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“I am Hattie Wilson. Most of you know me from the café down the street. I want to thank Miz Boyle for sharing her story. Mine isn’t that bad, but until my husband died a couple of months ago, there were nights when I wished he would drink one more shot of whiskey and never wake up.

Like Miz Edith said, most men treat us like we are property, and that’s because for the most part, that’s the way it’s been in the past. And it’s what we’ve been taught to believe since we were little girls.

Learn to cook and take care of babies so that we will be good wives.

Obey your husband. Even the wedding vows say to honor and obey.

I appreciate the women in the bigger cities who marched and fought for our right to hold property and hold on to our own money after we are married.

But that’s not enough. Even in small towns and communities, we need to remember to do our part.

I don’t attend church, but I’ll be praying that none of you lose your courage on Sunday morning.

And those of you who aren’t married or don’t have fiancés, please do what you can in supporting those who do. ”

The next round of applause came close to bringing down the roof, and then several women came up to the table to give Lily a hug and write their names on the refreshment list. Her hands trembled and her chest felt tight, but saying her piece publicly—even if she did skirt the whole truth a little about the Paradise—was more liberating than she’d ever thought it might be.

Until that very day, only Lily’s mother, Miz Raven, and the six women she had befriended at the brothel knew what she just told the whole crowd.

When the store was finally empty, she backed up and eased down onto the sofa.

Daisy sat beside her and patted her on the shoulder.

“That took courage. I’ll try to work up enough to tell my story another week, but I’m proud of you for opening the door for others to talk about whatever is buried down deep in their hearts. ”

Lily held her hands tightly in her lap. “A big, tall woman like me shouldn’t be shaking in her shoes. I should be fearless and able to lead the troops into battle without any sign of weakness.”

“How tall or short, how thin or heavy, or even what color a woman’s hair or skin is doesn’t matter,” Daisy assured her.

“We all have basically the same size heart, and that was where your speech came from today. We need to hear from our sisters in this war. It gives us what we need to face the battles and not turn tail and run.”

“Thanks for that,” Lily muttered.

“Let’s walk down to Beulah’s and buy a pie to celebrate our first meeting going so well,” Daisy suggested.

“I could go for that,” Lily said as she stood up.

Daisy looped her arm through Lily’s and led her outside. She stopped long enough to lock the door. “There. Now we don’t have to come back at any certain time.”

“And besides, we are booked solid for the next couple of months with Sally Anne’s wedding and whatever dresses we can make to go in Beulah’s store,” Lily said. “Did Sally Anne surprise you—even a little?”

“Oh, hell no!” Daisy said. “She didn’t just surprise me. She blew me away. That woman is no shrinking little wallflower like the judge probably thinks she is.”

“What makes you say such a thing?” Lily asked.

“She’s too independent to have stuck to the rules. I can just feel it in my bones,” Daisy answered.

They reached the general store at the same time Elijah did. “Hello, ladies,” he said and held the door open for them. “I heard y’all had quite the ladies’ meeting at your shop today and”—he lowered his voice—“that you put Frannie in her place on Independence Day.”

“Gossip travels fast,” Lily said. “It’s only been half an hour since the meeting broke up.”

“Yes, ma’am, rumors do get through the air in a flash—kind of like lightning.

But y’all all need to remember that the thunder that follows can be loud.

I hear there’s some menfolk who are not happy with your meeting—and some of the women, like Gertrude Abernathy, who is on a soapbox about you two coming into town and causing trouble.

” Elijah’s expression left no doubt that he was serious.

“We didn’t expect all the women to stand by us,” Lily said. The euphoria she had felt earlier seemed to dissipate.

“Well, a lot of them are willing to follow y’all and Beulah. One of the men came by the wagon yard and told me that a few women went home from the meeting and told their husbands what’s coming next Sunday. Looks like the first shot has been fired for the upcoming war.”

“Afternoon,” Beulah said from behind the counter. “What can I do for all y’all?”

“We need a pie,” Lily said. “I can actually feel the tension in the air.”

