The Wedding Gift by Bodden Marlen Suyapa

Author:Bodden, Marlen Suyapa [Bodden, Marlen Suyapa]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Published: 2009-12-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

SARAH CAMPBELL

OUR CABIN ON THE CROMWELL PLANTATION WAS near the stables and smelled like horse manure. There was no garden. Isaac replaced a piece of wood that was missing from the shutters, and he put more nails on the walls so that we could hang our clothes. Isaac’s first uniform belonged to a prior coachman. The length of the trousers fit Isaac, but the other man apparently was wider and heavier. I asked the overseer whether a carpenter could make repairs in my cabin and build us furniture, but he said that he could not spare someone until Mr. Cromwell’s house was completed. When we had been in Talladega about a week, I asked him for maid’s uniforms, but he said I would not need those, as I was going to spend most of the time in the kitchen.

“Sir, I beg your pardon, but I am Mrs. Clarissa Cromwell’s maid.”

“I have instructions from Mrs. Cromwell, the mistress of this household that, as of this coming Monday, you will work in the kitchen during the day. You can attend to Mrs. Clarissa in the morning and evening.”

“But I also have to clean Mr. and Mrs. Julius Cromwell’s quarters and do their washing and ironing.”

“And?”

I found Clarissa in the garden. She was alone.

“Miss Clarissa, I need to speak with you.”

“We may speak here. Just keep your voice low.”

I told her what the overseer said.

“Tell him to come here immediately.”

“But he may be angry at me for telling you.”

“Nonsense.”

“Miss Clarissa, I know how these overseers are.”

“I will speak with Mrs. Cromwell. Wait for me in my bedroom.”

I was dusting when she returned.

“How dare she? How dare that woman?”

“What did she say?”

“I’m writing Papa and Mama a letter right now.”

She sat at her desk and began writing while she spoke to me. “She said that, because her husband sent four of the house servants that Papa gave them to the fields, you are needed in the kitchen. She said that it was her husband’s decision, which she cannot overrule. I’m telling you, this will not stand. That is not how my parents raised me. I need a maid who will devote all of her time to me. And I will tell Papa that they have you washing and ironing for Julius and that Isaac is no longer my coachman but his. Here, tell the overseer to send this letter.”

There were only four servants who worked in the kitchen, including me, whereas at the Allen house, there were ten. At the Allen house, once I became Clarissa’s maid, I only helped Mama when there were guests, but here, I would only be able to attend to Clarissa between many other tasks. Isaac’s life also changed because there were fewer stable hands helping him than at Allen Estates. He was gone more often and told me that he drove Julius to town, where Julius spent a week at a time with his mistress. He cautioned me not to repeat that information to anyone, as Julius warned him that he expected not to hear anything about it from Clarissa.

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