The Abolitionist’s Secret (27 page)

Savannah, Georgia, June 1856

David took a deep breath before he climbed the stairs to the Beaufort mansion named Summerville. He had hoped Simon Beaufort would come to him first with an offer to buy Bellewood. David had not seen much of either Simon or Blanche since the passing of David’s father and the events with Heather, but he knew Simon was not happy about having his plans for blending the two plantations into one ripped asunder. Everyone living within fifty miles of Savannah had known for years that his daughter, Blanche, and one of the Whitman boys would eventually settle down together. Now that was not to be. David supposed Simon was righteously angry with him for being the impetus to these changes and, even with the interest in Bellewood expressed by William Douglas, David knew he was in for a battle. He squared his shoulders and walked briskly up the steps.

Summerville was a very attractive house, built from imported gray limestone, giving it a cool, inviting look that stood up even despite the withering summer heat that was now upon them. The floor plan was similar to Bellewood’s, but even if it had not been, David had spent as much of his youth in this house as he had in his own, so he knew where to find Simon Beaufort. “Hello, Simon,” David greeted his neighbor as he moved into the library.

Simon shook David’s hand and motioned to a seat across from Simon’s massive desk. Not exactly ideal bargaining conditions, David thought. The desk between them might well have been a chasm. Well, he’d make the best of it. He took the offered cigar, waited for the ritualistic lighting and first puffs of fragrant smoke and then talked about the weather, waiting for Simon to begin negotiating.

David quickly tired of their verbal chess game. “How’s Blanche?” He asked, as he checked his opponent.

Simon gave David a hard look, and then made a large sweeping motion with his hand. “She’s fine, David. Engaged to be married.”

Checkmate.
David’s heart sank a bit. “Really? To whom? And when did this happen?”

Again Simon glared at David for a moment as he took a large puff of his cigar. “Well, I suppose it happened while you were dawdling with that trifle from up north, and breaking my dear daughter’s heart in the process. She went looking elsewhere for a man worthy of her attentions and found one. Where is your little bleeding heart abolitionist these days? Still rotting in jail?” Simon grinned.

David’s temperature, which had been rising, now reached a full boil. But, he knew, if he was to successfully negotiate his way to freedom, he needed to maintain his composure. He had the impression of being as shackled as his slaves with the responsibility of the estate around his neck. He borrowed deeply from his military training now and kept his demeanor serene as he faced his neighbor.

“Miss Fitzpatrick is back in New York. She has called off our engagement.”

“Really? Blanche will be amused by the news.”

David controlled his impulse to smash Simon’s face. “So tell me, who’s the lucky man who won Blanche’s favor?”

“It’s Robbie Johnson.”

David’s gaze flickered across Simon’s face, to see if he was joking. He looked dead serious. “Robbie Johnson is a good choice. He’s a solid, hardworking man.”

“He’s a pauper and you know it.”

David again glanced at Simon, whose mouth had now taken on an edge.

“So you don’t approve of this marriage?”

Simon finally stood and moved away from the desk. “This was not the way it was supposed to be, David, and you know it. From the day your parents and I moved side by side, we decided that our children would one day unite these two plantations.”

David sighed. “Look, Simon. I know that’s what my mother and your wife decided when they began to have children. It would have been most convenient if it had panned out that way. But what no one asked was whether the children were in agreement with that decision.”

“Jacob was her first choice, you know.”

David bowed his head. “Yes, Simon, I know. And I know she was devastated when he died. We all were. He lived and breathed Bellewood.”

“And you don’t.”

There it was. Not even a question. David looked up. “No, sir, I don’t.”

“That’s why you’re looking for a buyer for your land. How could you unseat your mother? What kind of selfish man are you?”

“I’m not being selfish. If I were thinking only of myself I never would have come back here and made an effort to take over the plantation. Mother doesn’t want to stay here any longer. She has wanted to move to Charleston for some time now, to live in a city and to be near her sister. I want her to do that, and to be able to live out the remainder of her days doing what she wants. She’s always hated being so isolated, and she hates everything about plantation life. I think her isolation is part of the reason she was so hateful to Heather.”

