A Promise for Tomorrow (27 page)
“I despise you,” Virginia said between clenched teeth.
“Yes, I know you do, and it matters very little to me. You see, I have what I want, and I do what I please. I care very little for what you think or feel about that, so long as you stay out of my way when I want you gone, and come when I call.”
“I don’t want this child,” Virginia adamantly declared. “I don’t want any more of your children. You are hateful and mean, and far too heavy-handed with the children.”
“I simply discipline them when they need it,” Hampton replied, surprised that he wasn’t more irritated by Virginia’s bold outbursts. In fact, he almost found the matter amusing, even entertaining. She was so serious, standing there with her hands on her hips, fire blazing in her eyes. It made him want to goad her on—just to see what she might say next.
“Of course,” he said, picking his words carefully, “I could just ignore them as you do and find my solace in a sherry bottle.”
“Stop it! Life with you has been sheer misery. Were it not for my family I would have long ago found a way to rid myself of this marriage. However, since divorce is not an option, I suppose I have little recourse but to endure your abuse.”
“How very right you are,” Hampton said, narrowing his eyes in anger. “I am your master, just as I am master over the slaves your weak-spined father owns. You will do as I say, and you will be grateful for the attention and protection I afford you in return.” He got to his feet and moved toward her with deliberate slowness. “You do understand, don’t you, my dear?”
Virginia stared him down, refusing to cower. It surprised him but made for a more intense sport. But just as he would have pushed the matter, the sound of voices came from just outside the drawing room door. It sounded like Joseph speaking to Thora and Levinia. With a shrug, Hampton moved away from Virginia and went to see what the disturbance was.
Throwing open the door, he saw Joseph watching the twins scamper off in the direction of the kitchen. “What’s going on?” Hampton questioned.
“I found those two with their ears pressed against the door,” Joseph replied quite seriously. “Seems a bad habit they’ve picked up.”
Hampton smiled. “No doubt they were just excited about their mother’s news.”
“News?” Joseph questioned.
“Yes. It seems we’re to be blessed with another child. Virginia is expecting.”
Joseph smiled. “Congratulations, my dear.” He went to Virginia and embraced her.
Virginia hugged her father but scowled mercilessly over his shoulder at Hampton. He threw her a devil-may-care look that he was certain she would interpret as his final word on the matter. He was delighted that she was pregnant. Children represented vitality in a man. The fact that Virginia had miscarried at least five other children was a point of frustration but certainly not a poor reflection on him. That his wife had trouble carrying his children to term was clearly a point of inability on her part, not his.
“If you don’t mind, Virginia,” Joseph told her and affectionately slipped an arm around her waist, “I’d like a few private words with your husband.”
Virginia nodded and complaisantly exited the room. Hampton didn’t take issue with her for failing to seek his approval; instead, he poured himself yet another glass of whiskey and offered to do the same for Joseph.
“No, thank you,” Joseph replied and took a seat. “I have a great deal to say and I don’t wish to be distracted.”
“Very well.” Uneasiness gripped him as he anticipated what his father-in-law might wish to address.
“Now that I am not required to make my trips between Boston and Oakbridge,” Joseph began, “I want to relieve you of many of the duties you’ve performed on my behalf. For the time being, I don’t plan to move ahead to sell Oakbridge, nor even to divide it among my children. I do, however, plan to take a personal stock in the circumstance and situation of my property and decide what is to be done from that point forward.”
“I see,” Hampton replied dryly. “And what is it you would have me do? Sit idly by?”
Joseph seemed to consider him for a moment before answering. “I’d expect you to abide by my wishes. Something you’ve deemed unnecessary for some time. There’s more than enough work to keep the both of us busy, if you’ve a mind to continue learning the plantation business, but I will take charge.” Joseph paused for a moment and drew a deep breath. “You’ve long defied me in matters related to my slaves. Time and time again, I’ve asked you not to take a heavy hand with them, and yet you go behind my back and do as you please. You’ve badgered and belittled my people until they’ve been frightened half out of their wits. That is completely uncalled for.”
Hampton tried to protest, but Joseph held up his hand. “Hear me out.” The command was firm and demanding.
