Page 73 of Master of Paradise
"Married?" Topaz asked, notunderstanding.
"Don't you have a husband? The man whofathered your children?"
"Oh, I bin bred by three differentbucks."
"I see," Jennifer said faintly and changedthe subject. "I'm starving. Could you see if dinner is about
ready?"
She dined from a tray, and decided to retireearly. She was fatigued from the journey and wanted to be up atdawn to do a head count and calculate the worth of this crop,before the tedious drive home.
Jennifer climbed into bed and lay listeningto the tree frogs making their night music, when she became awareof voices. She realized Brandon must be in the bedroom next tohers, as she heard the resonant tones of his voice. Then she heardgiggling, and she realized with a guilty thrill that he had a wenchwith him. She slipped from the bed and put her ear against thewall.Lord, whatever are they doing in there?There was sucha rustling and scuffling, accompanied by Bran's laughter and thegirl's giggles, she could have sworn they were rolling about thefloor.
Then she heard the bed-springs and Bran'svoice murmuring things too low for her to catch. A long silencefollowed by Brandon's low moans of pleasure made Jennifer long fora bed partner of her own. An overpowering vision of NicholasPeacock came to her and she closed her eyes to savor the forbiddenfantasy of her brother-in-law. Her body remembered what it feltlike to be in his arms, and she had known the exciting taste ofhim, but that was as far as it had gone, unfortunately.PerhapsI can find a way to change all that if I'm patient. Why is iteverybody else gets what I want? What a wicked waste that Mandy hasNicholas, with Paradise thrown in free. My God, the injustice ofit!
She was most resentful that now Brandon hadgotten this place dropped into his hands.If Lincoln gets in andfrees the slaves, a fortune will melt away like snow in hell.Tomorrow I'll urge Brandon to sell off some of this crop for cash,and see if I can get my hands on some of it for myself.
As she lay in the darkness she became awareof a low moaning. She knew it did not come from Brandon's bedroom,it was too far off. The moans were replaced by sobbing. Shewondered if the sounds could possibly be coming from Beau's room,but she dismissed the thought as ridiculous. She shuddered and knewshe would be glad to leave this place. Even Jennifer sensed evilwhen she came into contact with it.
When Jennifer Joy joined the men forbreakfast, she was careful not to let on what she had heard in thenight. She tucked the information away carefully, knowing it wouldcome in handy one day, as most information did. When she made herintentions of touring the sheds known, Brandon protestedvigorously, while Beau simply looked amused.
"Of course I shall go through the quarters,Brandon. You wouldn't want me writing to Daddy and telling him thaty'all brought me to this place would you?"
Brandon knew enough to withdraw his protestsand the tour began right after breakfast. When they were finished,Jennifer managed to get Brandon alone. "Do you realize if theystart freeing and manumitting, this place will be worthlessovernight?"
On the ride home, Jennifer carefully avoidedany discussion of the breeding farm, until they had dropped Beau athis own plantation. Then she learned that Brandon had asked Jeb topick out a dozen slaves and send them up to the Jackson Plantation."When they arrive, I'll summon the slave buyer from Charleston," hetold her.
Jennifer fell silent as plans of her ownbegan to percolate slowly but surely.
Chapter Sixteen
The night that Jennifer was away and did notoccupy her bedroom was a sore temptation for Nicholas. At supper,he and Amanda were alone except for Aunt Billie, and Mammy Lou hadcooked all Amanda's favorite dishes. Nick was always careful of thethings he said in front of Billie. She was quick to pick up adouble entendre or any words that had the slightest sexualimplication.
When he looked at Amanda, he let his eyes dohis talking for him, and by the end of the meal, she was left in nodoubt about the degree of his desire for her. Her blushes turned todismay as a sudden downpour splashed against the windows, just asthe last of the twilight was swallowed by the darkness. "Oh, I waslooking forward to a stroll in the garden but the rain has spoiledit." Her eyes slid guiltily toward Aunt Billie.
She was relieved to hear Nicholas saysmoothly, "Another bourbon, Billie? It will help keep out thedamp." She gave him a grateful smile, and noticed the smolderinglook he gave her held a promise. Her heart began to flutter as shewondered if he would dare to come to her room.
"I might as well do the accounts tonight," hesaid casually. "I'll be in my office if anyone needs me."
Amanda went out to the kitchen. "Mammy, thefood was delicious tonight. Thank you for making the sweet potatopie. I hope there's enough for you to have some."
"Miz Jenny hate dat stuff like poison. It wasa heaven-sent opportunity fo' me an' yo' to enjoy a treat."
"Nicholas loved it too. He told me to tellyou."
Mammy Lou beamed. She was thankful thatAmanda had been married to a fine man like Nicholas. Most of thewhite men she had had for masters had been good men, basically, butNicholas was something special. If he had any faults whatever, shehadn't uncovered them yet.
Amanda ran from the back entrance to theoutdoor kitchen to avoid a soaking. More than cooking took place inthis building. It was used in part for storage, as well as adistillery. Cleo had been making bayberry-scented candles and theair had a spicy fragrance that hung in the dampness.
Mandy was making pot pouri.She hadtaken advice from Mammy Lou and Jessie down at the quarters andconcocted her own recipes. She was making two distinctly differentfragrances and was well-pleased with the results. Other years theyhad always made rose pot pouri from the petals, but Amanda wasexperimenting with something different. The strawberry pot pouriwas a delight. It was made up of tiny, dried wild strawberries,chopped strawberry leaves, tiny dried rosebuds and violets, clarysage, rose geraniums and half a dozen spices, including cloves.
The peach flavored concoction had a moresubtle aroma, but nevertheless if you closed your eyes it certainlysmelled of peaches. It was a combination of dried rose hips, orangepeel, marigolds, vetiver root, and dried chopped peaches and peachleaves. Amanda stirred the mixtures until a delicious fragrancearose to surround her. Smelling the garden's treasures stirredthoughts of love, and Nicholas, and their trysts. A romantic linefrom A Midsummer Night's Dream drifted through her thoughts.Iknow a bank where the wild thyme blows.
Her pulses quickened at the very thought ofher husband. She sighed, wishing the rain had not spoiled theirrendezvous, yet she felt a shy relief that she was being allowed apostponement of more serious lovemaking She trimmed some of thecandles before she went back to the house and noticed with reliefthat the rain had stopped. There would be no storm tonight, howevereverything in the garden was drenched.
Upstairs in her bedroom it was evident thatthe shower had brought no cool breezes with it. If anything, thehumidity made it feel hotter and more uncomfortable than ever. Onimpulse she shook out her lawn nightgown and took the scissors toit. She sheared it off so that it just skimmed her hips. She was sodelighted with the feeling of freedom it gave to her legs, shewondered why she hadn't done it long ago.
She opened wide the doors that led to thebalcony and took a book of poetry back to bed with her. It absorbedall her attention, for suddenly the love sonnets had a new meaningfor her. They evoked a depth of feeling she had never been awareof. Dimly, in the distance she heard a night-bird singing aheartbreakingly beautiful song to its mate and she laid the bookaside to listen. It was as if it called to her. Amanda left her bedand went out to the balcony to listen. She leaned against theverandah railing in rapt appreciation as the small bird sang itsthroat out. When it stopped, she felt its loss acutely.
