The Right Hand Of The Father

chapter 22

He stared at the letter from Wythe. He'd written to the man before they'd even left New Orleans. Asked him to inquire immediately into the situation of Alexander's birth. Rachel Foucette.

He should have done it years ago. Should have taken responsibility years ago.

He stared at the parchment in front of him and his stomach twisted.

Wythe had always been the sort to act quickly when he had a task. Had written to one of his contacts on St. Croix and sent the letter on a packet that had left that very morning. Now, two weeks later, the man had a response and he'd sent it directly to George. 

His slave was having dinner and then he'd return to the city and his master with any response George might wish to send him.

When he'd first written to Wythe he'd requested that he begin the paperwork to change George's will. To change Alexander's last name and have him legitimized. Asked him to file Alexander's manumission papers.

The other man had counseled for caution. Let the investigators find out what they could. There could have been two Rachel Foucettes. Alexander could be confused. Perhaps there was some other explanation for this then that George had unknowingly committed incest with his own son. Continued to do so each night in his dreams.

He'd agreed to wait on changing his will or Alexander's name but had demanded the manumission papers be completed. All that was left was to put Alexander's choice of last name in the blank and then it would be done. One copy for him. Another for Alexander and a third for the Spanish Governor's office.

Before he'd known what he knew now he'd planned to ask Alexander to take his last name on his papers. To become Alexander Washington. Had believed the boy hadn't actually had a last name that he knew and instead of making something up like a lot of freed slaves did he could take George's last name. Most would see it as the mark of a trusted confidant turned free man. See it as him rewarding Alexander by gifting him his last name.

He'd meant it as more of course. A commitment that he could share with the boy. A way of telling him that Alexander shared his bed and held his heart and George wanted him to share his name as well. Had hoped Alexander would see the significance of such things. A ring on his finger. George's last name as his own.

But all of that had changed now.

Wythe's contact in St. Croix hadn't had to look hard to back up Alexander's claims. The court case against his mother had been a scandal. Her own husband had taken her to court and had her branded a whore. Used it to seize her property and to refuse to grant back her dowry. In fact, he'd persuaded the court to not just jail her but fine her as well.

There had been protests by St. Croix's finest citizens of course. That it was barbaric for an infant to be born in the Christiansted jail. That they should allow her out on bond until Alexander's birth as long as she agreed to let the boy be adopted by others. The investigators had sent printed copies of the letters to the newspaper that had been written. A copy of the article that first said the judge had agreed and then had changed his mind.

A notice that the scoundrel Lanvien — as the newspaper correspondent had dubbed him— had left the island after Alexander's birth. Quit the island and left his wife and her newly born son inside the prison.

The investigator had found copies of Rachel Foucette Lanvien's decree of divorce that had been sent on from Nevis. Found copies of her original decree of indenture. Alexander had not lied. Thomas Stevens had agreed to pay her debt to Lanvien and the prison — four hundred pounds when at that point he'd already bilked George of almost thirteen hundred for Alexander's care— if she agreed to an indenture term of seven years plus additional time added for expenses she or the infant Alexander might accrue. Copies of the revised indenture that Alexander had signed after his mother's death. Additional service to pay for the debts of burying his mother. For his own physicians care.