“Listen, boy. I don’t really care what you do with your life, but I do care about your mother. She’s been a good friend to my Blanche since her mother passed. I’ll ask her if Susan has ever said anything to her about this move to the city. We’ll quickly see if you’re telling me the truth. Jasper!” Simon barked to his house servant.

The aging Negro poked his head into the open doorway. “Yes, Master?”

“Find my daughter and tell her I want to see her immediately.”

“Yes, sir.” The man moved quickly out of the line of sight to do his master’s bidding.

Simon sat quietly behind his desk, leaving David to ponder the lit end of his cigar, and to think of Blanche with Robbie Johnson. They make a good couple, he thought. A bit unusual for Blanche, but he knew Blanche would refine Robbie’s hard edges, and Robbie would take Blanche off her high horse and put her to work. Yes, a good match. David smiled, and hoped Blanche would find true happiness and passion with Robbie — the kind he found with Heather.
One of us at least deserves to be happy.

David extinguished his cigar and rose to his feet the moment he sensed Blanche’s light footsteps in the hallway and heard the swish of fabric across the polished wooden floor. Blanche entered the room hastily, coming to an abrupt halt when she spied David. She turned, almost as if to leave, then stopped herself and swiveled back to him.

“David, I didn’t realize you were here. How nice to see you.”

“Likewise, Blanche. And I guess congratulations are in order for you. Robbie’s a good man. I hope you’ll be happy.”

Blanche gazed over at her father, then back to David. “So Daddy told you my big news. I am happy, David. Thank you for your support of my decision. It means a lot to me. And what of you? We’ve been hearing all kinds of gossip about the state of your engagement. Or lack thereof, I should say. And of the situation with Bellewood. But I’m dying to hear the truth.” Blanche sat in the chair opposite David and across from her father. The gentlemen returned to their seats.

“Heather has returned to New York, as I’m sure you are aware. And the Army has contacted me about re-enlisting. They’re dangling a promotion to captain in front of me. Since John Brown’s uprising in Kansas, they need help on the border to maintain the peace between the opposing forces. I’m tempted, since I have a fondness for that part of the country.”

Simon cleared his throat at that news. “Your plan then is to find a buyer for Bellewood so you can spend the next four years in the military?”

“Yes, sir, that’s my intent. I’ll sell to whoever makes me an offer.”

Simon Beaufort turned to David, his expression livid. “Son, I haven’t become successful in business without having a well-developed system of gathering information about what’s going on around me. I know you’ve been in talks with William Douglas about taking over Bellewood. Did you think I wouldn’t find out that you are attempting to place my sworn enemy at my doorstep?” Simon banged his beefy hand on the desk.

“He has expressed an interest, that much is true. And his interest is fueled, at least in part, by his dislike for you,” David replied evenly. “Your property and mine do share a stream to help with the irrigation of our crops, but he’s thinking about damming it up on the Bellewood side and introducing cattle to the property.”

David noticed Blanche’s small intake of breath at the confirmation of the gossip. She turned from him to her father. “Daddy, you mustn’t allow it! Cattle at Bellewood. Think of it!”

“Blanche, has Susan Whitman ever said anything to you about wanting to go to Charleston?” Simon leaned over his desk and studied his daughter.

“Well, yes, Daddy, she did. She told me that after David and I married, she wanted to move herself and Mr. Whitman up to Charleston to be near her sister. She knew Bellewood would someday belong to me. In fact, we collaborated on all the furniture in the house, knowing that someday it would be mine.” Blanche finished in a huff, and then moved her gaze to David. “Well, mine and David’s.”

“It can still be yours, Blanche. Well, all except the dining room table, that is. And me.” David replied, with a small smile.

“Daddy, please! Bellewood is all I’ve ever wanted. I thought the dream of living there was gone forever when Jacob died, but Susan convinced me that David would agree to marry me. I resisted Robbie’s advances for years, counting on Jacob, and then David to give me the reins to Bellewood. Then David came home with another woman, again dashing my dream. But now, Bellewood can be mine. Mine and Robbie’s. It’s perfect, Daddy.” She clapped her hands together.

