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Authors: Kathleen Grissom
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that promise. Until now.
C HAPTER S EVEN
Lavinia
A LTHOUGH THE HOUSE GUESTS STAYED for two more weeks, Belle and I were kept busy down in the kitchen house and had no further contact with them. One evening before they left, I overheard a conversation between Uncle Jacob and Belle. They were speaking of Miss Martha. “I don’t know what she gonna do when these holidays over,” said Uncle Jacob. “Her sista goin’ back, and the cap’n leave again. Miss Martha gonna take to her bed, that for sure. I don’t know what that man thinkin’, to leave that woman alone again.” According to Uncle, the cap’n had done this ever since he had brought her here as a bride, believing that she would take over running the plantation in the same way his mother had.
“He have his business in Philadelphia and Williamsburg,” Belle defended the captain.
“I knows this, Belle. But it long past time for him to stay here. Miss Martha don’t know nothin’ ’bout runnin’ this place. Every time he leave, Dory say she takin’ more and more of the drops. And Miss Martha don’t let that lil Sally outta her sight. The only one she trust that chil’ with is Dory,” Uncle said.
“She’s so afraid she’s gonna lose another one. Mama says Miss Martha’s not acting right ever since she lost that last baby,” Belle said.
“All I know is, it time for the cap’n to stay back and pay attention to what’s goin on ’round here. That Rankin no good down at the quarters, and for sure that tutor no good.”
“Is something wrong with the tutor?” Belle asked.
“There’s somethin’ not right with that man,” said Uncle.
“What are you saying?” asked Belle.
“Why the man needin’ to lock the door when he teachin’ the young masta about the books? What happenin’, I don’t know, but I hears the boy cryin’ more than once when I go past the door. I tell the cap’n, but he say to me that the young masta need to have some discipline, that it time for him to do book learnin’ so he can run this place when he grow up.”
Belle sighed.
“Time, too, for the cap’n to do somethin’ about you,” Uncle said.
“Well, I’m deciding I don’t want to go,” Belle said. “He’s just gonna have to talk to Miss Martha. Why he’s wanting to get me out of here now, I don’t know!”
“Belle, you gettin’ too old to stay. All along, Miss Martha thinkin’ you Mae’s girl,” Uncle said. “Now, when the cap’n comin’ down to the kitchen house, givin’ you the combs and ribbons, she wonderin’ what’s goin on. It time for him to give you the free papers. He right, Belle. It time for him to get you outta here.”
“Everybody’s always saying I got to go. But you all forget, this is my home! I’m gonna tell the cap’n I’m staying here, maybe even marry Ben.”
“Ben! You be careful.” Uncle Jacob’s voice was sharp. “Ever since you was lil you know the cap’n have other ideas for you.”
“I best close up for the night,” Belle replied, ending the conversation.
When Belle came up to bed, I crawled in beside her. She was turned away from me, but I knew she was crying, so I patted her back, as she often did mine. I was unsure, though, for it seemed that my efforts at comforting her only caused her to cry all the more.
W HEN THE HOUSEGUESTS LEFT, THE mistress surprised everyone with her continued good humor. The captain stayed home until mid-February, but this time, to everyone’s surprise, Miss Martha remained in good spirits after his departure. Before the captain left, he gave permission for Papa to bring Jimmy up to work with himin the barns, and Dory began to smile again. Increasingly, Miss Martha began to accept Fanny as an alternate caretaker for Miss Sally, leaving Dory free to spend more time with the mistress.
W E KNEW SPRING HAD BEGUN when the hens laid eggs and baby chicks hatched. I couldn’t have been more excited. Fanny, obliged to remain indoors with her charge, became
C HAPTER S EVEN
Lavinia
A LTHOUGH THE HOUSE GUESTS STAYED for two more weeks, Belle and I were kept busy down in the kitchen house and had no further contact with them. One evening before they left, I overheard a conversation between Uncle Jacob and Belle. They were speaking of Miss Martha. “I don’t know what she gonna do when these holidays over,” said Uncle Jacob. “Her sista goin’ back, and the cap’n leave again. Miss Martha gonna take to her bed, that for sure. I don’t know what that man thinkin’, to leave that woman alone again.” According to Uncle, the cap’n had done this ever since he had brought her here as a bride, believing that she would take over running the plantation in the same way his mother had.
“He have his business in Philadelphia and Williamsburg,” Belle defended the captain.
“I knows this, Belle. But it long past time for him to stay here. Miss Martha don’t know nothin’ ’bout runnin’ this place. Every time he leave, Dory say she takin’ more and more of the drops. And Miss Martha don’t let that lil Sally outta her sight. The only one she trust that chil’ with is Dory,” Uncle said.
“She’s so afraid she’s gonna lose another one. Mama says Miss Martha’s not acting right ever since she lost that last baby,” Belle said.
“All I know is, it time for the cap’n to stay back and pay attention to what’s goin on ’round here. That Rankin no good down at the quarters, and for sure that tutor no good.”
“Is something wrong with the tutor?” Belle asked.
“There’s somethin’ not right with that man,” said Uncle.
“What are you saying?” asked Belle.
“Why the man needin’ to lock the door when he teachin’ the young masta about the books? What happenin’, I don’t know, but I hears the boy cryin’ more than once when I go past the door. I tell the cap’n, but he say to me that the young masta need to have some discipline, that it time for him to do book learnin’ so he can run this place when he grow up.”
Belle sighed.
“Time, too, for the cap’n to do somethin’ about you,” Uncle said.
“Well, I’m deciding I don’t want to go,” Belle said. “He’s just gonna have to talk to Miss Martha. Why he’s wanting to get me out of here now, I don’t know!”
“Belle, you gettin’ too old to stay. All along, Miss Martha thinkin’ you Mae’s girl,” Uncle said. “Now, when the cap’n comin’ down to the kitchen house, givin’ you the combs and ribbons, she wonderin’ what’s goin on. It time for him to give you the free papers. He right, Belle. It time for him to get you outta here.”
“Everybody’s always saying I got to go. But you all forget, this is my home! I’m gonna tell the cap’n I’m staying here, maybe even marry Ben.”
“Ben! You be careful.” Uncle Jacob’s voice was sharp. “Ever since you was lil you know the cap’n have other ideas for you.”
“I best close up for the night,” Belle replied, ending the conversation.
When Belle came up to bed, I crawled in beside her. She was turned away from me, but I knew she was crying, so I patted her back, as she often did mine. I was unsure, though, for it seemed that my efforts at comforting her only caused her to cry all the more.
W HEN THE HOUSEGUESTS LEFT, THE mistress surprised everyone with her continued good humor. The captain stayed home until mid-February, but this time, to everyone’s surprise, Miss Martha remained in good spirits after his departure. Before the captain left, he gave permission for Papa to bring Jimmy up to work with himin the barns, and Dory began to smile again. Increasingly, Miss Martha began to accept Fanny as an alternate caretaker for Miss Sally, leaving Dory free to spend more time with the mistress.
W E KNEW SPRING HAD BEGUN when the hens laid eggs and baby chicks hatched. I couldn’t have been more excited. Fanny, obliged to remain indoors with her charge, became
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