Princess Ces'alena (77 page)

She had come home in hopes of talking to him; to at least come to some kind of happy medium where they could work out a plan to return to some semblance of a marriage. On stepping from the carriage, and up to the porch she stopped for no particular reason, other than she could go no further. Doing something she’d never done before, she turned and as if being led, walked quietly around the mansion to the side yard, and onward still across the main lane until she stood at Lena’s cabin.

There at the steps, she’d stopped. Unsure of what she would say to her, she turned walking to the back side of the cabin, and up to her window. Where she stood now, utterly destroyed. She was shocked to hear him talking to Lena’s child, stunned even more so by a child that should not be. Blown away hearing his talk of fatherly affection and gentleness to the little girl that was his own.

As if in a bad dream, her sights locked onto her noting all of her attributes, the silky golden tresses waving amidst hundreds of curls, reaching her center back; the smooth olive skin; the voice of a baby, calling him by the title, daddy. The child was a complete blend of the two people she now stared at. There was no doubt to whom she belonged. Although she couldn’t hear all they were saying, speaking in the soft intimate whispers that they were, she didn’t need to hear them to know. The child Hope who was not supposed to be, was! She remembered overhearing them discuss her name once.

‘
Hope — Hope!’

They’d tricked her!

All this time she had been harboring fanciful ideas of possibly gaining his attention and mending the rift between them. Of fixing a marriage that had been doomed from the start. All at once, every warning given to her came to mind.
‘He used me. Used me! Just so he could - cohabit freely with his concubine slave!’
She steamed in realization.
‘All this time! All this wasted time! There was never any chance for us! You used me Maynard Webster! You used me!’
Anger shot through her making her tremble. She turned from the window having seen enough. All of her life, she had been good enough to use, but never good enough to love.

‘
Using me! Using me! Using me! Never loving me! Just using me!’
She thought storming back to the mansion.
‘Use me and then cast me aside. Never again, never ever again will a man use me and toss me aside. Never again… Never again!’

The next day…Manny and Leon left for Boston.

Chapter Eighteen

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI…

Two weeks after Manny’s leaving, once again the women - Mildred, this time with her mother, and Katherine found their way to Jackson. There they sat in a restaurant taking a much needed break from picking up the items they’d ordered on the previous journey there, when only Katherine, Mildred and Charles went.

“Here is your tea ladies, your orders will be ready shortly.”

“Thank you, we’re in no hurry, take your time.” Mildred replied to the waitress as they’d stopped to eat and rest. Katherine sat staring in the distance, with no interest in the trip to Jackson or anything else for that matter. Realizing this, Mildred insisted she come as a means to keep her busy until things she knew were about to take place started happening. Just as her husband explained that he would, Manny left. It was only a matter of time now before they would have to console Katherine over the divorce once it was filed and became public knowledge.

“Come on Katherine, don’t look so glum.”

“I can’t help it. She has destroyed my life, my happiness, my marriage - she has all the things that rightly should be mine. My husband and his child - I hate her Mil’. When I see her walking about with not a care in the world, I could claw her eyes out.”

“Katherine!! Don’t say such a thing. I know you’re hurting, but -(she sighed)- you can’t change things. You can’t…make him love you. No more than you can make him stop loving her. It’s a hard thing to face - but… the time has come to leave it alone.” Mildred advised, unsure of how much Katherine knew. She and her mother had been stunned when she’d come to them telling of her discovery. Helene had maintained her silence where her opinion was concerned. She had felt sorry for her niece and all that she was going through, yet she had been warned. Even so, she wasn’t going to heap more coals on the fires of her humiliation by reminding her of that fact. Yet, she had no knowledge that Manny was divorcing her as well. True to her word, Mildred was unwilling to disclose anything shared by her husband, nothing could get her to betray his trust, family or not.

“Well that surprises me, coming from you?” Helene remarked.

“I realize now, after what she saw - that it is a battle that cannot be won.” Mildred replied to her mother, then said to Katherine. “You are young and beautiful, let him go Katherine. Divorce him!”

“Mildred!!” Helene blurted her name shocked. “I cannot believe you’re suggesting such a thing, when I advised it - you were stunned!”

Helene reminded her. Mildred sighed, at the time it had been shocking to hear such a thing, but now, she knew what Manny’s plans were. She thought if Katherine was going to redeem the smallest shred of her dignity, she would advise her to do the filing first. Of course she couldn’t tell her that Manny was already doing so…but she knew that if Katherine did so, it would be a relief to him from having to do it and would leave her with some dignity.

“That was then, when I believed they could make it work. I know better now. It is a marriage that has only brought her heartache and pain.”

“Well had she done so when I suggested it, it might have saved her that much more!” Helene blasted – unable to restrain that much.

“Maybe, but she had to be sure first and now she is.” Mildred defended. Katherine was looking at her as the idea took root. “You know what, I think I will. Why should I sit around waiting for his scraps to be tossed at me? I think that is a good idea.”

“Yes! We shall see to it immediately!” Helene cheered, finally relieved.

“I agree with mother, the sooner, the better…that will show him!”

