It took two weeks for Charles to find six women from town to clean the castle from top to bottom. And four men to clean and shine the outside. He made arrangement for the women and men to get to and fro home and work. The women worked eleven hours a day for fifteen weeks to clean and polish the whole castle. It took the men two months longer cleaning the outside of the castle. Charles hired four of the women to come on the second and fourth week to keep the castle clean.
Drew complained that people would discover the plantation. Charles argued that Harry had the castle built, to have a place to freely live without anyone finding the mansion.
There was only one way to H. B. Metropolis, the road dead end at the forest, it led from or to Harry’s mansion. Everyone else lived on the other side of town. H. B. Metropolis was several miles away from the castle, Harry built his castle to be his haven, have his social events, and live in disguise a normal life.
When Charles returned to MacCall, he went around visiting his old friends and acquaintances. The townspeople gravitated towards Charles like he was Moses that parted the red sea. Drew, as usual, was ignored by everyone, he and his wife were the town's drunks. With Charles back in town, Drew went to his favorite bar, once Drew was drunk, he said to anyone that would listen, “my brother moved far away, he did nothing for you or this town, he returned, and everybody loved him. I stayed here to help this town grow, I poured money in this town to help it out, I paid money to get a hospital in this town, I created jobs for some of you, what did the almighty Charles do?” He looked around, no one said anything, nor were they paying him any attention. Drew shouted, “nothing! Charles did nothing, he left town, he left you!” Only the walls were listening, Drew angrily stumbled out the bar.
The clothes that Charles and boys wore were sophisticated and posh, Charles velvet voice was deep and smooth. Women loved Charles, unlike Harry, the playboy in Charles took advantage. The men respected him, and the KKK wanted him to join them. Charles was not about hate and degrading people, he wanted to uplift and aid those who needed help.
One evening Drew was having a memorable moment, he thought about a pretty slave girl, one of Harry's friends had his way with her in the back of the barn. At the time he was young and outside playing, he heard the girl yelling. The man came around the barn straightening his clothes before entering the house.
The girl asked Drew to bring a glass and towel from the kitchen. Drew ran into the house and got the items, before leaving out Bella said, “when she gib' it back ta’ you, bring it ta’ me.”
The girl rolled the glass in the towel and beat the glass with all her strength. Drew had no idea what she was doing but it looked fun, so when she paused to take a breath, he grabbed the stick and beat the glass until it was as fine as salt. The girl said, “Thank you.” She bent down and whispered, “gib' dis' to Miz' Bella, plez.'“
Bella filled the man's lemonade with the finely chopped glass and a lot of sugar. The man died two days later.
Drew's wife entering the room startled him, “what do you want woman?” Drew yelled.
BB stood in the dining room looking at Drew, trying to figure how to rip him off and leave. She asked Drew, “what are you thinking about, you be in a deep daze.”
Drew said, “I was thinking about the day I asked you to marry me, it was a mistake.” He looked around the room, and said to himself, “I have an idea, he ran into the kitchen and got a glass out the cupboard.”
He asked, “what’s for dinner?”
“Fried chicken, and...”
Drew cut her off and said, “I have a taste for soup, cook some soup.”
“That will take me…”
“Just do it!”
That evening Charles and his sons were enjoying their weekly visit with Drew. Laughter and talking filled the room. BB was not allowed to sit with them, she sat in the kitchen eating alone. Although Drew was mean to her and often time beat her, still, she stayed. BB was mistress of a big house, had a comfortable bed to sleep in, she took long baths, had plenty of food to eat, and all the alcohol she could drink. She stayed because one day when the opportunity allowed, she planned to take his money and leave the state. She took the soup and bread out for them to eat and set the food on the buffet, Drew told her to leave it, he would serve the food.
Drew fixed Charles a big generous bowl of soup, he sprinkled a wee bit of crushed glass on top. The glass was so fine it looked like salt, Charles stirred his soup around and took a big gulp. After two dinner visits at Drews, Charles began having stomach pains, chest pains, and regurgitated blood.
