Flight of Fancy: Cora's Daughters (47 page)

“If you sweet on a’lass, you can court her, an’ jump the broom
if
you win her heart. As for the rest, we no longer breed babies for sale - fancies for sale - boys, girls for sale. We will no longer need studs. We need men. I will not have families torn apart here – not ever again. You father a child, you are a father and responsible. Which leads to the next part…” He looked directly at Malachi and the other males from there. “As I said… studs are no longer needed here. Some of you, the ones born here, bred here, have never worked in a field a day in your lives. You have done nothing but bed a woman. Those days are
over.
The work from now on will tire you in a whole nutha’ way. The time is now for you to learn how to be
real
men. Doin’ real men’s work. You not willin’? Go! Go
now
.” Once more, silence was stretched out to let them absorb his words.

“At present, Whelan Meadows is in shambles. That’ah change this spring, this summer, this year. Ya’ cabins will be cared for and made for human dwellin’ – every one of them. We, my partner and I, will see t’it that everyone who chooses to stay, will never come to regret it. Hard work, but proud work - with great rewards.”

Because of more rain, he and Rory spent the first few days getting to know everyone and letting them know what would be expected of each. This was done by inviting them singularly into the office where Rory entered each person into the books of Whelan Meadows. Names, their age, features and if possible, names of their fathers, mothers and siblings.

They discussed skills of each person – what they did best, what they liked to do and if that skill benefitted Whalen Meadows, they were encouraged and arrangements would be made to help them to do it better.

Those that had no particular skill, they would be taught something to do to fully utilize the men and women at hand. As they did this, they also had a talk with the women. Assuring them that from that moment forward, they were all under protection – no longer to be treated as chattel to be bought, sold, raped and mated at will. Any children born to them, would be with them for life – as long as they resided at Whalen Meadows.

Five days later, the rains broke. It was time to clear the fields they would be growing in. One of the evenings there after a hard day of work, Broc sat alone before the fire, quiet, thinking of his wife. Thankfully, he could do this because Rory was unstoppable, determined to get things done, to grow and maintain a trust with their people. Up to that evening, Broc was careful about the things he said surrounding Asiza, causing a rise of curiosity about her.

Being one not to let a question in her mind linger too long without being answered, Ms. Sadie-Mae entered the room, carrying a hot toddy to relax Broc. As soon as he smiled, accepting it from her, she got right to the point. “You ain’t kill Asiza?”

He was stunned by the question, “Of course not, I’ve said as much.”

“She ain’t dead, wheah she be?”

Broc sighed, still realizing a need for being careful, “She’s in New York, she free there. She, works for me now, she takes care of my home there.”

“Asiza? How you do that, you beat’ah?”

Broc smiled, “Ms. Sadie-Mae, Asiza has changed. She – well, she a lady now. Reads, writes – an’ is ah, accommodating.”

Ms. Sadie-Mae laughed out, “Yes – you beat’ha, I know that one gone need beatin’ to do what she tol’.”

“I don’t beat women Ms. Sadie-Mae. Yes, Asiza is stubborn, head strong, I can’nah deny it, but a woman jus’ the same. I get her to do m’bidding other ways.” He smiled and winked.

Ms. Sadie-Mae looked beyond the smile and wink, “You prove you ain’ beat’ha, kill’ah – nex’ time you come back, brang ‘Seeza wit’chu.”

“That won’t be easy Ms. Sadie-Mae – Asiza hates Clover Grove.”

“Yeah, that’ be true – she do she do. But you don’ change it yeah? Still, you brang’ha, tell’ha, Ms. Sadie-Mae wanna see she ah’right – you do that, heah me?”

With little choice, Broc nodded his head, “Yes Ms. Sadie-Mae, I will tell her, and – I will try an’ bring her – jus’ for you.”

The elderly woman went to leave when Broc stopped her to ask a question of his own, “Ms. Sadie-Mae – I need to know, did your other master, Gareth have any sons?”

