Heloise's sides were aching by the time she reached Primrose Road. The large dark houses were outlined faintly by the glow of the silver moon, but finding the Calico's house was easy. She once played there as a small child with the Calico's daughter who for whatever reason had adored her. She had since married and moved away, but the Fairchilds were at the wedding and Heloise even got to be in it.

She fell against the black door of the house and knocked. Her heart was pounding so fast she could barley breath. "Mr. Calico," she called through the door. "Mr. Calico' it's me, Heloise." Her name escaped in a wheeze and her knees gave up supporting her. Slumping against the door she closed her eyes. "Please God, protect my mama and papa."

The clicking of the lock made her open her eyes. She staggered to her feet as it opened and she was greeted by sweet smelling air.

"Heloise?" Mr. Calico gasped. He fumbled for his glasses and put them on his face.

"Who is it, Frank?" Mrs. Calico said. She came down the stairs tying on her house robe. He long golden hair was loose and flowed freely around her.

"Heloise," Mr. Calico said helping the girl inside.

Mrs. Calico rushed over to them. "Oh my, God." She took Heloise in her arms and helped her stand. "What happened?"

"Papa, murder, arrested," Heloise said.

"Darling you're not making any sense," Mrs. Calico said looking at her husband for understanding.

Mr. Calico came to their side and looked Heloise in her eyes with his bright blue ones. "Heloise, what happened?"

"I'll get her some water," Mrs. Calico said and hurried into the kitchen.

Heloise took three deep breaths. "My father was arrested. Officers came to our house and said he murdered Mr. Callaway."

"Calvin Callaway?" Mr. Calico frowned.

Heloise nodded as Mrs. Calico came back into the room and gave her a glass of water. "We need your help, Mr. Calico. I know my father is innocent. We don't know where they've taken him and Mama or what they'll do with them."

Mr. Calico looked at his wife. "I'm not sure what I can do," he said.

"Frank," Mrs. Calico stepped up. "Perhaps she and her sisters should stay here tonight."

Mr. Calico looked at his wife then at Heloise. "All right," he said. "I'll go over in the motor car and get them."

/

Heloise waited in the parlor after Mr. Calico left for her sisters to arrive. Mrs. Calico paced the room and kept asking questions that she didn't know the answers to. When the six sisters arrived they hugged Heloise as if she had already been gone for days and a night. They were given a room upstairs together and sat up late trying to make sense of what had happened.

"What happens tomorrow?" Hannah asked. "Is Mr. Calico going to help us? Where are Ma and Pa?"

"Quiet, Hannah," Miriam said.

"But what will we do?" Taitiann worried. "I've never been without Mama or Papa."

Miriam stood up from the bed. "Girls." She got their attention. "We aren't babies. Now Mr. Calico has agreed to find out where they have taken Mama and Papa. That's asking a lot considering the circumstances."

Alifair pounded the bed. "It's not fair," she said. "Mama and Papa didn't do anything wrong and how dare those men march in and ruin their party?"

The sister all began to talk at once and Miriam silenced them. "Quiet, all of you. Tomorrow we will get up the same as we do every Tuesday."

"You want us to pretend like nothing has happened?" Astrid said in astonishment.

"Yes," Miriam said. "I want you to keep your heads. Maybe tomorrow Papa will be found innocent and they will let him go. Now I want you all to get some sleep. It's late and you have school in the morning." She climbed into the bed with Selene and Taitiann."

Astrid put out the gaslight and got into bed with Hannah, Heloise and Alifair. Heloise stared up at the ceiling wishing it away so she could see into the reassuring sky that tomorrow would come and everything would be alright.

/

Selene rose early before anyone else and walked to the station in Angel Veil. She thought her feet would come through her shoes by the time she got there and she prayed it wasn't all in vain. When she saw Mr. St. Cloud standing on the platform with his arms linked with his wife she let out a breath of relief.

"Mr. St. Cloud," she called for him, raising her dress skirts and running down the platform. "Mr. St. Cloud, thank God I found you."

"Selene," Mrs. St. Cloud frowned. "What happened to you, you look like you haven't slept."

Selene touched her face unsure of what she actually looked like. "My parents were arrested last night," she said and husband and wife gasped. "We don't know why but...Mr. St. Cloud your nephew is a lawyer, would he be willing to help us?"

Mr. St. Cloud's lips parted but no words came out. Selene could see the doubt on his face and she wondered what kind of man his nephew was.

"All aboard!" the conductor called into the still morning air.

