Shifted By The Winds (58 page)

“Do you miss it?”

Thomas looked up when Moses walked out onto the porch. “I will always love the plantation,” he replied, “and I will always be glad to return, but I’m surprised to find it is Richmond I miss. My home is there now.” He took another sip of coffee as he stared east. “I’m already thinking about what I want to do with the factory when we get home.”

“Are things safer there now?” Moses asked. “We haven’t had time to talk about it, but I’m imagining Jeremy and Marietta stayed behind because you didn’t want to leave the factory without someone in charge.”

Thomas nodded. “It’s true that I felt better leaving Jeremy there, but it’s equally true we couldn’t afford for him to leave now. We had several big orders come in right before we left. Since Jeremy will be coming out for two weeks around Christmas…”

“And then taking a week for his honeymoon,” Moses added with a grin.

“Yes. He felt better about staying in Richmond and getting a strong start on the new orders. We have a good floor manager, but things are just volatile enough for us to not feel comfortable about all three of us being gone at the same time.” Thomas glanced toward the house. “I have some things I would like to discuss with you. Do you want to get some coffee?”

Moses shook his head. “Mama is bringing some out to me, along with a plate of ham biscuits for both of us.”

Thomas almost moaned with pleasure. “Your mama is an angel.”

“And don’t you never forget it,” Annie said as she pushed through the door. “Both of you look like you been run over by a horse.”

“That bad?” Thomas muttered, knowing she was right. His eyes felt like sandpaper. “I guess I’m getting too old for nights with very little sleep.”

“Age has nothing to do with it,” Moses grumbled as he reached for the coffee and took a drink. “I keep telling myself, though, that I feel a lot better than Morah and Dwane do.”

A somber silence filled the porch.

“What did they do with that sweet little Sunny?” Annie asked. “I declare, that little girl was pure sunshine. I’m glad Abraham can’t lay another hand on them.”

“They buried her in the cemetery,” Moses assured her. “It was the middle of the night, but everyone was there.” He knew what his mama was really asking. In the early years of slavery, it had been illegal for slaves to gather together for a funeral because the owners feared revolt. When his daddy had been hanged, his body was taken away and shoved in the ground somewhere on non-crop-producing land. They had never been told where—never had a chance to say goodbye. “It’s not like before, Mama,” he reassured her. “They gave Sunny a proper burial.”

Annie stared at him. “With singing?”

“With singing,” Moses confirmed.

“I’m glad that little baby girl ain’t knowing no more pain,” Annie said. “I reckon God done grabbed her up in his arms and just hugged her close when she got there. The way I figure it, she couldn’t even remember what made her end up there.” Her voice was deep with satisfaction. “Little Sunny was just happy to be home.”

Moses nodded, hoping fervently that she was right. It had broken his heart to see the little girl crumpled like a rag doll in the corner. When he had gotten home last night, he picked Hope up and cuddled her to his chest for a long time before he had been able to go to bed. If possible, it had given him even more determination to make things different. He wanted John and Hope to always feel safe.

“When you gonna start them meetings, Moses?” Annie asked. “You gots to do all you can to make things right for people.”

“I know, Mama.” And he did. The knowledge had kept him awake during the few hours he could have been sleeping. “I had to wait until the harvest was finished, but I told Simon this morning that he could set up the first one at the schoolhouse next week.”

Annie grunted her approval and turned around. “I’ll leave you two men to it.” Just as she opened the door to step through it, Perry appeared. “I reckon you be wanting some coffee, too,” she said briskly.

“If it’s not too much to ask, ma’am,” Perry responded.

Annie barked a laugh of approval. “You done come a long way, Mr. Perry Appleton. That’s the proper way to talk to a woman old enough to be your mama, no matter whether I be black or white.”

Perry laughed. “I may be a little thick, but once I start learning something, I pick it up pretty quickly.” He crossed the porch and sat down as the door slapped shut behind him. “Am I interrupting anything?”