The doctor had him to stay in bed for a long period of time. And gave him a big dose of medicine that made him defecate. Charles, began to heal, he and his boys stopped having dinner with his brother. Drew did not want to kill Charles quick, he would sprinkle only a few grains of glass at a time, it was going to be a long slow death. Drew wanted his brother’s life, his boys, his fancy clothes, his accent. Charles did not look like the son of a slave. He looked, sounded, and acted like an educated affluent man.
Jealousy corroded Drews' heart.
XV
Forever Apart
One year of not eating or drinking any food or beverages from Drew’s home, life was good for Charles and his sons. His stomach pain had gone; thus, Charles could function as normal. He took the boys for walks in the park where he swung them around and around until they couldn’t walk, all three would fall on the ground laughing. He took them to museums and long buggy rides. He did not like the clothes in the three towns, they took train rides to New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Boston to see Morris and his family. Anywhere the train went, Charles took his boys to sightsee and shop. Wanting to see another country, Charles took his sons across the border to Canada which was a great experience. A large number of slaves had escaped to the country, there were schools, stores, and businesses that fugitive slaves’ owned.
Charles wanted his boys to have what he did not have when he was little, which was love. Harry took him and Drew no place, not even church. Their mother’s headache was too painful for them to travel to Titleburk with her. Drew stayed home, but when Charles turned fourteen, he got on a horse and would go to his grandpa’s, Ogville, Titleburk and sometimes further. Charles was always in trouble with his parents. Oftentimes, he stayed gone all night or came in past midnight.
To take a greater interest in is boys, Charles gave up being a woman’s man and became the father his sons needed.
Whenever they were in town, Duke still visited Drew, sometimes three times a week. When he turned thirteen, Duke began spending the night. On Duke’s fourteenth birthday he told his dad that he was going to live with his uncle Drew, and they were going to fix the house to look as fine as the castle. Duke had grown close to Drew and had become just as mean, he said, “Uncle Drew took me to see the slaves. I even met some, they are happy and like their area, grandpa was a genius.”
That was exactly what Charles did not want to happen. Duke’s reason for wanting to move out of his father’s house was spearhead by Drew, who covertly desired to destroy Charles. Duke was young and impressionable; he fell right into Drew’s hands.
His uncle Drew promised that one day the slaves would be his. Duke went home to get his things to permanently move out of the castle and in the mansion. Charles had a fit and told Duke that he was going to move him back to Boston, Duke stormed out leaving his things. Charles stopped him and said, “don’t tell your brother about the slaves.”
“Never.” Duke said, “or he'll take them away from me.”
Duke told his uncle about his dad’s threat. This was good news to Drew, laughing to himself he said, “Charles is jealous of my relationship with his son.” Drew was happy, he said to Duke, “I can handle him for you, but it has to be my way.”
“Do it, uncle,” Duke said with laughter in his voice.
Drew thought, his plan was soundproof, he was finally going to get both of Charles boys and make them hate each other, the way Hen
ry raised him and Charles.
Two men that were on Drew's payroll, carried out any dirty work Drew needed to be done. This time, it was to kill Charles and bring him, Cody.
Two evenings after Duke left, Drew’s two hitmen used the key Drew gave them to enter the castle. Cody was downstairs, when he heard someone enter, he ran up the steps to Charles bedroom. The men followed Cody. One of them grabbed Cody, the other got in a fight with Charles. Cody broke out the man’s grip and fought a good fight. What Drew had forgotten, Charles could fight and refused to be bullied. Charles held his ground and beat both men. He stood back, he gave them a moment to recuperate then said, “I can end this.”[RL45]
One of the men asked, “how?”
Charles reached for Cody, he had the boy to stand behind him, Charles asked, “how much is my brother paying you.”
The other man responded in surprise, “brother, you’re Mr. Drew’s brother?”
