The Slave Master's Son Read Free Page A

the preparations today.” Mary clasped her dry, worn hands together, looking deeply into her daughter’s sleepy eyes.
    “Why can’t I help, Mama?” Hannah rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand in confusion. Mary took a deep breath and sighed, sitting down next to Hannah.
    “I don’t know. You just can’t. Now don’t bring it up again. Just do as you’re told.” Mary stood up, crawled back into her bed, and quickly fell asleep. Hannah sat up awake. She peered into the darkness, looking around at familiar shapes. For the first time in weeks, she wept for John.
     
    * * *

 
     
     
     
     
     
    The next evening…
     
    “Emancipation Proclamation – horse radish!” laughed Master William as he drank the dark-red wine from his heavy, crystal glass. “If anyone dares try to take my property, they best be prepared for a gun battle. This damn proclamation doesn’t account for slaves in Missouri , Maryland, good ol’ home – Richmond, Virginia, or Delaware! We haven’t acknowledged secession. Our Niggers are still ours,” he declared, raising his glass in the air unsteadily as his words slurred from the libations.
    Hannah could hear faint chatter, music, and musing of what sounded like hundreds of people. Her mother left her a lantern to sew. Instead, she was using it to read. Mary did not know that her daughter was literate. When Hannah was caught, she told her that she was only looking at the words and pictures and had no idea what they meant. It was the first time Hannah had lied to her mother but felt it was imperative, especially after the warnings John had given her regarding what could happen to slaves that were proven able to read. Hannah realized her mother kept a tight grip on her out of love but knew in her heart it wouldn’t protect her from the atrocities of the cruel world in which they lived. She recalled her mother twisting her arm and carting her away in distress a month before John left. She sat Hannah down abruptly on the back porch. The sun was setting. Painted streaks of orange and light-blue bled across the dusky sky.
    “Hannah, I done tol’ you many times now. You can’t go swimmin’ with John anymore. It ain’t right. You two alone – in the woods – it ain’t right. You ain’t a baby no more. You can’t be runnin’ around naked with a white man. I know you don’t mean any harm and parts of you’re still child-like, but right is right, and wrong is wrong.
    “John should know better. He’s practically a man. Actually, he’s a man. He’s smart, too. I’m more disappointed in him than I am you. You just don’t know any better. He at that university and gettin’ schoolin’. He had to be smart to get into that school, and he’s doing well accordin’ to Master Stewart. John – he knows better. I think he’s puttin’ his eyes on you. I see how he looks at you. He’s full of lust, Hannah. I ain’t sayin’ he’d do anything to hurt you or try to make you do somethin’ unclean, but his intentions just ain’t pure anymore. You ain’t safe wit’ him no more. You two are no longer two little kids playin’. You both practically grown, really.
    “Master Stewart’s very upset and has talked to John about this. I ain’t sayin’ never speak to John again, but no more runnin’ around together.” Mary’s tone was stern and her eyes were fixated on her daughter’s obvious indignation. Hannah recalled the conversation she had with John later that evening.
    “John, Mama said I can’t go swimmin’ with you anymore.” Hannah whispered into the night air as she hugged the tree. John smirked and ran his fingers through his raven hair. “I love Mama Mary, Hannah, but she’s incorrect. We’ve been around each other every day since you were born. We’re comfortable together – completely,” he said. “You’re beautiful – yes – but I don’t – I wouldn’t…”
    “You don’t love me?” Hannah asked as she leisurely swung her shapely body to the other