?"

"My brother and I had to stay. We wanted to go riding up in the mountains, but there weren't any horses available to rent, and we'd come here by stagecoach."

"Did you spend some time in Morrison's nice general store?"

"Yes."

"Did you spend some time in the saloon?"

"Yes."

"So you met quite a few nice people, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Did you meet anyone you didn't like?"

Lionel pretended to have to think about it. "No, I liked everyone just fine."

"Even our own Blue Belle? Did you like her too?"

Lionel must have figured where he was being led. He gave the judge a quick glance, then closed his mouth.

"Answer his question, Lionel," the judge ordered.

"Yes, I liked her just as much as I liked everyone else."

Harrison 's voice changed then. He let his disdain and his anger sound in his tone.

"You got a strange notion about what's nice and what isn't. Fact is, you're lying, aren't you, Lionel? You hate every one of us."

"That isn't true."

"And Belle?" he prodded once again.

"I like Belle fine."

"He's lying, Judge," Blue Belle shouted. "He called me a filthy, nickel-dollar whore. He said it in front of Billie too."

"She is a whore." Lionel defended.

Harrison smiled. He turned around. "Thank you, Blue Belle," he drawled out. "It was right nice of you to help out.

"Now, we got us another problem, Judge. It seems what we consider nice and what the southern boys consider nice are two different things. Lionel, you think maybe nice means disgusting to you boys?"

Lionel didn't answer him. Harrison continued to press. "What about the other women in town? What about Mary Rose?"

"She's trash. She's living with a nigger, isn't she?"

Harrison didn't lose his control. He wanted to punch the son-of-bitch for insulting his wife, of course. He was going to destroy him instead.

" Harrison, what's this about? Why are you questioning him about the town folk?" the judge asked.

"Goes to character, Judge," Harrison answered. "If a man says he's telling the truth, I have to find out if I can believe him."

The judge agreed. "What about Catherine Morrison? What nice thing did you have to say about her to Dooley and Henry and Ghost?"

"I don't recall."

"Well, now, I do. I had Henry write it down, too, and sign it. We'll get him on up here if we need to and let him say what happened."

Harrison walked back to the table and took the top paper. He handed it to the judge. "Lionel called our Catherine a man-sniffing whore, and that he was sure she'd had most of the men in Blue Belle. He suggested to Henry that she go into business with Belle. He had a few things to say about her mama too. I'm not going to repeat them. They're too foul. You can read them to the jury if you want."

The judge did just that. Harrison deliberately avoided looking at John Morrison. He went back to the table and collected four other signed papers, and when the judge had finished reading what Henry had written down, Harrison handed him the other evidence.

He went back to Lionel. "The fact is simple for all of us to understand. You hold all of us in contempt, don't you, Lionel. We aren't citified and probably not very sophisticated by your southern boy standards, and so we're lower than snakes to you, aren't we? You've spent the last week mocking all of us and laughing at us. Half the town heard you."

Lionel straightened up in his chair and glared at Harrison. His hatred was more than evident now. "So what if I think you are? I've suffered intolerable conditions this past week so that I could see justice served. Yes, my brother and I think you're all dirty, uncivilized swill. What we think doesn't change a thing. My mother signed the confession, saying the nigger's guilty. That's all that matters."

"But you just perjured yourself, now didn't you, Lionel?"

"I merely tried to be tactful."

"Why now? You've been anything but tactful all week. Did you coerce your mother into signing that paper?" Harrison shouted his last question.

"No, I did not, and you can't prove otherwise," Lionel shouted back.

"Your Honor, when this is finished, I want this man locked up for perjury. I'm not finished with him, but I would like to call him back to the stand after you hear from another witness."

The judge was glaring at Lionel. "All right. Get out of the chair, Lionel, but don't leave the court."

Harrison called Alfred Mitchell to the stand. He took the time to swear him in by having the man place his hand on the Bible.

The judge took over. "Do you swear to tell the truth?"

"I do."

"I don't believe the Bible's necessary. Once court's in session, everybody's got to tell the truth."

"Tell who you are and why you're here, Alfred," Harrison began.

"My name is Alfred Mitchell. I'm an attorney in the law offices of Mitchell, Mitchell and Mitchell. My two brothers are the other two Mitchells," he explained.

