Princess Ces'alena (80 page)

“Jo’an…Jo’an…Jo’an!”

Trying to catch her breath, sucking air deeply into her burning lungs, Lena climbed up and crawled across the porch to lean against the door. She reached over and knocked harder. It took a few minutes, but finally the door opened. Jean looked out, then down.

“What the — Jordan! Get up!!” She shouted right away picking Hope up bringing her in out of the rain, and setting her down. Then rushed back out to Lena who was trying to stand. “Get my sack.” She instructed her. Jean turned from Lena, then reached for the sack and came back to her.

“I need your - your help. Katherine knows - she’s making me leave!” Lena gasped. Jean was taking Hope’s cloak off when Lena yelled, “No! Leave her, we have to go! Jordan I need you to take me to Re-…Josey…Josephine O’Brien!”

“Josephine? How you know ha’?” Jordan asked, not realizing the two women were acquainted; because Lena kept the details of her visits concerning the Indian village and who she met there to herself. “I’ll explain later…there’s no time now. Please, I need you to take me to her. To Harvest Gold.”

“You stay right here! We’a protect you.” He said, unaware of all that transpired between Lena and Katherine.

“No…Jordan, there’s no time! Believe me…I can’t stay here! Please please! Believe me when I say, I have to go! If I’m caught on this plantation she’ll cause all kinds of trouble and take Hope from me.”

“The hell she will!” He shot angrily.

“Jordan listen to me. Listen closely. I have - to go! There’s nothing - you can do to protect me - not without Manny here! Take me to Josephine! Now! Please!”

Jordan felt his anger rise, “Goddamn that Manny! He should’ah took you wit’em! It’s happenin’ again! It’s happenin’ again!” He fussed, so mad he felt rage building. Lena thought she would scream from frustration.

“Jordan please, come on. We have to leave - now!” Jean sat holding Hope, her eyes filled with sympathy for Lena. Suddenly the rain turned from pouring to a torrent outside, the sounds of all the drops pummeling the roof loud and heavy. He looked up then down to Lena, and shaking his head, rushed into the back room of his cabin and hurried into his clothes.

When he came out, he was still dressing. “Maybe we aught’ah go to Masta’ Morris – he might-…”

“Jordan no! I cannot – I will not take any chances! Besides, he doesn’t like me! Get me to Josey, do that, we’ll be okay.”

He shook his head, “You wait here while I go saddle a horse, I come for ya’.” He said stepping into his work boots, donning his hat and his over coat.

“No…there’s no time for that. I’ll come with you. We’ll leave from the barn.” Lena corrected him. “It’s po’in down out there!” He stated the obvious. Lena ignored him and went to grab Hope. As soon as she lifted her, she dropped to her knees, weak.

“Move.” Jordan reached over Lena and picked up Hope, then turned and grabbed the sack. “Can’ya make it?” He asked back at her. Lena pushed herself to her feet. “I have no choice…let’s go.”

They crept through the rain and dark night towards the stable as the downpour drenched them. All relieved to get inside the barn where Jordan sat Hope and the sack down and went for a lantern, lighting it. Lena stood by the barn door waiting as Jordan made quick work of saddling a horse.

Her heart pounding in fear, so afraid Katherine and her new master were already on her tail. He led a horse out and up to them, picking up the sack and tying it to the back of the horse. “Come on.” He called to Lena, lifting her into the saddle, then turned picking Hope up, giving her to her mother. “You hol’ onto this horse, don’t let go, keep ha’ under them blankets.” He instructed. Lena nodded, she didn’t have to be told. He went back for his own horse, leading it past them out of the barn, then led their horse out and closed the barn door. He climbed on his horse and grabbed the reigns to the one Lena and Hope sat upon. Lena wrapped her cloak around Hope even tighter trying to keep the rain from pelting her.

Soon they were on their way around the barn to take the back field toward Harvest Gold. Occasional lightning from the storm lit their way. Lena prayed all the way, while holding Hope close to her, with Jordan holding onto her horse so she could keep her baby protected as she hummed to her praying that she not get sick from the drenching, her body temperature keeping her warm.

