Storm Clouds Rolling In (23 page)

“I assumed as much.”

“I don’t think it would be a very good idea. Mother seems to be feeding at the gossip table.”

Thomas frowned slightly.
“She loves you, Carrie.”

“Yes
, and I love her. But I have no intention of bearing her silent disapproval all the way home.” She knew her father hated being put between the two women he loved so much.

“You could always explain it to her.”

Carrie tossed her head. “I will. But not now. She could have asked me this morning
before
she decided her wayward daughter had done something else scandalous.” Then she softened. “I just need to be on Granite today, Father. I truly don’t want to upset Mother.”

Thomas nodded and gave her a gentle smile.
“As long as you talk to her later. Your mother will be okay. I’ll talk to her.” He reached into his pocket for his watch and examined it. “Charles will be here in a few minutes. I plan on our leaving in twenty minutes. You need to go in and say goodbye to the Blackwells.” He smiled at her mutinous look. “It won’t make you feel any better to lower yourself to their standards. It takes great courage to continue being a lady in the face of gossip and misunderstanding. Go in there and show them you’re a better person than they are.”

Carrie stared into his eyes for a long moment
, drawing on the strength she saw there. Her lips tightened for a moment before she dismounted lightly. She handed the reins to a nearby servant, ran lightly up the stairs, and gave her father a hug. “Thanks. I’ll make you proud of me.”

Thomas put his hand under her chin and tilted her eyes to meet his own.
“I’m always proud of you, Carrie.” Then he gave her a gentle shove. “Go make
yourself
proud.”

Carrie forced a smile to her lips as she went in and told her host and his wife goodbye.
“It’s been quite lovely. Thank you so much for a wonderful time. I do hope I see you again soon.” Alfred and Lucy Blackwell were both gracious. Carrie felt a flash of triumph when she saw the look of begrudging admiration in Lucy Blackwell’s eyes. Her father had been right. The only way to meet gossip was head on. “Where is Louisa? I’d like to tell her goodbye.”

Louisa’s father shook his head slightly.
“She left the house a few minutes ago. I have no idea where she went.”

Lucy Blackwell turned to her husband and protested, “Why, I never saw her leave the house.
I’ve been standing right here.”

Her husband fixed his wife with a stern look.
“I saw her leave, I tell you.” She merely stared at him. He looked back at Carrie with a smile. “I’ll tell her you asked after her. I would hate for you to be late leaving. I think I hear your mother coming downstairs.”

Carrie smiled back at him.
She knew what he was doing. Louisa’s poison tongue was no secret to her father. “Thank you, Mr. Blackwell. Please do tell her I had a lovely time.” She sailed out of the house and down the stairs to where Granite was waiting. Her father had been right. Facing up to it had made her feel much better. She could do nothing to stop the gossiping tongues of her neighbors, but she could indeed show herself she was above them. Her heart was light as she led Granite to the mounting block and sprung easily into the saddle.

On the way home, from her position on top of Granite moving at a steady trot slightly in front of the carriage, she could see her father’s
bent head as he talked to his wife. Carrie knew he was trying to ease the way for her. Poor Father! Surely he must grow tired of the tension between his wife and daughter.

The sun was barely above the horizon when Eulalia, dozing in the next room, heard Ike moving around.
She had hoped he would sleep later, at least long enough to get the kids out of the house. She knew a pounding headache would add to his meanness this morning. She imagined him cradling his head in his hands as he tried to remember how he had gotten home last night. She heard him groan as he staggered to his feet. She jumped up from her bed and eased into the kitchen. Her presence would make her, not the children, the target for Ike’s anger.

He turned to her, growling.
“Where you been, woman? Where is my breakfast?”

“Your breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, Ike.”
She dashed to the fireplace and stirred the coals until she had a small blaze going. She longed to have a wood cookstove like some of her other friends, but as long as Ike spent most of his wages on alcohol it would remain a dream. She poured water from a pitcher into the black kettle and hung it over the flames. Coffee would help her husband. She turned from the fire, cut a few slabs of bacon, and then sliced several thick pieces of bread. Eating would give him another channel for his anger. She wasn’t afraid now. He woke up from his binges mad but not dangerous. The scars from his verbal tirades could not be seen by her children.

Ike cursed under his breath and headed into the bedroom.
She heard water splashing as he performed his usual inadequate wash-up. Water was still dripping from his hair as he lurched out of the bedroom a few minutes later, still clad in the same clothes he had worn all weekend.

Cromwell would not be pleased.
He set high standards for everyone, including his overseer. Keeping her voice light, she said, “I got you some clean clothes on the line. I’ll bring them right in.” Then she held her breath.

Ike’s lips tightened in fury but the cold water splashed on his face had cleared his brain a little more.
He looked down at his disheveled clothing. “Well, hurry up, woman. You’d think God could have given me a wife who cared a little more about her man. I work hard six days a week for you. The least you could do is have clothes ready when I need them.”

