Charity & Phillips

Chapter 1

Charity felt fatigue as she endured the bumpy carriage ride. It was dark in the back of that coach. Her wrists bound together by the metal cuff. She had been sold off by her last family, the Cunninghams. Now she awaited to meet her new master, Thomas Phillips.

She hoped that he would be merciful. Her last family had taken a liking to her. Her work wasn't as hard as the others. She spent most of her time inside. But now this was a different world. The Thomas Phillip ran the biggest tobacco plantation in all of Virginia.

"We here now." Mr. Brown announced, the negro buggy driver from the Cunningham family. Charity had known Mr. Brown since she was a little child. "Now remember, don't go in there acting too bold. Mr. Cunningham made sure you got your education, but that's not to say Mr. Phillips will be too happy about that."

Charity nodded as she stood in front of him.

"Now let me go up there and ring the house bell." Mr. Brown nodded. "I'll be right back."

With her wrists bound, Charity felt a little humiliated. She wasn't used to such treatment. The Cunninghams always treated her with kindness. They let her get cakes after work and socialize with the family. Oh, how she missed Dolly, the girl about her age from the house. They both cried as she got sold off.

Mr. Brown returned with three white people. Two were men, one was a woman. The lady walked behind the two men. She stood graceful with her lace gloves and silk gown. You could tell she was a very well kept woman. It reminded Charity of how the Cunninghams once were.

One of the men were older. He wore a thick leather belt around his waist. Walking up to Charity, he looked her up and down. She feared him. There was something in his eyes that seemed hateful.

"This is our new negress?" He spoke up.

"Right from the Cunningham plantation." Mr. Brown nodded.

He lifted Charity's chin. She began to shiver from fear. Slowly he tilted her face to once side, then looked at the other side. "She seems healthy."

"She was a well kept negress." Mr. Brown informed the man. "One of the best."

"She'll do great work inside." The younger man nodded as he stepped toward Charity. "Let her loose, will you, Edmond?"

"It's vital we make sure she's able to fulfill her duties, Mr. Phillips." Edmond answered as he gripped onto the stubble on his face.

"She seems healthy enough without such an inspection." Mr. Phillips glared at the older man. He looked to Charity, who seemed far nervous than ever. In an effort to calm her, he smiled. "Hello, there. What's your name?"

Charity, who had years of education and familiarity with whites, suddenly lost her words.

"Do you have a name?" Mr. Phillips asked.

She finally spoke up. "Charity. My name is Charity."

"Charity." He repeated with a grin. "I'm fond of that name."

The woman behind the two men cleared her throat loudly. Mr. Phillips looked to her, then back at Charity. "I'm Thomas Phillips. I'm the owner of this plantation. And this is my wife, Phoebe. You'll be spending some time with her, looking after her and what not."

Then, Mr. Phillips motioned over to the man he referred to as Edmund. "And this is Mr. Taylor. He oversees the slaves. He'll be making sure you adjust handsomely to your tasks while living with us."

Charity was warned multiple times before her arrival to stay quiet around white people. No longer was she in the comfort of what she once called home. Her family hundreds of miles away. Her silence seemed to somewhat perplex Mr. Phillips.

"Thank you, Mr. Brown for transporting our Charity. Would you like to stay over for the night so you'll be well rested for the travel?" Mr. Phillips asked.

"Oh no, thank you. You're too kind to offer." Mr. Brown nodded. "If you don't mind, will you allow me to say a final goodbye? I've known Charity since she was a little one."

"No problem at all." Mr. Phillips stepped back.

Tears began to fill Charity's eyes. This would be the last familiar face she'd ever see. Mr. Brown took both of Charity's hands. "Now I know you'll behave yourself. You'll stay out of trouble and do as you're told. You are already a full woman at the age of 20, and I know you are wise enough to fulfill your duties."

"I will, Mr. Brown." A tear fell down her cheek.

"Bye, bye dear. I'll never forget you." Mr. Brown patted his hand on top of Charity's. Then he mounted his horse and tipped his hat to everyone.

"Thanks again." Mr. Phillips smiled at Mr. Brown. Off he went in his buggy. Gone forever from Charity's perspective. She watched as the buggy's roof swept under the weeping willows of the dirt road until it was out of sight.

"Well. I guess we should start heading inside." Mistress Phoebe suggested. She pushed past everyone and stood next to Charity. Her eyes looked her up and down. As if she were sizing her up. Charity's innocence prevented her from detecting Phoebe's ill will. "My, my. What a pretty slave you are."

Once inside, an older negress stood in the foyer. She was dressed in a dark grey dress with a doily collar. A lace bonnet covered her hair.

"Tootsie, see that our new slave becomes familiar with her new quarters." Phoebe announced. The woman was going to guide Charity upstairs, but was interrupted.

"Not quite yet." Mr. Edmund Taylor spoke up. "Have her step into the library. There's something that your husband and I need to see."

"Is there?" Mr. Phillips asked. "Why, I wasn't informed of such an arrangement."

"Thomas. I've known you since you were a boy. And I know you have a soft approach to business matters. But as someone older and wiser I think it would behoove you follow my guidance."

Thomas placed a hand on his hip as he thought for a moment. He wore a blue long coat with a white billowing shirt underneath. His pantaloons were accompanied by stockings. "Very well, then. Into the study, we go."

Mr. Phillips extended his hand as he motioned for Charity to step through the double doors. It was the etiquette of the time to do so for a lady, but not a slave. Charity remembered what Mr. Brown told her, but disobeyed him by bowing her head intelligently in response. She walked inside the study with perfect posture.

Mr. Phillips followed behind Charity. Mr. Taylor began to step inside, but stopped in his tracks at the sight of Mistress Phoebe attempting to join the men. He stared at her, and with one look she knew it was best to occupy herself elsewhere.

With bitterness in her heart, she stepped toward Tootsie. She watched as her husband stood inside the library with Charity, and Edmund closed the door behind him. She didn't trust for such an affair to take place.