The Widow of Rose Hill (The Women of Rose Hill Book 2)

by Michelle Shocklee

  Natalie Ellis disappeared into the house with the big slave trailing behind. Inside, voices echoed in the foyer, though he couldn’t make out the words.

  Levi turned to Corporal Banks. “Have the men take the horses to the creek, then I’d like you to join me inside. Once we’re certain Mrs. Ellis understands and complies with the orders, we should have plenty of daylight left to get to the abandoned plantation and set up camp. Hopefully, the supply wagons will arrive ahead of us.”

  “Yes, sir.” Banks’ brow furrowed. “Colonel, wasn’t the plantation where we’re to make camp owned by a man named Langford?”

  Levi glanced at the map in his hand and found the marked area where he’d been ordered to set up his command. Notes were written off to the side. “Yes. Calvin Langford. But according to the information we received, he and his wife died of yellow fever a few years ago. The place has been abandoned ever since.”

  “It may just be a coincidence, but Mrs. Ellis introduced herself as Natalie Langford Ellis. You think she might be related?”

  How, Levi wondered, had he not noticed the similar names when the blond-haired, blue-eyed woman revealed her identity? He would like to blame it on fatigue from the long journey from Galveston, but a need for honesty prevented him from lying, even to himself. The truth was, he’d felt an immediate attraction to the woman, despite her being everything he loathed—a southern slave owner. Her delicate appearance awakened long-dormant feelings deep inside, feelings he’d thought dead and buried like the thousands of men he’d seen perish in battle. That he had allowed himself to be distracted by a pretty face reminded him he wasn’t the eager soldier he’d been four years ago when the war had broken out.

  “Good observation, Banks. I expect we will learn the answer to that question soon enough.” He turned to mount the steps, but the approach of a barking dog, with two little boys chasing after it, stilled him.

  “Ebenezer, come back here!” called the white boy. Levi guessed him to be four or five years old, close to the same age as Levi’s own nephew back home in Pennsylvania. The boy’s companion, dark skinned and of similar size, hung back, his eyes round and fearful as they neared the soldiers.

  The dog made a beeline for Levi. Before he could decide what the best course of action was to avoid an attack, Corporal Banks, who hadn’t gone far, removed his revolver from his holster and leveled it at the charging dog.

  “Don’t shoot!”

  Levi turned to see Mrs. Ellis rush onto the porch, her bell-shaped skirt swinging as she dashed down the steps.

  “Ebenezer, no!” The big dog skidded to a stop at her command, mere feet from Levi. His spotted tongue lolled to one side, and his tail swished in a friendly manner. Mrs. Ellis turned angry eyes to Levi. “He wasn’t going to hurt you. He’d probably lick you to death before he’d think to bite.” Her fury settled on Corporal Banks next, who was still aiming his gun at the dog. “Put that thing away. There are children present.”

  Levi nodded to Banks. The young man replaced the gun in its holster then proceeded to take his and Levi’s horses by the reins and follow the others toward the creek.

  “Mama, was that so’dier really gonna shoot Ebenezer?” The white boy ran to Mrs. Ellis and grabbed a handful of her skirts. She received him in a warm embrace, her features softening.

  “No, Samuel, he wasn’t. He didn’t understand that Ebenezer was welcoming them.” She smoothed his sandy hair then glanced at Levi. “Isn’t that right, Colonel?”

  Levi met her gaze. Banks most certainly would have shot the dog. The men were trained to protect their commander, no matter the enemy. But Levi understood her desire not to upset the child. He looked down at the boy. “Corporal Banks just wanted to keep me safe. Is Ebenezer your dog?”

  The boy nodded.

  “Well, he is a fine watchdog. With a little training, he’ll learn to mind you when you give him an order. Keep working with him.”

  Samuel offered a shy grin.

