Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White

Author:Roseanna M. White
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction;FIC042110;FIC027360;FIC014060
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2020-11-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Salina’s hands shook as she closed Miss Delia’s door, pushing until she heard the click that didn’t mean safety. Didn’t mean anything was shut out. Didn’t mean the most horrible truths weren’t right here inside with them. She squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she’d pressed the wood into its frame, but that didn’t do any good either. Just meant she saw the stark realization in the memory of Miss Delia’s eyes rather than in her real ones. Though, sure enough, if she turned around she’d see it again in reality.

She wasn’t sure she was brave enough to face her sister again, now that Miss Delia knew she was her sister. And yet how could she do otherwise, when she’d be hurting so from the news about Mr. Phin?

Before she could settle that question inside, Miss Delia obliterated the need for it with a hand on her shoulder that turned her around. Somehow gentle and insistent both. Salina sucked in a breath as she spun, bracing herself for whatever might meet her gaze. Accusation, resentment, sorrow? Or, worse, “understanding.” That this was why they’d always been able to be friends—because half of Salina’s blood was Owens blood. That she was only able to read and comprehend and carry on an intelligent conversation because she was half white—a sentiment she’d heard before, and which never failed to make her temper flare. As if her murruh’s side were any less human, any less worthy, any less—

“Sal.” The second Miss Delia said her name, Salina knew all those thoughts were wrong. Other people might think that way, might even have tried to teach Miss Delia to think that way, but she wouldn’t. Couldn’t. Didn’t. No, when Salina faced her sister, she saw what she should have expected—sorrow, but for Salina’s sake. Love. Acceptance. “I’m so sorry.”

That tugged out a frown, and Salina found her fingers tangled with Miss Delia’s, though she wasn’t sure who’d done the reaching this time. “Whatever you sorry for, Miss Delia?”

A wash of tears flooded her eyes. “For not seeing it sooner. Not realizing. For . . .” She swallowed, her larynx bobbing and her nostrils flaring in an obvious attempt to keep the tears at bay. “For how unfair it all is.”

Unfair. That little word didn’t begin to cover it. Didn’t begin to make up for all the times Salina had to bite her tongue over the years, stop herself from saying things to Miss Delia that wisdom said she shouldn’t. Because she wasn’t just her sister, just her friend. She was a mistress, destined to own slaves—to own her. Just like her own father did.

Salina bit her tongue again now, against the words she wanted to say, and focused on the sorrow in Miss Delia’s eyes. It didn’t put anything to rights. But it made a difference, the fact that her sister’s slights had never been intentional, and that she regretted the situation more now than ever. “Ain’t your doin. You been a blessing in my life.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.