When they drug me up on that auction block in Winchester, I fear I get a new master even worser than the old one. Thomas Clifford make the highest bid, and I knows now this the best day of my life. Back then, I never hear tell of Quakers, but they kind people. Right off, Thomas and Mae Clifford tells me I a free woman. They ain’t keeping no slaves. Soon, I be boss in the kitchen. When we at war, I helps with the Underground Railroad.
A while back, a skinny white boy seen Mae and the grandchildren in trouble on the road and bring them home. He told his name as Rob Johnson. We knows he a Rebel soldier ‘cause we be finding a uniform jacket in his pack. He take sick and Mae care for him. When he stronger, he work around the place and talk with Thomas for hours. I overhear the boy say it ain’t his war.
When Rob set to leave, Mae ask me to get one of Mark’s best suits. Mark, he be her son who die. The Cliffords be grieving, but Thomas need somebody to help with the Railroad. When Rob put on that fine suit, he change. He good-looking; I gives him that. From then on, I see him as a jumped-up white boy with a pistol strapped around his waist. For certain, he ain’t no Quaker gentleman.
Later, Laura and her baby come to stay. She say the child is Rob’s, but he don’t want nothing to do with them. Laura be a hard worker and soon we all like her. She don’t put on no airs. Like me, she beholding to the Cliffords.. In time, I see Laura try to fit in and she be dressing like a Quaker woman.
When the Rebel deserters attack us, the Cliffords, they not lift a finger to defend the farm. It against their belief. Laura and me arm the servants best we can. These men breaks into the house and threaten the family, but we fights them off. Laura, she as brave as any of us.
Rob Johnson, he ain’t coming around. I finally tell Laura she ought to forget that man; he not good enough for her or the baby neither. After the war, smallpox come to the Clifford farm. Laura, she nurse everyone until she and the child gets the pox. Thomas send for Rob and he come. At first he just sit and cry tears he should be shedding years ago. I tell him we hear he can cure the pox and he better do it if he gonna be any account at all. If you be asking me, Laura, she be a fine Quaker woman.
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