Vines, by Virginia Oakes

Vines

by Virginia Oakes

ONE

"Massa Carter should be home today so shuck like your lives depended on it." She winked at the other black faces. "An' knowin' his temperament," she chuckled, "I shall be struck down by the Almighty for implyin' that massa Cater would raise a hand agin us if we do not shuck fast enough! Lord have mercy! That Carter is a right gentla soul and I praise the good Lord that he is coming back safely."

Clarissa grabbed a handful of beans and sat down. "I wasn't here back then but I heared he was in these parts before. Was he raised here?"

"Is he family, Mamie?"

"Massa Carter Lightfoot is mistress Adeline's cousin, on her mother's side. And he used to be a regular visitor here in the times when he was growin' up." She nudged her son with an elbow. "My Jared here 'members a bit of that, don't you, boy?"

Jared grinned and nodded.

"An' what sort of man is he?" Jenny asked.

"He's a very dashing sort is massa Carter." Mamie nodded to herself. "Allus up to something that has more'n a hint o' danger in it." A chuckle.

"Oh, yeah," grunted Jared. "Me an' him was always doin' some of the craziest things." He glanced quickly at his mother. "Usually scared Mama half to death."

"Don't you know it, chil'!" Exasperation sounded through her laugh. She turned to Clarissa and continued. "First time he come to visit here was when he was only 'bout three or four years – small for his age, he was – and my Jared here was wand'ring off likes he always done and finds hisself in the stables. And old massa Roger's big Belgian – I'm sure some of you 'member that monster – was in his stall there when this little boy goes and sticks his head in.

"Now massa Carter done seen it and, even at three or four, he knows something bain't be right in the boy's mind to go wand'ring into such a fearsome place. So he into the stall befo's you could spit and grabs the fool outta the place. Took a right hard kick to his chest for his troubles, too, but he got Jared out."

"Now, ma… It weren't as bad as you make it out."

"Did the boy save your life or not, young man?"

"Well, I reckon he did but he weren't kicked by the beast. Leastways not as far as I recall."

She slapped his arm. "And that bruise on his ribs was from what? You certainly didn't give it him."

"Don't rightly know…"

"Then leave off the tellin' to those of us who do!" She shook her head and muttered while she continued shucking the beans. "But they were kindred souls, you might say. If it wasn't one of 'em it was th' other getting' into more mischief than the Devil hisself."

Jared laughed. "Like the time massa Carter said he could beat me across the lake…"

"Lake?! Child, that thing is no more than a filthy pond…"

"Looked more likely a lake when you're of an age."

"Well you two were only about ten when that happened. Summer of your tenth, anyways – best I recall – and massa Carter might have been eleven a'ready, I s'pose since his birth was a few months afore your'n."

Jared nodded. "Yes, neither of us were old enough to know better."

"Child," Mamie consoled him, "I think neither of you is yet old enough to know better." She laughed and flung more beans in the colander. "I swear the two of you were enough to give me fits most times even when you weren't up to your shenanigans. And when you were…" She shook her head. "You surely gave this old woman palpitations. Bless me!"

"Ah, Mama," Jared inclined his head in what he thought was a sweet pose, "you ain't none that old yet. Leastways as far as I can reckon. How is your switch arm these days?" He chuckled.

"Still strong enough to tan your hide, young man, if I've a mind!"

"Please, Mama, don't." He winced and leaned to the side, raising one buttock of the bench. "My backside is still smartin' from that race across the lake."

Mamie nodded and smiled at the memory. "Yes, I think I removed a fair amount of skin that day…"

"And it never grew back," he added.

"…in the hope that – God's great mercy! – you would stop all the foolishness."

"I thought it a pretty scant reward for saving massa Carter's life…"

"Saved his life!" She exclaimed, leaning her head back and looking to the ceiling. "Lord, have mercy! on this poor deluded child of mine." She lowered her eyes to gaze at her son, fingers still busy with the beans, not missing a beat. "And whose darn fool notion was it that put massa Carter in danger in the first place? Don't lie to me, boy. I'll get a switch off yonder maple as quick as you breathe."

Jared held up his bean-laden hand to ward her off. "I know you will, Ma, I know it for truth. But it weren't me that called the dare that time – other times, for sure, but not that time. Swear to the Almighty, I din't. It was him that done it that day, struttin' 'round on the shore an' braggin' about his swimmin' an' all. He's the one who laid claim that he could beat me to th' other side. So's we leaps in and has a go but he got the cramps, like, 'fore we got too far and I had to grab him and drag him back." He nodded. "Yessir! Saved his life that day and my Mama took a switch to me for it. Don't seem no rightful reward for savin' a body, I 'spect, but that's the way it happened."

