Moses finished the shingle and looked up. “Miz Natalie’s papa give me to her when she married Massa George.” He handed the shingle to Levi for inspection. “She done asked him to.”
“And were you pleased about that?” Levi knew it was none of his business, but the fact that the former slave continued to serve his mistress intrigued him.
Moses seemed to contemplate the question. “I wasn’t pleased to leave my family over to the Langford’s, but it weren’t so far away that I couldn’t see them from time to time. ’Specially when Miz Natalie went to see her mama. My Harriet come to be the cook here at Rose Hill a few months later, but our young’uns has to stay at Langford’s.”
“How many children do you have?” Levi asked, recalling he’d only seen the one little boy.
A pained expression filled the big man’s face. “The Lawd blessed us with six chillens. He done took three home, from the same yellow fever that took Miz Natalie’s folks. Massa George sold my two oldest boys after that. I wanted them here, o’ course, but he feared the fever might spread over to Rose Hill. Ain’t seen them since.”
A swift stab of remorse struck Levi. “I’m sorry, Moses. I shouldn’t have pried.”
“It ain’t prying to ask a man ’bout his family. The Lawd giveth, and the Lawd taketh away. That just life. We’s blessed with Isaac after all that sadness.” He smiled. “That boy bring us as much sunshine as the sun itself.”
Levi watched Moses return to cutting out shingles. Now more than ever he wanted to ask how the former slave could stay with Natalie, especially after the tale he’d just told. Her husband had sold away his sons, for pity’s sake. It was unthinkable that Moses remained on Rose Hill land despite having the freedom to leave, yet there he stood, cutting shingles for her roof. Levi had heard some slaves were so attached to their white owners they couldn’t imagine living anywhere else, but he didn’t think that applied to Moses. He had a suspicion the man’s reasoning went deeper than that.
The sun sat low on the western horizon by the time they finished patching the damaged roof. There were still two barns and several quarter houses that would require repairs in the coming days.
After climbing down from the ladder, Levi stretched his back muscles, cramped from hours of bending over.
“I wondered if you two were going to work into the night.”
He turned to find Natalie standing on the kitchen porch. The aroma of roasted turkey wafted out the open door, reminding Levi that their noon meal of sliced ham sandwiched between thick slices of bread had been hours ago.
“We wanted to finish the main house.” Levi was torn between feeling aggravated with her after hearing Moses’ story and finding her breathtakingly beautiful in the waning light. “Moses did excellent work. You should have no fear of a leaky roof come the next storm.”
She sent a warm smile to the big man, who in turn grinned under the praise.
Samuel arrived on the porch. “Can we eat now? I’m hungry.”
“Is that turkey I’s smellin’?” Moses asked, ruffling the boy’s hair as he moved to the doorway. “Yep!”
Samuel and Moses disappeared through the open door. When Levi’s gaze met Natalie’s again, she chewed her bottom lip.
“Colonel,” she said, a note of uncertainty in her voice. “We would be honored if you would join us for supper. After all your hard work on our behalf, we can’t let you leave without showing our thanks.”
The invitation took him by surprise. The thought of riding back to camp on an empty stomach did not appeal, but to sit in Rose Hill’s grand dining room, making polite conversation with Natalie and her rude cousin, was something his tired brain and body were not up for.
“Cousin Eunice has already retired for the evening,” she said, guessing his hesitation. “The others wanted to wait for Moses.”
He frowned. “The others?”
“Harriet, Carolina, and Lottie. Samuel and I have taken our meals with the servants in the kitchen ever since you brought the proclamation.” She grinned. “Eunice was horrified, of course, and demanded her dinner brought up on a tray.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle. The woman was a paradox, to be sure. “I accept your invitation then.”
They entered the kitchen, where the four servants, Samuel, and Isaac, all gathered, talking and laughing. Seeing Levi, Moses smiled and gave a nod of approval. The long table in the center of the room was set for eight. That she’d planned for him to join them all along sent a wave of pleasure coursing through him.
“There’s a wash stand there”—she indicated the basin near the door—“if you’d like to make use of it.”