“No,” Moses assured him. Then he looked at Thomas, suddenly remembering there were things Thomas wanted to discuss with him. “Unless…”

“Not at all,” Thomas said. “In fact, I would like to talk with both of you.”

“About?” Moses asked.

“I’ll get to that,” Thomas replied. “First, I would like to hear about the changes over at Blackwell Plantation.”

Perry grinned. “So you’ve heard that I’ve finally seen the light?”

“I’ve heard you made a smart business decision,” Thomas responded. “It’s up to you to convince me you have seen the light.” His voice was casual, but his eyes were locked on the younger man.

Perry’s grin disappeared. “I understand, sir.”

“Do you?” Thomas pressed. “It wouldn’t take a genius to realize what Moses has created here is phenomenally successful. It’s much harder for a man to change what he has known all his life.”

“I understand it was hard for you, sir,” Perry said evenly.

Thomas smiled. “More difficult than you can imagine,” he agreed. “I had many more years of thoughts and beliefs I had to undo.”

“And have you, Thomas?” Perry asked. “Have you undone all of them?”

Thomas considered his question as he stared out into the pasture. “I would like to give you an unequivocal yes,” he said honestly. “Most of the time I know I am completely different from the man I used to be. I would like to tell you I have released all my prejudices and beliefs that I am superior.” He spoke slowly, determined to be completely forthright. He was uncomfortably aware of Moses’ presence, but he wouldn’t let it stop him from telling the truth. It was too important to help Perry navigate this time in his life. “Just when I’m sure I am who I believe myself to be, something will happen that will call up those old beliefs and feelings. Then I’m right back to fighting them just like before. In many ways it is a constant battle, but one I am determined to wage.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Moses replied, not giving Perry time to respond. “Prejudice and hatred do not belong only to the white race. Most of the time I just look at you and see a man I have grown to love and admire, Thomas. I see my business partner in the plantation. I see Rose’s half-brother.” He paused as he searched for words. “Then there are moments I look at you and I see the memories of all my beatings… I remember you used to own me… I remember my daddy hanging from a tree…” His voice trailed off. “I have to continually let go of those old feelings.”

Thomas stared at Moses, relieved to know he fought the same kind of inner battles. The long gaze they exchanged gave him confidence they would both persevere until the reality of their lives and thoughts matched what they wanted them to be.

Perry nodded his thanks to Annie as she stepped out with a cup of hot coffee and then marched back into the house. He took several sips before he responded. “I’ve decided it is like an onion,” he announced.

Thomas and Moses exchanged an amused glance. “An onion?” Thomas asked with a cocked brow.

“Yes. An onion,” Perry said. “Have you ever peeled one? The layers just keep coming and coming. It seems there is no end to them. Annie told me the only way you can discover whether the onion has a sweet heart or a rotten core is to peel away all the layers.”

“So you’re an onion?” Thomas asked, completely understanding the analogy now.

“Yes,” Perry agreed. “My time here has peeled away a lot of the layers of my prejudice and beliefs, but I would be foolish to believe I have completely reached the core of all that created them in me. I have decided I need to keep peeling the layers back, and at some point I will reach the real truth.”

Thomas nodded. “You’re a bright young man.”

Perry shrugged. “I wish I could take credit for my transformation, but Moses and Simon are the bright ones. They knew they had to force me to examine my beliefs before either of them would agree to be involved with Blackwell Plantation. The need for an answer to my financial situation forced me to take an honest look. The reality of what I found there gave me the motivation to change.”

“And what did you find?” Thomas asked, impressed by the frankness of Perry’s answer.

“I discovered I was the result of my culture, not of my own beliefs.”

“The result of your culture…” Thomas murmured.

“Yes,” Perry replied. “I’ve been told all my life that whites are better than blacks. I’ve been told it is our job and responsibility to be in control of them. I’ve been told that if we lost control of the blacks, I would lose the only way of life I’ve ever known.” He cast an apologetic look at Moses.