"I received a wire from you, Harrison, asking for certain information. You wanted quite a few things done, and you also wanted me to get here before the two weeks were up, so I enlisted the assistance of my brothers, and we all went to work. I got everything you wanted… and more, I'm sorry to say. I gave you the signed and witnessed documents yesterday."

Mitchell turned to the jury. He was young, but he'd already learned how to charm people.

"I happen to like Blue Belle. I've only seen a little bit of your town, but it reminds me of a town near the one where I grew up. I'm a farm boy at heart. I like having dirt under my nails because it's proof to me I put in a hard day's work."

Harrison didn't smile, but he felt like it. The jury responded to Mitchell's candidness. Morrison even grinned.

"Tell me about Livonia Adderley," Harrison ordered.

The smile left Mitchell's face. "She wasn't in her cottage. A neighbor told me she was in a nearby hospital, and so I went there to interview her. The doctor stayed with me the entire time, and Livonia told me what happened. I wrote it down the way she told me to, then read it to her, and Livonia signed it."

Harrison paused in his questioning to go back to his table. He took the signed paper and gave it to the judge.

Burns read it to the jury. "John Quincy Adam was not responsible for my husband's death. Walter Adderley stumbled and hit his head on the edge of the mantel. The blow caused his immediate death."

"Please read all of it, Judge," Harrison asked.

Burns looked at Cole and then Adam before he agreed. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure."

"All right then. She says, I do not hold my sons responsible for their behavior and I will not press charges against them. Rose has also made this same promise to me, and my faithful friend will keep her word. I love my sons. They frighten me only when they allow their anger to get the better of them. They didn't mean to hurt me, but I had refused to sign their paper, and they then felt they had to force me to. They didn't want the truth, and I couldn't take any more of the beating because I'm a weak woman, just as Walter Adderley always believed, and so I signed the paper. God forgive me my lie."

A hush fell over the crowd. Judge Burns looked sick. Harrison thought everyone did. He didn't let up though. There was still more to tell, and he wanted all of it out.

"Besides the doctor, was there anyone else in the hospital room with you?"

"Yes," Mitchell answered. "Mama Rose was there. Livonia calls her that and she gave me permission to call her Mama Rose too."

"Where was she, in Livonia 's room or was she waiting outside of the hospital?"

"Sitting in a chair next to the bed. She was holding Livonia 's hand and comforting her."

Harrison took a breath. He hated what he was going to ask now. "And how did Mama Rose look?"

Mitchell shook his head. "She was almost in as bad condition as Livonia was. Her face was swollen. She had two black eyes and bruises on her arms and legs. She should have been in a hospital bed herself, but she refused to leave Livonia 's side. Each time Livonia would wake up, she would call out to Rose. As soon as she heard her answering voice, she would smile and go back to sleep again."

"Did Mama Rose also sign a document saying Adam was innocent?"

"Yes."

Harrison handed the paper to the judge. "Will Livonia recover?"

"The doctors don't believe she will. She was severely beaten. Her poor body may not be able to regain any strength."

"And Mama Rose?"

"The doctors take care of her while she sits in the chair. It was against hospital rules to let her sleep there, but after one or two days, the nurses saw her kindness and they carried in a cot for her to sleep on. It's going to take her a while to recover, but she's getting the best of care."

Harrison turned to Adam. Mary Rose's eldest brother looked frantic. His hands were flat on the table, and he was about to jump to his feet.

Harrison waited until Adam was looking at him, and then he slowly nodded. The brother immediately calmed down again. Adam remembered Harrison was going to nod when he lied.

Cole's hand had gone to his empty gunbelt, and he was thinking hard about snatching his gun from Burns's table and putting a bullet through Lionel's heart. He too saw Harrison 's nod and quickly pulled himself together again.

When he nodded, it meant he was lying. Cole had to repeat what Adam had said three times before his breathing settled down.

"Tell the jury who was responsible for beating Livonia."

"Lionel Adderley."

There were several loud mutters in the room. Harrison ignored the noise and turned to Lionel. "Like father, like son."

He turned back to Mitchell. "How do you know it was Lionel?"

"Mama Rose and Livonia both told me Lionel had beaten them. The doctor saw Livonia 's son the next afternoon. He came into the hospital room while the doctor was there. I have his signed statement. He said that when Lionel leaned down to kiss his mother, he saw the cuts and bruises on his fists. He asked Lionel directly if he'd done this to his mother, and Lionel told him to mind his own business. He never came back after that day. I believe he hired an attorney and set out for Montana Territory with his brother a couple of days later."