David smiled to himself. He had known Blanche would have married him if he’d come home without Heather, and he would have spent his days with a woman who found him merely adequate. Just as his father had done.
Thank you, Heather, for coming into my life when you did.
He knew Simon could never deny his daughter anything. David now knew he was going to walk away from this transaction as the winner. All he needed to do was to negotiate the best deal he could from Simon and he could leave Savannah forever.

“That’s enough, Blanche. Leave us men to our business now,” her father replied, gruffly.

Blanche turned to David as she rose from her chair and he stood. She crossed over to him and gave him a peck on the cheek and ran a hand down the side of his face. “Go after Heather, David, before you return to the west.”

“No, that’s not possible. She’s lost to me now.”

“She loves you. Your mother and I were despicable to her, but she put up with it, and fought against us because she was so in love with you. I now regret my part in your mother’s schemes. Heather’s good for you, and you know it.”

“Yes, I know that. And I also am aware that she will never forgive my mother for placing her in harm’s way. Nor will I. I’ve resolved to live with it and still maintain a relationship with my mother. But if I go after Heather and, blessing of blessings, she agrees to once again accept my offer of marriage, we will have a constant reminder of what Mother has done to her. I don’t think I can bear it. And I know Heather can’t.”

“It’s the only way to right things, don’t you see? We were both so wrong about her.”

“I appreciate you saying that, Blanche, since I know I’ll never hear it from Mother.”

“Don’t let your mother get in the way of your happiness, David. Your constant reminder of Heather’s time in Savannah should be that Despite your mother’s best efforts to thwart you, you managed to find happiness. You’re part way there, by selling Bellewood and returning to the part of the country that you cherish. Now, finish the job and take the woman with you whom you love above all others.”

David smiled and took Blanche’s hand. “When did you become so wise?”

“Love does that to a person. Your mother’s machinations actually helped me see that you were the wrong person for me, and that Robbie, bless his heart, was right. If not for your mother’s schemes, I would never have gone to Robbie for advice on how to woo a man, and would never have ended up with him instead.”

“My mother was responsible?”

“Your mother was misguided, and her plans have run afoul, but in the end, it’s up to you and me to put things back together correctly. Let Daddy buy your land and run to Heather and beg her forgiveness. That’s the only way you’ll truly be happy.”

Simon glanced at David as Blanche left the room. “So, you’ve heard my daughter. We want to buy Bellewood. I’ll give it to Blanche and Robbie as a wedding gift. And that way, I can be assured the stream that winds through both places will never be closed off, unless I damn well want it to be. Name your price. Whatever Douglas was willing to pay you, I’ll better his offer.”

“I have a few stipulations first.”

“Such as?”

“All my slaves are to be freed prior to the transaction, so they are not included in the sale of Bellewood.”

Simon Beaufort glared at David. “What do you mean, boy? How can I plant and care for the land without slaves? I may turn you down yet.”

David squared his shoulders before he answered. “Since we are two grown men involved in a business transaction, I’d appreciate it if you not refer to me as ‘boy’ again. And, as for the slaves, my mind is set. They are all being given their freedom papers before I leave Georgia. You can hire them to labor for you as sharecroppers, if you’d like. But they will be free to walk away from here if they want to. That part of the deal is non-negotiable, Simon.”

“It’s that blasted northern woman, isn’t it? You still want to impress her with your noble, self-sacrificing act.”

“Not at all, Simon. When I was out west, rounding up Indians and moving them to the reservations, it occurred to me that they were being treated the same way our slaves are handled — given a place to live from which they could not roam. They were not being taught how to adjust their lifestyle to fit into this new society, or given the benefit of an education, so their chances of advancing were severely diminished. I couldn’t justify my part in what was going on out west, removing Indians from their way of life simply because we wanted what they had.”

He glanced over at Simon to gauge his reaction to David’s speech. As he expected, Simon’s mouth was hanging open.

“And our slaves have it even worse than the Indians, since we expect them to perform back-breaking work every day. But in either case, there needs to be a better job done of assimilating their cultures into America. This is the strongest point we have as Americans. We welcome all oppressed people from Europe and the rest of the world, and these two cultures, which are already a part of America, need to find a way to fit in, regardless of the color of their skin. That begins with freedom, and an education. I’m giving them the first step.”