Plantation Nation (9781621352877) Read Online Free

her head. "Dis life full o'
uncertains, Miss Emma. Now I'll miss ma boy ever livin' day I have
left, but ain't nothin' promised to no man. Ain't no understandin'
some thangs. Best wez can do is trust de Lawd and know wez be
together again someday."
    "Let me help you. I'll help you and Henry.
We'll get you some papers, and then you can escape, head up North,
across the Ohio River, where no one will ever come looking for
you."
    "Naw."
    The remark stunned Emma. "I know, I know it
can be dangerous, but you'll have Henry. He can face
anything — "
    "Naw, chil'." She squeezed Emma's hands
affectionately. "Dis here is our home. We don' wanna leave Basil,
or even you and Master Knox. He's always been good to us. Makes
sure we got shoes in de cold, even gave us dem turkeys for last
Christmas."
    Emma recalled the turkeys. She knew such
offerings were bittersweet for Knox since the Uprising, but he
continued his gifts in order to lighten the malicious authority
exercised by George Napier. Before the tragedy of both the Uprising
and the addition of Napier to the plantation, Knox had often been
accused of treating his slaves too well. In the present political
climate, turkeys for slaves at Christmas would rile fellow
Southerners and threaten Knox's good standing.
    "Ain't nothin' wrong here, 'cept dat Mr.
Napier," Tilda said. "Weez all know he's de reason Basil bein'
gone. Weez knows Master Knox — and
your daddy — ain't like dat."
    She took Emma's hand and pressed a root and
leaves into her palm. Tilda specialized in herbal remedies and
nursed the ill-stricken on the plantation. Her peppermint broth
soothed upset stomachs, and her mustard plasters eased a cold.
Emma, ignoring her mother's reservations, preferred Tilda's teas
and plasters over Doc Hadley's sludge-like elixirs.
    "Make dat into tea. May help ye back." Tilda
swallowed hard and hung her head. "You done suffered enough."
    Emma's hand trembled.
    "Prolly best you keep away from here, Miss
Emma. Don't want no mo' trouble fo' you. Basil wouldn' either."
    Emma knew Tilda was right. Hers would be an
unwelcome presence now, the public beating had seen to that.
Despite the fact she had suffered too, she would be shunned in the
rice fields and Quarters alike, greeted with bent-down heads and
silence.
    Emma couldn't look at Tilda. "Please don't
hate me."
    "Aw, chile, ain't no one a blamin' you. You
always been good to all of us, helpin' in de fields, carin' for de
li'l ones at times, and I knowed you wanted to help Basil, wanted
to give him a chance rest of us don' have. Ain't no hatin' you fo'
dat." Fresh tears glided down her cheeks. "He wid de Lawd now. He
free now."
    The words hit Emma like another lash to her
back.
    "I won't let him die for nothing," Emma said.
"It won't be for nothing."

CHAPTER TWO
     
    Walking through the patch of trees that
separated the Quarters from the house grounds, Emma felt weak from
grief and shameful for the sensation of relief. Tilda had not
chided her, had not unleashed bitterness toward her. Emma would
have to find a way to feel comfort in Tilda's forgiveness, and
someday, Emma would have to forgive herself.
    Her aches and eagerness for her bed grew when
the house came into sight, but someone grabbed Emma from behind.
Leathery hands covered her mouth as she was dragged into the nearby
stable, kicking and struggling. Once inside, the horses stirred
from the sounds of Emma's stifled protests. Her captor took her to
an empty stall, turned her around and struck her face. She was then
shoved backward and into a pile of hay.
    "Running off to see your little coons. What
would your granddaddy say about that?"
    Emma swiped her hair from her face and saw
George Napier standing over her.
    "Never gonna learn, are you, girl? Stubborn,
ain't ya?" He bent on one knee, then leaned over and ran his hand
over Emma's bare leg. "I like that."
    She kicked away his hand.
    "Get away from me!"
    "Just settle down, now. You're gonna do just
like I say and be real nice, else