"Thank you, Alfred. You may step down now." He turned to the jury and added, "Folks, Mitchell is living proof there are some honest men living down south."

"Lionel Adderley, get back on the stand."

Lionel's face was beet red when he took his chair. He looked sullen and angry.

"You lied to me, to Judge Burns, and to this jury, Lionel Adderley. You lied more than once too. I asked you specifically if you coerced your mother into signing the document. Both times you told me you didn't."

"I didn't coerce her. I merely helped her see the rightness in telling the truth."

"By breaking damned near every bone in her body?" Harrison roared. "That's helping her?" Harrison shook his head in disgust. "I have no more questions."

Lionel stupidly glared at the jury on his way back to his chair. Harrison called Reginald to the stand next. He didn't soft-pedal his way through his questions with the younger brother. He was demanding, forceful, and somewhat threatening. He got down close to Reginald's face when he was finished prying out of him what he needed, and told the man what he thought of him.

He then dismissed Reginald.

It was now time for his summation. He positioned himself right in front of the jury, just far enough away so that none of the six in the first row would have to stretch up to look at him.

"The proof is unquestionable. Adam Clayborne has been cleared of the murder charges by two witnesses. Lionel and Reginald Adderley have come into our community and pointed their fingers at Adam as a criminal. They're outsiders, and so they believe they know better than simple, ignorant country folk like us. Adam isn't an outsider. He's one of us. He's a neighbor and a friend. He's been there when someone's needed help, and he's been loyal. He's a good man. You all know that. He didn't like hearing sweet Catherine Morrison being called a man-sniffing whore any better than the rest of you. He didn't like what they called Catherine's mother either. They were foul, crude words used by city boys. And all of them untrue. Do we turn the other cheek and pretend we don't mind outsiders telling us our business? There are criminals sitting in the courtroom today. Have a good look at them, gentlemen. Lionel and Reginald Adderley. Picture what they did to their own mama, and then think about your own. We'll all pray Livonia makes it, but I doubt she will. She won't press charges while she's alive, but the doctor plans to bring in the authorities and charge both boys with murder if she dies. Do the right thing. Let justice, our justice, decide the day. Thank you."

Judge Burns wasn't quite certain what to do with the jury now. He didn't want anyone inside the courtroom to leave because he'd have to go through the sorting-out process all over again. He settled on sending the jury into the storeroom instead.

"Pick up your chairs and go on in there," he ordered. "We'll all wait here for as long as it takes you. I'll give you an hour before I let anyone out of here."

Harrison didn't look at the jury as they made their way into the storeroom. No one said a word in the room, not even the spectators. Harrison hoped they were all silently seething over the facts he'd presented.

Hate. It was all about hating. He was sickened by the reality. Evidence wasn't as strong to a man who wanted to hate. He would latch on to any little piece of possible truth and condemn his enemy. Reason was forgotten, along with compassion and understanding. Hate, like a gnawing tumor, devoured it.

He was disgusted by the theatrics he'd used, but he'd used them all the same. He knew they needed to hate someone, and so he fueled their fire until the simmering coals roared into life. And then he'd turned the flames away from Adam. He gave the jurors someone else to hate more.

He sat down at the table and turned to his wife. He needed to look at her, to assure himself she was there. He needed her comfort, and, dear God, inside he was so scared and uncertain, he could barely speak to her.

She had tears in her eyes. "Are you feeling all right?" he whispered.

"May I tell you now, Harrison?"

He felt the warmth of her comfort around his heart. "Yes, tell me."

"I love you."

"I love you too. Sir, give Mary Rose your handkerchief."

He turned around again. Adam was looking at him. "When you nodded, it meant you were…"

"Yes, that's what it meant."

John Morrison came back into the room and called to the judge. Burns immediately got up and hurried over to the door. He listened for just a minute, gave Harrison a nod, and hurried on into the storeroom with the twelve men.

Harrison and Adam both stood up. "All rise. Court is now in session," Harrison said.

The judge led the jury back inside. The men left their chairs in the storeroom but lined up in their same positions.

"Have you reached a verdict, John Morrison?"

"We have, Your Honor."

"On the charge of murder, how do you find John Quincy Adam Clayborne?"

