Princess Ces'alena (Webster Fields)

by Mercedes Keyes

  Often Jacob Weston, or Patrick Johnson would see the young woman walking with determined steps; her baby held tightly in her arms, covered in blankets for no one to see. Once her feet struck the path, heading in the direction they were aiming for, she stopped to speak with no one, not a glance, nor a smile or good morning.

  Leaving Mazie’s, she would head to the mansion just as fast, head down, avoiding advances from anyone to befriend her. It wasn’t long before all those on the plantation accepted Lena’s withdrawal from them, and gave up on trying to entice her out to enjoy the house building for the new overseers and their family’s. The only persons she allowed to get close to her were, Leon, Kayleen, Jordan, Jean and Mazie. Even when it was shared with her, that the new family was having prayer meetings for worship…she still would not join the many other’s who attended twice a week.

  She had all she needed, her daughter…who must stay protected at all cost. “There you go with that little foot again. Go’ta sleep little one…go’ta sleep. I’ve told you two stories after your warm bath, and still you do nothing but grin up at me.” Lena cooed softly. Again Hope turned loose, letting milk run out the side of her mouth. “My you’re messy little girl!”

  Lena laughed at the glowing little face and bright, huge, golden eyes with tiny specs of blue forming a cross around her pupils. Suddenly she flipped over and started crawling away from Lena. “You come back here…where you think you’re goin’…get back here.” They began a tug of war across the bed, Lena would let her crawl so far, and then drag her back by her foot. Hope’s laughter was like music to her ears; a healing for her injured soul. Often she lost herself in daydreams of Manny returning, their son with him and everything would be back to the way it had been, but only one person had returned.

  Katherine

  Just as Kayleen said she would. She’d been back since December, and brought her mother along with her. Margaret LéClare had arrived from Europe to spend some time with her daughter, after not seeing her for so long.

  It was hard enough for Lena having Katherine back, but now there was her mother to contend with as well. They were a constant reminder of how careful she had to be. While careful in all she did, from what she’d seen so far, Margaret was a pleasant woman; if only for the sake of appearances, she was very polite to all at the plantation, even Lena.

  It didn’t matter, she was still Katherine’s mother, and Lena was determined to stay quiet and out of their way; unwilling to draw even the smallest amount of attention to herself. As for Katherine, her actions were as if Lena didn’t exist, and that suited both women. What did come as a surprise to Lena, was Morris’s order to Katherine to stay away from her, and leave her alone. Katherine had taken it upon herself to bring the news down on Morris about the “child” Lena gave birth to. That it had not been by his son at all, so therefore she had no reason to bother her.

  Hearing that disturbed Morris, he’d come to the kitchen to see Lena about that, but something about her of late, stopped him. She was as different as was his son. He’d been watching her when she’d been unaware, and Morris had a problem with believing the child wasn’t Manny’s. After a bit of deeper thinking, he chose to stay out of it all and leave her alone. But if what was said was true, why was there never a man coming from her cabin? Why did she spend so much time alone with the child…that was supposedly not his son’s? Why did she not allow it outside to play as she had Mike when he was a babe? He remembered many times, she would lay him on a blanket in the shade as she sat next to him relaxing. Why not with this one?

  For the first time, Morris did more watching than talking; more listening than ordering. Despite her losing Mike, she didn’t act like a woman who had moved on to another man; a new life. Within the grounds of the plantation, she was free to do as she pleased.

  Yet she chose to do her duties, then lock herself in that cabin…never letting the child be seen, when she could just as easily bring it to the kitchen with her. Again, she’d done so with Mike. Morris was not a stupid man…and he knew the lengths a real mother went, to protect their child. Whatever there was about her he didn’t like, he would stake his life on his hunch…she had not been disloyal to his son. He would stay clear and leave it alone, but he was not one so easily fooled.

  Besides, he was a busy man. Though he still went on his gambling trips and to card games…he spent more time with Jordan and the others. Getting to know the overseers and meeting their families. They were another group he had his suspicions about…once again however; he kept his own counsel and let things be. Now that Katherine was back, he spent time keeping his eye on her, and enjoying the company of her mother. It had been a long time since he took pleasure in the presence of a real lady. That she was and then some, he could only wonder how was it that her daughter came out to be the woman she was.

  Life went on at Webster Fields.

  At ten months old, Hope was already anxious and restless, keeping her mother busy. She was full of energy, running Lena ragged. It was impossible for her to sit still for a moment, she was happy to receive a big hug and kiss, but then she had to be on her way. She was also pulling herself up and walking along, using the furniture for support.

  Lena knew a new challenge awaited her, how was she to keep her daughter hidden once she started walking? Her movements too vigorous to keep under blankets; winter hadn’t been so bad, but summer was at the door and Hope wanted out in it. Once again she was forced to place this problem before Kayleen and Ma’Nicey, they were ten steps ahead of her, with a solution in the works.

