"Ruin and Redemption"

Derrick Asserts His Authority & Tries to Destroy Michael's Memory

Lizzie wanted to be on the ground level to learn as much as possible about the visitor. Putting on her corset and hoop skirt was just too much to bother with right now. Lizzie pushed her hair behind her ears as she ran down the stairs expectantly. She would love a guest right now to break up the monotony, but who was he? And why had he arrived so early in the morning?

Lizzie ran downstairs to the kitchen, where Patsy had an inscrutable and beaten look on her face.

“What’s wrong, Patsy?”

“Nothing, Lizzie. Have some breakfast.”

Lizzie grabbed a biscuit from the plate and began eating.

“I know its something, Patsy. Who’s the visitor?”

“No visitor here, Lizzie. That’s the new overseer. From what I can tell Derrick is filling him in on his duties right now.”

“Overseer? But that can’t be! I’m the one who runs this place! This is my plantation, isn’t it?”

“I suppose your husband doesn’t see things that way. And the children do keep your hands full don’t they?” Patsy tried, hoping to placate her.

“No, Patsy! We can’t have an overseer! We can’t go back to the way things were with Mr. Stack! That just can’t happen.”

“I tried to talk him out of it when I overheard him set the appointment last week.”

“You knew since last week? Why on Earth didn’t you tell me so I could stop this?”  Lizzie demanded, leaning over the counter.

“I already tried, Lizzie. There wasn’t anything I could do,” Patsy said, before turning away.

“And you thought you had more influence over my husband than I did? I’m his wife, he should be listening to me! I’m going to put an end to this right now.”

Before Patsy could stop her, Lizzie was on the porch in her robe.

“Derrick, who is this visitor?” She demanded.

“This is the new overseer, Tom Bennett. Tom, my wife, Lizzie.” The man Derrick indicated was a larger man with black hair, sideburns and bushy black eyebrows. He wore a puzzled expression. Hadn’t Lizzie known he was coming to fill the post?

“Oh, no. Excuse me, Mr. Bennett, but we have no need of an overseer. You see, I oversee this plantation; It belongs to me.”

“Ma’am, I’m sorry, but your husband just finished telling me what to do here, and, well, I’m in need of a job.” He looked at her apologetically, but with no trace of changing his mind.

“Oh.” Lizzie felt the anger drain from her. In its place, she felt an odd detachment. She had done her best. She had tried all she could, and still she couldn’t seem to stop a single bad thing from happening! It was all beyond her grasp. It really was all a play, all an act in which she played the plantation owner’s wife.