Napoleon's Gift (4 page)

She frowned as Mr. Charle
s walked into the room.

“And how is he
faring today?”

“Not very well, and not up to receiving company.”
Marié nearly spat, he grinned, then sat down anyway.

“I’m sure old
Tobias has a moment for me. I would like to discuss the possibility of purchasing your plantation, and all its wares.” He stated grinning, and it took all of Marié’s strength not to strike him across his grinning face.

“Mr. Jones isn’t up to this at the moment, as you can see Mr. Charles, if you would
simply come…”

“Know yer place
woman.” Mr. Charles hissed, and Marié huffed up.

“She is within her right, now is not the best of times, Charles, if you would kindly see…yourself…out.” Mr. Jones barely
uttered, before he gave in to a series of coughs.

“Fine, Tobias, but eventually, I will have it.
You and I both know that.” Mr. Charles grinned sardonically.

“This I do not have knowledge of Charles, and I have been informed
that you are next to penniless. Therefore I see no seizure of my holdings in the near future.” Tobias sneered with a slight smile, and Mr. Charles smirked as he strolled towards the bedchamber entry.

“Indeed we shall see.”
Charles rejoined, then exited the room.

“Has there been any word of Benjamin
Marié?”Tobias asked as he accepted the cloth to wipe his mouth.

“Not yet sir, I pray he hurries. Ginny knows of you and
Anaïs, however you know they would never allow her to retain any of this.”

“This I know too
. I have made expressed details of what must be done, to Benjamin. He only needs to get here. I am not sure I can last another week Marié.”  Tobias moaned, Marié nodded, as she placed the cool cloth on his forehead, and he sighed.

“I know.” She sighed herself.

“Send Ginny to me.” He commanded softly, Marié nodded, then left the room.

***

I looked up wide-eyed as my grandmother came from Mr. Jones’ room. The look on her face, I had seen many times before, and it said something terrible was going to happen.

“He wants to see you
ma petite
.” She said, and I was surprised.

“Me? But why?” I whispered, then looked at the bedroom door.

“Just go on chil, he has something to say to you. His time here isn’t much.”

I nodded, wiped my palms on my dress, then walked towards the door.

As I reached for the doorknob, I looked back at my grandmother, she nodded smiling slightly, and I went through the door.

I had been in Mr. Jones bedchamber
once before when I saw my mother’s portrait, but only the once, so I was very apprehensive. The curtains were drawn, the room dark and somber. I could see him lying in bed, and as I walked into the room, Abel helped him to sit up. He tried to smile, then gave into a fit of coughs.

When he was done, Ab
el fluffed the pillows, laid him against them, then handed him a glass of water. Abel nodded to the chair, and I took a seat.

“
Toi mon amour, étaient l’amour de la vie de votre mère. Même plus que moi Juste le regard dans tes yeux quand tu es né, c’était assez pour elle de quitter cette terre heureuse.”

He smiled, and the look of
astonishment on my face caused him to chuckle.

H
e said;
you my darling were the love of your mother’s life. Even more than me. Just the look in your eyes when you were born, was enough for her to leave this earth happy.

I sat looking at him openmouthed.

“Ye did not know of our love I see. I am sure Marié kept it from ye, to protect ye. I have never loved another as I loved yer mother. Now, I have made arrangements so that ye will be taken care of. Ye are my daughter; as well I’m sure ye know by now?” He questioned, and I nodded, still astonished.

“I’m not sure if y
e remember Benjamin, ye may have been
trop petit
, but he is well underway here to take my affairs in hand. He will care for ye and Marié, once I have gone. Now, come towards the bed, so I can look at ye. Ye remind me every bit of Anaïs. There has not been one day which has passed since her death, that I have not seen her in ye.” He whispered as I sat down on the bed, then he lowly reached up to caress my face.

“I have loved y
e since birth
ma fille bien-aimée douce
. Although I have not always been able to show it, I have. Ye were born of a great love, even if some of the people here would not accept it. I have loved no other woman, but yer mother, and it shall remain thus, until I take my last breath, and I am with her again.” He said smiling, and I nodded.

I
was not sure what I was supposed to feel.

He had
always seemed so distant from me, that his revelation not only shocked me, but frightened me as well.

What would the people here do, if they knew I was his only living relative?

He went into a series of coughs, so bad that Abel leaned him forward, then began to hit him upon his back. I saw the blood, gasped, then looked up at Abel.

Abel
nodded towards the door, and I got up.

“No, wait!” Mr. Jones wheezed, and I paused.
“Know that I have loved ye always.” He commanded fiercely, I nodded, felt the sting of tears, and Abel waved me from the room.

When I came out his bedchamber,
Granny was there to embrace me.

“
Pourquoi as-tu ne me dis jamais rien de tout cela!
” Why did you never tell me any of this, I yelled at my grandmother, and she frowned.

“Because child,
ce n’était pas mon histoire à raconteur.
” It was not my story to tell, my Granny wailed, and I sat down on the settee.

“For twenty-
six years, he says he has loved me? That is very hard to believe Grand-mère.”

“
No it aien’t babé. He has, and I can bare witness to it. He loved my daughter, with a love only few in this world find. The minute you were born, he wanted you with him, and you were, until these white folks, mind you, not French, began to talk. Your father is a very wealthy man
mon amour
, and half of these people owe him plenty. You could never have what they want legally, but that still does not mean you would be safe to live that way. Especially, if he willed it to you. They’d sooner kill you first, which is the reason he’s sent for Ben.”