Shaking her head and waving her hand, “Oh no chile, he too selfish, too greedy. He have boys to slaves, kill’em all. Neva’ marry cause he don’ want no missus t’go thu his money – fix this house, buyin’ gowns – oh no. He have a brotha’ once, an’ kill him fightin’ ova’ this here plantation. He don’ share… you done askin’?”

“Yes ma’am, I’m done. Goodnight Ms. Sadie-Mae.”

The next day, after finally completing a survey of the land, possessions and livestock on it, also what it would cost to bring it up to par – ie; decorations, repairs, landscaping, Broc was thankful he’d included Rory and Manny in on it.

The entire cost of completion would have taken him down to his last bag of gold to. Because of them and their investment – all that needed to be done would be covered. He would stay on the rest of March and April to assist Rory in getting things done.

Before leaving, he wanted to make sure their very first crop was planted, that the cabins were repaired, and the big house was fashioned to a standard where business could be conducted there. He stayed busy and made sure everyone was the same. At the center of his mind, his
wife
. He prayed that by the time he returned home, she would be over her anger and happy to see him.

New York – the boarding house…

Standing in the corridor – rousing a buzz – of all people, Emma Byrd’s beau – Jack Tanner was alive, well and there to get her.

Asiza, Asa, Millie and her girls had been studying in the office library when he arrived. They were wrapping it up and heading for the stairs when they heard the knock at the door. Because she had been the last in the procession, Asiza turned back to answer it. Cracking the door, she peaked out – surprised by the white man staring back at her.

“Can I help you?” She asked, reluctant to let him in.

For the initial moment of staring into her eyes, his thoughts were so intense he must have forgotten to smile – he suddenly realized it and seemed to do so a bit too quickly.

As for Asiza, within seconds of laying eyes on him, she did not like him. She didn’t know what it was, but felt no need to return his smile.

“Can I help you?” She repeated.

“Mmm, yes – I’m Jack Tanner
– I’ve come about Emma Byrd, she still here, isn’t she?”

Asiza didn’t want to invite him in, “Wait here, I’ll get her.”

Aghast at her abruptness, “Hold on here, can I at least come in?”

“I’ll leave that for Ms. Della to decide.” She closed the door in his face and went looking for Della, before she alerted Emma Byrd.

Walking back down the hall with Asiza, Della grinned, “Asiza, just because you don’t like the looks of someone is no cause to be rude, you know better.” She mildly chided.

In a churlish reply, “Hmph, this is your boarding house, not mine. It wasn’t up to me to let him in – reason I came for you.”

By now, Della had gotten to know Asiza and her moods, “Very well, get Emma while I invite him in?” She was smiling, having grown close to Asiza since her time there. Asiza was straight laced and real, she was literally someone that said and behaved in the way that she felt, no pretenses. 

Asiza nodded her consent, moving slowly towards the stairs where she lingered to get another look at him. Della opened the door, apologizing with a greeting.

Right away, his eyes went passed Della to Asiza, smiling in a way that reminded her of a fox or weasel. The core of her being warned that he might be a sly one. Rolling her eyes away from him, she made her way up the stairs to Emma Byrd’s room, knocking. The moment she opened the door, Asiza informed her, “Your beau is downstairs – he says his name is Jack Tanner.”

Emma’s eyes went big, “Oh my goodness, finally – wait ‘til I tell him!” She blazed, turning back into her room to check herself in the tall floor mirror - inspecting her hair, face and clothing. “How I look, presentable enough?” She asked Asiza, who stood just inside her room.

“You look just fine. You not going with him are you? Why don’t you stay
here
– let him go on back to where he’s come from.”

With a suspicious tilt of her head, Emma Byrd smirked, cocking a brow, “Well listen at you – why you think you the only one who gets a good man? Nobody talk you from yours - don’t need you talking me from mine.”

“How you know him Emma? Where you meet him?” While Asiza could now talk as properly as anyone, she didn’t always choose to.