He did, gratefully. While he washed his hands and arms, the others took their places at the table. He joined them and saw that the seat at one end had been left vacant. Moses sat at the other end with Natalie to his right and Harriet to his left. Samuel and Isaac, he noted, would flank him.
When everyone was seated, Moses stood. “A few weeks ago, this here turkey made the mistake of comin’ onto the plantation.” The amusement of those around the table must have satisfied him. He grinned and continued. “I hung him in the smoke house, thinkin’ we’d save him for somethin’ special. Well, today ain’t Thanksgivin’, but we shore is thankful tonight. The Lawd done spared us durin’ the storm, and He sent us a helper to get things back to right.”
All eyes turned to Levi. He gave a nod of acknowledgment, meeting Natalie’s unreadable expression last.
The big man bowed his head, and everyone followed suit. The blessing he prayed was more eloquent than Levi had heard from any preacher back home. After the “amen” was said—Samuel and Isaac adding their own shouted version amid giggles—and the food was passed around the table, Levi took in the odd gathering. From former slaves to their white mistress to her son to him, an officer in the Union Army and an abolitionist. All seated at the same table, sharing a meal.
A few months ago, this would have been an impossibility.
Perhaps, he thought as he stabbed a tender piece of roasted turkey, there was hope for their country after all.
From the front porch, Natalie watched the new dawn arrive. With her legs tucked beneath her on the sofa, a cup of chicory root coffee in hand, she wondered what the day had in store for them. So much had happened in the past week, it was difficult to know how to prepare her emotions.
Surveying the area, she was pleased to see much of the debris from the storm had been cleared. The fallen tree near the barn lay in pieces, and she’d learned over supper last night that the colonel and Moses would chop the rest into firewood once all the new shingles were in place.
Warmth spread through her as she recalled the evening meal. While Moses and the colonel worked long hours on the roof, she’d grown increasingly nervous. An invitation to join them would be the polite and mannerly thing to do, but to have a Yankee officer at her table … well, there were simply too many reasons why that was not a good idea. Cousin Eunice being one. Samuel another. Both had suffered loss because of the Yankees. Samuel was too young to understand that Colonel Maish had been their enemy until recently, but someday he would ask questions Natalie dreaded answering. The less confusion in the boy’s mind about the war and whose side was right or wrong, the better.
But Colonel Maish had been the perfect guest. He’d easily conversed with Moses and the others, discussing a variety of topics as though he dined with former slaves every day. When he mentioned his home in Pennsylvania, at Carolina’s inquiry, Natalie nearly choked on her bite of turnip. She held her breath, listening for reference of a wife, but if he had one waiting for him, he didn’t reveal it. He only spoke of his brothers, and that was simply to state they had returned home from the war safely.
Voices from the quarter drifted across the dawn. Several people milled in front of the small cabins, starting cook fires and preparing for the day. With harvest still a few weeks away, they weren’t required to rise as early as they would be soon enough. Then, they would work sunup to su
ndown, toiling in the heat over the prickly pods that held the tufts of cotton captive. She wondered, not for the first time, if they had enough workers for the laborious job. But she’d signed an agreement with the Union Army to provide thirty workers. They, plus the two dozen Rose Hill former slaves who’d chosen to remain on the plantation, would have to suffice.
Standing, she gazed at the vast fields. When the harvest was in, the hired workers would move on. Though she would receive payment for her cotton this year, she owed money to the bank, owed more for taxes. If there were anything left over, it wouldn’t go far, especially now that Moses and the others were employees, requiring wages. She could barter with them for food and housing, as Colonel Maish suggested, but eventually, they would want cash payments for their labor. How could she keep the plantation running without money to pay workers? The situation seemed impossible.
Looking west, she wondered, not for the first time, if she should accept her sister-in-law’s invitation to come to Oregon. After Luther had passed, leaving Rose Hill and all its vast responsibilities to Natalie, Adella wrote and begged Natalie to bring Samuel and come live with them. That Samuel’s half-sister also lived with Adella was a concern, mainly because Natalie wasn’t sure how to feel about the child her husband had fathered with a slave. Yet despite the hardships and fear she faced if she remained in Texas, this was their home. Rose Hill and Langford Manor were Samuel’s inheritance. She couldn’t simply give them up.
