Concealing Grace (The Grace Series Book 1) (12 page)

Rather than taking the turn in the lane to the left, toward the house, Jon went right. He wanted to show her the barn and stables first. This would give Webster and Jasmine a chance to rest before they headed out to the orchard. The best part of the tour—the house—Jon was saving for last. Lunch was being prepared for them.

The whitewashed stable from the outside was so immense Jessica guessed it could easily hold a hundred horses and still have room to spare. Jon helped her down from Jasmine, and then he took the horses over to a water trough and looped their reins on nearby fence posts. Turning back to her, he gestured to the wide double doors and grinned. “Shall we go in?”

Jessica guessed he was as proud of his stables as he was of his house. She stepped inside and decided then and there that he had a right to be proud. As far as the eye could see, were horse stalls. Hanging from the rafters above them were plaques with names carved into them. Most of the stalls were empty, but this was no surprise considering how many horses were in the pastures. An open tack room off to the left had a number of gleaming saddles, harnesses and other equipment neatly hanging from the walls. At the far end, past the stalls, she saw a buggy parked next to Jon’s handsome coach. Everything was well organized and extremely tidy, but what impressed Jessica the most was the lack of odor. The only smell was that of freshly laid hay.

Jon led her to the nearest occupied stall and reached over the gate to run his hand soothingly down the horse’s nose. “This is Bonnie. She is going to foal in about a month.” Cooing to the horse, he said, “Aren’t you, momma? Pretty girl.”

“She’s beautiful.” Jessica petted Bonnie, too. It was clear from the horse’s distended sides she was close to being ready. Whinnying lightly, she pressed her nose into Jessica’s hand.

“She likes you,” Jon said. “She’s one of my favorites.” He leaned toward the horse and whispered, “But we’ll keep that secret just between us, won’t we, girl?”

After Bonnie, they went up one aisle and down the next, taking the time to pet the horses in the few occupied stalls. They were almost back at the double doors when Jon stopped at an empty stall. This one didn’t have a name plaque hanging above it.

“Do you think Jasmine will be comfortable here?” Jon asked.

Jessica was quite tickled. “Oh yes. I think she will be very happy here.”

“Good,” he said as he flipped the gate latch and opened it. A plaque had been stuck in the empty feed bucket. Jon picked it up. Carved into the wood was the name ‘Jasmine’. “I’ll have Wally, my foreman, hang this today.”

Right then, a colored boy, who looked to be no more than eight years old, came running into the building. When he saw them, he stopped short and his eyes grew wide.

“Willy!” a deep male voice called out. A second later, a large, dark-skinned man appeared in the doorway. He too, halted upon seeing them and his eyes went immediately to the floor. Through clenched teeth, he whispered harshly, “Willy, git outta here.”

“It’s okay,” Jessica addressed the child. “You don’t need to leave on my account. The captain was just showing me the fine stables you have.” Stepping closer to the boy, who appeared frozen in place, Jessica crouched down so she was on his eye level and she held out her hand. “You must be Willy? My name is Jessica.”

The little boy looked at her proffered hand and, if possible, his big brown eyes widened even more.

“It’s okay, Willy. I won’t hurt you. I promise,” Jessica said. Hesitantly, as if he was afraid she might sting him, Willy put his little hand in hers. She gave it a firm shake and said, “It is a great pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

A big, two-teeth-missing grin split Willy’s features. Then he let go of her hand and raced back through the door as fast as his little legs could carry him.

“Willy is Herlin’s son,” Jon said from behind her. “You may remember Herlin. He is my driver.”

“Oh.” Jessica did remember him—the man with the red cap. Rising, she smiled tentatively at the burly man still in the doorway.

“And that’s Wally, the stable foreman,” Jon said. “There are six others who work in here with him. Wally, this is Miss Emerson.”

Unsure what exactly she should do, Jessica glanced at Jon over her shoulder, but his blank expression told her nothing. Turning back to Wally, tentatively she murmured, “Hello.”

“Wally, where are the rest of you?” Jon asked curtly.

“Washin’ up from lunch,” he said.

