The Bride Price: An African Romance (Chitundu Chronicles) (7 page)

Beatrice Chitundu had five sons and two daughters. She wanted husbands who would support their children and keep the family ties. The case put forward by Joseph met with her approval.  Now, she would hear what her daughter Violet thought, before presenting the situation to her husband.  She knew not to ask her husband a question unless she had the answer.  And for her, the answer, at this point, was a qualified “Yes.”

CHAPTER 9
WELLINGTON TAYLOR VISITS CHITUNDUS

Beatrice and Violet, sat on the verandah watching the afternoon sun dry up the rain.  They discussed the suitor Joseph and his strong points, the conversations he had had with Violet, and the love Violet felt towards him. They were waiting for her father to return home, when a young man stepped into view.  He was slim and athletic, with a tweed hat on his blond, wind-tossed hair.  He introduced himself.

“Hello and good afternoon.  I am Wellington Taylor, Myrna’s tutor.”

“Myrna is no longer living here.” Violet immediately translated for her mother who did not speak English.

“That is what I heard.  We miss her at the school.  She is an excellent student,” he said, blocking his eyes from the sun.

“Myrna is no longer in the area,” Violet said.

“Can you tell me where she is?  I have some things that belong to her.”

“It is better if you just forget about Myrna.” 

“Can you give me her address so I can at least congratulate her?”

“She will not want to hear from you.  Uncle Dodge said he had taken care of her things.”

“Well, he hasn’t.  She has some personal effects that I am going to keep until you give me her address.”

“We are not giving you her address.  She is gone.  She doesn’t need to be reminded of what she has lost.”

Violet knew she was being loose with her translations, as her mother kept asking what the man wanted, becoming upset, and wondering what the teacher was doing here. Violet felt a little guilty. After all, she would be able to marry Joseph because of the bride price Festal had paid, and she didn’t want to risk any upset of this arrangement.

Beatrice did not want Myrna to be upset either.  It was better this way.  Just let him leave and Myrna go on with her life in the cattle station. If he was interested in Myrna, he should have said so before Festal got her.  The family was better off now.  Stephen and Esther were together, Thomas was back in school, and Violet would soon have the husband she wanted. They had made the right choice for their family. 

Wellington saw he was getting nowhere with the sister and that the mother could not understand what he was after.  In frustration, he took the books and the diary he had brought and returned them to his office. 

When he left the school the following year, the diary and the essays Myrna had written were packed up with his things.  It would be a few years before he came across them and read the young girl’s confusion of events that Christmas break.  She had no idea that her uncle might be scheming to force her to drop out of school and marry an older man she did not know or want.  Wellington Taylor never forgot Myrna’s face or her sense of responsibility. He was frustrated at not being able to communicate with her. The smugness of her sister and mother refusing to answer his questions, or allow him to have Myrna’s address was upsetting. The fact that Myrna would never know how much he admired and respected her, was Wellington’s deepest regret.

CHAPTER 10
BEATRICE TELLS BISHOP ABOUT JOSEPH

Bishop listened as his wife described the young man from church who was interested in Violet.  Bishop had made it past the crisis in his business, and really was not eager to have this last daughter leave the household.

“Bishop, I talked with the young man we met in church and at the wedding of Myrna.  He is Joseph Leibitsang and he runs the mercantile and provisions store here in town.”

“I was sorry after Myrna married. I was boxed in by the need to get a bride price for Stephen.  I don’t want another daughter leaving the house so soon.  We have Stephen married, and Myrna.  Why can’t this wait?” The torment was seen in the lines around his mouth and eyes.

“Bishop, you are ahead of me already.  I just wanted to let you know that if we decide to let Violet marry this young man, they will be living within walking distance of us.  He assures me that she can be here whenever we need or want her to come. He showed me the house plans he has had drawn up, and they include a guest room for us to stay anytime we want.  He is only waiting for us to give our blessings to an engagement.”

“What about the family?  Did he say anything about his people?”

