Page 44 of Master of Paradise
"Advice about what?"
"Will you pull the cotton out of your ears,Brandon? I want to get married, but I'm in mourning!"
"Daddy won't have any objections to Nicholas.He'll be over-anxious, if anything. All you have to do is convincehim old Nick will get stolen from under your nose if you have towait another year."
"Brandon, you are brilliant!"
"A minute ago I was a lay-about."
She pulled her face and went off to find herfather. She found him in his office with a visitor. She tried toretreat the moment she realized it was men's business.
"Come in, darlin'," called Bernard when hespotted her.
She went forward to greet the stranger whowas about the same age as her father.
Bernard said with pride, "I'd like you tomeet my lovely daughter, Jennifer Joy. Jenny this is GerrardJohnson, he's on a special committee for John Calhoun who you'vehard me talk about so much."
Gerrard stood and bowed. "A distinctpleasure, Miss Jennifer. I'm trying my best to persuade your fatherthat we need him up in Richmond."
Bernard waved his hand to prevent her fromentering into the discussion. "You just run along now, sweetheart,we have government business to discuss."
Jennifer dropped an obedient curtsy, but whenshe left, she made sure the door was open a crack so she couldlisten to their conversation.
"She is one of the reasons I'm not inRichmond this very moment. I've two young daughters, motherlessnow. It makes leaving very difficult."
"Bernard, if you could only hear the voicesgrowing louder and louder, demanding abolition, you wouldn'thesitate. When John Calhoun of this very State of South Carolinatook over the political leadership, we thought we were safe.Representation shifted rightly to the cotton states, because allthe world cried out for cotton. There's such an insatiable demand,it's become a cotton culture."
"You're right there," Bernard agreed. "Iheard we exported four and a half million bales last year."
"Well I don't see how it can last muchlonger. Abolitionists are everywhere. This fellow Lincoln runningfor the Presidency is a sworn abolitionist, you know."
"Without slaves there is no cotton. Everyplanter knows that. Haven't we been subsidizing Northern industryfor years with the damned tax they levied at Southern expense?"
"The only local autonomy we have is toexercise our veto over National Policy. The veto gives us parity inCongress, and believe me, only with Congressional power can theSouth hold onto the institution of slavery."
Jennifer was not interested in politics orslavery or the North's power versus the South's. From theirconversation however, she did learn that her father wished to befree of his responsibilities at home, so that he could go back toRichmond.What better way is there for a father to transfer hisresponsibilities than onto the shoulders of a husband?Shebegan to hum a little tune as she went off to find Mammy Lou toensure that some of her father's favorite dishes were prepared forsupper.
Mandy had begun to take over some of hermother's duties to fill out her days. Little by little she wastaking over the management of the household and even Mammy Lou hadbegun to look to her for direction in menu planning, and to discussthe problems that continually arose with the house slaves. ThroughMammy, Amanda soon knew that Jenny wanted to change the plans forthe evening meal.
"It's all right, Mammy. Jenny must wantsomething desperately from papa, and of course Mr. Johnson willvisit overnight. Let's listen carefully at supper and see if shedrops any hints."
Jennifer looked ethereal and delicate in therustling black silk. It emphasized her pale hair and the whitenessof her skin. Black of course was out of the question for Amandabecause of her age, so she came to the table in a sombre dark graywith white collar and cuffs.
Aunt Billie looked hideous in a rusty blackshe had dragged from the back of her wardrobe. She'd obviously puton even more weight since the last time she'd worn it, because eachtime she reached for a dish, it threatened to split at theseams.
Bernard said impatiently, "Where'sNicholas?"
Amanda said, Nicholas dines with us onFridays, daddy. This is only Thursday."
"It's time we began accepting Nicholas'sinvitations to dine at Paradise," Jennifer declared. "I know oursocializing must be curtailed because of our mourning, but Nicholasis like one of the family."
Brandon winked at Mandy. "It's really anexperience to be entertained at Paradise. We play cards there everyweek. The place is like a palace."
Mandy did not quite know why Brandon wasteasing Jenny about Paradise, but when he added lightly, "Goingthere tonight as a matter of fact," she noticed that Jenny's mouthtightened in fury.
To make conversation, Amanda said, "Nicholashas some new house servants, I hear. He'll be busy trainingthem."
"No fear." Brandon laughed. "Samuel alreadyhas them whipped into shape. Never saw a house slave better thanSamuel in my life. He could give our Charles a few lessons inkeeping servants in line."