“Oh the scandal it will cause him! It is what he deserves!” Katherine proclaimed getting revved up to bring him the humiliation he served her.

“Yes it is! And through it all, you can hold your head high!” Mildred agreed tartly.

“It’s a good thing that my Mildred married Charles Wilson! I’m certain he will see to this matter for you! You will talk to him, won’t you Mildred?”

Helene shook her head. “Divorce! In our family…surely it is a sign of the times…” She moaned at the thought of the scandal, knowing even so…it was the right thing to do.

“
Time!
Oh no, his watch! The one I was having engraved for him, I almost forgot it. I must get there before the shop closes.” Mildred cut her mother off as her declaration served as a reminder. “Please excuse me Katherine, mother, but I must get there. I’ll be right back.” She was up and out of her seat, heading for the exit.

Aunt and niece sat silent a moment, until Helene cleared her throat. “I will return shortly sweetheart. If you will excuse me?” Helene announced moving her chair back unable to hold her bladder a moment more. Sitting alone, Katherine sulked in her bitter anger.
‘Yes, I will divorce you. As soon as I can arrange it. I will show you Maynard Webster!’
She brooded with the idea, wishing she had some other way as well of getting back at him for the heartache and shame he’d caused her. She sat viewing the people around her. Some couples sat laughing and talking, other’s quietly mumbled around her of their love and life no doubt. Suddenly she conjured a scene of Manny and Lena, doing the same. Laughing and loving…happy that she was gone from them. That is when she knew it was not enough to just humiliate him with a divorce, there had to be something more she could do. Something more she would do.

‘
I may not have him…but neither will you. I will get you out of his life - Ceś alena…I will, GOD is my witness I will.’
She declared with all the passion of her hatred for them.

“I’m tired, bone tired…weeks and weeks, and still nothing.”

“It’s too soon yet to get tired. We have more than half of Mississippi to comb through. Thank goodness Alabama is behind us and off the list.”

“What if we don’t find her here? Then what?” Pearson asked.

“Let’s not worry about that now. Somewhere out there is King LuMaden’s daughter, Princess Ceś alena. I figure she got to be a slave at one of these plantations.” Casey stated.

“You know what we didn’t consider? She suppose to be so beautiful, what if she works in a brothel?”

“Oh hell! If that’s the case, we’re going to have to go back through Alabama again.” Casey despaired, “But on second thought, it would be more fun than searching plantations …Oh well.” He smiled with the flexing of his brow.

Sighing, he returned to reality from his lecherous fantasy. “We’ll do every plantation we find here. We’ve done Meridian, Hattiesburg, and here. Next on the list is Laurel, Natchez, then Vicksburg.”

“Hell and damnation! Casey, we ain’t gonna find that woman. She been gone from that Island close to fifteen years now. For all we know, she could be dead. Or her father the king. If we do find her, who’s to say it won’t be too late?” Pearson went on to complain.

“You just keep in mind how much wealth it means for us if we do find her. Until there’s nowhere left to search, we will search on. I like the idea of never having to labor again.” Casey dreamed, caught up in the search himself.

“She may not even look the same. She close to thirty now, a whole lot can happen to a wench to change her looks. What if she gone to fat? Or changed her name from Ceś alena?” Pearson complained, his desires to stop clear.

“Don’t matter - all that. I figure with features like hers, she’ll stand out. How many Negro women we run across with gold eyes, and amber colored hair-…”

“Excuse me gentlemen, I apologize for listening in, but couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Did I hear you correctly - did you mention the name…Ceś alena? A Negro slave?” Katherine turned in her seat, chill bumps racing up her arms.

Both men turned to look back at her. Casey took a deep breath and was careful with his reply. “Ahhh, yes ma’am, we did. My name is Harold Casey, and this is my partner Timothy Pearson.”

Katherine looked from one to the other nodding. “I’m Katherine Webster, nice to meet you. You did - you said the name, Ceś alena?” She pressed.

“Yes we did. Would you like to join us?” Casey invited feeling a twinge of excitement.

“No, I can’t really. I’m here with family, and they will be returning shortly, however…I was quite taken aback at the mention of our house servant’s name. She cooks for us. Her name is Ceś alena, we call her Lena. How would you know of her?”

Pearson felt sweat pop out on his head as he looked at her with wide eyes as Casey continued to confirm this maybe lucky turn of events. “If I may do so, I’d like to give you a description of her so that we know we’re speaking of one and the same.”

“Certainly, by all means.” Katherine agreed.

“She would be around twenty-eight years old. Very attractive, some have said, beautiful even. Amber color hair, gold eyes-…”

“Yes…that is her…that is Lena. She has been at my husband’s plantation over fourteen years now. My father-in-law won her in a poker game.”

“Hallelujah!!” Pearson leapt from his chair shouting to the heavens so overcome with relief that they’d found her. “We’ve found her!!”

“Sit - you imbecile!” Casey ground out. Pearson dropped back into his seat as those in the restaurant looked at them disapproving of their disruption. Casey took a deep breath overjoyed himself, he couldn’t believe it.

“Ma’am, Mrs. Webster that is. We’ve been searching for her, for years now. Where exactly is your plantation located?”