The Planter's Daughter

by Michelle Shocklee

  Natalie didn’t smile at Adella’s joke. “I did have a brother,” she said quietly, moving to sit on the bed again. “His name was Samuel. He died before his second birthday. I think Papa has always been disappointed I wasn’t a boy to replace him. Mama never became pregnant again after I was born.”

  “Oh, Natalie, I am so sorry.” Adella felt like the biggest clod for making a joke of it. “I had no idea.”

  The young woman nodded and forced a smile. “Papa is thrilled he’ll have George for a son-in-law, though. He can’t stop talking about how the two plantations will someday be one, and how his grandson will run it.”

  This rare look into Natalie’s life reminded Adella not to judge someone by their outward appearances. Natalie had obviously suffered deep pain over her father’s unfulfilled desire for a son. Who knew how many times he’d made that known, consciously or not, to his daughter. Even as she prepared for what should have been the happiest day of her life, her father seemed only to think of the benefits her marriage would bring to him, including a grandson to carry on the Langford legacy.

  How sad for Natalie, Adella thought later, on her way down the staircase toward their guests. How thankful she was Papa wasn’t anything like Mr. Langford.

  “I am not sure I understand why you thought your experience with the Texas Rangers would qualify you to be the overseer of a large cotton plantation, Brantley.”

  Seth faced Marshall Brevard in the well-appointed parlor of Rose Hill Manor. The eyes of everyone in the room were on him, and not even Luther Ellis appeared willing to come to his rescue. It was obvious Luther’s friend baited him, hoping for a verbal spar, he supposed. He would need to answer carefully, lest he appear the fool or exhibit too much bravado.

  “The life of a Ranger isn’t that different from an overseer as far as I can tell,” Seth said, appearing far more confident in his words than he felt. “I would actually go so far as to say the overseer has it easier than the Ranger.”

  “How so?” Marshall asked, his tone giving ample evidence he didn’t agree.

  “Rangers deal with unruly lawbreakers just as an overseer does. They both must dole out discipline and make sure everyone is abiding by the laws of the land. But a Ranger has the entire state of Texas to patrol, with her thousands upon thousands of residents. The overseer has only the land and slaves his employer owns to keep track of.” Seth shrugged nonchalantly. “It seems rather obvious to me who has the advantage.”

  A murmur of agreement swept the room, much to Seth’s relief. Marshall, however, was not finished.

  “Wouldn’t it seem logical that the same injury that kept you from returning to your post with the Rangers would hinder you as an overseer?” He took a sip of the amber liquid in the glass he held, then turned to Calvin Langford, Natalie’s father, who stood beside him. “I mean, I would think that a man whom the State of Texas didn’t have enough confidence in to get the job done would seek something less challenging. Like, say, a storekeeper, for instance.”

  Langford chuckled while Brevard smirked.

  Seth’s fists clenched into tight balls, and it took everything he had to keep himself from laying the dandy out on the floor right then and there.

  “I have full confidence in Brantley,” Luther said, effectively putting an end to Marshall’s examination. “His father and I go back many years. I for one believe the State of Texas made a mistake when they didn’t offer Seth his position. Their loss is my gain.”

  To say he appreciated Luther’s vote of confidence would be an understatement. Though he would have enjoyed putting his fist to Marshall Brevard’s jaw, the man was a guest at Rose Hill. It wouldn’t do to come to fisticuffs over something as unimportant as his pride.

  As the other guests continued their conversations, Seth made his way toward the door. It was a mistake to come. It was one thing to enjoy a meal with the family of his father’s friend, but to try to fit in with rich Texas planters was foolish. He wasn’t like them, nor did he wish to be.

  When he arrived at the door, he stopped.

  Adella stood just outside in the foyer.

  “Good evening, Mr. Brantley.” Her soft voice barely reached him, but her beauty nearly knocked him off his feet.

  “Good evening, Miss Ellis.” He inclined his head politely, but what he really wanted to do was sweep her into his arms and take her away from here. Especially knowing Brevard stood in the parlor waiting for her. “May I say you look exquisite tonight?”

