by Renee' Irvin
Love,
Isabella
Jacqueline awoke to a man standing over her; it was Hoyt. Quickly, she rose up and saw another figure in the doorway. She did not recognize the man; he was tall and blond with a bone chilling smirk on his face. Her first thought was to try to get away and then a voice said, “Have you had the pleasure of meeting Jacqueline Rousseau, your uncle’s whore,” said Hoyt.
“No, I’ve heard much about Miss Rousseau, but never had the pleasure. My uncle sure has fine taste in women, wouldn’t you say, Hoyt?” asked Jacob Hartwell.
Jacqueline kept her eyes on Hoyt and then her eyes traveled to Jacob. She knew she had to get away. She wanted to run, scream, but she was frozen in fear and did not move.
Isabella had left her house, walking. She knew that if she took her buggy, she would be missed sooner, so she walked, hard and fast. She looked like a little waif, thin and pale, now in a sweat, scurrying down the street, crossing one sidewalk after another determined to have the endurance to make it to Jacqueline’s house. As Isabella walked she looked back behind her when, she heard a familiar voice. She looked angrily at Jesse, but even though he was fussing at her, she was grateful for a reason to rest.
Jesse jumped out of her carriage, took Isabella by the shoulder and said, “You ain’t going, you ain’t in no shape.”
“I am going, it ain’t none of your business. Now, get out of my way.”
“Priscilla said she had to change the sheets on your bed again this morning. There was too much blood on ‘em. Why you want to do this, don’t you care if you die?” Asked Jesse.
“I been thinking about Jacqueline ever since I opened my eyes this morning. I started this whole mess. Jesse, I heard Jules tell Hoyt that he could throw Jacqueline out of her house. That house is everything to her.” Isabella started to cry. “I know what it’s like to think day after day that you’re gonna be thrown out of your house with no where to go. You do too, that’s how we got here to begin with. And if this kills me, I don’t want to have whatever happens to Jacqueline on my conscience too. I care what happens to her,” said Isabella tears pouring down her cheeks.
Jesse removed a blanket from the back of the carriage and wrapped it around Isabella. He then helped her into the buggy and they headed toward Oglethorpe.
It seemed like hours had passed before Jacqueline was able to speak, but it had only been seconds. She uttered the words, “What do you want?”
“I want you never to forget me,” said Jacob Hartwell. He removed a kerchief from his pocket and proceeded to tie Jacqueline’s hands behind her back.
Jacqueline stared at Jacob. She remembered Priscilla’s words about a banker’s son that liked to tie up the girls. As Jacqueline watched, she thought there something familiar about him that reminded her of Mae Patterson but she didn’t know what it was.
Jacob leaned over, grabbed Jacqueline’s breast and ran both hands down the front of her gown. He ran his tongue along the side of her neck and kissed her hard on the mouth.
Jacqueline tossed her head back in rage, spit on Jacob and screamed, “I’ll kill you!”
“I don’t think she likes our company,” said Hoyt as he walked into the bedroom with a bottle of wine in his hand. “You want some of this wine?” he asked Jacob. “If not, there’s plenty of good Irish whiskey in there,” he said, gesturing toward the ornate liquor cabinet.
“Maybe later, I’ve other things planned for now,” said Jacob. He ran the sharp blade of a knife against Jacqueline’s cheek and said, “You’re gonna like what I’m fixing to do to you.”
“Please, I’ll give you anything you want. Just go and leave me alone,” cried Jacqueline. She managed to get one of her hands free and while Jacob unfastened his pants, Jacqueline reached under her mattress for her gun. She was afraid that Patrick had taken it when he left, but then as she groped, she felt the cold metal against her fingertips.
“You’re gonna get out of my uncle’s house, but not before I fuck you,” said Jacob.
“Allez au Diablo, you bastard,” she said holding the gun to Jacob’s head. “Mary, mother of Jesus, forgive me,” whispered Jacqueline.
Jacqueline looked up to the sounds of a woman screaming. It was Isabella. Jacqueline, with the gun shaking in her unsteady hands, turned to look at Isabella.
“Don’t do it, Jacqueline, please, he’s not worth it,” cried Isabella.