Mamie leaned her shoulder into her son and gave him a nudge. "I was right proud of my boy that day…"

"And so's I gets a whippin'?"

"Seems I was so worried that I came so close to losing my little boy that fear drove my hand that day." She stopped shucking a moment and rested her hands on the edge of her bowl. "My baby was all that was left to me, y'know. George and Willa had been sold by then and my William had passed the winter before." She gazed fondly at her son. "Massa Roger swore he would not take my baby from me but the Lord Almighty made no such pledge. I was fearful, was all."

"Ma, I ain't gonna be leavin' you."

She returned to her shucking, the maudlin moment past. "Humph! A fine way you showed it, racing around on those wild adventures with that boy. I often wondered which of you was worse, or which snared the other in such foolhardy escapades… til I realized it was the pair of you, both mad beyond your years." She shook her head and glanced upward. "I just thank the Good Lord that you both survived." She turned back to her son. "Now you both be grown men and massa Carter startin' his own family now."

Jared grinned. "Are you hintin' agin about bein' a grandma?"

"Fine for you, young man! Already a grandma, as you know!"

Clarissa spoke again. "So do you still hear from Willa and George?"

She nodded. "Time to time, leastways. Willa can write a bit and sends me news when she can. George," she glanced again at Jared, "he got no more sense than this'n, but his wife Mattie gets word this way now and again. Both my darlin's have babies of their own now and I do ache at times to see them, but I knows that's a prayer even the Good Lord won't have time to mend."

The sound of the shucking was all that was heard for a time.

"Are they close?" Clarissa asked after a bit.

"Close enough, I reckon. Not like either was sold down-river to N'Yarlens or out west to the territories, but further than these old bones could carry me, for sure." She sighed. "Almost had my grandbabies here." She nodded in response to their looks. "Yessir! George was fixin' to git Sara set up with him, but massa Roger took a mind to sellin' him from us. I cried and begged, but massa said he had to sell a few to make his ends meet. So George and Amos and Davy were all sold that summer.

"Sara moped a spell – was so poorly that the missus threatened to sell her too but massa jus' sent her from the house, back to the fields – moped for about a year I reckon til she married Zeke." She glanced around. "Some of you may not remember Zeke. He was the smith hereabouts. And mighty proud of himself after Sara was heavy with child." Her head shook as a sad smile spread across her face. "Seems she was in the family way before the sun rose on the day after the weddin' and it was a scant eight months or so before she had her lay in."

The head shook again. "A terrible time it was. Too early for a natural delivery and there was troubles more than jus' th' timing. Poor girl screamed most th' night and then died from the pain. Lord have mercy! And the poor child was so sickly – comin' early an' all – and had trouble breathing at all, she did. An' she was so tiny…" She paused a moment to blink back the welling of tears. "Precious little thing lasted no more'n a couple of days after her poor mama. And then Zeke went mad and got his hands on some hard likker somewheres. Soon he and the smithy was up in flames."

Jenny's eyes widened. "Oh, that's horrible!"

"Yes, and more horrible still when massa Roger could not afford to build a new smithy else he sold more slaves. An' there went my Willa."

Jared nodded sagely. "If massa Roger had only let George stay and marry Sara, there'd have been no need to send Willa away. Seems one evil was answered by another, but no one saw the signs."

"Boy, you talkin' crazy now." She scolded him. "Best not be thinkin' such thoughts much less bringin' the words themselves out into th' light of day for examination. The mysteries of the Almighty are not yours to know or men's actions yours to judge. Best just keep that sort of talk in your head."

"Yes, mama."

"Jus' so happens that massa Roger did all right in the spell after that and was able to bring in some more folks from his brother's place." She nodded toward Chloe and Jenny.

"But that was when Lawrence lost his place." Jared said. "Wasn't like massa Roger was suddenly rich or nuthin'."

"Don't question Providence, young man, what you think may not be what the Good Lord has in store. Just be grateful for what we have."

A few "amens" were said around the table.

The aroma of good home cooking filled the kitchen. Mamie stood at a pot and stirred, feeling the thickness of the broth give a little resistance against the spoon. She looked toward the hallway as the sound of running steps neared the large working space she called home.

"Mamie! Mamie!"

"Land of Goshen, child. What's got into you?"

Jenny stopped to catch her breath. "It's massa Carter and mistress Adeline… their carriage just pulled in the drive!"

"Well, why didn't you say so, child." She untied her apron and draped in over a stool. "Let's go welcome them home." She fussed with her hair as they walked through to the front of the house. The pair descended the steps just as the carriage rolled to a stop.

Carter stepped from the carriage. Turning, he extended a hand to his bride and she, gathering her skirts in one hand, took his support with the other and stepped down gracefully, alighting at home once more.

