maniac, I was afraid he’d shoot me if I kept going, so I moved up farther. But I can still see his place as I’m coming or going across the ridge. Twice, I’ve seen Erin headed there on horseback.”
“Late in the day?”
“Around four o’clock.”
Ryan nodded to himself. Now he knew how he would make first contact.
Chapter Four
After several days of drizzling rain andovercast skies, Arlene relished the afternoon of sunshine and cool breezes. She could breathe better in fresh air, didn’t cough as much, so she stayed outdoors as often as weather permitted.
Concentrating on her tatting as she sat on the front porch, she hummed to herself, rocking gently to and fro. Maybe with the nice weather, she mused, Ryan Youngblood would come calling. If not, then maybe she’d have to be so bold as to send Roscoe to Jasmine Hill with a written invitation to tea. When she’d mentioned that possibility to Erin at breakfast only that morning, she’d been surprised that she hadn’t protested, actually appeared to approve the idea, though she hadn’t come right out and said so. The fact was, she seemed to have mellowed a bit since the ball, didn’t seem quite so defiant, though she did appear to be deep in thought about something. But when asked if there was anything she’d like to talk about, she’d said not. Arlene had noticed, however, that she and Letty seemed to have picked up where they left off in their friendship. She’d seen Letty slipping up the back stairs after dark, despite Zachary’s decree that no servants, except Roscoe, were allowed indoors at night. He didn’t trust them, he said, and Arlene didn’t blame him. They all hated him, would probably love to stick a knife in his throat as he slept. She didn’t blame them, either. Not that she was prone to violence or condoned it. She just candidly acknowledged they hated him, had good reason to. But it worried her about Letty and Erin getting chummy again. Zachary had made it very clear he didn’t approve, and she feared he’d take drastic steps if he found out.
Rosa came out on the porch with a glass of cool lemonade topped with a sprig of fresh mint. Arlene felt a special bond with Rosa, who also happened to be Letty’s mother. In fact, it was at her urging Zachary had bought the two at a slave auction in Wilmington. They hadn’t been married but a few days and were heading for Richmond and her new home. Passing through the coastal North Carolina town, Zachary had heard there was a big auction going on, because a slave ship had just arrived from Africa. He’d told her it was a good opportunity for her to pick out some household help of her own liking.
She hadn’t wanted to go, hated the idea of bidding on people, buying them as if they were no more than cattle, but dared not say so, any more than she’d expound on her hatred for slavery in general. But he’d insisted, and then when she’d seen Rosa standing there on the block, her heart had melted. The auctioneer, callous bastard that he was, had stripped her naked, made her turn around in front of the hundreds of spectators, most of them men. “A good breeder!” he’d bellowed matter-of-factly, pointing at her wide hips and large breasts with the crop of his whip. “Already got a pickaninny, too.” He pointed to Letty, who was still a baby, clinging to her mother’s legs in terror as she stared out at the sea of impassive faces. She had no way of knowing what was happening to her. The auctioneer had then barked, “She’s bound to be a strong one. It ain’t too often pickaninnies survive the voyage.”
Something had struck Arlene right in her heart as she’d witnessed the pathetic scene. Perhaps it was the fact that she had a baby daughter too, or maybe her reaction was provoked by her own close-locked secret. She knew only that she wanted to spare that wretched woman and her pitiful child any more humiliation. Clutching Zachary’s arm, she’d whispered, “Please. Buy
“Late in the day?”
“Around four o’clock.”
Ryan nodded to himself. Now he knew how he would make first contact.
Chapter Four
After several days of drizzling rain andovercast skies, Arlene relished the afternoon of sunshine and cool breezes. She could breathe better in fresh air, didn’t cough as much, so she stayed outdoors as often as weather permitted.
Concentrating on her tatting as she sat on the front porch, she hummed to herself, rocking gently to and fro. Maybe with the nice weather, she mused, Ryan Youngblood would come calling. If not, then maybe she’d have to be so bold as to send Roscoe to Jasmine Hill with a written invitation to tea. When she’d mentioned that possibility to Erin at breakfast only that morning, she’d been surprised that she hadn’t protested, actually appeared to approve the idea, though she hadn’t come right out and said so. The fact was, she seemed to have mellowed a bit since the ball, didn’t seem quite so defiant, though she did appear to be deep in thought about something. But when asked if there was anything she’d like to talk about, she’d said not. Arlene had noticed, however, that she and Letty seemed to have picked up where they left off in their friendship. She’d seen Letty slipping up the back stairs after dark, despite Zachary’s decree that no servants, except Roscoe, were allowed indoors at night. He didn’t trust them, he said, and Arlene didn’t blame him. They all hated him, would probably love to stick a knife in his throat as he slept. She didn’t blame them, either. Not that she was prone to violence or condoned it. She just candidly acknowledged they hated him, had good reason to. But it worried her about Letty and Erin getting chummy again. Zachary had made it very clear he didn’t approve, and she feared he’d take drastic steps if he found out.
Rosa came out on the porch with a glass of cool lemonade topped with a sprig of fresh mint. Arlene felt a special bond with Rosa, who also happened to be Letty’s mother. In fact, it was at her urging Zachary had bought the two at a slave auction in Wilmington. They hadn’t been married but a few days and were heading for Richmond and her new home. Passing through the coastal North Carolina town, Zachary had heard there was a big auction going on, because a slave ship had just arrived from Africa. He’d told her it was a good opportunity for her to pick out some household help of her own liking.
She hadn’t wanted to go, hated the idea of bidding on people, buying them as if they were no more than cattle, but dared not say so, any more than she’d expound on her hatred for slavery in general. But he’d insisted, and then when she’d seen Rosa standing there on the block, her heart had melted. The auctioneer, callous bastard that he was, had stripped her naked, made her turn around in front of the hundreds of spectators, most of them men. “A good breeder!” he’d bellowed matter-of-factly, pointing at her wide hips and large breasts with the crop of his whip. “Already got a pickaninny, too.” He pointed to Letty, who was still a baby, clinging to her mother’s legs in terror as she stared out at the sea of impassive faces. She had no way of knowing what was happening to her. The auctioneer had then barked, “She’s bound to be a strong one. It ain’t too often pickaninnies survive the voyage.”
Something had struck Arlene right in her heart as she’d witnessed the pathetic scene. Perhaps it was the fact that she had a baby daughter too, or maybe her reaction was provoked by her own close-locked secret. She knew only that she wanted to spare that wretched woman and her pitiful child any more humiliation. Clutching Zachary’s arm, she’d whispered, “Please. Buy
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