Read Box Set: The ArringtonTrilogy for Free Online Page B

many of the other Negroes. He gave me a subtle nod as I
turned back to look at him, indicating I would be fine. Mammy
caught sight of it and briefly glared at him. He stood up straight
and shifted his eyes uncomfortably to the ground.
    Inside the church, we took our seats in the
middle of the pew and knelt to pray before services began. I didn’t
close my eyes all the way, but peeked at Mammy who was beside me.
Her eyes were tightly closed and her thin hands clasped together,
pressed against her bowed head. She was praying so intensely I
could only imagine her prayers were asking to have Daddy come home
without Mrs. Norton and a strange governess.
    So, I decided to do the same. I shut my eyes
and prayed very hard.
    Dear God, when Daddy returns from his
journey to England, please have him come without Mrs. Norton and a
strange governess. Make Daddy see that Mammy loves him, truly loves
him, and would make a better mummy than anyone. Please, please,
please . I prayed with so much fortitude that I didn’t hear the
procession start.
    Hattie poked me and motioned for me to rise.
I jumped up and looked down to the hymn book she was holding
open.
    I sang loud and proud, certain my prayers
would be answered. It was only going to be a short time before
Mammy would smile again and her belongings would be moved back into
the room that had always been hers. I felt God by my side that
Sunday morning, shining his love upon me and all of us.
    After services, I was feeling a sense of
relief from the recent burden of Daddy’s decision and Mammy’s
uninvited sadness as we made our way to the buggy through the
steady rain. I was ready to look at life ahead and no longer dwell
on the current situation. All things would be right, for God
himself was looking over us. I hoped Mammy would sense that too.
And though she didn’t smile, and the veil of dejection that covered
her face had not immediately disappeared, I had faith, great faith
that she was going to be in Daddy’s arms once again.
     
    As the many weeks passed by, Hattie and I
continued to steal away and stay far from school. Most days we
would play by the river, far downstream from the plantation. On
occasion, some of Hattie’s cousins would follow along and fish with
us. Hattie always reminded me to keep my bonnet on, covering my
fair complexion, as we feared if I returned with a sunburn again we
would be caught playing hooky for sure.
    I wrote in my journal daily about our
leisurely days in the marsh and early afternoons wandering through
the woods and spying on Mr. Montgomery’s plantation, which was not
far from Sutton Hall.
    His two-story brick house was diminutive
compared to the one Daddy had built, and the fields of cotton were
only half the size, although the plantation was always bustling
with activity.
    Hattie and I perched ourselves high under the
canopy of an old oak tree and kept ourselves entertained with the
comings and goings, watching the slaves bent over picking cotton,
working tireless hours in the hot, sun-baked fields until Perry
Montgomery appeared from the house. He reminded me of my daddy in
many ways, yet I knew what I felt for him was not the same as what
I felt for Daddy. The sight of Mr. Montgomery made my heart beat
faster. Everything about the way he walked and talked made me dream
of having a husband just like him one day.
    “Do we have to come here every day?” Hattie
groaned as we spied Mr. Montgomery greeting his wife on her return
and then watched them stroll inside together.
    We climbed down from the tree and began our
walk home through the woods.
    “Would you rather be at school?”
    “No.”
    “Then what do you suggest we do all the hours
that we stay away?”
    “I don’t know,” she mumbled.
    “This is working just fine. And besides,
Daddy will be home soon, and then everything will be right back to
the way it was,” I stated optimistically.
    “How will anything be the same? He is coming
back with a new momma for you!”
    “Oh,