Jacqueline glanced at a steamer trunk across the room. Inside was the rosewood box; the one that contained the opium. She had used it ever since she was twelve. Now, she decided she would kill Jacob and then herself. Soon the pain would be over. The pain of the opium addiction and the pain of her life.
“What’s wrong, you can’t do it? Two worthless cowards. One a whore, the other my whore, and both my uncle’s whores,” laughed Jacob.
“Shut up, before I kill you myself!” screamed Isabella.
“A McCoy kill a Hartwell? I doubt that. You’re just like your daddy. He saw what I done to you and then he was going to kill me. But I hog tied him, slit his throat, let him bleed like a pig before I shot him. You didn’t know that, did you?” Jacob sneered.
In shock from what she just heard, Isabella lunged at Jacob. Jesse reached for Isabella, but she was already on top of Jacob before Jesse could stop her. Jacqueline jumped off the bed and ran to a corner. Isabella hit Jacob across the face and then he slapped her hard. Then the sound of a gunshot was heard. The room became still as white silk sheets became soaked with red blood. The last sounds that were heard from Jacob were loud moans and gurgling noises, then he collapsed. Stunned, Jesse jerked Isabella up from the bed, she was covered in blood.
Hoyt made a quick dash for the back door and ran wildly through the woods. It had started to thunder and the room turned dark and gray.
Jesse began to gather up any evidence of Isabella’s presence in the room. He instructed her to step out of her blood-splattered dress, placed it in a brown paper bag and quickly ordered her to change into one of Jacqueline’s dresses. Jesse glanced across the room and saw Jacqueline crouched down in the corner, her head between her legs rocking back and forth. Jesse knew in his gut that both women were losing their wits and he knew that he had to gather them and get out of there. He glanced at Jacob’s body and said, “We got ta get him out of here. Look, I’ll take care of him. While I’m gone, I want the two of you to get yourselves together. Jacqueline, d’ya have somewhere you can go fo’ a few days?”
Jacqueline glanced at Jesse and said, “Did you shoot him?”
“No! No, he didn’t shoot anybody,” Isabella cried. “The gun went off by accident.
“But—I thought, when Jacob slapped you, that was when Jesse went for him and then all I remember was my gun went off,” said Jacqueline.
“Of course, that’s all you remember. You had gone to the other side of the room and you had your back to us,” said Isabella.
Jacqueline looked at Isabella and then dropped her head and looked away. Jesse wrapped Jacob’s body in the blood-soaked sheet and then dragged it out into the back courtyard. Jesse quickly brought the carriage to the side of the house and lifted Jacob’s body in the back.
Annalee Hancock was taking her morning stroll when she saw Jesse hurriedly bring Isabella’s carriage around the side of Jacqueline’s house. She ran up the front steps and then crossed over the flower garden to peer into the courtyard. She saw Jesse lift the blood-soaked sheet wrapped around Jacob’s body into the back of the carriage. Annalee took her hands out of the front pockets of her white morning coat and placed them over her face in horror and disbelief. Then she began running toward Lucy Baker’s house.
Jesse rushed into the house and upstairs to the bedroom. He looked around and said to Isabella and Jacqueline, “I’ve got him in the carriage. I want you both be ready to get out of here when I get back. Anythin’ you need while I’m gone?”
“Kate,” whispered Isabella.
“Oh no,” said Jesse. “Mrs. Kate, she too old for you to dra
g her into this.”
“You think I’m crazy?” asked Isabella.
“Don’t make me answer dat,” said Jesse. “What you want Mrs. Kate for?”
“She’ll know of a safe place for Jacqueline to stay for a few days,” said Isabella.
Jesse shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t think we ought to drag Mrs. Kate into dis mess, but I’ll go and get her when—when I get finished. What am I supposed to tell Mrs. Kate to get her away from Mr. O’Brien so he won’t be suspicious?”
“Tell her us girls got in some trouble playing cards,” said Isabella.
“We got to get a plan and stick to it. If our story starts falling apart, then we’re in real trouble,” said Jesse.
“Okay, go on, get out of here. While you’re gone, we’ll figure out what we’re gonna say and the three of us will stick to that story,” said Isabella.