“Yes, how much is he paying you.”
“Two quarters each.” One of the men said proudly.
“Hum,” Charles moaned.
“But Sir, we will only get the money if we kill you and take your son to him.”
Cody said, “I will not live like a pig. And you are not killing my dad.” He got in a fighting stance.
Charles said, “this son is staying with me.” He looked at Cody, then at the two men and said, “I will give you something, then you will leave us alone.”
Both men agreed, one of the men said, “we be leavin’ town iffen’ you’s pay more den’ Mr. Drew.
Charles said, “go downstairs to the library, I’ll bring it to you.”
The men rushed out of the room so fast they stumbled over each other, Charles watched them go down the steps. When they were gone Cody whispered, “you paying them? they came to kill us.”
Charles shook his head, he went to his chest and pulled out a gun, and said, “I said I was giving them something.”
“I don’t understand, dad.”
“Killing is something. I am giving them, death.” He put the gun behind his back, went downstairs, entered the library and shot each man like he did Harry, right between their eyebrows. He looked at Cody and said, “let’s pack.”
Cody said surprised, “dad, you can fight and shoot, wow. Who taught you?”
In MacCall, the following day, when the men did not return Drew was livid, he and Duke went to the castle to see what had happened, they found nothing but a rumbled mess. Drew had no idea where the men or Charles had gotten off to. Duke entered the library, he called for Drew. When Drew entered the library, he recognized Charles marksmanship. Drew and Duke searched through the house looking for Cody and Charles.
Drew was evil, he stormed out the castle angry, he wanted to turn the brothers against each other like his dad did him and Charles. Drew was enraged he broke out several windows, tried to kick the door down, he only hurt his foot. Charles had beaten him again.
Duke said, “I didn’t know dad could shoot.”
He watched his uncle Drew, angrily storm out the castle. when he was gone Duke said, “go, dad.” Duke went to his father’s suite and looked around, he found several pictures, his favorite was of him, with his dad and Cody. He took them all. He went to Cody’s room, Cody still played with toys, he took a few of the toys. Duke went to his room, he fell across his bed and cried. He pulled himself together, got the remaining of his clothes and left.
*******
Charles bought property in the outskirts of Ogville and changed their last names to Paddleton. The father and son duo cut all ties to the Brown family and never saw Drew or Duke ever again. They became abolitionist, even though slavery was illegal and over, there were a few plantations that broke the law, so slaves were still escaping and needed help. Charles built a huge house on his property, carbon copy of the castle Harry built. Charles castle was the exact replica and size of the Evans castle. Fortunately, the Evans used crushed stone, not Ivory.
Charles castle had twenty room and not fifty, and a basement with two extra rooms to hide slaves. The castle porch and vestibule were made from tons of ivory.
During those years it was not against the law to kill an elephant for his tusk. [RL46]
*******
The young slaves got pregnant, the four single girls, who on the day of the mass wedding in the children area had no one to marry, married men from Jeb’s plantation. Drew went to Titleburk and kidnapped a nurse, teacher, and two overseers,’ he locked them in. Duke suggested hiring young women from another state that was newly graduated from college, one a nurse the other a teacher. Fourteen-year-old Duke proposed to get the overseers from out of state towns. He told his uncle, “when I turn twenty, we will get rid of the people you hired, and I will travel to hire new and younger folk.”
Drew agreed with his nephew.
Even though young, Duke went to town and met with the administrators of the MacCall companies, Duke had his father’s business flair. By the time Duke was sixteen, the failing companies were making a profit.
