Excerpt from Chapter One of my latest novel!

I am writing my fifth Louisa novel, and currently am on the second edit of the first fifteen chapters.

Here is a teaser from Chapter One.

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Chapter 1 – Awakened from the fog

20 November 1850

The haziness that had clouded my mind for the past two months vanished in an instant. Though relieved to be back home after our travels to Connecticut, a sense of restlessness and melancholy had gripped me, casting a veil of daydreams over my days. But all that changed with the sudden commotion that echoed through the corridors of our home.

Excited shrieks from Sally, our spirited slave girl, shattered the tranquil peace I had cherished. Startled, I tore my gaze away from the world outside the parlor window, my heart racing with anticipation as I tried to discern the voices that filled the vestibule.

The servant burst into my previously quiet sanctuary, her eyes wide with urgency as she implored me to follow her. In a daze, I stumbled through the dimly lit hallway, my footsteps echoing in the silence, until I reached the entryway where an unexpected reunion awaited me.

There, standing before me, was my dear friend Lilah Hightower, her presence a beacon of familiarity in the midst of the unexpected. Behind her stood a cloaked figure, a mysterious silhouette shrouded in secrecy and intrigue.

The realization that Lilah had returned to Greensboro earlier than expected sent a jolt of surprise through me, mingled with a tinge of annoyance at the lack of prior notice. Gathering my composure, I greeted Lilah with a kiss on the cheek, offering to lead her to a more comfortable setting. Little did I know that the figure hidden beneath the cloak would unravel a drama of epic proportions.

With a theatrical flourish, Lilah unveiled the woman beneath the hood, revealing none other than Judith - the slave I had believed I had liberated, the one whose absence had weighed heavy on my heart! Shock, joy, and a hint of dismay mingled within me as I beheld her unexpected return.

“Judith, I am overjoyed to see you once more, though the circumstances are most perplexing!” I uttered, my voice betraying a mix of emotions that swirled within me like a tempestuous storm.

The slave's reaction was a blend of discomfort and relief, her eyes glistening with unspoken truths that tugged at my heartstrings.

Cocking my head in confusion, I confronted Judith with a question that hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow of uncertainty over our reunion. “Why have you come back, after being granted your freedom? Your presence alarms and intrigues me in equal measure,” I searched for answers in the depths of her eyes.

Just then, Ellen, Judith's daughter, burst into the hallway, her eyes wide with distress. She stumbled onto a nearby chair, her tear-streaked face a portrait of anguish as her trembling shoulders betrayed the depth of her emotions. The scene unfolded like a tragic tableau, a symphony of sorrow and uncertainty that tugged at my heartstrings.

After a brief pause, Lilah held up her index finger. “Allow me to offer an explanation in the other room, my dear friend. Perhaps Judith can find rest elsewhere.”