Read Online The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sandra Dallas
Tags: Fiction, Historical
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studied on it, while Welcome brought a pie to the table and, using a butcher knife, cut it into slices.
“What’s that?’ Addie asked.
“Custard pie. She said you wanted it.” Welcome pointed at Emma with the knife, then slid it under the pie and dished up the dessert onto the dirty plates. Addie wondered whether she should ask for clean dinnerware, but she didn’t want Welcome to chide her about putting on airs. She held her fork awkwardly as she cut a piece of her pie that was steeped in gravy.
“Maybe you say you found you a farm to buy, a good one,” Welcome said as she licked the sharp knife.
Emma ate slowly, thinking. “John trusts my judgment on land, but I don’t know if he’d buy me a farm.”
Welcome snorted. The three looked at her as she set the knife on the table and pulled out a chair and sat down. “I guess I’m better at figuring than you white folks. You tell him you found good land, and you’ll pay up half iff’n he’ll put up the other half. All he has to do is send you the money.”
Emma’s mouth fell open. “Why, that might work. Yes, I think that would work.”
Ned looked to Addie, who studied Welcome, wondering whether the black woman was just smart or if she had a little larceny in her. Then she realized that Welcome must be on the run from the law, just like Ned. She’d come to Nalgitas because it was a safe place to hide. She wondered what Welcome’s game was. “How come you know so much about cheating people?” Addie asked her.
Welcome studied Addie for a long time, then replied, “I got my reasons. I wouldn’t ask about them. No sir, I would not.”
Addie decided Welcome’s reasons could wait for another time. Addie nodded at Ned. “It might work.”
Ned looked skeptical. “Your brother would turn over the money just like that, just for the asking?”
Emma frowned. “That’s the question, isn’t it? And I don’t know the answer for certain.” She spoke slowly, as if she were thinking out loud. “John doesn’t really believe he cheated me, and he doesn’t know how much I hate him. He always trusted my judgment before.”
“Wouldn’t he want to see the land for himself?” Ned asked.
“It’s harvest time. He wouldn’t want to leave. And I don’t believe it’s in John to think his own sister would cheat him.” She looked up and smiled at Ned, then at Addie. “I think it’s worth a try.”
Ned grinned back. “Hell, why not ask him for ten thousand dollars while you’re at it?”
“No, John would never agree to that. Besides, five thousand is mine. It wouldn’t be right to cheat my brother out of what’s his.”
“No?” Addie asked.
“It wouldn’t be right,” she repeated. There was an edge to her voice that surprised Addie.
“How about fifty-five hundred, then. You get five thousand. Ned and I can get five hundred for helping you out. It’s only right, what with me taking you in like I did. Seems like he wouldn’t mind paying for that.” Addie smiled at Ned, who beamed at her in admiration.
Welcome stood up and tightened her apron strings. She picked up the dirty plates, balanced the butcher knife on top of them, and started for the dishpan. Then she stopped. “I guess you better make that fifty-seven fifty, so’s I get my cut, too.” She turned and gave Addie a lopsided grin, but Addie could see the woman was dead serious.
Addie smiled back. She felt better about Welcome now that she understood her.
Welcome had gone out back to the chicken coop where she slept, but the other three were still at the table when Miss Belle and Miss Tillie returned. The two boarders went through the front door and down the hallway to the kitchen, chattering. They stopped when they saw Emma.
“That’s the one,” Miss Tillie told Miss Belle. Miss Tillie was a sizeable girl, short with orange hair and freckles that she powdered over with flour, and she was so bowlegged, she couldn’t pen a pig in a ditch. “I knew she was here last
“What’s that?’ Addie asked.
“Custard pie. She said you wanted it.” Welcome pointed at Emma with the knife, then slid it under the pie and dished up the dessert onto the dirty plates. Addie wondered whether she should ask for clean dinnerware, but she didn’t want Welcome to chide her about putting on airs. She held her fork awkwardly as she cut a piece of her pie that was steeped in gravy.
“Maybe you say you found you a farm to buy, a good one,” Welcome said as she licked the sharp knife.
Emma ate slowly, thinking. “John trusts my judgment on land, but I don’t know if he’d buy me a farm.”
Welcome snorted. The three looked at her as she set the knife on the table and pulled out a chair and sat down. “I guess I’m better at figuring than you white folks. You tell him you found good land, and you’ll pay up half iff’n he’ll put up the other half. All he has to do is send you the money.”
Emma’s mouth fell open. “Why, that might work. Yes, I think that would work.”
Ned looked to Addie, who studied Welcome, wondering whether the black woman was just smart or if she had a little larceny in her. Then she realized that Welcome must be on the run from the law, just like Ned. She’d come to Nalgitas because it was a safe place to hide. She wondered what Welcome’s game was. “How come you know so much about cheating people?” Addie asked her.
Welcome studied Addie for a long time, then replied, “I got my reasons. I wouldn’t ask about them. No sir, I would not.”
Addie decided Welcome’s reasons could wait for another time. Addie nodded at Ned. “It might work.”
Ned looked skeptical. “Your brother would turn over the money just like that, just for the asking?”
Emma frowned. “That’s the question, isn’t it? And I don’t know the answer for certain.” She spoke slowly, as if she were thinking out loud. “John doesn’t really believe he cheated me, and he doesn’t know how much I hate him. He always trusted my judgment before.”
“Wouldn’t he want to see the land for himself?” Ned asked.
“It’s harvest time. He wouldn’t want to leave. And I don’t believe it’s in John to think his own sister would cheat him.” She looked up and smiled at Ned, then at Addie. “I think it’s worth a try.”
Ned grinned back. “Hell, why not ask him for ten thousand dollars while you’re at it?”
“No, John would never agree to that. Besides, five thousand is mine. It wouldn’t be right to cheat my brother out of what’s his.”
“No?” Addie asked.
“It wouldn’t be right,” she repeated. There was an edge to her voice that surprised Addie.
“How about fifty-five hundred, then. You get five thousand. Ned and I can get five hundred for helping you out. It’s only right, what with me taking you in like I did. Seems like he wouldn’t mind paying for that.” Addie smiled at Ned, who beamed at her in admiration.
Welcome stood up and tightened her apron strings. She picked up the dirty plates, balanced the butcher knife on top of them, and started for the dishpan. Then she stopped. “I guess you better make that fifty-seven fifty, so’s I get my cut, too.” She turned and gave Addie a lopsided grin, but Addie could see the woman was dead serious.
Addie smiled back. She felt better about Welcome now that she understood her.
Welcome had gone out back to the chicken coop where she slept, but the other three were still at the table when Miss Belle and Miss Tillie returned. The two boarders went through the front door and down the hallway to the kitchen, chattering. They stopped when they saw Emma.
“That’s the one,” Miss Tillie told Miss Belle. Miss Tillie was a sizeable girl, short with orange hair and freckles that she powdered over with flour, and she was so bowlegged, she couldn’t pen a pig in a ditch. “I knew she was here last
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