But everything had changed. Samuel might lose his inheritance after all. With slave labor, there had always been plenty of people to complete the work necessary to plant and harvest the cotton, corn, and wheat. Without them, she didn’t see how the plantation could continue to operate.
Luther had been right all along, she realized. Rose Hill could cease to exist without slaves.
Two riders rode up the lane toward the house. Her heart tripped over itself when she recognized Colonel Maish’s blue uniform. She had to admit she looked forward to his presence on the plantation today, continuing with the repairs to the barns and other damaged roofs. She frowned when she glanced at the second rider, though. She’d assumed it was Corporal Banks, but as they came out of the shadows, she saw it wasn’t the Negro soldier.
Alexander Lopez entered the yard, a dark scowl on his face.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Señora Ellis, I am relieved to see you are safe.”
Levi watched Lopez swing out of his saddle before his mount had time to come to a full stop. He rushed up the steps to Natalie and took her hand in his, grazing her knuckles with his lips.
“I arrived in town late last night with plans to visit you this morning. In the café, before I could even order breakfast, I heard talk of the storm. I came as fast as I could.”
Annoyance coiled in Levi’s belly at the man’s familiarity. While Natalie didn’t appear overly joyful to see Lopez, she didn’t withdraw her hand from his grip.
“As you can see, the storm did some damage, but nothing that can’t be repaired.”
Her gaze flitted to Levi. It didn’t go unnoticed by the Tejano.
He turned unfriendly eyes to Levi. “I met the colonel on the road to Rose Hill. He informed me he is helping with the repairs.” A chilly smile lifted his lips. “Neglecting the Union Army’s mission in order to help a beautiful widow, eh, Colonel? My, how one’s priorities can change with the wind.”
Levi dismounted, ignoring the barb. He directed his attention to Natalie, who withdrew her hand from Lopez before looking at him. “Mrs. Ellis.” He nodded politely even as he wished to snatch her away from the man. “I will keep several workers on cleanup detail today, but the others can return to the fields. My men will supervise, as I’ll need Moses’ help again with the shingles. He became quite adept at cutting them yesterday.”
“Very well, Colonel.”
“Natalie, what is this all about?” Lopez said, his Spanish accent thick. “I understand the army’s need to camp on your family’s land, but what purpose do they have here at Rose Hill?”
She glanced between Levi and Lopez. Levi couldn’t tell if she was annoyed by the question or hesitant to reveal the business agreement she had with the Union Army.
Before she could answer, however, her outlandish cousin bustled through the open door. At least she wasn’t wearing her nightclothes or carrying a gun this time.
“Natalie Ellis, what are you doing entertaining men at this hour?”
Levi saw Natalie’s fist clench briefly at her side before she released it.
“Cousin Eunice, I’m not entertaining anyone. May I present Señor Lopez, a friend. He heard about the storm and was concerned for our well-being. Señor Lopez, this is my mother’s cousin, Mrs. Porter. She’s staying at Rose Hill.”
The rotund cousin eyed Lopez. “I take it you’re Mexican.”
Lopez inclined his head. “I was born in Tejas, but of course that was when Tejas belonged to Mėjico.”
“My late husband, Judge Leftwidge Porter, was a congressman in Shelby County.” Pride practically dripped from the statement. “He had many friends who were Mexican. I told him frequently to stay on their friendly side after that scoundrel Santa Anna stopped causing trouble and went back to Mexico. ‘It won’t do us any good to keep enemies,’ says I. The judge agreed.”
Levi held in a chuckle when he saw the look of uncertainty pass over Lopez’s face as he studied the odd woman.
“Well, don’t keep your company standing on the porch, Natalie,” Eunice said, retreating into the house. “Invite him in for breakfast.”
Natalie closed her eyes for a moment before offering a polite smile to Lopez. “Señor, please, won’t you join us for breakfast? Especially if yours was interrupted on my behalf.”