  “You and Isaac go on to the kitchen now,” Mrs. Ellis said, giving the boy a little shove toward the black child, who’d stopped some distance from them. “Harriet found a jar of peaches in the cellar this morning. Tell her I said you and Isaac may have some. Take Ebenezer with you.”

  “Yes, Mama.” With one last peek at Levi, Samuel scampered off to the back of the house with his companions in tow.

  “Thank you, Colonel.” Her softened voice drew his attention. “A dead dog would be of no consequence to the Union Army, but my son’s heart would have been broken. He has experienced enough loss in his short life to last through the ages. I appreciate you sparing him another.”

  Her sincere gratitude surprised him. “You’re welcome. My brother’s son is about the same age as Samuel. I can imagine how Lucas would feel if his pet were killed right in front of him.”

  Her expressive blue eyes studied him for a long moment before she turned away. “If you will join me in the parlor, we can attend to business so you may be on your way.”

  Levi followed her into the airy foyer of the big house, taking notice of the marble floors, grand staircase, expensive furnishings, and a rug he guessed came from the Orient. A large vase containing roses of various colors sat on a polished table, filling the space with a sweet aroma.

  The parlor was situated to the right off the entry, and she led the way into it. Several sofas and horsehair chairs graced the spacious room, while four large windows let in an abundance of outdoor light. Artwork filled the walls, and a sizable hand-painted medallion on the ceiling circled the base of a crystal chandelier. Dominating the wall between two windows was a fireplace adorned with an ornate mahogany-and-marble mantel that held porcelain frippery, silver candlesticks, and two framed photographs.

  Levi’s ire rose as he took in the room, far more lavish than any he’d seen in Texas thus far. Any compassion he may have felt toward the widowed mother evaporated at the sight of such luxuries, all bought with proceeds earned from the labor of enslaved men and women. How could a woman so concerned about her child’s dog justify keeping human beings in bondage, all for the sake of maintaining her excessive lifestyle, fully on display in this room?

  When his observations ended, he found Mrs. Ellis seated on the edge of a sofa, watching him. Her gaze flicked to the trinkets on the mantel, and alarm swept her features. Did she think he meant to steal her valuables?

  “You mentioned a proclamation of some sort,” she said, a tremor in her voice as she nervously smoothed the striped material of her skirt.

  Good. He hoped she felt uneasy. People like Natalie Ellis lived their lives in undeserved comfort at the expense of others less fortunate. With both his parents active in the abolitionist movement for as long as he could remember, Levi’s understanding of right and wrong where the Negro was concerned had been established at a very early age.

  He would enjoy these next few minutes immensely. “I’ll get to that in a moment. Are you aware, Mrs. Ellis, that the war has ended?”

  Her eyes widened. “It’s over?”

  A gasp came from the hallway, though the person from whom it emitted remained out of sight.

  After he and other Union troops landed in Galveston on June nineteenth, they’d been astonished at the number of Texans who hadn’t heard the news regarding the war’s end or of President Lincoln’s assassination.

  “It is.” The desire to gloat over the Union’s victory lasted only a second. Too many lives had been lost on both sides to resort to schoolyard antics. “General Lee surrendered to General Grant in Virginia on April ninth.” The memory of that historic day flashed through Levi’s mind. He’d been with General Sheridan’s cavalry the last year of the war, taking part in the downfall of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. When they’d learned Lee had accepted Grant’s offer of surrender, Levi’s company rode hard to reach the house where the two generals met in order to witness the South’s final defeat.

  She seemed stunned by the news. “We heard that President Lincoln had been kill
ed, but no one said anything about the war ending.”

  “President Johnson, Lincoln’s successor, has issued orders for a proclamation to be read to all Texas slave owners.” Levi removed his gloves and took the folded sheet of paper from his pocket. He’d read these same words to slave owners many times over the past week, but each time they brought a sense of satisfaction to his very soul. This was what he’d fought for. This was why men had died. He cleared his throat. “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

  Another gasp came from the hallway while Mrs. Ellis sat wide-eyed and silent.

