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indignant about the Black Codes?”
    “She had every right,” Matthew said, anger flaring in his eyes, turning the blue almost black. “Abby, you asked me this morning what I meant when I agreed with Carrie that the war wasn’t over.”
    “And you told me you were afraid that Appomattox ended just one phase of the conflict. From everything you can tell, the Confederates have returned home and initiated a new struggle to maintain the political and social dominance they enjoyed during the war,” Abby replied.
    Robert, adding another log to the fire, spoke over his shoulder. “I’m thinking you must have concrete evidence of that because you’re not one to speak lightly.”
    Matthew nodded heavily. “I’m not surprised the news hasn’t reached the plantation. I also know how hard Thomas, Abby, and Jeremy have been working to open the factory. I shared part of this news with them before we came out for Christmas.”
    “We had been rather preoccupied,” Thomas admitted. “I’m almost ashamed the news came as a shock. Please tell everyone what is going on. I’d heard rumors around town, but I haven’t taken the time to stay current with everything in the country. I thought I was doing myself a favor after the constant pressures of political work, but now I’m afraid I’ve put myself and my family at a serious disadvantage because of my ignorance. Each person in this room needs to know the truth.”
    Abby reached over to squeeze his hand. “We’re all adults responsible for our own information,” she said softly. She turned back to Matthew. “Please don’t hold anything back. Now is not the time to protect us.”
    “All of you know President Johnson has allowed political conventions in the southern states to resume,” Matthew began.
    Carrie nodded, a resigned expression on her face. “I at least know that much… As far as I can tell, they have, for all intents and purposes, set up almost identical state governments to the ones that led us into secession. As much as I can sympathize with the southern aristocracy fighting to regain control, I fear Johnson is doing nothing but fostering the same attitudes and beliefs that led us into the war in the first place.”
    “Northern Republicans would agree with you,” Matthew answered.
    “I agree with my astute daughter. Rather an odd position for a southern politician to be in,” Thomas said, an amused twinkle in his troubled eyes.
    “I have a feeling that when all this is said and done, many rational southerners are going to find themselves aligned with northern Republicans,” Matthew said wryly. “The South is doing all they can to make sure that emancipation for the slaves does little to actually change things.”
    “The Black Codes.” Carrie said, leaning forward. “Please explain them.”
    Matthew nodded again and pulled some papers from his pockets. “Conventions in Mississippi, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida have already passed a form of Black Codes. I can assure you the other Confederate states will follow. Basically, it means they included language in their new state constitutions which instructed the legislature to guard them and their states against any evils that may arise from the sudden emancipation of the slaves.”
    “Can you be more specific?” Moses growled, his dark eyes flashing, his face a mixture of anger and pain.
    Matthew exchanged a long look with him before he opened the sheaf of papers he held. “I’ll read some of them in a minute, but the gist of their purpose is to restrict black people’s right to own property, conduct business, buy and lease land, and move freely through public spaces.” He paused, an anguished look in his eyes. “A central element of the Black Codes are the vagrancy laws. These states have mandated that a black who is not working is a criminal…” H is voice trailed off, his face saying he didn’t want to continue.
    “Just tell it to us straight, Matthew,” Moses said, his voice once