Read Online The Pull Of Freedom by Brenda Barrett - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Brenda Barrett
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he saw them coming.
“These stupid slaves do not know how to behave,” Serena said looking at Kes.
“Do you have any slaves Sir Kesington?” Hilga asked quickly.
Kes almost laughed aloud at her expression. No he didn't have slaves, he was once a slave, now he is a maroon.
“No I don't,” Kes answered sternly, “man should not be shackled to serve. He should work of his own free will and get paid for it.”
“I suspected you thought so,” Serena sighed, “I told my husband that there was no possibility that we could convince you to change your mind and give you half the money if you overlook our slave ownership.”
“Well …” Kes said, pretending that he was thinking, the wig that he had donned upon coming into the house was scratching him fiercely. Why did they shackle themselves to this ridiculous fashion?
“Well what?” Hilma snapped. She was not the most patient of women obviously. He felt slightly sorry for the old bugger she was marrying.
“Well, I could overlook it, if you freed all the slaves and paid them a salary if they wanted to stay on.” Kes was thinking fast. This was a golden opportunity, it would probably signal the end of slavery on their plantation.
“No, never,” Serena said impatiently, “they would laugh us off this island—paying slaves.”
“They would be free,” Kes said patiently, “and you would still be getting their services.”
“They are not really human,” Hilga said hesitantly, “it would be like letting animals loose.”
Kes felt his temper rising, his head thrummed and he felt like pummelling Hilga. So that meant that he was half human. He tried to calm down.
He cleared his throat, “I do not hold that view Miss Brathwaite.”
Hilga looked down at the ground timidly. The slave who was polishing the silver gave him a fleeting smile.
He smiled back.
Serena saw that he was not amused and quickly showed him upstairs; he mentally took note of every item that he wanted for himself and for the maroon community.
Kes found Ibo in the stables brushing the mane of the horses.
“My good man, may I have a word.” Kes said for the benefit of the other men who were in the stable brushing down horses. The conversation had stopped abruptly when he entered the high roofed building made of logs. It was large and airy; the horses were obviously well cared for.
“Yes sar Massa sar,” Ibo got up quickly from his seat on the ground and followed him outside, he bowed low and winked at Kes.
“Tell Nanny,” Kes whispered, “that I'm invited to stay here for a week but I will only stay for three days.” He straightened up and looked around, there was an overseer on horseback heading towards them; he had a squealing slave girl in front of him.
“No Sar no,” the girl squealed her coffee coloured face was screwed in consternation and tears streamed down her face.
Ibo stood still, his eyes ablaze.
Kes glanced at him and then looked at the overseer who was dragging the girl from the horse.
“What has the poor girl done?” Kes asked.
“Girl?” The overseer shouted, “this heifer wasn't present at roll call this morning, when I went to find her, she was holed up in her cabin proclaiming sickness. I'm going to give her four lashes for her impertinence.”
He grabbed a whip that was hung on the side of the stable and holding the girl by her hair he proceeded to lash her.
Kes and Ibo looked on with varying degrees of anger. If Kes intervened his cover could be blown, if Ibo intervened he would be whipped as well and probably killed.
The loud screams emanating from the girl drew the attention of Hilga.
She came around to the stable her polka dotted face alive with interest.
“Leave her Morton,” she said to the overseer smugly.
Morton who had raised his hand to deliver another blow stilled. His face which was red with anger, paled. He dropped the slave girl and the whip on top of her.
Kes swung around to see a grinning Hilga.
“Hello there Sir
“These stupid slaves do not know how to behave,” Serena said looking at Kes.
“Do you have any slaves Sir Kesington?” Hilga asked quickly.
Kes almost laughed aloud at her expression. No he didn't have slaves, he was once a slave, now he is a maroon.
“No I don't,” Kes answered sternly, “man should not be shackled to serve. He should work of his own free will and get paid for it.”
“I suspected you thought so,” Serena sighed, “I told my husband that there was no possibility that we could convince you to change your mind and give you half the money if you overlook our slave ownership.”
“Well …” Kes said, pretending that he was thinking, the wig that he had donned upon coming into the house was scratching him fiercely. Why did they shackle themselves to this ridiculous fashion?
“Well what?” Hilma snapped. She was not the most patient of women obviously. He felt slightly sorry for the old bugger she was marrying.
“Well, I could overlook it, if you freed all the slaves and paid them a salary if they wanted to stay on.” Kes was thinking fast. This was a golden opportunity, it would probably signal the end of slavery on their plantation.
“No, never,” Serena said impatiently, “they would laugh us off this island—paying slaves.”
“They would be free,” Kes said patiently, “and you would still be getting their services.”
“They are not really human,” Hilga said hesitantly, “it would be like letting animals loose.”
Kes felt his temper rising, his head thrummed and he felt like pummelling Hilga. So that meant that he was half human. He tried to calm down.
He cleared his throat, “I do not hold that view Miss Brathwaite.”
Hilga looked down at the ground timidly. The slave who was polishing the silver gave him a fleeting smile.
He smiled back.
Serena saw that he was not amused and quickly showed him upstairs; he mentally took note of every item that he wanted for himself and for the maroon community.
Kes found Ibo in the stables brushing the mane of the horses.
“My good man, may I have a word.” Kes said for the benefit of the other men who were in the stable brushing down horses. The conversation had stopped abruptly when he entered the high roofed building made of logs. It was large and airy; the horses were obviously well cared for.
“Yes sar Massa sar,” Ibo got up quickly from his seat on the ground and followed him outside, he bowed low and winked at Kes.
“Tell Nanny,” Kes whispered, “that I'm invited to stay here for a week but I will only stay for three days.” He straightened up and looked around, there was an overseer on horseback heading towards them; he had a squealing slave girl in front of him.
“No Sar no,” the girl squealed her coffee coloured face was screwed in consternation and tears streamed down her face.
Ibo stood still, his eyes ablaze.
Kes glanced at him and then looked at the overseer who was dragging the girl from the horse.
“What has the poor girl done?” Kes asked.
“Girl?” The overseer shouted, “this heifer wasn't present at roll call this morning, when I went to find her, she was holed up in her cabin proclaiming sickness. I'm going to give her four lashes for her impertinence.”
He grabbed a whip that was hung on the side of the stable and holding the girl by her hair he proceeded to lash her.
Kes and Ibo looked on with varying degrees of anger. If Kes intervened his cover could be blown, if Ibo intervened he would be whipped as well and probably killed.
The loud screams emanating from the girl drew the attention of Hilga.
She came around to the stable her polka dotted face alive with interest.
“Leave her Morton,” she said to the overseer smugly.
Morton who had raised his hand to deliver another blow stilled. His face which was red with anger, paled. He dropped the slave girl and the whip on top of her.
Kes swung around to see a grinning Hilga.
“Hello there Sir
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