The Planter's Daughter

by Michelle Shocklee

  From the look Aunt Lu tossed his way, Seth got the impression the woman wasn’t too keen on the idea of joining them. He couldn’t blame her. All slaves knew severe punishment awaited them if they were caught trying to escape.

  Heaving a sigh, he sat on the long bench at the table where the house servants took their meals. The whole affair was getting more complicated by the minute. “I don’t think we should wait to find out if Natalie will keep quiet. If she tells George what she saw and heard, you will never get away. After what I saw tonight, I wouldn’t put it past Luther to lock you away until Marshall and the preacher arrive.”

  Adella accepted the cup of tea Aunt Lu handed her. “I am glad Mama never knew how cruel Papa could be. It would break her heart to know he struck me in anger.”

  An odd expression crossed Aunt Lu’s face before she turned away.

  “Aunt Lu?” Adella said, tilting her head to look into the other woman’s eyes. “You know something. Is it about Mama?”

  The servant shook her head. “I jes’ thinkin’ you’s right, is all.” She returned to the big stove, keeping her back to them.

  Adella set her cup down and followed her. “What is it, Aunt Lu? Please tell me.” Her brow rose. “Was Papa cruel to Mama?” she asked, clearly alarmed at such a thought.

  “Oh, Missy,” Aunt Lu said, upset. “I promised Miz Martha never ta speak on it. An’ I hasn’t ever tol’ nobody.”

  Seth watched the play of emotions rush across Adella’s face as she stared at the other woman. Shock. Disbelief. And finally, resignation. After seeing him strike his own daughter, it wouldn’t surprise Seth to learn he’d abused his wife, too. But he hated that Adella had to find out such terrible things about her father. She’d adored him all her life. To discover he wasn’t the champion she’d always believed must have been difficult.

  “Tell me.”

  The soft command brought tears to Aunt Lu’s eyes, but she nodded. “I had ta doctah Miz Martha lots o’ times, Missy. Mostly her bruises be under her clothes, where they’s hidden. But sometime she has some on her face, like yourn.”

  Covering her mouth with her hands, Adella’s shoulders shook with silent weeping.

  “I sorry, Missy.” Aunt Lu took Adella in her arms. They stood holding each other for several minutes before Adella quieted.

  “I never knew.” Her face revealed her broken heart. “Mama never said a word.”

  “’Course she didn’, chile. He your pappy. Ain’t do no good ta tell a chile sech things ’bout their pappy.”

  When her eyes found his, red-rimmed and full of her father’s betrayal, Seth’s resolve to take her away from Rose Hill filled every crevice of his being. “I won’t leave you in this house with that man another minute.” He stood, his mind plotting even as he spoke. “I’ll saddle Chester, and we’ll leave tonight.” With an apologetic glance at Aunt Lu, he said, “I’m sorry, but we can’t take any of the slaves with us. Not tonight. I will have to come back for them later.”

  Adella clung to Aunt Lu’s hand. “I can’t leave them, Seth. Especially now that I know what Papa’s true nature is. He will be furious, and he’ll take it out on the people I love.”

  “I understand that.” Seth tempered his frustration as best he could. “But if Natalie is this minute telling George what she saw, we have until morning before your father learns about it. I won’t take a chance on him hurting you again, Adella Rose.”

  Love shone in her eyes. “I will be careful. If I must, I’ll fight back. Papa apparently has never had anyone defend themselves against his brutality. He won’t expect it.”

  Despite the gravity of the situation, Seth smiled. “That’s my girl.”

  “So, is we runnin’ away or isn’t we?” Aunt Lu looked from one to the other.

  Adella stared at the woman. “Does that mean you will come with us?” Hope spilled from every word.

  With a pat on Adella’s cheek, the woman nodded. “If you’s brave ’nough ta risk stayin’ on account o’ me an’ the others, Missy, then I ’spect I cain’t let you down. It scare me nearly ta death ta even think on it, but if my Zina could be free …” Tears sprang to her eyes. “Well, it’d be worth it, I tells ya.”

  While the two women hugged, the full weight of what they hoped to achieve settled on Seth like an anvil. It wasn’t just about getting Adella away from her father now. If their plan worked, they would leave the plantation with at least three slaves that didn’t belong to either of them. Maybe more. If caught, they could all hang.