Morrison looked directly at Adam when he answered. "We find him not guilty."

The crowd went wild. People jumped to their feet. They cheered and they clapped over the decision.

The judge pounded on his table. "All right, that's enough. We're all mighty happy justice was served today. Lionel and Reginald Adderley, you get the hell out of town. You don't call our namesake a dirty nickel whore and think you're gonna live long. I might just put a couple of bullets through your foul mouths myself. Harrison come up here. All right now. Court's adjourned," he added with one last swing of his gavel.

Harrison hurried over to the judge. Burns was standing now, stretching his arms.

"Tell me about the wire you were expecting. What were you hoping for?"

"I wasn't hoping, Judge, but Mitchell's brother was going to wire me when Livonia died. I'm sorry for her. She'd had one hell of a life. Maybe she'll find peace in the next one."

"If a woman ever deserves to get into heaven, Livonia surely does," Harrison said.

"She's lingering, is she?"

"Just barely. It's inevitable. She's bleeding inside."

"You wanted the boys to know they had murder charges hanging over their heads, didn't you?"

"Yes, Your Honor. I did."

"They were the first ones out the door. Let me shake your hand, son. You did a fine job."

Harrison did just that. Mary Rose caught him from behind. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight.

She inadvertently gave Burns a notion of his own. "Sugar Belle, come on over here and give me one of your happy-to-see-me kisses."

Harrison had to peel his wife's hands away before he could turn around.

Tears of joy were streaming down her face. "I'm so proud of you, Harrison."

He kissed her on the mouth, long and hard. "You can tell me all about it in bed tonight, sweetheart. We have to get Adam home first. Bickley's still outside, remember?"

"Let Cole shoot him," she suggested.

Harrison laughed.

Belle stopped to kiss him on her way out the door. "I've got to hurry on home and get ready for the judge," she explained. "I'll come on out to your ranch tomorrow to celebrate with you."

"We'd love to have you, Belle. Bring the judge with you," Mary Rose called out.

She couldn't make herself let go of her husband. Family and friends surrounded her brothers. Adam looked as if he was in a daze. Harrison doubted he'd even remember what was now being said to him by John Morrison.

They went outside together. The road was almost deserted. Once the outsiders had heard the disappointing news that there wouldn't be a hanging anytime soon, they'd gone on back home.

Bickley and five others in his vigilante group stood in the center of the road. Harrison noticed they were all armed. He shoved Mary Rose behind him.

"Sir, go on and get in the buggy. Cole will make certain you get there. Take Mary Rose with you."

She started to go to her father, but she kept her attention on Bickley. He wasn't looking at Adam now. Harrison seemed to be the target of his anger.

Bickley went for his gun. Mary Rose didn't hesitate. She threw herself in front of her husband to shield him.

Harrison shouted, "No."

Everyone drew his gun at the same time. The judge was quicker than all of them, for he already had his pistol out and cocked. He'd had a pretty good notion of what Bickley planned to do, and so he'd waited by the side for his opportunity.

The bullet went right through the center of Bickley's forehead. He flew backward and landed in the dust.

"Any of you other boys want some of this here gun?" the judge roared.

Bickley's friends shook their heads and put their hands up. "Then get the hell out of my town," the judge ordered. "And haul that trash on the ground with you. Git now."

Harrison was shaking. He grabbed his wife and squeezed her. "You damned near got yourself killed. What in God's name were you doing?"

"Making sure you didn't get killed."

"If you ever… dear God, Mary Rose, I can't go on without… how could you…"

Cole started laughing. "Give her hell at home, Harrison. You know why Bickley tried to kill you, don't you?"

"I'm guessing he hates lawyers like everyone else does. Harrison, are you sure I have to become one?" Travis asked.

Harrison wasn't amused. He let Cole pull his horse after him and squeezed into the buggy with his wife and her father.

Travis and Douglas and Cole rode in a half circle with Adam in the center all the way home. They didn't trust Bickley's friends, of course, and they weren't about to let one of them kill Adam or Harrison now.

Harrison 's jaw was clenched tight. Mary Rose knew he was still trying to recover from Bickley's attempt. She decided she would take his attention away from the matter by talking about the trial.

"Father, wasn't Harrison wonderful?"

"Yes, he was wonderful. I'm glad he didn't have to get brutal. It worked out just the way he planned it."

"He wasn't brutal?"