Before Duke’s twentieth birthday, H.B. Metropolis was generating so much tobacco, the government was asking questions. For that reason, Duke cultivated the second field Harry purchased years ago, he bought another field going towards Ogville. The employees did not live on the plantations, they were free coloreds, whites, anyone that needed a job. As promised, Duke told Drew to kill the nurse, teacher, and two overseers upon his return, he traveled to another state and shanghaied a graduating nurse and teacher. Duke looked like his dad, had a deep velvet voice like him, but could lie like Harry, he did not take the young women against their will, he sweet talked them to travel back with him to MacCall. He was gone for one month, on his way back home, he stopped in a city outside Titleburk, where he saw two men sitting on a street corner, he hired them. When the four new employees came down the long path that led up to the house, they thought it was spectacular. They oohed, and awed as they entered the mansion, Duke took his four new employees to his home office. The four-talked and agreed to work for young Mr. Duke Brown. Duke fabricated great lies and made offers that the nurse, teacher, and two overseers could not turn down.
Drew had seen Duke return with four people. He entered the mansion and said, “everything is ready.”
Duke took the teacher and nurse to the children area, on the way Duke lied. He said, “the children are orphans. The coloreds left their babies in town to fend for themselves, the sheriff brought them here.”
The nurse said, “that is so sad.”
Duke said, “when you return to the mansion, the maid will show you to your rooms. On Holidays you’re allowed to go home and see your families.”
Drew took the overseers as far as the cabins, he said, “clean these two cabins for me, when you’re done. Come to the mansion and I’ll pay you.” Drew left and locked the divider gate behind him.
Duke took the nurse and Teacher to the children cabin when they saw the children the women became excited to work with the kids. Duke left and locked the children gate.
Drew thought of Duke as a young genius, he was like Harry and Charles, think of something then make it happen.
Duke studied Harry’s plans thoroughly, he moved everyone out of the plantation house, into the castle, as Harry had originally planned. Duke never called Drew’s wife anything, he thought she was too common to live with them.
Duke married a pretty refined girl; he bought his wife a big beautiful house in Titleburk. They had three children; he taught his oldest son about the plantation operations. Duke was riddled with guilt, about agreeing to kill his brother and father, he named his first-born, Cody Charles Brown.
Duke’s wife nor his other two children learned about the plantations’ existence. He and Cody stayed in the Titleburk home on weekends, Duke’s wife didn’t mind nor asked questions. She was a socialite, if Duke was home for her social events or an important dinner, she was content.
When Charles moved into the castle, he made the main section home
, he closed the east and west wings. In the castle, Duke put his uncle in the west wing. He stayed where his father lived in the main corridors. He even slept in Charles suite.
One-day, Drew had gone to the plantation alone, Duke took that moment to reminisce. In his nightstand drawer he kept a picture of his father, brother, and the three of them together in New York, he took the pictures out his drawer. He smiled remembering Charles taking them to the park, swinging them around until they could not stand. Duke looked away from the picture and up at the ceiling, he closed his eyes and rocked back and forth as though he was a kid again going around and around, his favorite part was when the warm sun beamed on his face, and the wind blowing his hair. Then all three fell to the ground, Duke laughed out loud, he said to himself, “I was happy.” He looked at the pictures again, in each one they looked happy and was smiling, “I use to smile,” he said.
Duke never saw his father or brother again, it was as though they had vanished, he knew they were alive but where. Duke whined, “Dad where are you, I'm so sorry dad and Cody, I am truly sorry.” He buried his face in his pillow, his voice was muffled when he said, “I wish I was with you; uncle Drew is an idiot, he thinks he knows everything.” He cried himself to sleep.
While Duke was in the castle reminiscing about his childhood, Drew was doing the same in the mansion where he and his brother were raised. Inside the house screamed memories, to get fresh air he went on the back porch, he relived the slave standing in the yard looking up at him and his family. He smiled remembering Charles telling the hired hands that Paula was going to show them to their new home and helping Paula off the porch. “Always a gentleman,” Drew said. It was too much, he went back inside and headed for the front porch. As soon as he exited the house, he had a vision of him and Charles coming up the long driveway, returning from the Civil War after being away for years. He could still hear Harry shout, “you lost.” Drew look down the long road and said, “like it was my fault.”
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