“He said he wants to be a part of our family. He has several brothers and sisters and values family.  He had pictures and ideas that were respectful of our wishes and of Violet.  He knows others will have more to offer in the way of money or position, but he offers us a future of providing for us and his family, as they arrive.  He wants children, and most of all, he wants his wife to be a partner with him as he builds his business.”

Bishop looked at the pictures that Joseph had left.  He liked that the man traveled and saw the beauty in what was around him, not just the money to be made. It was very thoughtful to have taken pictures at Myrna’s wedding. Bishop also liked the idea of planning ahead with the house and living close by. He wasn’t ruling this young man out.

Beatrice and Violet prepared dinner and no more was said of Joseph as they listened to news about the father’s day, and how he had worked out a settlement for the townspeople whose problem he had been called upon to mediate. It was a domestic problem. One of the relatives was accused of taking the house away from the widowed sister. After some discussion, it was decided that she could live in the storage hut of another brother, as she had only one child, and the older brother was within his rights to take the property when his sibling passed.  No signature of the wife was on the title, and she had no means of paying rent. She had lived in the house for ten years, but her husband was killed in an accident, and no provisions had been made for the event of his death.

“This sounds like a hard case. Did you have difficulty deciding what should be done?”

“The woman was not prepared to leave her house. She thought she owned it with her husband because they had worked together to pay for it. But she was not on the title and the brothers were very sharp. They had lawyers and were even willing to make it difficult on her reputation if she decided to go to court. She was lucky to have one of the brothers give her space to live. He could take her as his wife, but I don’t think he wanted her. She is not so young.”

“It is always the money that decides these issues.  It is good you were there to sort it out. Am I on the title of our house?”

“No. We have no paperwork as we built the house on tribal land given to us by the chief. If we wanted, we should have someone write down what to have happen if I die. I don’t think my brothers would make you leave, but you are right to think on these things before it happens.”  No more was said about ownership of houses, or people passing.

After his wife had gone to lie down and rest, Violet sat alone with her father on the verandah in the dark. “Father, I have made it clear to Joseph that he must stay close to you both if he is to consider me for his wife. He said his own father was very important to him, and he misses him every day. He was killed working as a U.N. Peacekeeper in Zaire. Joseph wants to earn your respect.”

“He seems like a thoughtful young man. I will give it my consideration. Your mother was very impressed by his presentation of his prospects.”

“Joseph really liked her as well. He was so pleased she let him hold the baby.”

“Was he?  I was always a little afraid of them when they were that small. I don’t think I really carried any of you until you were about a year old. You all seemed too fragile. Well, as I said, I will think on his proposal and he is welcome to come and visit again when I am home. There is no rush.”   Bishop listened to his daughter and thought what a loving girl she was. It was natural she would want a man who knew how to express himself and give her the words of love that meant so much in a marriage.  He would hear Joseph say them to her, and know that she would be cared for and valued.

Uncle Dodge stopped by that evening and saw his niece and his brother-in-law sitting on the porch.  He joined them, and Violet left immediately.  Dodge began his litany of what Violet needed, and that he was the only one that could insure the family would not once again slip into scarcity. Bishop heard him out. It would be the first of many harangues about the suitability of a mate for his niece.  The more Uncle Dodge suggested dropping this Joseph prospect and letting Dodge find a suitable husband for the girl, the more Bishop leaned towards letting the girl have the husband she wanted.  Violet’s choice was Joseph.  Bishop had not known this compliant and loving daughter could be so persistent.  Bishop had to admit the boy had presented himself well.  He was cordial to all the family, including Festal. Joseph had won Beatrice over in their first meeting and she was a strong advocate for letting Violet make her choice.  Joseph had made his plans known to them and had not inflated his attainments, but emphasized that he would give Violet a future. What had impressed Beatrice was how he genuinely listened to the girl and consulted her on what her preferences were, and that he was not going to take her from the bosom of her family.  What convinced Beatrice was that Joseph was a provisioner and knew his market.  The family would be protected from sudden famine or need. She also saw he was ready to be a father.

