The Price of Freedom (31 page)

“Yes, you’re right Richard. 
I will marry you.”

He pushed over his chair in his
haste to get up and pull her into his arms, hugging her to him and burying his
face in her hair. The crash of the chair hitting the ground brought Sarah out
of her room to find Richard passionately kissing Deborah.

“Deborah, what you doing girl?”
she asked for the second time that day.

They reluctantly pulled apart and
Richard answered for both of them saying, “Celebrating our upcoming wedding.”

They had to laugh at the shock on Sarah’s face before tears
of joy flooded her eyes that her daughter had finally found someone who loved
and valued her.

November 30, 1696

William could not contain the
smile that broke out across his face as his beloved Barbados came into sight
and the boat headed for Carlisle Bay. He was finally home, after two long
torturous years. He had missed the island more than he had expected to and he
had missed his mother and the girls, although he rarely spent much time with
them. He wondered how his partner in crime, Henry, was and if he was still as
wild as ever.

No one was there to meet him but
he wasn’t surprised since the boat was actually a bit earlier than scheduled as
a brisk wind had added several knots to their speed and hustled them towards
Barbados. He decided to spend a couple of nights in Town before going home. It
had been a long time since he had experienced its pleasures and he didn’t plan
to deny himself a moment longer, just in case his father got it in his head to
put him to work right away and made sure that he did not leave the plantation
for a while.

As the boat dropped anchor and
waited for the cockboats to come to take the passengers and cargo to shore, he
went below deck to arrange for his trunks to be brought up. He would stay at
his favorite boarding house and reacquaint himself with all of its delights
before heading home. Anticipation hastened his feet as he remembered the
beautiful mulatto girls that kept the patrons well entertained for a few coins.

That reminded him that Deborah and
her mother now lived in Town.  He would ask the proprietress if she knew
of them since she seemed to know everything that went on in town.  He
would definitely have to visit them and pay his respects.  And he had some
unfinished business with Deborah.

William sat in the White Hare
tavern a few doors up the street and across the road from Deborah’s shop. 
The Madame at the boarding house had been very helpful in providing the
information he needed. After all, two colored women running a shop in Town was
not a common occurrence so he had had no trouble finding them. From his seat in
a darkened corner of the tavern near the door he could see their customers
coming and going.  From the looks of things, the business seemed to be
doing well.  It certainly was well patronized. He should pay them a visit
and offer his congratulations.

Tossing back the last bit of rum in
his glass, he left a few coins on the table, pushed back his chair and headed
down the road.

He stepped into the shop and let
his eyes adjust to the dimness after being in the sunlight. Deborah was
standing behind a counter serving a well dressed lady whose slave girl stood by
carrying her purchases. His eyes ran hungrily over her and images of her in his
bed stirred him. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Gone were the
drab slave clothes and the handkerchief.  Her hair was in a simple plait
over her shoulder but she wore a beautiful flowered dress that flattered her
figure.

Glancing around the shop he saw a
stand with clothes hanging on it but he didn’t see her mother and he was glad
that he would be able to talk to Deborah without her interfering presence. The
lady at the counter finished her purchase and headed for the door. 
William nodded politely to her and moved further into the shop, watching
Deborah’s face as he drew closer and was gratified to see the politely
welcoming smile on her face change to one of shock as she recognized him.

“William!” Her hand flew to her
chest as if she was trying to hold her heart in place.  Her face paled and
she looked in panic towards the door as if she was gauging how easily she could
escape if she needed to.

Deborah’s heart began to beat a
furious tattoo in her chest.  She had known that William was coming back
soon but she had not been prepared for the shock of seeing him.  His face
was somewhat thinner than before but he was still very good looking in spite of
the coldness of his green eyes that revealed his cruel nature. What was he
doing here?  How did he find their shop and what did he want with her?

“Is that all you’re going to say?”
he taunted her.  “Surely you’re glad to see me,” he mocked. “A welcome
home kiss would not be amiss either,” he added laughing.

Deborah drew herself up. She would
not let William intimidate her any longer.  She was a free woman, she no
longer belonged to his family and he had no control over her life. 

“May I help you with anything?
Some soap as a gift for your mother and sisters perhaps?” she asked ignoring
his comments.

“I’ll pass on the gifts but there
is something else you can help me with.” A familiar predatory look entered his
eyes as he drew closer to her.  Deborah was glad that there was a counter
between them but even so she forced herself not to retreat in fear as William
leaned over the counter and caressed her plait suggestively.  She pulled
it from his grasp and was about to demand that he leave when a concerned voice
interrupted.

“Deborah, are you alright?” 
She almost sagged with relief as she heard Richard’s voice. She eagerly sought
his gaze as he strode purposely into the shop, looking big and powerful.

“Yes, thank you Richard,” she
assured him, although he could see the relief on her face.  He turned to
look at the tall, lean man who had been leaning over the counter.  He
looked somewhat familiar but Richard could not place where he may have met
him.  Women would probably consider him handsome but his eyes were cold
and flat. 

“I feel as if we’ve met before,”
Richard said politely offering his hand although he instinctively wanted
nothing to do with the man.

