The Planter's Daughter
Page 26
“Are you saying bad things can end up being good?”
“Yassum, I ’spect I is.”
Skeptical, she said, “I’m not sure I agree with you, Moses. Take slavery, for instance. How can you being a slave end up being good?”
A soft smile filled his face. “’Cuz I a slave, I met my Harriet, an’ we’s blessed with five chillens. Don’t get me wrong, Missy. I not sayin’ I like bein’ a slave, but I found some happiness in the midst of it.”
She thought of Seth. His injury prevented him from returning to the Rangers, but it brought him to Rose Hill. If he hadn’t been shot by the runaway slave, he would have never come to work as their overseer, and she would have no choice but to marry Marshall.
“I think I understand what you’re saying.”
“Ain’t al’ays easy to find the good, but it there, if we’uns look hard ’nough.”
Leaving the barn a short time later, she had the strangest feeling his words were meant to prepare her for something. With all the uncertainty and danger involved in their plan to leave Rose Hill, she could imagine all kinds of bad things happening. Would God really bring good from it all?
She glanced in the direction of the quarter, knowing she had a difficult decision to make. Her heart told her to take Lucy and the baby with them when they escaped, but Seth had already voiced his opposition to the idea. His reasons made sense, of course. Taking a new mother fresh from childbirth and her infant on a long, arduous journey was beyond foolish. Yet Adella could not shake the certainty she felt that the baby would be in danger if she remained at Rose Hill. She couldn’t bear knowing that she’d had the opportunity to save her own niece from a life as a slave and yet did nothing.
Biting her lip, she came to a conclusion. She would speak to Lucy. If the young woman expressed a desire to go with them, then Seth would simply have to trust her decision.
Early in the morning on the day of the planned escape, long before the horizon began to grow light, Seth quietly made his way to the shed behind the quarter. For the past several days, he’d snuck food and milk to Jeptha, hoping to get the young slave travel-ready. They would have no time for rest stops once they left Rose Hill. His time with the Rangers taught him the first few days were critical. They had to put many miles between them and Rose Hill, which would require hours of hard riding, only giving the animals a short rest from time to time. They would keep that pace until he was certain they were far enough away to give them a lead, but even then, the journey to the border would demand everything they had.
Even before he could make out the silhouette of the shed in the dark, the foul stench told him he’d arrived.
“Jeptha?” He kept his voice lowered, glancing toward the rows of cabins to make certain no light shone from a window, indicating someone was awake this early.
A rustling noise came from inside the shack. “Yassuh,” came his sleepy voice. “I here.”
Seth had to grin. Where else would the slave be? “How are you holding up?”
Jeptha’s face appeared in the hole, the whites of his eyes glowing in the darkness. “I better, thanks to the food you’s been bringin’. Befo’, I weak as a newborn kitten, but now I feeling stronger. Been movin’ around in here some, kinda runnin’ in the same spot to get my muscles goin’.”
“Good.” Seth breathed a sigh of relief. They couldn’t afford to take Jeptha if he were ill or too weak from deprivation. “If all goes as planned, we’ll leave tonight.”
Jeptha’s eyes widened. “Tonight? Whoo-wee. Jes’ the three of us? You, me, and Missy?”
Recalling Jeptha’s feelings for Zina, he wasn’t sure how the slave would react when he learned Zina and Aunt Lu were also escaping. “Missy has asked Aunt Lu and Zina to come along.”
“Is they?” he said after a few moments.
“Yes.”
A grin revealed Jeptha’s teeth. “That real good news, Mistah Brantley, suh. Real good.”
Seth didn’t quite agree, mainly because the more people they took, the more danger everyone was in, but he could understand the young man’s pleasure. “I’ve brought you some food and water— some for drinking and some for bathing. There’s also a change of clothes. Don’t put them on until it gets dark tonight. And keep them off the ground, if you can,” he added as an afterthought, knowing the ground inside the shed must be covered in filth.
Jeptha’s hand reached through the hole for the food, jars of water, and clothing. “Yassuh, I do that. Got’s a couple nails pokin’ through the wood up high I can hang ’em on. Sho’ will be nice to get outta these here nasty rags.”