  * * *

  Katherine, her aunt Helene, and her mother Margaret sat in the living room drinking tea; it was late evening and Helene had been visiting most of the day. Morris had already retired to bed after visiting with the women briefly…mainly because he enjoyed the company of Margaret LéClare. She was so different from her loud butting in sister. Not since Royal, had he been so impressed. Much to Katherine’s displeasure…she suspected Morris had a thing for her mother, and it didn’t appear as if her mother was too put off by it. His behavior in the presence of her mother was totally different from the crude man she’d come to know.

  She didn’t like him, and suspected that he really didn’t like her either… but she didn’t care, because her main objective was to center all of her powers towards winning Manny back. Regardless of the reason he married her, she married him because she wanted him…even when she was feeling so much resentment towards him. It hadn’t stopped her from desiring him. Well she was back now, and she thanked the gods that her mother chose this moment to visit her. Otherwise, she hadn’t been sure as to how she would have returned to Webster Fields knowing she’d have to face Manny alone. Now that months had passed, she hoped enough time had gone by for him to calm down and come to his senses; hoping they could now possibly start over…and build a life she’d always dreamed of.

  “Oh Aunt Helene, please realize that if I hold on a little longer, things will work out for Manny and I. I really believe that.” Katherine spoke her feelings for what she believed. Seeing Lena’s baby had given her new found hope. She knew that Manny would be furious for a while, but she also now knew that Lena had betrayed him. Loneliness and the need to be loved would win him over to her. His pride would not allow him to return to the arms of the woman who had hurt and betrayed him, especially at a time when he had needed her most. It felt good in the beginning to know he would finally experience the type of pain and betrayal he had put her through. To her, they were even…so they could move beyond their differences. She realized that while out searching, should he by some chance find his son, she would openly accept him. His mother was no longer a threat to her. Anything that might have been between Manny and Lena was thoroughly destroyed, and this gave her all the reassurance she needed. Lena was a proven whore, and as far as she was concerned, the wench would probably bed anyone who was available to her…she probably didn’t even know who the sire was to the child. Now that Manny knew this as well, given a little ti
me, he would finally realize that -they- had been meant for each other all along. atherine smiled to herself, ‘Hmm - I should perhaps thank her, after all she did me a favor by breaking his heart, and now, I’ll be here to mend it…slowly and carefully.’

  “Margaret! Look at your daughter! She isn’t listening to me. She’s sitting there daydreaming…of him no doubt. Would you please talk some sense into this girl! She’s your daughter. You heard her; she has this foolish notion that she can win Manny’s love. The whole idea is utterly absurd.”

  “Why must you say that!?” Katherine countered.

  “I say it my dear because it is true. You heard him, you were there…it was you he was after! He was crazy with fury; he wanted to strangle you! Being the lady that I am, I will not even dare to repeat the things he said! Shouting at the top of his voice - such obscenities!” She reflected, aghast at the memory.

  “He was full of spirits and hurting!” Katherine defended.

  Helene threw her hands up and called to the heavens. “Oh please Lord, open this child’s eyes!”

  “Oh auntie, please…my eyes are open, and I see much more than you think.” Katherine started, aware that they were unaware of Lena’s indiscretion …and for some reason, she chose not to tell them of this.

  Margaret sat quietly drinking her tea, observing her sister and daughter, as they argued over the issue; confident in the knowledge that Helene was wasting her time, breath and energy. Margaret was a lot calmer than Helene. She always weighed things up and collected all details before she gave her point of view. She pretty much understood people and the nature of them, and though she remained quiet about it… she pretty much agreed with her sister. Her daughter’s trip home bringing her husband, told her all she needed to know. She had seen even then, that Maynard was not in love with her daughter. But she hadn’t said anything to Katherine, because it wouldn’t have done a bit of good. Somehow she had snared him, and they were married, so she supposed that something might come of it…anything was possible. Her daughter was in love with him, proud of him. More than anything, Margaret felt it had a lot to do with Katherine’s height insecurity…he, Maynard, fit.

  Margaret hadn’t been able to dispel her nagging concern for her daughter, so she up and announced to her husband, she was heading for the America’s. Sure enough upon her arrival to her sister’s place, she found her daughter living there temporarily, and soon - the whole sordid detail of what had taken place since their return, came to the fore.

  She was stunned by her daughter’s desperate act…Margaret, for her own personal reasons…had never believed in slavery. She could not, for the life of her, understand how an entire race of people could be subjected to such degradation. Even in her home of England, where this took place, she did not agree…yet, it was not on as great a scale as in the Americas. England had the added problem of divisions between the aristocracy and peasant classes, the last thing they needed was slavery issues and the problems it was sure to bring about. Margaret believed…somewhere down the road, at some point, all would suffer the consequences for this great injustice…and one could only wonder at how many different ways it would manifest itself. But to hear that her own daughter had actually sold a child…shook her to no end. Then to hear as well, Maynard’s reaction… she sat listening, knowing, sure that no man who loved his son…would forgive such a transgression as that.

  Katherine was in an uphill battle in the rain. Margaret had been the same way herself once, with Katherine’s father. ‘God - he had been such a perfect specimen of what is in the eyes of all romantics, the perfectly created male.’

  Gerard Sanders had swept her off her feet; she had been madly in love with him. Unfortunately, he had not been madly in love with her. Therefore, this road her daughter was traveling, she’d already trod, and reached the destination her daughter would with Maynard. The battle of winning a man’s heart from another woman…was a hell of an undertaking.

