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1870—Missouri

The back door burst open and slammed shut with a thud that shook the house. Even Sarah-Bren Coulter's less-than-perfect hearing couldn't miss it. She set down the loaf of rye bread she was slicing and dusted her hands against her pant legs. Her partner, Faith Pruitt, came charging across the kitchen, waving a folded newspaper. Faith's long, nut-brown dress swayed to her brisk movements and seemed to dance across the random-width pine planks of the floor.

"What's up, redhead?" Sarah said.

"Take a look at this!" Fire flamed in Faith's green eyes. "When will the law do something about these atrocities?" She slapped the newspaper down onto the table, and her red curls bounced around her face and neck as she stepped toward Sarah. She opened her mouth to say more, but Sarah pulled her close and kissed her. Faith managed to end the kiss before it had barely started. "Sarah, stop it." She tried to wriggle away, but Sarah held her fast and kissed her again.

Sarah stood two inches taller than Faith's five-foot-seven-inch height, but Faith's large-boned frame gave her power that nearly matched Sarah's wiry strength. Holding onto her was a struggle. It didn't help that a laugh kept trying to bubble up from Sarah's belly.

Faith pushed against the long arms that encircled her waist.

"I just want to show you-" Undeterred, Sarah kissed her once more. This time, after a slight hesitation, Faith slipped her arms around Sarah's neck and returned the kiss, her mouth opening to accept the questing tongue.

Sarah's laugh became a moan, and her legs went weak. She dropped into a rush-bottomed chair and pulled Faith onto her lap as the kiss deepened. Faith slipped a hand under Sarah's amber-colored tunic, which she'd made to match Sarah's eyes. She walked her fingers up warm skin and around a breast. Sarah gasped, and this time she was the one who pulled away. Resting her cheek alongside Faith's, she murmured into her ear, "I think we better slow down. Benjamin will be coming in from the barn any minute now."

"Not quite so soon, I think," Faith said. "Unhooking the wagon and caring for Drummer should take him awhile." But she withdrew her hand and gave Sarah's long, chestnut-brown hair a tug. "I'm not complaining, sweetheart, but why are you so amorous all of a sudden?"

"You came striding across the kitchen all lit up like a woman on a mission. Your eyes sparkled, your hair bounced, and your hips swished." Sarah grinned in remembrance. She warmed all over whenever Faith's long red curls danced about her face and neck. "You looked so beautiful. I just had to pull you to me and absorb some of that passion." She pressed her lips to the rounded dip where Faith's neck and shoulder met, savoring the mild saltiness of her skin and a light scent of lavender. "I love you, Faith Pruitt. I thank God every morning that I wake up and you're beside me."

Faith brushed her hand across the burn scars that marred the right side of Sarah's upper face and forehead, then she buried her fingers in the white blaze that slashed through Sarah's hair. "I love you, too," she said in a voice resonant with emotion.

Sarah raised her head as the door opened a second time. Benjamin came into the house, swinging his schoolbooks from a leather belt buckled around them. His eyes met Sarah's, and she said, "Your mama's pretty excited about something." She pulled on one earlobe.

"She sure is." Benjamin set his books on a chair. "Ever since we picked up the newspaper." He pulled both his earlobes, bringing Sarah's pent-up laughter to the surface. Just turned fourteen, Benjamin was almost as tall as his mother and still growing. He had inherited Faith's build, but his curly dark hair and large brown eyes were a legacy from his Confederate-soldier father who'd been killed in the war.

Faith looked over her shoulder. "What are you two up to?"

Sarah's laugh rumbled through her chest. "Nothing to worry about. We were just practicing our mind reading. Soup's all ready for supper, Benjamin. We'll eat as soon as you wash up."

"I need to wash up, too." Faith lifted Sarah's arms from around her waist and rose. She picked up the newspaper, turned, and tapped it against Sarah's shoulder. "And I'm not going to show you what's in here until after we eat."

