"Ruin and Redemption"

A New Husband for Lizzie

“Scarlett, take these two dishes out, and go sweep the porch. Here’s the broom. I’ll come get you in just a few minutes,” Patsy commanded. Scarlett left reluctantly, stealing a last longing glance at Derrick as she did so. Patsy glared at her.

“Alright, what do you need, Derrick?” Patsy asked, turning to Derrick.

“I don’t know if I can do it, Patsy,” Derrick confessed.

“Do what, Derrick?”

“Marry Lizzie. Patsy, I just can’t. She deserves better,” he sighed.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…she deserves better. She wanted to be with Michael. Even though he was a slave; He was smarter than me; He always caught on quicker. The only reason she’s marrying me is because he’s dead, Patsy.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Derrick. You think Mr. Henderson was going to let his daughter marry a slave?” Patsy said defiantly.

“But its my fault he’s dead, Patsy!”

“You think I don’t know that, Derrick? You think I’m not smart enough to figure that one out? Who else could have told Mr. Henderson so he’d gallop back trying to save Michael?" Patsy asked, iping her brow. "You must have set things up, Derrick. Why else would those patrollers just be hanging around the place, waiting?”

“And you still think I should marry Lizzie? Me? I tried to stop it in time, but it was too late. ”

“Who else do you think she’s going to marry? The fellow who gouged out Michael’s eyeballs? Or how about the one who drove a knife through his penis?” Derrick seemed taken aback that Patsy knew so much. “Mr. Henderson told me all of it, because he sure didn’t want to share it all with Lizzie…As far as I can tell you’re the best choice she has! Now, you try not to think about what you did to get here. You just be the best husband to her you know how. And hopefully everything will turn out fine.”

“Really? You really think we have a chance, Patsy?” Derrick asked hopefully.

“Of course I do! If you want to marry her, and you love her, then go ahead and do it! It would be a shame not to. We’ve got the whole house done up for your wedding, and all these special dishes that came straight out of the cookbook from Paris. But if you don’t want to, then don’t do it, Derrick. If you don’t love her like you’ve been acting like you do, then don’t do it.”

“Oh, I definitely want to marry her, Patsy. She’d be a great mother to our children. But Patsy…what if she finds out?”

“She doesn’t want to, Derrick. And she sure isn’t going to find out anything from me. She’s done investigating the whole thing as far as I can tell. Just pray she doesn’t figure it out, and don’t you ever, ever tell her!… I don’t know what it would do to her! She’s already lost Michael and her father. And she hardly gives Josiah the time of day. What do you think would be the point in her losing you, too? What good is that going to do anyone?” Patsy asked seriously, stopping all her preparations for the moment.