  “We need to put a plan in place,” he said, getting their attention. “There is no time to waste. It will all hinge on Natalie and whether she tells George what she saw tonight. If she does, we have a few hours, at most. If she hasn’t said anything come morning, then we may have a couple more days to gather supplies and get organized.”

  Adella, with her arm around Aunt Lu’s shoulders, smiled bravely. “It’s going to work, Seth. I know it. Earlier today I asked God to show me the way, and He did.”

  If there was ever a time when he needed faith, it was now. More than anything, he hoped she was right.

  Papa and George exited the dining room when the morning meal was complete, leaving Adella alone with Natalie. Neither had remarked on the bruise to her face, all but ignoring her presence for the most part. That the two men discussed the possible purchase of more land as they exited appalled her. It didn’t seem to bother either of them that it would take borrowed money to pursue their gains.

  Glancing across the table as soon as the door closed behind them, she nearly sagged with relief seeing Natalie daintily sip tea from her cup, her demeanor calm and poised as usual. Natalie had arrived late to the meal, leaving Adella to wonder if she weren’t coming so she wouldn’t have to be involved in the scene Papa would surely create, had he been told of what Natalie witnessed on the porch. But it became obvious soon after she arrived that she had not revealed the information about Seth and Adella to her husband. The meal proceeded with little interaction between them, and Papa seemed fully engrossed in his plans to broaden Rose Hill’s borders.

  After several minutes of silence, Natalie dabbed her rosebud mouth with the corner of her linen napkin, laid it on the table, and looked at Adella for the first time since she’d entered the room.

  “I suspect you wish to speak with me in private.” Her glance took in Carolina, standing in her usual place in the corner nearest the door to the kitchen wing.

  At Adella’s nod, Carolina disappeared, leaving them completely alone.

  “Natalie,” she began, only to be interrupted by Natalie’s raised hand.

  “Adella Rose, as your sister, I insist you cease whatever it is you’re doing with that man and come to your senses. You will be a married woman by week’s end, for mercy’s sake. What would poor Marshall think if he learned of such escapades days away from your wedding?”

  Praying all night for the right words to say to Natalie if given the opportunity, Adella knew she had no choice but to be honest with the woman. Come what may, she owed Natalie the truth.

  “Natalie, please hear me out.” She stood and walked around the large table, taking the seat next to the other woman. Keeping her voice low, Adella plunged in. “I can’t marry Marshall. I love Seth, and he loves me. We want to spend our lives together.” When Natalie’s eyes rounded, Adella took her hands in hers. “Please don’t say anything to George or Papa. They would not understand.”

  Natalie’s brow furrowed. “Adella Rose, you cannot be serious. Mr. Brantley has nothing to offer, whereas Marshall owns one of the largest plantations in Texas. Why, you will be the envy of every woman in the state when you become mistress of Le Beau.”

  “I know it doesn’t make any sense to you,” Adella said, the love she had for Seth making her smile. “But I would rather live a simple life as Seth’s wife than live a life of luxury with Marshall. I don’t love him, and I know I never will.”

  For several ticks from the clock on the mantel, Natalie stared at A
della. Finally, she narrowed her eyes and drew closer. “I believe you really are serious.”

  Adella nodded. “Yes.”

  “What do you intend to tell Marshall? Your father will be furious, you know.” Her blue eyes shifted to the bruise on Adella’s face.

  “Papa will be more than furious, Natalie.” All night she’d debated on telling her sister-in-law the particulars of Papa’s financial woes, but finally decided it wasn’t right to keep Natalie in ignorance. She had as much right to know the seriousness of their plight as Adella. Natalie was, after all, an Ellis now.

  “The truth is, Papa and Marshall struck a business deal. It included marriage to me.” At Natalie’s surprise, she gave a humorless laugh. “Not very romantic, is it? That is not the worst of it, though, Natalie, dear. I am afraid Rose Hill is in financial trouble. Terrible trouble, according to Papa. Because of the direness of the situation, he has signed an agreement with Marshall, giving him a portion of the profits for the next ten years.”

  Natalie stared back at Adella, her frown deepening. “Does George know about this?”

