Absalom's Daughters Read Free

Judith.
    â€œI guess.”
    â€œHe run off with ’nother woman.” Judith changed hands on the wagon handle. “Rich woman, my momma said.”
    â€œWhat rich woman?” said Cassie.
    â€œNo one ever said her name.”
    â€œWhy a rich woman wanna run off with a oil-field man?”
    â€œMy momma said she was a hoor.”
    â€œA rich hoor?” said Cassie. The rusty wagon handle felt gritty in her fist. “I never heard of a rich hoor.”
    â€œI seen ’em dressed real nice.”
    â€œI seen ’em wearin’ the same clothes all the time.”
    Judith wiped a damp hand on her grubby dress. “You know any? I mean personally.”
    â€œOne. But I only see her in church. My mama don’t mix with her.”
    â€œWe got three come to our church.” She aimed a thumb over her shoulder, back toward town. “I hear the Catholics got half a dozen.”
    Cassie laughed and then stopped herself. “Jesus prob’ly didn’t laugh at the hoors.”
    â€œProb’ly not. Here’s the hill, now. Pull!”
    *   *   *
    Cassie had never been up the hill or anywhere near the mansions. The first house sat well back from the curb at the end of a driveway lined with rosebushes and azaleas. The front yard was like a forest, filled with spreading maples. The front door, which Cassie could just see through the canopy of leaves, was framed by tall columns. Pots of flowers lined the front porch. Wisteria in full bloom hung from the eaves like bolts of purple bunting.
    Judith flipped through the tags on the laundry sacks until she found the one she was looking for. “Leave that wagon,” she said. “Come on.”
    Cassie followed Judith down the cobbled driveway. The wagon rattled between the trees, and Judith slowed, concentrating on noiselessly approaching the house. The driveway split as they came out from under the trees, one part leading to a side entrance where there was a low roof. Cassie came to a stop in the split while Judith labored on, dragging the wagon along the drive to where it disappeared around the back of the house. Cassie had seen pictures like this side entrance to the house on the walls at home. The side entrance was a place made for carriages and horses. Carriages and horses and white women in silks filled Cassie’s mind until she noticed that the sound of wagon wheels had stopped. She saw the white face in the window of the side door, looking right at her. Was it a man or a woman or a tall child? The face vanished, and the door jerked open. Cassie turned and ran down the drive, to the other wagon, pushed up against the curb.
    Judith clattered back while Cassie waited, pulling up her wilting socks. Judith hauled her wagon into the street. She had something clenched in her fist. Nickels.
    â€œWhy you run off?”
    â€œThere was someone at the window.”
    Judith put whatever she’d been paid into the pocket of her dress. There wasn’t even the clink of two coins. “You supposed to be helpin’ me.”
    â€œThen you should pay me.”
    â€œI ain’t payin’ you nuthin’.”
    Cassie eyed the road ahead. It was long and steep. “Guess I’ll go home.”
    â€œYour momma sent you to help me.”
    â€œMy mama said you doin’ just fine. She gone whup me when I get back.”
    â€œI give you three—no, two cent.”
    â€œHow much you get?”
    â€œA nickle each house.”
    â€œYou had nine bags.”
    â€œMacReedys’ get two.”
    â€œThree cent.”
    Judith pushed her hands into her hair. “Cain’t,” she said, and Cassie thought Judith might start to cry. “Mah daddy ain’t left us nuthin’.”
    *   *   *
    The next house was well out of sight of the first one, though only partway up the hill. Judith took the wagon Cassie had been pulling. Cassie waited, sweating at the curb.