Read Online Underground Captive by Elisabeth-Cristine Analise - Free Book Online
Authors: Elisabeth-Cristine Analise
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Blossom."
"How?" Charles asked.
"Ye'll have to restrain Williams somewhere on Crescent Wood's grounds. The night the boat comes, he'll do whatever it is he does when the boat docks. We'll take it from there."
"You can't make me," Williams protested. "They'll kill me if they find out I helped trap them."
Charles drew his small pistol. "Do it, Monsieur , or die now!" he barked.
"They'll never know ye helped trap them because ye'll be arrested along with them," Jared assured him. "They'll never know, that is, unless ye tell them."
"Look, Mister Duplantier, I didn't mean no harm," Williams explained, desperation creeping into his voice. "Them nigras is resourceful. They ain't starvin'. They been ketchin' fish and diggin' up them crawfish and ketchin' Cowans. I'd never let them starve."
"If they were allowed to keep the food I issued to them, they wouldn't have to use precious time fishing and digging crawfish and running down turtles. They would be in the fields doing their chores. Come, Monsieur Williams. We'll escort you to the manor," Charles declared, looking at Jared. "The only place I can keep him is in a small bedchamber. I have no place else."
Jared shrugged. "Ye don't have to explain to me, Charles. This is yer plantation. Ye know what's best."
4
Nicki insisted on touring Crescent Wood with Charles and Jared. Seeing this as the perfect time to observe Nicki and Jared together, Charles agreed to let her tag along. Mounted and ready to ride, he remembered an appointment with Monsieur Montage, his factor.
" Mon dieu ! I have completely forgotten! How could I have overlooked such an important appointment?"
"What appointment, PaPa?"
"I have a meeting with Monsieur Montage in the city in less than two hours to discuss the price of my crops."
"I'll be more than happy to show Monsieur Fleming around."
" Mon ami , what can I say?" Charles’s lack of memory embarrassed him. "Will you accept Nicki as your guide?"
Jared smiled at Nicki. "'Twould be an honor to have so lovely a guide." Nicki’s eyes locked with Jared’s, disturbing, bewitching. ”PaPa, will you
return to Crescent Wood today?"
"If at all possible, ma petit . Now, see to the comfort of our guest."
"Of course, PaPa."
Charles turned to Jared. "Forgive me, Jared. This is unavoidable. I bid you au revoir for now. I'd best fetch Odessa while I'm going to the city," he said in a tone that required no answer, steering his horse away.
"Shall we begin our ride, Monsieur Fleming?"
Jared nodded and they started off. "How big is Crescent Wood?" he asked as Nicollette pointed out the kitchen house, the icehouse, and the milk house.
"Eight thousand acres. Fields take up three quarters of the land. The cotton fields begin a half mile west and the cane fields begin a half mile east of here."
Jared's glance roamed in every direction. "The manor is directly in between?"
" Oui ."
He nodded to the pathway they rode on. "Where does this path lead?"
"The cotton fields."
Jared merely grumbled. Reaching the cotton fields, he saw the slaves bent to
their strenuous tasks, baskets at their sides. The driver sat in his saddle under the shade of an oak. With some effort, Jared kept a rush of sudden anger in
"How?" Charles asked.
"Ye'll have to restrain Williams somewhere on Crescent Wood's grounds. The night the boat comes, he'll do whatever it is he does when the boat docks. We'll take it from there."
"You can't make me," Williams protested. "They'll kill me if they find out I helped trap them."
Charles drew his small pistol. "Do it, Monsieur , or die now!" he barked.
"They'll never know ye helped trap them because ye'll be arrested along with them," Jared assured him. "They'll never know, that is, unless ye tell them."
"Look, Mister Duplantier, I didn't mean no harm," Williams explained, desperation creeping into his voice. "Them nigras is resourceful. They ain't starvin'. They been ketchin' fish and diggin' up them crawfish and ketchin' Cowans. I'd never let them starve."
"If they were allowed to keep the food I issued to them, they wouldn't have to use precious time fishing and digging crawfish and running down turtles. They would be in the fields doing their chores. Come, Monsieur Williams. We'll escort you to the manor," Charles declared, looking at Jared. "The only place I can keep him is in a small bedchamber. I have no place else."
Jared shrugged. "Ye don't have to explain to me, Charles. This is yer plantation. Ye know what's best."
4
Nicki insisted on touring Crescent Wood with Charles and Jared. Seeing this as the perfect time to observe Nicki and Jared together, Charles agreed to let her tag along. Mounted and ready to ride, he remembered an appointment with Monsieur Montage, his factor.
" Mon dieu ! I have completely forgotten! How could I have overlooked such an important appointment?"
"What appointment, PaPa?"
"I have a meeting with Monsieur Montage in the city in less than two hours to discuss the price of my crops."
"I'll be more than happy to show Monsieur Fleming around."
" Mon ami , what can I say?" Charles’s lack of memory embarrassed him. "Will you accept Nicki as your guide?"
Jared smiled at Nicki. "'Twould be an honor to have so lovely a guide." Nicki’s eyes locked with Jared’s, disturbing, bewitching. ”PaPa, will you
return to Crescent Wood today?"
"If at all possible, ma petit . Now, see to the comfort of our guest."
"Of course, PaPa."
Charles turned to Jared. "Forgive me, Jared. This is unavoidable. I bid you au revoir for now. I'd best fetch Odessa while I'm going to the city," he said in a tone that required no answer, steering his horse away.
"Shall we begin our ride, Monsieur Fleming?"
Jared nodded and they started off. "How big is Crescent Wood?" he asked as Nicollette pointed out the kitchen house, the icehouse, and the milk house.
"Eight thousand acres. Fields take up three quarters of the land. The cotton fields begin a half mile west and the cane fields begin a half mile east of here."
Jared's glance roamed in every direction. "The manor is directly in between?"
" Oui ."
He nodded to the pathway they rode on. "Where does this path lead?"
"The cotton fields."
Jared merely grumbled. Reaching the cotton fields, he saw the slaves bent to
their strenuous tasks, baskets at their sides. The driver sat in his saddle under the shade of an oak. With some effort, Jared kept a rush of sudden anger in
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