Page 14 of Master of Paradise
"This is our baby, Amanda Virginia."
Nicholas leaned forward and looked down thetable at her. She leaned forward and gave him a solemn,conspiratorial wink.
The damask napery, the Georgian silver, thebrilliant candles and the livery-clad slaves anticipating theirevery move pointed up the opulent way of life that was completelytaken for granted.I will never take things for grantedagain,Nicholas thought.Life is tenuous and with one strokeof Fate, all can be snatched away.
Aunt Billie never spoke. She nodded, almostas if she had been trained to do so. Miz Caroline graciouslyencouraged Nicholas to tell them about himself and about his homein England. He obliged, but kept in mind that females were treateddifferently her in the South. Many things were not discussed infront of ladies. No business, no matter that was the leastunpleasant, no politics, and nothing that even remotely hinted atuprisings or trouble with the slaves.
Jennifer Joy smiled at him, but when hesmiled back, she turned all distant with lowered lashes. Shealternated with the warm-cool treatment until he couldn't eventaste what he was eating, but he could imagine his mouth on hers,especially when it pouted, just so. Then he chastised himself forhaving lustful thoughts about a young lady of her tender years.
After dinner Nicholas excused himself on thepretext of going outside to smoke, but actually he wanted to seethe outbuildings and slave cabins to get an idea of what to buildto house his own men when he got them.
When he entered the stables, they were soclean that only the smell of hay and leather and horses could bedetected. He turned at a noise behind him and discovered Amanda.Her hair had obviously been confined long enough, and had startedto unravel from the braids so that all semblance of neatness hadtotally vanished.
She regarded him solemnly with a long, goldengaze, then asked frankly, "What did you think of them?"
Nicholas hid a smile. "I think your father avery fine man, and your mother a real lady. They have been mosthospitable to me."
"Don't patronize me! I don't mean my parents;you know that very well sir. What about the others?"
He teased, "Well, I didn't get to meet yourbrother yet."
She flung her head back to toss her hair overher shoulders. "That's because daddy packed him off to school forpestering the wenches. They feared if he got himself a yard-child,it would purely kill mother."
Nicholas was shocked at the outrageous thingsshe was saying.This little madam is wise beyond her tenderyears.He frowned. "You've been listening to gossip, Mandy. Ihardly believe anyone has discussed these things with you."
"Oh, I listen to Mammy Lou and the houseservants' gossip all the time. Mammy says if a young man hankersafter a wench night and day, it stunts his growth and send himlunatic!"
Nicholas could control his amusement nolonger. He threw back his head and laughed outright. "There couldbe some truth in that."
She looked vastly pleased with herself thatshe had amused him. "What did you think of Aunt Billie?" she askedbluntly.
Nicholas chose his words carefully. "Well,she never actually spoke to me. She just nodded."
"That's 'cause she has to keep her place whencompany comes. If she behaves, daddy rewards her with an extra ponyof bourbon. Mammy Lou says she's the scandal of the family and hasa skeleton in her closet."
Nicholas saw the elusive dimples.
"Oh, I don't mean literally-- y'all know whatI mean."
"Yes, I know what you mean," he assuredher.
"Good! Let's make a pact. If I discover herdark secret, I'll tell you, and if you discover it--"
"I shan't tell you Mandy. I don't repeatgossip."
Her eyes flashed angrily. "Be damned to youthen!" She whirled about, saw Mammy Lou had overheard her, andclapped her hand to her mouth.
"Amanda Virginia Jackson, y'all apologize tode genleman, elsewise yo' gonna get a lickin' dat won' let yo' sitfo' a week." Her black face shook in outrage.
"I'm sorry you are damned, sir," she saidcoolly, her haughty nose in the air.
Nick's eyes twinkled as he realized that toMammy's ears, she had apologized.
"Now y'all gets yoself up dem stairs t'bed,missy!"
"But I haven't found out what he thinks ofJennifer Joy yet," Mandy protested.
"Dat's easy-- she a lady. Y'all acts likesome triflin' white trash. Y'all be de death of ol' Mammy."
