“I can’t believe you are asking me this, Hattie. This is a disaster! We have no right meddling in their affairs. Besides, Annabella is much better off where she is. Maybe she will find someone who truly loves her and won’t play those asinine mind games. They do not belong together.”
“Who are you to say who belongs together?”
“I am her friend,” Caroline reminded Hattie.
“So if she told you that you and Chad do not belong together, she would be well within her right to do so?”
“That’s different. Chad is-”
“He’s what?” Hattie pressed.
“We are too different.”
“I called you because despite everything, I always thought you were brave. But you are not, Caroline. You are a coward. You won’t stand up for yourself and your relationship and you won’t stand up for Annabella. I was right about you all along.”
“I am not a coward, I am a realist! You don’t know what it’s like to be in love with someone you can never be with.”
“No, but I know what it’s like to be that someone. And by the way, are we still talking about Annabella or are we now talking about you? The truth is, Caroline, I can help you with your problem. Your problem is easy to solve because it involves two people who know how they feel and they want to be together. I have known Chad and his family for as long as I can remember and I consider myself an expert in race relations. Now, you help me with my problem and I will help you with yours,” Hattie dealt.
“You drive a hard bargain, old lady. So what are we talking about? What are your terms?” Caroline was intrigued.
“It’s simple. You go with me to London to convince Annabella to come home and talk Warrenton out of marrying Marigold – if not for her sake then for the sake of his father’s legacy.”
“Really? You call that simple? And just what is it that you propose to do for me? If Chad marries me, he could get lynched.”
“I will take care of it. No one will so much as harm a sandy curl on his head. And you, my dear, will be treated like nothing less than a lady wherever you go. You will never be looked down upon. You have my word.”
Chapter Sixteen
Chad was back home in Martha’s Vineyard after a romantic few days down south with Caroline. He could not believe how much he fell for her in such a short time. She was not exactly his type. He reflected on the incident at the golf course when she came to visit him and how insecure and unsure of herself she was. Chad was very chivalrous, however, and he never let her feel uncomfortable around him. He thought about how surprised she was when she realized he was a Black man. He was used to that reaction, though. Chad was proud of his family and his heritage, but he often wondered what his life would be like if he was White. He just didn’t like the restrictions of being told whom he can date and whom he can marry. He knew that the world was a different place than it had been 50 years ago, but it still was not safe. In Caroline’s case, she was considered a throw-away that no respectable White man would want, but she was still too good for a Black man – regardless of how rich or light his skin was. But, Chad was less concerned with his social standing and more with his sudden, yet deep feelings for Caroline. She was funny, and sensitive, yet klutzy and frank. He never wondered what was on her mind because whatever was on her mind was on her lips. She did not set out to offend, but she did not apologize for it either. Chad was sure he could deal with someone who was so honest and forthright. It made their differences seem less distant. Chad wasn’t sure how to navigate their relationship from this point. He basically told Caroline that their relationship could get him killed and as selfish as she could be at times, she did not want that to happen. But, now Chad was rethinking his position. He did not know how they could live happily ever after, but he was certainly going to try to think of something. Soon, his mother walked into the room and noticed her son looking thoughtful.
“Still thinking about that young lady?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he told her.
“Chad, if she means that much to you, you have to try to make it work.”
“This is crazy. She is from a place where lynching and Klan rallies are otherwise referred to as Saturday night.”
“But you are not. Son, that is only one place on the map. God’s earth is spacious. Not everyone thinks and lives like that. For God’s sake, you didn’t even know you were Black until you were 12 years old. Not because we didn’t tell you, but because it didn’t matter,” she reminded her son.
“Well, it matters now. It matters at a time when I wish it didn’t. I love this girl. Mother, I am in love with Caroline. I do not care that she has never had a Black friend in her life. I do not care that she had used the ‘N’ word. I do not care that the only Black people she has ever known were the ones who cleaned her house and looked after her as a child. I love her. She is sweet, vulnerable, unsure of herself, proud, cocky, arrogant, and silly. She is a combination of all the things that make us human and I am in love with her. And the fact that someone is telling me I can’t be with her for some inane reason makes me mad as hell!”
“Young man!”
“I’m sorry, Mother, but that’s the way I feel,” Chad explained.
“In that case, be prepared for a life of pain and heartache – and that goes double for your future offspring,” his mother warned him.
“Then so be it. It can’t be any worse than marrying someone else who happens to be the right color but the wrong woman.”
“So you are saying there are no eligible Black women out there that meet your stands?”
“No, I am just saying I don’t want to look anymore because I have found the woman I want to be with.”
