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              She guided her horse off the road and trotted him along the levee, loving the feel of the wind against her cheeks, enjoying the beauty of Crescent Wood and missing her brother terribly.  He loved the land’s beauty as much as she did, and often enjoyed it as they raced along the levee where streams of Spanish moss trailed from the great oaks, swaying in the breeze.  Close to the banks, the willows dipped to kiss the water's surface.  Far on the river's horizon a paddle-wheeler left a boiling white foam in its wake.  The boats always reminded her of little toys in a pond, trailing a white stream of soap bubbles.  She sat in the saddle, drinking in the surrounding beauty, and forgot entirely the reason she was there.  The sound of the overseer's voice quickly reminded her.
                       "Miss Nicollette, ma'am.  Fine day for riding."
                       " Monsieur Williams!"  Nicollette ignored his attempt at small talk.  "I have just left the slave quarters.  I know my father provides enough food for them, yet there's barely enough food on the shelves to last a day.  Why is that?"
                       "Why, there's no telling what them Blacks do with the food they get."
                       " Monsieur Williams, you will take me to your quarters, now!"  Though his abrupt change sent a tremor of fear through her, she stood her ground.
                       "You don't want to go there, missy,” he told her in slow, measured tones.  “Now, why don't you just run along to where you were going and leave the nigras to me."  He took a menacing step toward her.
                       "You insolent pig!  How dare you speak to me in that manner!"  Her anger overtook her fear.  She stood in the stirrups and delivered a blow across his face with her riding crop.
     
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                       Williams howled in pain as the force of the blow opened a huge gash.  He grabbed the side of his face.  "You uppity wench!  I'll teach you to hit me!"
                       He grabbed Nicki by the arm and pulled her from Nur before she had time to escape.
                       Falling to the ground and landing on her rear end with a loud thud, Nicki screamed.  The momentum of her fall loosened Williams's hold on her.  Seizing her chance, she broke free.  Rubbing her backside with one hand as she got up, she swung the crop again with the other, catching him across the bridge of his nose, opening it up.
                       "I'll kill you, you little bitch!  I'll kill you!"  Williams screamed, starting towards her, blood dripping from his face, no match for her quick litheness. 
                       Nicki raised her slender leg and kicked him in the crotch, one final indignity.  He crumpled in a heap, moaning and groaning.
                       Scrambling to get back on her horse, booming laughter suddenly filled the air.
                       "Bravo, Mademoiselle Duplantier.  I couldn't have done it better."
    The rich mellowness of that unmistakable voice stopped her.  Her head snapped up and she found Jared Fleming staring at her.
                       "How...how long have you been there?" she asked between breaths.
                       "Since ye opened yer erstwhile overseer's nose with yer riding crop, mademoiselle ." 
                       "You...you...you let me get manhandled without coming to my rescue?" Nicki asked with raging indignation.

 
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