“I would be delighted,” he said, bowing. He sent Levi a triumphant look.
“Colonel?”
Levi switched his attention back to Natalie. “You are welcome to join us as well.”
The smug look vanished from Lopez’s face, much to Levi’s satisfaction. “Thank you, Mrs. Ellis, but I ate before leaving Langford Manor.”
Was that disappointment in her eyes?
“Come, Natalie,” Lopez said, extending his arm. “I’m sure the colonel has work to do.”
Levi watched Lopez escort her inside. He’d never been jealous of another man his entire life, and he certainly wasn’t about to start now. So why did he have the insane urge to race up the steps and knock the Tejano into the next county?
“Mornin’, Colonel.”
He turned to find Moses standing at the corner of the house. How long had he been there?
“Good morning, Moses. I hope you’re ready for another long day.”
Moses chuckled. “Is there any other kind?”
“Before we get started”—Levi glanced in the direction of the bachelor’s quarters—“I could use a cup a coffee. You’re welcome to join me.”
A wide smile filled Moses’ face. “Yessuh, Colonel. Thank ya.”
They made their way to the small building. His men were already in the field, but the coffee pot sat on the stovetop and was still quite warm and at least half full. Levi poured two cups and handed one to Moses. They carried their drinks to the porch. Moses seemed to savor the coffee, almost as though he’d never tasted the pungent drink before. Levi was poised to ask him about it when Natalie exited the house under the covered walkway, headed to the kitchen. When she spied them, she came to a stop. Her brow rose in question.
“We thought we’d enjoy a cup of coffee before we get to work.” Levi held up his cup.
Her gaze went to the cup in his hand then to the one Moses held. “Coffee? Do you mean … real coffee?”
Levi grinned. “Yes, real coffee. Would you care for some? I think there’s still a bit left in the pot.”
Her pink tongue moistened her lips. She glanced back at the house then at Moses, who looked as happy as a kid with a new slingshot. A sly grin crept up her face. “Yes, I would love some coffee.�
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She stepped off the wooden walkway and crossed the grassy yard that separated the two buildings. Levi went inside and poured the remains of the coffee into a cup, chagrined to see grounds in the bottom. Maybe he should make a new pot.
“We haven’t had real coffee in several years.”
He turned and found her standing in the doorway. “I’m afraid this is the bottom of the barrel,” he said, handing her the cup. “I can make a fresh pot if you’d like.”
“That isn’t necessary, Colonel.” She lifted it to her face. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the aroma. “Oh, my.” Her eyes opened, sparkling with merriment. Taking a dainty sip, she sighed. Her gaze met his. “It sounds so silly now, but I think, of all the supplies we could no longer purchase after the blockades were put into place, I missed coffee most.”
Now he understood her and Moses’ reactions. He turned, dug through a box of supplies sitting next to the stove, and found a container of coffee beans. “Here,” he said, offering it to her. “The men have plenty. They won’t miss this.”
Her eyes widened as she looked at the metal container and then at him. “I … I couldn’t accept it, Colonel. You’ve already given us a crate of oranges. Not to mention the repairs to the plantation ... and the gloves.”
“I would not be able to enjoy my morning cup of coffee now that I’m aware of your suffering,” he teased, pleased to see her smile. “If you don’t accept this, you will henceforth be responsible for ruining my day.”
She giggled. “Well, we wouldn’t want that.” She accepted the coffee tin.
They exchanged satisfied smiles. Hers for the coffee. His for bringing pleasure to her once again.
“There you are, Natalie.” They turned to find Eunice standing in the doorway to the main house, hands on her ample hips. “You went to get butter and never returned.” The woman’s eyes narrowed on Levi as though he had detained Natalie on purpose.
“I’m coming.” After gulping the remaining coffee in the most unladylike fashion, she handed the empty cup to Levi. “Thank you, Colonel.” She hurried toward the kitchen. A moment later, she whooshed past again, this time carrying a small plate of butter, and followed her cousin into the house.
The Widow of Rose Hill (The Women of Rose Hill Book 2) Page 13