Isabella walked Jesse to the back door and then went back into Jacqueline’s bedroom. She got a basin of soap and water and began to wash the blood off the floor. Isabella had failed to notice that Jacqueline had opened the steamer trunk and removed the rosewood box. She glanced over at Jacqueline while ripping up the remaining cotton sheets and saw her crouched down in the corner. Isabella ran over and dabbed a wet cloth across Jacqueline’s face. Jacqueline looked up at her in a blur.
Jacqueline was holding her hand against her stomach. “Please, can you get me some water?” she said.
Isabella noticed the contents were out of the rosewood box and in Jacqueline’s lap. “What’s going on here?” asked Isabella, “What is that in your lap?” Isabella picked up a small cobalt bottle of liquid and a pipe. She put the pipe to her nose and inhaled. Isabella grabbed Jacqueline’s hand, “What is this stuff? Is it some sort of drug?” She looked down at Jacqueline and screamed, “Tell me!”
“It’s opium, it’s my salvation,” smiled Jacqueline.
“Salvation? Opium,” Isabella’s eyes were wide with fear. “You give me that box, give it to me now!” demanded Isabella.
Clutching the box in her fingers Jacqueline said, “I think I’m pregnant and I can’t go through that again.”
“Pregnant?” whispered Isabella. “By who?”
“I’m not sure,” cried Jacqueline. “But I’m pretty sure by Jules.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. If you want this baby, you cannot take this stuff. Do you understand what you could do to your baby?” Isabella said in a horrified voice. “Promise me, you will never touch this stuff again. Promise me!” screamed Isabella. “If you don’t care about yourself, think about Patrick.”
At that moment, Kate and Jesse entered the room “What about Patrick?” said Kate as she walked toward Isabella and Jacqueline. “Does this have to do with you girls being in debt with the cards?”
Isabella took a deep breath before speaking. “Jacqueline is going to have a baby and we have to find a safe place for her. I overheard Jules tell Hoyt to get Jacqueline out of her house and I’m afraid for her.”
Jesse’s mouth opened wide, he shook his head. Kate went to Jacqueline. “I’ll help you dear, don’t worry. I know of a place you can go to and be safe there.”
“Jules or Hoyt will find me,—” said Jacqueline in despair.
“No, no one will know and if they find out, they won’t be able to take you from there.” Kate removed her shawl and wrapped it tightly around Jacqueline’s shoulders. Isabella combed and arranged Jacqueline’s hair with hairpins. She took an electric blue taffeta dress out of a French armoire and threw it over Jacqueline’s head, helping her dress. Isabella buttoned Jacqueline’s chemise and the multitude of pearl buttons that closed the back of the dress. She grabbed an oval-shaped straw hat edged with pink cherry blossoms and tied the hat on the side of Jacqueline’s face the large blue bow.
Kate noticed how low the dress was cut, exposing much of Jacqueline’s bosom. With a hat pin in one hand and adjusting the dress with the other, Kate moved around tending to Jacqueline’s dress like a prim and proper mother.
“We got to hurry,” said Jesse, talking to the ceiling.
Isabella nodded and glanced out the window. The thunder had stopped, but the weather was chilled and murky. As the three women pulled their skirts up and went through the iron gate, Jacqueline began to cry. “I’m not going.”
“You have to go, there ain’t no other choice,” said Isabella.
“What if he takes my house, where will I go then?” asked Jacqueline.
“That ain’t gonna happen,” Isabella said as she patted Jacqueline’s face with her hand. Jacqueline closed her eyes and tears ran out. Isabella took Jacqueline’s hands in hers. “I promise you on my daddy’s grave that I won’t let Jules take your house. Just trust me, tell me that you trust me.”
Jacqueline opened her eyes and smiled. Isabella threw her arms around Jacqueline’s neck and said in a whisper, “I am your friend, I will not betray you. Do you believe me?” Jacqueline nodded and wiped the tears from her face. “Good,” said Isabella. “Now let’s hurry.”
The four of them rode in silence down the dimly lit tabby street. Jacqueline whispered to Isabella, “Will you visit me?”
“I promise,” said Isabella, squeezing Jacqueline’s hand. Isabella looked out the carriage and saw a small mulatto woman run up the street. It was Poppy, Jacqueline’s neighbor’s maid. Isabella wondered where she was going in such a hurry.