  “I assume so. His signature was required on the paperwork.”

  Adella prayed she’d made the right decision to reveal all of this to Natalie. Seth hadn’t agreed that Natalie know the details, but Adella knew what it was like to be a woman living under the power of men who thought you were too silly to understand business. Her conscience wouldn’t leave her sister-in-law to continue on unaware of the circumstances, especially when she would be the only Ellis female left once Adella married Seth.

  After a time, Natalie looked out the floor-to-ceiling window to the manicured lawns. “It makes sense now.” Her voice held a solemn note Adella had never heard come from the young woman before.

  Puzzled, she asked, “What does?”

  “George’s behavior on our trip.” Natalie looked down at her hands in her lap. “He got angry with me several times when I tried to purchase things. Trinkets, mind you. Nothing of great importance or cost. And when I suggested we stay in the Royal Hotel in New Orleans instead of staying with friends, he yelled at me.” Her eyes traveled to Adella’s bruised face again. “I feared he might strike me.”

  Her whispered admission sent a new wave of sadness crashing into Adella’s heart. “Oh, Natalie.” She took the younger woman protectively into her arms. How she longed to tell Natalie what she’d learned the previous night about Papa’s violence toward Mama. To warn her that George could well follow in their father’s footsteps. But she couldn’t betray Aunt Lu’s confidence.

  When Natalie pulled away, she stood, wiped a lone tear that trailed down her pale cheek, and moved to look out the window. “What do you intend to do about Mr. Brantley?”

  Believing she could trust Natalie, Adella joined her. When Natalie’s shimmering gaze met hers, Adella looked into the eyes of a friend and sister.

  “I intend to marry him.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  From the entrance to the barn, Seth watched Marshall Brevard’s carriage draw up to the front of the main house. His liveryman, dressed in a dark coat and crisp white shirt, jumped to the ground and hurried to open the door for his master. Brevard exited the coach, stretching muscles no doubt cramped from the long journey from Le Beau. With the sun setting on the western horizon, Seth couldn’t make out the details of the man’s face, but he could well imagine the self-satisfied expression he’d wear, gazing at the vastness of Rose Hill, believing its daughter and its resources would be his in a few short days. Mounting the steps, Marshall quickly disappeared through the front door.

  “You sho’ you want this big ol’ hoss shod, Mistah Brantley, suh? Seems a mite soon, him being so new broke an’ all.”

  Seth turned to Moses, who led Freedom in a docile walk. “Yes,” he nodded, glancing toward the big animal. “He’ll be ready for regular riding soon. We don’t want any damage to his hooves.”

  Though the answer was true enough, Seth felt a bit dishonest. Freedom would indeed be ridden soon. They planned to take him on their flight away from Rose Hill, with Jeptha astride the very animal he’d helped break. While he didn’t particularly like the idea of taking a horse that didn’t belong to him, Luther had yet to pay him his wages and most certainly wouldn’t once he discovered that Seth and Adella had run off together. Suffice it to say, the horse would have to act as payment instead.

  “He sho’ be a han’some hoss,” Moses said, running his hand down the big animal’s muscular neck. “Don’t ’spect there be too many like him in these parts.” He met Seth’s gaze evenly. “Reckon if he got away, someone be sho’ to recognize him an’ bring him on back to Rose Hill.”

  For a moment, Seth wondered if the big black man was sending him a warning. As though he knew of their plan to escape and take Freedom with them. Adella had sworn Aunt Lu to secrecy, with the exception of letting Zina in on the plot, and the only other person who knew of their plans was Jeptha. Earlier, Moses had delivered a note to Seth from Adella, reassuring him of Natalie’s silence after speaking with her that morning, but it hadn’t said anything about their plan. And even if it had, Seth was certain Moses couldn’t read.

  “I gets on shoeing him for you, Mistah Brantley, suh.” Moses turned without waiting for Seth to reply to his ponderings and led the animal toward the other side of the barn, where the farrier worked. He whistled a song that Seth recognized as one the slaves sang when they didn’t think he was listening:

  If I had two wings, bright angels above,

  I would fly away to the kingdom, bright angels above.

  You gotta escape for your life, bright angels above,

  Oh run, run, mourner run, bright angels above.