After what seemed like hours, they finally reached Harvest Gold plantation. Jordan rode his horse to the slave’s quarters, heading for his brother’s after leaving Lena and Hope under the protection of a giant oak. The whinny of their horses set the dogs to barking, startling Lena adding an element of fright to her already taut nerves. There were no vicious dogs at Webster Fields, just loose mongrels everyone fed.

Quickly climbing down from his horse, Jordan went to his brother’s door knocking. Quintin opened it shocked to see his younger brother there after so long. They quickly embraced as Jordan explained that he needed him to summon Miss Josephine…it was an emergency. Quintin asked no questions as he slipped his feet into his boots while Jordan went back to the horse and climbed on. Quintin led the way through the rain and muddy trail as the horse slowly followed, on the way, Jordan went by Lena and Hope, grabbing their reigns again. Quintin soon left them behind as he tromped through the sludge towards the mansion. There was a bit of distance to travel because the slave quarters were further away from the mansion than at Webster Fields.

Quintin made it to the mansion just in time to meet Jordan Lee O’Brien at the back door, who was just opening it to see why the dogs were barking.

“Quintin!? What you doing at my back door this time o’night?! What in blazin’ hell’s got them dogs barkin?!”

“Uhhh, Massa, they be a coon or fox loose in’na yard. I knows you be come a runnin’ so I meets ya’ta let’cha know I get rid’uv’im. Don’cha fret none!”

Right then Josephine and her mother came down the hall carrying their candle lights and wrapping their robes securely to investigate.”

“What’s happenin’ Jordan, what’s awakened the dogs?” Sarah O’Brien inquired of her husband.

“Go on back to bed you two! Ain’t nothin’ but a coon loose in the yard.” Jordan Lee called over his shoulder at his wife and daughter.

Quintin saw Josephine behind Sarah as he looked over Jordan Lee’s head. He was taller than his little brother Jordan, the tallest - in fact of all Maibel’s seven boys, who were huge.

“Umm umm, Ms Josephine, can I has a lil’word wit’cha?” Quintin spoke quickly. Jordan Lee looked up the massive black man before him.

“It’s late now Quintin! What you want with her? Go chase that coon fore them dogs wake the dead!” He directed, irritated at being disturbed so late at night. Quintin swallowed sending Josephine a look of desperation.

“Yes sa’, but ummm, she had me do som’um fo’ ha’, an’ I fo’gets ta’ tell ha’ wha’s what.” He looked up from Jordan back to Josephine again. Josey knew something was wrong for Quintin to be behaving so.

“Father…” She made her way past her mother to his side. “… it’s okay, you go on up to bed. You and mother, I just remembered something else I forgot to tell him. Then he’ll be right out to quiet the dogs.”

“Whatever it is, can wait till morning. You should be in bed resting in your delicate state. Not standing here talking with Quintin over this loud storm.” He admonished wondering what was going on.

“Please father! It will only be a moment. Besides, it’s a secret, a secret you’re not to know about! Now off to bed with you; everything is under control.” She simpered, leaning forward and kissing his cheek.

Jordan stared a moment, his birthday was coming soon… but that was two months away. “Father…it’s a secret.” She had a twinkle in her eye. Jordan harrumphed then turned away shaking his head. “Make it quick…it’s late.” He called back nudging his wife on back to bed.

“Yes father, I’ll be right up to bed.” She watched as they turned the corner and went up the back stairs.

She turned to Quintin with a finger to her lips, and then snuck quietly down the hall not far behind them to check and make sure they were truly going up to bed. The hall and stairs were empty. She hurried back.

He ran off disappearing into the downpour. Josey stood with the door open watching and waiting, nervously looking towards the hall and back out the door. She knew for Lena to be away from Webster Fields at this time of night seeking her out meant something was seriously wrong. She stood waiting and wondering, her hand resting on her swollen midriff as they made their way through the pouring rain, she saw a horse emerge that rode right up to the door. There was Jordan leading it to her, he reached up and lowered Lena down as she held onto Hope. Lena quickly climbed the stairs with Jordan behind her holding her sack, which he passed to Josey who held a hand out for it. Josey looked up at Jordan smiling. “I’ve got her from here. Go on now, she’ll be fine.”

Jordan nodded, about to leave.

“
Jordan!” Lena called. He looked at her, “Keep all to yourself, tell no one! Trust no one! For Hope’s sake.”