  Levi continued. “This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

  He let the words sink in. Clearly, from the shocked expression on her face, she had not expected this. “Do you have any questions?” he asked after several long moments.

  She blinked. “I …” She glanced out the window then back. “You mean to say all the slaves are free?”

  “Yes.” Levi tucked the paper back into his pocket. “They have been free since President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in eighteen sixty-three. But with the same lawless attitude that drove states to secede from the Union, the South refused to acknowledge that freedom.”

  “What … what happens now?”

  The frightened, almost childlike tone in her voice cooled Levi’s indignation. It wasn’t this woman’s fault the South seceded and started a war. It wasn’t even her fault she’d been raised to believe slavery was a legitimate means of labor. She, like the Negroes themselves, was victim to the misguided and selfish beliefs of men who had been placed in positions of authority for far too long.

  “It is now your responsibility as owner of this plantation to gather all of the slaves and inform them of their freedom.” He waited for her to meet his gaze. “Once they’ve been informed, it’s up to them whether they stay or not.”

  Myriad emotions played across her face. She glanced to the doorway, then out the window, then back to Levi. “How am I supposed to manage the plantation without them?”

  “As the proclamation states, you will become their employer. At least for those who choose to stay.” He tempered his tone. “Mrs. Ellis, you need to be aware that the majority of the slaves will most likely leave. Even with no place to go, freedom offers them choices they have never had before.”

  “This has taken place throughout the South already? Slaves walking away from plantations, free?”

  He nodded. “It has.”

  After another long period of silence, she slowly rose. “Very well. Moses?” She raised her voice slightly. The large black man appeared in the doorway.

  “Yes, Miz Natalie?” His stony expression hadn’t changed since Levi had first seen him on the porch.

  “Is Carolina with you?”

  A slender young black woman joined him, her dress similar in style to the one her mistress wore. Her rounded eyes were full of concern as she wrung her hands. “I’s here, Miz Natalie.”

  “I’m sure you heard everything.” At their murmurs of affirmation, she continued, “I suppose I should have said these words to you long ago, but Papa and George ...” Tears sprang to her eyes. “Well, never mind about them. You heard what the proclamation said. You are free.”

  The two slaves stood rooted to the hardwood floor, staring at their mistress.

  Moses’ dark gaze flicked to Levi then back to Mrs. Ellis. “What that mean, Miz Natalie? That mean we has to leave Rose Hill?”

  When she didn’t answer, Levi did. “Not unless you want to leave. It’s your decision. If you choose to stay, Mrs. Ellis will become your employer. You and she would work out the details of your employment, including wages, to your satisfaction.”

  The astonishing information, Levi knew, took time to fully grasp. Both for the slave owner and for the slave. Freedom and choices were things the Negroes at Rose Hill and other plantations like it had never experienced.

  “Moses, please gather the others and have them meet me in the yard. I would like to be the one to tell them, so keep this to yourself, if you would.” She took a wobbly step forward. Moses moved to her side, offering his strong arm for balance.

  “You don’t look so good, Miz Natalie. Why don’t you sit down a spell?” Concern rang in the man’s deep voice. She did look rather pale.

  She waved him off. “I’m fine. Go on now and get the others. Carolina, please gather the house servants.”

  As Moses and Carolina exited the room, Corporal Banks entered. For a brief moment, the soldier stared at the young black woman’s retreating back before he seemed to remember Levi awaited him. “The men are in position, sir.”

  “Thank you, Corporal.” He turned to Mrs. Ellis, who now had tiny beads of moisture dotting her forehead and upper lip. The room was definitely stuffy, but he wondered if it wasn’t the sheer shock of learning her slaves were free that had her ill. “Ma’am, we will escort you outside so you may address your people when you’re ready. My orders are to have you read the proclamation to them yourself.”

  She simply nodded.

