The Widow of Rose Hill (The Women of Rose Hill Book 2), стр. 64
“If it be all right, I’d like to see that bill o’ sale,” he said, his curious gaze on the document. She handed it to him. After scanning the words, he grinned and looked up. “That there says my name. Moses.”
She nodded, a sense of wonder that Moses could read at all. Soon, she hoped, his wife and the other women would be able to do the same.
“What these figures right here say?” He pointed to the blank that had been filled in with his age at the time of sale.
“It says you were thirty-five years old when Papa bought you from Mr. Boyd. That was on March third, eighteen fifty-two.”
His brow raised. “Thirty-five? That make me ’bout … forty-eight. Well, what do you know? I forty-eight years old.” A pleased grin rested on his face while he studied the paper.
“You didn’t know how old you were?” Levi asked.
“No, suh, I shore didn’t. I’s sold away from my family when I’s a boy. Never see’d them again. Lots’a years pass after that, and I don’t keep track of ’em. Didn’t realize I’s so old,” he added with a laugh.
Natalie’s heart wrenched at the thought of Moses, sold as a boy, unaware of the most basic information about his own life: the day he was born.
“Do you mind if I keep this paper, Miz Natalie?”
She shook her head. “I don’t mind, but why would you want to have such a thing? Won’t it bring back sad memories?”
“Guess it may not make sense to you folks, but this here paper is a part o’ me. It tells my story. We all gots a story. Some parts is good, others ain’t. I’d like to keep this with my Bible, and maybe show it to my grandchildren one day.”
Natalie nodded, wondering if he would ever see the children born to his two oldest sons.
She looked back to the papers scattered across the desktop. “Could there be something in these documents that might tell us what happened to Moses’ boys after they were sold?”
“No,” Levi said, sending a look of apology to Moses. “These are the bills of sale from when Langford purchased slaves. They proved his ownership. I don’t see any type of receipts from the sale of a slave. Do you have any idea where your sons might have ended up? Perhaps I could send a message to one of our units in the area to help locate them.”
Moses shook his head, a deep sadness in his eyes. “Massa George took them an’ all the other Langford slaves on down to Ga’veston after the fever killed Miz Natalie’s folks. When he come back, he say he has to sell the lot of ’em to the slave broker ’cuz some look sick. He angry ’cuz he didn’t get near what they all worth.”
Natalie closed her eyes, memories of that terrible day filling her with regret. George refused to listen when she’d begged him to spare Moses’ sons. Maybe if she’d tried harder …
When she opened her eyes, she found Levi studying her. What must he think of her, being party to such despicable actions?
She turned to leave, wishing they’d never come. “I want a few things from the attic, and then we’ll be gone.”
“Mrs. Ellis, wait.” When she faced him again, disappointed he’d addressed her so formally, he said, “May I have a word with you?”
“Very well.” She wasn’t certain her heart could take it if he continued to treat her as though they hadn’t shared a passionate kiss. To Moses she said, “Would you please retrieve the rocking horse from the attic? If memory serves, there is also a small chest with baby clothes. I would like that brought down as well.”
“Yes’m,” he said, giving them a curious glance before departing.
When Natalie returned her attention to Levi, she found him studying her through narrowed eyes.
“You are a paradox, Mrs. Ellis,” he said, his voice softer than she’d expected.
She grew nervous under his probing gaze. “How so?”
“I didn’t expect you to apologize to Moses. Although I hate slavery, it was legal. Your father was well within his rights to buy and sell Negroes, including Moses.” He looked perplexed. “I thought you’d defend your father.”
“Like Moses said, we’re all working to put those things in the past.” She indicated the papers on the desk. “I’m not proud of what those represent, but I can’t change what they are any more than you can change the fact that you were at Manassas Junction.”
At her mention of the battle, he frowned. “It was war. What I did in that battle, in every battle, was done because of this.” He indicated the papers strewn over the desk. “Men and women were held in bondage right here in our country. It had to end.”
“True, but are you proud of everything you did in battle?”
After a long moment, he shook his head. “I’m not.”
The simple answer was what she had hoped to hear. “Nor am I proud of everything that was done before you brought the freedom proclamation.”
He nodded. “I see your point.”
They stood in awkward silence. Natalie was first to speak. “I’d prefer the rest of those were burned,” she said, glancing to the papers on the desk. “But I suppose if Moses found some peace in seeing his bill of sale, some of the others might as well. If you’d return them to Papa’s desk, I would appreciate it.”
“I’ll take care of it.” He paused. When he looked at her again, the warmth she’d missed returned to his brown eyes. “I should have told you the night we sat on the swing that I was at Manassas.”
The soft-spoken words were a soothing balm to her bruised heart. “It wouldn’t have been so shocking to hear had it come from you. Alexander said a friend of his was at the meetings with you in Austin and inquired after you.”
Levi looked thoughtful. “And it wouldn’t have been so shocking