After a month of nonstop campaigning by his daughter, Bishop gave his consent.  They could marry with the stipulations that the Joseph and Violet would make their home within walking distance of the parents, the family would benefit from the provisioning, and Violet would be secure and provided for. Joseph’s words of love for the girl were openly spoken, and her affection for Joseph was already abundantly clear.

Joseph had shared a brief history of his family, which concerned Bishop and Beatrice less than the proximity of their daughter and her future family.  Neither of the parents had realized how much they would miss Myrna when she moved out of the area, and this was not to be repeated.  With those stipulations, and a great deal hugs and tears, the couple was betrothed. Wedding plans began. Joseph invited Beatrice to come into the store and confer with himself and Valoo what the best choices were for the bridesmaids’ dresses and the wedding linens.  Valoo appreciated sharing his expertise. He admitted that his own daughter was recently engaged, and that he and his wife were missing the initial preparations.

When it came time to pay for the fabrics and the notions, Valoo stepped up to the counter. “Joseph has been like a son to me.  I want to make this my gift to you and your family. I hope your marriage will be blessed, and that I will be a guest at your wedding.”

“We will be honored by your presence. We appreciate all you have taught Joseph, and that you will be a friend to our family.”

CHAPTER 11
LETTERS AND INVITATIONS

The neighbors came early and late to visit Festal’s new wife.  She was on display. No one went away dissatisfied with this woman, about whom the stories had already spread. Lottie, who lived closest to the Phiris, was the first to come.  She wasted no time giving Myrna a big hug and pressing a little jar of honey into her hands.

“You come over and visit as soon as you get settled in. Our house is the one next to you on this same side of the ridge.  My husband is away most of the day with the cattle and I welcome a visit.”

The first day more than twenty people came by. She received many gifts; an egg from one, a handful of greens, a bunch of onions, a young goat,  a basket of roasted corn ears, tomatoes, two towels, a whisk, and a fly switch, to name the ones she could recall. To welcome the visitors, Myrna had put on her best muslin dress with small patterns on the sleeves. She tied her hair in a patterned head cloth and on her wrist she wore a simple copper bracelet her sister had given her. Festal watched her.

“What is that scent of flowers you are wearing?”

“Do you like it?”

“Wear it always.”

As her visitors poured in she wished she had something to give them.  Festal told her there would be time ahead to pay a visit in return. There was no hurry. When they were alone, the two of them decided where their belongings would be stored, and how to sort out the food and dry goods.

“Make a list of the things you need and we will go to the market tomorrow to get them,” Festal said,

“I know some of the things to get, but tell me what you like to eat then when I fix them you can tell me if they are made to suit you. Otherwise, I may be cooking what you don’t like so much. Help me make a list.” Together they made a list of what they would eat for the following days. Some of the choices were unexpected, such as a cattleman such as Festal having to buy meat at the market.

“One cow can feed so many people, but it needs to be killed in the market for the meat to be distributed. Also, we have the
halal
butchers in the market that do it so it is clean. The whole animal needs to be distributed early in the day, so each Tuesday one is butchered for the village.”

“I have never selected the meat before.”

“I can help you do that and let you know what prices to expect.”

The following day, Festal took her to the market to buy produce and show her where the butchery was, and how to select a good piece of meat. The market was even larger than the one in Blancville, which surprised her. Festal said it was because this was the sole place to buy goods, as there were few stores in Copperfine. The selection of goods varied with what was in season. There were always animals for sale, along with produce, fetishes, clothing, some carvings, and native medicines.  He showed her where the cloth and sewing notions were, as well as the man who tailored clothing, the tinsmith, and the tire repair shop. There was also a crafts market where the buyers would come to buy wholesale to distribute in the tourist and safari areas.  Festal told her what a fair price was for various goods, and left an allowance for the groceries in a pouch under his mat.  And so the first week went by.