“Naturally,” Jon said, sounding perturbed. But then, Jessica was sure she was mistaken. He caught up to her, took her hand and smiled. “Shall we be on our way?” As they passed Wally, Jon handed him the plaque from Jasmine’s stall and ordered, “Hang this.”

Outside, striding toward them from around the far end of the barn was the man Jessica recognized as Jon’s driver, Herlin. Like Wally, he stopped abruptly when he saw them, quickly retrieved his cap and stared at the ground.

“That’s Herlin, my driver,” Jon said.

Both Wally’s and Herlin’s sheepish behavior flustered Jessica. It was almost as if they were scared of her. The very idea was unsettling, and she wanted badly to dispel their fear. Doing so, however, wasn’t easy for someone suffering from uncompromising shyness. She reminded herself she’d never been afraid to speak to Maybell, Titus and Sammy. They’d never been scared of her either. Taking a deep breath and forcing a smile, she boldly covered the distance to where Herlin stood.

“It is nice to meet you,” she said. “I wanted to thank you for driving us home after the fair. It couldn’t have been pleasant for you in the rain.” Just as they were leaving that day, the overcast skies decided to unleash a torrential downpour. She, Jon, Emily and Trent had stayed warm and dry inside the coach, but Herlin’s seat had no cover over it.

“Yes, miss,” Herlin said, but he didn’t look at her.

“I met your son, Willy,” Jessica said. “He is adorable.”

“Yes, miss.”

“Keep Willy out of the stables,” Jon said to Herlin.

Jessica barely heard him over the rising voices and laughter. She turned to see a group of people, eight men and three women walking across the lawn from the back of the manor house. Engrossed in whatever was entertaining them, they didn’t seem to notice Jon and Jessica. But then, one of the men looked up and grabbed at the man walking beside him. A pregnant hush came over the entire group and they froze.

“Don’t be bashful. Come here,” Jon called out to them. “I would like for you to meet Miss Emerson.”

None of them moved. The only thing Jessica could think of to do was approach them as she’d approached Herlin. By the time she crossed the lawn, with Jon beside her, the group had formed a shoulder to shoulder line. Not one of them looked up.

“Hello,” Jessica said.

Jon proceeded to tell Jessica each of their names and what their jobs at the manor were. Throughout, with the exception of one of the women, they all maintained their timid, fearful poses. The woman who Jessica caught glancing at her briefly was pretty and slender and perhaps only a few years older than she was. Jon introduced her last. Her name was Martha and she was Herlin’s wife.

“I will try to remember all of your names, but if I forget, please forgive me,” Jessica told them. Then, concentrating on each one in turn, she said, “Dandy, Hattie, Selma, Jasper, Gary, Zachary, Buddy, Arnie, Patch, Sam and Martha. Was that right?”

No one answered her.

To Martha, Jessica said, “Willy must be your son? I met him a few minutes ago in the barn. I think I may have frightened him, but I didn’t mean to.”

“Yes, miss,” Martha said.

“Shall we continue our tour, Sweetheart?” Jon cut in.

Jessica wanted to do more to ease the servants’ discomfort, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say. Moments later, while they rode through the fields, she turned to Jon and asked, “Why are they all so afraid?”

“Who?” Jon said, but then he shrugged and said, “Oh them. Perhaps because they used to be slaves?”

“Ours were not that way. I know some people were cruel to their slaves—” Jessica clamped her mouth shut and shook her head.

“What were you going to say?” Jon asked.

“It upsets me,” she told him. “It upsets me that people can be so heartless. Many in our community treat colored people like they are lesser beings. They may be poor, their skin may be darker than ours, but they are still people.”

Jon didn’t say anything, but he didn’t really have a chance. The endless rows of peach trees were just ahead. Jon allowed Jessica to take the lead as they rode into one of the narrow paths. The going was slow due to the many protruding branches, but Jessica couldn’t have been more delighted. The pleasant aroma of peaches was overwhelming and simply wonderful. She was so caught up in viewing the trees and all the budding fruit that at first she didn’t notice the distant giggling.