“Be ready as soon as it gets dark,” Seth said, his heart pounding. They were really going to do this thing tonight. It seemed surreal.
“How you gonna get me out of here, if you don’t mind my askin’?”
“Master Luther keeps the key to the padlock in a drawer in his study.” Seth lowered his voice even further. “Aunt Lu will get it sometime today.”
Several seconds passed before Jeptha gave a low whistle. “Sho’ makes me nervous, what we’s ’bout to do.”
Hearing that, Seth felt it only fair to make sure the slave knew all the dangers they faced, in case he wanted to change his mind. “You know if we are caught, they will beat you. You could also hang.”
“I knows it, suh,” came his quiet reply. “The patterollers killed my pappy when he done tried to run away.”
Seth’s brow rose in surprise. “I didn’t know that. How long ago did that happen?”
“I not more’n a baby at the time. It befo’ Massa Luther buy my mama an’ me. Mama say our ol’ massa sold us on account o’ my pappy causin’ trouble.” He paused. “Guess I followin’ in his footsteps. Befo’ she die, Mama tells me freedom in my blood. She be right proud if she knew I chasin’ it down.”
Seth thought of the slave he’d encountered at the border. Like Jeptha’s father, that man had risked everything for freedom. Sending up a silent prayer, he hoped the fate of those other men would not be Jeptha’s.
Light edged the eastern horizon. The slaves would be up and about soon, and he didn’t want to be seen near the shed. The less folks knew about who was involved in the escape, the better.
“Be ready. I don’t know when exactly we’ll come for you, but once we leave Rose Hill lands, we will need to ride hard and fast.”
“Mistah Brantley?” Jeptha’s tone was uncertain. “Why you doin’ this? You an’ Missy could leave here easy ’nough without goin’ to all the trouble to take me and them others with you. If we gets caught, you be in jest as much trouble as us’n’s.”
It was a question Seth had pondered for days. “I guess you could say I have learned some things about myself since coming to Rose Hill that I didn’t much like. Hopefully, this is a way to set things right.”
Returning to his cabin, the magnitude of what they were about to do weighed heavily on him. What if they were caught? Would they all face the hangman’s noose because of him? The lives of four other people depended on his knowledge and expertise. They trusted he could get them safely to Mexico. But what if he made a wrong choice on the trail?
Ramming his hands into his pockets, the cool smoothness of Oliver’s stone met his touch. He removed the rock and studied it, remembering what Mammy had told the boy. Could God really make a sinner’s heart as white as the stone? Did God even care about his creation? Looking at the world around him, Seth had his doubts.
But what if God did indeed care? What if he actually heard the cry of the helpless, wanting to guide the sinner home?
Grasping the rock in his fist, Seth fell to his knees.
“God in heaven, I need your help.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Adella stood in her dressing gown at her window, gazing out at the new morning. Clear blue sky and birdsong greeted her, as though it were just an ordinary day, rather than the last time she would wake up in her room and look out on Rose Hill land. The scent of Mama’s roses wafted upward on a light breeze
, bringing tears to her eyes. Oh, how she would miss the vibrant colors and perfume from the dozens of bushes decorating the house’s landscape. Leaving them was almost as hard as leaving Mama’s grave, which she had visited the day before. Though she knew her mother was long in heaven, it still troubled her to know she might never place flowers beneath the stone marker again.
Had Mama felt this way leaving her home and family back in Virginia when she and Papa set out for Texas? The circumstances had been different, of course. Papa and Daniel Brantley had been invited by Stephen Austin himself—whose father had been friends with Grandfather Ellis years before—to join him and other settlers in the lands newly acquired from Mexico. It must have been frightening for Mama to climb into a covered wagon with her baby boy, heading into territory inhabited by various Indian tribes and very few white people. But she’d followed the man she loved in much the same way Adella would.