  A pretty blush brightened her cheeks. “You may.”

  Looking into her shining eyes, nearly the same deep hue as her gown, he knew he would disappoint her if he left. But to stay would force him to be cordial to Brevard, and the last thing he wanted to do was be nice to that man. That the dandy had already gained Luther’s approval to marry Adella nearly drove Seth mad. Yet until the engagement was officially announced, he still had a chance. The fact that Adella had kissed him this afternoon proved she hadn’t given her heart to the man. To leave now would only give Brevard the upper hand. And he wasn’t about to do that.

  The dinner bell rang in the candlelit dining room across the hall.

  “May I escort you to dinner tonight, mademoiselle?” He imitated an old gentleman he once overheard in a restaurant in San Antonio. From the corner of his eye, he saw Marshall coming toward them.

  With a laugh, Adella linked her arm with his. “Why, Mr. Brantley, I didn’t know you spoke French.”

  “Miss Ellis,” Marshall said when he approached a moment later, his lips pressed into a tight smile. “I had hoped to secure the honor of escorting you to dinner myself so we might have the pleasure of conversing over the meal.” He glared at Seth. “I’m sure Mr. Brantley understands.”

  Adella offered a pleasant smile to the man, though she didn’t relinquish her hold on Seth’s arm. “Thank you, Mr. Brevard, but I am confident Mr. Brantley can see me safely across the hall. And we have name place cards tonight,” she said loud enough for all the guests to hear. “This way we have new dinner companions to liven things up.”

  A tense moment ticked by. The muscle in Brevard’s jaw tightened when his eyes met Seth’s, but he finally bowed out without another word.

  As they moved toward the dining room, Seth was certain of two things.

  He loved Adella even more for choosing him over Brevard.

  And he had just made an enemy.

  Seth watched Luther Ellis and Marshall Brevard disappear into the library, the door closing behind them. The other guests, including Natalie and her parents, remained in the parlor, where George entertained them with his grand plans for the future of Rose Hill Manor. Mr. Langford especially appeared captivated by every word.

  With everyone happily occupied, Seth knew this might be his only opportunity to get Adella’s attention and beg a private moment with her. Even though they’d sat beside one another at dinner, thanks to her arrangement of place cards, they couldn’t speak freely with so many people around. Brevard had kept a watchful eye on them from his place at the opposite end of the table, biding his time no doubt. A sense of urgency struck Seth during the last course of the meal, knowing he had to speak to Adella alone tonight. But how?

  “Seth, is something wrong?”

  He turned and found her coming toward him, a worried frown marring her beautiful face. He breathed a prayer of thanks. This was the chance he’d been waiting for all evening. That she’d used his Christian name encouraged him further. “No, nothing is wrong.” He offered his arm. “Would you care to sit on the veranda? The air has cooled now that the sun is set.”

  A smile quickly replaced her frown. “That sounds lovely.”

  Rose Hill’s wide porches wrapped around nearly the entire first floor of the house, with cozy seating areas here and there. Seth led Adella to the farthest one he could find, hoping no one would disturb them. His feelings were a jumbled mess, but he couldn’t leave without letting her know he loved her. Brevard’s proposal might come any day. Seth couldn’t off
er her a grand home, acres of land, and servants to wait on her, but he would work hard and love her more than Brevard ever could.

  “I’m glad you came tonight.” She settled her voluminous hooped skirt across the small wicker sofa. Light from a nearby lantern cast a soft glow while crickets and toads began their nightly song.

  Seth leaned against the porch rail and chuckled. “You would be the only one.”

  She gave him a sympathetic look. “I don’t know why some people have suddenly become such snobs. You were a friend of the family long before you became our overseer. Why, you even visited here when you were a boy.”

  “I was thinking about that visit last night. Or, should I say, this morning after we left the quarter.” He grinned, recalling her from all those years ago. As adorable then as she was now. “I remember George wouldn’t let you play a game with us, and you ran away crying. You were barefoot, as I recall.” He nodded toward her feet. “Some things never change.”

