The Widow of Rose Hill (The Women of Rose Hill Book 2), стр. 61

Lottie sat, albeit hesitantly, but the moment she recognized the letter D in the book in her lap, the doubt on her face disappeared.

They were so engrossed in their lessons that none of them noticed Eunice arrive until she was upon them. She marched to Lottie, grabbed a handful of the woman’s hair, and yanked her to her feet.

“I said you are not allowed to learn your letters!” she bellowed, causing Lottie to shrink into her dress. “No good can come from a Negro learning to read.” She turned her venomous glare to Natalie. “I don’t know what has gotten into you, Natalie Ellis, but my slave will not participate in this … this … atrocity.”

Before Natalie could respond, Eunice slapped Lottie, nearly knocking the young woman to the ground. Samuel and Isaac ran behind the thick trunk of the tree.

“Cousin Eunice!” Natalie stood and rushed to Lottie, as did Carolina and Harriet, shielding her from the wrathful woman. “Lottie is no longer your slave. She is a free woman, able to make her own choices. Your behavior is appalling.”

“My behavior? What would your poor mother think if she saw you cavorting with Yankees and teaching Negroes to read? Why, I’m glad the fever took her long before she had to witness sucha disgraceful disappointment.” She returned her narrowed glare to Lottie. “You get in that house right now. No Negro of mine is allowed to learn their letters.”

Natalie looked at Lottie, willing the young woman to stand up for herself.

“I …” Lottie’s voice came out timid and frightened.

“What did you say, girl? Speak up.” Eunice’s menacing stare bored into the young woman.

Lottie glanced among Natalie, Carolina, and Harriet before she returned her attention to Eunice. “I want to learn to read, Miz Eunice,” she said, more forcefully this time. “I’s free now, so you don’t got no say in it.”

Eunice’s face turned scarlet. “How dare you! This is what happens when you give Negroes their freedom. They turn uppity like they were our equals.” Her enraged eyes shifted to Natalie. “See what you’ve done. You’ve ruined her. Well, I won’t have it.” She turned back to Lottie. “You either come inside the house this instant, or you can go find yourself someone else to work for.”

Tears sprang to Lottie’s eyes anew. “Who gonna want me like this?” She indicated her huge belly.

“I guess you’d better get inside that house, then, and leave this foolishness of learning your letters behind.” Eunice’s lips pinched in a sneer, and she crossed her arms over her own ample belly.

With a look of resignation, Lottie nodded and turned to Natalie. “I best get inside, Miz Natalie. I shore ’ppreciate you wantin’ to teach me, but I ain’t got nowhere else to go. I gots to stay with Miz Eunice.”

“No, you don’t,” Natalie said before she realized what she was doing. When her thoughts caught up with her tongue, she smiled. “You can work for me, here at Rose Hill.”

The young woman and Eunice gasped at the same time.

“What do you think you’re doing, Natalie Ellis? Lottie is mine. The judge bought her for me.”

“Cousin Eunice.” Natalie squared her shoulders. “Lottie no longer belongs to you. She can decide whom she wishes to work for.” Turning to the startled servant, Natalie said, “I don’t have money to pay wages yet, but like the others, you can work for room and board and a share of the crop. Does that suit you?”

Lottie blinked several times before nodding. “Yes’m, Miz Natalie. That suit me fine.”

“This is outrageous!” Eunice practically shook with rage.

“No, Cousin Eunice, your behavior is outrageous.” Gathering her courage, Natalie said, “I believe it is time for you to leave Rose Hill.”

Eunice sputtered. “You mean to say you’re throwing me out? Over a no-good Negro?”

“I’m not throwing you out, Cousin Eunice. I simply believe you’ll be happier elsewhere. I won’t tolerate name calling or violence on my property. Lottie is a human being and my employee, and you will treat her as such.”

The three servants stared at Natalie with rounded eyes. Certainly, they had never heard a white woman stand up to another white woman over a Negro. Admittedly, neither had she.

“You mark my words, Natalie Ellis. You will rue the day you turned your back on your own blood.” Eunice stomped back to the house and slammed the door.

It was several moments before Natalie’s pulse slowed. When she glanced at the other women, their expressions mirrored her own shock.

“Well.” She shrugged and looked at Lottie. “I suppose you’ll have time to sew your baby’s clothes now.”

Harriet was the first to snicker behind her hand. Carolina’s brows arched high before she gave in to giggles.

Finally, Lottie, who still seemed stunned by the turn of events, said, “I shore ain’t gonna miss that woman’s snorin’ at night.”

Before long, all four women were laughing. And, oh my, did it feel good.

Levi sat at the small desk in his temporary office, writing yet another report for General Granger, this one regarding the stolen cattle. While he didn’t like the fact that the thief was growing more brazen and stealing larger quantities of animals, Levi was glad for the distraction. It kept him from dwelling on all that had happened at Rose Hill the past three weeks.

He put the pen in its holder and blew on the page to dry the ink. Granger had not been pleased when he’d learned of the fire and the attack on Natalie. He’d ordered Levi to organize a manhunt, pulling men from the mission of delivering the freedom proclamation in order to catch Jezro. Levi hadn’t agreed with the order, mainly because he felt their chief assignment was far more important, but he couldn’t deny he wanted Jezro caught and punished for what he’d done to Natalie. When Granger put a bounty on the man’s head a few days after the fire, the local patrollers got involved. Their tactics and use of dogs did not sit well