Up ahead there were children playing in the trees. As they drew near, Jessica counted twelve. The older ones looked like young teenagers, but there was one little girl who couldn’t have been more than two. She was entertaining herself by throwing fallen leaves up into the air and trying to catch them. The others were involved in some sort of game with a ball. “Do they belong to the servants?” she asked Jon.

He nodded.

The moment the children noticed Jon and Jessica’s horses, they stopped their game. They looked so terrified, Jessica was sure they were going to flee. The only one who seemed oblivious was the adorable toddler who kept on throwing her leaves.

“Please don’t run away,” Jessica called out to them. Without waiting for Jon to help her, she slid off the saddle and jumped lightly to the ground. Behind her, she could hear Jon dismounting, but she didn’t look back to see if he followed. Her concentration was on the children. “Hello,” she said.

“Hewoah!” Distracted from her leaves, the little girl ran straight towards Jessica.

“Chelsea, come back,” one of the older children mumbled, but the little girl didn’t stop.

“It’s okay. My name is Jessica.”

The little girl was staring up at her. “My name Chesee.”

Laughing, Jessica crouched down and said, “It is very nice to meet you, Chelsea. My, oh my, you are a very pretty little girl.”

Chelsea’s grin grew so wide, her eyelids folded up. “You is pwitty wady,” she said.

Jessica couldn’t resist picking the baby up. She smelled like soap and peaches and Jessica breathed in, cuddling her close. Addressing the other children, she said, “I am very pleased to meet all of you. Will you tell me your names?”

None of them said a word.

From beside her, Jon said, “Miss Emerson won’t hurt you. You can tell her your names.”

The only response was eleven pairs of wide, fearful eyes darting back and forth between her and Jon.

Jon grinned crookedly. “Well then, I guess it’s up to me. Let’s see. Jimmy, Katie, Thelma, Oscar, Isaac, Jacob, Sadie, Big Willy—you already met little Willy—Sammy, Vernon and Chester.” He went on to tell her which children belonged to the adults she met earlier. The last two he spoke of were Jacob and Chelsea, who were Ruth and Ditter’s grandchildren. Jessica hadn’t officially met Ruth and Ditter, but she remembered them. Ruth was Jon’s most excellent cook and Ditter was the butler. She was going to say as much, but then Jon turned on Big Willy and said curtly, “Did I get that right?”

Startled by his harsh tone, Jessica took a step away. Big Willy nodded. At the same time Chelsea yanked on her earring. “Shiny,” the little girl chirped.

Reaching up to stop the painful tug, Jessica murmured, “You are too cute for your own good.” To the others she said, “What do you call the game you were playing? It looks like fun.”

Jacob, Chelsea’s brother, who Jessica guessed to be about eight years old, said, “It’s called skeebee, ma’am.”

Chelsea squirmed so Jessica set her down. The little girl took off, running clumsily toward the other children. “Right now the captain and I must be on our way, but perhaps sometime you will teach me so I can play with you?” Her remarks seemed to shock them, especially the older ones. Because she didn’t know what else to do, she merely smiled and said, “Goodbye, children.”

Turning back to Jon she saw he was staring at her with a strange expression on his face. She couldn’t decipher it. He didn’t look angry, pleased or surprised. He just looked odd. Absently, she checked her earring. “I’m ready to keep going.”

Jon lifted her up onto Jasmine and they were on their way. Jessica couldn’t resist turning to wave to the children. Only five of them waved back, Jacob and Chelsea among them.

Once they were through the orchard and they could ride side by side again, Jon brought Webster up next to her. “You like the children,” he said.

By his bland tone, Jessica couldn’t tell if he asking or making a statement. “I do. But there are so many of them. I will never be able to remember all their names.”

He smiled faintly. He was still wearing that strange look on his face.

“Don’t you like children?” she asked. “I thought because of what happened at the fair… the children you saved…” She let her voice trail off because he still stared at her so oddly.

“They were white children,” he said quietly.

“Children are children, no matter what color they are. They are all precious!” Jessica retorted, but then she had to catch herself. She’d been more vehement than she intended.