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Early
Early carried the tray holding a platter of fried chicken and a tureen filled with pork flavored turnip greens into the formal dining room and began to carefully set the dishes in place. Master Hollings' blessing for the food had finished moments earlier. Moses stepped into the room and began to fill glasses with a red wine. She noticed Missy and Aunt Matilda declined the liquor in favor of clear water. Her mistress and her aunt had good heads on their shoulders.
Sidney leaned close and brushed against her side as she stepped around the table. He winked when she set a serving dish next to his plate. She stepped away and wiped her hands on her apron. An unclean feeling washed over her side where he had bumped into her. She wanted to go back to the kitchen and wash her hands. Nellie chose that moment to bring in the last of the food. Early knew she had no other choice but to stand close to the sideboard and assist with the rest of the meal. Aunt 'Tilda's eyes seemed to be taking in everything around the room as a frown creased her forehead.
The tinkle of silverware on china filled the next few minutes as the family began to enjoy their dinner. Early removed the serving dishes to the sideboard once the plates were filled, avoiding contact with Sidney as much as she could. Missy's mouthed apology and a pat on the hand from Aunt 'Tilda let her know they sympathized.
Sidney sipped wine from his glass. "Thank you, Papa Hollings, for allowing me to celebrate my birthday with some good spirits. I don't know why you keep the finer brews hidden. I've had to go into town for refreshment." He turned a smiling face to the master. Early fought to keep from rolling her eyes as he continued his speech. "I am so thankful that you consider me your son. I look forward to many years of pleasure as we work together for the good of Holly Plantation."
Aunt 'Tilda brought her napkin to her mouth and then lowered it as she shook her head. "From what I've heard, it seems to me that you do better when you aren't around the spirits." She glared at Sidney with an expression that rivaled Missy's strictest tutor. "Maybe you should be working on spiritual matters instead of spirits, young man."
Amanda tapped on the edge of her goblet. "A toast to my spirit-filled son on his birthday." She raised her glass and all responded except for Matilda, who harrumphed and stabbed her fork into a bite of chicken. Missy barely touched her lips to the rim, before setting her water down. Sidney drained his wineglass and lifted it for a refill.
"Fill up my glass, woman." He turned and eyed Early. Hanging her head, she stepped closer with the decanter. She hated having Sidney make her do his bidding. She hated what wine did to people. A calm resolve crept over her. She lifted the container and only filled the glass halfway. She caught a glimpse of Aunt 'Tilda's wink as she stepped back from the table. Lifting her head higher, she set the decanter on the sideboard and resumed her position beside it.
Sidney smirked as his hand swept across the table. His half-filled goblet tipped and rolled over, onto the white table covering. Dark color spread like a bleeding wound. "Oh my, what a mess I seem to have made. The wine is sure to permanently stain the cloth if not cleaned immediately, don't you think, Mother?"
"As usual you are right, son. Woman, see that this is cleaned now." She shook out her napkin and dropped it on top of the spreading puddle.
Master Hollings stood. "Perhaps we should have our dessert in the library." He nodded to the group and led them from the table.
Sidney laughed. "I may wait to have my dessert until later."
Early grimaced and stepped closer to remove plates, silver, and glasses from the table. Moses handed her a cleaning cloth from the kitchen and she wrapped it around the blood red stain. Nellie stepped from the kitchen with a basket. Early pushed the sopping wet table covering into the basket and headed into the twilight. The darkened laundry building loomed ahead. Its door creaked as she stepped inside.
The smell of lye soap filled the room as she blindly felt her way to the tub where she scrubbed the family laundry. Pushing the tablecloth into the iron container, she ran her fingers along the mantle for the flint she'd use to strike the wood and kindling she had laid out a few days before. A chill ran up her spine as she remembered the snake George removed. Hopefully the vile animal stayed in the barn where George thought it belonged. Tap, tap... Early jumped. The sounds of footsteps in the room were not from a snake. A dark figure drew nearer.
"Moses? Did you bring water?"
"No, woman. It's time you learned who your real master is," Sidney's hand over her mouth stifled Early's scream.
Struggling to get away, she pushed hard into his chest. He stumbled backwards and the iron cauldron filled with the soiled laundry toppled from its stand and rolled across the floor, clanging and banging.
Sidney cursed and snarled. "My foot. You'll pay for this one day, woman."
Early fled from the room and hid behind bushes. She watched as Moses entered the laundry building carrying a pail of water. Moments later he guided the hobbling man to the plantation house. Howls of pain filled the air and were then quieted somewhere deep in the mansion. She cautiously reentered the laundry, set the kettle back upright, and poured the bucket of water over the tablecloth to soak. She didn't need any further wrath from the missus over the stained cover.