  “Oh, you scoundrel.” She feigned offense. Laughing, she poked the tips of her slippers out from beneath the hem of her skirt. “See. I have my shoes on.” After a long moment, her creamy shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. “I suppose it’s because Jeptha and the other children didn’t wear shoes when it was warm outside. Of course, I didn’t know at the time they didn’t own any beyond the hard leather ones they use in the winter. I thought it was wonderful that they didn’t have to wear shoes that pinched their feet. It probably drove my mother to exasperation the way I would kick them off the moment she turned her back.”

  “It sounds as though you weren’t exactly an easy child to raise, running around the plantation barefoot with the slave children. One day, you will probably have a little girl as wild.” And beautiful, he thought, the strange new desire to be that child’s father taking him by surprise. He’d never thought of being a father, yet somehow it felt right with Adella.

  “Jeptha said the same thing once. Oh”—she frowned—“I have been meaning to ask you about Jeptha. I haven’t seen him in several days, and he wasn’t at the party. I asked Aunt Lu about it, but I got the feeling she wasn’t telling me something. She said he hadn’t felt well, but she kept looking at Celia, the new girl. It was very strange. Do you know anything about it?”

  “I haven’t moved him to the fields, if that is what you’re asking,” Seth answered, hedging her question. As far as he knew, the young man had followed Luther’s instructions and moved into the cabin with Celia despite his reluctance. Perhaps that was the reason Adella hadn’t seen him.

  “Have you noticed anything different about him? If he isn’t feeling well, perhaps I should talk to Mammy.” Concern filled her eyes.

  Seth hated being deceptive with her, but it wasn’t his place to inform her of Jeptha’s new living arrangement. “I am sure he’s fine. I will make a point to speak with him tomorrow if that would make you feel better.”

  She relaxed against the sofa cushion. “Yes, it would. Thank you, Seth.”

  The sound of his name on her soft lips stirred something deep. Boldly, he sat beside her and took her warm hand.

  For a long moment, they stared at one another. Seth’s heart hammered. Never before had he told a woman he loved her, and he felt as nervous as a schoolboy now that the moment to do just that had arrived.

  “Adella, there is something I—”

  “Missy Ellis? Are you out here?”

  Adella removed her hand from his grip and turned toward the sound of Zina’s voice. The young woman appeared from around the corner. Her gaze traveled from Adella to Seth and back. “Your father is looking for you, Missy. He thought you were in your room.”

  Adella stood, and Seth followed. “Thank you, Zina. I will be right in.”

  With an apologetic look, she turned to Seth. “I’m sorry. Papa will be angry if I don’t come now.”

  He nodded, disappointed but not defeated. “Perhaps we will have another opportunity to talk.”

  Her smile warmed him. “I would like that.”

  Together they made their way to the parlor. When they entered the room, Marshall Brevard frowned and exchanged a look with Luther. Luther nodded and walked toward them.

  “Adella Rose, we have been waiting for you,” he said, ignoring Seth altogether. Taking her by the arm, he led her to the front of the room near the marble fireplace. Marshall moved to Luther’s other side, looking highly pleased.

  An uneasy feeling washed over Seth.

  “Friends, I have an announcement,” Luther said, gaining the attention of the occupants in the room. Adella stared at him. Her brow puckered, and confusion shone in her eyes. “While we look forward to George and Natalie’s wedding in just a few days, I want you all to be the first to know we will have another wedding very soon.” Placing one arm around Adella’s shoulders and the other around Marshall’s, Luther smiled. “I would like to announce the engagement of my daughter, Adella Rose, to Marshall Brevard.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Dazed, Adella stared at her father. Surely he jested. Before her mind could sort out his ridiculous announcement, however, Natalie swept her into a sisterly hug.

  “I am so happy for you, Adella Rose. We will both be brides now.”

  Mrs. Langford and the other women in the room also came forward to congratulate her, even as their men shook hands with Marshall Brevard.