Poppy glanced up at Jesse and waved as she darted out in the street in front of him. “I wonder where she’s off to like a bullet,” said Jesse. Isabella looked at him and then turned away.
As she rode to her fate, Jacqueline crossed her arms and watched the carriage pass St. John the Baptist cathedral, and then the carriage turned toward the convent on Liberty Street. When the carriage arrived in front of the convent, Kate advised Jesse to park in the alley. Jesse gave her a puzzled look. “You sure this is where we need to be?”
“I’m sure,” said Kate.
Jesse got out and helped Kate to the ground. Jacqueline started to climb down from the carriage when Isabella said, “Wait.” Isabella removed the small gold cross necklace from around her neck and fastened it on Jacqueline. “This belonged to a woman of remarkable strength; I want you to have it.”
The three of them watched Kate approach two sisters at the door of the convent. The sisters shook their heads and looked at the new arrivals. They seemed to understand what Kate was saying. Kate turned and motioned for Jacqueline, Isabella and Jesse. The three hurried up to the door of the convent where the two sisters ushered them inside. There, a tall, stately woman who stared at them with understanding eyes and a warm smile met them. A short heavy-set sister approached the tall nun who was the mother superior. The sister said a few words to the Mother and seemed to protest, but then she picked up Jacqueline’s bag and disappeared down a long dark hall. Kate took Jacqueline’s hand, said a prayer, then kissed Jacqueline and turned to leave. Jesse ushered Kate out the door of the convent as Isabella stood, looking out a rose stained glass window with tears in her eyes. She heard the brushing sound of Jacqueline’s skirts and turned to face her. “I feel like a prisoner,” whispered Jacqueline.
“Here, you will be freer than you’ve ever been,” said Isabella. “I’ll be back,” Both Isabella and Jacqueline broke down and cried, and then Isabella ran out the convent door and into the waiting carriage.
Jules had walked every room in the house on Monterrey and he was on the front porch when Isabella and Jesse came home. He had thought there would not be a time that he could forgive her, but he already had. Jules had never been a deeply religious man, but he thanked God when he saw Isabella climb out of the carriage. “Why did you get out of the bed? You know what Doc Chandler told you,” he said.
Isabella gazed at Jules with hate in her eyes. “I would change everything if I could, but I can’t. Why did you leave?” asked Jules.
“I went to warn Jacqueline. I heard you tell Hoyt to get her out of the house on Oglethorpe. I couldn’t let you
do that to her.”
“I would never have done that if the two of you hadn’t burned my fields. Why’d y’all do a crazy thing like that?”
“It wasn’t y’all Jules, it was me, me and only me. Not Jesse, not Jacqueline, just me. I did it because I was mad. I was sick and tired of seeing you profit and those poor sharecroppers practically starving. It ain’t right, Jules!”
“It wasn’t like you think honey, but no, you’re right, it ain’t right.”
“You give a man like Hoyt free rein over the sharecroppers knowing very well what he is capable of. You’ve got a twelve-year-old girl out there pregnant and I guarantee you Hoyt is the daddy of that baby. And not by that young girl’s choice either,” Isabella spat the words out.
“He didn’t hurt her, did he?” asked Jules.
“Who?” said Isabella.
“Hoyt, he didn’t harm Jacqueline, did he?”
“I don’t know. By the time we got there, she was pretty shook up. Hoyt was just leaving.” said Isabella, as she glared at Jules then started to walk inside the house.
“Maybe I should go check on her,” said Jules.
“No need, she ain’t there,” said Isabella.
“When will she be back?”
“Maybe never, Jules, but I promised her that I wouldn’t let you sell her house. I swore on my daddy’s grave. And that’s one promise I don’t intend to break.”
“You won’t have to,” Jules said. “She didn’t tell you where she was going?”
“It don’t matter. All I know is that she’s scared of Hoyt and she felt it best that she leave.”
Jules squinted his eyes. “He threatened her, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, he threatened her. What’d you expect?”
“I’ll settle with him shortly,” said Jules, tightening the muscles in his face. He lit a cigar and turned to walk away.