Bid For Freedom

Chapter 14

Sunlight poured into the tiny room, streaming across Dani's face with a warm caress. She smiled and snuggled into the warm blankets, wincing as the side of her head brushed against the pillow. Her fingers gingerly explored her head, finding several tender spots amid the horribly matted hair.

Her eyes fluttered open, taking in her surroundings. She lay on a narrow bunk across from a small door. The portal near the door admitted the sunshine. A chair stood near a writing desk. A trunk she recognized sat next to it with a teapot and a cup on top. Another disheveled bunk indicated another occupant had recently vacated the room.

Dani tried to sit but immediately fell back onto the pillow as her head nearly exploded with pain and the room spun around her.

The door swung open and closed. Dani blinked through the pain.

"Good morning," a male voice called.

Dani clutched the blankets to her chest as she tried to focus.

"Don't try to get up just yet." He handed her a cup. "Try drinking this broth. Then we'll figure out exactly how bad you're hurt."

Dani blinked several times as she focused on the offered drink. She held the drink and her head at the same time.

"Your head hurts pretty bad, then?"

She winced as she tried to nod.

"At least you're warmer than you were yesterday when we pulled you out of the water. I thought you'd catch your death."

She looked at him quizzically before her mind registered what he had said. Her eyes widened. "You!"

Caleb grinned. "Yeah. I jumped in after you."

She shook her head slightly. "No. You sold Sam."

Caleb squinted in confusion, then shook his head. "I didn't sell him."

"I don't believe you."

"If I get Jeremy to tell you the same thing, would you believe it?"

"No."

Caleb sighed. "Fine. Let's get you dressed and I'll take you to see Sam. I don't think you're quite ready for that though."

Dani fought to stand as Caleb threw open the lid to her trunk. He pulled out a serviceable brown dress and helped her step into it.

"Would you like to do something with your hair?"

Dani's hand shot up to her head and she grimaced.

Caleb pulled the chair away from the desk. "Sit here. I'll help."

He grabbed her comb and started at the bottom, brushing the rats out a few strands at a time. She sighed as he massaged her aching skull.

"Am I hurting you?"

Her eyelids fluttered. "No, sir."

He leaned in close. "Dani, don't call me sir."

She opened and closed her mouth as his breath tickled her ear.

He stood up and kept working with her hair. She stared at her hands clasped in her lap, unsure what she should think or feel. In her experience, any time a man - or worse- a master showed interest in a slave, it never ended well.

"What would you like me to do with your hair? I think I got all the knots out. There aren't any cuts anywhere. You do have a couple of good knocks here." She winced as he barely touched the areas.

She reached for a mirror and wondered briefly where it had come from. Glancing at her reflection, she was shocked to see the bruises and slight swelling around her forehead. "I, uh, I don't know."

She watched his face in the mirror as he fiddled with her hair. His calloused hands worked quickly as he wound her hair around her head. He turned his head this way and that, puckering his lips as he worked.

"There. That should work. It's not quite a braid, but it'll keep your hair out of your face. The breeze out there is blowing pretty hard."

She turned her head from side to side, wondering where he'd learned to do women's hair.

"Can I help you with your shoes? They're finally dry."

She glanced up to see him kneeling in front of her. She lifted each foot in turn. Her hand traced the crown of hair around her head. "Where did you learn this?"

Caleb shrugged. "That's how I do up my horse's mane sometimes. Didn't figure you wouldn't like it."

"No. It's not that. I just..."

Caleb smiled at her. "It's ok. Are you ready? It's a bit of a walk and the deck is swaying."

At her nod, he grabbed her hand and tucked it through his arm.

Dani leaned on Caleb heavily as he guided her through the ship. Several people stopped them, commenting on how well she looked and that she shouldn't be out just yet. Caleb smiled and nodded, sometimes barely acknowledging the well-wishers. At a staircase, Caleb stepped in front of her, going down the stairs backwards as he steadied her.

Several times, they stopped so she could rest. Dani regretted her decision to see Sam.

"We're almost there," he soothed.

Dani leaned heavily against him as they came around a corner. All the slaves were crammed together in a space similar to a horse stall. Sam crouched in a corner, looking up at Jeremy who was sitting on the low wooden wall.

"Caleb, what are you thinking? She shouldn't be up."

"I know. She insisted on seeing Sam," Caleb said as he opened the gate.

Dani staggered through the thick hay and nearly collapsed in Sam's lap. His huge arms reached up to enfold her, rocking her as she nodded off.