  Marshall Brevard? The man was at least twenty years her senior and lived on a plantation in faraway Rusk County. If she recalled correctly, he and his wife had never had children before she passed away several years ago. He was a snob and a bore, and she’d never once looked at him as a suitor. Oh, what had Papa done?

  As the chatter in the room began once again, now with a new topic, she turned her back to the guests and faced her father. Yet before she could utter the angry words swirling through her mind, Papa held up his hand.

  “Hear me out, Adella Rose.” His voice lowered so only the three of them could hear. Marshall remained near, but she refused to even acknowledge him.

  “This is for the best. Marshall is a fine man with lands that rival Rose Hill’s. You will be well taken care of, which is no small comfort to me.”

  Fighting for composure, for she did not want to make a scene in front of their guests, she met his gaze with an unflinching stare. “I should have been consulted before you made such an announcement.” She shot a look at Marshall then back to Papa. “I am not a piece of property to be given away to the highest bidder. Mr. Brevard and I are barely acquainted.”

  “Miss Ellis, I have the highest—” Marshall began, but she cut him off.

  “Please, Mr. Brevard. I don’t mean to be rude, but this does not concern you.”

  “He is your fiancé, Adella Rose.” Papa’s hushed words were stern. “I have given my consent to the marriage. Marshall and I have an agreement, and I expect you to abide by it.”

  Adella couldn’t believe what she heard. “You have an agreement? And what of my wishes? Do they matter at all?”

  The room suddenly grew quiet. Adella realized she’d raised her voice in a most unladylike and highly disrespectful manner.

  Ignoring the guests’ curious glances, Papa stood firm in his judgment. “No, Adella Rose. Your wishes do not matter in this decision. As your father, it is my duty to see that your future is secure. You will thank me someday that I did not allow you to make a grave mistake.” His eyes looked past her to the foyer.

  Adella turned to follow his gaze.

  Seth stood in the doorway.

  Bright morning sunshine shone through the small window in Seth’s bedroom, but he remained stretched out on his bed covers, fully clothed, where he’d been all night. Sleep had eluded him, with memories of the evening past tormenting his mind throughout the wee hours.

  Adella is engaged, resounded, again and again, nearly driving him mad.

  He closed his eyes and moaned.

  He’d never forget the look on her face when she turned and saw him standing in the doorway. It was t
he look of one who’d found a treasure only to have it slip through her fingers. He’d also never forget the triumph fixed on Brevard’s face. Seth hadn’t waited around to offer congratulations to the couple—instead, he practically bolted from the house.

  With a heavy sigh, he forced himself into a sitting position on the edge of the lumpy mattress. He hung his head in his hands, feeling as though he’d spent the night drinking whiskey rather than lying awake trying to figure out an impossible situation. Despite the many hours of wrestling with one idea after another, he’d come up empty-handed. He’d known about the engagement before last night’s inevitable announcement—long before Seth became overseer, Luther and Brevard had concocted their plan. That he and Adella kissed made no difference to them. That he loved Adella mattered even less.

  Just before the sun poked over the horizon, Seth had come to a painful conclusion. He couldn’t stay on as Rose Hill’s overseer. He couldn’t bear to watch Brevard strut around like a peacock, putting his hands on Adella and claiming her as his own. No, Seth had to leave. Now. Though he’d told Luther he would stay on for a year, things had changed. He didn’t have nearly enough money saved to get him to Oregon, but he’d figure something out. All he knew was he couldn’t stay here and watch Adella marry Marshall Brevard.

  Glancing out the window, he remembered it was Sunday. No field work would take place, allowing the slaves time to rest. Luther allowed them to have services in the small chapel Martha Ellis insisted on having built down by the creek, as Seth was told. One of the Langford slaves, Moses, would lead it today, and the Rose Hill slaves all seemed eager to hear what the big man had to say. At least, that’s what he gathered from the bits of conversation he’d overheard the past few days.

  A knock on his door drew his attention.

  Seth stared at the wood, wondering if perhaps Adella had snuck away to talk to him. Hurrying to see who it was, his shoulders slumped when he saw the ancient Mammy standing on his porch.