A Most Precious Pearl

by Piper Huguley

  “That’s it then.” She relaxed her shoulders. Mr. Thomas would be well away from her. “He’ll be living by you. Maybe he’ll like you.”

  “His moustache is mighty nice. It’s thick and bushy like your brother-in-law’s is.” Katie gave a giggle. “You ever ask Ruby what it’s like kissing that moustache?”

  “I would not.” The thought of her sister and brother-in-law kissing was horrifying. She knew that they did, but she did not have to think of it. Besides, she already knew what it was like to kiss a man with a nice full moustache. Travis, her promised man, had had a moustache. Katie had forgotten. A lot of the townspeople had forgotten about her and Travis being promised to one another—he had been murdered just four years ago.

  But Mags didn’t forget.

  “How’s Ruby doing with her baby anyway?”

  She clenched a fist, more than a little angry that the last person to know how her sister was doing was the stranger in the car who was following them. “Last I heard…” her voice was measured with worry for her sister, “…she was doing fine.”

  “She going to make it through with this one,” Katie reassured her. “But I keep praying for her.”

  “Thank you, I’ll let her know.”

  They were at Katie’s house in the mill neighborhood and she turned off onto her pathway. “I got to go. Do you want to stay until he goes?”

  She wanted to say yes, and go inside to Katie’s little pinewood mill house, reach for one of the biscuits her mother kept on the back of the stove all of the time. She would drench the biscuit in peach clover honey, savoring the sweetness of it until Asa went away. But she had obligations to her family. This man had already taken her job. She was not going to let him take away her feeling of safety in Winslow. “No, Kate. I’ll see you in church tomorrow.”

  They said their goodbyes and she headed down the road alone, swinging her empty lunch pail as she walked. Except she wasn’t alone, because Asa’s car hadn’t turned off into the mill house settlement, as she assumed it would, but still followed her. She pointed her arm out behind her back toward the settlement as they walked away from it. His car pulled parallel with her. “You said that Winslow had given you a mill house to live in. The mill houses in town are all back there.”

  “I know, thank you.”

  She peered in the car as he drove. Now his tie was loosened in acknowledgement of the Georgia heat. Good. Something should get to this man. His hat was placed on the back of his head. “Then why you following me? This here is the country. We live out here as well as the Winslows. You aren’t going there are you?” Her heart thudded at the thought of a Negro man going to visit Paul Winslow’s house.

  “No. I want to make sure that you get home safely.”

  “That’s nice of you, Mr. Thomas, but this is my hometown. I can get around.”

  “I hear that Winslow is no place to be after dark.”

  “There is something to that, but it is only after two in the afternoon.”

  “Nonetheless. You’re a young lady and I want to make certain.”

  “If you are so worried about being socially proper, Mr. Thomas, you would know that I could not take a ride in a car with a male stranger then, without my reputation being questioned. Winslow is a very small town, and I’m sure that a number of people in the mill housing saw you following me.”

  He stopped the car. “I apologize. I’ll see you later then.”

  She would do her Christian duty, no matter what. “Tomorrow in church. First Water starts at eleven, Sunday school is at nine if you are interested in being educated in God’s word.” His lips parted in a smile to reveal white teeth and the traitorous image of being kissed by those lips, with the bristles of that mustache tickling her, entered her head. It was a quick, fleeting thought that made her corset feel extra snug.

  “I’ll see you sooner than that.”

  “I think not,” Mags waved him off as he pulled on ahead of her, turned the car around and sped past her, honking his horn at her as he went. What an arrogant man. That was the second time today he had said that to her, and she didn’t like his assumptions. She would do everything she could to steer clear of him. He said that Ruby had sent him down, but he could be out for his own gain as well, being a stooge for Paul Winslow.

  She had a plan. She didn’t want or need anyone deterring her. She had been just about to launch her plan and now she was demoted, losing access to the very machinery she needed. Fortunately, Asa Thomas would only be around for three months. Then she would put her plan in motion.

