Cast Iron Butterfly

Chapter 1-

As the sun set on another day, Hazel looked on in wonder of all of the glory of God's work. She shook her head in dismay, she wasn't sure she believed in God. Hazel had a rough life all her 18 years. In the late 1800s being a mullato was not easy. Her father, Thomas was a white man, who had fallen deeply in love with her African descended mother. Hazel never really knew her mother considering that the woman died in childbirth with the youngest of her siblings. Hazel saw the miniature that her father kept of Juliana, his late wife. Juliana was the most beautiful woman Hazel had ever seen; dark skin, dark mysterious eyes and very tall.

Recently, Thomas had come upon harder times than usual. People had shunned him since he married Juliana. Thomas barely made enough money to feed his family, due to people only dealing with him when they had no other option. Hazel was worried about her father and the lack of food stores that the family had for the upcoming winter. She had no idea how they would survive this year. Being the eldest of the children she was in charge of the household doing what would've been her mothers work. The men her age did not consider her marrying stock due to her mullato heritage.

Thomas didn't know what to do or where to turn. He had no way to provide for his girls this winter. They would all surely starve. Only one option was available and that would be a loan from Bartley McDougal, the Irish lord that might as well be king of the country. Everyone did what he said as he owned most of the land in the immediate area. A loan from McDougal was one that had to be repaid before it was due or else.