Once that chore was finished, she made her way down a worn path to the safety of the bustling kitchen. Moses and Nellie came through the door carrying leftovers from the meal. Nellie set down her tray and pulled Early's trembling form against her bosom.
"He tried to attack me in the laundry." Anger shook Early as she fought the tears that already dripped from her eyes. "I left him stumbling in the dark and howling in pain until Moses took him away. Hopefully he won't be around for a while."
Moses grinned and nodded in agreement.
"I'm glad you escaped." Nellie rubbed the young woman's back, not needing to know who 'he' was.
"Escaped for now—but he's going to have a sore foot for a while." Early couldn't control the hysterical laughter that bubbled out. "I wonder how he will explain that to the master and mistress."
"I'm sure he will find something or someone to blame." Moses waved a chicken leg in front of her nose. "That young rooster deserves to stew for a while."
Nellie chuckled. "We better get the rest of that table cleared off before they find something else to blame us for."
Early brought the last of the serving dishes into the kitchen and then filled her plate before sitting down for a meal with Nellie and Moses. Washing dishes would follow soon enough, but in her exhausted state, it was nice to sit and replace some of her energy with the last of Nellie's crispy fried chicken, candied yams, and turnip greens. Luckily for the trio, the master's family had eaten lightly due to the tablecloth disaster, combined with a late tea when a neighbor had dropped by during the waning afternoon.
Moses rubbed his belly and smiled in satisfaction. "That was some of the best chicken I've had in a long time, Nellie."
"I couldn’t agree more." Early sighed and added a hum of satisfaction. "I don't think I have room for another bite." In contradiction, she reached toward the breadbasket for a piece of cornpone.
Nellie's jolly laughter filled the room with her good humor. Early drizzled some honey mixed with molasses onto her dry piece of bread.
"It's 'most time for the washing up, honey, so don't be getting yourself too sweetened up with that sopping syrup. The master'll be wantin' his dishes to shine."
Moses grinned and stretched before launching into a well-known story. "Better use three waters to wash those dishes. That's the best way to keep them shinin'."
Early played along with the old storyteller's yarn. "So why would I want to use three waters when I can get away with just two?"
"Well, the story goes like this. There was this ole master that was visitin' up to his hill country relatives. They only had a small little ole log cabin but it was always neat and clean and shiny as a pin—especially the missus' fine china dishes. That woman always bragged about how she was able to bring those plates with her all the way from over the ocean. Now, she always fixed up some of her best vittles when her rich relative came to visit. There was grits and corn and plenty of black-eyed peas filled with ham hock and some wild mustard greens. On this one particular night, they sat around and even enjoyed an egg custard for dessert.
Then they got to talkin' and they kept up that there conversation until those perty plates were crusted with plenty of dried-on food. The visiting master, he was so sorry about it that he apologized to his kin and wondered if he would need to buy the lady some new dishes. The woman just laughed at him and said that was no problem ‘cause she would just use three waters to get them clean.
Feeling ashamed of his self the master offered to send his man to fetch the water but the woman just waved her hand and hollered out, 'Here boy, here Three Waters.' Then an ole yeller dog walked into the room. Reachin' for the master's plate, she offered it to that dog and before long it was clean and shiny. Settin' it before him, the woman exclaimed that it was as clean as new and offered that feller a second helping of that custard. It only took a second for that ole master to grab his stomach and head for the great outdoors."
Early patted Moses' hand and then she reached over to pick up his plate. "Maybe we need to see if the hunting hounds can clean these dishes for you."
"I don’t want no critters cleaning my eatin' utensils, but sometimes I have to fight the urge to mess with the young master's fixin's. I wouldn't mind doing something to his dinner plates though, 'specially after tonight."
Early nodded in agreement as her gaze shifted to the doors, hoping no one had heard Moses' bitter words. Nellie's shushing voice added to the tension that had suddenly invaded the warm room as all three occupants retreated to their own thoughts.
Early placed the dishes in the warm wash water and tried to not let her thoughts turn to the urge to do something like spit in the young master's soup when she served it tomorrow. Though it was a temptation, she inwardly straightened herself out and determined she was better than that. She wasn't always the best Christian, but she knew choosing not to harm the enemy was the right thing to do. She just prayed God would protect her from Sidney's advances. Rinsing the soap from the eating utensils and the troubling thoughts from her mind, she quickly dried the dishes and returned them to the sideboard for other meals.