Eulalia pressed her lips closed.
She had deliberately not told him there was a clean set hanging on the wardrobe. He would only have thought she was belittling him for not seeing them. She poured a cup of hot coffee for him and hurried outside to get the clothes.

Ike gobbled down his food, slurped his coffee in silence, changed his clothes, and grunted before moving slowly out the door. Minutes later she heard him riding down the road. She had no use for niggers any more than her husband did, but she felt a small twinge of sympathy. Ike had had a mean look in his eyes when he rode off. She knew that anger would erupt on someone today. She only hoped it was gone before he got home.

“Hello, Sam,” Carrie called gaily as she entered the house.
Eager to see Rose, Carrie had released Granite to Miles and run into the house. The carriage was just now entering the drive. Impatient to get home, she had urged Granite into a gallop as soon as they entered the long road leading to Cromwell Plantation. She had laughed loudly as she imagined her mother shaking her head at another exhibition of her daughter’s wild impulsiveness.

“Welcome home, Miss Carrie.”

Carrie acknowledged his greeting with a wave of her hand and ran up the stairs.
Just as she hoped, Rose was waiting in the room. “Rose! I missed you.”

Rose smiled widely.
“I missed you, too, Miss Carrie.”

“Oh, Rose!
It was glorious! Mr. Borden and Granite won the tournament.” Excitedly, she spilled out the details. Rose moved forward to help her remove her dress. Carrie waved her away. “That can wait. I could hardly wait to get home and tell you about my time.” Her face radiated as she told Rose of the ball. How Robert had chosen her for the queen. How angry Louisa had been. How much fun she’d had dancing. She told Rose everything, just like she always had.

Rose sat quietly.

Carrie finally grew silent. She leaned forward and looked closely into her friend’s face. “You’re so quiet, Rose. Is something wrong?”

Rose just shook her head and smiled slightly.
“No, Miss Carrie. I’m fine. I was just listening to your story. It sounds like you had a wonderful time. I’m glad.”

Carrie continued to gaze into the other girl’s eyes.
They had been friends for too long. She could read Rose’s face too well. There was something...

Rose changed the subject.
“Sadie is sick again. She’s down with a high fever.”

Carrie forgot everything when she heard that news.
“Since when?” she asked sharply.

“She came in from the fields after a few hours this morning.
Mama sent one of the children up from the quarters to tell me.”

“I told her to stay out of the fields for a few days until she was well,” Carrie said sternly, silently berating herself
for not talking to Sadie when she saw her in the fields on Friday. Robert Borden and all the excitement had driven it from her mind.

Rose just shrugged.

Carrie looked down at her dress.
“I don’t need to change. This dress will do fine to wear down to the quarters. I’ll check on Sadie and come back for Mama if I need her. “

“Would you like me to come with you?”

Carrie thought for a moment. “Yes, I would. You can unpack my trunk later. It’s not going anywhere.”

Carrie was quiet as she walked quickly down the trail to the
quarters. Her mind worked furiously. Why had Sadie gone back to the fields? Why was her fever so high again? Carrie liked Sadie, with her quick, gentle smile and the way her eyes lit up when she was happy. She suddenly realized she hadn’t seen that happen much lately. What was going on? Cromwell slaves had always seemed happy. As she walked, she saw now what she had been too blind to see before. The whole spirit in the quarters had changed. A heaviness seemed to hang over everything. Is that what was bothering Rose? But they were best friends. Why wouldn’t Rose tell her? Carrie frowned and increased her speed. She intended to find out what was going on. The slaves trusted her. Surely Sadie would confide in her.

Carrie came to a stop in front of the cabin Sadie shared with several other women.
Sadie’s husband, Willie, had died from a strange disease a few years before. Carrie’s mother had fought to save him, but nothing she did worked. Sadie had lived here ever since. Carrie had been coming down to these cabins almost every day for as long as she could remember. Why now did they seem dark and oppressive? She had never thought anything of them before. Why now did she shudder at the thought of living under these conditions herself? Her father’s argument rose in her mind.
It is our destiny to be masters over the slaves. It is their destiny to be slaves. It is our responsibility to take care of them because they can’t take care of themselves.
Carrie frowned. The argument sounded weak to her. She shook her head and pushed open the cabin door. She would have to think about it later.

The sight of Sadie shivering on the hard bed sent Carrie rushing to her side.
“Sadie!”

“I be fine, Miss Carrie,” Sadie whispered.
“I just have me a little fever. It be gone in a little bit.”

Carrie laid her hand on the older woman’s head.
“You’re burning up, Sadie. How long has it been like this?”

Sadie shrugged her thin shoulders.
“Just this morning, Miss Carrie. It ain’t nothing.”

Carrie pressed her lips together tightly.
“I’ll be the judge of that.” She turned to Rose. “Go get a bucket of water from the well,” she ordered. “I also need a pile of rags. We’ve got to get this fever down.” As Rose turned to leave, Carrie called an additional order over her shoulder. “And bring Mama’s bag from the house. I may need something in it.”