When the supper dishes were dried and put away, Faith fetched the paper. She settled on the sofa next to Sarah and waited until Sarah lifted her spectacles from the hardwood side table. The burning coal oil lamp that sat there cast a wide, yellow glow, and a light stream of smoke lifted through its glass chimney toward the exposed-beam ceiling.

Benjamin sat in the oak rocking chair on the other side of the table, studying a schoolbook. When Faith entered the room, he glanced up and appeared to be listening. "Here's what I was so upset about." Faith held the paper so Sarah could see it as she read the headline aloud, "'Is The Ku Klux Klan Here?' It goes on to tell about several night raids and the damage they've done. Not just to property. They've beaten people and killed some of them. Why don't the authorities stop them?"

"Does it say anything about what's behind the raids?" Sarah said.

Faith's eyes lit up. She often became impassioned about injustices suffered, even by people she didn't know. "Have you been following the articles about this Ku Klux Klan organization?"

"Not with great diligence. I've read it's a secret group that started in the South right after the war. They wear white hoods and sometimes white robes to disguise themselves. What more do you know about it?"

"At first, they accused colored men of trying to violate the widows of Confederate soldiers. They horsewhipped them and even hung them." Faith refolded the paper, rolled it between her hands, and twisted it. "Now, their hatred and bigotry has spread to include anyone who's different from them in some way. They scare me. They've murdered people just because they didn't like them."

Sarah put her arm around Faith's shoulders. "The world's a difficult place. A lot of groups are up to no good."

"But this group's in our backyard." Faith laid the mangled paper down. She placed her hand on Sarah's thigh and rubbed the coarse pant leg. "Don't you see, Sarah? You and I are different. Some people think we're evil. For all we know, the Klan might attack us."

"No!" Benjamin's book thudded to the floor as he leaped to his feet. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Mama." He curled his hands into fists. "Or Aunt Sarah, either. Why can't people just leave us alone?"

Sarah looked at him intently. "Have you heard anyone talking about us, Benjamin?"

Benjamin's flush showed through his tan complexion. "Some of the boys at school." "What did they say?" Sarah asked. Benjamin looked to his mother to the window to the floor. Sarah stood and walked over to him. She put a finger under his jaw and raised his head until his eyes met hers. "This isn't the time to be embarrassed. We know the words aren't yours. Tell us what you've heard."

"Some say you're strange for wearing trousers. And they say Mama's strange, too, for acting like you're her husband."

"What makes them think your mama acts like I'm her husband?"

Benjamin stuffed his hands in his trouser pockets. "Because of the way she looks at you, I guess. And the way you look at her." He hesitated. "Like you care about each other."

Sarah took a quick glance toward Faith. "And that's a bad thing? To care about someone?"

He pushed up one shoulder. "I told them it isn't. But some of them are really dumb."

Sarah put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. "Thank you for trying to make them understand. But we have to accept that some people never will. Even grown-ups. How about going outside, before it gets real dark, and doing the evening walk-around to check the house?"

"Yes, ma'am." Benjamin looked relieved to leave.

Sarah returned to her seat. She placed her spectacles back on the side table and reached an arm around Faith. "So you think we should be worried?"

Faith snuggled closer and laid her hand on Sarah's waist. "I don't know, but we should at least be aware. You keep your ears open whenever you're in town, and I'll keep mine open at school. Sometimes children hear things at home and gossip about them."

"Who are we hurting, Faith?"

Faith patted Sarah's stomach. "No one, but that doesn't matter to bigots. Anyone who doesn't fit their mold is automatically wrong. We can try to be even more discreet, but I doubt that will make any difference. Let's just hope they leave us alone."

"Maybe we can learn some more about the Klan at the town council meeting next week. Perhaps find out if there are plans to put a stop to any activities around here." "Good idea." Faith lifted her head, and when Sarah gave her a light kiss, she smiled. "I love that you're so predictable."

"Don't expect me to be so predictable at the council meeting."