"Oh, heaven's no. I thought he was very agreeable."

" Harrison? How did you get Mitchell to lie?"

"I didn't."

"Then…"

"He told the truth… as he knew it to be," he deliberately added to mislead her.

"Was it a plan of some sort?"

"Yes."

She leaned against him. "Quit talking in such clipped tones. I know you're mad at me. It's a wife's duty to protect her husband. Do try to get past it."

He lifted her up onto his lap and shoved the side of her face down onto his shoulder.

"I'm proud of you, son," Elliot told him.

"It was easy, sir. Adam was innocent."

"But that wasn't what this trial was all about, was it?"

"No, sir. It was about hate."

Elliott nodded. They all fell silent as the buggy climbed the road. Elliott was thinking that he couldn't wait to get Harrison alone and find out what the plan had been. He knew how Harrison 's mind worked, and he also knew, without any doubt, that he would never, ever lie in court. He wouldn't get anyone else to do it for him either. So how had he pulled it off?

Part of the answer was smiling up at her husband. Harrison hadn't lied in court, but he had lied to Mary Rose and her brothers. Elliott understood why he'd done it, of course. They wouldn't have been as calm and controlled if they'd known beforehand what Livonia 's sons had done to their Mama Rose.

Elliott wondered if Harrison would ever tell them the truth. He'd ask him just that question tonight, he decided.

"I'll have to get back to England soon," he announced.

"You can't leave yet. I have so much to show you. I want to introduce you to Corrie, and I want to show you my mountains. I'll show you where the ghosts are buried if you stay."

Elliott was pleased she didn't want him to leave. His eyes became misty, and he slowly nodded. His voice was shaky when he said, "All right, daughter. I'll stay another couple of weeks. You and Harrison can come to England to visit me next summer. I'll add on another week if you promise me now."

"But you have to come back here next summer. I can't leave then," she said.

"Sweetheart, we can take a month and go back. I want to show you Scotland," Harrison insisted.

"I won't promise until I talk to Harrison, Father. Can you wait until tomorrow?"

He agreed. "I don't want to wait to hear about the ghost graveyard. Tell me all about it now. Who did you bury there?"

"Monsters from under my bed," Mary Rose answered. "When I was five or six, I wouldn't sleep in my own bed. I'd always wait and sneak in with one of my brothers. I always did sleep with them when I was younger, and they were trying to break me of the habit.

" Douglas hung a curtain up to separate me from the living area. We were still living in a cabin then. Anyway, I was sure I heard monsters under my bed. All my brothers but Cole tried to convince me I was imagining things.

"Cole took a different approach. He got down on his knees, looked under the bed, and then let out a whistle. 'Well, I'll be. There's a monster under here all right. Mary Rose, close your eyes real tight while I haul him out. He's too ugly for you to see.'"

Harrison and Elliott were both smiling. "Cole had already taken his gun out. He shouted to Douglas to open the door. He went running outside so I couldn't see him. Then I heard a shot."

"He killed him for you."

"Of course," she answered. "He promised me he'd let it stay there all night so other monsters would know what the Claybornes think about them, and in the morning, we'd bury it. I was very young, and of course I believed him. I made him shoot a monster about once a week. I figured I was safe then. Cole would put an empty box out on the stoop. He told me not to look inside or it would scare the curls out of my hair."

She laughed thinking about it. "I was very vain about my hair. I didn't dare take the chance. We walked across the meadow and up the first hill and gave the monster a burial. We didn't pray over him because I didn't want the thing to get into heaven."

Harrison pictured the little girl holding on to a gunfighter's hand. "You were surrounded by love," he whispered.

"Yes, she was," Elliott agreed. "Tonight you must tell me another story. I found out quite a lot about you from the letters. Your mother didn't hold a grudge. I wonder where you came by that trait?"

"I think from Cole," she answered.

"And Douglas and Travis," Harrison supplied.

"I wasn't a perfect child, Father. I complained, and I always told Mama Rose if my brothers did anything I didn't like."

"Will I have to shoot monsters for our children?"

"Of course. It's a father's duty. If we have a boy, I'll name him Harrison Stanford MacDonald."

"The Fourth," he added.

"The Fourth," she agreed.

"And if it's a girl?"

"I think I'll name her after the two women who loved me so much. Agatha Rose. It's pretty, isn't it?"

