Chapter Nine
The shifting sound of someone adding more wood to the fire woke her. Lucretia cracked her eyes open. It was a young black woman, not Cassandra, darker and much more petite. Lucretia pulled herself out of the blankets a little further. There was a large kettle of water hanging over the blaze. A basin and pitcher had been placed on the wash stand by the window along with a clean face cloth and towel.
“Hello,” Lucy said when the girl looked up and saw herself being watched.
She answered with a smile.
“I’m Lucy,” Lucretia whispered. “What’s your name?”
The girl shook her head and put her one hand over her mouth and then touched her ears. She touched her lips again and shook her head a second time. “You cannot speak? You’re a mute?” The girl nodded.
Turning her back to Luc