Moses lifted a shoulder. “You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know.”

Thomas watched Perry closely. “You no longer believe those things?”

“No. I’m sure there are still more layers to the onion,” Perry said quickly, “but my time here has shown me how blatantly false those beliefs are. They were formed by people who knew they would benefit if they could make an entire race believe them. I suppose it was easy to convince whites that blacks are inferior because whites had so much to gain from that belief.”

“Teaching them to believe something else is going to be more difficult,” Thomas murmured.

“Yes,” Perry agreed. “It is going to be
much
more difficult.”

Thomas reached for a ham biscuit, took a bite, and chewed while he thought things through. Finally he swallowed and turned to Perry. “You know you are putting yourself and your family in danger?”

Perry gazed at him for a moment. “I know Jeremy has been beaten, and both you and Abby have been threatened. I know you travel everywhere with armed guards now. I know Robert couldn’t sell his horses for a very long time, and I know he goes nowhere without his pistol. So, yes, I’m aware I will be in danger.”

“And you’re all right with that?”

His question elicited a scowl from Perry. “Who could ever be all right with having their family in danger? Are you all right with it?”

“Absolutely not,” Thomas assured him.

“Yet you continue to live your life the way you believe you should.”

Thomas grinned in appreciation. “Nice job. You turned the tables on me quite skillfully, young man.”

Perry smiled, but his eyes lost none of their intensity. “Once I got past my own prejudices and beliefs, it took many long conversations with Louisa before we made this decision.”

“So you made it together?”

Perry laughed. “When Louisa left Virginia she was still a spoiled, pampered plantation daughter,” he admitted. “That is something she would tell you herself,” he added quickly. “She is now quite a strong-willed woman, who would never tolerate me making decisions without her.”

“But the same culture that taught you what to believe about blacks also taught you your beliefs about the proper place of women,” Moses said. “How did you—”

“How did I change my beliefs about women?” Perry interrupted. “That was simple. I’d always been taught women were incapable of doing hard things and that they would never be the equal of men. Then I saw Carrie in action.” He paused, his eyes serious. “Don’t forget she saved my life. I’m quite sure I wouldn’t be sitting here if she had not been my doctor at Chimborazo. And if Janie had not been my nurse. If that experience wasn’t enough to teach me just how capable women are, then there is no hope for me!” He took several more sips of coffee. “I believe the war changed our country more than most of us have probably realized. Women were forced into roles they never envisioned. It changed them. Now the men have to change
with
them.”

Thomas was more impressed than ever with the young man sitting before him. The war had robbed him of his leg, but he was sure Perry’s mind and heart were much stronger than before the conflict. “Is Louisa truly aware of the dangers?” he pressed, not sure why he was pushing the issue so much. In some ways, he supposed he felt an obligation to Louisa’s father to make sure his daughter was aware of the risks. No one would judge her harshly if she sold the plantation, took what money she could get, and returned to Georgia. He realized that marriage had mandated Perry was now the legal owner of Blackwell Plantation, but their conversation made him confident Perry would follow Louisa’s wishes.

“
Truly
aware?” Perry asked. “Can one ever be truly aware of a situation before they are in it? I know Louisa has spoken in depth to Abby. Evidently, Abby was very direct.”

Thomas smiled. “That would be Abby,” he agreed. His admiration for his beautiful wife increased every day.

“Louisa has talked to Robert, and she has had very long discussions with Rose, June, Polly and Annie. She is quite clear that anyone who doesn’t adhere to the Southern Code of Aristocracy is setting themselves up for trouble, but she has the benefit of having watched Carrie do it her whole life, and she rather loves who Carrie has become.” Perry chuckled. “Though I’m not sure I’m comfortable with her attitude, I think she is rather looking forward to the opportunity to rock the boat.”