  To make things right for Ruby. And Travis.

  Almost three hours later, Asa left the small spare mill house he had been assigned, got back into his car and drove in the direction that Mags had been walking in. It was hard for a Negro man to obtain a meal in a small town like Winslow where there were no restaurants for Negroes. It made him long for Pittsburgh, where he could go where he wanted to eat, as long as he had money in his pocket. Here, he had money, but was restricted in where he could go. Paul Winslow advised him, “All the Negroes who visit here go to Lona Bledsoe’s to eat and stay.”

  Since he had a place to stay, he didn’t have to worry about that, but as a bachelor, he did have to worry about meals. He intended to take all of his meals at the Bledsoes though he knew Mags would not be happy about it. Her graceful countenance, so different from that of her sister’s, had touched something deep in him that had not been touched in some time. He liked her quick mind and intelligence as well as her elegance and beauty. It would be fun ruffling her feathers a bit, and he whistled a little tune as he drove down the road.

  Coming up on his right, he saw the Winslow mansion, large, white and imposing, set off from the road. He was used to large houses, since he had grown up in one in central Pittsburgh, but this house looked sad. Despite his wealth and power, Paul Winslow seemed to be a lonely man. Because of the injustices of race, Paul Winslow had to be cut off from his grandson. Too bad. Solomon was a great little chap.

  He made the right turn when he got beyond the edge of the Winslow mansion property and saw a well-kept farm about three hundred yards on the left. The Bledsoe front yard was swept clean and looked inviting and welcoming. “Hello, sir.” He stopped the car in front of the house near a middle-aged tall, brown-skinned man. “I’m visiting in town and I was told this was the place I could come for a meal.”

  The older man pushed his hat back on his head and smiled. He had a weathered face the color of his mother’s mahogany furniture. This man was where Mags had gotten her height from. “Sure is. We eat in about thirty minutes. Let me tell Lona that you are here. Name’s John Bledsoe. You can park your car right over there. “

  He did as he was directed and got out of the car, adjusting his leg gingerly as he did so. Ever since he had come here, he didn’t have the pain in his leg that he had up in Pittsburgh. Maybe it was the heat. It was mighty hot for May. The use of his cane helped him get along, but he didn’t need to lean on it so much.

  In the doorway on the large, welcoming porch he saw a middle-aged woman with skin a light taupe color wipe her hands on her apron. She had echoes of Ruby in her face. “Welcome, sir,” she called. “You’re welcome to our table. What’s your name?”

  He opened the gate and walked to the bottom of the steps. He was about to climb them and answer the woman’s question, when Mags appeared over her mother’s shoulder, glaring at him, tossing out, “What are you doing here?”

  Lona Bledsoe turned around and looked at her daughter. “You know this man, Margaret?”

  He didn’t have to be familiar with the family in particular to know that the use of her full name meant trouble. “Ma’am.” He climbed the steps. “I’m Asa Thomas. I work with your daughter at the mill.”

  “He’s the one I told you about who has taken my job,” Mags corrected, with her black eyes flashing at him. He knew this would be fun. />
  Her sisters came out from various places on the farm, obviously to inspect him. They were a beautiful group of two young Negro women and a young girl. One looked like Mags’s twin, but in the others, Ruby’s face echoed throughout all of their visages. Lona gave half a smile and wiped her hands. “He’s a man, Margaret. He needs a higher paying job to support his family. You just a young woman, you don’t have the same needs that he does.”

  “He doesn’t have a family.” Mags’s voice was surly and he could tell that his reappearance had really startled her.

  He took off his hat and shook Lona’s hand. “No, ma’am. I sure don’t.”

  Lona’s appraising gaze shifted as only a mother with a lot of daughters would. “I see. And a veteran of the war?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” His voice tensed when he was reminded of his service. However, his visible limp did not deter Lona Bledsoe and he relaxed. This was a pleasant place to be in and he would enjoy himself here. Even with Mags looking at him as if she wanted to murder him.

