"Ruin and Redemption"

An Unwelcome Visitor and a Gift for Josiah

“Patsy! We have a visitor!” Lizzie called down the steps. Gone were the days of her serving. She now accepted Derrick’s dictate that Patsy be the one to hold the tray, save on rare occasions when Patsy was covered in dough and not fit to be seen. Only then would Derrick allow Lizzie to serve, and he always made a big deal of saying that his wife had not been the one to prepare the food, she had only taken the tray the short distance from the kitchen to the porch, just to keep her arms strong for dancing. “Sometimes, even a lady needs just a bit of exercise,” He would say. “Otherwise, I would not allow my wife to do it.” The visitors were always happy to take the lemonade and treats, she noticed. They didn’t gripe about not being served by a slave.

Patsy met her on the porch, but she did not bring the lemonade. She already knew what was happening. She already knew who was leaving. She had found the papers and read them when she was cleaning the study, and had decided not to tell either Scarlett or Lizzie. Derrick would not be here when the sale was made, and neither one of them would have the opportunity to beg him. She knew when Derrick had made up his mind. And she knew they were in debt again from Derrick’s extravagant purchases on Lizzie’s account.

The field hands all knew who would be leaving their families and had promised not to tell Lizzie or Scarlett. Nathan was among the five that were leaving today. Patsy was not looking forward to watching Scarlett cling to Nathan and plead with the trader; She was glad Derrick had arranged the sale in advance and was not on hand to watch her begging for her other lover to stay, as Patsy knew she would.

Lizzie rushed off the porch, and called for the overseer.

“What is the meaning of this, what is going on?” She questioned the burly man who was so fond of her. “Who authorized you to sell our slaves to this man?” She asked.

“Your husband, ma’am. Derrick LePoint. He made the deal. He just told me to expect the man before he left this mornin’” He looked at her, then down at his shoes. He wished it weren’t happening, either. Seemed all the slaves here got on pretty well from what he could tell, it was like splitting up a family.

“No, he couldn’t have!” Lizzie screamed hysterically, knowing without a doubt that it was true, yet wishing with all her heart that it wasn’t.

“Lizzie, calm down! It had to be done for all those fine dresses you’re gonna be wearin’”

“No, Patsy! No, I never told Derrick to sell any slaves!” Her voice sounded hollow and threadbare to herself. She had been thrilled, absolutely thrilled by the dresses and the locket. She felt like throwing up now, although there was nothing in her stomach. Still, she bent over and heaved what little bile had collected there in the night. The corset bit into her as she hunched over, grasping for someone to hold on to. She felt like running. She wanted to run away from Derrick. Maybe she could follow the drinking gourd up North. Maybe Sojourner Truth would make a special stop right here in Horry County for her. She’d be real quiet when she had to be. She wouldn’t be the one to give them away.

Scarlett was running towards Nathan now, who had obediently let himself be led from the fields this morning by the overseer, and was standing with his neck in chains. He had wondered from the moment Derrick walked in with his wife to their dance, if Derrick had seen him wink and smile at Scarlett.

He had learned two weeks ago that Derrick had seen, when Patsy came to tell him and his parents that he had already been sold, and the slave trader was on his way to collect him and four others. Today was the day; He wasn’t going to try escaping from the Henderson land. He might try escaping from another plantation, but he’d rather be sold than try to leave on his feet. If he tried leaving here, he might end up in a million pieces like that slave Michael who had dared to love a white woman. They said he’s been torn limb from limb and part of him had been thrown to the wolves. Might not have been quite so bad, but Nathan wasn’t going to risk it! He might get an extra special punishment himself, if anyone caught up to him, and knew he’d slept with his Master’s mistress.