Page 37 of Master of Paradise
"No."
"If you don't get out of my way, I'm going toslap you flat!"
The black girl knew Mandy made no emptythreats. She quickly stepped aside.
Mammy Lou looked up as Mandy came in. "Hesleepin' so ah can't give him de wine, but ah sure can poultice hisbad leg. Now yo' turn yo' face away missy, while ah uncovers hislimbs."
"Don't be daft Mammy. I sucked the poisonfrom the wound."
"Don't never let nobody hear you say dat.Folks'll talk sumpin' scandalus!" Mammy was shocked.
When she placed the steaming cornmealpoultice over the wound, Nicholas rose up out of his drugged sleepand screamed.
"Mammy, it's too hot. It will leave aterrible scar," Mandy cried.
"Now chile, ah knows how to take away scarswid wild honey. Now dat yo' awake, Marse Nick, yo' git dis goodwine down yo'." She tipped the wine toward his mouth and he drankavidly.
Bernard burst into the room, brought upstairsby Nicholas's scream. "What on earth are you doing to him, Mammy?"he demanded.
"Yo' remembers how old Mammy got MarseBrandon better when he got de snakesbite?"
"My efforts and those of the doctor count fornothing, of course," he said drily.
"Naw suh, ah ain't sayin' dat, but it was decombination of all our efforts as yo' well knows, MarseBernard."
"I suppose you're right," he said wearily."Mammy, I'd appreciate it if you didn't let Miss Caroline knowabout this. She's so frail, I'm afraid the worry might bring onanother attack."
Whatever Mammy had given Nicholas in thewine, had made him fall once more into a deep sleep. "We'll knowfor certain sure come mornin'. If'n he got enough poison t'killhim, he be daid by mornin'."
Amanda shuddered. She knew her mother wasgoing to die soon. All her vital life and strength had gone,leaving only a shadowy husk, and now Nicholas also might die, inspite of the vigorous manhood that coursed and pulsed through him,that made him seem immortal and godlike.
Bernard saw his daughter clearly for thefirst time that day. "Are you still wearing wet clothes? Out ofthem immediately and into your bed, or you'll be down with feverand chills tomorrow."
It was no use. No matter how manysleep-inducing games Mandy played, it danced ever farther andfather away. She jumped out of bed and began to pace. Finally, sheput a bedgown over her nightdress and stole down the hall.Nicholas's face was fiery with fever as he moved constantly,restlessly, about the tumbled bed. Mammy dozed in a chair besidehim. In that moment, Amanda's heart went out to the faithful oldservant.Lord, how I love Mammy Lou.She was a rock base,when underfoot there seemed nothing but quicksand.
Amanda poured cool water from the jug intothe basin and took it to the bedside. She lifted the black curlsfrom his forehead and began to cool it with the wet cloth. Her fearfor him threatened to overwhelm her, but as her hands touched hisface for the first time, some of the terror drained away and wasreplaced by a fine anger. She realized how useless she was to thisman who needed her.Why don't they teach girls nursing skills,instead of how to curtsy or stitch useless samplers?Themoment he's better, I swear I'll learn all I can about balms andherbs and their medicinal cures.
All she could do was bathe him with coolwater and hope it reduced his fever. When he raved, and rolled hishead from side to side, she soothed him with gentle words andtender hands. Mandy had never before seen a man without his shirt.Oh, she'd seen lots of field hands half-naked, but this was a whitegentleman. To be with him while he was in a state of undress, nakedbeneath the sheet in fact, was a shocking, forbidden thing for herto do.
She sponged his face and neck over and overuntil she thought he felt a little cooler. He was not asleep,neither was he awake, but rambling in a semi-conscious, feveredstate. He had twisted himself in the sheet, so she pulled it awayfrom his arms and shoulders and resumed the sponging. She lingeredover his hands lovingly.How large and strong they are. Theveins stand out from all the physical work he does.
She traced a finger across the backs of hishands where the black hairs grew, and she shivered at the powercontained in his fists. Mandy held her breath at her own daring asshe gently pulled the sheet down farther to reveal his chest. Shelet out her breath slowly, as her eyes saw he was brown, hard,ridged with muscle, and covered by a crisp black pelt. As shetouched him with the cooling water, his nipples stood out brown anderect. She caught her breath as the blush spread across her cheeksand she quickly re-covered him with the sheet.
Mammy slept on, oblivious to Mandy'sministrations. Suddenly Nicholas's eyes flew open wildly. When hesaw Mandy, some of the madness left him. He mumbled through drylips, "I dreamed about you."
"What did you dream?"
He flushed hotly and lied. "Can't remember,"then once again he was incoherent.
By the time the hands of the bedside clockshowed almost five a.m. Nicholas had settled into a more peacefulslumber. The dark red flush was beginning to subside, and histhrashing limbs had quieted. Mandy smiled down at him, enormouslyrelieved.I can leave now and Mammy will never know I've beenhere.She was certain now that Nicholas would recover. Purelyand absolutely.
Chapter Nine
Jennifer Joy's very best friend inCharleston, Sue Ann Winwood, had just been married, and as maid ofhonor Jennifer had spent two months helping the bride-to-be preparefor the nuptials. Jennifer was now in a fever to marry, even thoughher father had said she may not until she was twenty. She wouldhave to get around him on this point, as she always managed to do.Though she had been entertained frequently and lavishly inCharleston, she was glad to be back home, close to all her beaus.On her first night back, at supper, she wanted to hear all the newsof her friends, but Amanda had only one topic of conversation.
"Nicholas Peacock's house is almost finished.The painters are there now, and then he will be ready to furnish.It's so exciting, Jenny. It is so lovely, it takes my breathaway."
"That place?" Jenny said lightly. "He's beenbuilding it for years; it will never be finished."