Chad walked out of the den through the open sliding glass doors and into the sunroom. He looked out onto the ocean and reflected on the summer he and Caroline shared. Chad had lived a charmed, yet mundane existence until Caroline came along. He did not have to do much except wait for things to come to him. He had attended a private, exclusive college and learned the family business. But, for the most part, he just lived inside a bubble. His life consisted of boats, golf courses, European vacations, cotillions, fundraisers, and private lessons of assorted skills. Nothing impressed him and no one seemed to captivate his heart. That is, of course, until he met the red-headed girl of his dreams. He knew Caroline was the one, but he didn’t know how to make his mother, a Black woman, understand what he was feeling. She was as bad as the Whites. She thought Chad and Caroline ought to marry their own kind. It was just easier. No one seemed to follow their heart anymore and no one seemed brave enough to go after their dreams, no matter the consequences.
“Chad, it’s not just that she is White, you know,” his mother followed him. “She’s trash.” His mother followed him.
“How dare you! You don’t even know her!”
“On the contrary, Chad. I know all about her and her family. Her father is a Klansman, her mother is a drunken whore, and she is a used up piece of trash who can’t get a decent White man to marry her so she is all of a sudden in love with you.”
“Where do you come up with this stuff? None of that is true! How can you be so judgmental?”
“I’m starting to think your father and I sheltered you too much, son. But, unlike you, I have lived in the real world. I know people and I know things. And I have first-hand knowledge of that family.”
“You don’t know Caroline. She’s different. Even if what you are saying is true about her parents, she is not like that.”
“Son, I am not going to argue with you because I know that you are already aware of this girl’s past. You are just trying to convince me that she is a good girl. But, I know better. If you want to be with a White girl, at least find a decent one and stop taking everyone else’s leftovers. It is simply not proper for a Montgomery to do such a thing. Not only will you be stuck with biracial children, but they will have a whore for a mother,” his mother pressed.
“You are such an elitist! Nobody is good enou
gh for you. That’s why I am almost 30 years old and have never had a meaningful relationship.”
“That is by choice, Chadsworth. There are plenty of women from which you can choose. For some reason, though, you seem to favor the condemned.”
“Are you sure that’s it, mother? Or, is there something more? It must be very difficult for you to have the appearance of being White, but be bound by your roots. If you want to know what I think, I think you are jealous of Caroline’s mother. Your skin may be as white as hers, but your bloodline doesn’t lie.”
“You have lost your damned mind, boy! I have never wanted to be White and I curse the skin color I have. I am constantly reminded of the evil blood that runs through my veins. I would kill to be as dark as my ancestors. Maybe if I were darker, you would have turned out darker too and you wouldn’t be so confused about who you are. Don’t confuse race with color, young man. You will never be White. Your children will never be White.”
Chad was more furious with his mother at that moment that at any other time he could remember. He wanted to be with Caroline and race and color did not mean one damn bit to him. He was in love and willing to do whatever it took to be together. He had an idea, a plan. But, he wasn’t sure how to pull it off. He didn’t even know if Caroline would ever go for it. He knew she felt the same way about him, but would she be willing to give up everything to be with him? He was going to find out. Chad was going to ask Caroline to run away with him and they would live as a White couple. Chad was going to pass for a White man, if Caroline would have it. He knew it was crazy, but he didn’t know what else to do. He was a Black man trapped in a White body with a White girlfriend and a Black mother who looked White, but was not confused about who she was. And everyone, Black and White, was telling him that he should not be with Caroline and he was sure people were telling her the same thing about him. And what was it all for? They loved each other and were of the same mind. He knew is plan could end up costing him and Caroline everything – maybe even their lives. But, he was willing to take the risk if she was. He didn’t care where they would go – as long as they could be together. Chad knew he would have to change his name and give up all of his family history. Was Caroline really worth losing his life for? He believed she was.
Chapter Seventeen
Surprisingly, Annabella was having the time of her life in London. Her family’s connections were better than she remembered. As a child, they always had a marvelous time in Europe, but she thought it was just because she was young and therefore easy to impress. But, she never imagined as a young woman she would still be swept away by the beauty and mystique of it all. Annabella always had a special love for England. She thought of it as the mother of her beloved nation and she considered herself a Loyalist. She was, however, as southern as they came and thus torn between Dixie and Great Britain. The more time she spent abroad, the more she felt she was in the place where she belonged. Annabella even marveled at how pale British people were. She often felt out of place at home because there was an unspoken expectation to be tanned. Annabella was hopelessly pasty and any attempts at tanning were met with vengeful sunburn. But in London, she fit right in with the locals. Her skin was revered and she was celebrated. She found herself wearing bright red clothing to accentuate her features. Tonight was no different except for one thing. She was set to dine with a very famous baron who was recently widowed. He was not much older than Annabella, but his late wife met an untimely death at the hands of a very aggressive cancer. He had grieved for what was considered an acceptable amount of time and now he was considering marriage again. Annabella’s father had been in contact with his people and the young man was excited about meeting a real southern belle. Annabella was the last of her kind. She believed very deeply in her traditional American values and she was as stubborn as a mule. She believed in being gentile almost to a fault. If he was looking for a woman who was unyielding and pampered, he would certainly meet the woman of his dreams tonight.
