Page 45 of Master of Paradise
Amanda noticed Brandon try to wipe the tauntfrom his face as he added, "What Nicholas needs is a wife." She sawJenny flush before she said, "For once I agree with youcompletely."
Brandon said with glee, "Well, I don't thinkit will be long before someone snatches him up. Half the females inthis county and the next have set their caps for him."
Bernard turned his attention from Mr.Johnson. "Is that so, Brandon?"
"Yes sir. Word of the house on Paradise Hillhas spread like wildfire. Every mother hen with a chick to marryoff is vying for an invitation to Paradise Plantation. Yes sir, I'dsay Nicholas Peacock is South Carolina's most eligible bachelorthis season. Too bad your mourning puts you out of the running,Jennifer.
Both Bernard and his elder daughter gaveBrandon a black look of reproof that made him change the subject."Mr. Johnson, I hear Mr. Calhoun has quite a battle on his handsthese days?"
"The North is up in arms again aboutabolition, and of course the North has a majority."
Brandon replied, "I think it all stems fromenvy of our way of life here in the South. I bet those screamingthe loudest about abolition would trade places with a plantationowner fast enough if the opportunity were offered."
Gerrard Johnson chuckled. "Truer words werenever uttered.
Mandy puzzled over the nuances of what hadbeen said at the supper table. She couldn't make much sense of it,as most of the conversation had centered on Nicholas. She soughtout Mammy Lou and found her outside the kitchen door with Cleo. Asudden silence fell as Mandy approached, but she noticed that Cleohad been crying.
"I know something is wrong because you bothshut up tighter than a clam when you saw me. You might as well tellme what's up. Who else is there to take your part around here, nowMother's gone?"
Mammy compressed her lips. "Cleo has gone angot herself in a fix."
Cleo looked at Mandy with saucer-likeeyes.
Mandy looked blank. "What sort of a fix?"
Mammy explained. "She bin goin' off meetin'that Brutus belong Marse Nick. Now she gone an' got wiv chile!"
"Oh, I see." Mandy realized for the firsttime what it meant when women whispered they'd gotten themselves ina fix.
"Stupid wench, got no more pride than to liewiv a field hand," Mammy scathed.
Mandy blushed. "Hush up Mammy. I think Bruteis a very nice man."
"Ah thank God yore sweet mother can't see disshame that's bein' brought on us. We'll have t'git rid o' it."
"We will do no such thing, Mammy Lou. Iabsolutely forbid it! Cleo, does Brute know about the child?"
"Yes, ma'am. He want me to go an' live in hiscabin."
"Yo caint' go livin' in no cabin wiv no fieldhand. Yo' is a house servant!" Mammy said, outraged.
"Perhaps Nicholas would buy you, and youcould move over to Paradise and marry Brute."
"Oh Miz Mandy, would yo' speak to Marse Nickfo' us?" Cleo begged.
"Yes, of course I will."
Jennifer pulled her father aside the momentGerrard Johnson retired for the night. "Daddy, I must speak withyou. It's so very, very important."
"What is it honey?"
"Daddy, I know Brandon was teasing me atsupper about Nicholas becoming embrangled with all thehusband-hunters, but what he said has a lot of truth in it."
"I didn't realize until tonight, but ofcourse they will certainly be laying their traps for him."
"Daddy, I really truly believe he was on thepoint of proposing to me the day Mother died. Now of course, hewouldn't dream of broaching the subject because of ourmourning."
"You want me to speak to him honey? Getthings settled?"