“I need a couple of pounds of sugar-cured ham,” Elijah answered. “There is a strange feeling in town. Like the whole place is sitting on a powder keg and somebody lit the fuse. Y’all ladies have plumb stirred up a hornet’s nest.”

“I agree, and somebody might get stung, but it’s got to be done,” Beulah said with a nod.

“I feel it, too, but back to business. I’ve got the ham, but Hattie bought my last four pies on her way back to the café.

You could probably buy a slice down at her place if they haven’t all been sold already. ”

Lily was suddenly starving, even though she had eaten two bowls of potato soup for lunch. “Got any cookies or muffins?” she asked.

“Got plenty of those,” Beulah answered and headed toward the back of the store. “I’ll get that ham wrapped up for you, Elijah. Why are you buying so much?”

“Got a hankering for it.” He laid a loaf of bread and several tomatoes on the counter. “I figure I’ll have it for breakfast, dinner, and supper until it runs completely out. Then I’ll be tired of it and get me some beef.”

“I’m a habitual eater, too,” Beulah said as she wrapped up the ham. “Want some butter while you are here? One of the ladies in town brought in half a dozen pounds of sweet butter last week to trade for flour and sugar. I’ve kept it in the icebox, so it’s still fresh tasting.”

“Matt brought me a couple of pounds, so I’m good there. Got mine in the icebox, too,” Elijah answered. “Whoever invented them things was a very smart man, but I wish the deliveryman would come more often than once every two weeks.”

For a moment Lily wondered about the butter. The Maguires were sheep herders, not cattlemen, weren’t they? But then she remembered hearing that they were almost self-sufficient out there on their ranch. That must mean they kept a few heads of cattle for milk and beef.

Beulah nodded. “At least in the winter, we can freeze it ourselves by setting a panful out in the backyard each evening.”

Elijah stood by and raised his voice. “I don’t even bother with that. I just clean off a shelf in the storage barn and keep everything in there. I tried freezing in pans, but I got tired of dealing with the bugs that got in it.”

“Smart idea,” Beulah agreed, “if you’ve got a place like that that stays cold. Want me to put this on your bill?”

“Yep, and I’ll be in the first of next month to settle up like I always do,” he said with a nod.

“I reckon you and these two newcomers are going to take a lot of the blame for all this hoorah that’s going on in town already.

Preacher Tobias is furious, and I heard that Joshua Jones got wind of what went on, too.

He says that he will refuse to preach if that happens in his church, but I reckon that would be a blessing.

” He laughed so hard that tears rolled down his round cheeks.

Daisy giggled, and Lily laughed out loud. Soon they were all guffawing along with Elijah.

“How did they find out so quick?” Beulah asked, just as lightning flashed outside and thunder rolled in the distance.

“News travels fast in this town, no matter if it’s bad or good.

I’ve never seen so many storms around here at this time of year, both the kind that come out of the sky and the ones that fly out of homes,” Elijah said.

“Most usually in July, you ain’t able to beg, borrow, or steal a breeze until fall comes around.

But now you womenfolk have stirred up a pure old gale that is going to put the War Between the States to shame.

Why, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that the end days are just around the corner. ”

Beulah sat down in her chair behind the counter. “Seems more like the good Lord is sending a message to all the men in town, trying to tell them that the storm that’s coming will bring big changes. And the only end they’re going to see is the one that makes them treat women more fairly.”

Elijah picked up his purchase and took a step toward the door.

“I’m glad I ain’t got a woman, and that my kinfolks out on the sheep ranch ain’t got the problems that these town men have got”—he lowered his voice to a whisper—“y’all need to know if the going gets tough, I’ll do what I can for you ladies.

” He stepped back and let Edith enter the store before he went on outside.

“Thank you,” Beulah said and waited until he was outside before she focused on Lily, Daisy, and Edith. “Y’all come on back here behind the counter and sit down a spell.”

“Do you really think there will be a violent reaction?” Daisy asked as she rounded the end of the counter and took a seat.

“Honey, men have the notion that they are big, mean, and smart. They will fight back in some way if the women stand together in church,” Beulah replied.

“You don’t think the husbands and fiancés will abuse the ladies, do you?” Daisy asked with worry in her voice.