An idea sprang to her heart. Mama brought cuttings of rosebushes with them when she and Papa left Virginia. Couldn’t she also take one with her when she and Seth left tonight? The very thought lifted her spirits and brought a sense of urgency. As soon as she could, she’d go to the kitchen and ask Aunt Lu for a burlap bag. Surely they could find room for one small plant.
After turning from the window, Adella dressed in the gown she’d specifically chosen for her last day at Rose Hill. The deep coral had been Mama’s favorite color, and Papa always commented that Adella reminded him of Mama when she wore it. If nothing else, she wanted her father’s last memories of her to be favorable. That he would be furious when he discovered her betrayal, as he would most assuredly view her marriage to Seth, left her heavy with regret.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.” She gave the room a quick scan to be certain the two valises she’d packed were tucked out of sight beneath the bed. Not even Hulda knew of her plans, despite the older woman’s presence in and out of Adella’s rooms. Knowing Papa would question the servant after he discovered Adella missing, she didn’t want to put her former nurse in jeopardy and force her to lie. Surely Papa wouldn’t sell the old woman in his fury.
When the door opened, Adella was surprised to see Natalie enter the room. “Why, Natalie, dear, you’re up early.” She tried to smile, but apprehension prevented one from forming. They hadn’t found another opportunity to discuss Adella’s situation after their conversation in the dining room. With Natalie’s mother unwell, the young woman felt obligated to attend to Mrs. Langford, which meant spending several days and a night away from Rose Hill.
“I hoped to speak with you before we go downstairs to breakfast.” The grave tone in Natalie’s voice worried Adella.
“Oh? Come, let us sit.” She motioned to the two matching chairs that flanked the ornate fireplace.
Once they were seated, Natalie’s expression grew serious. “Adella Rose, your wedding to Marshall is tomorrow. I simply must know what you plan to do. In all honesty, I didn’t expect to find you still here when I returned home last evening. In fact, I hoped you would be gone, that is if you insist on continuing with your ridiculous notion to marry Mr. Brantley.”
“Is it ridiculous to marry a man I love, Natalie?” she asked, hurt by the other woman’s disapproving tone. “I know you had feelings for George before you married, and I hope they have grown since your wedding day. Surely you understand why I must choose to follow my heart.”
Natalie’s fine brows drew together. “We are not discussing my marriage, Adella Rose. You have put me in a very difficult position. Knowing your intentions regarding Mr. Brantley, as well as knowing the financial predicament of Rose Hill, makes me wonder if telling your father what is going on is for the best.”
Adella stared at Natalie with wide eyes, panic racing through her veins at the very thought of Papa learning of their plans. “You can’t, Natalie. I took you into my confidence as my sister and friend when I disclosed those details to you.”
“I realize that.” Natalie seemed to back down for a moment. “But I have had time to think it over since then. What you are doing is not right. Your father made an agreement with Marshall, and you as his daughter must honor it, despite your feelings for Mr. Brantley. I am sure, given time, you will come to care for Marshall. He seems a pleasant man and can offer you far more than a poor overseer ever will.”
“I thought you understood. I see I was wrong.” Adella stood and walked to the window. Acres of cotton fields stretched over the horizon, with slaves already hard at work ridding the ground of weeds. If Natalie was determined to reveal their plan to Papa, Adella must act quickly and get word to Seth. All their careful plotting would be for naught if they had to flee prematurely. Jeptha and the others would have to be left behind, and she couldn’t bear to think of what would happen to them amid Papa’s anger.
“I understand you believe you are in love with Mr. Brantley.” Natalie lifted her hand to look at the gold band on her finger. “But sometimes we have to put away our girlish notions of what marriage and love are and accept the realities we face as daughters and wives of important men.”
Adella shook her head. “I don’t want that reality, Natalie. I would rather have the love of a good man and live a humble life than live in a mansion with a man I can barely tolerate. What happiness could there ever be in an existence such as that?”
Unexpected tears sprang to Natalie’s eyes, and she turned away.
“Natalie?” Adella hurried over and knelt at her sister-in-law’s feet. “What is it? I didn’t mean to hurt you, if indeed it was my words that brought these tears.”
