“Let me help you take these upstairs,” Abigail offered.

“It’s my old sewing room,” Virginia instructed as she rocked the baby back and forth with wide, bouncing steps. “Just at the top of the stairs.”

Harmony’s new room turned out to be pretty nice, one of the nicest she’d stayed in in quite some time. The queen-sized bed was fitted with what appeared to be a homemade quilt, and she wondered if perhaps Virginia had made it herself to help stave off a loneliness she’d felt for longer than she’d initially let on. A large bay window looked out onto the backyard which was lined with palmetto trees—the official state tree of South Carolina, if memory served.

“I’ll just give you some time to yourself,” Abigail said, leaning up against the doorframe. “Unless you need anything?” The other woman seemed almost hopeful that Harmony would ask her to stay, but she needed nothing at this time and some solitude might do her good.

“Thanks for all your help today,” Harmony answered with a small smile.

The other woman hesitated, then strode forward and gave Harmony an impromptu hug. “I know you’ve been through a lot and that you aren’t telling us everything just yet, but I want you to know that I’m here for you. My father and Mrs. Clementine, too.”

And with that, Abigail padded out of the room and latched the door shut behind her.

Everyone seemed so eager to help Harmony now that she’d returned to their lives. Was it because they wished they’d have done more when she was still living within the Holy City? Perhaps, but the course of Harmony’s life was already set. Any form of lasting happiness surely wasn’t within reach, but at the very least she could get by without any new and lasting pains, either.

A life of small mediocrities wasn’t much to strive for, but it was the best Harmony could hope for now.

She sat down on her new bed, finding it pleasantly springy. It was then she remembered that in all her praying, she’d forgotten to thank God for the giant blessing he’d given her. “Thank you, Father, for helping me flee. Thank you for blessing my journey and delivering me to safety.”

For there was no doubt in Harmony’s mind now that she was safe here with these people who wanted to help and would protect her if any real dangers were to find her hiding here within this giant plantation-style house.

Trouble always did have a way of finding her out when she least expected it, but this time she would be ready.

Chapter 9

Harmony

A scuffling sound came from the closed door, and Harmony rose to open it. Muffin trotted right in and stood on his hind legs. begging to be picked up. He looked like a very tiny, very un-scary modern-day T-Rex, which instantly endeared him to her.

“C’mere, you,” she said, reaching for the five pound package of fur.