  They made their way to the porch. Nearby, a teenage boy tugged on the rope of a large cast iron bell, the resounding noise calling to workers throughout the property. Negroes began filling the yard. More arrived from the fields and barns, hurrying toward the house. When it seemed all had arrived, Mrs. Ellis stepped to the rail. Levi noticed Moses stood off to the side of the group with one arm around a stout woman and little Isaac hoisted in the other. Samuel stood beside them. His dog was nowhere in sight.

  “I am sure you’re all wondering why the soldiers are here,” Mrs. Ellis said, her voice wobbly as her legs had been. She grasped the porch rail with both hands, her knuckles turning white. “They have brought news. The war is over.”

  Gasps followed by cheers went through the crowd. “Who won?” someone called out.

  “The Yankees.”

  A low murmur rose and fell.

  “They also brought a proclamation that concerns you.”

  All eyes focused on Mrs. Ellis. Levi almost felt sorry for her. Her world was changing at a lightning-fast pace, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. He stepped forward and handed her the printed paper.

  With hands shaking, she read the remarkable words. When she came to the end, she looked at the people in the yard. “You are free men and women.”

  It only took a moment before the group erupted. Hats flew in the air amid whistles and shouts. One man cried, “Free, my Lord! Free, free, my Lord!” Some knelt on the ground and wept while others hugged their neighbors. Moses simply held the woman and the boy close, tears streaming down his face.

  “If you will excuse me, Colonel.” Mrs. Ellis’ subdued voice pulled his attention away from the boisterous celebration. Her face looked like a sun-bleached sheet when she handed back the paper. “I would like to be alone now. I have much to consider.”

  He bowed slightly. “I understand. My men and I will depart shortly.”

  She nodded and moved toward the doorway. She hadn’t taken more than a few steps when her legs gave out. Before Levi could react, she collapsed into a puddle of blue-and-white fabric.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “Mama? Mama!”

  Samuel’s frightened voice penetrated the fog that gripped Natalie.

  “Your mama is going be fine, son. Let’s get her inside.” The deep voice seemed very near.

  As Natalie became aware of being lifted in strong arms, she forced her eyelids open only to find herself face to face with Colonel Maish. “What …?”

  “You fainted.”<
br />
  His muscles flexed beneath her as his grip on her tightened.

  Horrified to find herself in the man’s arms, Natalie glared at him. “I did not faint, sir. I simply became overly warm. Please put me down.” Her stocking-clad calves were exposed in this position, and she tried in vain to smooth her voluminous skirt and crinolines into place.

  A shade of humor gleamed in his deep brown eyes. “Call it what you will, ma’am, but you hit the porch fairly hard. Let me get you inside and make certain you aren’t injured.”

  Helpless to argue, Natalie let the Yankee carry her into the parlor and settle her on the sofa. The fact that she did feel a bit lightheaded irked her further. She took a steadying breath.

  “Mama, you fell down.” Samuel crawled up beside her, his cherub face showing curiosity rather than concern. “Why?”

  She smiled at her son and drew him to her side. “Mama had a silly accident. I’m fine now. Did you and Isaac enjoy your peaches?”

  “Mmmhmm. Why was all the slaves crying and hollering?”

  She glanced at Colonel Maish, who stood nearby, watching.

  The explanation she gave her son regarding the slaves’ freedom was none of his concern. She would have a long talk with Samuel later and explain what it meant. Right now, she simply wanted the Yankee officer out of her home and off her land.

  “They’re happy the war is over, like I am. It means the soldiers can all go home.” She gave the colonel a pointed look.

  “My papa can’t come home.”

  The sad words tugged at her heart. Samuel rarely spoke of the father he had never known. “No, love, he can’t.”

  Samuel looked up to Colonel Maish. “Will you go home?”

  The colonel nodded. “As soon as I have completed my orders.”

  “Is your home in Texas?”

  The man’s dark beard twitched. “My home is in Pennsylvania. But I’ve been ordered to stay in Texas for a while, so I guess you could say it’s my home for now.”