“That ain’t none of your concern – now if you will, I been waitin’ long enough.” She walked past Asiza, heading for the door.

“Don’t trust him Emma, don’t – he a snake. A slippery snake.”

Emma gasped, her mouth open - staring into Asiza’s eyes – she wanted to rebuke her, but something in her words met with something in her own system that told her as well, something wasn’t right. Her mouth closed. She too had gotten to know Asiza.

If Asiza, of all people was warning her, concerned for her, it was a warning she should heed. But – how could she?

Chapter Thirty

They both stood staring at each other. Emma realized, looking back over the time she’d been at the boarding house, she’d been nothing but difficult. She’d resisted and rejected every offer to make herself better. The whole time, telling one and all – the moment her beau showed up, she wouldn’t hesitate to be out of that place. Emma realized that something was not only wrong with her thinking, but her behavior – because of that she’d talked herself, along with her pride, into a situation of her own making. She couldn’t turn back now - she wouldn’t be able to face the shame of her own actions. She had to go – besides, no one liked her there, and that too she knew was her own fault.

“Stay Emma, stay. Talk with Ms. Della – you don’t have to go.” Asiza pleaded, she could see it in her eyes – that she wasn’t so sure about this man herself.

“They all – even Ms. Della, hate me. An’ you, why you care, if I go, o’I stay.”

“Ms. Della don’t hate you. As for the rest, we not perfect Emma, not one of us. If we don’t put our nitpicking and craziness aside and come together – none of us, not one – will ever know what it means to be happy and free. We got to stick together, no matter how we fuss and fight, we have to look out for each other. That includes me, looking out for you.”

Emma sucked in a deep breath, “It’s too late Asiza, I did it to myself. Last thing anybody want is me to stay - I have to go.” With those few words, she turned and rushed to the stairs and down them to Jack Tanner.

He turned at her arrival, with a sober smile of an apology,

“I can explain – I know I’ve been gone-...”

“I just wanna go,” Emma moved close into his arms, her heart slamming within her chest as if in protest, “Can I pack, can we go – now?” She couldn’t face the others, she didn’t want to look into their faces and see them all sighing in relief that she was finally going - especially since her mind throbbed with a tiny thought of possibly backing out. She could feel it, that
something
spurring her towards telling him that she’d changed her mind. Yet, while her mind was thinking one thing, in that battle of truth, her body and actions were telling a lie.

“Well of course, we can go right this moment – I’ve seen to everything, you don’t even have to pack – if you don’t want to. Wait until you see all the pretty new things I bought you. So many gowns – you’ll be changing three times a day t’wear’em all.” He drawled, leaning forward to kiss her brow.

“No, I wanna pack – won’t be long, not much to pack.”

“Emma…” Della called to her, “Can we talk, before you pack and … go?”

“Oooh, sorry Miss,” Jack Tanner cut in, “I’m in a bit of a hurry. She’ll need to hurry so we can be on our way.”

Emma stood a moment, and in that moment, let her pride speak instead of the truth in her mind and heart. “We already said everything - he here now, time fo’ me to go, right?” She turned before any more could be said, rushing up the stairs to her room.

Della exhaled long and deep, turning her eyes to Jack Tanner.

His smile was slow in coming – calculating. She could see it now, what Asiza meant – there was something about him, not honest or real.

“Who are you?” Della asked, as if she already knew.

“Just a man coming for his lady, that’s all.” He returned soft and slow – he was filled with so much slyness, she could feel it.

Della half expected a skinny split tongue to slither out and flick the air, tasting it before slipping back in. Turning from him, looking up the stairs behind Emma – it felt wrong. Grabbing her skirt, she made her way up the stairs straight to Emma Byrd’s room, walking in through the open door. “Emma – don’t go. I take it back – I take it all back. Let’s start fresh, new. From today forward, you do your part, you learn – you can stay. You can stay Emma, don’t go with him.” Della feared for her.