by Smith, Skye
"Don't be paying attention to them silly girls," said Lucy. "They have wicked tongues in their heads."
"Were you there at the birth? I mean, when Ellen died."
"Let's talk about something else," replied Lucy. "Tell me more about your love power."
"I have to know, Lucy. I am a virgin. If Robert forces himself on me, I will get pregnant for sure. Will my baby be black? Will I die if it is black?"
"Then you must swear that you will never repeat what I tell you to anyone. Swear it to the Goddess of creation."
"I swear it," said Britta. She was not surprised that Lucy, a Christian midwife, also believed in the great Goddess.
"Ellen was much too old to be pregnant and she was sickly. The baby came early. He was small, but I got him to breath. He was black. I think he was Walker's child. Robert was worried about Ellen. She was so weak. He sent me to the village to get help. When I got back the mother and child were both dead."
She took Britta's hand. "I assure you girl, that the child was not Robert's, and the child did not kill the mother." Britta said nothing. After a while Lucy said "Go ahead. Ask it."
"Did Robert kill the baby?" Britta asked.
"I don't know."
"Did he kill them both?"
"I don't know."
"But he could have. In anger. In a rage at the color of the child."
"Maybe," said Lucy. "I have said too much. We will never speak of this again."
"No, I have one more question. Just one more. Did Lydia have a witness to prove that Robby was Robert's child?"
"Yes. Now go away. We didn't have this talk."
* * * * *
In this wondrously modern house there was a privy on the second floor. This was especially wondrous for the upstairs maid, for it meant that Britta need empty very few chamber pots, and even then, she did not have to carry them down the stairs. Unfortunately to reach the privy from the nursery where Britta slept, she had to go through Lydia's bedroom and then down the hallway to the back of the house.
She had taken to sleeping in a silk slip that had been Lydia's when Lydia had been younger and thinner. It felt wonderful against her skin so she did not mind that it was a little tight on her. As usual the first thing she did on waking was to check on Robby. He was all cute and dewy and still fast asleep.
She needed to pee, but before she went to the door she put on a very modest smock, that even the women at the church would approve of. The slip would be too arousing If she met Robert in the bedroom or in the hallway. She cracked the connecting door and peered into the bedroom. Good they were up. The bedroom was empty. She opened the door and stepped through, and then stopped in mid stride. She had heard a noise, a noise of passion.
She looked again at the bed but it was empty. There was the noise again. It came from the corner of the room where the dresser with the large mirror was. She stared. Robert looked back at her in the reflection of the mirror and smiled. He was standing naked in front to the mirror. Lydia was on her knees in front of him. Britta quietly backed into the nursery and pushed the door closed behind her.
Lydia had told Britta many times that the most sure way of keeping a man true, was to milk him first thing in the morning. This one simple indulgence not only kept him from bothering you first thing in the morning when you had more important things to do, like pee, but it also kept him good all day around other women.
There was a light knock on the nursery door and Britta pretended that she hadn't had her ear to it and faked a voice coming from across the room as she danced quickly back from the door. Lydia poked her head through and said one word, "finished." She looked longingly at Robby. It would feel so good to put him on her tit, but no. She couldn't visit Boston until he was fully weaned.
Britta followed Lydia into the bedroom and saw her pull a rum bottle from a drawer and take a good slug.
Lydia looked back at her and said "What? It's just to cleanse my mouth." The explanation didn't stop her from taking a second and a third slug.
Britta looked around the room. No Robert, good. She danced through the bedroom in a good mood knowing that Robert would not pester her for at least a few more hours. She said some cheery morning things to Lydia and then hurried to reach the privy before her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lydia hiding the bottle. How strange that she was embarrassed to be seen drinking spirits. There was no better habit to keep your health than to swish your mouth with spirits, especially in the cold seasons.
Once in the hallway, Britta slowed and stepped softly. Robert was coming towards her and she did not want to jiggle. She cursed herself for forgetting to tie up her hair under a bonnet. He was coming back from the privy and tucking in his shirt. He gave her a pleasant smile, a friendly smile, not the lusty smile she had come to expect. He did not even reach for her as she passed him. She would have slapped his hand away in any case, as her need for the privy was now urgent.
By the time she got back to the bedroom, Lydia was standing behind Robert where he sat in front of the mirrored dresser and was combing his silvering hair and his grey beard for him. "You need a trim. It will take just a few minutes."
"Not today," Robert said softly. "I must speak to Red and then we go together to Providence."
"Take me with you," Lydia said moving around between him and the mirror and pressing her breasts softly into his face. "Oh, please take me with you. I haven't been away from this valley since before the baby."
Britta smiled knowingly at Lydia. The other thing that Lydia told her about men was that the fastest way to get your way was to pull their face between your breasts.
Robert saw Britta through the mirror and said, "Jennison wants me to bring Britta. She knows the people of importance in this Gaspee affair. Jennison needs to do something about that tavern and do it soon, so the first step is to find out if it is safe for James to return home."
Lydia smiled to herself. She had him. "Then I must go. I insist. I cannot allow my young maid to travel alone with two men, and certainly her brother cannot go back to Providence yet."
