A Promise for Tomorrow (51 page)
“Because they are not white,” York said emphatically. “I live in Philadelphia, and while those good folks would have you believe their disdain for slavery, I can tell you honestly that the institution is still kept—even in and around that city. Of course, there are also free blacks, and they are often without job or home. I’ve seen many a black man hanged for thievery and murder, all because he was hungry or desperate to provide for his family. Would you do that to our people? People you’ve known since their childhood?”
York left Lucy’s side and went closer to the bed where Joseph lay. “I cannot believe this to be a good thing, and quite frankly, I can’t see standing by idly and allowing it to happen. It has always been my place to take over Oakbridge, and now I intend to do so. Lucy and I will leave Philadelphia and return immediately to Oakbridge so that I may take up my rightful place as heir.” Without waiting for his father’s acknowledgment, he turned to Hampton. “I will not be needing your assistance. I don’t approve of your heavy-handedness. I hold you completely responsible for what has happened here and for Father’s injuries. I don’t care if you remain here or leave, but you will have no say in the running of this plantation.” Then without even looking to Lucy for approval, York strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Carolina was stunned by her brother’s explosive declaration. She looked at Lucy, who sat openmouthed, staring at the door. In one brief moment, her husband had changed their entire future. Carolina reached out to take hold of Lucy’s hand and squeezed it supportively. This in turn caused Lucy to look at Carolina with such an expression of grief that Carolina thought she might break into tears.
“I won’t tolerate such treatment!” Hampton roared. “I stayed when everyone else left to seek his own way. Will you stand by and allow this to happen?” he asked Joseph angrily.
Joseph seemed just as stunned as everyone else. “I . . . don’t . . . know. I suppose I must consider it,” he replied. “York is my son and the rightful heir. If it is his desire to take over Oakbridge, then I should not deny him that opportunity.”
“Madness!” Hampton stormed to the closed door, then threw it open with such force that it boomed against the wall behind it. “You’ll see! You’ll all see!”
He left them without bothering to close the door, and each of the remaining members of the room could only sit in stunned silence.
It was difficult to take in all that had just happened. To Carolina, her beloved Oakbridge had been forever altered. The issue of slavery held the potential for dividing a nation, Carolina thought. Why not a household?
“I suppose there’s no hope for a peaceful conclusion to this matter,” Joseph said sadly.
Carolina met his gaze with sympathy. He had suffered so much, and all because of this plantation—this obligation. The issue of slavery was merely a catalyst, a spark of fire to ignite the already tumultuous battlefield. But now, instead of strangers, her father and brother were at odds, as well as her brother-in-law. And who could possibly win a battle such as this? Surely someone would have to suffer loss.
“Of course, I believe the winters to be much milder here,” Lucy Adams told her sister-in-law.
Carolina smiled. “You should have seen what we endured last year in Greigsville. The temperatures were so cold that every normal operation was suspended. We all doubled up in our sleeping arrangements. Victoria and Jordana slept with Miriam, while Brenton and Nicholas slept with James and me. Otherwise the children would have frozen to death. In fact, that very thing happened to several of the families in our community.”
“How awful,” Lucy replied, picking up her cup of tea. “I can scarcely imagine.”
“I know,” Carolina agreed. “We grew up so blessed. Here at Oakbridge such things were never a consideration. But in Greigsville— oh, Lucy,” Carolina said, shaking her head, “there are so many poor families. James and I started a store, just in order to help out. We barely break even, but there is so much need in that town, and by our keeping prices low, the other stores have to follow suit. I’m sure we are despised for such dealings, but how could we do otherwise?”
“Indeed,” Lucy said, nodding. “I have long performed acts of charity in Philadelphia, but I suppose it never has come to rest upon my doorstep as it has upon yours.”
“I know the railroad will improve the plight of Greigsville in general. But there is no way of knowing if it will help the families there or not. Most are Irish and have a half dozen or more children. Their fathers are common laborers and most have already lost their jobs. Some will move on with the railroad, moving west as the various lines develop, but many will find themselves trapped and without hope for their future.”
