"Ruin and Redemption"

A Happy Outing and an Unexpected Scene

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“Derrick, let’s go out there tonight!” Lizzie enthused, pleading with him. She had been trying to talk her husband into seeing the slaves up close on the plantation for what seemed like ages by now.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Lizzie? I mean, what business do we have on the plantation at this hour? What does it matter to us what the slaves do in their off time?”

“It shouldn’t, Derrick! I’m not talking about business, though. I just want to know, Derrick! Sometimes I hear the music from the dancing and I’m just so curious to see what its like!” She remembered a bit from her childhood when she had seen the slaves dance, just for a few minutes before they had stopped at her approach. And she was eager to see it again.

Derrick had had a large barn constructed at the Henderson place, so they could store cotton and other items. He preferred the slaves to take the trip to sell the cotton less frequently, as it was his belief that the more the slaves were on the plantation, the more efficiently the work could get done.

Lizzie could hear the faint sound of a homestrung banjo, makeshift drums, and more, as she eagerly stared out the open window of their bedroom.

“Why should it matter, Lizzie? They have their music and we have ours. Frankly, I don’t see what you see in that slave music, Lizzie. I suppose it reminds you of Michael?”

“I’ve always loved it, Derrick! It has nothing to do with Michael! And I’m begging that you come with me and listen. Otherwise, I don’t think I can help myself sneaking out some night just to hear the music. Pinehurst is still my home, after all, even if you renamed it.”

“I didn’t rename Pinehurst, Lizzie.” Derrick rose from the window, exasperated. “I told you, it needed a name! People referred to it as “the Henderson place”! It needed a proper name, just like Rose Hedge. And there are plenty of pine trees in the woods, which we both love, so why not Pinehurst?”

“I didn’t say I didn’t like the name Derrick, or that it wasn’t appropriate!” Lizzie burst out, frustrated. “It’s just that you took it upon yourself to name the place, without even consulting me! You just decided! The first I heard that we lived at Pinehurst was you telling your friends at one of our parties!”

“Fine, Lizzie. If you’ll feel better, let’s go listen in to the slave music," Derrick relented, sighing heavily.

“Really?” Lizzie’s face lit up. She couldn’t believe her husband had actually agreed to her rather unladylike proposal. When they  discussed it earlier, she had always proposed arriving on foot, and peeking in through one of the boards. They would leave without the slaves ever knowing they had been watched by the Master and Mistress. That way, they would continue behaving naturally, and if they wished they could come back and observe another night.

“We’ll take Clyde,” Derrick announced. “I’ll hold the reins and lead the way. We can ride in the same saddle, Lizzie. You’ll be with me the whole time.”

“Won’t they hear the horse?”

“Clyde walks carefully, Lizzie. He’ll never be heard over all that drum music, I can assure you of that.”