"Who will care for the baby?"
"We have fifteen women on this farm who know a lot more about babies than I do."
"No," He said adamantly, "no Blacks upstairs."
"Then Jon. If he needs help he can take Robby to Lucy."
"All right, then. You and Britta prepare yourselves," he reluctantly pulled his face from his wife's cleavage and turned to face the girl. "Britta, you must dress like that Dutch twin of yours. I don't want you recognized as the tavern's ale wench. You won't need to bring much for we will not be staying overnight."
Britta was worried for good reason. "It is too soon. It will be dangerous for me in Providence."
"Calm yourself, girl. James has agreed with the plan," he stood and went to dress. "I will go and fetch Red and prepare the cart. You two get ready."
Two hours later, when they pulled away from the house, and waved to little Robby who was riding on Jon's hip, they looked like a family of Calvinists on a trip to town.
* * * * *
Once in Providence, at Britta's suggestion, they went in search of Mr. Greene rather than any agent working for Mr. Brown. "John Brown is too powerful in this town, and much of the mischief was by his hand," she reasoned to them. "Mr. Greene is more level-headed, even though it was the taking of his ship, the Fortune, that was the trigger for all the mischief since then."
Without Britta, they may not have found Mr. Greene, never mind have met with him. He was a very busy man, and was wary of strangers asking questions, as was everyone in Providence since the Gaspee had burned. When she saw Mr. Greene crossing a street with his lawyer or some other agent, she leaped down from the cart. While the others watched, she ran up behind him, hooked her arm into his, and said in a loud voice, "How wonderful to see you, uncle."
Mr. Greene stopped, turned and looked down at the face of the girl looking up at him and giving him a warm smile. She whispered, "It is me. Britta from the tavern. James Sab
in sent me with a message. Is there somewhere we can speak and not be overheard?"
Luckily, Mr. Greene had a keen mind and immediately said, "Niece, how lovely to see you. Come with me to my counthouse and give me news of your family." He looked at his agent and said, "I will be just a few minutes. Please wait out here."
When they were at the door of his building, she waved at Red and urged him to come forward quickly. To Mr. Greene she said, "This man carries the message from James. He must come inside with us," and so Mr. Greene invited him in as well. It took Greene and Red just minutes to exchange news. While Red went ahead back to the cart, Britta stopped in the doorway gave Greene a family kiss on the cheek.
"Is Brown or any of his men looking for my brother?" she whispered.
"Not yet," he whispered back, "but I advise that he remain in hiding." For his advise he earned another kiss.
Afterwards they went to the tavern to pass a message from James to his wife. His wife offered the Caldwells a tour of the tavern and guesthouse, so Britta stayed in the cart with Red. They were on different benches of course. The women always rode in the back.
"Has Robert been, ahh," Red searched for a word, "bothering you?"
"Not yet," she replied in a quiet voice, "but I fear it is only a matter of time." It would be silly to hide the truth from this man. He was the closest neighbor. If she needed to run away, his house would be the closest place not owned by Robert.
"You are wise to fear him. I like Robert, but he is a lusty man when it comes to women. What will you do if you find yourself with child?"
"I have not thought that far ahead. I am still in a quandary about what to do when he threatens my maidenhead," she thought about what he had said. "You are right though. Girls of my age are very fertile. If he takes my virginity, it likely will result in a child."
"You will be nineteen when your bond is finished. If you are with child at the end of the bond, then your future will be bleak indeed. You can do what Lydia did, and make sure there is a freeman witness to the coupling."
"We live on a large farm where the only freeman is Robert. It would be impossible to arrange. No, my only hope is to stay out of his thoughts and out of his reach."
"If you can get word to me, I can be your witness."
"But he is your friend."
"And therefore I have a duty to help him to stay moral and true to his wife. He cannot take two wives, so all it will mean to him is money. Either an income for your child, or a dowry for you. A pittance compared to his wealth. Why should he not pay for your maidenhead? It is only fair. Shush now, they are coming back. We will talk of this again."
She touched his arm and gave him the sweetest of smiles, and whispered a thank you. Red did not seem to be as evil as Lydia had made him out to be.
* * * * *
* * * * *
MAYA’S AURA - the Redemptioner by Skye Smith
Chapter 12 - Touching the Goddess
Once back at the farm, they sent boys to bring James over from Red's house, while Britta went upstairs and fetched Jon down from the nursery.
James was elated at the news. "So Captain Dudingston lives, and is recuperating in Newport, but his health is so bad that his court marshal has been delayed. And you say that he has demobilized his crew and has given them their papers, so they are allowed to join other ships. This is all good news. That means that since the captain has escaped the grim reaper, the Navy has other issues more pressing than the Gaspee."
In his joy he swung Britta around in a jig like he used to do in the tavern, but in her tightly skirted Puritan smock she quickly tripped and it was Red that saved her from falling to the floor.
"I can return to my wife then. Is that what the message from Greene was? I can reopen my tavern." James looked at the nodding heads and hooted with joy. "Oh, but I cannot. for I no longer have the help of Britta and Jon."
