“Are you Sarah?” he asks, barely above a whisper.

I don’t like that he knows my name. “Yes, sir,” I say, keeping my eyes on my toes.

“Are you the only Sarah here?”

That don’t seem like a safe question to answer, so I hold my tongue.

“Are you?” he says it sharp and urgent in that way that says trouble’ll come unless I answer.

“Yes, sir.” I glance up to see him nod and I’m sure it means something’s about to happen if I want it to or not.

“Can you cook?” he asks with his voice hushed.

I tell him, “Yes, sir, but Maple’s the cook here,” hoping to get him on to her.

He nods and goes along to Master’s study and I breathe out slowly, my stomach twisting into knots.

At dinner I learn that Master’s visitor is a timber man from Tennessee. He got his eye on me most of the night, stroking his chin like he got an imaginary beard, making me jitterbug nervous. There’s something not right about him. He don’t smile all night, but he sure do eat.

“Mister and Missus Johnson,” he says, when he’s had his fill, which is three helpings of everything. “Your kind hospitality has got me realizing how much I miss a good home-cooked meal.”

“I’m sure the excitement of your adventures out west makes up for the lost comforts from back east,” Missus says.

“Not at all, madam. There is nothing so warming as a good meal on a cold night. But the frontier is a rough place for a woman and a logger’s camp is no place at all. Though thanks to your hospitality, I do believe I’ve found my solution.” He nods to his empty plate. “Your Negress is an enchanting cook.”

“She is,” says Missus, “but she cooks for us, here. I don’t know how that helps you in Tennessee.”

“Indeed. But there are other slaves who cook. This girl here,” he nods at me standing against the wall, “tells me she also cooks.”

My eyes go wide and I lift them from the floor, settling them on the timber man. He’s staring right back at me and the hair on the back of my neck prickles. I drop my eyes.

“It would be a tremendous comfort if I had a house girl to cook and clean for me.”

“I don’t doubt it, sir. Frankly, I don’t know how you manage without,” says Master.

“I feel certain that Providence has led me to you today to lighten a heavy burden. I would like to request to purchase this girl here, and take her with me to Tennessee.”

“Well, gracious,” says Missus. “That certainly is quite a request.”

“There’s a slave auction in Fredericksburg in a few weeks. You might find someone suitable there,” Master says.

“With all respect, sir, there’s no guarantee I’ll find a house slave at auction who cooks. And, in any case, I can’t wait. I’m prepared to pay you fair market price plus a little extra for the trouble.”