“As you well know, I cannot abide your cruel treatment of the slaves.”
“Are you suggesting I take my family and go?” Hampton questioned, knowing that Joseph had long feared he might do that very thing. But to his surprise, Joseph merely shrugged.
“If you think that’s the only way to handle this matter, then of course I have no choice but to let you go. However, if you are of a mind to curb your temper and refrain from using physical violence to see things resolved your way, then I welcome the assistance you can lend me.”
Hampton said nothing. He couldn’t very well speak without revealing his inner rage and thus destroy any pretense of following through with Joseph’s suggestion.
“At times, I’ve almost believed you capable of finding pleasure in the cruelty you inflict,” Joseph continued. “I don’t want to believe that of you, but I find it quite reasonable given your indifference to the matter. But that aside, I thought you should know that I plan to move ahead with my desire to free the slaves at Oakbridge. Whether I sell this place or pass it on, it is my intention to free my slaves beforehand. If they choose to hire back on at laborers’ wages, that will be entirely up to them.”
“You’ll regret that day,” Hampton managed to mutter.
“You might believe so, but I do not. I feel confident and good about setting them free. However, I’ll not throw them to the wolves. They’ve been with me far too long and they are dependent upon me for their well-being. It would be my Christian duty to send them into the world with the basic essentials necessary to keep them alive and safe.”
“Oakbridge will fail without them.” Hampton forced himself to be calm. “You know it will.”
“Perhaps,” Joseph said with a thoughtful nod. “But I seriously doubt it. Georgia hired free Irish laborers and has a staff of over thirty to pay, yet her horse farm thrives and does more business than she can keep up with.”
“That’s horses, not farming. Crops require an entirely different manner of attention, as you well know. Then, too, you have your own stable of animals and livestock in the fields, as well as the house staff and various other positions required to make this place profitable.”
Hampton finally felt capable of pressing forward and gave Joseph no chance to reply. “I’ve made this plantation more profitable than you could have ever dreamt. I saved you from ruin time and time again. I show you ways to cut costs and to reap benefits you hadn’t even bothered to consider. I made Oakbridge the plantation that it is today.”
Joseph stared at him sadly and shook his head. “Perhaps, but at what price? In all my years of ownership prior to your arrival on this plantation, I never suffered a single runaway. Do you realize that, Hampton? Not a single man or woman felt the need to escape their lot here and make a run for it elsewhere. People were happy and productive. Yet since you have been allowed authority, there have been over twenty runaway attempts, many beatings with one death related to these, in addition to several deaths from sickness, improper care, and just plain exhaustion.”
“It’s cheaper to work a slave, even to the point of death, than to hire free men,” Hampton said snidely. “And you know that very well. Slaves are an asset you can’t afford to live without. Not if you intend to keep Oakbridge running.”
“Then perhaps,” Joseph said quite seriously, “I won’t keep her running.”
“Madness!” Hampton declared and got to his feet. “Sheer madness.”
“Perhaps to your way of thinking, but to mine it seems quite reasonable to consider. You see, I never wanted this life to begin with. And as my dear wife has pointed out, perhaps now is the time to seek the life I want.”
“You can hardly trust what she has to say. She’s just spent the better portion of a decade in an insane asylum.”
“I won’t have you talk about Mrs. Adams that way. We all know very well what happened to grieve her and rob her of her senses. But as even you can see, Hampton, she is perfectly healed and quite capable of handling the matters of her house.” Joseph got to his feet and walked to the door. “I had hoped,” he said, turning back to face Hampton, “that we could see eye to eye on this matter. I hate to have further conflict and strife develop over a disagreement as to how
my
plantation should be run. If you find you cannot bring yourself to agree with me, then I will understand if you choose to leave. But I will add this one simple thought. If Virginia should find it necessary to remain here at Oakbridge with her children, I will not force her to go with you from this place.”
“She’s my wife and she’ll do whatever I tell her to do,” Hampton growled the words. “The laws of this land will not allow for your interference.”