  Lona Bledsoe guided him up the stairs and into their home. He followed her and Mags into the large airy front room where a dining room table was set with a cheery red-checkered tablecloth. “Well, then, sir. You’re welcome to our home. Margaret cooked just about everything that you are to eat tonight. Ham with peach sauce, pole beans, sliced potatoes and cornbread. Peach shortcakes for dessert.”

  “It all sounds wonderful and delicious.”

  “You might have said that you were coming here for dinner,” Mags spoke up, crinkling her apron in her hands. He could tell she was really bothered to see him. Why?

  Her mother appeared surprised at this kind of response from Mags. “I could have…” he paused to tease her a bit, “…but why ruin the surprise?”

  “You might have figured that out yourself, Margaret, given that he is a stranger in town, just arrived this morning.” Lona stood next to her daughter and wiped her hands again on the apron. “There’s no other place for him to eat.”

  “I intend to pay my way for my meals.” Asa took his wallet out from his jacket.

  Mags’s three sisters gathered around him as he did so. “He’s got money,” the smallest girl said.

  “Delie, Nettie, Em. You all come away from him.” Lona elbowed Mags. “See, he has money? Will you be staying here?”

  Mags folded her arms. “He’s got our money, so let him pay it. Winslow gave him a mill house to live in.”

  John Bledsoe came in on the tail of the conversation and stepped up to Asa. “We can set up an arrangement for you to take your meals with us if you want, sir. But we are far out from town, and there may be one of the women in the mill settlement who would appreciate the opportunity to earn the money there.”

  Asa had already regarded the pleasant Bledsoe home punctuated by the intelligent and graceful Mags. She was a swan and he had disturbed her nest. He would have to stay on his toes with her. All he knew was that he felt more alive than he had been in a long time. He thumbed through his wallet, pulling out bills as he did so. “I wouldn’t dream of it, sir. I have heard that the Bledsoe house is the best place to eat in town.”

  Lona lowered her head. “Thank you, sir. Mags is responsible for a great deal of the cooking here.”

  “Is she now?” Asa pulled more money from his wallet. “All the more reason for me to eat here on a regular basis.”

  “Ruby sent him here to come and get me, Mama. If I go, I can’t do the cooking anymore.”

  There was surprised etched on Lona’s face. “How’s that?”

  “I attend church with the Morsons in Pittsburgh, ma’am. They’re friends of my family.”

  Lona clasped her hands. “My goodness, isn’t this wonderful? Mags, why didn’t you say anything, why didn’t you bring him home sooner? He has news of Ruby.”

  He could see that Mags felt very uncomfortable at her mother’s accusation, and he, willingly, came to her rescue. “I offered Mags a ride home after work, but she refused, being a young lady of good character. I understood and pulled off. I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable with me in any way.”

  “Isn’t that sweet? He knows Ruby, you would have been safe with him,” Lona exclaimed and he could see Mags’s dismay etched in her pitched eyebrows.

  “He’s a gentleman,” one of her sisters said.

  “Still, he comes with news of Ruby.” John Bledsoe put a companionable hand on his shoulder, guiding him to the table. “Please, put your wallet away. It isn’t welcome here. Come on and sit down and tell us about how you left the family.”

  “Only three days ago, and they are all well,” Asa reassured them. Mags’s thunderstruck face increased the triumph that he felt. However, she didn’t stay out in the larger room at the table. His sense of triumph faded when he watched her retreat into the kitchen. When she left the room, the fun and spark went out of the room with her.

  He put his wallet away.

  Chapter Three

  By the time they finished supper, which Asa Thomas praised far too much, every single Bledsoe was infatuated with him. Mr. Thomas, Mags determined to call him, had folded himself into the bosom of her family so easily, she saw stars as part of her vision.

  Did no one care this man was snatching money from them? No. She scrubbed a dish with extra vigor as the sounds of big, fun laughter filtered to her from the front room. He was telling them funny stories about Solomon. Yes, they were cute stories, but why should he, a stranger know more about her nephew than she did?