~~~~~
THE NEXT MORNING EARLY noticed that the liquor cabinet was once again secured, as she ran her dust rag across its shiny walnut casing. No drinks for Sidney today. Missy and Aunt 'Tilda had bemoaned Early's attack as they chatted during a quiet breakfast in her mistress's suite of rooms. They had prayed a prayer of thanksgiving that she'd been delivered from the human snake slithering around in the darkness. Then they had all laughed about how that serpent had been crushed by a rolling laundry cauldron.
Early chuckled, recalling their amusement. She wiped a few missed crumbs into her hand from the sideboard. They must have overlooked them last night. It was a blessing that Mistress Amanda hadn't spotted the messy sideboard this morning. She'd been looking for an excuse to punish Early.
Sidney staggered into the room. One foot swooshed across the floor in a knitted slipper while the other foot thumped in a dark leather boot. With a frown marring his face, he took in both the locked cabinet and Early's stunned face.
"Well, what do you know—a blessing and a curse. If I can't get any spirits, I can finally have my turn with a spirited girl." He pushed her against the wall between the cabinet and the sideboard, then rammed his hands into her hair.
Early's scream brought the whole household to the room.
Amanda fanned her heated face with a sandalwood fan. "What kind of display is this, Arthur? Have you no control of this slave girl?"
Aunt 'Tilda replied with a snort, "Have you no control of your son, woman?"
The two matrons glared at each other as Early pushed Sidney's hands away and ran to hide behind Missy's arm-crossed body.
"He has no right to mistreat anyone in this house." Missy's voice grew in volume as she raised a pointing finger to her stepbrother.
Papa Hollings' breath came fast and shallow as he joined the scene. His ashen face and spasmodic cough drew everyone's attention as he slumped into a chair.
"Arthur, are you all right?" Aunt 'Tilda dipped her handkerchief in a nearby bowl of flowers and dabbed water on her brother's face.
Amanda scented the air with sandalwood as she turned her unfolded fan toward his sweat-filled brow.
Papa pushed them both aside. "Just give me a moment's peace without everyone cackling like a bunch of chickens and I'll be fine." He stood up, and then collapsed back into the chair, allowing the fanning and dabbing to continue.
Amanda turned from her fluttering and glared at the younger mistress. "Take your little slave girl out of here before she kills my husband. I'll see to her punishment later. Sidney, get your father something to drink."
"Yes, Mother," Sidney replied and slunk toward the door.
Early's jaw dropped at the submissive tones coming from her attacker.
"And keep your hands off the help. You should know better. The future heir of this plantation should not be caught in a situation like this." Amanda pushed her son out of the room and then turned her glare toward the two young women.
Missy's hand tightened painfully around Early's fingers as they edged from the room. Early wondered at the declaration—was Sidney now the heir?
George
The next morning, Sidney thumped his way into the stable. Curses filled the air.
"Get my mare out here now. If I can't find what I need here at the plantation, I know a few places in town where I can get what I want."
George heard the commands but chose to not react. He kept wrapping the little mare's injured fetlock with the bandage soaked in liniment. If the poor horse went out today, chances were good she would not be coming back tonight. The whip marks on her rump had festered. Flies buzzed around the injury as she whisked them away with her tail. Her head hung down. George stood up and faced the angry man.
"She is not well, sir. Your horse cannot be ridden today without harming her."
"We'll see about that." Sidney's whip lashed across George's shoulder, leaving an open gash in his skin and shirt. "Move, man, and do as I ordered or you will receive more lashes."
"No."
The whip rang out again and again. George held in a cry. Blood trickled down his back. The horse shrieked in pain and snapped at Sidney as she broke loose from the stall and fled out of the barn. The startled attacker fell to the ground, giving George the opportunity to follow the fleeing mare.
Sidney rose from the ground and followed the two outside. He twirled the whip as he approached the two escapees. "Saddle her now."
A stern female voice entered the fray. "I don't think that would be a good idea, young man. That horse has lost all respect of you for the moment. She might just decide to take a bite out of you before she rolls over with you on her back." Aunt Matilda wagged her finger at Sidney. "My brother is going to be coming out of the house soon. If you have a brain in your head, you will choose a different mount and ride out of here before I tell him about your lack of horse sense. If the steed you take to town comes back looking like this one, my brother will be informed of your inability to deal with both man and beast."
George saw Sidney clamp his jaw shut and turn toward the barn. The ailing mare limped to the edge of the paddock. The sound of tromping horseshoes sounded from the doorway. Old John stood silently holding the reins to another horse. The old man smirked as he boosted the young master into the saddle. The barely broken stallion's ears lay back as he bared his teeth and took off with a jerk.