“But wh
y Benjamin Granny? I am not sure if I remember him.” I lied, and Granny frowned. Of course, I remembered him; he was the first boy I ever loved. However, he broke my heart, and I have wanted to loathe him ever since, on the contrary I cannot. Not to mention, it was 13 ½ years ago. I was sure he was a fine sort of a man by now though. I could not even imagine what he appeared like now; even then, he was very striking.

I sighed as my
Granny smiled.

“You were
approximately thirteen I daresay, when last Mr. Ben was here. Think back child, I know you recollect him.” She said as she motioned us towards the stairs.

“My world, him!” I
pretended, she nodded, and I smiled.

Benjamin
had the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen. They reminded one of the skies on a clear summer’s day. The dark looks and light eyes made for a very fetching combination. I remembered all the neighboring plantation girls vying for him. However, when we first met, he struck me as very studious, and serious, because he was always carrying a book.

“Yes, and Mr. Jones has willed everything to him, and he is to take care of this plantation, and its people. My only hope, is that he’ll
agree to it.” Granny sighed, and I frowned.

“You mean he doesn’t want to?”

“I’m not sure if want is the word chil, he has a life far from here, so I have no notions how that will affect what Mr. Jones has done. I am not as young as I used to be, and someone will need to run this plantation, or sell it. Moreover, I hope above all hope, that it will not be that foul Mr. Charles. He has been after Mr. Jones to sell it to him for years now. However, I believe it is only to get to you chil.” Granny said, and I gasped.

“You knew?”

“Yes, I’ve been watching him for some time now. Why did you not tell me chil?” She wailed, and I sighed.

“I didn’t want to worry you, anymore than you already were.”

“This I needed to know.” Granny frowned. “Now, we need to make plans, encase this all goes to pot. I cannot go on to my grave, knowing full well that you aren’t taken care of.” Granny stated, and I sighed.

I was far more capable than
Granny believed, but it always made her feel as if she were taking on the world for me, so I’d let her believe that these last twenty-six years. Granny tended to forget that I was an adult, not a child. As far as etiquette and such went, I was rather long in the tooth, and should have been married ages ago. Nonetheless, I had only ever loved one person in my life, and I refused to marry without love.

“Now come chil, we must make haste.” She said, tugging me from the
house.

Somewhere

on

the Atlantic…

Benjamin looked out over the water and sighed.

W
hy on earth would Tobias do this?

He had not
spoken to Tobias since before his father died, so why the sudden urgency?

Surly, Clarette and his solicitor could manage things for Geneviève.

Benjamin began to pace, and Bartholomew looked up from the paper.

“I daresay, what has y
e in such a state?” He cried, Benjamin paused, then frowned.

“I am not quite sure; however I do feel a sense of foreboding
upon my arrival. I have not spoken to Tobias since father died, ye know yerself, and I was never one for the business of slaves.  Therefore, I have no notions as to why he would do this. I don’t believe he would actually think I would approve of this?”

“Yet, we don’t know why he has done what he’s
done yet chap; there must be some dire reasoning to it. Therefore, keep a stiff upper lip, until we do arrive. Not to mention, since Lincoln passed that act, the idea of slavery is a thing of the past.” Bartholomew grinned; Benjamin gave him a slight frown, then nodded and resumed his pacing.

They had another week, until they arrived in New Orleans, and it was almost as if he were arriving
for the first time. Nearly fourteen years had passed since he last stepped foot in New Orleans, so he knew just from the news abroad, things had changed drastically.

Would she
desire to see him?

He wondered, and his frown deepened.

If ever he had loved anyone in his life, it had been she.

What would she
appear akin to fourteen years later?

She had been a beautiful girl, and on many occasion he remembered her wonderful depthless hazel-green eyes. Many a dream of his had been filled with them, however,
he had destroyed it all, in one instant.

Had she forgiven him by now?

“And what is this I’ve heard the chaps back home speak of, a
Madame Soleil’s
?” Bartholomew asked, Benjamin paused again retreating from his thoughts, this time with a slight smile.

“I have nary a clue, yet leave it to y
e to find a spot of sport in all seriousness.” Benjamin retorted, and Bartholomew laughed.

“I
must say, it is the talk of Sir Francis and his cronies. He has spoke of nothing else since his trip last winter. I cannot in all good conscious allow myself to ignore such good counsel.” Bartholomew cheered, and Benjamin could not help laughing.

“Fine, however it must
be abated until I attend to this pressing matter with Tobias. I myself may join ye in a bit of sport.”

“And has the captain said how long till port?”

“If the weather holds true, another week, but he swears nothing more.”

“Splendid, I grow weary of this vessel and it
s ragamuffins.”Bartholomew sighed, and Benjamin shook his head.

“Ever the noble, I see.”

“Yes, and ye shall remember that.” Bartholomew quipped, Benjamin tipped the chair backwards, and Bartholomew toppled to the floor as Benjamin howled with laughter.

“Arse, I shall repay y
e in kind!” Bartholomew cried, then laughed as Benjamin helped him up, and they went to seek the evening’s supper.

New Orleans

Basil-Leaf Plantation…

“Where is Ginny presently?” Millie asked frowning.

“I sent her to Adamae’s for her special spices.” Mari
é said frowning now herself.