“It’s so sad. I suppose—” She fell silent as the drawing room door opened to admit Virginia.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Virginia said and immediately started to back out of the room.
“Virginia, you needn’t go,” Carolina declared with a welcoming smile. “We’re just having tea and cakes. There’s plenty here and we would love to have you join us, wouldn’t we, Lucy?”
“Oh, indeed. I’ve scarce had an opportunity to visit with you since our arrival.”
“I can’t say that I am good company,” Virginia remarked, sounding rather embarrassed.
“Nonsense,” Carolina said, getting to her feet in order to move over. “Come sit here beside me on the sofa.”
Virginia did as she was bid, but it was clear she was uncomfortable. Carolina, too, found herself uncertain as to how she should act. While she had long since forgiven her sister’s bitterness toward her, she and Virginia had never been close and probably never would be.
“We were just discussing last winter’s cold,” Lucy offered.
“Yes, but that topic is long exhausted,” Carolina countered. “What I haven’t heard much about is you and the children,” she told Virginia.
“There isn’t much to tell. All are well.”
Carolina poured her sister a cup of tea and offered it to her. “I understand from Mother that you have been sick these past months.”
Virginia took a sip of tea and shrugged. “Another miscarriage. It seems to be my lot in life.”
“I’m so sorry,” Carolina and Lucy murmured in unison.
“I had no idea,” Carolina added. “Mother only mentioned that you were ill.”
“I’m not certain that she knew,” Virginia said casually. “It matters little if she did.”
An uncomfortable silence fell around them, and for several awkward moments they did nothing but drink tea and stare at the floor.
“I knew this was a bad idea,” Virginia finally said, putting her cup down. “I heard the two of you talking quite eagerly before I came into the room. I will leave now so that you might reacquaint yourselves to that conversation.”
“No, please don’t go,” Carolina said, reaching out to take hold of Virginia’s arm. “It’s just that . . . well . . . I’m uncertain as to what to say. I don’t wish to make you uncomfortable, but in truth I had intended to speak to Lucy on this matter of York taking over Oakbridge.”
“I assure you, nothing that you can say will make me uncomfortable. I would welcome York’s command here. I would love nothing more than to see Hampton deposed.”
“Very well,” Carolina said, realizing she was only making matters worse by maintaining her silence. “Lucy, in these past days since York declared his intention to return here permanently, I’ve been reluctant to ask you about his decision. Is he intent on carrying through?”
Lucy put down her tea, and the look she wore was one of pure misery. Her delicate face, accented by dark eyes and finely arched black brows, contorted into an expression of anguish. “He is intent, and I am most heartbroken.” She fell silent for a moment, then continued. “I cannot say that this is what I want. I personally abhor slavery. I’ve even attended several abolitionist lectures and found the entire matter to be one that I can in nowise support.”
Carolina suddenly realized the depth of Lucy’s distress. “Whatever will you do?”
Just then Margaret entered the room, her soft brown cotton day dress billowing out around her. “I’m not sure but what this skirt is too full,” she said, her voice almost youthful. She looked up with a radiant smile, then seemed to note the seriousness of the moment. “Am I interrupting?”
“Not at all, Mother,” Carolina replied, now uncertain she could ever get Lucy to continue speaking. “Come join us. We are having tea and discussing our futures.”
Lucy looked away, appearing to concentrate on her cup.
“I have interrupted, haven’t I?” Margaret inquired, taking the chair beside Lucy. “My dear, if I have done something to make you unhappy—”
Lucy looked up. “Absolutely not, Mother Adams. It’s just that . . . well . . .” She looked to Carolina as if seeking the words to explain.
“We were just confiding in each other about Oakbridge and our concern about the slavery issue.”
“Ah,” Margaret replied, taking the cup of tea Carolina had just poured for her. “York’s declaration must have been difficult for you to take, Lucy. After all, I presume it came as a complete surprise.”
“Indeed it did,” Lucy replied, tears in her eyes. “I don’t wish for you to think that I find such an idea abominable. I love Oakbridge, truly I do. But there are matters which I cannot abide, and it will be impossible to separate myself from them when we are living here.”