“She might well be your wife, but she was my daughter first, and I will protect her in the best way I can. I have powerful friends, Hampton. Including my heavenly Father, who is a most powerful ally in times of trouble. I am praying to resolve this matter in an amicable way for all of us. I hold you no malice and wish you no harm. I believe only that you are misguided in your beliefs, but you are not beyond reason. I will continue to pray about this, and I hope you will do the same.”
With that he exited, leaving Hampton to consider his father-in-law’s words and to seethe in anger. Hampton might have thrown something at the door had he not known that it would only further Joseph’s resolve that he was right in treating Hampton like a wayward child.
“A slave is a slave,” Hampton muttered. “And a wife is a wife.” He paced the room for several moments before shaking his fist at the closed door. “You’ll not take either one from me, old man. You’ll see. I’ll have it my way, with or without your approval. With or without you.”
Without him.
Hampton smiled to himself. Now, there was a thought. If Joseph Adams ceased to live, Oakbridge would be dependent upon Hampton for guidance. York wouldn’t want it, as he still had political ambitions, and Maine was off preaching in California. If something happened to Joseph, Hampton would be the natural one to take over Oakbridge’s concerns.
“Perhaps I’ve been going about this the wrong way,” Hampton murmured.
Margaret took advantage of the surprisingly mild March day to venture outside for a brief stroll. She knew exactly where she wanted to go and without hesitation made her way to the small family cemetery. It pleased her to find that the graves of her four children had been meticulously cared for. Miniature picket borders framed each grave, and tiny new buds of crocuses were peeking their heads through the ground.
“My babies,” she whispered thoughtfully. “You were all so young. Too young.” Now, even many years after their deaths, Margaret felt the pain as if it had been yesterday. “I’m so sorry, my little ones.” Tears rose to her eyes. “I wish I could have kept you here with me. What a joy you each were.”
Concluding her visit, Margaret walked around the grounds a bit and slowly made her way back to the house. Staring up at the fluted marble pillars of her Greek revival home, Margaret felt a contentment that overtook her earlier feelings of sorrow. This home of hers represented a lifetime of dreaming and working and loving. It seemed so right that she should return to this place, and suddenly she was very glad that Joseph hadn’t sold it off or divided it among the children. She wasn’t ready yet to say good-bye to Oakbridge.
She glanced around, noting the orchards with their tiny buds of green, seeing beyond to fields not yet planted with new crops. The earth was just awakening from a sleep, and that was exactly how Margaret felt. The sense of renewal and refreshment gave her energy to face whatever life presented.
“Thank you, Father,” she prayed aloud, her gaze falling back to the mansion itself. “Thank you for giving me a faithful husband and for blessing our lives with children.”
Movement caught her eye from one of the upstairs windows. With little more than a quick glance, Margaret felt certain she’d seen Virginia behind the filmy curtain panel. “Oh, Lord,” she whispered, “she’s so troubled. How can I help her?”
The wind blew gently, chilling Margaret ever so slightly. Perhaps she would return to the house and speak with Virginia about what had happened to make her so unhappy. Suddenly that seemed a very reasonable idea, and Margaret took off in search of her eldest daughter.
Moments later, Margaret located Virginia in the upstairs music room. She was seated on a lounging sofa, letter in one hand and glass in the other. Margaret might have wondered at the contents of that glass, but Joseph had already mentioned Virginia’s attraction to sherry.
“May I join you?” she asked softly.
Virginia looked up, not bothering to hide her drink, and shrugged. “If you like.”
Margaret decided to ignore the obvious and instead drew up a chair beside the lounge and focused a tender smile upon her child. “I’ve longed to have some time alone with you. It seems there is much we should discuss.”
Virginia tried to maintain a look of indifference, but Margaret read the pain in her eyes as she answered, “I suppose you’ve come to lecture me.”
“Not at all. You have been Oakbridge’s mistress for these past years, and now it would be wise for us to speak of the changes and needs—” Margaret paused, then added—“if I’m to be of any use to you at all.”
“Any use to me?” Virginia questioned. “I’m hardly any use to anyone.”
“I seriously doubt that,” Margaret said, smiling. “We both know this plantation does not manage itself.”