  Still troubled over Moses’ strange behavior, Seth mounted Chester and rode out to the fields. If word got out about their plan and circulated through the quarter, they would be in a heap of hurt. Not only was it possible Luther might hear the rumor, but some of the slaves could demand to be taken along with them when they fled. A simple threat to reveal the plot if denied passage could bring calamity before they’d even begun their journey.

  How had things become so complicated?

  With dusk closing in, the workers gathered their tools and started toward the quarter, backs weary from the long hours of hoeing and bending. Seth rode ahead and met them as they entered, taking his daily headcount. The irony of his own plan to help several slaves escape weighed heavy on his mind. But the fact was, since he’d come to know Jeptha as a human being instead of a slave, as well as Aunt Lu, the idea of slavery didn’t sit well with him, as it had all his life. Who gave Luther, or even Seth’s own father, the right to own a person? The law said it was legal, but who wrote the law? A white man, giving other white men the right to own someone simply because the color of their skin was dark. Perhaps knowing he’d helped a few slaves gain their freedom would put the memory of the man who shot him to rest once and for all.

  Deciding Chester needed a good rubdown, he led the horse into the barn. He was so focused on grooming the animal and going over their plan in his head, he didn’t hear Oliver approach until the boy was standing next to him.

  “Well, hello,” he said, wondering what brought the child to the barn at this late hour. “Shouldn’t you be eating your supper and getting ready for bed?”

  Oliver nodded but didn’t budge.

  Seth knelt down so he could see the boy better in the dim lantern light. “Did you need something, Oliver?”

  A frown tugged the boy’s brow. “Is you leavin’ Rose Hill, Mistah Brantley?”

  The question rocked Seth. Had someone gotten wind of the escape? “Why would you ask that?”

  “I heard Hulda talkin’ to Mammy. Says Massa Luther gettin’ him a new overseer from Massa Brevard. Says you gots ta leave on account o’ you’s nicer to us Negroes than ol’ Mistah Haley.” He cocked his head. “Is dat true?”

  Seth sighed with relief. “I’m afraid it is true. At least the part about Master Luther getting a new
overseer.”

  The boy’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t want you to leave.”

  Touched that he would even care, Seth chucked Oliver under the chin. “You keep doing a good job, and I’m sure the new overseer will notice.”

  Oliver shrugged. “Guess so.” But his dejected tone said he didn’t believe it. He turned to leave, then stopped. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the white stone. Examining it for a moment, he suddenly handed it to Seth. “I wants you ta have this here rock, Mistah Brantley, suh. It remind you o’ me. An’ God.”

  Seth stared at the boy, speechless. Finally, he found his voice. “I … I can’t take that, Oliver. It’s your treasure. You found it.”

  “Yassuh, but I thinks yous might need it mo’ than me.” When Seth accepted it, the boy grinned. “’Sides.” He pulled out a second white stone from the same pocket. “I finds me ’nother one jes’ this mornin’.”

  Seth laughed. “Then we’ll have matching rocks. I sure appreciate you giving it to me, Oliver. I’ll keep it always.”

  Seeming satisfied, Oliver skipped out of the barn. The moment he disappeared, Seth’s smile vanished. What would become of the little boy once he and Adella were gone? Would Luther follow through with his threat to sell the slaves, including the children? With a heavy heart, he finished grooming Chester, the white rock tucked safely in his pocket.

  Darkness fell long before he returned to his cabin. A glance at the big house revealed lighted windows on every level. The occasional boisterous male laugh or voice carried across the vast lawn, and he envisioned Luther, Marshall, and George celebrating the upcoming business merger. How he wished he could rescue Adella from them that very night, but it made more sense to wait until they were fully prepared.

  Entering the pitch-black cabin, Seth closed the door and set the bar across it. He needed to sort through the supplies he’d gathered so far with Aunt Lu’s help. It wouldn’t do to have someone come looking for him unexpectedly and find the extra rations of dried beef, cornmeal, and hardtack spread out on the small table. Though the fare was sufficient for him and the slaves they’d be taking along, he wondered, not for the first time, if Adella realized all she was giving up. She’d never gone a day without plenty of food, hot water, and clean sheets. How would she fare on the trail, keeping out of sight of main roads, eating off the land for days on end?