“That’s unlikely since I’ve just
returned from England after two years.  I’m William Edwards of The
Acreage,” he added haughtily.

Richard’s blood heated in his
veins as he recognized the name and the anger that he had felt when Deborah
told him that he had raped her threatened to erupt. This sorry excuse for a
human being was his cousin. He clenched his hands at his side and barely
managed to restrain himself from putting him on the floor with a well placed
blow.

“I am Richard Fairfax.” 

So this was the favored nephew
that his father had referred to as a fine young man and his mother had been so
pleased to have visit when he was away. This was the one who had slept in his
bed and probably bedded his slave in his absence.  Hatred rose in him. He
wondered what he was doing back in Barbados and why he was regarding Deborah
with such possessiveness.

“Then you must be my cousin from
Carolina.  What a small world.  I thought you had returned to
America.”

“Barbados had a great pull on me
and I found I could not stay away.  I have decided to move here and run
our shipping agency.”

“Wonderful!” said William, lying.
“Anyway I must be off.  I have not even been home as yet as I only arrived
yesterday.”

Turning to Deborah he said, “When
I heard you had moved to town I had to come and see you. I’ve known Deborah all
her life,” he told Richard. “I know we didn’t have much chance to catch up on
old times before we were interrupted Deborah, but rest assured that you haven’t
seen the last of me.”  He smiled slightly at them both before heading for
the door.

The promise sounded more like a
threat to Richard and as he looked at Deborah’s pale face he knew that she saw
it as one too.

She quickly lifted up wooden
partition at the end of the counter and flew into his arms, uncaring whether
any customers might come in and see them.  Richard held her close and was
concerned to find her shaking.  William’s visit had served to bring back
the disturbing memories of her past and left her badly shaken. 

“Don’t worry, he can’t hurt you
anymore.”

Deborah nodded but she was not
convinced. Her mother had told also her not to worry days before William had
taken her innocence.

December 1, 1696

The Acreage Plantation

The Royal palms lining the
driveway seemed to wave their greeting to William as the wind disturbed their
long fronds.  The welcome sight of them made him smile and he felt a new
surge of appreciation for the plantation he had left two years ago. As the
coach strained to get up the driveway, laden with his trunks, he looked around
to see what changes had been made, but apart from some new flowers everything
looked much as he had left it, even his mother sitting in her favorite rocking
chair on the patio flanked by his sisters.

Elizabeth saw the coach coming up
the driveway and knew that William had come home. Lifting her skirt in one hand
she ran to it as it came to a halt and William hastily climbed out.

“Oh William, I’m so glad you’re
home.  I missed you so.”  Tears of joy poured down her cheeks as they
hugged each other.

“Mother, it’s so good to be
back.  I never thought I would miss this place so much. I don’t plan to go
anywhere for a long time.”   He turned to hug his sisters who had
joined them demanding that he tell them all about England and asking what he
had brought for them.

“I’ll get one of the stable boys
to get your father. He’s probably in the distillery.”

William was not as eager to see
his father.  He could never seem to gain his approval and he wondered how
he would measure up to the fine young man who was on the plantation just months
ago.

Flopping into one of the rocking
chairs he answered as many of their questions as he could, even as he soaked in
his surroundings with contentment.  A new slave girl brought them drinks
and said, “Welcome home, Master William.”

“Thank you…?”

“Hattie,” she provided with a
flirtatious smile.

“Thank you Hattie,” he continued
with a sly smile of his own. His father had not lost his taste in beautiful
slave girls, he noticed. Well he certainly shouldn’t have any objection to him
having some fun with Hattie.

He was surprised to see his father
hurrying towards the house followed by the stable boy. Could it be that he was
actually glad to see him?  William stood up as his father reached the
patio and held out his hand to shake his father’s, only to be stunned when his
father ignored his outstretched hand and folded him into an embrace.
 Maybe he had mellowed in the two years he had been away.

“William my boy, I’m so happy to
see you.”

“Thank you, father,” he said
awkwardly.

“Sit down and rest.  You must
be tired.”

“I’m fine. What’s been happening
on the plantation?” asked William.

“We had a very good crop this year
and the rum is doing well too. I had some help from your cousin Richard and he’s
just moved back to Barbados as well.  You should meet him next time we’re
in Town.”

“I met him yesterday.” Too late
William realized that he should have kept that to himself.

“You did?” Thomas asked in
surprise.
“Where?”

“At Deborah’s shop,” admitted William
reluctantly.

“What were you doing in her shop?”
asked his mother sharply.

“I came across their shop almost
by accident,” he lied, “and Richard came in as I was there.”

His father looked at him
suspiciously and announced, “Well I’m glad you met. Richard plans to marry
Deborah.”

“What?” Elizabeth spluttered into
her drink.  William swallowed some of his the wrong way and began to
cough. 

“My nephew plans to marry that
colored woman?” she shouted in disbelief. Now she understood why he had
returned to Barbados without his fiancée and the reluctance Thomas had shown in
explaining to her what was going on.

“There’s no law against it,
Elizabeth.”

William could not believe that his
cousin was planning to taint their blood lines by marrying Deborah. Why would
he buy the cow when he could get the milk free?