  She remembered trying everything to make Gerard love her, and when she’d become pregnant with his child, she was certain it would be a son for him, and that would tie them with an unbreakable bond. She’d delivered him a daughter. He loved his daughter yes, but when she was born, he seemed to pull completely away from Margaret, as if he’d given her something to play with, someone to now occupy her time where he no longer had to fill it. Two years later into their marriage, Gerard had been killed in a duel by his lover’s husband.

  Her humiliation was overwhelming. Later that next year, she remarried - this man had promised her the world, and she took the offer. Nicholas LéClare raised her daughter as his own, and had shown to love her deeply, cherishing her. Margaret wasn’t in love with him, but she respected him. He was faithful and true to her, doing all in his power to make her happy; in return, she’d given him two sons. After Gerard Sanders, she knew she was no longer capable of romantic love, that was something she could well do without.

  “Margaret!!” Helene called impatiently. “How can you sit there so calmly, while your daughter, for the second time, sets herself in place for this – humiliation!”

  “Auntie, I’m not setting myself up, things aren’t the same as they were before, a lot has changed.” Katherine pleaded for understanding.

  “Oh don’t I know it, things are worse now!” Helene snapped. “I told you before not to marry him, that he could only bring you misery. Katherine, a man is capable of deeply, truly and faithfully loving someone once in his life. When he does love whoever that someone is, no other woman in the world can just up and challenge that love, even if something were to happen between him and that true love, he may be hurt…but as long as that woman lives, he will battle with those feelings and fight with himself over her. With a fight so powerful within him, it leaves no room for another, until he’s conquered them in the battle. Until the battle is done, they let no one else in…the hurt alone, sets up such pain…they fear to ever try again.”

  That hit too close to home in Katherine.

  “Aunt Helene…I don’t care to hear anymore about it! The other woman is a slave for goodness sake! A Negro! That alone eliminates her!”

  Helene was exhausted; she was literally on her way to being blue in the face.

  But just one more try, “Katherine please, for the love of God, let it go. Let him go and return to Europe with your mother. Yes…I said it before, and I say it again, divorce him…set him free, and free yourself before it is too later-…”

  “No! How can you one moment seek my better welfare, while asking me to do something as scandalous as getting a divorce!?” All patience gone, she stood from the sofa, an indication that she was ready for her aunt to leave. This talk is now over. And before you go, know this…Maynard Webster, my husband… will come to love me. When he does, you’ll see just how wrong you were! Have a safe journey home.”

  Sighing softly…Helene realized she’d said all she could say. Had done all she could do. She stood facing her niece. “Well, you know where we are. You’ll need me again before it’s all said and done. Because I now realize this, that man - is going to have to seriously hurt you…before you’ll come to your senses. Sometimes you can want something ever so badly…but that doesn’t mean it’s yours to have. I hope you come to realize that…before it is too late.”

  Tight lipped, Katherine looked through her, blocking out words that penetrated anyway…despite her efforts not to hear them. Helene gathered her things about her and headed for the door. Margaret stood as well escorting her, holding one of her arms, while stroking it lovingly. Helene shook her head, “Help your daughter Margaret…help your daughter.”

  “My sister, I love you…and I thank you. But there are some things, people just refuse to hear…or see for that matter. I know you love her, and I appreciate all you’ve done. It is late…please, travel safely home.” They embraced at the door as Helene’s footman came up the steps to escort her down and into her carriage. Margaret softly closed the door and returned to where her daughter was standing in th
e window looking out at Helene’s departure.

  “Come dear…sit that we may talk.”

  Margaret invited gently.

  Hesitant, Katherine came over and sat opposite of her mother and started right off, “Mother she just doesn’t understand. I love him, and I’m not about to give him up so easily. I married him for better, or for worse.”

  Margaret smiled fondly thinking of her sister.

  “Helene has always been like that. She can’t help wanting to protect those in her family that she loves. She doesn’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “And you mother? What do you think?”

  Not willing to beat around the bush, or flower her words, nor plead in a useless argument, she tried to keep it as simple as possible.

  “My child, I will tell you this. I believe that Maynard Ramsey Webster will teach you a very important lesson in love, one that you will never forget. No matter what your aunt says, or I say, you will stay and learn your lesson well. When it is all over and done with…and you will know - there will be no doubt of that. The hurt will come, hurt from which you’ll not soon recover, other than to give into it…that is when you will realize all that she, and I say now… is true.” She patted her daughter’s hand. “When all those things have taken place, you come home. I’ll be waiting for you. And the next time that you marry…remember this; marry a man who loves you, not the man you love…because chances are…the latter, will only break your heart.”

  Katherine’s head lowered, eyes gazing into her lap unable to speak in her defense. The discussion seemed so final; Margaret hadn’t asked, or told, or demanded, or pleaded, she simply stated what she felt was fact. That was that.

  The front door opened then closed, both women looked at each other with eyebrows drawn, a moment later, they could hear Ferrus speaking, coming down the hall. Hearing the voice that responded, made Katherine’s heart jump with a start.