Wench: A Novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Author:Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: African American Novel And Short Story, Historical - General, Ohio - History - 1787-1865, African American - Historical, Women slaves - Ohio - Social conditions, Women slaves, Fiction, Fiction - General, Resorts, Fugitive slaves, Historical, American Historical Fiction, Social conditions, Ohio, African American, General, Resorts - Ohio - 19th century, 19th century
ISBN: 9780061706547
Publisher: Amistad
Published: 2010-09-15T04:50:28.106000+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

His clothes were genteel but worn. He wore a set of blue knickers that were white at the knees. The ruffles on his shirt were no longer crisp, crumpled from napping in the back of the carriage. His reddish hair was straight with curly ends, as if it were just beginning to lose the last of its baby curls. He took the candy from Fran, but kept his eyes on Nate who stared at him unabashedly.

Fran opened her mouth to speak, but her voice sounded choked. “You’re taller than I expected. You’re welcome here, of course.” She looked at the driver.

“He’s six, ma’am. He explained to me during the trip that he just had a birthday.” he paused. “I hope you won’t mind if I go on my way. I have a schedule to keep, and I’m afraid I’m already behind. I have accommodations in the next town over, and I’d like to arrive before my host retires for the night. Tomorrow morning, I’m headed north—”

“Would you like to see your room, Billy?” Fran interrupted.

The child nodded in response.

“Lizzie, prepare the room across from mine. Dessie, have Philip take that trunk upstairs.” Fran walked to the door with the driver. “I do hope you’ll give my sister regards for me. Are you a friend of hers?”

“No, ma’am. I’m just a driver. She hired me to bring him. She regrets that she is not able to come herself.”

“Yes, that’s too bad.” Fran looked back at the child.

As Lizzie took the child’s hand and ascended the stairs, Nate followed.

When she got to the top of the stairs, Nate stood there looking curiously at Billy. It struck Lizzie that her son was dressed better than the white boy. Nate offered the wooden train car in his hand. The boy walked forward and accepted it.

“What’s your name?” Nate asked softly.

“Billy.”

“Do you like trains?”

Billy nodded. “I rode on one before. Have you?”

“No,” Nate said, his eyes wide for a moment. “But I’ve got a whole train set. You want to see it?”

Billy shrugged as if he had seen a million train sets.

“Come on.” Nate took his hand and guided him to Fran’s bedroom, Rabbit following at a close distance behind them.

Lizzie heard Drayle stamping his boots as he entered the front door.

“We have visitors?” he asked.

“Yessir,” Dessie answered.

“I’m not properly dressed to receive anyone. Tell them I’ll wash up and be there in a few moments.”

“It’s just the child, sir,” Dessie said.

And that was all Lizzie heard. She helped to carry the train set into the bedroom where Billy would be staying. She took her two dresses out of the closet, folded them, and made a stack on the floor outside the door. She guessed she would be sent back to the storeroom, but she wasn’t sure. She turned back the bedcovers. The sheets had just been changed that day. It was late for a child. He would want to go to bed soon.

“You’re probably tired from your trip,” she said to Billy.

“Yes, ma’am.”

The child had manners, she thought.

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