Annabella trembled as she tried to catch the looped end of her necklace into the clasp. She wondered what the young baron would be like in person. She had seen pictures and heard tales, but she could not imagine being in the presence of sheer royalty. She was confident that he would find her beautiful and interesting, but she wondered if he would think of her as marriage material. She knew she possessed all the virtue, but had she passed her prime? Perhaps he was looking for someone younger and less worldly. Annabella was well-educated and well-traveled and she wondered if he would be intimidated by her. Besides, she wondered if there would even be a spark. Besides being insanely wealthy and famous, she knew nothing about him. Maybe she wouldn’t find him attractive at all. Maybe he was jerk. He could even be a snooty, Warrenton-type guy with a British accent. She would positively die if she had traveled halfway around the world to sit down to dinner with Warrenton Bingham Boatwright’s doppelganger. She would surely charge God with being the cruelest trickster of all and believe her life was one big practical joke. So many thoughts were racing through her mind, including the fact that she missed Hattie terribly and it was Hattie who knew how to get her through these tough times. But, Hattie was not there and Annabella had to settle for the scrawny old den mother-type who was commissioned to take care of her needs while she was in London. The elderly lady, Mrs. Crabtree, was a seasoned caretaker and had been charged with the task of caring for many a bride-in-training. She had a few princesses under her belt and, like Hattie, she was no pushover. But, she was a bit snippy and had not an ounce of humor in her body. She was all about the business of preparing women to make terrific wives and doormats. She was a strong advocate of well-bred, educated women, but she believed that those endearing qualities should not impede nor interfere with the marital institution. In Mrs. Crabtree’s eyes, the wife should be an adornment to her husband and not overshadow him. She wasn’t sure how that was going to play out with headstrong Annabella, but it was of no concern to her. As far as she was concerned, either Annabella wanted a husband or not. But, Annabella was less concerned about snagging a man and more interested in having an epic romance. She didn’t know what it was like to be hopelessly in love. She got close, but then reality hit her. She was a fool to start falling in love with that gigolo of a man, Warrenton. He had been with so many women that there was no way one could be more special than the others. He was running a 24-hour woman depot and as quickly as they came in, they were out. Annabella felt fortunate to have seen his true colors before she fell into his tawdry web and given the best part of herself to someone so obviously undeserving. Annabella was consumed with her thoughts when Mrs. Crabtree coarsely interrupted.
“You will stop that daydreaming at once, lest you float clear into space with no husband to speak of!”
Annabella could not figure out for the life of her what was the matter with daydreaming. But, the lady’s disciplinary action reminded Annabella of her school days. She was often reprimanded for daydreaming. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she is a bit spacey and her imagination often brought her more fulfillment than reality. Annabella wasn’t sure if marriage was even right for her. After all, she was used to being pampered and taken care of. What would she possibly have to offer a husband? She didn’t know how to cook, clean, or perform other wifely duties. She was sure Hattie could help her with the first two and Caroline would be more than happy to tell her about the latter. But, perhaps she was leaning too heavily on the assistance of others to make her future husband happy. Annabella was simply too confused to make any real sense out of what was happening. She was enjoying being in London with her non-stop social calendar, but she was not entirely sure she wanted to make a lasting impression on the baron this evening. She wanted to continue to explore her options and when the time was right and everything lined up, she would be ready to make a commitment. In the meantime, she just wanted to see what was out there for her. She wanted to keep her options open.
Mrs. Crabtree stood behind Annabella as she gazed at he
r reflection in the wardrobe mirror. She hardly recognized herself. She was positively radiant in the sapphire gown and matching jewels. Her skin was glowing and she was might thinner than she was at home. There were no pound cakes and smothered chicken on Annabella’s menu in London and it was apparent in her new waistline. Hattie was sure Annabella would never attain the fictitious waistline of Scarlett O’Hara, but alas she had done so. She had Mrs. Crabtree to thank for that and her scarce menu. Annabella had become accustomed to eating broth for dinner, toast for breakfast, and tea with one biscuit for lunch. Annabella was amused at the idea that she, the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in America, was reduced to a 600 calorie per-day diet. However, she did not feel restricted nor mistreated in any way. In fact, Annabella thought very little about food. The culture in London was not centered around food, albeit because English cuisine was nothing of which to speak. Annabella spent a disproportionate amount of her time thinking about being in love, romance, adventure, and living her life to the fullest. She felt she had spent enough time being someone’s daughter and now it was time to just be herself.
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