“What matters?” Margaret asked. She saw Lucy’s hesitant glance at Carolina and reached out to pat her daughter-in-law’s hand. “Come now, Lucy. We have much past between us. I love you as I do my own daughters, so let there be no secrets between us.”
“I cannot abide slavery, ma’am,” Lucy finally admitted.
“Is that all?” There was a hint of amusement in Margaret’s voice. “You must surely know that I could never condemn you for such thoughts. I am in complete agreement with Mr. Adams. I want them to be set free. I never honestly considered their circumstance to be a wrong one until Hampton’s mistreatment became so evident. Of course, you always heard about the various problems in the surrounding counties. But most of our friends and neighbors were good to their people. So we were very isolated here. When the rest of the country spoke out against the atrocities done to the Negro, we could honestly look to one another and have little idea of what was being said.”
“I, too, know that to be true,” Carolina offered. “Until I went to Baltimore, which is in general very supportive of slavery, I heard very little of the debates and arguments surrounding the institution. Then when I moved to Greigsville, I learned only too quickly about antislavery sentiment. When I came to town with Miriam at my side, people were offended that I would impose slavery in their town. I quickly gave Miriam her freedom, which I had intended to do anyway, and I taught her to read and write. Now she stays on as a paid worker and a friend.”
“But there will be none of that here,” Virginia said sadly. “Plantations do not run themselves, and my brother will find much to repair. Hampton has done this place grievous harm, and it will take more than a change of masters to bring harmony back to Oakbridge.”
“Your father feels quite badly about this,” Margaret interjected. “He simply couldn’t keep Hampton under control with so many other matters pressing upon him. He talked to him, pleaded with him, and even threatened him on more than one occasion, but Hampton knew only too well that he had Joseph in a bad position.”
“York will see this as more than a challenge,” Lucy finally said. “He has come more and more to regard Oakbridge as his birthright and as the future he can hand down to his children. His difficulties with anti-slave sentiments in Philadelphia probably had the effect of crystallizing his views on the subject. But I don’t want my children to be slave owners,” she said and burst into tears.
“There, there, my dear,” Margaret said, putting down her tea and reaching an arm around Lucy’s shoulders. “You mustn’t fret so about that which has not yet come to pass. Joseph still desires to free the slaves. Perhaps he will even convince York of the wisdom in this. After all, I believe it is Oakbridge York is most intent upon preserving, not slavery. York has more love of this land than he ever realized. It seems his time up north has proven that to him.”
“I want to stand by his side on this,” Lucy said, trying hard to compose herself. “But I don’t even know how to speak to him on this matter. He’ll see me as a traitor if I tell him my heart.”
Margaret sighed sadly. “Listen to me, all of you. This issue will not be easily dismissed, and your father is right to worry about it. The way I see it, no one man will resolve this problem. It will take everyone agreeing to abolish slavery or it will simply continue wherever it is allowed. However, there are other matters at hand that cause me as great a concern as the issue of slavery. We face a tremendous challenge here, and of that we cannot be mistaken. Virginia, your husband will not accept defeat easily and so we must be ever watchful of his actions. You once spoke to me of your fear for this place and for your father. Do you still feel that way?”
“More now than ever,” Virginia replied with a slow nod of her head.
“Then you must help me to make sure that Hampton harms no one else. It would be wise to keep him under a watchful eye. If you see that he is about to cause us grief, then I want you to come get me.”
“But what if I am uncertain?” Virginia questioned. “Hampton is often argumentative and temperamental, but whether he carries through and actually becomes violent is another issue. I have seen the time when he has been provoked to absolute rage and yet he holds back. Other times, he flies off at a mere word.”
“If there is anything at all that suggests to you the possibility of violence and tragedy, then come to me. Don’t allow him an upper hand by worrying that you will appear foolish or out of line. Understand me?”
Virginia nodded and Carolina thought that she actually took on a better color. Suddenly she had support and confidantes. She would no longer face Hampton alone.
“And, Lucy, I want you to help me teach more of the slaves to read. Virginia, you will no doubt have your hands full in trying to keep tabs on that husband of yours, so Lucy can pick up where you have left off. That is, if you are willing to help.”