While his husband busied himself with getting the luggage removed from the carriage and taken within, Adeline stepped toward the house to be surrounded by friends and relatives asking jealous questions about their adventures abroad.

Carter, finished with the immediate chores at hand, approached the front steps but gave wide berth to where his wife held court, not wishing to disturb her moments in the sun. Before ascending the steps, he saw a familiar face in the small group of servants.

"Jared?" The black face smiled and nodded. Carter rushed the young man and grabbed him in a bear hug. "Jared, old friend. I'm glad to see you." He set the slimmer man down again, grinning. "Do you know I am to be a father?"

"Congratulations, massa." Jared grinned in return.

"You tell Mamie I want to see both you and her in the parlor as quickly as possible, all right? I have something important for you."

"Yes, sir." Jared took the steps two at a time.

Lost in thought, Carter followed more slowly, passing through the front door and into the parlor where he paced alone until the pair's arrival.

"Come in, come in." They had waited expectantly in the doorway until he ushered them in. "There is something of great import that I simply must take care of immediately. Today, before custom constrains us too tightly." He motioned for them to sit. "Please have a seat." Seeing their hesitation. "No, I mean it. You two sit there and we shall talk."

Mother looked at son a moment, and then they sat as directed.

"Very good." Carter observed the pair gravely and then continued. "I have been a visitor here most of my life and have known both of you all that time. Mamie has defended me when the older cousins bullied me and comforted me when I was sick or injured. Jared has shared many adventures of my youth and even saved my life on more than one occasion when my foolish excesses have proven too much for my abilities.

"Now, then, I come back here as master of the manor, lord of the keep and find my two former intimates in situations… well, situations I do not find much comfort with."

Jared shifted uneasily on the sofa; Mamie glared him into silence.

"I had asked my father how he dealt with such situation – knowing him to have been raised in much the same way as I – and his response was that he understood the reality. I asked about manumission and he advised caution. He claimed it was not financially sound thinking, said the plantation should founder without the slaves we owned to work the land. But I have traveled and seen other farmers, many of them, who owned not a single slave and still had a profitable venture with their farms. So I think my father is wrong on the financial aspect.

"I know he is wrong on the moral aspect. I have been fast friends with Jared, as I said, for all my life. How then can I become a master over one who as always been a willing friend?" He shook his head. "In all good conscience I cannot. So I have decided to free you, Jared, make you a free man. I should like you to stay on, of course, at a mutually acceptable salary, but you will be free nonetheless. Free to come or go as you wish." He paused to allow Jared to say something, but the young man was in shock.

Carter turned to Mamie. "And I could not find it within myself to free the son but leave the mother to remain in bondage. So I will give you your freedom as well, dear Mamie. Although I should ask you to stay on as well, if you can find it in your heart. My dear Adeline would sore miss your cooking, I know."

Jared finally found his tongue. "I must say, massa…"

"Don't call me that, Jared. Call me Carter, please."

"Yes…" he struggled a moment with the word, "Carter. I'm surprised at the gift, of course, but I wonder at it's validity. You've always been a guest here before, with no concern for the running of the plantation. What if you check the balance books and find you cannot afford – as your father said – to free any of your slaves?"

"Yes," Mamie added, "would you then wantin' to be goin' back on this most kind offer?"

"Friends. There's no need to check any books, I've already consulted the balance here," he placed a hand under his jacket, over his heart, "and there is no chance of me reconsidering anything," the hand dug a little and came out with some folded paper, "I have already filed the manumission papers. The pair of you are already freed." He separated the two papers and handed one to each of them. "You are both already free," he repeated.

Mamie stared at the paper in her hand, tears rolling down her round dark cheeks, her lips opening and closing as if willing some sound to emerge. Jared merely stared from the paper to Carter and back again.

Laughter from Adeline's circle could be heard over the hush in the parlor. Carter shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.

Jared let out a long breath. "I suppose I should say…"

Carter interrupted him. "Please, do not say 'thank you'. It is something that should have been done ages ago and I feel no sense of largesse for having done the deed. I need no thanks or supplications, just a continuation of the friendship we have already shared for years."

"All right then." Jared stood and extended his hand. "I am proud to call you friend."

"As am I." Carter shook the hand and looked at Mamie. "And I do not know how soon you might want to decide to stay or go, my dear woman, but I want you to know that I plan on locating both George and Willa and bringing them back to Terraset." He smiled. "Meanwhile, though, it smells like you have cooked quite a welcome home feast for this weary pair of travelers and I, for one, am famished."

She smiled broadly and rose. "Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes, massa Carter."

"Just Carter, if you please."

"Old habits, massa, may take a while to bend." She laughed, leaving the room. "Especially for these old bones."

Carter turned back to Jared. "If you should decide to stay on, I have a business venture that might interest you."