“They had better not!” Edith declared.

Lily could almost feel Jimmy’s hands around her throat and his fists pounding into her thighs to force her to spread her legs. Her chest tightened, and her breath came out in short gasps.

Beulah touched her on the arm. “Are you all right? You went pale. Would a shot of whiskey help?”

Lily took a hankie from her purse and wiped the sweat from her face. “I didn’t think things would progress this fast—but yes, it would help.”

Beulah stood up and started across the room. “With or without iced tea?”

“Maybe just ice water, please,” Lily muttered.

“I’ll have a glass of cold water, too,” Edith said.

“After the empowering speeches we heard, I’m not a bit surprised that some of the women had enough courage to go home and tell their men what was coming, and I’m glad the news is spreading around town.

That will give the women time to set their heels and the men a chance to realize that they mean what they say. ”

Daisy scooted over closer to Lily. “Would a cold cloth help?”

Lily shook her head. “I’ll be fine. I’m just being a big baby. I guess standing up in front of those women and saying my piece brought back a flood of horrible memories.”

“I dropped by the bank and told my husband. Rumors are already spreading over town like wildfire—but then, when a bunch of women get together, what can anyone expect?” Edith said.

“What did your husband say?” Daisy asked.

“He’s not a bit happy, but after forty years, he knows not to cross me when my mind is made up. And Gertrude Abernathy was in the bank and told me that she is forming a group made up of women who aren’t interested in what we’re trying to do.”

“I wasn’t expecting backlash until tomorrow or maybe even later.” Beulah handed a glass of cold water to Lily, but before she could even lower herself into the one empty chair, the door flew open and Sally Anne rushed inside.

“Aunt Edith, have you heard the news? I was at Hattie’s when the doctor came in and told us that Preacher Jones is dead. He dropped with a heart attack right after our meeting. Is it wrong of me to be happy for Alma?” Sally Anne gasped.

Edith wrapped her arms around her niece. “No, it’s not wrong.”

“Well, how about that?” Beulah chuckled. “Sometimes I guess the good Lord answers prayers after all.”

“Beulah!” Edith scolded. “It’s ugly to speak ill of the dead.”

“Then write ugly in big red letters on a sign and hang it around my neck. Alma and those little girls have suffered too much already. Maybe now they can have a decent life,” she declared. “Sally Anne, can I get you something to drink?”

“Ice water would be wonderful. Thank you.”

Lily held her glass against her forehead before she took a sip.

“Sally Anne, you drag up a chair,” Beulah said. “You might as well sit a spell with the rest of us—and besides, those black clouds are most likely going to dump rain on us.”

Lily wondered if she had somehow had a premonition that Alma’s abusive husband was going to be struck down dead. Could it be why she’d gone pale and felt like the world shifted beneath her?

Edith settled in her chair, but Sally Anne was pacing the floor when Alma came through the door.

Both little girls were with her, and she was weeping uncontrollably.

Beulah jumped to her feet and handed her the glass she had been drinking from.

She led her back to the chair and gave Abbie and Elsie each a lollipop.

“You girls go on to the kitchen and ...”

“I’ll go with them,” Daisy offered.

“Thank you,” Alma managed to get out before more sobs racked her body.

Finally, she took a deep breath and dried her eyes.

“I knew he would be angry when I got back home, but he was beyond that. He jerked his belt off and began whipping all three of us, yelling and screaming that he would teach me and the girls that women did not get out of their place. He said that he would see me dead rather than let me go back to another meeting. Then he just fell over on the floor in front of the stove. His eyes rolled back in his head, and I told the girls to go to their room and not come out. I ran out of the house and found the doctor in the saloon. He said that Joshua died from a heart attack. I think he died because of what I told y’all just before I left the meeting. ”

“About dreaming that you killed him?” Beulah asked.

Alma nodded. “Did I do this?”

“No, darlin’,” Edith said. “You did not. If dreams come true, we would all be in trouble.”

Lily nodded in agreement and wondered if her former fiancé was still alive. If so, she hoped that he was somewhere far away and married to a woman who gave him hell at every turn.