Page 19 of Master of Paradise
"I have two... friends. After all," sheshrugged, "schools cost money. Things are very different in Americathan they are in England, especially in the South. Men don't takemarried women for their mistresses here. It's almost unheard of.The virtue of Southern womanhood is revered, worshipped almost.They are so chaperoned, so protected. A lady would be ruined ifthere was even the slightest whisper about her. Actually, Southernmen believe that white ladies should be protected from men's sexualappetites. That's why they indulge themselves with black wenches.So you see, I don't fit the mold and I must be very, verydiscrete."
"Is Gabriel one of your friends?" he askedquite bluntly.
"No, no. Poor Gabriel thinks one day I shallchose him for my banker," she laughed.
Nicholas stretched out a finger to trace hercollarbone. "Perhaps we could be friends."
She quivered at his touch. It had been a longtime since she had slept with a man just for the pleasure itbrought.
He drew her against him with one strong arm,while his other hand had already undone the fastening of her gown.As he freed her breasts, his head dipped to taste the fruit to seeif it was to his liking.
It was nightfall before the weary travelersarrived at Paradise, the name already being used to refer toNicholas Peacock's place. The mules Nick had purchased were put towork hauling wagons filled with plows, tools and supplies. Wellover half of the hands he had purchased had experience drivingmules, and the supplies that the wagons could not accommodate werebeing sent by barge down the river that curved in so close toParadise.
By the time they arrived, Nicholas knew allhis men by name. It was simple really. Brute looked exactly thepart, Jason was the Mulatto, Joe the oldest, Ben the youngest,while Gold and Silver were two brothers. Nick mused that perhapsFate had sent them as a sign of his venture's prosperity. Moses hada wide space between his teeth, which immediately brought to mindthe parting of the Red Sea. Luke never spoke, only nodded and shookhis head, and Vulcan and Lance had developed an immediately rivalryto see who could lift the bigger load. Nicholas knew he could usethis to advantage, providing he didn't allow the rivalry to developinto something nastier.
They all pitched in to build a fire, thenwhile they unloaded the wagons and fed and watered the mules,Samuel and Nicholas made coffee and handed around ham and biscuits,the only food that was practical at such a late hour.
As they sat sipping their coffee, Nicholastalked to his men. He pointed out the boundaries of his land. Hetold them what was expected of them, and what they could expect inreturn. He shared some of his dreams for a plantation that wouldthrive and eventually outdo those around it.
"I won't ask any man to do what I won't domyself. I'm going to be working alongside you, and we'll cut trees,clear out stumps, plow, plant and pick together. We'll build just acouple of cabins to live in at first. Then we'll build one for eachof you. There's lots of logs; lots of wood. The first problem willbe food. Who knows how to build a barbeque? Good! Joe, tomorrowtake Ben and find enough stones to build a really big one to cookfor a dozen of us.
"If I work sixteen hours a day, I expect youall to work sixteen hours a day," he warned. "At Paradise Hilleveryone is equal, understand?"
He grinned. "Course, Samuel here's a houseman. Thinks he's better than the rest of us, but until we have ahouse for him to take charge of, he's going to have to work likethe rest of us." Nick watched as they all grinned at Samuel'shaughty discomfort. "Course, hard work like we're going to be doingwould kill a damned house man, so he's going to have to take overthe job of feeding us all." He put his arm about Samuel's shouldersto show him his appreciation for all his help and advice.
"I'll buy chickens and goats from BernardJackson, and I'll hunt just as its coming light in the mornings.Should be plenty deer and game, don't you think?"
"Sure 'nuff is. Squirrel and wild turkey;lotsa 'coon an' possum," nodded Samuel, "an anybody with a wholelotta guts can hunt down a razorback or two."
"Wild hogs?" asked Nick, then saidthoughtfully, "I bet it would be possible to keep some in a pen andbreed them." His mind ran on again. "Everybody know how tofish?"
As they drifted off to sleep they wondered atthis strange man who had paid good money for them, but wasn't evengoing to spancel them for the night.
In the beginning, it was pride that made themen work; pride to keep up with this strange white man fromEngland. Then later, it was pride that kept them going, that drovethem on. Pride in themselves and what they could accomplish; pridein their determination to produce excellent crops.
Nicholas planted tobacco and cotton, andwhere the land was covered by water, he planted a crop of wildrice, rather than take time to drain the land. There would be otheryears for that. The rice seeds could be planted anywhere from sixto sixteen inches underwater, lightly covered with peaty bottomsoil, anywhere that was protected from wind and waves.
The three crops had staggered planting timesand different harvesting months, so they went straight from cottoninto tobacco, and then rice.
Every day like clockwork a servant wasdispatched from the Jackson Plantation to invite Nicholas to dine.He was loathe to turn down the generous hospitality of hisneighbors, and in the end compromised by dining there one eveningevery week. He grew close to the Jacksons, receiving invaluableadvice from Bernard in regard to his crops.
The county was as hive of social activity.Everyone took time for socializing, enjoying a party, barbeque, orfish-fry every single day of the week. Nicholas Peacock receiveddozens of invitations, but he knew he could not play until his workwas done. It would be years before he could take time from hislabors, except for the weekly visit to the Jacksons. Nick neverforgot the look of dismay on Mandy's face when he told her he hadpurchased Paradise Hill from the County.
"You bought it on purpose, just to spite me!Your aim in life is to torment me like a plague of locusts."
Whenever her anger was aroused, her eyesflashed with golden lights that held him enraptured. He quicklyassured her that she was welcome to come and play there anytime,then in an attempt to bring out her dimples, he added, "I think youcan secretly consider it yours."
Her mood changed like quicksilver. "Will youbuild a house there, someday?"
"The House on Paradise Hill," he mused. "Ithink a Grecian Temple would be the right style, don't you?"
"Oh, yes, that would be lovely." She sighed."I'd better not be home late today. I'm in Mammy Lou's bad booksagain."
"What is it this time, chewing tobacco andpicking your teeth?" He cocked a quizzical eyebrow at her.
"You always make me laugh, so I can't staymad at you. As a matter of fact, I refused to curtsy to the ladiesand gentlemen at the Beverly's party last night. It's theprincipleof curtsying I object to, but Mammy I'm afraiddoesn't understand principles." Her chin went up in a challenge."You do, don't you?"
"Yes, I understand," he said, thinking thislovely young girl was as old as the ancients and wise beyond heryears, but still, alas, a young girl. And yet... and yet...
