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admitted.
    “Because of how you handlin’ all the black people on the plantation,” Annie observed. It wasn’t a question.
    “Yes.”
    Annie thought that over for a few moments. “Somebody gonna buy them horses,” she said stoutly.
    “That’s what Moses said.” Robert took another sip of coffee in between bites of his biscuit. His eyes roamed out to the field where the foals, enjoying the cool of the morning, were prancing and running, their tails head high. He smiled. He never tired of watching them at play.
    “You figure he’s right?” Annie pressed.
    “I want to believe him,” Robert answered carefully. He had thought of Moses’ certainty last night while he had struggled to sleep, but he couldn’t honestly say he shared it.
    “You figure it’s best to just worry about it,” Annie said blandly, her eyes kind as she watched him closely.
    Robert thought about the conclusion he had come to just before he finally drifted off to sleep. “I figure it won’t do any good to worry, but it would be dishonest to say I truly believe it will all work out. I’m going to make sure those foals are well trained. What happens after that is not something I can control. I’m only going to focus on what I can do and then see what happens.”
    Annie smiled. “You’re a good man, Robert Borden. You just keep movin’ forward. I predict you gonna be real surprised one of these days.”
    Clattering feet ended their conversation. Robert grinned as John and Felicia burst through the door, followed moments later by Moses and Rose. Evidently, nine-month-old Hope was still sleeping. He had heard her crying late into the night, but it was the fatigue on Rose’s face that really tipped him off. Moses didn’t look much better. Both of them reached eagerly for the coffee Annie held out to them.
    “Hi, Mr. Robert!” John crowed as he leapt up into Robert’s lap and wrapped his chubby arms around his neck.
    Robert laughed as he managed to set down his coffee cup just in time for the assault. “Good morning, John.” He was constantly amazed that a four-year-old could be so huge. He was definitely his daddy’s son.
    “I’m going to work with my daddy today,” John proclaimed importantly.
    Robert smiled. There were not many mornings that John didn’t ride through the fields tucked in front of Moses in his saddle. “You’re going to be too big for that pretty soon.”
    John frowned and turned around to eye Moses. “Is he right, Daddy? Am I going to be too big to go to work with you?” His ebony eyes seemed to darken even more with worry.
    Moses took a drink of coffee, closing his eyes briefly as the first swallow slid down his throat. “You’ll never be too old to work with me, son,” he promised. “But,” he continued, “Robert is right that soon you’ll be too big to ride in the saddle with me.” His face held a faint hint of amazement that it was true.
    “What will we do?” John demanded. He turned around to stare at Rose. “You have to fix this, Mama.” His little voice sounded almost imperial.
    Rose smiled and knelt down in front of him. “When you want something, John, you have to ask for it. Not demand it.”
    John stared at her, but the worried look didn’t disappear from his face. “Mama, will you please fix this?” he implored. “I have to go to work with Daddy every day!”
    Rose glanced up at Moses. “Will you please put this little boy out of his misery?”
    Moses grinned and exchanged a look with Robert. At just that moment, there was a knock on the front door. Robert lifted John and set him down on the floor.
    “Is it here?” ten-year-old Felicia asked eagerly, her eyes flashing with excitement.
    “Is what here, Fe-Fe?” John demanded, advancing on her. “Do you know something I don’t?”
    “I just might,” Felicia teased, her eyes dancing. She looked over John’s shoulders at Robert. “Is it time?”
    “I believe it is,” Robert agreed, not able to stop the smile that spread