"That's us," Mrs. St. Cloud said. She was torn between going to help her son or staying to help friends. She searched the platform for Jethro and found him sitting on a bench. "Jethro, we're leaving."

"I'll get him," Selene said and hurried over to where he sat.

"Sounds like Selene," Jethro said as she approached.

Selene smiled. "Did you put special leather in my shoes to alert you when I was coming?" Jethro smiled at her and Selene took his arm and led him toward the train. "Jethro, my family is in trouble and I need your help."

"I'm listening."

"My parents were arrested last night."

"Arrested for what?"

"Murder."

"Murder?"

"I know my father is innocent. He would never do such a thing. But, Jethro the law is unjust to people of color. If you may, when you get to Oklahoma Territory, please ask your cousin. Ask your cousin if he will help us. If he is half the man you are..."

"Jessop isn't like me I'm afraid," Jethro said. "He came back from law school hardened by the world."

"Jethro, dear come along now," Kitty called from the train.

"I'll talk to him," Jethro said. "I'm deeply sorry this has happened to you, Selene." He squeezed her hands and leaned his forehead close to hers. "I love you and I wish you the best."

Mr. St. Cloud took his son by his other arm. "This is the last train west, son we can't miss it." He nodded to Selene. "We'll see you when we get back Selene and I'll talk to my nephew. Take care now, you hear."

When the train had pulled away with its passengers Selene stood on the platform. She felt like part of her heart had been aboard it and the rest of it left behind to pine.

/

Heloise had never had an easier day at school. Not once did Olive Johnson or Amy Birch tease her. On Wednesday Miriam inquired about her parents, but Mr. Calico hadn't found out anything. On Saturday Heloise watched Alifair lazily drop seeds into her bird cage while Hannah sat on the bed playing with her dolls.

"Won't you play with me, Heloise?"

Heloise looked at her sister and sighed. "Not now, Hannah." She turned and left the room. Going downstairs she found her grandfather sitting on the couch starring at a picture. She silently joined him and glanced at the photograph.

"I should have gone with my son," Jeremiah said. "I should have done something."

"But who'd be here for us, Grandpa?" Heloise asked. "We need you."

Jeremiah looked at his fifth grandchild. "Heloise, one day you may find yourself all alone," he said and the girl looked horrified. "But you have got to be strong, just like your ancestors were strong. Every choice they made has brought you here this day."

Heloise leaned back on the couch and pouted. "Then I wish they had made different choices."

Jeremiah chuckled and patted her leg. "Louisa, get me that Bible there off the table." He pointed.

Heloise got up from the couch and went over to a table in the corner of the room. Above it hung a painting of hills and a field with a little house far in the distance. She had never seen land like that. All around her the earth was flat and marshy. She picked up the white Bible and ran her fingers on the fading gold letters. The Bible itself was tattered and had clearly seen a great number of hard years. She returned to the couch and gave the book to her grandfather.

"This here Bible belonged to a plantation mistress," Jeremiah said. "She gave it to her daughter as a parting gifting." He opened the pages and a few broke free from the aging spine.

"A parting gift?" Heloise asked.

"She sent her daughter away, for unknown reasons," Jeremiah said. "She sent her, and her two slaves to live in confinement in a great white house. Before the daughter died she gave this here Bible to the only friends she had."

"Her slaves."

"Right," Jeremiah said and my parents gave it to me. This Bible is a testament to your inheritance. As is, that house, that old oak with the swing...all of that is yours and your sisters." He nodded then opened the Bible to a marked page. Gingerly her removed a slip of paper and passed it on to Heloise. "Read this here."

Heloise took the paper and unfolded it. It was stiff and brittle and she was extra careful not to break it. "In the beset hour of my days is when I raised my head up. When the rain breaks the sheets of clouds that retrain it then is when I raise my hands up. I am stronger when I am sawn down and I am courageous when I'm wounded. Make be brave always oh Lord, whatever evils may come. A prayer, by Carrie Fairchild." Heloise looked up from reading. "Grandma?"

Jeremiah nodded. "Now is the time to be strongest, Louisa. Now is the time to be courageous. If bravery were only displayed when times were good then who would need it?"

Heloise folded the paper. "I don't feel very strong."

Jeremiah closed the Bible and looked her in the eyes. "After howling and howling against the little ship at sea the wind said unto him, 'thou art indestructible'."

Heloise chuckled. "Where did you read that? Is it in the Bible?"

"No," Jeremiah said. "It was written on the stone of a man who died long ago."

Heloise just smiled. Her grandfather was filled with many mysteries. She placed the paper back inside the Bible where it would be safe. She made a promise to herself to be strong.