  And he made her mother cry. Her stalwart, strong mother laughed at the antics of her only grandchild. In the next minute, she would wipe at the corners of her eyes with her apron. All they had to rely upon were the recollections of Mr. Thomas since Ruby had promised Winslow officials she would never return. The Bledsoes couldn’t leave because of their farm and business. Now Ruby was having a hard time having a second baby, and Lona kept running a hand around the back of her neck, back and forth, to massage the worry away. Mags knew the heart-rending gesture well.

  “So, she look healthy? Skin kinda glow you say?”

  “Mother, Mr. Thomas isn’t like Adam, where he can diagnose a woman with child.” She came back into the room to see what was going on, and the feeling of the room changed from one of joy to edginess.

  Every Bledsoe regarded her with dropped jaws. Didn’t they get it? Yes, she was usually mild-mannered and quiet. But this man was a stranger, comfortable and easy himself, chatting up her family, preying upon their sympathies with his limp and veteran’s history and coming in and taking her job. The blood pounded in her ears and she twitched.

  “I know, Mags, but I just wanted to know what he thought.” Lona rubbed more on her neck.

  “Mags is right. I don’t know much about the health of women who have blessed events on the way, but when I last saw her, my thoughts were she looked angelic. Given her happy event is going to happen around Labor Day sometime, she looks appropriately rounded.”

  “Oh, I wish I could help her. I know the other miscarriages hurt her heart so. I members all mine. Every one.”

  John patted Lona’s hand, another gesture which tugged at her heart. “She’s further on this time,” her father said, “good news.”

  “She probably tearing around, not doing what she is supposed to do,” Lona fretted.

  “She’s a doctor’s wife,” Mags put in, biting the inside of her cheek trying to stop herself from sounding so horrible, so unlike herself. “He sleeps right there, next to her at night.”

  Silence.

  Her mother stood up. “I’ll get the shortcakes.” She went into the kitchen. Usually, Mags was the one who followed her and would go and help. Instead, she sat at the table and stared down Asa Thomas from the other end.

  She kept ignoring her cue. Not today. This man needed to go. Now. “I’ll go,” Nettie announced and left the room.

 
“Nice work, there, Mags,” Em whispered to her, loudly. Em did not whisper any other way.

  She still did not stand. “What? I just had to point that out. Mama would put anything back onto Ruby, since they do not get along.”

  “You can see how it is with your mother now,” John said, his own face long with concern. The guilt piled up a little more. Her father was thinking about his own grandson who was his little buddy for the first few months of his life. “They had hard times but she loves Ruby, just as she loves you all. It’s tearing her up thinking your sister is having a hard time, being so far away without the comfort of her family.”

  Prickles of discomfort peppered her skin. To shake them off, she stood and went into the kitchen as she usually did. As she suspected, Nettie was there in her usual spot comforting their mother who went to have a more substantial cry away from the visitor. Mags took over, under Nettie’s glare. “I’m sorry, Mama.”

  “I just wish I could go to her. She needs her mother in her time of need.”

  She patted her mother’s back. “You should go with Mr. Thomas when it is her time.”

  Lona sat up and wiped at her eyes with a handkerchief. “I can’t leave your daddy. I’m his wife before God. No. You going to have to go with him.”

  “How can I travel with him? I don’t want anyone thinking anything.”

  Lona wiped at her face and tucked the handkerchief back into her pocket. She started to pour cream into a pitcher, split some biscuits and ladled sugared peaches on the halves. “We going to figure it out. Ruby done sent for you, so you got to go up there. We’ll be fine without you.”

  The words slapped her down, even though she knew her mother didn’t intend for her to feel that way. “I thought you needed me to work and help and take care of things.”

  “Of course we need you, Mags. But you got to find your way too. It isn’t fair of us to keep leaning on you so, using you. Ruby and Adam found some opportunity up there—there might be more for you than working for old Winslow. He know you making him money and yet he don’t want to pay you. He gave away your job. What do that tell you?”