Robert watched the look of joy, turn to sadness again, and made an offer. "I have two twelve-year-old lads on the farm. They are good lads and strong, but are closing on puberty quickly so I need to be rid of them. If you promise to take good care of them, and teach them the skills of running a tavern, then I will send them with you. Be warned though, that this is temporary, so you must still search for a replacement for Britta."
James's face was again all smiles. He shook Robert's hand hard and blessed his goodness.
* * * * *
It was promising to be a long hot summer. Despite the heat, Lucy had forbidden the children the river, for the cows that lived all along its length were standing in it, in the shade, and it ran like a sewer because of them. The days were long and therefore the heavy work was being done in the early morning and the late afternoon. In the middle of the day everyone hid under shade from the heat.
Red was spending many of the hot midday hours at his neighbor's house. As a favor to Robert, he was converting the simple ledger books used to run the finances of the farm, into a more modern way of accounting for income and expenses. It was a way that was easily kept in balance so that at any time you could match the sums to what was in the cash box.
The ledgers themselves did not take the time. What took the time was teaching those expected to make entries into the ledgers, for they needed to know how to do the sums and where to copy the numbers. Robert and Lydia caught on quickly. It was they that had kept the farm ledger and the household ledger. Jon consumed much of Red's time, but was finally well-practiced. Red was now teaching Britta.
He had to admit that he couldn't think of a better way of spending a hot midday than in the company of this bewitching young woman. In the severe heat she had stopped wearing the warm and heavy Puritan style clothing, and had traded them for the light fabrics of the city clothes that Lydia had passed on to her. Also due to the heat she wore her hair braided and pinned up, and he was often tempted to kiss the graceful line of her neck in that special place behind her ear.
On this day, it was hard to concentrate. Not because she was sitting so close to him, and not because her left nipple played peek-a-boo each time she leaned forward to dip the quill into the inkpot. Today the main floor of the house was filled with young children taking their turns in the two bath tubs that they were using to stay cool in place of the forbidden river.
Twice they had to move locations to save the ledger from being splashed by children running by. Eventually Robert, who was having similar problems while trying to discuss the milk spoilage rate with Lucy, suggested that Red and Britta go upstairs to the library.
Once they were again settled at a table with the ledger and the four different colors of inkpots, they could still not concentrate. This room had the only balcony, the one that created the portico over the front door downstairs. The doors were open and a light breeze was playing with the hem of Britta's skirt and sending delicious breaths up her legs.
Red was sitting very close to her and each time he pointed to an entry in the ledger, his arm or his wrist or the back of his hand would rub ever so gently across her left nipple. From below they heard the sound of footsteps on the porch steps and then the voices of Robert and Lucy getting further and further away.
"I think they have given up on the children also," said Britta and turned towards Red as she spoke. He bent his head closer to her and brushed her lips with his. She tried to push away from him along the shared bench but he put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back towards his lips. And then she felt his hand touch her knee lightly, ever so lightly, and move slowly up the inside of her thigh.
"Put the caps on the inkpots lest they spill," he warned and because it meant she was away from his lips she leaned forward and did so, and closed the book, and wrapped the four quills in the cheesecloth to dry them. While she was leaning forward, his hands, both hands, moved up her thighs, over her belly and cupped her breasts.
"Stop it, else I will scream," she warned him.
"Why would you scream. Think about it. Think about me. I am a widower. I am wealthy. I can pay off your bond, an
d marry you." he said softly, convincingly. "You would be an honest woman, a wife of property, and could hold your head high in this valley." He released her breasts so he could put both hands on her waist and slowly lift her up. He positioned her on the bench, kneeling and leaning forward over the table. "Come now, Britta, you must have done some thinking about me as a husband. Deny it and I will stop."
"Stop," she said, but she could not deny it. He was old, perhaps forty, but healthy and not too scarred from the war. He was wealthy. He seemed a more gentle man than Robert. Much more gentle. And yet Lydia always warned her away from him saying that he was evil. A moneylender. "Stop," she said again, but this time more softly, through an intake of breath, for he had lifted her skirt and pushed it up around her waist and was now kissing her thighs.
"Sto..." she started to say, but decided to wait until his tongue had stopped moving, stopped caressing her. Perhaps he was the one. If she agreed to marry him, would he save this for their wedding night, or would he claim her now? She realized that she was panting and breathless, and worse, she was moaning.
"Stop," the words echoed in the room, but they were not hers. The licking stopped abruptly and his face pulled away from her, and her skirt slid back down over her bum. She looked around and watched as Lydia walked towards them bare footed and silent.
She slapped Red across the face, "You would do that to her, my bondswoman, here in my house."
"What are you going to do about it?"
"I will tell Robert and he will chase you from this house with a bull whip," she hissed.
"Call him then. I dare you. It is time he heard the truth."
"You wouldn't." She suddenly softened her voice. "No, you mustn't."
"Then I will have Britta. Go and sit on the balcony and watch for Robert." he said. Britta was trying to get away from him now, saying no, no, no repeatedly.
Lydia was silent for a long time. "If you promise to stay away from Britta, you can have me in her place. Just this once." She turned to Britta. "Sit on the balcony, girl, and keep watch for Robert, while I teach this man some manners."