Elliott was too emotional to speak. He nodded to let her know how fine he thought the name was. And fitting.

All three of them thought about the traditions that would endure and continue.

They reached the ranch a few minutes later. His brothers wouldn't let him take Mary Rose into the bunkhouse. They wanted him to answer some questions for them first.

They weren't going to give in. Harrison sat down on the porch, pulled his wife onto his lap, and waited for the questions to begin.

Travis was first. "How did you get Alfred Mitchell to lie on the stand?"

"I'm going to give you one week to figure it out on your own. Then I'll tell you."

Douglas asked a question next. "I understand why you had me bring all the rental horses home. You wanted Lionel and Reginald to be stuck in town."

"Yes."

"You knew they'd hate it. How did you know that?" Cole asked.

"Adam told me about their way of life down south before the war came. The brothers were used to luxury. I wanted them to be miserable and start complaining."

"What else did you do?" Douglas asked.

"I talked to Billie and Henry and Dooley. Adam, you've got some loyal friends here."

Adam smiled. "Yes, I know."

"Billie fed them every meal. He made sure it was awful. Henry substituted Ghost's homemade brew for Billie to use whenever he served them, and Dooley kept track of what they were saying about folks. Then he'd tell me."

"And you'd go tell the folks what they said and get them to sign a paper?"

"No, Dooley would have already gotten them riled up. I would merely give them my sympathy and hint at possibly being willing to bring suit against them."

"Slander?" Cole asked.

"Something like that," Harrison answered.

Elliott stood up. "I'm going to get out of these city clothes. I don't believe I'll be able to figure out what you did, Harrison. You're going to have to explain about Alfred Mitchell's testimony in a week, I suppose. I know you well, son, and you wouldn't do anything underhanded."

"One week, sir. Please wait that long. Adam, how does it feel to be free? You've had the worry hanging over your head for a hell of a long time."

"It feels good," he whispered. "I don't believe I've taken it all in yet. I believe I'll go on inside and take that poem off the wall now. Tell me something, Harrison. Why were the words so special to you? You memorized them, remember?"

"I remember. I read the passage to my father almost every night. He liked it. It gave him comfort."

Adam nodded. Harrison suddenly felt drained. Mary Rose looked exhausted. He told everyone good-bye and took his wife back to their "home." He needed her to give him strength again, in body and in spirit, so that he could go out and slay the monsters again.

He stood inside the door of the bunkhouse and watched her take off her clothes. She was just about to remove her chemise when he asked her to sit down on the side of the bed.

He knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his.

"Your Mama Rose is fine. Alfred Mitchell didn't lie on the stand."

"I know. You never would have asked him to lie. Is she really all right?"

"Yes, she is. I lied to your brothers because I didn't want them to hear the truth without at least questioning it while they were sitting so close to the men who'd hurt their mother. I knew what would happen."

"What will happen to Livonia when her sons return home?"

"Sweetheart, Livonia 's dying. One of Mitchell's brothers is going to wire us when that happens. Alfred hired a man to guard her day and night. He'll watch after your mother too, but I don't think Lionel and Reginald will be in any hurry to get back. They have to be worried about facing charges."

"Why didn't you explain to my brothers on the porch?"

"What do you think Cole would have done if he'd known the truth?"

"He would go after them."

Harrison nodded. "I'm giving Livonia 's sons a week to disappear. Otherwise I might have to defend Cole on two murder charges."

She pulled her hand away from his and gently stroked the side of his face.

"Cole would do something foolish. At least I think he would. You were balancing my brothers' reaction against Adam's defense. You did the right thing."

"Thank you for trusting me."

"You needn't thank me. I believe in you. Don't you understand yet? You're part of my family now. We'll argue and bicker and kiss and apologize; we'll lecture one another and offer comfort at the same time; we'll do all the other wonderful things families do. Love is all the strength we'll ever need.

"It's what family is all about."

Dear Children,

Livonia is at peace now. She was given a proper burial last week. I stayed outside the church during the service, and then followed her to the cemetery. I stayed awhile with her after every one else had left, and I said my farewells to her. I shall miss her.

I've found a companion to travel with me, and at long last I'm coming home. There's a town in Kansas, filled with black people who left the South and settled there. I'll rest there a few days and see old friends before I continue the journey.

God keep you until I get there.

Your Mama,

Rose

Adam, dearest, I'm bringing your bride with me.