The Flame and the Flower (Birmingham Book 1) by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

Author:Kathleen E. Woodiwiss [Woodiwiss, Kathleen E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harpercollins
Published: 2009-03-16T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Two small Negro children were playing in the dust in front of the house as the carriage jolted to a halt. At the first sight of Brandon’s face they scurried away, leaving a few moments of dead silence. Only an occasional sound of a voice in the distance broke the quiet. A child’s giggle was heard from the corner of the house and another came from the other end of the porch. There was a loud shhh and then a whole chorus of giggles. From the back of the house sounded a youngster’s strident voice.

“Mister Brandon’s here! He done come home!”

Then from an older female throat, “Lordy me! That boy’s finally got home.”

Footsteps pounded through the house coming toward the front. Children began to filter out from every crack and from behind every bush until more than a score stood goggling at the carriage. The front door flew open and a more than ample Negress strolled onto the porch, wiping her hands on her apron. She squinted into the carriage.

“Lordy me, Mister Jeff. What you bother bringing that waterfront trash home with you for?”

Brandon swung open the carriage door and jumped down, grinning broadly, “Hatti, you old hounddog, one of these days I’m going to twist your tail proper.”

The woman cackled gleefully and rushed to meet him, arms held wide, and Brandon swept her into a hearty embrace, squeezing her tightly as he laughed. When he released her she let out her breath with a whoof.

“Oooeee, Mister Bran, you ain’t getting no weaker. You gonna crack my ribs for sure one of these days.” She peered past him into the carriage. “Who that in there with you, Mister Jeff? You trying to hide somebody from old Hatti? You just bring her out here and let me look at her so I can see what Mister Bran done gone and got for himself this time. Last time he brought that big old bull Bartholomew home with him. But it sure don’t look like no bull this time and I can see it ain’t Miss Louisa.”

As she spoke Jeff rose and got out of the carriage and turned to help Heather down. With hardly a pause Hatti continued her chatter.

“Hurry up, Mister Jeff,” she directed impatiently. “Get her down here so I can see her. And get out of the way, boy. You always was a clumsy one for your age.”

Jeff moved aside, a merry twinkle lighting his eyes, and let the old Negress have her first look at Heather. Hatti’s eyes roamed across Heather’s face and she smiled with satisfaction.

“Why, she ain’t hardly more’n a child. Where’d you find something this sweet, Mister Bran?”

She grew serious as her gaze fell to Heather’s stomach, and she turned to Brandon with eyes deep and troubled, having no doubt that he was to blame. Dropping his given name, she inquired with a raised eyebrow:

“Mister Birmingham, you gonna marry this child? She needs you more’n Miss Louisa. Your poor mother would turn over in her grave you didn’t do right by this girl.

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