Waving Adella away, Natalie quickly composed herself. “You should not speak of things you know nothing about, Adella Rose. Many women sacrifice for the good of their families. A loveless marriage is nothing new. My own mother bettered her family by marrying my father, and I—”
She pressed trembling lips together and looked away.
Adella grasped the other woman’s hands. “I’m sorry, Natalie,” she whispered. “More than anything, I wish happiness for you and George.”
“Then marry Marshall.” Natalie’s words were tinged with anger. “Without Marshall’s money, Rose Hill could be lost. Do you want that on your conscience? Your family’s heritage gone because you selfishly chose to disobey your father’s wishes?”
Adella closed her eyes, the truth of Natalie’s words knifing through her heart. The accusing questions were not unfamiliar. She herself had examined her motives for days, knowing if she married Seth, it put the plantation and Papa in a precarious position. Yet she clung to the belief that Marshall would, in the end, do what would benefit him, which was keep to the business agreement.
Resolved, she met Natalie’s gaze. “I can’t marry Marshall. Seth and I will leave tonight.” There was no need to mention the slaves that would accompany them. The less information Natalie possessed regarding the escape, the better. “If you believe it is your duty to inform Papa, then so be it, but it won’t change anything. As your sister, however, I am asking you for your silence.”
For a long moment, she waited for Natalie to respond.
Finally, the young woman gave a slow nod. “I believe you are making a grave mistake, Adella Rose, but I will keep your secret.”
Adella practically wilted with relief. “Thank you, Natalie. I have one last request. Please take charge of Carolina. She is a sweet girl, and I fear what Papa might do after I’m gone.” It broke Adella’s heart to leave the child behind, but Carolina’s mother and siblings belonged to Papa. With Zina gone, Natalie would be in need of a maid.
Natalie frowned, but she nodded. “Very well.”
With tears stinging her eyes, Adella embraced her sister-in-law, knowing they would most likely not have another opportunity to say good-bye. “You will be in my prayers. I will write as soon as I can and let you know where we are.”
“You had better.” Natalie tightened her arms around Adella. When she pulled away, she sniffled. “Here I thought I was finally ge
tting a sister.”
“We will always be sisters,” Adella said, smiling through her own tears.
After Natalie departed, Adella went to her bureau and retrieved a cameo brooch Natalie had admired on more than one occasion. She would leave it for the young woman with a note expressing her love and gratitude. She also needed to write a note for her father and one for Marshall. The latter would offer her sincere apology for any embarrassment she caused by disappearing the day before their wedding and beg him to please keep his agreement with her father to make Rose Hill solvent again.
With pen and paper, she sat at her desk to compose the most difficult letter of her life.
Dear Papa …
Seated at the long servants’ table in the kitchen, Seth stared at the lukewarm supper on his plate while Aunt Lu bustled about, casting nervous glances his way. It was imperative he speak with her in private, but Celia continued to mill about, not really accomplishing anything but apparently hoping to look busy. Preparations for the wedding supper were laid out, and Seth had to commend Aunt Lu for thinking of it. Appearing as though nothing were out of the ordinary was essential to the success of their escape.
With nerves on edge, Seth tried to eat, knowing he’d need the nourishment for the long days ahead. But despite the tenderness of the pork roast and seasoned potatoes, he had a hard time swallowing. Tangible fear seemed lodged in his throat now that the hour they’d waited for was upon them.
Finally, after an exasperated sigh, Aunt Lu dismissed the girl. “Ain’t nothin’ else need doin’ in here, Celia. Get on home now. Gots a busy day tomorrow.” As soon as Celia disappeared, Aunt Lu’s shoulders sagged. “Didn’t think we’s ever gonna be rid o’ dat worthless gal.”
“Are you ready?” he asked, keeping his voice low. There was no need to explain what he meant.
She nodded. “Uh-huh. We gots our bundles hid up yonder,” she said, pointing to the stairs that led to the room she shared with Zina. “My Zina ’fraid Miss Natalie knows somethin’. She keep lookin’ at her strange-like.”