He nodded and rushed down the stairs and climbed on his horse that Quintin brought to him, he turned grabbing the reigns to the other to ride off, then stopped and looked back. He felt himself tremble being wet to the skin, but it was more than that making him shiver. For some frightening reason, he felt he would never see Lena or Hope again. With a heaving chest of sorrow, he felt his heart breaking for them all. “Manny…it’s happenin’ again.” He sat in the rain, feeling doom from all around. Because there was nothing more he could do, he turned his horse around and rode them slowly back from the way he came.

Inside the house, the women whispered as Lena followed Josey back to her room. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, Lena looked up at them with dread. Josey looked back in sympathy…waving her up. Taking a deep breath, Lena climbed crawling, nudging her daughter up before her. So wet and exhausted she wondered how she could continue on. Reaching her immense room, Josey closed the door behind Lena and locked it. Dropping the sodden sack to the floor, she reached for Hope.

“You precious baby. Oh Lena, get out of those wet things. What’s happened?”

Lena leaned against the wall by the door, her arms hung by her sides feeling as though they weighed a ton. She couldn’t find the energy right then to remove her cloak if she tried. She slowly slid to the floor, staring across the room at Josey as she stripped Hope down.

“Oh Lena…oh dear…wait…I’ll be right there.” She called as she finished undressing Hope, piling the covers around her as she lay shivering looking up at Josey. “Lay right here, so I can get your mama, okay?”

“Com’ere mommy. Com’ere!” Hope called from the bed. Josey put a finger to her mouth. “Shhh, I’ll get mommy… lay quiet now.” She left the bed and went to Lena. “Come on, let me help you to the bed.” Josey knelt next to her. “No no, just leave me a minute. Just a minute.” Lena begged softly. “Lena what’s happened?” Josey inquired, worried for her friend.

“Mommieeee…” Hope called across the room that could hold two or more of Lena’s cabin. “Shhh, baby…okay… mommy’s comin’…shhh.” Lena leaned forward knowing she had to get up. “Here let me help you. Get this off.” Josey offered, helping Lena out of her cloak. “Take off those shoes and stockings…you’re soaked through.” She furthered, then leaned over and helped Lena to her feet. “Get all the way out of those clothes and into my bed next to Hope. I’ll be right back.” She instructed.

Lena followed her orders feeling so tired her body didn’t feel her own.

Josey returned with drying cloths, carrying them to the bed. Then went through her wardrobe and found a gown for Lena. “Oh Josey, look through that sack, there were important papers in there. I hope they’re not ruined.”

This she cried quietly for only Josey to hear. Josey went for the sack, opening it, she started removing the clothing, many were drenched. She laid them out around her room and found the papers Lena was concerned over. She was lucky…they were under the mirror tray she’d put in the sack and got only a little wet around the edges.

“They’re okay Lena. Here, I’ll put them here to dry. Now…come on, what’s going on?” She asked coming to the bed, passing Lena dry clothes, and Hope a gown, also dry from in the sack. “Katherine came to my cabin tonight Josey…and well, ohhh - it’s so much to tell.” She sighed tiredly. Josey climbed in bed as Hope lay between them, mother and daughter now dry and cozy except for their hair. “So much has happened since we saw each other last.”

“Well, get started, what’s happening.”

Lena laid on her right side facing Josey, her head on the pillow, her arm underneath, as Josey lay on her left, her head propped up with her hand.

With a sigh, Lena began, starting from the day she and Thomas returned to the plantation. Discovering that Hope had let the cat out of the bag to her father, only omitting their night together, and those that followed, saying only that once he knew, once again, he couldn’t stay away from her. Truthfully admitting that she didn’t want him to - Lena continued the story leading up to Katherine’s visit at her door. “Red - Josey…I don’t know what to do. All I could think of was getting to you.” She finished finally.

“It’s simple, you’ll stay here with me. When Manny returns, he’ll deal with her.”

“I can’t Red - Josey…” Lena struggled with calling her by her family nickname, instead of Red Dawn as she did at the Indian village. “…once they find me missing, they’ll come looking for me. I can’t take a chance on them finding me here. I told you what she said. If I’m found here, I could lose Hope. I can’t let that happen. I need to go somewhere far enough away that they can’t find me. I have to keep moving.”