Page 61 of Master of Paradise
Irritated, Nick trekked over toward thewaterfall to look for her. There seemed no sign as he stood andscanned the escarpment. Then he caught a glimpse of somethingmoving high up the hill through the trees. He climbed swiftly, butwhen he reached the top, there was no sign or sound anywhere. Heentered a deeply wooded area and followed a small path. Then he sawher. She reached for Ben's hand and the two of them went further inwhere there was almost no light.
Fury almost choked him.What the hell isshe doing here with a young black male?He saw them go down ontheir hands and knees in the grass, and was so shocked and outragedhe reached into the holster on his hip for his gun. He doubled hispace and surprised Mandy who looked up at him in disbelief.
With wide fearful eyes she cried, "Nicholas,you mustn't shoot them!"
The red mist of rage cleared as he saw thatshe had reached into a fox's lair and was holding a young fox kit.Relief flooded through him as he looked down at the twosixteen-year-olds and saw they had only been on a youthfuladventure.
Relief was soon overcome by hisquickly-mounting anger as he realized the dangers and risks towhich she had exposed herself, being alone, deep in the woods, witha slave.
Amanda quickly thrust the furry animal backinto its hole to protect it and scrambled to her feet.
Ben kept his eyes on the master and lookedterrified.
Nicholas holstered his gun and said as calmlyas he could manage,"What have you been doing all day?"
She indicated the canvass bag slung acrossBen's shoulder. "Gathering herbs and plants for the kitchengarden."
Nick turned to the boy. "Ben, take them up tothe house."
The young slave took to his heels, glad toget off so lightly, but wondered if punishment would comelater.
Amanda looked at Nicholas. "Why are soangry?"
He could have struck her. "If you don'tunderstand the implication of your conduct, then it's time I taughtyou a few lessons," he shouted.
"I've played with the servant's children allmy life," she defended hotly, thinking him prejudiced.
"Damn it all, Amanda, Ben isn't a child, he'saman."
"But you told me I could have Ben to drive meabout," she said, perplexed.
"That's different. All white ladies haveblack drivers for their carriages. Never, under any circumstances,go into the woods again with a black man. You don't seem to realizeit, but if a white man had seen you together, he would thinkhimself justified in shooting Ben. The woods are used fortrysts."
She flared with angry embarrassment as thegist of what he was trying to convey finally dawned. "My name isAmanda Virginia, not Jennifer Joy." She drew herself up to her fullheight and swept haughtily past him.
He followed her, letting her know in nouncertain terms how her thoughtless behavior had delayed hisdeparture. "If we've missed the floodtide in the river, it will bepast midnight before there's another. How can I go off toCharleston with an easy mind, knowing that at any given moment youmay be off on one of your whimsical jaunts with whomever orwhatever takes your fancy?"
She tossed her head, determined not to answerhim.It is quite obvious he thinks I shouldn't be let outwithout leading strings and a nursemaid.
As they approached Paradise, his temperabated. "I'll get my business done as quickly as I can Amanda, andtry not to be away too many days."
"Take as long as you wish, sir. I shan't sitand pine for you," she said coolly, and left him to get on with hisbusiness.
He decided not to reprimand Ben in any way.The encounter had been completely innocent, and he did not wish toprovoke association of ideas.
It took a full night and a day to load thecargo of cotton aboard the steamship that they had renamed theRattlesnake. Nicholas sent his field hands straight back toParadise under supervision of Brute, whom he could always count onto keep law and order.
Nicholas and Rafe slept aboard, then Collinswould leave on the morning tide and try to set a time record forthe voyage to Liverpool and back. The two men were physicallyexhausted and sleep overtook them as soon as their heads hit theirbunks.
No so with Amanda. She lay awake for hoursthe next two nights going through a range of emotions that keptsleep at bay. She was piqued that she and Nicholas had parted withangry words. Then she was annoyed with herself for all the cleverretorts she had not thrown at him. She fanned her annoyance intofull-blown anger at Nicholas for following her and chastising heras if he were her father. Then she felt sorry for herself forlosing her mother, and a tear slipped down her cheek. She licked itaway and sniffed loudly. Slowly, the guilt crept upon her forletting her husband go off to Charleston without a kind word orlook.
Chapter Fourteen
Two days later at breakfast Amanda told hersister, "The field hands are back from Charleston, but Nicholasdidn't come yet. He must have been detained by business."
"Ha! Little innocent," teased Jennifer,"there are so many diversions in the city, he'll probably be gonefor days."
"What sort of diversions?"
